Villain Retirement

Phoenix.

Perhaps the most untouchable superhero in the entire world—not just because it was common knowledge that she was friends with Megawoman, no—but because throughout her entire run as a hero, she truly has never once been touched by anyone.

Even the supervillains try to avoid getting into her radar, in fear that they might just explode one day while leisurely taking a shower. And yet, right now, she was on the ground.

And her opponent was someone they have not even seen before.

"Everyone!" Alice pointed to Riley while looking at the shocked audience, "That's my son!"

"!!!"

"I'm not your son, Alice Lane." And although the audience was still completely muted, the shock that multiplied in their faces was obvious even for someone like Riley. He had told several times again and again that he was not her son, but Alice just doesn't listen. Perhaps… it was for the best that she wasn't the one who raised him.

"He's just shy, everybody," Alice clicked her tongue several times while wagging a finger,

"But we'll change that," and with those words, Alice pointed her wagging finger down—violently pulling Riley down straight toward her in almost an instant, before kicking her straight on the face and violently causing him to roll on the field several times.

"..." Riley tried stopping the momentum, but he couldn't. The most he could really do was just cover his body with a telekinetic barrier—and even that, Riley could feel being torn apart by Alice.

"So, having fun yet, my boy?" Alice snapped her fingers; her hair, tying up in a bun on its own as she did so.

"Honestly," Riley sat up from the ground as he looked at Alice, who was already rushing toward him with her fist locked, "I find your use of telekinetic abilities weird. You do not have to rush toward me and fight with your fists."

"Oh, believe me—I do," Alice let out a childish giggle; almost opening her mouth wide as she swung her fist toward Riley even though she was still meters away from him. Even then, however, Riley quickly moved to the side; sliding across the floor even while seated to avoid the violent wave moving toward him,

"But what is power without presentation!?"

A literal wave, as the floor that was made from themarian materials started to open up and threaten to swallow Riley whole.

Riley quickly flew up to avoid it and watched as the violent wave slammed through the invisible shield protecting the audience—that protected the audience.

"Wh…"

The violent wave seemed to have penetrated the shield, as the voices of the audience soon seeped into the field.

"I… think we're in trouble," the person right in front of the penetrated part of the shield whispered as he almost got hit by the violent wave. It wasn't only him that thought that, however. As soon as they saw the floor that not even a nuclear bomb could scratch open up, they knew they had to stop watching and run for their lives.

But they couldn't. If they leave now, will they ever see the great Phoenix use her abilities like this ever again? And it was against her son that they didn't even know existed?

Phoenix, the telekinetic god known for her childish demeanor and temper, has a child?

No, they will never get a chance like this again, and so—every one of them stayed.

"!!!" And are they so glad that they did, as the floor once again opened up right beneath Alice's feet.

"Oh?" Alice smirked as she looked at the floor that bloomed like a flower—a flower that quickly swallowed her whole.

"I told you, I am your mom no matter how much you want to deny it!"

The life of this flower of death did not last long, however, as its petals were immediately disintegrated as Alice just stepped out of it with ease; her eyes locked on Riley who was looking at her from above.

"But is this really all you have to show me, my son?" Alice then stretched her arms to the side—the remnants of the disintegrated flower, now forming into a thousand butterflies as they floated around her.

Now, one might think of this as a simple act—but no. And the audience knew that.

Alice had already ripped off a floor that was made from compressed themarian metal—compressed to the point that even if a dozen Star Obliterators were to explode right here and now, the arena would be able to protect the world outside.

It is stronger than the planet of Theran that is in its prime. And just a single chunk of it, even the size of a penny, is considered to be indestructible.

And for Alice to play with it and treat it like a toy is a testament to how abnormal her telekinetic abilities are.

"You are my son, Riley Lane," Alice smiled as the butterflies soon stopped flying around and all faced toward Riley's direction, and without even warning, they all started to shoot toward him,

"I know you have more to off—"

"Pavoom."

And just like that, the very air itself was erased with Riley's whisper. The butterflies, gone. The floor, gone.

Gone to the point that the audience could already see the clouds surrounding the Hope Society.

"Interesting."

"Interesting."

And almost as if Riley's own whispers just reverberated back to him, he heard Alice's voice even as the violent winds started to bombard the inside of the arena. The violent gale did not last long, however, as Alice snapped her fingers and stopped any wind from coming and going inside the arena.

"I never really thought of using my abilities like that," Alice then casually flew closer to Riley, completely unscathed and with not even a single strand of her hair missing, "That's very creative, Riley Lane."

"..."

"Let me teach you something then, since all you seem to know is to destroy things and turn them to nothing," Alice then circled around Riley as she raised her palm just right above her shoulders, "This is my first lesson as your mother."

"You are not…" Riley did not finish his words. And instead, he just looked at the thing that was forming on top of Alice's palm.

"I am sure you are aware of this already, Riley Lane," Alice smiled as she stopped circling around and just floated in front of Riley, "But our abilities are the apex of everything in this universe. We can be its destroyer…

…or its creator."

The birth of a universe itself, reflecting on Riley's eyes.

"But of course, I don't really know what to do next," and with a simple sigh, a universe gone.

Alice then let out a small groan before hugging Riley, or more specifically, just falling into his arms as an unhealthy amount of blood started to flow from all of her orifices.

"Are you alright, Alice Lane?"

"...Do I look alright?" Alice gasped as she rested her cheek on Riley's shoulder, "So, what do you think… feel like staying here?"

"..."

"..."

"No."

"..."

"But right now, I do not really have a choice," Riley let out a small sigh as he gently placed her hand on Alice's back,

"Do not misunderstand, Alice Lane. This world is my prison."

"Heh… cute. I am just going to sleep for a bit, don't drop me."

"Hm…" Riley did not really respond as he just floated there with Alice, not minding the deafening whispers of the people watching them. He looked at his palm, wondering whether all of this is real or not.

The only reality is that he was losing his mind, and that was his real prison.

"Hm…

…I want to see Hannah."

***

"I told you, Diana. They truly are from another universe and not just from a distant and isolated part of ours. The Multiverse… it's true."

"Perhaps. But we have a more pressing issue than the boy. The Rebel Queen is gathering all the themarians that are still on her side."

Somewhere in the Hope Society, a hologram filled an entire room—a map of the universe itself. And right at the very center of it all, Bernard stood; his armor, a glistening red that reflected the expanse.

"The boy, Diana…" Bernard let out a small whisper; waving his hand as he examined the map, "The boy is all that matters. It is the key for us to unlock inter-dimensional travel. After we deal with the Rebel Queen…

…we will have nothing left to conquer."

And as Bernard said that, all the planets within the hologram turned red.

"Nothing left…

…but the beyond."