Villain Retirement

The screams and cries of the students from the academy still whispered in the air; Ms. Friday, however, could not be bothered by their pathetic wails. She had already called for reinforcements from the other bases, but who knows if they were going to respond.

And even if they did… it might already be too late. There were almost 400 of them in the ship, with almost a quarter of that surrounding the three intruders in front of her-- and yet she could not help but feel that they were the ones at a disadvantage.

How could she not, when one of their potential new recruits from the Academy died with none of them even having the time to react to it. Riley Ross was supposed to be from the Academy, and yet he killed one of his schoolmates without even blinking an eye.

Something was definitely not right here.

"You said that Whiteking isn't coming, can I take your word on this?" Ms. Friday did not let her nervous thoughts appear in her words, however, as the tone of her voice remained ever-so casual; as she had been doing ever since.

"Perhaps. I can not control other people's actions, Ms. Friday," Riley answered, his gaze seemingly scanning the cargo hold, "But I can assure you that my actions are completely separate to that of the Academy's. I am here to conduct business, as I said."

"What kind of--"

"You… you monster!"

And before Ms. Friday could muster a response, a student from the Academy rushed towards Riley. Ms. Friday stretched her arms to try and stop her, but alas, the student slipped from her hands.

"Don't!" Katherine raised her hand to summon a burst of wind, using all of her strength to push the student away from the invisible death barrier that Riley had put up. The girl rolled on the floor several times and probably broke a bone or two judging from the pained cries coming out of her mouth.

But that was better than the alternative.

"You… should have just let her die, Silver Moon," Tomoe whispered, before taking in a long and deep breath as her eyes still tried their best not to stray away from all the blood and guts in front of her, "Those who dare attack Riley deserve a gruesome death."

"I am not giving up on them," Katherine muttered, "They have parents waiting for them at home. I will not deliver the news that their children went on to join some cult."

"I told you, Silver Moon. Some of them wish to commit suicide," Riley then let out a small but deep sigh, "Perhaps truly unhappy because of this Potential Villain list that you hid from them…

...But on to more important matters."

Katherine wanted to say something but chose to keep her mouth shut as she heard Riley's heart slightly fluctuate. The students were also being dragged away by the Numbers. She didn't want to admit it, but they were probably safer away from them.

"Can you tell me all about your organization, Ms. Friday?" Riley then muttered, "Is your leader truly Darkday?"

"He is," Ms. Friday quickly answered, her mind, however, was thinking of multiple ways to escape or fight back.

"I find that very interesting, Ms. Friday," Riley said as a slight tone of amusement grew in his voice, "Judging by the names I have been hearing since earlier, your hierarchy is based on dates? Can you tell me more about this?"

Ms. Friday did not answer Riley. Instead, her eyes slowly ventured their way towards the woman beside him.

"Aren't you supposed to be saving people, Scarlet Mage?"

"Answer Riley's question!" Tomoe raised her voice and was about to say more. But before she could do so, Riley raised his hand and gestured to her to stop.

"I know your record and I have watched your videos on the internet. You've always been helping people. Even as a Grade-A super, you help even in street-level crimes and even volunteer to help the victims afterward," Ms. Friday continued to talk, "Was all that just a facade?"

"..."

"To think in the shadows, you're working for an individual capable of killing his friends without batting an eye. It would seem Darkday is right, the government has been lying to us from the start. You superheroes are just dogs, following orders even if it means killing children."

"Wait… do you really think you're the good guys in this?" Katherine could not help but let out a tiny scoff as she looked at Ms. Friday's helmet. She did not really need an answer, however, as she could feel in the beating of Ms. Friday's heart that she thinks she is right.

"You abducted students, and even massacred almost a hundred of them!"

"That… that was not part of the plan! One of our agents has gone rogue and--"

"It seems there has been a misunderstanding. For that, I apologize, everyone."

And before the conversation between Katherine and Ms. Friday could continue, Riley once again stood up from his seat; causing not only Ms. Friday to flinch, but all the numbers that were quietly watching the situation unfold; their hands, ready to attack at any time.

"A… misunderstanding?"

"I was the cause of everyone's death, Silver Moon."

"...What?"

"My sister seems to be being mistreated by Class 1-F, you see. And I don't like that."

"W… wait, what do you mean you were the cause?"

"Their death happened because of me, Silver Moon," Riley then blinked his eyes a couple of times. His face, showing signs of confusion, "I didn't kill them directly, but I helped."

"You… helped?"

This time, even Ms. Friday was shocked by what she was hearing.

"No. 11, No. 12, and No. 7. The students of Class 1-F mostly died by their hands. Mostly No. 7, I suppose."

"What are you--"

"Enough," Riley then muttered as he waved his hand. His breaths, almost filling the entire room with weight as it reached the ears of everyone present, "We've already been delaying our meeting because of something so trivial. I just told you out of respect as my First Subordinate, Silver Moon."

"You… Just who are you?" Ms. Friday then breathed out, trying her best not to stutter, "What do you want from us?"

"I should be the one asking that question, Ms. Friday. You're not listening," Riley waved his finger, "Have you met this Darkday in person?"

Once again, Katherine could feel Riley's heart fluctuating.

"...I think we're done talking. I have heard enough, you murderous little psycho!"

Ms. Friday wasn't going to act until her reinforcements arrive, but hearing that Riley was responsible for the deaths of all those children, she could not help but feel that it was her task to erase him from existence.

After all, that was why the Dark Millenium was built in the first place-- to eliminate all and any threat to humanity; saving the world from the shadows even as the world treats them as the villain.

"Men, kill the intruders!"

"Subordinates, go."

"...What?"

"At once, master Riley."

With almost a hundred people threatening to attack them all at once, Katherine had actually been ready to counterattack as soon as the enemies in front of them showed any signs of striking first.

She, however, could not help but be thrown off by Riley suddenly stretching his arms wide, as if some kind of mafia boss ordering his goons to attack. Add to that the fact that she just heard that Riley was the one responsible for the deaths of the students, it was almost as if…

...They were the villains here.

...Were they?

...Was she?

And while Katherine's thoughts were in disarray, Tomoe, on the other hand, had already disappeared from her position. Moving swiftly from one container box to another while elegantly shooting black icicles from her hands.

There were Strength-type Supers that were rushing towards her, but she was able to stave them off from putting up layers of ice in front of her, while summoning an extremely smooth surface of ice beneath her, causing her to just slide away.

As expected from someone who had awakened their abilities from infancy, her control was almost instinctual.

"Silver Moon."

"...Yes?" Katherine then woke up from her stupor as a loud thunderous noise erupted beside her. She looked, only to see a huge ball of fire seemingly being suppressed in front of her.

"Perhaps we need to practice more on our timing, Silver Moon," Riley then let out a sigh before snapping his fingers; and as he did so, the huge dancing ball of fire in front of Katherine completely withered away.

"I already removed the barrier protecting us, Silver Moon. I won't be protecting you again," Riley then said as he let out another sigh, "I still have to talk with Ms. Friday."

"That's--"

And before Katherine could even say another word, another ball of fire was thrown at her by one of the Numbers. This time, however, she clapped her hands-- causing the ball of fire to split into two and avoid her completely.

And before the now split fire completely passed by her, she stretched her hands to the side and stopped them.

"W… what the--" And to the surprise of the Number who threw the ball of fire, he seemed to have lost control of his projectile. It did not end there, however. He tried to reclaim his control, but the only thing that happened was that the two balls of fire split to even more pieces. And before he could even react, a torrent of blazing fire rained down upon not only to him, but also towards the Numbers near him.

"It seems that I have not made a mistake in my Subordinates," Riley then nodded in satisfaction as his eyes looked back and forth between Tomoe and Katherine. And perhaps, if it wasn't for the sudden tremble beneath his legs, he would have kept on watching.

"Die, the world will be better off without you!" And with Ms. Friday's screams, the ground beneath Riley opened up, as if a jaw threatening to rip him in half.

"Master Riley!"

"..."

Tomoe was slightly disgruntled by the scene of Riley being swallowed by the floor. Katherine, on the other hand, only took a short glance before proceeding to neutralize the enemies in front of her.

Ms. Friday's attack did not stop there, however. Even as the ground crawled and completely covered her opponent, she slightly rotated her wrist, causing the mangled floor to twist itself and whatever was inside it.

And as if that wasn't enough, she clapped her hands, causing spikes to appear from the floor and penetrate the distorted statue she just created.

"All that talk and bravado…" Ms. Friday then breathed out, "...Just for you to die before--"

"Quite the interesting power, Ms. Friday."

And before she could finish her monologue, Riley's muffled voice whispered to her ears.

"And I do quite agree with you, Ms. Friday…

....The world would be better off without me."