Villain Retirement

"Are you sure we're allowed to fight here?"

"It is fine, the innkeeper and I are becoming quite close—I have that effect on older women."

"...Right."

The Leville party, and their newest member, Riley, were now at the back of the tavern where Riley and Aerith were staying at. The innkeeper seems to also own the other buildings surrounding the tavern, allowing her to have a large yard behind them.

The backyard was relatively still empty, however, as the innkeeper didn't seem to have any idea on what to do with it yet. Aside from several trees and a well, there was nothing on it, making it the perfect place for the Leville party to spar without having to go out of the city. But of course, there was another reason for Riley to choose this spot.

"Let's… start, then?" Roan then nodded at his comrades, before stepping out of the shade the tree provided for him; his eyes, reflecting the silhouette of Riley's cloak as it snapped with the wind,

"I'll go first."

"I thought the three of you would be attacking me together, Roan?" Riley could really only tilt his head as he saw Roan approaching him by himself.

"We will," Roan rubbed his nose and chuckled, "But I want to try fighting you alone first. I know… I can learn a lot."

Roan then took off his shirt, throwing it to the side as he grabbed the knives from his waist. Roan was lean—almost skinny. But it was obvious that whatever flesh he had, they were all covered in muscles… as well as scars.

"Wait, we're using real weapons?" Bert quickly looked back and forth between Roan and Lilly. As for Lilly, she just shrugged her shoulders and said,

"Does it matter? I don't think we could even hit him even if we put all our effort into it."

"That's true, but…"

"It's fine, Bert," Riley let out a small chuckle as he took off his cloak—revealing the black suit he had beneath it.

"..." The three were slightly taken aback; after all, this was the very first time they were seeing this kind of clothing, let alone material. Was it some sort of armor to help him adjust to the heat? After all, if he was from the Snowfields, then that would mean he truly wasn't used to this kind of weather.

But as they thought of that, Riley suddenly took off his top—just mysteriously peeling away from his body as he pulled it.

"...Fuck," Roan, however, couldn't really comment on the clothes as he just stared at Riley's body—no, squinting at his body. It was white, incredibly so that Riley almost seemed not real as his skin reflected the rays of the sun.

But his white skin, perhaps, amplified his ripped body even more as the shadows almost seemed like they were drawn by pen as the lines almost sculpted every inch of him.

"Are… are you going to use a weapon?" Roan then gulped as he gripped his knives even tighter. Riley looked menacing with his black suit; but without it, he was just exuding all sorts of… power.

"Well," Riley then raised both his hands to his chest as his feet started hopping very lightly, "I was told once… that I am the weapon, Roan."

"...Damn," Roan turned to look at Lilly and Bert, before nodding his head and just rushing toward Riley without any warning.

Riley, on the other hand, just casually lowered his left arm as he swerved to the right, completely avoiding Roan's knife. Riley then suddenly raised his left fist, throwing it straight toward Roan's chin, but stopping before it could hit him.

"..." Roan quickly tilted his head back before kneeling on the ground and swinging his knife on Riley's leg. But alas, his knife was quickly stepped on, and before he could even attempt to pull it away, another fist was already hovering above the back of his head—a strike that would have obviously incapacitated him, or considering Riley's strength, killed him.

"...Shit," Roan let go of his knife as he leaped back away from Riley, "I… feel like I am being toyed with."

"You are, Roan," Riley said without any hesitation as he once again stepped on the knife beneath his foot. And as he did so, it flung and spun toward his hand—and not even a second after catching it, he threw it toward Roan.

Roan didn't really catch it, and for good reason as the knife just went straight past him and penetrated the wall meters away from them.

"...How can we become as strong as you, Riley?" Roan then breathed out as he looked at the embedded knife, "What did you have to die to become that strong?"

"Die multiple times, Roan."

"That…" Not only Roan, but Lilly and Bert could not help but gulp as they heard Riley's words. Riley might look like the same age around them, but just from the fact of how strong he is… he might actually be some old master.

And to die multiple times? Does that mean that Riley has experienced being on the brink of death before… and multiple times at that? Just… what sort of past is he hiding?

"I want to experience that, Riley."

"...Roan?" Lilly and Bert then looked at Roan as they heard his words.

"Don't hold back," Roan then let out a very long and deep breath as he stared at Riley; his hand, gripping his knife as relaxed as he could as he raised it,

"I want to see how strong you really are."

"Are you sure?" Riley then let out a small chuckle as he lowered his arms.

"Yes, I'm—!!!"

And before Roan could finish his words, he saw his vision turn dark as he felt something covering his face.

"Riley!?" Lilly didn't really know what to do as she just rushed toward Riley—Bert was the same. How could they not, when Riley was now lifting Roan in the air with one hand; his fingers, very slowly digging through his skull?

Of course, they wouldn't have rushed recklessly since the two were supposed to just be having a spar—but they saw Riley's eyes, and it didn't even reflect Roan. All they saw was the endless violence that was hiding deep within him. Dormant, but ever-so-existing.

They were wrong. They shouldn't have even thought of trying to spar with someone like Riley—someone who has faced death, and only knows death.

There was a reason why Riley was just working as a Porter, and now they know why.

Their thoughts were right, and very wrong at the same time.

Riley clearly knew what he was doing as he very slowly tightened his grip on Roan's face. And they were right, his eyes were not reflecting Roan at all, because it was reflecting Aerith, who had been watching their spar from the start from the window of their room.

This was the other reason why Riley chose this spot to spar—to see if Aerith would save someone that was dying right in front of her. And Riley made sure… he made sure that she would hear him scream in pain.

And so, Riley tilted his head as he waited for Aerith's decision.