Villain Retirement

1092  Chapter 1092: Closing Doors

"Who are you?"

"Oh…?"

The two remained still for a moment, with Riley looking down at Paige and looking her directly in the eyes, and Paige on the ground with her hand still reaching out to him. Paige had a confused look on her face; her eyebrows slightly raised as she returned Riley's stares and also looked him in the eyes — it only lasted for but a moment, however, before Paige's lips started to curl up.

"What do you mean?" Paige then very slowly got up off the floor with her hand still reaching out to Riley, "I'm Paige, who else can I be, silly?"

"I do not know, but I do believe that you are not Paige Pearson," Riley shook his head.

"Riley, stop being so—you're right, I'm not Paige Pearson," Paige then let out a small giggle as she finally retracted her hand back before placing both of her hands on her back and started walking in circles around Riley; each of her steps almost a hop as they continued hints of joy and excitement, "Sadly, I can't really answer your question, womp womp — I don't even know who I am."

"Hm…" Riley's eyebrows slightly lowered as he heard that.

"I didn't lie though, if that is what you're wondering," Paige let out a small sigh as she wagged her finger at Riley as she stopped walking around, "Everything I told is the truth — everything. I have all of this weird knowledge of you and everything else, it's like watching things on a TV. Anyway, everything I said is true, also the fact that the person you keep mentioning, Paige Pearson, is dead. Aside from that, well, I don't really know who I am…

…but you did mention a name — Jennifer, was it? I like that — I'm using that from now on."

"..."

"...And of course, I guess I would need a new look, no? It would be awkward going with this when just about everyone seems to know Paige Pearson," Jennifer then let out a breath as her look just suddenly started to change several times in a single second,

"This."

She then pointed at Riley while raising her voice; her face, now resembling the Jennifer that Riley had seen with Aerith'Ross — her voice also changed; still as playful as Paige, but there was a sort of mischievousness with the way she curled her words.

"It is funny how the future works, no?" Jennifer tilted her head to the side, "I actually based on this appearance due to the slight fluctuation in your emotionless face, Riley — you saw future me, and because of that you reacted upon seeing this appearance. That means this thing was supposed to happen, which is weird, really… or is she really from the future? Maybe…

…Maybe all of us are in just a scenario that Other Paige made? If so, since when?"

"..."

"Maybe even before you were born, Riley — or maybe the you now is just living a simulation the entire time," Jennifer let out a sigh, "But then again, that would be impossible and I know that for the fact that I can't really recreate you, Riley — I can create someone who looks like you, but it won't be you. So, don't worry, this is not some sort of Inception within Inception scenario. Anyway…

…are you going to hold my hand, or not?"

"Why would I hold your hand, Jennifer?"

"I told you, I can feel it!" Jennifer excitedly giggled as she stepped closer to Riley, "I know there is a way for us to merge, and I can feel that everything would change if we do."

"Nah, I'm awake now," Jennifer shook her head before urging Riley to hold her hand, "Do it — then maybe any of the events moving forward will actually change.

"No."

"Welp, I tried," Jennifer then let out a sigh as she retracted her hand again, "I'm really sorry about Paige, by the way — I can feel the two of you have some sort of connection that the two of us will never have. Other Paige also likes you, and I don't like her, so…

…that's enough reason for me to hate you."

Jennifer then just casually turned around and started waving her hand, "Good luck with the rest of the trial — since someone had already cleared the 3rd Trial for the first time, I think something's gonna open up now."

"The Black Tower is going to open?"

"I guess so," Jennifer shrugged, "Honestly, the trials were made to be impossible to clear in the first place — it was made so that the only thing that could clear it is you. You're right, this Black Tower was created for you, Riley Ross. Do you know why?"

"T—"

"Too long to answer," Jeniffer clapped her hands several times in a single second, "It's because you have the same abilities we have — well, Other Paige has. I would have taken it away from you if I could, but Other Paige's the one deciding that. That's why you can change things, you know? The trial…

…it didn't really matter what it is for you, you were actually unknowingly changing it."

"Why are you revealing me all of this, Jennifer?"

"Because it is all irrelevant to me and I just want it out of my system — Paige and Other Paige was the one who set all of these things, not me," Jennifer groaned, "And you do know that you didn't really get her power because she killed you, right? We're not a Super — you have her power because she allows you to have it… didn't I say that already? Weird…

…my memories are all messed up because I keep remembering Paige's memories. Or is it mine? Huh… anyway, off you go."

And almost instantly, Riley saw his vision shift as he returned in front of the Black Tower and pulled his hand from the hole — and as soon as he did so, anybody else who was doing the trials was suddenly kicked out and blown away; the holes which previously surrounded the Black Tower, now completely gone.

"What… what's happening!?"

And true to Jennifer's words, something was starting to happen with the Black Tower — a gap started to open before slowly morphing into what seemed to be an entire door — a large door with a symbol and a bust statue embedded in it.

And just in a single glance, it was obvious that the statue resembled Riley. His figure on the statue had its arms stretched to the side as if crucified on the wall.

"That's…" Elizabeth, the Cardinal of Riley's random religion, could not help but let out a loud gasp as she looked back and forth between the statue and their lord. And soon, tears started to fall from her face as she kneeled, "...The One True Lord, Riley Ross!"

"The One True Lord!"

All the people there started kneeling for Riley; chanting his name again and again, only interrupted as a loud hum started to sing from the tower. And very soon, the statue was split open right at the very center as the gigantic door started to slide open.

"It's… It's opening! The Black Tower is opening!"

Everyone was excited without even knowing what the door opening actually meant—no. As a matter of fact, none of them actually know the purpose of the Black Tower in the first place; none of them even know what they hoped to achieve.

The truth is… everyone was just bored.

For centuries, they lived a life just walking across an unknown plane; feigning and pretending to actually still have a sense of civilization. But the truth is…

…the world already ended for them long ago.

Right now, they were just clinging to whatever semblance of living they could actually feel — that was why the Holy City of Mold was so important to them.

But while everyone was excited by this sudden change, Riley just glanced at the door for a few seconds before turning around and walking back to his tent — surprising Tomoe who was actually still waiting for someone to take her to Hannah and the others.

"...Something's happening outside," Tomoe stood up as Riley entered the tent.

"You are still here, Tomoe," Riley nodded before he started looking around.

"Darkday!" Angela also rushed inside the tent as she felt all the commotion outside, "Aren't you going to check what's in the Black Tower?"

"I will, but I have more important things to do at the moment," Riley just glanced at Angela, "Have you seen Death or Elementia, Miss Angela?"

"...No," Angela's sewn eyes moved, "Why do you think I would be just casually seeing them?"

"We are here, young Primordial."

"W—!!!" Angela almost jumped to the side as both Death and Elementia just suddenly appeared behind her, casually approaching Riley as if they did not almost scare her to death.

"Can you bring me again to the Domain of the Gods, Elementia?" Riley looked Elementia in the eyes.

"The Domain of the Gods? But that place has already been—No!" Elementia turned to look at Death as his eyes widened, "It… truly is back, but it is once again empty and barren. What do you wish to do there?"

"I have reason to believe that Rennalyn might be there, Elementia."

"Then… I will open a portal for you," Elementia nodded as he walked to the side.

"Who's… Rennalyn?" Tomoe asked as she stood beside Riley.

"My youngest daughter, Tomoe."

"Your youngest—" Tomoe blinked a couple of times as she watched as Elementia opened up a portal, "Then… let me go with you, Riley."

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