Villain Retirement

"I found 3 Unregistered roaming around the Expanse, all above Class 7."

"This vitals is saying that one is a themarian."

"...I can see that."

"Riri…"

Riley, Miss Pepondosovich, and Esme were currently inside a small room with one glass wall, currently being observed by people on the other side. And judging from the way they were looking at them, they did not seem happy with them at all. The three of them were lined up next to each other, with the glass wall seemingly showing their vital stats.

"...This planet that silver guy took us to…" Miss Pepondosovich slightly leaned closer to Riley and whispered,

"Is it familiar to you?"

"It looks and feels similar to Earth…" Riley quietly whispered back, "...But no, Miss Pepondosovich, I believe I have not been on this planet before."

"Weird," Miss Pepondosovich's whispers slightly became louder, "What about the universe? Is what Elementia said true…? There's only… one left?"

[Unregistered, please refrain from talking and moving while we are analyzing your biodata.]

"Where'd you think that woman that looks kinda like you and her friend went?" Miss Pepondosovich completely ignored the warning as she continued talking to Riley, "Maybe we should have gone with them instead of being treated like...

...like we're about to be thrown to prison!"

***

"Stay here until we get you the proper identification."

"I just had to run my mouth."

And true enough, Miss Pepondosovich was thrown inside a cell. Although it wasn't necessarily a jail cell, since it had all the necessary things that Miss Pepondosovich needed to use — it was practically a tiny house; which considering her size, was already large.

"Why are you outside!?" Miss Pepondosovich then pointed at Esme on the other side of her only window… free, "I thought I was supposed to be the god of luck here!?"

"They told me I am free to roam around the building as long as I behave, Miss Pepondosovich," Esme said as she placed her palm on the window, "They called me an Esme variant."

"Then can you check on Riri?" Miss Pepondosovich let out a very long and deep sigh as she looked at her view behind Esme; only to see her neighbors, who were in the same situation as her, all looking curiously at her and Esme. All of them were lined up in a long and wide hallway — much like a prison, "I'm worried he's going to do something."

"I can't, Miss Pepondosovich."

"It's fine, you can leave me here — I'm used to being in a cage," Miss Pepondosovich turned to look at her cell, "This is actually quite fancy, they have a toilet too. It's been ages since I last used one."

"I can't, Miss Pepondosovich," Esme shook her head, "I can't leave because I am not allowed to leave the building. Master was brought to the other building for men."

"What's even going on out here…?" Miss Pepondosovich breathed out, "None of this is familiar to you too, Miss Esme?"

"No," Esme once again shook her head, "But I am not the right person to ask, Miss Pepondosovich. Even before I became an Undead, the only planet I have been to was my own."

"Why are they even holding us here!?" Miss Pepondosovich backed away from the large glass window as she clasped her bunny ears in frustration, "We're out of the Domain of the Gods, only to be stuck here! I mean, where even is Marlene and the others from the domain? How many years have passed? I need answers! Answers! But most importantly…

…Riri!"

***

"Two Unknown traveling together with an Esme variant. What do you think is happening here, Baka?"

"I don't know, Kambing. But he sort of looks like the Lady, no?"

"They all look alike."

"Pft. Forgive us for laughing."

While Miss Pepondosovich was losing her mind, Riley was just casually relaxing in the cell they threw him in; even using the kitchen and the ingredients provided in the cell to cook a meal for himself. He did not even mind that he had an audience watching and talking about him, he just went and made himself at home.

"Is he really Class 7?" The people watching him, humanoids covered in fur and a tail hanging behind their waist, continued to talk about him, "Where do you think he's been this entire time?"

"No idea. The norinlad said they found them loitering near the moon."

"Pft, probably went home since they couldn't find anything out there. They really should just ban traveling above the skies altogether and—"

[V-22C-84B and B-1Z-12C, please step back from Room 6204.]

And before the two could continue their conversation, the door to Riley's cell suddenly opened, causing them to just run as far away as they could. As for Riley, he just glanced back at the opening door before continuing to cook whatever it was he was cooking.

Even when several people started stepping inside his cell, he did not look back at all.

"If I knew I had guests, I would have prepared more," he only let out a sigh while shaking his head, "You could wait, but it would be a while since I would have to thaw the steak. So for now, I suppose the four of you could just watch me eat — I would also suggest a burner instead of an electric stove, induction pans are too heavy to use. And perhaps a knife? I have been trying to find a knife, but I can't find one. Is that the reason why the steaks are already cut in pieces? W—"

"Who are you?"

"A Stranger," Riley breathed out as he started plating his food, "I have already introduced myself several times and no one uses my name, which I do find quite rude — you may just address me however you want."

The four individuals, who were wearing the same white suit as the people that processed him, could really only look at each other as Riley just calmly walked toward the table and started eating by himself like they weren't there at all.

"We will address you as Zero."

"Hm?" Riley finally glanced at the men who intruded his cell, and all of them looked completely human.

"A name that has been passed down from your predecessor."

"My predecessor?" Riley let out a small breath as he elegantly scooped out his steak from his plate, since he also wasn't provided a fork.

"The unique Unregistered before you," the man then sat in front of Riley, placing his hand on the table as he looked Riley in the eyes, "How long have you been traveling the expanse of space? Which Faith did you previously belong to?"

"Hm…" Riley blinked a couple of times, "...Jesus."

"You're funny, huh?" The man scoffed and smiled, "If you are not telling us, then you must have been on the side of the Tyrannical Gods, which explains your lack of identification. I suppose your companion is too, the small humanoid."

"Miss Pepondosovich," Riley placed his spoon on the table, "I do not mind you calling me Zero, but please do call Miss Pepondosovich by her name."

"Right," the man then looked at his colleagues before just letting out a sigh and standing up, "Are you a threat, Zero?"

"Not right now," Riley shrugged, "I am eating."

"Okay," the man just nodded before stepping away, "We are done evaluating your psychological profile, Zero. Since you have no known variants, please just make yourself at home while we are assessing if you can live outside."

"Hm," Riley also nodded as he stood up and walked to the door. The man's other colleagues were about to stop Riley, but the man prevented them from doing so as Riley did not really step outside and just stood beside the door, "Please, do tell me if you are coming so I can prepare a meal for all of you."

"Thank you, Zero," the man nodded, "Don't worry, it shouldn't take a while and you'll be living out there in no time. All of this is just formality."

"You do not have to rush, I am comfortable here," Riley breathed out, "Before you leave, though. Do you know someone named Hannah Ross?"

"Hannah Ross…" The man squinted his eyes before turning to look at his colleagues. But after a few shakes of their head, the man just let out a sigh, "...I am afraid not."

And with those words, the group just left Riley inside his cell.

He just stood there in front of his door for a few seconds, before shrugging to himself and continuing his meal. They even provided him with a TV to entertain himself, but aside from just shows that he didn't recognize, there wasn't really any information he could get.

He did not need to wait long, however, as the door to his cell once again opened after just a few hours.

"Zero."

It was the same man who sat in front of him, "Please follow me for your final assessment. I assume you do not know what it is?"

"No," Riley just shrugged as he followed the man out of his cell.

"It is to determine your true Class Level," the man glanced back, "So we could know how much of a threat you are to other people…

…and to yourself."