Villain Retirement

"How does it feel that someone as fast as you…

…would die a very slow death?"

Everyone in the room could hear it.

The Prince of the Evaniels, Dr. Vella, Admiral Varen. All of them could hear it, and yet they were helpless all the same. But of course, the one that could hear it most was the one that it was happening to.

No, perhaps Commander Voris was not even able to hear, as the feeling of his chest and lungs very slowly being crushed echoed throughout his entire existence. As inherently fast beings, and especially as a soldier, it was important that Commander Voris train himself to feel everything around him with utmost and extreme perception— and that is of course, unfortunately, including pain.

He could feel it.

All of it.

He could even feel each and every fiber of the cloth he was wearing starting to stretch. Every clothing and vestments of the Evaniels were made with some sort of material that could withstand the extreme speed and friction that it sustains; the material also ensures that no chafing of any kind would develop to its wearer.

And now, feeling every fiber of that material slowly sinking in through his chest, Commander Voris was discovering textures he had not felt before. And very slowly, he could feel his breaths starting to slow down; becoming more difficult to inhale as Riley's hand went deeper and deeper into his chest.

No, perhaps that wasn't right. He wasn't even breathing anymore— as even through this weird and excruciating pain that was reverberating throughout his entire body, he could not help himself but just stare into Riley's dark eyes.

Eyes that were devoid of all but one emotion— joy.

As a soldier of the Evaniels' exploration and research team, Commander Voris has met all sorts of other races and species. Most were violent in nature, some were wary, and the rest were peaceful people.

And as an inevitability, Commander Voris has of course also met creatures like Riley. But as a being of a Higher Race, Commander Voris just sneered and laughed at them; to his eyes, they were just cute.

But Riley?

The joy that Commander Voris could feel emitting from his eyes was pure and genuine, raw.

A mistake. Commander Voris wanted to tell Admiral Varen that it was a mistake coming here. In their curious search for the lost Themarian, they stumbled upon a beast that would slowly, but very surely, devour the rest of the universe.

But alas, Commander Voris couldn't even let out a scream of pain, much less open his mouth to talk. The only thing that he could really do was feel every bit of this pain— wanting it to stop.

But no.

A second.

A minute.

An hour.

It lasted for an hour. But finally, Commander Voris could feel his vision darken. At last, he was free…

…or at least he thought.

As the comfort of death was finally within Commander Voris's grasp, Riley suddenly removed his hand and stepped away.

A loud, almost roaring gasp thundered in the colossal room as Commander Voris quickly fell down to his knees; the pain of finally being able to breathe seemingly compressed all at once, causing him to grovel and puke on the ground.

"You can heal him, right?"

"Y… Yes?"

"Then please go ahead. I just wanted to scare him," Riley once again smiled as he gestured to Dr. Vella to do something.

And as soon as Riley gave her permission to finally move, Dr. Vella quickly called for a medical team. As for Admiral Varen, he was deliberating on whether or not to call for reinforcements… but instead,

"This ends here, is that clear?"

Admiral Varen finally let go of the prince's hand as he quickly but carefully approached Riley. He was sure that after Riley's ridiculous stunt, the prince wouldn't even attempt to go near him anymore. And he was right, Val was completely shocked; his butt almost planted to his chair as he just stared at Commander Voris, who was now being surrounded by a medical team.

"This ends here, is that clear?" Varen repeated his words as Riley seemed to be busy focusing on the medical team. He was going to step closer to him, but Riley finally answered.

"That depends entirely on what happens next, Admiral Varen," Riley shrugged, "Also, can you allow me to tour your ship? I also want to bring the women that were with me aboard, if that is alright with you?"

"...No," Admiral Varen shook his head, "It's not. I would appreciate it if you leave. I am sure… our mutual acquaintance also wouldn't appreciate what you're doing here right now."

"You are probably right on that one, Admiral Varen," Riley sighed as he shook his head, "I actually wanted to see if it would be more enjoyable to conquer your world. I was planning to rule Earth, you see; but there are circumstances that make it seem like I already have, so there's no fun in it anymore."

"...What?" Commander Varen's hair lit up.

"Stop, Commander Varen," Riley once again sighed, "I already know how strong your species is. And I have to say, I am quite disappointed."

"You think that just because you waltzed in here, you think you know us?" The markings on Varen's skin also started to show themselves; this time, however, the tattoos also lit up, "You haven't seen any of what we can do yet."

"Are you going to show me now?" Riley tilted his head as a small smile once again crawled on his face.

"You won't like it," Commander Varen, "I know your kind. You think because you're the baddest and biggest bully in your playground, you think you're the strongest."

"Hm," Riley then started to look around, as even the hairs of the medical team started to light up; their eyes, all glaring at him. He then turned to look at Dr. Vella, who was just shaking her head almost as if telling him not to do anything.

"You're a frog who lives in a well, child," Varen said as his eyes also started to light up.

"Oh, you and Aerith's son would get along very well."

"W—"

"Don't drag me along in this bullshit, my hands are full as it is."

"Princess Aerith!"

And just like that, with Aerith suddenly entering the room, the hairs that have all lit up once again returned to their normal luminance. Aerith didn't seem to mind any of them, however, as she just flew and made her way towards Riley.

"I already told you to stop causing trouble, Riley," Aerith sighed, "Seriously? Why are you acting like a child with a new toy? I am really starting to think I should just tie you up with your mother."

"You can tie me up wherever you want, Aerith."

"Where are you learning these things!?"

"From John, Aerith."

"...Your clone?"

"Yes," Riley nodded, "He's become quite human. It is quite the irony, don't you think so as well?"

"...I've seen it before," Aerith only shrugged her shoulders, "Now leave these poor Evaniels alone, I have things to discuss with them."

"You don't have to worry, Aerith. I'm not even here."

And as soon as he said that, Riley's body started to disintegrate to the floor. Dr. Vella, who saw this, could not help but take in a deep breath.

Telekinesis and cloning?

Dr. Vella already expected Riley to have other abilities since he mentioned it in their brief talk earlier— but she was expecting something at the very least close to telekinesis or relevant to it.

But dispensable cloning? How was that even possible? Just… what are these humans?

"It's… good that you arrived the moment you did, Princess Aerith," Varen let out a long and deep sigh, "It would have been a shame not to make connections with a new race because we had to kill one of them. But for you to save Riley Ross, it would seem the two of you are friends?"

"Oh, trust me. He's not the one I was trying to save," Aerith lowered her voice.

"Hm?" Commander Varen blinked as he couldn't hear the words that Aerith whispered.

"For the sake of the universe, don't kill him," Aerith shivered at the thought of Riley gaining the Evaniel's speed, "

"You do not have to worry, princess Aerith. Our species still pride ourselves as the most peaceful of the Higher Races— that hasn't changed since you've been gone from the scene," Varen gave a warm smile.

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"That doesn't seem to be the case," Aerith then said as she looked at the shivering little prince sitting in the center of the large hall, "And can you stop calling me princess? I'm a warrior."

"He's… young, Pri— Madam Aerith. The Queen doted on him too much."

"I'm not talking about that," the tone of Aerith's voice started to become lower as she looked Varen straight in the eyes, "Even with his age; as a prince, he should know better than to blatantly attack an individual from a foreign nation."

"That—"

"If I wasn't there, that would have been treated as an act of war— an invasion," Aerith's eyebrows started to furrow, "Your standing as the most peaceful race would have been lost just like that, and in front of me, a Themarian from the royal family."

"..."

"Surely, you know why the Evaniels became a peaceful race in the first place, right?"

"..." Everyone in the colossal room became quiet as they heard Aerith's words.

"You are a peaceful race..." Aerith whispered as she once again looked Varen straight in the eyes,

"...Because we almost wiped you out the last time."