Villain Retirement
chapter-1094

"Hm..." "Hm?"

"Hmm..."

"Hm."

Even with the void suddenly crawling onto Riley's arm, no one really acted violently as they all just stared at it; even fully knowing that it was capable of permanently cutting Riley into pieces, Riley just watched it move closer and closer to his head and as soon as it reached his face, it suddenly entered through his mouth, nose, ears, and pores.

And even as it did so, the only one whose expression slightly changed was Tomoe, who looked at Elementia and Death to see what their reactions were. Of course, Tomoe was actually no longer as emotionless and stoic as before. It was just that even though she was no longer Riley's subordinate and had freed her mind from being subservient to him, she was still incredibly confident that nothing could actually happen to Riley.

He may no longer serve him, but it doesn't mean that there was no longer a part of her that worshiped Riley. It might only be a little part of her, but it was sure that Riley would be fine.

And seeing as Riley also did not react at all even as all of it was already inside him, she was right not to worry.

"Do... you feel anything?" Tomoe then stood in front of Riley and stared at his face, "I don't see any traces of it anymore."

"No," Riley shook his head and looked at his hands, as well as Renna's severed arm, "I do not really feel any more different than I did when it was outside of my system, Tomoe."

The four then just stood there for a few seconds as they waited for something to happen to Riley but even after they waited an entire minute and more, nothing happened. "Let us-"

Elementia was about to say something, but before he could do so, something finally happened

and it wasn't from Riley, but the arm he was holding.

"Hm?" Riley tilted his head to the side as the arm seemingly struggled to free itself from his

grasp.

"Maybe... you should let it go?"

"Okay," Riley quickly let go of the arm, and as soon as he did so, the arm suddenly flew away -breaking the sound barrier before just shooting out into the endless horizon and disappearing almost instantly.

And without even saying a word, both Death and Elementia flew away to follow the arm. Riley was about to do the same, but he glanced at Tomoe and reached out his hand toward her.

"Shall we go, Tomoe?" Riley asked.

"...Okay," Tomoe let out a small breath as she grabbed Riley's arm, "Sorry for wanting to come and just becoming a burden."

"It is fine, Tomoe," Riley shook his head as his and Tomoe's feet started lifting into the air before the two of them just started flying into the horizon and following the two Primordials. "You've... become much gentler than before, Riley," Tomoe could not help but just smile as she looked at Riley's hand which was lightly holding hers, "I suppose you've really become a dad now."

"I do believe I was always this gentle, Tomoe," Riley glanced back.

"You were," Tomoe shook her head, "But not like this - I can't really explain it, but I like you more now than before."

"Thank you, Tomoe."

"Riley... actually, I already saw you with Karina and the others a few days ago," Tomoe then let out a small but very deep sigh as she closed her eyes, "I was utterly quite shocked, as you may have already imagined. I was going to ask about Hannah and the others... but when I was about to approach you, I just... froze. I thought I was completely over you, but I wasn't." "I thought you were, Tomoe?"

"I am," Tomoe shook her head again, "But there's this part of me that just doesn't know what to do. 600 years, you'd think I would have just completely gotten over you and everything else. But as soon as you showed yourself - Bang. Every memory just came rushing to me again."

"I am sorry that you are feeling that way, Tomoe," Riley sighed, "It is true that I should have never returned."

"No... no," Tomoe shook her head, "You were gone 600 years, Riley... and honestly, nothing really changed at all. People died, gods descended, wars - all of those things would have still happened with you here. I could even argue that it would have ended quite faster."

"Hm, I was told the same by the others."

"Because it's true," Tomoe shrugged, "Whatever you actually were, Riley... You were necessary. And that is something I believed in, and will probably still believe in."

"Hm," Riley nodded. After that, however, the two just kept quiet - just letting the white field move around them as they flew through the seemingly endless horizon. Very soon, however, Riley started to slow down as Death and Elementia's silhouette peeked out from the distance.

The two of them, however, were just standing there before looking at Riley as he and Tomoe landed near them.

"Did you find something, Primordials?"

"Yes and no," Elementia then stretched his arm forward to the endless horizon, sticking out his palm... until he couldn't anymore, as there was an invisible wall blocking their path, "This is a domain created by me, and I should be permitted to be wherever I want to be on it - and yet, something is blocking my path."

"I also can not enter it, Riley Ross," Death also stretched her palm onto the supposed invisible wall, but she also could not proceed any further even when she put some force on it, "By my guess, then..."

"Only Riley can enter it," Tomoe also placed her palm on the invisible wall, and very much like the primordials, she could not proceed any further, "Riley..."

"Hm," Riley stood beside Tomoe and reached his palm out - and true enough, his hand went farther than the rest of the group, "I suppose I will see you later, Tomoe, Primordials."

"Truly, you and your children will remain forever a mystery," Elementia could really only let out a sigh as he took a step back and retracted his hand, "I feel sort of jealous that my domain is bending to the will of your daughter - I should be compensated with this somehow." "Stop speaking nonsense, Elementia," Death glared at Elementia, "To experience change is a privilege."

"Not so much for the rest of our brothers and sisters, Second Oldest," Elementia shook his head, "Too bad for them, they are missing out on all the action."

"We are too," Death placed her focus back to Riley, "Go ahead, Riler Ross. We shall be waiting for your return here."

"Hm," Riley nodded before taking a step through the invisible wall, and as soon as he did so, what was once an immaculate field of white turned extremely black- and yet, in a way, it seemed even more immaculate than before, "Interesting."

Riley then took a step back, and once again, the fields just turned white.

"What... are you doing, Riley?" Tomoe asked as she saw Riley do this.

"It is different from the other side," Riley let out a small hum as he once again stepped forward; the white field, instantly turned black as he did so - even the horizon behind Tomoe

and the others turned dark.

"Be careful, Youngest," Elementia let out a sigh, "I do not think the rest of this domain belongs to me anymore - I do not know what awaits you on the other side."

"Okay." And as soon as Elementia said that, Riley once again let out a telekinetic net that quickly scattered through the horizon. And as soon as he detected something, he quickly disappeared and flew away.

And finally, after what seemed like a minute of flying, Riley saw a hint of white far into the distance. And very soon, Riley finally saw Renna.

She was sleeping on the field of black cotton; almost curled into a ball. And judging by the redness around her eyes, she had been crying for a very long time.

"Oh?" Riley then looked at the severed arm that flew away from him, only to see it already attached back to Renna and healing.

Riley did not really do anything else, he just approached his daughter and waited for her to

wake up; watching her the entire time.

A second.

A minute.

An hour.

Riley did not really care for time at all. He just wanted to see his daughter's face the way it is now in peace. Because he knows that once she wakes up, she will have to live a life filled with chaos and pain again.

Unfortunately, very soon, Renna woke up.

"H...hmn?" Renna slightly moved her head as she felt something brushing along the top of

her head. She opened her eyes and let out a deep breath, only for that breath to stop abruptly

as soon as she saw Riley's face; his hand, very gently brushing her long white hair. "Are... are you..." Renna stuttered with her words as her lips started to tremble,

"Are you... real?"