Villain Retirement

1112  Chapter 1112: Alive and Well

"...An evaniel?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Yes."

There was a silence after that — and none of the three really moved as Riley and the Overseer just stared at each other. The only thing that was moving in the museum were the holograms that contained their history, almost as if directly reminding the Overseer of what had been.

But after a few seconds, the Overseer just blinked and raised an eyebrow.

"...What's an evaniel?" The Overseer seemed visibly confused as she just looked down at Riley and Miss Pepondosovich back and forth, "Is… that some type of religious group or something? If so, then… no."

"The evaniels are a powerful ancient race, Overseer," Riley shook his head, "A descendant of a primordial existence — they could move multiple times faster than the speed of light."

"...Something like that exists?" The Overseer tried her best not to chuckle as she heard Riley's words, "If only I was — then none of this would be happening. I'm not a descendant of a primordial existence or anything, I was an orphan."

"That means you could still be a descendant of Van, Overseer," Riley squinted as he tiptoed to look at the Overseer's hair, "Why do you dye your silver hair, Overseer?"

"...It makes me look old."

"And being bald does not?"

"This is a buzz-cut — and I would have you know that it exudes authority," the Overseer breathed out as her eyebrows began to lower.

"She's telling the truth, Riri," Miss Pepondosovich then joined the conversation as she looked the Overseer in the eyes.

"I know, Miss Pepondosovich — I read her mind."

"...I always forget you can do that," Miss Pepondosovich seemed disgusted as she stepped away from Riley.

"I do not use it often, it is an invasion of one's privacy, after all," Riley nodded several times before focusing back on the Overseer,

"Can you strip naked, Overseer?"

"...What?" The Overseer could not help but just take a step back as she crossed her arms, "...What do you mean?"

"I want to see if you have marks all over your body," Riley just shrugged as if he did not just ask something ridiculous.

"You should have asked that first, Riri!" Miss Pepondosovich lightly kicked Riley's leg, causing him to almost tumble if it wasn't for Miss Pepondosovich pulling him back.

"Marks… how do you know that?" The Overseer then lifted her sleeves, revealing marks across her arm — they were very faint, extremely so. And they just looked like some sort of light discoloration across her skin, "It changes from time to time — when I was still working as an artist, it usually glowed during concerts when I sang or just expressed emotions. I cover them up now since, well, I've become the leader of a respectable organization."

"That means the evaniels have truly been here before," Riley placed his hand on his chin, "Or perhaps Van himself has scattered his genes in this part of the universe — that is the most likely probability. Queen. Either way is possible, though, as they are the fastest species in the entire universe."

"...If she is, Riri — then why doesn't she have any of their abilities?" Miss Pepondosovich squinted her eyes as she looked at the Overseer from foot to head, "And are evaniels usually as tall as Esme?"

"No," Riley shook his head, "Perhaps she is a special type too, similar to Esme — but I suppose there is no use in deliberating it for now, we have an Order of Nothing to eradicate from this universe."

"...You make it sound like we're the bad guys," the Overseer sighed.

"Wait, Riri…" Miss Pepondosovich crossed her arms, "...If the leader of the Order of Nothing really is One — a fight between you and him, or me for that matter is something that shouldn't happen. You left your children and the others because you're afraid that your fate would be catching up to them, but if you fight a Higher God…

…Unknown or Known, they will feel it."

"...A Higher God?" The Overseer squinted, "...One is a normal person; highly manipulative and smart, yes — but he has never really exuded abilities like you have, Riley Ross."

"He's probably hiding it," Miss Pepondosovich breathed out, "As to why he is going through all of this… who knows."

"...Whatever the case is," The Overseer sighed as she looked at Riley, "Thank you for deciding to help us."

"I am not helping you, Overseer. Rennalyn has been marked," Riley shook his head, "I am merely doing this for her."

***

"Uh… Are we sure it will be alright with only us?"

"That's the 20th time you've asked that, Aura."

"My… name's Aurora."

"Too long."

"Your name is literally Miss Pepondosovich!"

Somewhere in the expanse of space, the Nothing Nothing ship was currently moving at hyperspeeds — it now looked completely different from the outside; after all, the last thing they wanted to happen was them being recognized while on the way to infiltrate the Order of Nothing's base.

"Ack, why do you complain too much?" Miss Pepondosovich waved her hand at Aurora before relaxing on her seat and burying herself in the book she was reading, "You're too young to be a nagger."

"Miss Pepondosovich is right, Aurora," Riley joined in on the conversation as he stood on the captain's deck, "After all, it is your people that said that the Nothing Nothing squad was built for this very reason — to infiltrate the Order of Nothing alone and without any other ships. You are not even wearing your helmet anymore since you mentioned it might tip them off."

"That's good and all…" Aurora's eyes started twitching as she looked around the bridge, "...But where's the rest of my squad!?"

Aside from Riley and Miss Pepondosovich, there was no one else there but Aurora — the other Helmets were nowhere to be seen.

"Ack, you really complain so much," Miss Pepondosovich closed her book and started walking around, "Why don't you just tell us about where those Nothings are hiding again?"

"...They live in the zone called the Grand Triangle," the tone of Aurora's voice suddenly turned serious; with Riley moving away from the captain's deck and letting Aurora stand there.

"The Grand… Triangle?" Miss Pepondosovich squinted her eyes, "...That sounds incredibly familiar."

"Hm…" Aurora closed her eyes and nodded, "The Grand Triangle is a treacherous stretch of space where law doesn't exist."

"That really, really sounds familiar."

"Its lawlessness is the reason why the Order of Nothing stays there," Aurora opened her eyes as she looked at Miss Pepondosovich and Riley; her irises that were in the shape of a star, almost glistening, "The Grand Triangle is also inhabited by people, but the Order of Nothing lets them be… because they are always just killing each other."

"Sounds like a place you belong to, Riri. Pft," Miss Pepondosovich pointed at Riley.

"The Grand Triangle is also known by another name — the Little Unknown," Aurora breathed out, "Because like the Unknown, little is known of what happens inside the Grand Triangle. There are creatures there that are unique, and we were even told that there were people like you, Riley, that also have abilities of some kind…

…we've never seen them, of course. Because the people of the Grand Triangle never leave their home."

"Sounds like a fun place."

"...And I believe we're already here," Aurora then stretched her arms to the side, and as she did so, the ship's hyperspeed deactivated — and there, several combinations of light instantly veiled their ship.

"Woah…" Miss Pepondosovich quickly turned around to look at the window, "...Are we still in space?"

What dawned on them was nothing short of a paradise; there were colossal trees and all sorts of in the distance that lit up, larger than entire continents themselves. There were also creatures floating around; able to survive the harsh expanse of space — one looked like a colossal whale that consumes the plants, and one looked like a jellyfish; its tendrils just spanning for hundreds and hundreds of miles.

"...It's like we're under the ocean," Miss Pepondosovich quickly ran to the window; placing his palms on it as she just looked at everything, "For an organization that calls themselves the Order of Nothing, the place they're hiding sure has everything. And people live here…?"

"Yes," Aurora nodded, "The planets here are the same as Everywhere — flat, linear. We would need to go through all of them and stay for a while since… they require a toll."

"...Why go through all of that?"

"...Because creatures that could devour entire stars live in the Grand Triangle," Aurora's body slightly shivered, "My squad managed to land on the first planet — it was small, but our timing wasn't right as there was some sort of dispute happening. This is a lawless place…

…but we still need to play by the rules they've set."

***

Back in the Outerverse, on the top of the Black Tower — Jennifer was sitting on some sort of dilapidated throne; breaths of frustration, whispering from her mouth as she bit her nails.

"That Riley Ross… he really isn't climbing the tower anymore!?" Jennifer then stood up, "But that's… that's different than what you said to me! That woman from the future told me that if I told all of him that, he would climb the tower without any more hesitation, and I would be free!"

"Well… that's your first mistake."

Jennifer then looked to the side, and there, another throne rested in the shadows… where Paige Pearson sits, alive and well.

"...Riley does whatever Riley wants."