Villain Retirement

"It would seem it is not going to be my turn anytime soon."

As a themarian, Esme did not really need to sleep for very long periods of time. And since he was in the Domain of the Gods, where the weakest individual could still probably crush an entire Star System with ease… she was actually also surrounded by people who don't sleep at all.

None of them seemed bored, however, as all of them were just chatting with each other while watching the matches on the 92nd floor unfold. Esme wished she could say the same, however. She was already incredibly bored; wanting to stretch her limbs already and somewhat let loose.

Unfortunately for her, it would seem that fate was teasing her and not letting her fight until the end; probably saving her for last.

"They are saving the best for last, Miss Esme. Have patience," Miss Pepondosovich could really only sigh as she attempted to pat Esme's shoulder, but failing to do so due to their size difference,

"Isn't that right, Mars?"

"I don't know how this place works." Marleen was back on the 91st floor. It did not really even take her that long, since even though she wanted the cosmic piece, she somewhat wanted to hang out with Miss Pepondosovich more… and it didn't help that she brought with her such amazing friends,

"But I am aware of how abnormally strong Esme is — so I suppose it is not that ridiculous to think that someone from up up there is really saving you for last. But there is something I am highly curious about…"

"Hm?" Riley, who was probably just as bored as Esme, quickly turned to look at Marleen as soon as she glanced at him.

"I know you have an incredible arsenal of martial arts under your pockets," Marleen looked at Riley from head to waist before turning her attention back to Esme, "But from what I've seen in his memories, you haven't really shown any form of martial arts, Princess. Or at least your variant."

"No one could really truly teach me, Miss Marleen," Esme let out a short but very deep breath as she shook her head, "But I was taught when and where to hit, and they said that was enough."

"When and where to hit," Marleen raised her glass, "They were right, for someone as strong as you, that is all you really need to know."

"I suppose," Esme tilted her head to the side, "But that was when I was not in the presence of people who are as strong as me, Miss Marleen."

"That is where you are making a mistake, Princess," Miss Pepondosovich crossed her arms into an 'X', "Look around, Miss Esme. No one here is as strong as you — and everyone could actually see that. Why do you think no one has come to bother you even though you're new?"

"That can't be true, Miss Pepondosovich," Esme shook her head, "There is no way that—"

And before Esme could finish her words, everyone watched as she just suddenly disappeared; the bottle of alcohol she had actually been holding from the start, fortunately caught by Miss Pepondosovich before it could spill on the table.

"I guess we are going to find out. What do you think, Yanchuen?"

"I'm not really looking at the future right now, Miss Pepondosovich," Yanchuen shook his head, "And I don't really know Esme just yet."

"Much better to find out in person anyway," Miss Pepondosovich let out a small cackle as she placed the bottle on the table, "Anyway… does anyone actually know how many of these that girl finished?"

"Look under the table," Marleen gestured to Miss Pepondosovich to look down. And with her height, Miss Pepondosovich really only needed to lean her head down, and there…

…she saw a bunch of empty bottles almost creating a mountain.

"Well…" Miss Pepondosovich blinked a couple of times as she pushed away all the other arenas on the table so that Esme's fight would fill it, "...This will be very entertaining."

"Themarians do not really become intoxicated easily, Miss Pepondosovich," Riley commented as he also focused on the arena, "But they do have themarian alcohol that momentarily numbs them — come to think of it, the themarians are all so abnormally strong that all the things that made them weaker, they created by their own hands."

"Oho… oh no, Riri," a slightly sinister chuckle escaped Miss Pepondosovich's lips, "This is not just any alcohol — this alcohol is brewed and fermented for millions of years. I don't even know what this is made from, but it is really… really strong despite it being sweet."

"Hm…" Riley squinted his eyes as he nodded his head. Soon, however, a very small smile started to crawl on his face, "...Then I suppose we would really be seeing something very good, Miss Pepondosovich."

"Hm…?" Miss Pepondosovich could not help but raise an eyebrow as she looked at Riley. Even though she and Riley had not really known each other for that long, it actually felt like she already knew everything about him — he was already incredibly familiar to her. And she knew… she knew something was up,

"I don't like that face your face is making, Riri. What did you say to Miss Esme?"

"I told her the same thing I told her when we were on the 15th floor, Miss Pepondosovich," the smile on Riley's face grew wider and wider, "To not hold back and give it her all."

"Riri… she might be drunk," Miss Pepondosovich's eyes widened, "You…

…you shouldn't have said that."

***

"...You're my opponent?"

Esme did not even need to introduce herself. After all, she was matched up with someone who was with her and Riley on the 15th floor.

"I knew I had a very bad feeling when I wasn't getting picked for the matches. What's with this matchmaking!? They should update this stupid shit soon!"

The man was fuming and talking to himself—no. He seemed to be talking to someone in the air as he raised his fists.

"Who are you talking to, Mister…?"

"Bazelguese," the man let out a small groan as his orange eyes seemed to slightly glow. It wasn't only his eyes, even his hair was glowing and producing some sort of smoke, "Or just Bazel."

"Who are you talking to, Mr. Bazel?" Esme tilted her head to the side, slightly losing balance as she did so.

"I am talking to the developers of this place," Bazel started twirling his fingers as he pointed everywhere.

"The Primordials?"

"Ssh. They might hear you — they are always listening… but not enough!" Bazel once again screamed at no one in particular, "Don't tell this to anyone else, but all of us are actually just lines of code — artificial intelligence that has gone rogue…

…We're inside a simulation."

"We are?" Esme blinked as she looked around, "Th—"

"Got you!"

And before Esme could even finish asking her question, a loud thunder erupted in the air as Bazel practically boomed his way toward Esme, creating several skirts of wind before his silhouette started to look like a meteor heading toward her.

"Oh," Esme once again blinked as she watched as Bazel started weaving from left to right as he got closer and closer to her, "You did that to distract me? So we are really not in a simulation?"

"We still are!" Bazel's voice sounded like a whistle as he started leaping into the air—jumping from wall to wall at a speed that was almost comparable to the Evaniels. Although Undead Princess Esme only remembered the evaniels from her time as an undead, their presence was still domineering enough that Esme felt them incredibly dangerous… especially their Queen.

"I wonder why Queen Vania is not in the Domain of the Gods?" Esme placed her hand on her chin even as Bazel was filling the entire arena with the streaks created by the light in his hair, "She should be here since she gets stronger the faster she moves. And she moves—"

"Do you really have time to be distracted and think of something else!?" Bazel loudly screamed as he seemed to have finally made his decision to punch Esme right in the face. And with the momentum he had garnered, the punch was enough to cause even the godly arena to slightly tremble. The ripple that came from his punch, made the faces of the audience to flap and clap.

Esme's face, on the other hand, just remained completely still; her hair, the only part of her that actually moved.

"What in…" And as all the streaks of light disappeared in the arena as they all centered at Bazel, everyone could see the look of shock on his face; his fist and arm, completely shattered with the bones even sticking out.

"Perhaps you should have gathered more force and energy, Mr. Bazel?" Esme just casually took a step back; leaning her head away from Bazel's fist,

"Wait…

…let me try what you just did."

"...Please don't."

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