Villain Retirement
chapter-1057

"She... she's still calling me!? How did she even get my number!?"

Hera was once again riding the motorcycle with Riley on her back and on their way back to Rose's place. This time, however, she could not concentrate on the road at all as Diana kept calling her.

"If you take away the fact that my mother is themarian, she is still capable of a lot of things, Hera."

"This is my 5th number! I have already blocked her on the other numbers!" Hera did not need the wireless intercom in her helmet at all; her voice, loud and clear even with the harsh wind wrapping around them, "Fuck! I forgot who her husband is! Of course, Whiteking would know all of my numbers. Fuck!"

"Perhaps you should focus on the road, Hera?" Riley slightly tightened his hold on Hera's waist, "Distracted driving is one of the three main causes of road accidents. You are also using your phone while riding, which is against the law."

"Since when were you, the most heinous supervillain in the entire world, cared for laws? Hera clicked her tongue as she just squeezed the throttle tighter. Fortunately for the two of them, the people were still in mourning of Megawoman's death and the freeway was incredibly free. "I have always cared about laws, Hera. How do you think I have not been caught all this time?" Riley sighed in disappointment, "I always throw my trash in the proper bins."

"I'm pretty sure that's not the reason why you weren't caught, Riley," Hera let out a frustrated groan. And even though she was wearing her helmet, it was clear that she was rolling her eyes, "Enough of the useless talk - why do you think our plan didn't work the first time?"

"Perhaps it is because the two of you were not in danger at all, Hera?" Riley surmised, "Your abilities, after all, seemed to be on overdrive whenever your life is at stake - I remember this one time when we were in space and fighting space pirates, you turned into a tree and almost killed the entire crew."

"...I don't even know where to start with that. Space pirates... and I turned into a tree? How does that even make any sense!?"

"I do not know, Hera. You should know, it is your ability."

"Ugh. Enough," Hera waved her hand, "So, I just need to feel that I am in danger while holding Rose, right? How?"

"You do not have to worry about that, Hera," Riley nodded his head,

"...I will handle it."

***

"So... what the two of you are trying to say is that we are just in a simulation?"

"Yes."

And once again, Hera explained everything to Rose. And like the first time she did so, Rose was still extremely nonchalant about everything.

"...Okay, let's do it."

"Okay then," Hera shrugged as Rose held her hand, "Riley, go do whatever-"

"Pavoom."

And before Hera could even finish her words, she felt something crawl across her neck; every fiber of her hair, instantly stood on their ends as her eyes were just suddenly filled with white. And the next thing she knew, she was already outside the house-no. She was already outside Rose's entire neighborhood... which was now just the start of a wide gaping canyon that seemed to span for miles.

"..." Hera blinked a couple of times before finally feeling the grip on her hand. She looked down, only to see Rose's hand still holding hers.

"Did... it work?" Hera whispered to herself as she tried her best to give in to her delusions that what she was holding was just Rose's hand, and Rose's hand alone; the rest of her, completely gone just like her entire neighborhood.

"Hm..." Riley then slowly approached Hera while looking at Rose's hand, "... You killed her, Hera."

"What the fuck do you mean I killed her!?" Hera then violently threw Rose's hand toward the ground, but Riley quickly caught it before it could even touch even a single speck of dirt.

"Please be careful with this, Hera- this is the hand of the creator of Italian Mafia Reborn." "I can't with you, god damn..." Hera let out a long and very deep sigh as she just gave up there and then,

"...Let's just go again."

***

"So, I just need to hold your hand. Right?"

"Yes,"

After several more failures, Hera was now just as nonchalant as Rose. She did not even bother to stand up as Rose grabbed her hand and just looked blankly at Riley, gesturing to him to just

do it.

"Riley," Hera whispered out, "Perhaps this time, try something a little more safe? Make it feel dangerous, but at the same time, just make it feel safe?"

"Okay," Riley nodded his head as he summoned a clone beside him before standing next to Hera and Rose. And as soon as they were together, his clone raised its finger and pointed it at

them.

"Pa-"

And before the clone could actually eradicate the three of them at the same time, Rose moved away from Hera and raised her hand.

"Wait, wait..." Rose squinted her eyes as she looked back and forth between Hera and Riley, "What do you mean by 'this time'? Wait...

...how many times have we had this conversation?"

"...8 times," Hera just let out a small sigh, "And every time, you just die."

"I... died?" Rose blinked a couple of times as she held her chest, "Are you saying that you've

done this 8 times, and you still haven't succeeded?"

"Nope," Hera shrugged, "But I think this time, we can do it."

"You don't sound that confident," Rose squinted her eyes as she looked Hera in the eyes, "Look, this is good and all... but I think the two of you should leave."

"...Should we just reset?" Hera then let out a small sigh as she just looked at Riley, "Let's just

reset."

As for Riley, he just glanced at Rose for a few seconds before shaking his head, "No. I think I see what we are doing wrong now, Hera. We have repeated the same thing too many times to the point that you are already numb to it."

"I don't think I am ever going to be numb from experiencing death, Riley," Hera scoffed, "That shit scares me even now."

"Perhaps," Riley then stepped away from Hera before turning to look at his clone; the two of them just staring at each other's eyes before nodding at the same time.

"Uh... Riley?" Hera snapped her fingers between the two, "Care to fill me in with what you're

thinking?"

"No." And without even hesitating, a black goo started to emerge from Riley's hand, wrapping across his and his clone's body and morphing into a suit. Riley then grabbed 2 helmets from his trusty pocket, giving one to his clone as they both wore it at the same time.

"That's... Darkday?" Rose's eyes widened; her hands and legs, instinctively trembling on their

own.

"...Riley?" Hera's eyes widened, "What are you—"

And before Hera could even finish her words, she felt a sharp warmth cut through her arm.

"Kya!" Rose screamed as she quickly pointed at Hera's arm... which was now on the floor.

"What the fuck..." Hera breathed out as she also stared at her arm for a few seconds before looking at Riley, "What are you-"

"Hera," Riley's feet then very slowly left the floor, "I apologize, but I am going to have to

torture you now, so...

....I suggest you run."