Villain Retirement

"First, you would need a job. Since you are a Class 7 being, I was advised to get familiar with you so that you could adjust faster to your new life, and also to ensure other people won't try to trick you. We don't want someone like you getting angry, after all — Don't you fucking worry, Zero. You are going to belong here in no time."

"I have been to several places that I was told I belonged to, Miss Liza."

"Great, where are those places now?"

"They are all gone because of me."

"...Right."

"..."

"..."

"...So, can we go down now? I'm not very good with heights."

"No."

It was the sound of the wind, familiar, and yet strange all the same. He was on the rooftop of a building, overlooking the world he once again finds himself lost in. He was supposed to have been thrown forward into time, and yet it almost felt like he was back to a time before everything went crazy — before he turned everything crazy.

Riley could not even remember the last time he had ever seen peace, or at least the surface of it — but the place that reflected in his eyes truly captured all of that — peace. But perhaps even more so than peace, there was order.

…Too much of it.

The cars that moved across the streets felt inorganic; Riley even thought they were trams at first with the way they moved explicitly identical to each other, with no one even trying to cut lanes even once. Of the people walking on the sidewalks, none of them even attempted to cross the roads when the light was red.

Everyone was careful, too careful.

"This is New York City, is it not?" Riley breathed in as his eyes did not leave the city at all. Like the wind blowing onto his face, familiar… and yet strange all the same.

"Wh—Yes!" Liza, who was still wearing a guard's uniform, almost jumped in glee as she heard Riley's words. Although it was impossible to see her expression due to her face being covered by a full-face tactical helmet, it was obvious even for someone like Riley that she was happy, "Thank you, do you know how many humans I've talked to that have already forgotten the name of this city? A lot, like, a fucking lot lot. You look incredibly stoic and not like a human at all, but you're the first—I'm babbling, aren't I? Sorry, it's been so long that—eeeh!"

"But this is not Earth," Riley did not mind her bubbly actions at all as he just glanced at her.

"...No," Liza sighed, "Considering this is the only universe left, I don't think Earth exists anymore. This city was made for us humans, in order for us not to forget where we came from — which is weird, because if I remember correctly, I'm not even American and have never been to New York."

"The world has changed once again without me," a small hint of a smile crawled on Riley's face, "And what about the other species? Which planet do they live on?"

"You—do you really know nothing?" Liza turned to look at Riley, "Where did you even come from?"

"The Domain of the Gods, as I said, Miss Liza."

"Were you trapped in the domain of one of the gods? Which one?" Liza seemed incredibly confused. But after a few seconds, she just shook her head and sighed, "I'm going to talk to you like you don't know anything…

…There are no other planets, Zero."

"Hm…?" Riley turned to look up at the sky, looking at the blue and green moon above them, "But isn't that New Theran?"

"New… Theran?" Liza raised her palm as she looked up at the blue and green moon, "No, that is Margrea, and it is not our place to talk about it."

"Margrea," Riley squinted his eyes — that is definitely New Theran. But considering Liza was from another universe, perhaps she has absolutely no idea about New Theran since it seemed to be unique to Riley's universe in the first place,

"And no one lives there?"

"The Divine Gods do," Liza whispered as she lowered her head, "May we all treat life with care."

"Does that mean all the species live on this planet, Miss Liza?" Riley blinked a couple of times as he turned to look at Liza, who seemed to be uttering a silent prayer to herself.

"Yep," Liza let out a short but deep breath as she clapped her hands, "All 24 billion of us, including those in the Preservation."

"The preservation is—"

"Seriously…? That's the place you were staying just hours ago," Liza sighed.

"There are only 24 billion people left?" A very small smile could be seen forming on Riley's face.

"Yep," Liza once again sighed, "That's what happens when people can't have children anymore. Maybe if it wasn't for the war, then there would still be a lot left of us since we practically can't age anymore. Do you know how long I've been 35? I mean, why couldn't the Blink have happened when I was like 19 or something!?"

"You can't have children?" Riley placed his hand on his chin, "Interesting."

"What's interesting about that?"

"You do not act like you have been alive for 600 years, Miss Liza."

"...Is that supposed to be a compliment or something?" Liza groaned as she started walking away, "And thankfully so. I'm glad I haven't become desensitized by all the shit that's been happening. Most that do commit the most horrendous crime of all — taking their own life. Anyway, we've already spent too much time here…

…I haven't even shown you where you would be living."

***

"Tadaah!"

"I do not need a storage room, Miss Liza — the only baggage I carry are other people."

"...Do you really talk like that? And no, this isn't a storage room. This is your apartment!"

"Apartment?"

"Yup, and here are your things."

Riley could really only watch as Liza grabbed a carton box next to the door and handed it to him with a very excited expression on her face. She was even gesturing to Riley to go inside and check it, as if Riley even needed to go inside the so-called apartment to see all of it when he could already see everything just from the door.

"I know, it's a little small," Liza let out a small giggle, "But look, you even have your own private bathroom! You know, back when this was still considered a sanctuary a hundred years ago, I lived in a tent and had to eat scraps — this is luxury. A 55 square foot near all the good spots!? You got a jackpot!"

Liza entered the small apartment, even sitting on the small sofa and completely making herself at home before finally fully removing her helmet; revealing her long black hair that flowed all the way down her waist.

"So…?" Liza then opened her arms; her cheery face, becoming even more jolly with the little bits of sun flowing from the windows, "How do you like it?"

"I do not, Miss Liza," Riley breathed out as he made the carton box he was holding float onto the counter, which was also the sink counter.

"Woah, woah!" Liza quickly stood up from the sofa, "You do not use your abilities even if you're at home, you understand!? That's not cool at all, Zero. That's serious, people can die. People have died… so please, don't."

"Hm," Riley just shrugged before making his way inside the small apartment, "Do you know I never really had my own house before, Miss Liza? I did get one in prison, but I ended up having a sexual housemate after."

"...I'm going to pretend I know what you just meant by that," Liza squinted her eyes, "Anyway, I'm not going to be a sexual housemate, if that is what you are insinuating."

"I would prefer you not to be a housemate at all, Miss Liza."

"Nope," Liza shook her head, "I am afraid we're stuck together for a week until you get your bearings. We—"

[Accident at 32nd Broadway, all available personnel, please assist.]

"That's… near us!"

And before Liza could even finish her words, she quickly rushed out of Riley's apartment and left him alone, just a few seconds after she said they were stuck together. Riley really only watched her leave in haste before sitting on the sofa and trying to make himself at home…

…but after a few seconds, he just shook his head and followed Liza out.

And as soon as he stepped out of the apartment building, Riley did not even need to figure out where the accident happened as everyone was practically rushing toward the same destination. And there, he saw Liza giving CPR to someone on the street — an old man, human.

"Someone get the defib!" Liza then pointed at the corner of the street, only for Riley to see someone rushing to get a defibrillator that was freely placed next to the streetlight. He had seen several of them on the way to the apartment — does that mean every street had them?

"I heard he tripped."

"What…? Why is no one assisting him?"

"No, don't believe that. I saw him jump from the 6th floor."

"What!? Why would he do that!?"

But… It's no use.

"Miss Liza," Riley calmly approached Liza as she was about to shock the old man, "He is dead."

"No!" Liza screamed; tears, almost falling from her eyes as she violently gestured to Riley to step back, "We can't… we can't lose anyone anymore! Life… life is precious, Riley. We must do… we must do everything—"

"He is dead, Miss Liza."

"No! You don't know that!"

"I do," Riley whispered,

"I made sure to drop him at a height that would kill him, after all."

"...What?" Liza raised an eyebrow, "What are you even saying!? If you're not going to help, then just stay on the side, please!"

"Hm…" Riley took several steps back as he watched everyone's expression; all of them, truly showing genuine concern. This place, it was almost like a utopia. A place where all life treated all life precious. For someone like Riley, it truly is...

"...Interesting."