Villain Retirement

"The question is… what are you to us, Riley Ross?"

"I am… Death."

The silence that followed that statement almost whistled loudly in the air. Most of them already had their attention on the two when the pale female god approached Riley, but with those words coming out of Riley's mouth, everyone's eyes were now practically fixated on them.

They did not really know how to react — and why would they? They were not the ones Riley was talking to. And in the first place, they were all aware of who the woman was.

She was one of the previous champions of the tower, and was known for eyeing out for newbies and trying to rile them up; something even provoking them so they would be eliminated from the competition. After all, any acts of unwanted violence on the floor they were in warrants immediate expulsion from the tower, most newbies usually won't know that.

The Jester Goddess, Marleen.

"Thank you for introducing me to no one, guys," Marleen let out a small groan as she looked at the other gods watching them; slightly swaying herself on her seat as she turned her attention back to Riley,

"As they were monologuing in their minds, my name is Marleen."

"Hm."

"Are you not going to introduce yourself?" Marleen raised an eyebrow as she looked Riley in the eyes.

"It would seem you already know who I am, Miss Marleen," Riley just shrugged before taking a sip of his milk soda.

"Oh…" Marleen lightly puttered her lips and tongue, "...You really like that drink, huh? Thank you for letting me experience how you taste it."

"..." Riley only blinked a couple of times as he returned Marleen's gaze, "You have a really interesting ability, Miss Marleen. It is not just reading minds, no?"

"No, no," Marleen let out a small chuckle as she urged Riley to take another sip of his milk soda, "I experience what other experience. Their inner-most and deepest feelings. Their desire. Their wants and dislikes. I do not read minds, not exactly…

…I become you, only to an extent, of course."

"I changed my mind, it is a sad ability," Riley let out a small sigh as he shook his head.

"You really feel that way, huh?" Marleen wryly chuckled, "I like it. It allows me not to be bored like the others here — It allows me to live and experience several lives. I am living yours now…

…and it is such a sad beginning."

"I suppose," a very small smile started to form on Riley's face as he continued to look Marleen in the eyes; even leaning forward, "Go ahead. Look further, Miss Marleen."

"Oh…?" Marleen let out another chuckle, "You are very amusing for someone so young, barely even a speck. Most of the gods here would quickly run away from me since they do not want their lives shared."

"The story of my life is meant to be shared, Miss Marleen," Riley pointed a finger on the temple of his head, gesturing to Marleen to go ahead and, "Dig deeper."

"Hm," Marleen just shrugged.

"Will you not get eliminated by using another ability, Miss Marleen?"

"This is not another ability or a superpower at all," Miss Marleen slightly hummed as she shook her head, "It is an innate ability of my species — it is hard to explain, but it has something to do with synchronizing the muscles in our brains to another."

"You have muscles in your brain?" Riley blinked a couple of times as Marleen began leaning closer and closer to him; even changing chairs to sit next to him.

"I do," Marleen closed her eyes, "Oh, your sister was the one who introduced you to the beverage you are drinking right now. I see now why you like it so much; the love you feel for your sister, although confused, is truly genuine and pure…

…thank you for letting me feel that, in your own way."

"Hm."

"You are a very… unique individual, Riley Ross."

"I am," Riley nodded, "Please, look ahead."

"Don't mind if I do."

A second.

A minute.

Marleen spent almost several minutes in silence reading Riley's story. Her expressions, varying from time to time. But now that she reached the point where Riley had started his… escapades, the only expression she had on her face was a serious one; undefined, but serious.

"I… think I have seen enough."

"No."

And before Marleen could look away, Riley suddenly but very gently grabbed her face as he leaned closer to her; their eyes, only inches away from each other.

"Finish it." And even though their eyes were awfully close to each other, Marleen could still see the wide smile crawling on Riley's face, "Finish my story, Miss Marleen."

"That's…" Marleen really only let out a breath. Although she did not like what she was seeing from Riley; she would be lying if she said she wasn't curious as to how his life exactly turned — but it was a story she had actually seen many times before.

Riley was not the first evil person to be thrown into the Domain of the Gods, he was but one of many. But there was indeed something different about him, something Marleen did not really want to dig up; her curiosity, however, wanted otherwise.

This is why she wanted to leave Riley alone now, because if she stayed, she might end up staying in his life; be sucked into a deep hole she would never truly come back from… figuratively, of course.

Marleen could break out of Riley's hold if she wanted to, she was physically stronger than him by a bit. But sadly for her, her curiosity was stronger than both of them and forced her to stay.

And so, she once again looked Riley in the eyes and stared into her deepest, darkest moments.

And she stayed there for hours; the two of them, just staring at each other's eyes. She was already forming an unbreakable connection with Riley, but Riley was just excited about what her reaction would be after she was done.

And soon, everyone heard a loud gasp whistling in the air as Marleen leaned back onto her seat; her breaths, as loud as they could be as her sweat began dripping from her face.

"What… what are you?" Marleen almost found herself puking as she glanced at Riley, "There… there was a moment there where I felt like I experienced… eternity."

"You know the answer to that, Miss Marleen," Riley smiled, "You know what I am."

"A monster."

"Yes."

"But also something else," Marleen squinted her eyes as she looked at Riley from head to waist, "Something… grand. I can't wait to see what you are about to do in this place, Riley Ross. We should—"

"I see you've also met the curiosity."

"What the…" Marleen was not able to finish what she wanted to say as someone else sat with them at the table, "Yanchuen!?"

And as soon as she yelled the name, everyone who had lost interest in her and Riley once again turned to look at their table, only to see an immaculate-looking bald man now suddenly seated with the two.

"What are you even doing here, little man? I thought you were having fun on the lower floors bullying mystic gods," Marleen quickly pointed at Yanchuen.

"I happened to have had the pleasure of meeting our new friend here," Yanchuen nodded as he glanced at Riley.

"Sucks for you then, little boy. He doesn't consider anyone his friends," Marleen scoffed.

"Did he tell you that?" Yanchuen looked back and forth between Riley and Marleen.

"He doesn't need to, I've already dug through his mind."

"You swam through his mind," Yanchuen sighed, "And sometimes, our thoughts lie. It is better to hear words than thoughts."

"...I think you have that mixed up there, buddy," Marleen squinted, "Have I ever told you I don't like you?"

"Yes, more than you should."

"Yeah? How is me vocalizing my thoughts working out for you, then?" Marleen let out a cheeky giggle as she looked mockingly at Yanchuen.

"I like it," Yanchuen only smiled, "Because I love you, Marleen."

"Please, it's been like a hundred thousand years," Marleen formed her hand into a gun and gestured to shoot herself, "You still can't possibly feel that for me."

"Dig deep into my mind, then," Yanchuen smiled.

"No," Marleen clicked her tongue.

"The two of you seem really close. Former lovers?" Riley blinked a couple of times.

"Indeed."

"We were, past tense. And everyone here knows everyone," Marleen shrugged, "You and that… themarian are the only new faces on the 91st floor. And trust me…

…that is not good for you."

"Yes," Yanchuen nodded, "Marleen is only the first part of the hazing you and that woman are about to go through — mostly you, since you are physically the weaker one."

"What—I'm not part of the hazing. What are you talking about?"

"Marleen, anyone you talk to becomes the target of the hazing," Yanchuen sighed.

"Since when? And trust me… Riley Ross is not going to be bullied here. He's… different."

"What sort of hazing should I expect?" Riley tilted his head to the side, "I thought violence was not allowed on the 91st floor."

"You will learn that our kind can be…

…very creative."

And as soon as Yanchuen said that, a knife came flying from out of nowhere; heading straight toward Riley's face. Of course, Riley was able to catch the knife with no problem at all.

"S…sorry."

Riley and Yanchuen then turned to look at where the knife came from, only to see someone kneeling on the ground.

"I slipped."

"Oh," Riley blinked a couple of times as he looked at Yanchuen, who just nodded his head. Riley, however, just started to smile as he turned his focus back to the one who 'accidentally' threw the knife at him, "It is fine…

…I also have the tendency of slipping."