Villain Retirement

"You seem to be having fun again, Gary…

…perhaps I can join in?"

"...Now who in Hel is this, Your Highness? A friend of yours?"

One of the men lifted Gary by his collars, looking him straight in the eyes before glancing at Riley,

"Is His Ever So Respected Highness a friend of yours?"

"He was my classmate. But I have already advanced in life, I am a professor now."

"...What?"

Riley only glanced at the 5 men, before just casually approaching them as his eyes were only focused on Gary.

"I am trying to find your mother, Gary," Riley then stood in front of Gary, completely ignoring the fact that someone had him literally by the neck,

"Do you perhaps know where she is being kept?"

"Look at us when we're talking to you!"

One of the men rushed toward Riley, causing the leaves around them to dance violently as they were blown away.

"But I was not talking to you, was I?"

But before the man's fist could even make it a meter away from Riley's face, he found himself suddenly floating in the air; his body, completely frozen right down to the individual strands of his hair.

"..." The man just stared at Riley for a few seconds, before his entire body started vibrating; and very soon, he was able to move his face,

"You think tricks like this work!?" And with a roar, he was able to break himself free from Riley's telekinetic hold… this price for that, however, was half of his flesh completely torn away.

"W… what?" He could really only turn his roars into a whisper as he felt his body drop to the ground.

"It does now," Riley sighed as a small smile started to crawl on his face, "I am learning more and more how to effectively deal with themarians, you see. Freeze all of their body, then unfreeze half of it as soon as they start to exert and strain their muscles…"

Riley then turned around and approached the kneeling themarian, whose body was already healing,

"...and then watch them as they tear their own flesh away. I hope you're not important."

"Wh—"

And before the man could speak again, Riley swung the side of his palm right toward his neck. Riley, of course, was not able to decapitate the man's head—his hand didn't even dig through his flesh and only his skin was wounded.

But then, the smile on Riley's face became wider as the air around his hand started to distort; and almost like a saw, his hand started to vibrate.

"I hope it is alright with all of you," Riley then said as he looked at the others, "But I wanted to join the fun."

"Grah!"

And with those words, a guttural and visceral noise started to ring in the air. The man that was lifting Gary by the neck could really only let go of him as he took several steps back; the others too, all looked at each other as their feet moved on their own.

How could they not, when their friend's blood was currently showering everywhere as his neck was very slowly being… sawed in front of them; his flesh, also scattering everywhere.

The fact that his neck while also already healing while still being shredded was… not really a pretty sight.

"Fun, right!?" Riley's mouth then began to open, causing the smile on his face to become almost… diabolical as the blood started to shower on his face. Partner this with their friend screaming in pain, the group was completely petrified,

"This is how you torture someone!"

"..." Gary, who still could not believe what was happening in front of him, thought this to be a dream. Darkday… This isn't Darkday—he thought. Darkday laughs and toys with his victims, yes; but never like this.

This is not even Riley—Riley, has once, never shown anything like this.

It felt like he was more human now. But why…

…Why does he look even scarier?

"Unfortunately, I have to cut our fun short." And with those words, Riley waved his hand—finally completely decapitating the man whose neck he was sawing. Riley then just casually dropped the man's head on the ground; its neck, already squirming and regenerating the rest of his body.

"Look at that, he survived," Riley then let out a long and deep breath as he shook his head; the tone of his voice finally back to normal again. He then turned his attention back to Gary, causing him to slightly flinch; but before Riley could talk to him, the rest of the group started circling him.

"You think you can do something like that in our territory and expect to just get away with it?" The man that seemed to be the leader of the goons stepped forward,

"You're clearly helping this piece of shit prince, so we might as well fucking kill you too."

"Oh," Riley blinked a couple of times as he looked at Gary again, "I suppose you're the heir to Hel, Gary. Is that why you are doing nothing as they plan Aerith's execution?"

"That—"

"Someone like him is not worthy to sit on the throne!"

Gary was not even allowed to speak as the leader of the goon started screaming and waving his hands,

"The one worthy to succeed the throne is Lucien!"

"I disagree," Riley quickly said.

"So, you are supporting him!"

"No," Riley shook his head, "Why would I support him when the next in line to the throne is still alive?"

"...Princess Aerith?" The leader of the goons furrowed his eyebrows. Soon, however, the confusion on his face turned into an amused smile,

"You think that failure is worthy of the throne!? The King himself ordered her to be executed, her own father! She is worthless!"

"...Failure?" And all of a sudden, any hint of a smile on Riley's face faded away. His hair which was still being slightly moved by the wind, now completely still along with the blades of grass beneath his feet,

"You think…

…Aerith is worthless?"