Villain Retirement

She tries to save everyone. She has always tried to, no matter what the cause of it will be for her.

She was born with the strength to do so, and so she does. Saving people was not even an option for her, because it is what she just does. One might think that it was easy for her because of her overwhelming strength, and it is—the times that the odds were against her almost did not exist.

She wasn't a fool, she knew that she could not save everyone; but that didn't matter. As long as she saves one more life, she would. For hundreds and hundreds of years, she did…

…until the dark days came for everyone's lives.

And now, once again, a dark day looms for her.

Themarians do not really need to breathe, they just do so because it feels nice to do so—but right now, try as Aerith might not to breathe, she wasn't able to do so as her heart, which also rarely beats, was crushing her chest with the way it drummed.

She still hasn't moved from her spot after she was warped away from the banquet hall. She just stood there, surrounded by a field of grass that did not have any color—just white. Almost as if she was floating above a flat cloud.

Of course, she knew that Riley meant for this to happen. He wanted to see if she was going to cover this white field into a sea of red. And perhaps the worst thing about this all, as she stared at the crowd of different people circling around her…

…she was actually deliberating in doing so.

The odds… none of it even existed on her side.

"Everyone, please…" Aerith raised both her hands, spinning in place as she looked at each of the people surrounding her, "...There has to be a way where all of us can come out of this alive."

Her voice was loud, incredibly so as it thundered across the white field. But alas, no one was listening to her as everyone else was just planning quietly on how they could win against the themarian princess.

"I could find a way to warp to your planets and get rid of his clones before anything could happen," Aerith smiled; her breaths, however, only escaped as desperation, "I can do that, I am strong enough to do that. Please, I—"

And before Aerith could finish her words, a group of humanoids whose skin was made of rock rushed toward her.

"Don't…" Aerith showed her palms to gesture to everyone she had no intention of attacking, "...You'll only hurt yourself, please. It's not—"

Once again, Aerith's words were met with violent silence as the boulder-like creatures just rammed her without any hesitation. Aerith, however, made sure to slightly hover in the air and allow herself to be pushed back so that they wouldn't get hurt.

"Stop," Aerith then waved her hand, causing a blast of wind to gently blow away the heavy humanoids. She still wanted to say something, but a group of a smaller race that resembled snails latched onto her—trying to bite through her skin, but shattering their teeth in the process.

Aerith just flexed her muscles, blowing them away. She wasn't given any time to leave, however, as arms that looked like tree roots emerged from the ground and grabbed her legs. Aerith wanted to fly away, but as soon as she realized that the arm-like roots truly were arms, she paused in the air in fear of splitting whoever was holding her down in half.

"Stop it…" Aerith then whispered to herself as she saw everyone now rushing at her, "...please, there has to be a way."

The only thing that Aerith could really do was close her eyes—not even feeling a single thing as she was showered and bombarded by the violent attempts of normal races to hurt her.

[I told you, she will risk our lives for the lives of these weak creatures! More than a thousand of them have already lost their planets when they lost the Battle Royale, what use is there to leave 7 or 8 more!?]

"..." Aerith let out a tiny breath as she heard her mother's voice being broadcast to everyone on the battlefield. And it wasn't just her, she could hear everyone in the banquet hall arguing.

[I… agree with your statement.]

Aerith heard a voice that she hadn't heard before—but judging by the way each of the words buzzed, it was the voice of one of the Xanix, the Insecta race that did not really have one single body, but millions creating one humanoid-looking shell…

…an endangered species.

[The value of the existence of the people in this hall far outweighs the existence of those who are outside. It should not even be a choice.]

[That's not…] Aerith could hear Hannah wanting to speak, but seemed to hesitate. But in the end, she still managed to say the words she wanted to say, [...That's not fair.]

[But it is,] this time, it was a norinlad, [We are more important.]

[Then maybe we all should just fucking die.]

[Just your brother. But I think we have already discovered that that is impossible.]

"Can all of you just shut up?" Aerith gritted her teeth.

[Just kill them and get this over with, Aerith.]

"And you think this will be over once I do that?" Aerith let out a small chuckle even as the champions of the normal races continued to attack her, "What do you think will happen if I do defeat them? What do you think will happen after Riley destroys their homes? You think he'll stop? No…

…one of you is next. That is just how he is, he won't stop. He can't."

[I am truly glad that you know me that well, Aerith.]

"I wish I didn't," Aerith breathed out as she heard Riley's voice.

[But you do. 30 seconds. I will give you 30 seconds—if you do not start fighting back, I will activate the rest of my clones and start my war against the Higher Races… and it won't be much of a war.]

"Give me time, please…" Aerith whispered; her eyes remained closed.

[I did, Aerith. I have always given you time. And like now, I have always given you a choice.]

"Why… why does it have to be me?" Aerith started to move as she clasped her head, "Why do you have to torture me, Riley!?"

[Because I love you, Aerith. I love what you are, I love who you are…

…and I don't like that.]

"You…" Aerith sucked in a deep breath as she tried to stop the tears that were forming in her eyes.

[15 seconds.]

"I… don't know what to do."

[But you do, Aerith.]

"..." A deafening silence filled Aerith's ears as every other sound was drowned. She could not even hear a single thing anymore—no. She refused to listen anymore. She has tried saving everyone her entire life…

…maybe it was time to stop…

…and save herself.

And with that thought the only thing lingering in her mind, a blinding red light flashed from her eyes as she opened it; her lips, almost growling as she looked at the people attacking her.

And then, with a deep breath…

"...No."

She said no; the light in her eyes, fading away.

"I can't do it. Just kill me…

…I don't want to play this game anymore."