Villain Retirement

"Please… my aunt needs help!"

"..."

And so, the chaotic and nerve-wracking atmosphere surrounding Ahor Zai suddenly vanished as silence took over. Most of the themarians were now just looking at Karina; their mind, winding back to when one of them just suddenly vanished into thin air when she got near to the white-haired girl.

Most of them wanted to rush at her but were completely aloof to the point that none of them moved.

"Just do what the girl wants, Your Highness."

And of course, Diana did not let go of this chance as she immediately approached Karina; standing by her side as she looked Queen Adel straight in the eyes, "The other Diana is right, cherish the fact that you still have people left—none of these people should be standing here in the first place."

"What…?" Queen Adel's eyebrows lowered; her limbs, now completely healed as she returned Diana's glare.

"They are only alive because of him," Diana then pointed at Professor Riley, who quickly got out from hiding as someone finally shed light on his… good deeds, "The fact is, you really were going to let them all die. I could even stretch it as far as saying that…

…Riley Ross saved the themarians."

"Those words even dare escape your treacherous mouth!?" Queen Adel's hair once again started to buzz. She was about to approach Diana but saw Karina looking at her with eyes filled with suspicion.

"Treacherous…?" Diana, however, very gently pulled Karina behind her as she stood close to Queen Adel; their eyes meeting at the same level,

"Be careful with your words, Your Highness. You do not get to judge what I have done when you have not even existed yet when I started my efforts of saving our people. You have no idea of the lengths I have journeyed to, the things that I have sacrificed. Tell me, Queen Adel…

…besides almost executing your daughter, what do you know about sacrifice?"

"You—"

"In fact…" Diana then raised her voice as her feet very slowly left the floor; her eyes, now reflecting the 9,999 themarians filling the dome of Ahor Zai, "...If all of us are not mistaken here, you seem to be executing everyone that tries to save the people of Theran. Me, Princess Aerith…

…and now Riley Ross, who is the only reason that any of you are here right now. Tell me, Queen Adel—what hatred do you bear upon your own race that you would antagonize the people trying to save it?"

"..." Queen Adel did not really say anything and just looked at her people, only to see them looking at each other, before looking at her with their eyes squinted. But of course, after a few seconds, they all looked down—after all, she was still their Queen.

"Freaking hell, Dee. Your other version is hot as freak," Alice slid away from Riley; whispering words that could be heard by everyone as she sneakily approached Diana-1, "You think she's like us?"

"What do you mean 'us'?" Diana-1 rolled her eyes, "Anyway, I think this is over. I'm sorry, Queen Aerith—I don't think your wish for revenge is going to get fulfilled here."

"Revenge is a curse that eats away at anyone who holds it, Dr. Caitlain'Ur," Edith closed her eyes before taking in a deep breath. And as she released it, she opened her eyes and walked toward Diana and Queen Adel,

"I feel completely demoralized by the events that have transpired and the words that I hear, Your Highness. And although my heart seeks nothing but to brutalize the person that has eradicated my people…

…I believe starting over is the best course of action."

"How can we start over when our futures are already gone?" Queen Adel breathed out.

"I am with child."

"Holy shit."

"With… child?" The frown on Queen Adel faintly vanished as she looked at Edith's belly, "With—"

"With a themarian. I carry a full-blooded themarian child," Edith let out a short sigh as she gently held her belly.

"No…" The buzzing of Queen Adel's hair instantly stopped; any trace of rage in her steps, no longer to be seen or heard as she approached Edith and kneeled in front of her; closing her eyes as she pointed her ear at Edith's belly. And then, after a few seconds, a small gasp escaped Adel's lips,

"It is true. It's true!" Queen Adel immediately stood up to look at her people, "My daughter is with child!"

"..." Aerith, who had kept her silence in fear of making things worse, could not help but let out a quiet breath as she looked at Queen Adel; not knowing how to react to the words she just uttered. She got a glimpse of what it would have been like if she did not leave Theran.

If Aerith came back to Theran carrying Gary, would her mother also react the same way?

"Hm…?" Aerith then looked to the side as she felt a hand patting her shoulder, only to see Hannah shaking her head at her, "Thank you, Hannah. But I am already too old to feel melancholic about this."

"The fuck is that nonsense," Hannah rolled her eyes, "I don't think none of us will ever be too old to want our parent's love, Megawoman. But then again…

…you are a thousand years old."

"Is that it, then?" Chihiro carefully joined the two, "Is this a happy ending or what?"

"For them, it's just beginning," Aerith breathed out, "And also for you, Goldenfox. We might need your help for what's to come."

"Fuck… don't tell me there's something else we need to know, Megawoman?" Hannah groaned in frustration.

"Yes," Aerith's eyes did not leave Queen Adel and the others, "We might have kicked the hornet's nest. We shouldn't have opened the portals in the first place."

"Can't we just deal with things one at a fucking time?" Hannah wanted to scratch her head, "We just actually ended something peacefully for once!"

"I for one, think this ended freaking lame," Alice approached the group while shaking her head, "I was expecting all of us kkkhh."

"..." Hannah and Aerith looked at Alice oddly while she stuck out her tongue and gestured to her neck, while Chihiro just smiled at her.

"I meant I was expecting all of us to freaking die in the most brutal way possible. Well, at least all of you. My son and I are immortal."

"Yes, Ms. Phoenix—we knew what it meant," Aerith sighed, "And I don't think you're immortal."

"What? Pft, of course, I am," Alice scoffed, "Why else am I called Ms. Phoenix in this world if I'm not?"

"...No. You literally turned insane and died."

"Now, how would you know if you weren't there? I might be immortal."

"No, you're not," Chihiro was the one to answer Alice's question.

"Now, how would you know?" Alice squinted her eyes as she looked at Chihiro from head to toe, "Wait… You're Japanese—are you that ice lady that seemed to be obsessed with Riley, but not so much now?"

"How the fuck do you even know that?" Hannah looked at Alice.

"Riley told me," Alice shrugged, "He is in denial, but he has a harem. Pretty cool, eh? Even managed to snag the step-sister and Megawoman."

"I'm not her step-sister, I'm her sister."

"Even more taboo, feisty."

"Aerith, enough bothering the otherworlders. And why do you keep disappearing," Diana-1 breathed out her frustration as Alice seemed to be talking with everyone—she was even talking to a themarian earlier, "We should return to our world before the mood once again turns so—"

"Ah, aunt Silvie is awake!" And before Diana-1 could finish her words, the rest of the group all rushed to Karina's side as soon as they saw Silvie very slowly regaining consciousness.

"There will be no more battle here today."

And as they tend and check Silvie's condition, Queen Adel's voice once again resounded throughout the dome,

"But do not mistake this to be over—Riley Ross will forever be the enemy of the themarians. For as long as my species lives, we will not rest until we find a way to get rid of you."

"I would appreciate that very much, Queen Adel," Riley bowed his head, "And I permit you to take Professor Riley with you to learn even more about me."

"Hm…" Queen Adel only glanced at Riley, before she started floating in the air, "Themarians, we are done here."

"Where are you going to go, Your Highness?" Diana asked as the other themarians started flying away, "New Theran still exists, I built it for our people."

"Everywhere," Queen Adel muttered as she looked at Edith, "We'll find our place in this universe as you have, Cait—no, Diana Ross."

"And what about your daughter?" Diana started freeing Bernard while looking at Aerith, who has been staring at Adel since earlier even while speaking with the others.

"She hasn't been my daughter for a long time. She… is one of you," Queen Adel breathed in. She seemed to want to say something, but just shook her head before just flying up—the ceiling opening up for them as Professor Riley finally let go of Ahor Zai's avatar.

Before Ahor Zai could drop to the floor, however, Riley caught it.

"Are you alright, Ahor Zai?"

[Yes, this avatar is irrelevant, Mr. Riley. The original one is with Quadley in the Codex.]

"Hm."

"The fuck is that…?" Hannah quickly left the others to join Riley, making sure he wasn't up to something.

[Greetings, Ms. Hannah. I am Ahor Zai, Quadley's best friend.]

"...Who? Why are you making friends with the weirdest things, Riley?"

[Ahor Zai is not useless, I know everything,] Ahor Zai's avatar left Riley's arm, [Ahor Zai is just waiting for Mr. Riley to give the signal to activate the EDP.]

"..." All the themarians still left in the room all looked at Ahor Zai as soon as they heard the words that came out of it.

"EDP? What are you saying, Ahor Zai?" Diana was the first to approach; not even completely freeing Bernard as she questioned the avatar.

[...] Ahor Zai did not really say anything and just looked at Riley.

"Riley…?" This time, Aerith approached him. Diana-1 also wanted to ask Riley about it, but she could not help but halt her steps as she saw the smile crawling on his face.

"Well…" Riley softly chuckled,

"...I thought it would be funny if they died helplessly after giving a speech or two."

"..."

"I am not anymore, of course

***

"I heard something is happening in Ahor Zai, Elder Adaeze? Did they finally find Riley Ross?"

"I don't know, but I do not think it is that serious. Diana has contacted me saying that everything is resolved."

Somewhere in the expanse of the universe, Elder S'adar and Empress were overlooking a vast empty field.

"Remind me what we are doing here again? Don't we have like... minions to deal with this stuff?" Empress sighed, "We have more important stuff to deal with, like the multiverse fiasco."

"Oh, this is more important stuff, Elder Adaeze...

...this is where we are going to hold the next tournament."

"...That is really the definition of unimportant."

"Oh...

...but I have a feeling this one is going to be unexpected."