Villain Retirement

[How about you test us yourself to see how strong we are?]

"...I feel like I'm watching a bunch of children."

"Shouldn't we intervene? There is a 26% chance that the building is going to be destroyed."

"I've known you for a very long time, my friend — but I still think the percentages you speak of is bullshit. And besides, we can't spare any resources for them, they can take care of themselves."

Empress was currently in a room filled with monitors of all different sizes; CCTV, satellite footage, maps, and irregularities in temperature; almost everything and anything that could be considered amiss, they will detect… but it wasn't enough.

"How certain are you that they would be safe?" Butcher stood beside Empress as he looked at the screen that was solely for surveilling the Paige and Paragon agency.

"100%" Empress almost scoffed at Butcher's question. Paragon is a Themarian — Empress thought. And if Butcher knew what she knew, then he would probably even try to ask him for help; Empress wanted to ask too, but since Aerith went through all the trouble of covering his identity, then it was detrimental that no one else finds out.

The time for Aerith and other foreign entities solving Earth's problems was over.

"It has been hours, Empress. We still do not have any leads."

"I can count, Butcher."

"Perhaps… it's time to seek for his help? I am a hundred percent certain that he would be able to find the target in—"

"He is one of the most dangerous criminals on the entire planet," Empress's tone slightly changed as the air around her started to spark, "You want to give someone like that access to a computer?"

"I am saying we can use him," Butcher shook his head and started to leave, "He was just a father that—"

"A father who hid a monster capable of destroying the entire planet."

"Well, as I said…

…he was just a father."

***

"How about all of you… just fight me at the same time?"

Paragon's voice wasn't necessarily loud — no. One might even say that it was quiet.

But still, it resonated through the ears of each of the members of the Baby Crew. Saying that they would lose to the Hope Guild? They could accept that anytime. But this? Paragon was truly and clearly looking down on them.

"Those are fighting words, boy," Bella, who was already at the center of the hall, could not help but scoff as she let out a slight snarl, "How about proving you have it instead of pouting your nonsense?"

"I… I think you pissed them off, Paragon," Paige whispered. Paragon, however, only shook his head as he let out a small sigh.

"I am only stating facts," he then said as he finally once again stepped forward. And as soon as he did so, Paige summoned some sort of translucent cube with animated lines on it that said 'Combatants Only'.

"Hm, I like it," Bella said as she got into a stance, "I take it we lose once we pass through the box? Let's do it!"

"You already lost the moment we met, Black Bell."

"Now you just doing this on purpose. Well, I ain't gonna bite. I'm ready!"

"Y… yeah!" Paige clapped and cheered; Hannah and the others, however, had serious expressions on their faces. It would seem… Paragon truly did piss them off and they weren't just playing along.

"O… Okay," Paige could only clear her throat as she seemed to be the only one enjoying this,

"Get ready for the next battle!" She then said even though this was the first fight of the day,

"Fight!"

"Here—"

"Bell!"

And not even a millisecond after Paige waved her hand, Silvie quickly disappeared from her spot; only to appear behind Bella… who was now near the corner of the training hall. If Silvie didn't soften her plunge, then she would probably be a painting on the wall right now.

"W… what the fuck was that?" Bella let out a small gasp as she quickly touched her chest– it would seem nothing was broken, but it felt like she was hit by a truck; no… perhaps push was the better term for it.

Paragon didn't really hit her when he darted towards her. But instead stopped as soon as she was within arm's reach… and pushed her– all that, happening in less than a second.

Empress, who was still keeping an eye on them from the surveillance cameras, could only shake her head and sigh. She wasn't planning on stopping them anytime soon — this will be a good time to humble them, just like how Megawoman humbled most of the members of the Hope Guild.

Aerith always knew how to hold back. So it makes that Paragon should too.

"..."

Right?

[I told you…

…it would be better for all of you to fight me at the same time," Paragon muttered quietly; his palm still stretched from when he pushed Bella away. He then looked at Hannah straight in the eyes, before finally retracting his stance and once again walking back to his side of the translucent box.

"Man, and I was starting to like you too."

But alas, none seemed to like Paragon's idea, as this time, Gary entered the translucent box — his face, appearing like a hologram as he did so.

"H… here comes a new challenger!" Although Paige was starting to think this was a bad idea, she still couldn't help herself from seeing it through. After all, they've already started — if they didn't continue, everyone would be too distracted trying to think of what could have been. They would be too busy to work on other things, she thought.

"Where were you hiding all this time, man?" Gary said as he started stretching and cracking his neck, "You some kind of hidden expert we don't know of or something?"

"..." Paragon didn't answer and just looked at Gary… with an almost bored expression in his eyes, "Gary Gray, son of Megawoman."

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna cry to mommy if I lose."

"Half themarian… but why so weak?"

"Oh, you went there, huh?" Gary's eyes started to glow red as he nodded several times, "This shit is personal now. You, crazy girl! Start the match."

"M… Me? I… I'm not crazy," Paige blinked a couple of times as she pointed at herself. But alas, no one seems to be listening to her. And so, the only thing she could really do was to try and enjoy the situation.

"Get ready for the next battle!"

"..."

"Figh–"

And without even waiting for Paige to finish her word, Gary shot out a beam straight towards Paragon's face,

"Let's see what you're trying to hide there, master Paragon!" Gary then hissed before letting out a manical chuckle, "We've been together for more than a week now, and we haven't even had a glimpse of your face! That changes now!"

"I quite value my secret identity, Monarch."

"W… what the!?"

But alas, Gary's beam did not even reach Paragon's face, instead, he was blocking it with his palm.

"I… I was holding back! Get ready to face my true power!" Gary then let out a roar as the beam coming out from his eyes became… smoother, "9th Level Omega Bea– Guakh!"

But once again, alas. Before he could finish his chant, Paragon once again disappeared from his spot, only to appear in front of Gary… completely grabbing his face as he very slowly tried to pull him down.

"F… Fuck!" Gary gritted his teeth as he tried his best to keep himself standing; even to the point that his legs started to dig through the floor,

"W… where the fuck… did you suddenly pop out from!?" Gary struggled as he grabbed Paragon's fingers with both his hands, trying to pry them open but couldn't even make them budge,

"W… what the fuck, man!?"

"Why are you so weak?"

And while Gary was struggling for his life, Paragon only shook his head; his whispers, seemingly louder than Gary's muffled screams. It might sound as if he was belittling him to other people, but in truth — Riley truly was curious.

Hannah Ross could possibly be Half Themarian. And although she didn't really have any powers resembling that of their race, her abilities were incredibly strong and one would even say on the same level. It's also possible that Hannah was also just like Riley — someone from a tube.

But Bernard has told them in… very great detail how Diana gave birth to Hannah whenever Hannah becomes rebellious. He told them a lot of times, a lot. Even when they were eating.

Hannah also resembled Diana and Bernard.

He had already explored another planet, and yet he still knew so little — and the answers are all with Caitlain. But…

…would it really matter if he finds out? He wasn't really in search of truth. What would change?

He told Paige who he really is, and nothing really changed between them — because she chose not to change.

So it didn't really matt–

"L… Let go of me already, man!"

"Oh," Paragon blinked a couple of times as he finally let go of Gary's face,

"I forgot you were there."

"I already lost, why are you still dissing me!?" Gary could not help but groan in frustration as he walked out of the translucent box, "S… Silv! Avenge… avenge the name of our mother!"

"Yeah," Silvie was already stepping inside the box before Gary could even step out of it, "W–"

Silvie seemed like she wanted to say something, but before she could do so… Hannah also stepped in.

"...What are you doing?"

"Giving the guy what he wants," Hannah squinted her eyes as she looked at Paragon straight in the eyes, "Attacking him at both sides."

"A… a threesome?"

"...I don't think you know what that really means."