Villain Retirement

"You… removed my eyes? Really?"

Professor Thelma quickly patted and touched her face, only to feel her eyes actually still there and peacefully resting in their sockets.

"I cut off the optic nerve. And you are probably wondering why your eyes still have not recovered, that is because I am preventing them from healing."

"Oh?" And as the light returned to Professor Thelma's eyes, she blinked a couple of times before looking at Riley,

"So, you are some sort of telekinetic? I have never seen one capable of actually harming a themarian's body before."

"I have other abilities, Professor Thelma," Riley nodded, "I just do not use them as my telekinesis is enough most of the time. It is still the most versatile ability that I have."

Riley snapped his fingers again, removing all the light from Professor Thelma's eyes.

"I don't appreciate you cutting off my optic nerves again," the tone of Thelma's voice changed.

"I did not, Professor Thelma. I am only showing you how versatile my telekinetic ability is. This time, I prevented and isolated the light from spreading," Riley snapped his fingers again, and with it, the light returned.

"Can you show your other abilities?" Thelma's tone once again changed to a friendlier one.

"Of course, Professor Thelma."

"..." And while Riley was busy performing some of his abilities to professor Thelma, Katherine was just there standing on the side, wondering just how apathetic themarians are—Riley just cutoff her eyes, and now she's just talking to him so casually like nothing happened.

But considering themarians live a thousand years and could regenerate any and all wounds in the blink of an eye, perhaps it would be weirder if they overreacted when getting hurt. But then again, they barely get hurt… so pain should almost be a foreign concept to them.

…Or is it? Based on what she had seen so far, themarians being called a race of warriors was almost an understatement—their lectures are about battle strategies, or how to advance their technology in a way that would help increase their firepower.

But why are they learning all of these things… if they are not even interested in conquering the universe or going to war with the other races? Is it just some sort of inherent trait that they couldn't get rid of?

…Or were the themarians preparing for somethin—

"..." And before Katherine's thoughts could go deeper, she suddenly noticed a small orb hovering in front of her. The orb then opened up, revealing some sort of… mechanical eyes that started looking at her from head to toe.

And as soon as it was done, the small orb flew toward Riley, who seemed to have just finished showing off some of his abilities to Professor Thelma. The orb looked at Thelma at first, before focusing on Riley and looking at him from head to toe.

"Could this be the Arbiter that you have mentioned before, Professor Thelma?" Riley tilted his head to the side, and the small orb did the same.

"It is," Professor Thelma smiled and nodded.

"And it judges which class one would belong to?"

"Hm," Professor Thelma nodded again, "You could even say the Arbiter is the Supreme College itself. It sees everything, it hears everything, and it knows everything that is going on within the college."

"Then why did you not know who we are earlier, Professor Thelma?"

"Well, that's because only the Principal and the Vice-principal can view the Arbiter. The Arbiter can sometimes tell you things if it feels like it, though," Thelma then sighed as she looked at the Arbiter, "Arbi, show me all the files involving Princess Esme Varoif."

[I apologize, Professor Thelma,] the Arbiter's eye quickly turned toward Thelma, [You are not authorized to do that action. Would you like me to ask Principal Lachlan to give you permission?]

"That's not needed, Arbi," Professor Thelma waved her hand and chuckled, "Just tell us which class Mr. Riley belongs to. No need to process his companion."

[Okay, I am still analyzing Riley Ross, it might take a while,] the Arbiter blinked, [How are your parents, Professor Thelma? Have you talked them out of undergoing Eternal Death?]

"A… Arbi!" Professor Thelma quickly grabbed the Arbiter and covered its eye, "That's private."

[I apologize, Professor Thelma. It has been a while since we last spoke and the information's priority has been pushed back below significant levels,] although there was still a glimpse of the Arbiter being an AI from its words and voice, the way it communicated almost felt like there was another person on the other side of the small orb—Katherine have seen a lot of AI back on Earth, but never like this. She also noticed this back in Diana's ship; the themarians' AI technology…

…they almost truly seem alive.

"It's… alright, Arbi," Professor Thelma let go of the Arbiter, "Do we have a place to put Mr. Riley now?"

[I am still adjusting and analyzing his data, Professor Thelma,] the Arbiter started blinking, [Are you aware that he is a Ranker?]

"...What's a Ranker again?" Professor Thelma squinted her eyes, "Wait—You mean he's an outlaw?"

[Rank 24.]

"Oh, they increased my rank," Riley looked at Katherine and smiled.

"..." As for Katherine, she didn't really know how to respond to that—should… she be proud that Riley is once again on his way to being recognized as the No. 1 Supervillain, this time in the entire Known Universe?

Whenever she remembers trying to change Riley for the better at the start, Katherine just wanted to bury herself in embarrassment and shame. Project 'Turn Dark into Light' was a part of her life that… only changed her for the worse.

"You're… wanted outside the territory?" Professor Thelma then turned to look at Riley.

"I am, Professor Thelma. I committed genocides here and there."

"...Arbi, what else do you have on Mr. Riley?"

[He has killed 11 Themarian criminals belonging to the Hel Kingdom. And killed 1 Themarian cadet belonging to our glorious kingdom.]

"...What?" Professor Thelma's eyes squinted as she looked back at Riley, "You should have a collar."

"I did, I destroyed it," Riley nodded, "Star Sergeant Zac did not issue me another one and instead just tricked me into meeting Princess Esme instead of Aerith."

[Based on my analysis, Riley Ross has also impersonated a themarian that called himself Paragon, which fought with a clone of Riley Ross for reasons I can not fathom.]

"That was all happening outside?" Professor Thelma blinked a couple of times as she glanced at Riley, "I should ask for permission to go out more. What else do you have on him?"

"..."

[I apologize, Professor Thelma. The Principal just ordered me not to say anything else,] the Arbiter let out a sigh, [On a side note, I have finished analyzing Riley Ross. Would you like to hear the results now?]

"Oh, uh… I forgot all about that," Professor Thelma also let out a sigh as she shook her head, "So, what's the verdict?"

"Are you not going to ask me to leave after hearing all of that, Professor Thelma?" Riley asked before the Arbiter could show the results.

"It's not really important, though?" Professor Thelma just shrugged, "I think we've all accidentally destroyed a planet when we were younger."

"Hm," Riley nodded before glancing at Katherine, "I told you, Katherine. Themarians are completely different from everyone else."

"...I am starting to realize that."

[Here is my judgment after analyzing Riley Ross's profile thoroughly,] the Arbiter's voice then started to echo throughout the entire white space,

[He may choose which class he wants, or create a class of his own.]

"...What?" Professor Thelma looked back and forth between all the people in the room, "What do you mean? So he can just pick any class he wants to be in?"

"It would seem I wasted everyone's time, Professor Thelma. I apologize," Riley sighed and shook his head.

"Oh, not at all," Professor Thelma also shook her head, "If it's like this, then I'd actually like to request you to join all my classes. You're very interesting and I am sure the students under me would learn a lot from you. I teach mainly power control, combat etiquette, and water combat classes."

"Is Princess Esme in one of your classes?"

"The Princess is directly under me in the Power Control class."

"Then I would like to enroll in your classes, Professor Thelma."

"Well then, that's settled," Professor Thelma rubbed her palms together, "Did you hear that, Arbi? Place Riley in my class."

[Are you sure, Professor Thelma?] The Arbiter tilted its spherical body, [Are you handing your position over to Riley Ross?]

"What? What are you saying?"

[It would seem we have come to a misunderstanding due to my over usage of emotional vocabulary. I meant to indicate that after thorough analysis, I have judged Riley Ross overqualified as a student,] The Arbiter blinked a couple of times,

[Riley Ross, if he so wants to, shall be the newest member of the Super College's faculty.]

"You mean… a professor?" Thelma's eyes started to widen; and not only her, a small and very deep breath also escaped Katherine's nose.

"That is interestingly stupid…" Riley let out a small hum as he placed his hand on his chin,

"...You mentioned I can create my own class?"

[We will have to have it approved by the Principal, but yes,] the Arbiter blinked, [What class do you have in mind, Riley Ross?]

"Well…" And very soon, a wide smile that reached from ear to ear started to crawl on Riley's face,

"...I do have some experience in torture."