Villain Retirement

Chapter 166: The Forest

[Ugh, stupid…

…Riley Ross is Darkday.]

An hour before Riley and the others discovered Prophet's body, Empress was staring at the multiple monitors plastered on the wall of the Hope Guild's meeting hall. She tried to prevent the AI from the phone, MEGAN, from uploading itself to their system…

…but it would seem that smashing the phone to pieces did not do anything.

She was also about to call Whiteking through their dedicated radio, but before she could do so, multiple images started flashing on the screen in front of her– showing a video of their battle with Darkday in front of the Academy.

She didn't think much of it at first, but soon, the video started replaying a certain scene over and over again. It was the moment when Darkday's outfit was ruined; when his skin was exposed.

"This…"

She didn't notice it before since she was completely focused on their deathmatch with Darkday… but his skin was completely white. And not just because of the contrast from his jet-black suit, no. It was almost as if his skin was glowing at some points…

…almost like Riley Ross.

This is it. Her mind had already been clouded with ideas when Prophet approached him and said that Riley Ross is Darkday. She wanted it not to be true, but with the AI presenting her all of this evidence… she would be a fool to take them only as coincidences.

Riley Ross is Darkday– or at least he was the closest suspect she has right now.

"…" With this thought, the only thing she could do was let out a small but very deep breath; looking to the side as Bernard's face suddenly popped up in her mind. If it was like this, then does that mean… Bernard has been running circles on them all this time?

It was impossible for him not to know that his own adopted son is the world's greatest and evilest villain. Should… she gather the other members of the Hope Guild to ambush–

And before she could finish her thoughts, one of her other phones rang.

"!!!"

Could… Could Bernard actually know about what was happening now? Empress quickly looked around her to see if there were any cameras in the meeting hall; they agreed not to put any surveillance in the room… but knowing Whiteking.

"…" Empress then took in a very small gulp as she slowly reached for the phone in her pocket.

[Hello ma'am. This is the New York State Police Department.]

The words that came out, however, quickly allowed Empress to at least let out her nervous breaths.

"What is it?"

[We were informed that we needed to call you if we can get any… info on Prophet's whereabouts.]

"You found him!?"

[We…

…found his body.]

***

"You…

…why are you here?"

She was only investigating him earlier… and now here he was; Riley Ross, right in the scene where Prophet's body was located.

Was it possible… that he was the one who killed Prophet? Did Prophet get too close to the sun and ended up burning himself? What was she supposed to do now? Should… she fight? But what if Riley Ross isn't actually Darkday? What if… what if…

"We… we were tasked by Bulwark to search for Prophet!"

"…What?"

Empress then blinked a couple of times as her overly active mind was disrupted by Bella's slightly trembling voice. Bella's eyes, shining as they almost threatened to swallow her whole from the way she was ogling at her.

"Bulwark… asked you to find Prophet?" Empress then slightly furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at Bella.

"Y… yes, sis."

"…Sis?"

"We followed MEGAN and… and she led us here," Bella stuttered as she showed her phone to Empress.

MEGAN. It's that AI again, Empress thought. Just what exactly was going on here? Does that mean that Riley Ross wasn't the one to kill Prophet?

"…"

"…"

Numerous thoughts once again began to race through Empress's mind, causing her to shake her head before she turned it towards one of the police on standby.

"What's the situation?" She then asked the police, who started explaining details of Prophet's death; his time of death, the gun, the semblance of the place, and lastly…

"…This."

The police then handed Empress a phone, wrapped inside a zip-locked bag.

"…A phone?"

Daniel and Bella were carefully watching Empress interact with the police to learn something from her, but as soon as they saw the phone, they could not help but widen their eyes before looking at Riley.

"You… gave them the phone?" Bella whispered.

"No," Riley then quickly replied as he retrieved the phone from his pocket, "I still have it with me, Bella."

"Then whose phone is that?" Daniel then squinted his eyes as he turned his gaze back to Empress.

"…"

Empress quickly decided to unlock the phone, going to the gallery without any pause; and there, a single video could be found.

"…" Empress looked around for a few seconds, before finally pressing the play button. The video lasted for only a minute. It was a video of Prophet saying goodbye– a suicide note. He explained how stressed he was from everything that has been happening in the Academy; about how the world seemed to put all the blame on him.

"…Fuck," Bella whispered. She then quickly gestured for Daniel and Riley to follow her; walking outside of the school away from the view of the others.

"They ruled it out as suicide!" Bella bellowed as soon as she was sure they were alone, "And what the fuck was that video!?"

"It… was Prophet, it was his face and his voice," Daniel furrowed his eyebrows, "What… is happening here? How could there be two–"

"Shit," Bella once again raised her voice, "He mentioned this in his video… about someone framing his death into a suicide. They really did it."

"…"

"…"

The three then suddenly turned silent for a few seconds, before Daniel's whispering breaths traveled through their ears.

"I don't want to get involved anymore," he said with a shake of his head, "I suggest the two of you do the same if you don't wanna end up like Prophet."

And with that, Daniel walked away, returning to the others.

"You… you coward," Bella muttered as Daniel started walking away, not even looking at them as he did so… And that was the only thing she could do. That, and bite her lip in frustration as the air was once again filled with silence.

"…"

"…"

As for Riley, he could only blink a couple of times; wondering what he was actually doing here. He then let out a small but deep sigh, before walking away to leave Bella to contemplate on her own.

But alas, before he could take his 3rd step, Bella once again raised his voice.

"Wait!" She breathed out, "The… the Baby Crew."

"…Hm?" Riley turned to face Bella.

"Let me in on the Baby Crew as a temporary member!"

"…I don't have the authority to decide that, Bella. And why would you even want to join?"

"I just know you're going to show that video to the Baby Crew and you will try to solve it!" Bella said with a chuckling voice.

"…Not really. I was planning on destroying it later, Bella."

"W– No!"

"Yes."

"I'm calling your sister now to let her know we have something to give her!" Bella said before running away.

"…" Why was he surrounded by people who like to decide on their own? Riley thought as he walked out from the corner of the fence; staring at Bella's disappearing back. He then turned his eyes towards Empress…

…who was clearly staring at him before looking away as soon as he faced her. This is the 3rd time she did something like that. Did… she actually know–

"Wsh."

"!!!"

Riley's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as he quickly turned around. He heard a whisper, but in front of him was nothing but a collection of overgrown trees, vines, and bushes.

"…" Riley then looked at the crowd of people in front of the school gates… before deciding to walk into the untamed sea of trees.

"…" But alas, even as his steps grew many and the trees were all that he could see, he still did not find the source of the whisper that tickled his ear. It was only him and the short rustling of the leaves.

"…" Riley then closed his eyes; taking in a small but very deep breath before a whistle started to flow through his ears. And soon, like a whispering drum, he heard his own heart beat.

Every small movement of the leaves, the insects burrowing beneath the ground, the dust floating over his ears– he could hear.

Riley's eyes started to furrow, however, as he still could not find the single whisper he was looking for.

"!!!"

But finally, after a few more breaths, a whisper entered into his ears. He quickly opened his eyes, stretching his arm to his left.

The leaves and the bushes that were in the view of his palm, instantly parting as if some sort of sphere split them apart. And soon, without even a second, a silhouette flew straight towards Riley's hand– a neck.

Or more conclusively, a person… perhaps a child?

"…" Riley squinted his eyes as he looked at the child's face; completely disfigured, almost to the point that her skin seemed to be falling off.

Her eyes, however, were clear. Blue, almost green. And whatever hair was left on top of her head exuded a glimmer of gold that reflected the bits of the moon that seeped from the roof of leaves.

"…Megawoman?" Riley whispered subconsciously. His intuition was almost baseless, he thought; as the child in wriggling and struggling in his hand was the size of a child.

"L… let go!"

There came another whisper; not coming from the disfigured child he was holding, but further hiding in the trees. And soon, more whispers bombarded Riley's ears; followed by the rustling of the leaves that finally revealed their owners.

"…" Riley could only squint his eyes as he looked at the almost dozen individuals that stepped out of the shadows; their figures, all similar to the child he was holding.

"Let… let her go!"

"Let go!"

They then all started whispering loudly; their voices were hoarse and almost cracking.

"…" And Riley did as they told. He let go of the child, curiously tilting his head as he watched the disfigured girl crawl towards the rest of… the disfigured children.

"Are… are you alright?"

"Hss."

"Lech go. Run!"

And without even looking at Riley, the children started to once again go deeper into the shadows; their movements, more akin to beasts– pests even.

But with just a single whisper from Riley's mouth, the children all stopped moving.

"….Silvie Savelievna?"