Villain Retirement

VR 908

"Another one being carried, great."

Riley was just standing there, and it would seem he was already offending a lot of the other gods. But of course, Riley was not even heeding any of them any mind as he just scanned the 2nd floor and started casually walking around.

The 2nd floor was slightly different from the first floor, as they were currently standing on top of a platform… that almost seemed like it was kilometers high. Riley could not even see the bottom — Riley did not even care anymore as everything in the Domain of the Gods did not make sense. What does make sense, however, is their tendency to want to have fun, even more so than the so-called mortals; once again, the audience circling around them howled for blood and death.

"Oi, we are talking to you, mate!"

And as the people bothering him blocked his path, Riley could no longer ignore them as he looked at each of their faces, and he was able to recognize them quickly — they were also the group that approached him and Esme back on the first floor, asking to team up.

"Do you need me for something, lower gods?" Riley tilted his head to the side.

"Lower gods!?" One of the… lower gods was about to rush at Riley, but his team stopped him quickly.

"What we need is for you to be gone," another one stepped forward, "You don't deserve to be on this floor. And now that your protector is in another platform…

…you need to watch yourself."

"Hm," Riley nodded before he started looking around again. And true enough, Esme was not on the platform with them, "You do not need to concern yourself to me, lower gods. I am always watching myself — I am the most entertaining entity here, after all."

"Smug," the god scoffed, "We'll see for how long."

And with that, the gods' words and breaths faded away as they left Riley alone. But Riley was sure they wouldn't be the last, and they wouldn't be the only one targetting him… almost everyone there was looking at him filled with scorn in their eyes.

"...Good," Riley could not help but breathe out as a smile very slowly crawled on his face. And soon, he started monologuing again,

"...If all of you are bored. Then I shall offer all of you blood and carnage."

In truth, Riley was looking forward to this — these people might just act and look normal, but none of them are. Even if this was only the 2nd floor, some of them were probably stronger than him physically.

And since Riley couldn't use any of his other abilities but his raw strength, then he was sure he was going to have the most fun in this tower. He had a fraction of the strength of a themarian, but he also had something else — cultivation. Although Riley had no idea how it improved him yet, he was sure it was not a meager amount.

So…

"Come…" Riley stretched his arms to the side, "...Do your worst."

Unfortunately for Riley, he did not know the rules of the 2nd floor yet.

[Push everyone else from the platform until only a hundred remains. You are only allowed to use your body to hit your enemies, no limbs, no teeth – You may start.]

And once again, the howls and cheers of the people served as the signal of battle, as everyone started pushing each other with their bodies… and most of the people near Riley all very slowly made their way toward him; carefully, as the others might also just push them away while they were targeting Riley.

Even with this, however, Riley just placed his hands on his back; even stepping back just a few inches away from the edge of the platform.

Soon, however, they all just started rushing toward Riley all the same. As for Riley he just casually… stepped off the edge.

"!!!" All the gods rushing toward him could not help but widen their eyes as they halted their steps. But as soon as they looked at each other, their target instantly became the person their eyes were reflecting.

They roared, some even butting heads with each other like bulls. The ones who were first bothering Riley, however, was actually still looking at Rilry; his head… hanging on the edge by his chin.

Riley was smiling ear to ear, almost laughing as he was watching everyone else pushing each other. Of course, although this was very creepy and unusual, the people bothering him still seemed adamant about pushing him away as they rushed at him again.

Upon seeing this, Riley's head… started rotating across the edge of the platform, before finally lifting up again as the annoying gods were only meters away.

And with the smile on his face not disappearing at all, he dodged the nearest opponent by rolling on the floor and tripping them. Before his opponent could fully tumble, however, Riley pushed himself up with his butt; instantly slamming his opponent and pushing them out.

Of course, the others did not really let him rest as they once again rushed at him at the same time. This time, however, Riley also ran toward them with his hands still tied behind his back. And like a dead insect in a cup of water, no one could really catch him as he just casually but swiftly weaved his way in the gaps.

But Riley was not done with just that — he backed away and started… wriggling his body like some sort of worm, using his shoulders to bump the arms of his opponent… and letting them accidentally use their hands to push the other warriors close to them.

"You—" And before any of them could say anything, they instantly disappeared from the platform and were eliminated from the battle.

"Hm," Riley nodded to himself as he saw this. As for the gods bothering him, they could not help but stop as they finally became wary of him — they weren't fools, they were initially looking down on Riley since he did nothing on the 1st floor, but now that they have seen that he was actually clearly skilled, their demeanor quickly changed.

Riley seemed quite disappointed with this, however, as none of them were rushing at him — and so, he just sat on the floor cross-legged, taunting the others to go near him. Unfortunately for Riley, this had the opposite effect, as the others thought he was up to something.

They were gods, after all, one could not judge them normally, and one could also not predict their judgment. For all they know, Riley had a plan to make them eliminate themselves by their own hands.

And so, for the duration of the battle… no one approached Riley again until he was one of the one hundred.

"...Oh," Riley could really only breathe out in disappointment as he found himself in another place without any warning — the 3rd floor.

Grandarena City seems to like moving things fast — no doubt because of the audience who would boo them if they did not.

The 3rd floor was quite uneventful, Riley did not even bother knowing the rules or moving as Esme was there to fight for him. He had already told her not to do so, but it did not really matter since she was way above everyone else on the lower floors — eliminating everyone by herself.

Even the 4th floor was the same, as Esme was also there. The other gods do not even need to do anything, just wait for the roulette that is called Esme; hoping she does not land on them.

She was also there with Riley on the 5th floor, which was a race. And here, Esme truly and literally carried Riley; carrying him like a princess as she just blasted her way through the course.

And once again, people were looking at Riley in disdain — this caused Riley to tell Esme… to keep it up. After all, the more they hate him, the more fun it would be for him.

But alas, his streak stopped once they reached the 15th floor; not because Esme was not there, but the 15th floor was a sort of wall just to prevent instances like what Riley and Esme are doing — it was an individual test of strength that Riley was already familiar with.

A large punching machine.

Truly, the Domain of the Gods is the most random place he has ever been to — and perhaps that is what makes it more fun. He can't predict anything, not at all.

"Hm…" Riley watched the other gods go first, and either the platform beneath them opened up and dropped them straight back to the outside, or they instantly disappeared as they moved on to the 16th floor.

Each of their punches created a shockwave strong enough to suck in and blow away the audience at the same time — and they seem to be enjoying all of it as they even cheer and raise their hands.

And soon, it was Esme's turn.