Villain Retirement

"Riley Ross."

"P'lopi?"

Everyone's eyes just blinked. Some did it fast, some a couple of times in a single second—but everyone blinked. Even those that were running for their lives just stopped as they all turned their heads toward the purple dragon.

Did… the dragon just talk?

And while most of the other Explorers were completely just baffled and shocked as they stared at the giant dragon, the Leville team was already turning away; their eyes, very slowly straying toward Riley.

"The dragon… it said your name?"

"Riley, please wake up!"

"Shit… let's just run!"

And while the Leville party and the other Explorers were once again preparing to run away, Riley just stared at the dragon with his head tilted to the side.

The dragons, the P'lopis, and their ancient civilization—he thought they were connected, but to think they might actually be one and the same. When the dragon called his name, there was a certain click in its voice, reminding him of the language that Ahor Zai demonstrated back in Ahor Zai.

Riley… seems to be getting everything right lately. And from how they are here right now, he was also right that they were watching him back in the library. He had thought they were planning something, and now here they are.

Riley then grabbed the broken tiny box from his pocket, before letting it float towards the purple dragon.

"Is this yours?" Riley then said; his words, traveling even from afar, "I will assume that you are one of the P'lopis until otherwise said so, Purple Dragon."

"...Riley, what's going on?" Lilly and the others could really only watch. They wanted to run, but there was something else going on here that made them stay; their curiosity, winning over everything.

"There's a giant purple dragon, Lilly."

"I see that!" Lilly raised her voice as she looked back and forth between Riley and the dragon, "I… thought I was hallucinating when I heard it call your name… but it seems the dragon… knows you? What's going on!?"

"Were we right…?" Bert took in several deep breaths as he embraced his still-unconscious son, "Were you one of the legendary heroes of the past?"

"Legendary hero…" Riley blinked, "That's more her than me."

"...What?" Everyone then turned to where Riley was pointing, just to see Aerith casually standing there and calmly looking at the dragon.

"If… if we live this encounter," Lilly could really only force out a chuckle as she shook her head, "Please tell us everythi—"

"Your arrogance ends here, alien."

And almost as if it heard Lilly's words, the dragon suddenly opened its mouth—and as it did so, the very air itself turned heavy; the wind, all flowing violently into the dragon's mouth as a ball of energy started to build up inside it.

This ball of energy started to crackle; the skies above, almost losing their light as the dragon's purple scales turned everything darker. And soon, a persisting flash of light…

…followed by a 'boom'.

"!!!"

Everything turned white as a beam burst forth from the dragon's mouth—shooting straight toward Riley without any warning. This beam, however, was instantly split in half as Riley stretched his hand toward it; protecting anything behind him from this death ray.

Unfortunately, splitting it in half meant splitting it to the sides; the beam, hitting everything else and destroying the very land itself.

Riley, however, did not even mind the screams of the people as he looked back and stared at Aerith since he saw her suddenly move. And there, Aerith was standing… and covering Bert and his son.

"..." A smile quickly crawled on Riley's face as he saw this. Finally, he thought—Aerith was finally saving someone again; it was just a matter of how young and innocent the person was. So… if he starts killing only children and babies from now on, perhaps Aerith would finally wake up?

"Look, Aerith!" Riley then pointed at the dragon, "It's a dragon! I've been reading them to you, and now they're here in person."

Riley's tone was almost that of a child; containing a dangerous and evil innocence in it. But alas, Aerith couldn't seem to care less as she just stared at the ground. And soon, as the light around them dissipated, so did the glowing reflection in Aerith's eyes.

Lilly and the others no longer cared about running away. After what they saw, they just… froze. But of course, they weren't stupid—the safest place right now was behind Riley. If they try to run, they will suffer the same fate as everyone else.

The Leville party… they were the only ones alive now. In an instant, everyone was gone… even the very land itself was now completely flat; like one would slip on it if they tried to run. The fields of Arlusia were desolate and empty from the start, but now… there was just nothing.

"Do you want to try killing it, Lilly?" Riley then said as he looked back, "It will increase the party's rank if you manage to do so."

"W… what?" Lilly blinked a couple of times as she looked at Riley. But after a few seconds, she just shook her head and awkwardly smiled, "It… it's all yours, Riley."

"But if it's me, then…" Riley then snapped his fingers while still facing Lilly, "...I think it will be over just like this."

And as soon as he said that, the dragon's head suddenly turned into a mist of blood.

"..." Lilly and the others' mouths were once again agape; their eyes, almost popping out of their sockets as they now stare at the headless dragon. They remained frozen like that—with their only movement being a flinch as the dragon finally realized it was dead and dropped to the ground.

"Hm…" Riley then let out a small hum as he started looking around, "...I just killed one of you, perhaps it is time to show yourselves, P'lopis?"

And as soon as he said that, the clouds that have just once again gathered in the skies all rippled away—opening dozens of portals the same size as where the purple dragon emerged from.

And true enough, the loud flapping of their wings drowned every other noise as their majestic silhouettes all descended from the heavens at the same time.

"Is… this the end of the world?"

"Wake up!"

"No," the smile on Riley's face became wider as his feet very slowly left the ground, "This is the beginning of Nothing."

Riley then stretched his hands to the side, and as he did so, the very ground that Lilly and the others were standing on started to quake and lift into the air.

"Riley, stop!"

He heard a scream piercing his ears, but Riley did not stop as his eyes just reflected the army of dragons above him. Riley just continued to ascend, bringing the land along with him.

And soon, the dragons all opened their mouths—blasting a violent rain straight toward Riley.

"You ancestors sought for Nothing," Riley then whispered as his telekinetic barrier completely stopped all the beams, "And now, I will bring you to Noth—"

"Riley, just stop!"

And then, all of a sudden, the dragons were gone. Riley just heard a snap and felt a sting on his cheek, and suddenly, the skies above just instantly turned into a familiar empty darkness.

Riley then blinked several times as he touched his cheek, before looking at the woman that was suddenly in front of him.

"...Mother?"