Villain Retirement

Intense.

That was perhaps the only word that Zac could use as he watched as James very slowly pulled out a seat for Riley. His bald head may absorb all of the light in the room, but the tone of his voice was anything but bright.

His eyes were clear, and so was the reflection on them—and it only showed Riley.

"I prefer to be civilized. Let us talk about my son's death in a calm and reasonable manner, Lord Riley."

Calm? Perhaps that was a word that could be used to describe the tone of James's voice. But hear deeper, and you would see the seething rage seeping through the gaps of his perfect teeth. The collar around his neck did not help dissipate what kind of person James truly is—he was a criminal; violent and problematic.

As for Riley, he didn't seem to think much of anything as he very slowly approached James. If a battle were to break out between these two, then it is up to him to stop it—even if you say that James has a lot of connections with the aristocrats and the nobles of Hel, causing trouble right in the capital city would put him in the radar of the Lords and the Ladies of the Hel castle.

And as Riley is directly supported and sponsored by Princess Tifa, only James would truly suffer repercussions. Perhaps, James truly only really wanted to talk?

And so, with that thought, Zac's breaths were finally able to calm down for at least several beats.

"Are you a calm and reasonable pers—"

"Pavoom."

"!!!"

And there it is. Zac's mind was so busy thinking about what James would do, that he literally forgot he was following a madman. But alas, it was already too late as everything in front of him just turned white.

Unlike the raging and violent white that Zac saw before first meeting Riley, however, this white and empty void in front of him was a sphere; or perhaps a cylinder. It was truly hard to define its shape as it just looked like a flat circle. Most of the room was drowned in this white, with James at the center of it.

Zac then quickly turned to look at this anomaly's perpetrator, only to see Riley's index finger pointed right in the direction of James's bald head. And with a breath, Riley very slowly placed his hand down; the white void, instantly disappearing as he did so.

"Why… did you do that?" Zac almost stuttered with his words, "I… I think he only wanted to talk."

"Maybe, Star Sergeant Zac," Riley then stepped forward; the table that was once just peacefully resting at the center of the room, now erased from existence along with its other siblings. The walls, floors, and ceilings, however, were still completely intact and without any damage… the same could be said for James.

"..." Riley turned to look to the side of the room. And there, James was currently resting on the wall. Well, half of him is. The curvature of his missing silhouette was perfect, like a crescent moon that completely completes the look of his shiny bald head.

Even with all of his body gone, however, James was still able to move his head as he looked at Riley with his remaining eye. And then, with just a single blink, his entire silhouette became whole again.

"Hm…" Riley squinted his eyes as he tilted his head to the side. His 'pavoom' move was almost instantaneous, and for James to react to that showed that he was completely different from all the other themarians he had faced—perhaps even stronger than Champion Sergeant Darmuid.

"Rude," James breathed out as he pushed himself from the wall; half of his body, completely exposed. He didn't seem to care, however; Riley learned none of them do. Even Aerith did not mind being naked in front of him or other people at all.

Perhaps that is to be expected; if one were to have such strength, it is expected that clothes would not be able to survive.

"Is this it?" James then said as he looked at his arms that were free of clothes, "Is this what you used to send my son to Eternal Death?"

"No," Riley answered casually before slowly raising his hand—and as he did so, his long white coat started to wiggle. And after a few tugs and shakes, a large part of it was torn away.

"..." James did not really react even as this cloth started floating its way toward him. He did, however, squinted his eyes as the white cloth started to once again wiggle until morphing into the shape of what seemed like a pair of pants. James did not really say anything, and instead just grabbed the floating garment and casually wore it,

"And how did you kill my son?" And as soon as his thing was no longer just blatantly hanging for everyone to see, he once again looked Riley in the eyes.

"I believed I pulled off his head and kicked it far away, Lord James," Riley said as he placed his hand on his chin, "Since the expanse of space is indescribably large, it is probably still flying as we speak."

"So…" James then closed his eyes as he let out a short and very deep breath before he looked at the now empty room, "...He did not even make you use this weird attack of yours?"

"There was no need to, Lord James."

"Pathetic," James once again let out a deep breath as he pulled the now broken collar around his neck, "I thought he was better than his older brother since he became a cadet of the Order. But both of them are just disappointments. Their mother didn't raise them well enough; it would seem."

And with those words, James just started walking away; passing by Riley and not even looking him in the eyes as he stepped out of the room.

"I am angry right now, Riley Ross. But not at you," James then said as his bald head reflected the light on the room even though he was already outside, "There is nothing to forgive. But rather, I apologize for my son not even giving you a fight. Pathetic, truly pathetic. But still…

…I would not hear the end of it from my wife if I do nothing. So, perhaps I can take your head with me?"

James then raised his hand, hanging on it was Riley's head.