Villain Retirement

The Starshine Blackout.

It was just a little bar in Galpath that didn't really have any redeeming or unique features. Lowie, the current barkeep, inherited the establishment from his father, who had already chosen to undergo eternal death a thousand years ago or so.

The Starshine Blackout may not be unique, but it does have unique customers. His father was a themarian criminal, creating trouble outside themarian territory—and when a themarian goes outside and causes trouble, that usually involves the death of many others or a planet or two destroyed.

When his father was collared several millennia ago, he decided to stay within the planet and just build a small business for himself and his wife, who died in a Sanctioned Duel, leaving him with his son, Lowie.

Lowie and his father didn't know why, but Starshine Blackout became famous for other collared Themarians. Even before inheriting the business from his father, Lowie had become used to the many shenanigans and sudden chaotic outbursts of their patrons.

Lowie thought he had seen everything there is and know all there is to know. There was one time a couple of millennia ago when he was still literally serving drinks under his father, that a customer from outside Theran territory frequented their bar.

Visitors from the outside were uncommon, but they get a few every hundred or so years. This one visitor, however, was someone Lowie couldn't really forget.

Pirate Queen Xra.

She didn't have that title yet back then, but she was probably the most famous foreign individual known to Theran. After all… the prince of Hel was following her like a dog wherever she went.

But alas, after putting the enamored prince into eternal death during their Sanctioned Duel, Xra's presence could no longer be felt in the Starshine Blackout.

And now, several millennia later, Lowie saw a pale, black-haired visitor once again entering the doors of his bar. He didn't recognize her at first, but he knew and confirmed it with the friends she brought along.

Although Theran may seem peaceful and even stagnant, in truth, it was probably the noisiest it has been for eons.

After all, the infamous rebel princess of Hel, Aerith'Hel, was finally back after being gone for a few thousand years. And even more shocking than that was bringing home the Caitlain'Ur—the monster in the story his mother told him whenever he misbehaved.

And now, also the return of Xra?

He thought he had seen and witnessed it all, and will once again experience a shock that he hasn't felt for a very long time. Little did he expect, however, that the shock would be coming from a completely unknown entity.

"...You alright there?" Hera could really only just take a step back as the ale was spilling all over the counter; Lowie, whose thoughts were lost in reminisce, was just staring at Riley Ross.

"The collars… were destroyed?" And finally, when the pitcher was empty and the ale was everywhere but in Hera's mug, Lowie blinked,

"...How?"

"...Right," Hera sighed as she saw the bewildered expression on the themarian's face. She initially thought she would always be on guard on Theran; after all, a race of Megawoman would make one… completely conscious of everything. But perhaps because of the alcohol, or because they looked completely identical to humans, Hera just felt… at home.

"You'll be asking that a lot of times now that the white menace is on your planet," Hera then let out a small chuckle, before just getting a pitcher on her own and pouring her own drink,

"What's the deal with this collar stuff, anyway? Can't you just break it open? You themarians can destroy planets with your fists, right?"

"...We can destroy it, but one of the officers would arrive," Lowie answered almost monotonously, "The fact that no one is here yet means the collar didn't trigger."

"An officer? I guess that's one of the stronger themarians?" Hera said, her speech becoming slurred already, "Shit, this ale is strong. My body is already…"

Lowie only glanced at Hera as she continued to mumble on, before turning his focus back to Riley, who was just standing in the large hole he made and watching as the chaos he made ensued.

"...Aerith should be here in a couple of minutes," Riley whispered to himself.

"You said that already," Hannah was behind him, also watching as the once beautiful city was slowly being swallowed… quite literally. It was already completely unrecognizable after Riley's weird attack, but now whatever remained of the city was becoming a war zone.

No, the scenery in front of her could not exactly be called war. It was just… a battle royal.

"You really think Megawoman would come? We're not on Earth anymore," Hannah said, "Are we looking at the same view here? There are no helpless sheep here, Riley. All I see is a bunch of fuckers getting at it."

"Perhaps I should join in?" Riley squinted his eyes as he glanced at his sister.

"You want to die?" Hannah snarled.

"I won't die, sister."

"You will if I kill you."

"You already did, sister."

"That—" Hannah's eyes started to twitch as she could no longer come up with a comeback, and so, she responded the only way she could, "Fuck you."

"Ew, no. You're my sister, sister."

"...What? What!? No, ew you. You're the ew, fuck you!"

"Y—"

"Master Riley, we have a more urgent problem."

And before the two could continue with their nonsensical conversation, Tomoe suddenly popped out from behind them.

"What is it, Nightqueen?" Riley only glanced at Tomoe, before gesturing to her to continue her report.

"The remaining themarians at the bar are staring at you, master Riley."

"How is that an urgent problem, Nightqueen?"

"That's…" Tomoe breathed out as she heard Riley's words. But after a few more moments, her face became as red as a tomato; with a creeping smile growing on it, "I made a mistake, Master Riley—of course, a couple of themarians are no problem for you at all."

"Hm, only Aerith and mother are worth reporting, Nightqueen."

"Riley."

"What is it, Third Subordinate?" Riley then glanced at Xra, who walked passed him and stepped out of the bar from the large hole he made.

"...I'm not your Third Subordinate. Stop calling me that."

"I will call you that until I come up with a name for you, Pirate Queen Xra. I was thinking of Sunsucker since you like sucking suns."

"Please don't. I don't know how I can face my Akkamesh if you call me that."

"I think he would like it, Pirate Queen Xra. After all, he is your sun."

"...I do not know how to respond to that," Xra's eye twitched, "I suppose it doesn't matter. We shall be parting ways here, for now, I have other plans and some old friends to visit."

"You may go, Pirate Queen Xra."

"...I wasn't really asking for permission," Xra's eye once again twitched as Riley started waving his hand.

"No need to show gratitude, you may go."

"..." Xra's eye seemingly got tired of twitching as they just lost all emotions. She turned to look at Hannah, and a sense of camaraderie suddenly grew between the two—for Hannah to have survived this for 2 decades, Xra could not help but show respect.

And with a nod shared between the two, Xra flew away and disappeared.

"Hmm…" Riley's eye squinted, before he turned to look at Tsula, wondering if she was dead, dying, or just keeping to herself. Perhaps… he should make her the Fourth Subordinate?

"Miss Tsula, do you want to be my subordinate?"

"..." Tsula only glanced at Riley, before closing her eyes and just sighing.

"...Are you dead?"

"Riley, what the fuck?" Hannah once again hit Riley on the stomach. Riley, on the other hand, only strayed his eyes toward Vera, who quickly flinched in response as their eyes met.

"You're no longer worthy to be my subordinate, a shame," this time, it was Riley's turn to sigh, "W—"

And before he could finish his words, a hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

"..." Riley turned to look, only to see one of the remaining themarians that was not caught in the blast of his 'Paboom' attack.

"Kid, do what you did to— Ack!"

And before the tall themarian could finish what he wanted to say, his arm suddenly twisted into a knot.

"Don't touch me," Riley's eyes turned red as he faced the themarian. He then started walking toward him, not stopping until he was only an inch away from hitting his chest, "The only themarians allowed to touch me are mother and Aerith."

And with Riley slightly opening his mouth and snarling, the red flare in his eyes burst out violently. One might think that Riley was underestimating the themarians, but no.

The beam that surged forth from Riley's eyes was anything but a normal blast. It was amplified by Hannah's abilities as well as his telekinesis—creating an immeasurable concentrated heat that would obliterate anything in its path.

Even then, however, the themarian only screamed in pain as his flesh started to melt and burn.

Riley increased the intensity of the beam as he turned his head down, destroying the collar as he almost split the tall themarian in two.

"Oh, shit!"

And as soon as the remaining themarians saw that, they all quickly disappeared from the bar. Lowie, who was waiting and watching, also let out a gasp as he stepped out of the counter.

But alas, before he could fly away with the others, a presence that wasn't there earlier was now suddenly at Riley's table, sitting casually beside Katherine.

"Well, well…" The sudden visitor's voice coquettishly hummed in the air,

"...you folks are certainly having fun."

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