Villain Retirement

"...Why would you do that?"

And as the darkness soon expanded with the stars dying like fireflies one by one, Esme found herself once again expressing an emotion she never really knew she had — concern. No, she wasn't concerned that Riley was able to do something like that; in her mind, the person she considered her professor was always able to do that.

After all, if she was capable of destroying an entire star system with the clap of her hands, her professor should be capable of shifting a hundred million stars and then making them disappear with a snap of his fingers.

No, she wasn't concerned that Riley was able to do it — she was concerned why.

"Why would you do that, Professor?" Esme tilted her head as she repeated her question. Riley, however, did not respond to her as he just floated there, with his hands still in the same position as when he snapped his fingers.

"Professor Riley?"

"Oh."

And finally, after a few more seconds, Riley blinked a couple of times as he looked Esme in the eyes, "I apologize, I was expecting to die. But it would seem my mind and body were able to withstand the stress of stretching my telekinetic abilities above their current maximum, Princess Esme. Did you ask me a question?"

"Why would you do that, Professor?"

"...Oh," Riley looked around as he watched as the lights continued to disappear, "I apologize again. I forgot that you value life — but you do not have to worry, aside from the people still on the battlefield, there is no other life within a hundred thousand lightyears."

"But having life does not only mean that one is living, Professor," Esme shook her head as she also watched the stars disappear, "I do not exactly know what that means, but I feel it important to know."

"I know what you mean, Esme," Riley nodded several times as he pulled out all the blood that was floating inside him,

"It means that I do not only need to destroy the living but also everything else that life has touched."

"Perhaps I should not have said that," Esme blinked a couple of times, "But I will repeat what I said to you back on Theran, Professor. If and when the time comes that you are truly intent on wiping all of us out, then I will try to stop you even if I know that I will die."

"And I hope you and the others succeed, Princess Esme."

[Victor: Riley Ross!]

And with those words, Riley and Esme found themselves back on the flat planet — and the first thing that Riley noticed was that the people from Gracy's universe were gone.

"Did they go home?" Riley seemed visibly disappointed as his eyes very slightly squinted by a millimeter, "I was hoping to fight with your father, Nannah. I wished to see what Father is capable of at his full potential."

"...What makes you think I'm weaker than the other guy?" Bernard raised an eyebrow.

"Because he had to deal with more enemies and more burdens, Father."

"I had to deal with you," Bernard breathed out, "I feel that has more weight."

"...But you did not deal with him," Queen Adel shook her head, "That is the very reason why all of us are in this situation, Peasant."

"I do not appreciate you talking to my husband like that, Your Highness."

"You shouldn't, because you are also responsible for how Riley Ross turned out to be," Queen Adel once again shook her head, "If what you and Bernard speculated is true — that Riley's existence signals the reset of Everything, then perhaps we could have been part of the New Beginning if the two of you only gave more effort."

"Effort…?" Diana stepped closer to Queen Adel; perhaps too close, as she even placed a finger on the Queen's chest, "You could not even handle your golden child. If you were in my position, you would have probably abandoned both Hannah and Riley."

"Perhaps we all should calm down," Queen Vania stood between the two and separated them, "As a member of the Common Council, I believe that we should—"

"Your Council means nothing, Evaniel Queen," Queen Adel looked at Queen Vania, before glancing at Elder S'adar and Elder Apo,

"Even now, you are useless. Barely even noticeable that you might as well not be here — and that goes for the rest of the Higher Races. Aside from the themarians, Earthlings, the norinlads, and the evaniels, the rest are insignificant. I do not even know the names of your people. In the grander scheme of things, only what we do matters."

"In an even grander scheme of things…" Chihiro Prime joined in on the conversation with a smile on her face, "...None of us actually matter, only him."

Everyone once again turned their heads to Riley as Chihiro pointed at him. As for Riley, he was just quietly listening to everyone's conversation; slightly curious as to what Queen Adel said about a new beginning. He stared at her, before glancing at Bernard and Diana. But after a few seconds, he just shrugged and started looking around.

"Is there anyone else that wishes to fight for the prize?" Riley breathed out as he scanned the remaining crowd; not even bothering too much about the other Higher Races, "Pirate Queen Xra, what about you? I am confident that aside from Princess Esme, you are one of the people who could possibly defeat me — restrain me fully, even."

"And risk killing you?" Xra crossed her arms and shook her head, "We are allies now — but when the time comes that we are not, I would like the small advantage of you not knowing how my ability works. There is also the risk of you being completely immune to my abilities, like how you are with your sister. So, no."

"..." Riley looked at Xra for a few seconds, before letting out a sigh and looking at Diana.

"..." Diana slightly lowered her eyebrows as soon as she saw that.

"..."

But after a few seconds, Riley very subtly looked away and turned to Bernard.

"We have never really fought after you have gained the Guardian Force, Father. Would you like to try?"

"No," Bernard shook his head, "I know my limits."

"Hm…" Riley then looked at Cherbi. But Riley just shook his head — he wasn't allowed to keep a pet, he would not risk losing Cherbi's trust.

"Mr. Man?"

"Oh, I am just a spectator now," Delivery just tilted his head, "You asked me to deliver victory, but it would seem the results were set from the start."

"..." Everyone looked at Delivery, just wondering who this normal-looking guy was and where exactly he popped out from.

"Chihiro?" Riley then turned to look at Chihiro, "You have experienced billions of lives to find a way to kill me."

"And I still don't know how," Chihiro Prime licked her lips as she looked at Riley, "And I have no intention of finding out how anymore — the only thing I want to know is what our baby will look like."

"Hm, Tempo? Bulwark?"

"As much as I want to smack your ass, kid — I'd rather fight Princess Vera to test my new suit," Tempo winced before patting Bulwark on the shoulders, "This guy can take you."

"I can not," Bulwark shook his head, "It has become very obvious that we are in the presence of something greater than all of us. You are not just a living calamity anymore, Riley Ross — you are a literal god. Trying to face you is trying to face the natural order of the universe. It is… blasphemous."

"..." Riley's eyebrows began to lower as no one seemed to want to fight him. He looked at the norinlads, but seeing as they were nodding their heads at Bulwark's words, he would not be getting anywhere with them. And so, after a few more scans of the crowd, Riley finally settled his eyes on the only person he knew he would have a very hard time defeating,

"Miss Hera?" Riley's eyes almost glittered as he looked at Hera, "I have a feeling that when I start erasing the universes, you and your variants will always be the last to go."

"I have a feeling that we will just be wasting everyone's time," Hera shook her head, "And I feel the same as the pretty woman; I know I won't be able to kill you, but there is a chance that my ability can do something — I do not want you acquiring my power. And also…

…we should be discussing about the trillions of lives you just killed, Riley."

"You do not have to worry about the lives lost, Miss Hera," Riley sighed, "The champions of their world are still alive, let them be the ones to care for their deaths."

"...You left them alive?" Hera slightly stuttered with their words, "That's just… cruel."

"That is the point, Miss Hera," Riley nodded. But after a few more seconds, he just shook his head and sighed, "Well, if there is no one else — then I conclude this Tournament to be—"

"Wait a minute!" Gracy raised her palm in the air before Riley could finish his words, "Did you just really skip me, the savior of justice!? I can take you with one hand behind my b—"

Gracy received the same treatment as Hannah suddenly covered her mouth, "There's one more, Riley. I called someone to fucking get you off your high horse."

"Hm?" Riley tilted his head to the side as he heard Hannah's words. But after a few seconds, someone suddenly appeared right in front of Riley. No hint of a portal opening, or the space ripping open.

She just appeared out of nowhere, instantly; her orange and slightly curly hair still bouncing as she looked around.

"Ei…w...woah...

…It worked."