Villain Retirement
chapter-121

"I'm Darkday."

"...What?"

"Well, not at this moment."

"...What?"

If Sophie could raise her eyebrow higher than her hairline, it would have probably done so by now. Did this young boy really just say he was Darkday?

"You really are a joker, aren't you?" Sophie let out a small chuckle. The only response she received, however, was the somber whisper of the empty field they now found themselves in. As for Riley, he was only staring at nothing in the distance– as if he didn't just say what he just said.

"I do like to joke, yes," Riley nodded, "But what I told you just now was the truth, Miss Sophie...

...I was Darkday."

"Then I guess I'll become the world's greatest superhero once I present your head to everyone!"

The ground between Riley and Sophie started to split as Sophie waved her hand, and with no ocean of dust drowning the air around them, her skill had once again regained its invisibility. The only indication that she had thrown another set of them was the earth that was slightly opening up; a crawling crevice that rushed their way towards Riley.

This time, however, Riley did not move from his spot or leaped forward like what he did when they were still in the center of the city– instead, he slowly floated in the air... and completely ignored the invisible swords that wafted through his body.

The earth slightly shook as the invisible swords passed him; splitting the small hill formation that was several meters behind him into pieces and still continuing to wreak havoc.

"Oh, finally using your telekinesis, Mr. Darkday?" Sophie let out a small chuckle as she once again waved her hand several times; how they were able to hear each other so clearly even with the distance between them, nobody knows.

"No, Miss Sophie," Riley shook his head, but this time flying side to side as he avoided the invisible blades, "Darkday is retired– I am currently a student aiming to be a super that would one day take the mantle of being Mega Woman, as you said earlier. So for now, you are the supervillain, and I...

...am Mega Man."

"...What?" Sophie thought that Riley would say something profound... but Mega Man? What kind of bullshit is this kid spouting again?

"This isn't a game, b–"

And before Sophie could finish her words, Riley removed his sunglasses as his eyes suddenly glowed red. The silver chrome that covered his skin, being absorbed back to his flesh; his white visage, once again smiling upon Sophie as his hoodie was removed by the wind.

"You should be laughing, Miss Sophie..." Riley then let out a small chuckle as he ever so slowly floated towards Sophie, "...That was a joke."

"..." Sophie could not help but slightly take a few steps back as the smile on Riley's face once again almost reached from ear-to-ear, as if his mouth could swallow her whole head in.

A Hero?

Whatever Riley is or was, he looked more like the devil if anything as a few strands of his hair were now standing up from the sides. There was also the blatant disregard for human life that he had shown earlier back in the nightclub when he killed even their guests and customers.

In truth, whether Sophie believed it or not... she had actually thought that Riley was like Darkday since the start– how could she not when the first ability that he showed her was the ability to make copies of himself?

"Be honored, Miss Sophie."

"!!!"

Sophie could not help but slightly take in a deep breath as Riley landed in front of her; was she so absorbed with her thoughts that she didn't even realize that he was already within arm's reach of her?

"You–"

Sophie was about to raise her hands, but she found that she was not even able to move them; with Riley suddenly grabbing her wrists. She also wanted to leap back, but before she could do so, Riley once again pulled her towards him and embraced her.

And soon, his whispers reached her left ear.

"I have never truly used Mega Woman's abilities before."

Sophie's head could only slightly tremble as Riley's words almost made her ear warm.

"Did you know that she actually also has telekinetic abilities?" Riley continued as his arms continued to wrap around Sophie's body, "It's weaker than what I already have, of course. But then again, every telekinetic I have encountered was weaker than my biological mother."

"What... what are you even spouting?" Although the tone of Sophie's voice still held the swagger it had since earlier, her stutters were now quite obvious, "Let... let go of me, kid."

"Ssh."

"!!!" Sophie then took in a very long and very deep breath as Riley's lips almost touched hers.

"You know... since you said you have encountered Hope Guild many times before– maybe you know my biological mother?"

"...Your mother?" Sophie leaned her head back as her eyes slowly scanned Riley's very pale face. And from this distance, it was almost as if she could even see the blood in his veins flowing, "Whiteking's... wife?"

"No, that's Diana," Riley then let go of Sophie's arms as he took a few steps back. And as soon as he did so, Sophie violently waved her hands several times– instantly turning the terrain in front of her almost into ruins.

But still, she did not stop; her breaths became erratic as she made sure that not even a fly would survive. Never has she once in her life been manhandled like this before... and she truly, truly did not like the weird feeling building inside her.

And so, once again, an ocean of dust and dirt filled the air around her. But this time, the cloud did not persist in the air as she felt her entire body being pushed away by a strong gust of wind, causing her to close her eyes as the dust and dirt threatened to rip away her skin.

"Ms. Phoenix."

She then slowly opened her eyes as she heard Riley's voice once again near her– his clothes and skin, completely unscathed.

"Ms... Phoenix is... your biological mother?"

Fuck.

Fuck– was the persisting thought inside Sophie's mind right now. Whether Riley was Darkday or not; Whether Riley was Ms. Phoenix's son or not– Sophie knew one thing...

...He's a monster she was no match for.

"Yes," Riley then nodded, "You're the first thing outside my family I have told that to. You should be proud, Miss Sophie."

"W–"

"My question is still the same, though. Did you encounter my biological mother before?" Riley did not let Sophie say a word as he once again stood awfully close to her, "My parents refuse to talk about her whenever I ask them about her. They are usually open about everything but not her...

...Don't you find it weird, Miss Sophie?"

"I... don't really know what to say," Sophie took in a small gulp as she started to gather energy, "But no. Ms. Phoenix... was already out of the picture when I donned a mask."

"I see. That is truly disappointing," Riley then let out a small sigh as he shook his head, "You looked old so I thought you would belong in their generation."

"I'm only 30, you fucking bitch."

"I see we are both telling jokes," the edges of Riley's mouth once again rose momentarily, "But I do know one thing about Ms. Phoenix, though...

...She killed me."

"...What?"

"She killed me, Miss Sophie."

"That... doesn't even make any sense."

"Oh, it will soon for you, Miss Sophie– it's all a matter of how soon."

And once again, Riley slowly floated into the air as his eyes glowed red, "But the question is...

...subordinate or guest, which one will you be?"

"...What?"

"Oh, that was a question for me, Miss Sophie."

And before Sophie could even say another word, the light surrounding Riley's eyes beamed out a few feet beside her.

"!!!"

The light then suddenly trailed straight towards her face– and if it wasn't for the fact that she already put up an invisible sword to shield her, then she knew she would have been torched alive.

The beam then continued to move almost in a random pattern away from Sophie– burning the vast and empty field; leaving darkness and fire along its wake. The beam then soon flickered, however, as Riley blinked a couple of times until the light in his eyes faded.

Riley then shook his head, as if trying to shake away the remaining light in his eyes.

This boy... could it be that he doesn't know how to use his heat vision perfectly? Sophie thought as she looked at the destruction behind her.

And so now, the once beautiful glade turned into nothing but a wasteland; add to that the damage that she had already done before... she was sure that other superheroes would soon arrive here– it was impossible for this to not be caught by satellite.

She just needed to wait for a chance to escape.

"You... said you were Darkday?" Sophie then breathed out in a chance to prolong their fight; Riley seemed to be one to talk, she should use that to her advantage, "Does that mean you–"

"...Oops?"

"!!!"

Sophie then took in a short but deep breath as she felt a slight prick coming from her left arm. She slowly looked to the side, only to see Riley with a slightly bewildered expression as...

...he had an arm in his hand– her arm.

"Gah!" Sophie's screams then echoed through the air, creating a sort of crater as the hundreds of invisible swords she had actually charged in the air all showered down to the ground.

Her screams, however, caused Riley's eyes to twitch as he took in a long and deep breath. But after a few seconds, he shook his head and looked Sophie straight in the eyes, "Mega Woman and I apologize, Miss Sophie...

...I forgot how strong she was."