Purpose

How did Evan know Andre had a hidden motive by revealing his background instead of discreetly ratting him out for immediate benefits?

Simple, really, Evan knew that behind every single action a human takes, a motive is being hidden.

Whether good or bad, that was another story.

So Evan wanted to uncover this hidden motive of Andre's, seeing if it was detrimental to him or not.

Of course, as a powerhouse, how could Andre not understand his intent?

It was as plain as day.

"Why so serious? Relax," he chuckled dryly as he stroked his chin, thinking for a few moments before replying seriously.

"There are things that are better not said if a person's strength doesn't reach a certain level. This is one of those cases, however, seeing as your stubborn nature would make you refuse to yield unless you get some answers. I shall indulge you for a bit."

"Let me ask you a few questions before I answer."

Nodding to show he understood, Evan waited for Andre to begin.

"What would you do if you found that those close to you suddenly end up massacred without you knowing?"

"Get revenge and impose vengeance on the murderers."

"What if you can't get revenge?"

"I will gain as much strength as possible to achieve that revenge. I will let nothing get in my way."

"Sigh, what if you end up dead trying to exact your revenge?"

"So be it. At least I can face myself in death and die honourably."

"Fine." Andre sighed as he began massaging his temples.

"Since you are so dead set on this path, I won't patronize you nor warn you. You are old enough to make those decisions by yourself. What I will tell you, however, is this. There are greater dangers out there, far greater than you can imagine. Don't let your main purpose for strength be to annihilate the Fletcher family, as they are just a tiny ant in a much bigger world."

Frowning after hearing what Andre said, Evan couldn't help but blurt out:

"Are you telling me not to get revenge? Because you and I both know that's impossible."

"No, all I'm saying is to not make revenge the reason for you wanting to gain strength, sure it's a catalyst, but what happens after? Do you just stagnate and stay at the same level? Remember what I said about there being greater dangers that you can't imagine, well you will need greater strength to survive those,"

Taking a slight pause, Andre continued.

"Get revenge, but don't forsake who you are just to achieve. Find a purpose for strength that will allow you to reach the peak, otherwise, you will just decline and become one of the many who die in the annals of history. Also, remember you can't do everything alone. Sure, humans are deceitful, spiteful and treacherous. But that is only one side of the coin. There are others out there who are the opposite and wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice their life for you."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I want to. Just take it as an old man giving who has lived his life giving some advice to someone of the younger generation."

"Is that all you want to say, or is there anything else?"

"One last thing, since the current aim of your existence is to destroy the Fletcher family, I can provide help, the you right now is incredibly weak. A single flick from a powerful person can end you. That's why I will give you a martial art that will help cover the existence of the Demon Reaper Art and allow you to grow stronger."

Facing Evan's dubious stare, he clarified.

"Cough, I owed your family a favour from before. This is it paid back."

"Ok."

Seeing that Andre truly had no ill intentions, even going to the extent of providing him with a martial art to cover up the one from his family, Evan heaved a rare sigh of relief.

During the whole conversation, his nerves were as taut as a bowstring. He kept expecting Andre to peel off the mask from his outer self and show his treacherous inner self.

To his surprise, though, that didn't occur at all and he even ended up benefiting from it.

'Maybe I need to trust people more?'

Confused by all the events that had just happened, Evan's inner self was in turmoil.

One side was dark, cold and gloomy, resembling the abyss, saying not to trust anyone at all and only trust yourself whilst the other side was bright and full of warmth encouraging to open up and trust some more.

It was like an imaginary tug of war was happening inside Evan's inner heart, one that remained stationary in a deadlock with the two sides trying to usurp each other.

'Ugh! I'll think about this later.'

Witnessing Evan standing there in a daze, Andre tried to hold back the smile that threatened to bloom on his face as he spoke.

"Since you are now a rank 1 mercenary, I will introduce you to the captain of a squad I know so you can get some combat experience outside in the wilds. I will arrange for you to meet them tomorrow."

After saying that, he also threw a silver badge with the number one on it.

Catching the badge in his palms, Evan turned it over slowly as his lean, haggard face was on display, reflected by the metallic, silvery sheen of the badge.

'The past year in the slums has certainly done me a ton of good,' he thought sarcastically as he sighed in melancholy, remembering his blissful childhood.

The days when he had no worries, played with his family and basked in the familial warmth that they provided.

Something Evan would do anything to get back, no matter the cost.

'Enough reminiscing Evan! The real journey starts now. Wait for me mother, father, Ella. I will get revenge for you!'

Slapping himself to wake up, Evan's face became a mask of steely determination as resolve coloured his features.

***

Later in the evening, laying on a dirty mattress in his run-down home. Evan quietly looked back on the events of today as he gazed upward towards the wooden ceiling.

First, he successfully became a mercenary before suddenly, to his shock, finding himself exposed by the person responsible for conducting his test.

Surprisingly, things differed from what he expected, as, instead of informing the Fletcher family of his location, Andre gave him a martial art.

That was not all. He even gently persuaded him to alter his purpose for attaining strength.

"What should my purpose be, then?" He muttered with a lost look in his eyes.

Ever since the betrayal occurred, he directed all the energy he had towards thoughts of revenge and bathing in the blood of the Fletcher family.

'I'll think of my purpose on the go.'

For the first time in over a year, the temptation of revenge did not blind Evan as he began thinking calmly and rationally over his next steps for the future.

'Tomorrow, I will meet the squad that I will be a part of soon. Sigh, I just hope none of them is the arrogant type.'

Evan's reason for disliking arrogant people was because they reminded him of 'that' person.

The person responsible for him ending up in this state.

Feeling as if they ruled the world just because they were born with a silver spoon in their mouth or just because of a tiny, meagre amount of strength caused Evan to feel an endless amount of disdain for people who acted like that.

'I can trust people a little more and see how it goes. It's not like I'm going to be betrayed again. What's the worst that could happen?'

With these thoughts revolving through his mind, Evan's eyes slowly drooped down as he entered the realm of dreams.