Villain Retirement-Novel

"The two of you…"

There was this sense of dread slowly eating away Randall as he realized something very, very crucial. When Darkday just suddenly appeared in the City of Summoners trying to find him, even directly naming him, he thought it would be one of his old friends or even acquaintances in the Domain of the Gods.

But as soon as he saw Darkday, the only thought that went through his mind was trying to wonder who exactly was this black-clad man standing in front of him. He didn't immediately wave him off, as he felt a sense of familiarity with him even though he was clearly a complete stranger. And as Darkday asked him to resurrect the little girl that she was carrying, Randall was actually slightly inclined to grant him his request.

But out of nowhere, as he was about to do so, Darkday suddenly blurted out his reason for wanting to revive the child — he was going to revive her just to lobotomize her and gain her abilities.

Randall initially thought she was family, or perhaps someone Darkday had taken a great liking to and would take care of her. After all, there are many gods who have done the same; taken care of a human, and blessed them with all sorts of gifts and power.

Suffice it to say, Randall quickly and vehemently refused Darkday as soon as he found out the reason — Darkday however, did not like that at all. And as he said to Miss Pepondosovich and the others, he started killing each and every last god in the City of Summoners.

And throughout his massacre, Randall still could not shake the thought of him being familiar… and now that he was seeing Riley Ross again, he finally realized why.

"The two of you are the sperson," Randall looked back and forth between Darkday and Riley, both carrying a body in their arms.

"I suppose so, Mister Randall," Riley just shrugged his shoulders as he slowly descended on the mountain of corpses and walked toward Randall before trying to hand him the ugly man's mangled and cleaved body,

"I do apologize for interrupting your battle with my clone. But if it is alright with you, can you resurrect this man I am holding in my hand?"

"That…" Randall could really only take in a small gulp; light, starting to flicker around his horns as he started to feel a sense of danger coming from Riley — something that wasn't there when they first met. He knew Riley was dangerous, he had enough instincts as someone who had lived a very long life to know that during their first meeting.

But there was something completely different about the Riley Ross he was facing now.

"Riri, can't you tell the man's already in a dilemma as it is?" And fortunately for Randall, that feeling was slightly being reduced by Miss Pepondosovich and Ebeing there. Like right now…

…they were ssort of safety net.

And so, very subtly, as soon as Eand Miss Pepondosovich also landed on the mountain of corpses, he stepped down toward them and stood by their side.

"I can't do that, Riley Ross. As you may have already realized, this man — your clone, has done a great disservice to the City of Summoners by killing all of those who inhabit it. I do not like being forced to do something I do not want…

…and even if I do want to help you, I am afraid I will not due to the fact that your clone is still present, and would forceto resurrect that poor child once I help you."

"Is that the dilemma you are facing, Mister Randall?" Riley let go of the body of the ugly man, letting it just casually float in the air as he soon started to face Darkday,

"Darkday, I truly apologize for wasting your effort in coming here — but I would like you to return another time; you have all the tto do so, I do not."

"But Boss…" Darkday let out a long and very deep sigh as he too, let go of the corpse of the little girl; very gently placing her down along with the other corpses beneath him,

"...I do believe it would be very interesting to see what this little girl's abilities are. She is a child of different gods from different universes, perhaps the first one since Van."

"Van is an offspring of 3 different gods from 3 different universes, Darkday," Riley shook his head as he too, let out a long and very deep sigh, "Although you are right, I am also quite intrigued with the girl."

Riley placed his hand on his chin as he looked curiously at the girl. And as Randall saw this, he could not help but just give Miss Pepondosovich a worried glance; Miss Pepondosovich, however, just waved her palm and gestured to him to calm down.

"Relax, you red-horned buffoon," Miss Pepondosovich scoffed, "I've cto know Riri through our adventures together."

"And…?" The light dancing around Randall's horns still flickered as the danger his body was feeling seemed to be becoming even more intense even with Miss Pepondosovich's assurance.

"And… actually, he might just do something you won't like," Miss Pepondosovich closed her eyes and sighed.

"Thank you for the assurance, Pepondosovich," Randall could really only groan and shake his head as he continued to carefully watch Riley and Darkday.

"Isn't this sight weird, though?" Miss Pepondosovich opened her eyes as she pointed at Riley and Darkday, "They are practically the sperson and they're talking to each other."

"Why is that weird, Miss Pepondosovich?" Easked.

"Right… forget I said anything," Miss Pepondosovich just shook her head as she focused her attention back on Riley. If anything, she knew something interesting was about to go down.

"...Yes. I found her in a remote village, Boss."

"Hm," Riley still seemed completely curious as he looked at the little girl. But after a few seconds, he shook his head and looked at Darkday, "I am afraid she will have to wait, Darkday. I have more important things to do right now that require the help of Mister Randall."

"More important things?" Darkday tilted his head to the side before turning to look at the floating corpse of the ugly man, "The holder of the clue to a cosmic piece. You wish to travel back halready, Boss? But there is nothing out there for you anymore — all the interesting things are here."

"It is true that the Domain of the Gods is the most interesting place we will probably ever be in, Darkday," Riley nodded, "But I do still have something out there for me, Aerith and Sister are still alive…

…and Aerith might be carrying my child."

"I don't know, Darkday," Riley shook his head, "That is why I want to leave this place to find out."

"Boss…" Darkday let out a very long and deep sigh as his feet very slowly started to float from the mountain of corpses, "Your resolve has becweak…

…and I will prove it to—"

And before Darkday could finish his words, Riley snapped his fingers and caused him to just wither away out of existence; his body, melting and falling on top of the mountain of corpses he created.

"That… is heavy," Miss Pepondosovich could not help but grasp her chest as she gasped; her other hand, stretched toward Ealmost as if she wanted her to hold her still or she would fall,

"Riri… are you deleting that part of you? Is that… is that ssort of symbolism?"

"A symbolism?" Riley blinked a couple of times as he looked at Miss Pepondosovich, "No. I can just create him again, Miss Pepondosovich."

"Yes, I know. But…" Miss Pepondosovich wagged her finger, "...It's also like you erased that part of you, right?"

"No," Riley tilted his head to the side, "Darkday is me, Miss Pepondosovich. That will never change, it will only… extend."

"...Are you seriously copying my words right now?" Miss Pepondosovich quickly pointed at Riley and raised her voice.

"Yes," Riley nodded without any hesitation before starting to make his way toward her, or more specifically, toward Randall, "Darkday is me, Miss Pepondosovich…

…but I am more than Darkday. Darkday, you see, is a part ofthat always likes to play; unhinged, always seeking for entertainment, for blood — I do too because he is me."

"Pepondosovich…" The light dancing around Randall's horns started to go wild as Riley continued to walk toward him. Randall almost grabbed his horns to turn the lights into a weapon, but Miss Pepondosovich quickly grabbed his hand, shaking her head as if to quietly warn him not to do anything.

"Unlike Darkday, however, I do not have tto play," Riley stretched his arm and opened his palm, letting the ugly man's body float and hover on top of it, "Please resurrect this man…

…or I will lobotomize you and do it myself. I am only asking you because the latter would take more time, Mister Randall."