Villain Retirement

Chapter 1147: Consequences

Chapter 1147: Consequences

"Why… why isn't he fighting back?"

Aurora did not really know whether to stay her eyes away from the disgusting violence that was happening in front of her right now—it was a good thing that she was trained to keep calm at all times; if not, then she would have definitely hurled and vomited right now… like what the other people who were doing.

One has to understand that the people who were watching on the size, the frenzied crowd—all of them are criminals, and yet even they could not help but shiver from the brutality happening in front of them right now.

Or perhaps, it wasn't just the act that was causing them to completely lose their minds—it's who it was happening to.

Odun is the supreme ruler of Aegard—he had been for as long as they could remember. If there was anyone before him, then that would mean they were not as significant since their history truly starts with Odun already there—he is the start.

But right now, the person that they treat as their god—his flesh was open for all of them to see, literally. Riley's ribs were tightening and tightening by the second, and Odun's skin was now being cut and torn open as his flesh and bones were being mushed.

How… is something like this even happening? How is a literal skeleton, with only his head and a single arm regenerated, capable of completely tyrannizing Odun?

Just what were they seeing right now?

"It's not that he's not fighting back," V let out a small sigh as she answered Aurora, "It's that he can't—you have to understand something about Riley Ross, he is the most enthralling, charismatic, obnoxious person you will ever meet—but he is also the most boring one because you know… you already know that he will never actually lose. You might think he will, but no…

…he just merely wants to win in a completely different way. That is what he is."

"Hm…"

"At one point…" V closed her eyes as a trickle of lightning seeped out from her green eyes, "...He used my own power–no. He treated me like some sort of puppet, an unwilling weapon to wipe out an entire city. I was… I was broken; I blamed myself for what happened for hundreds of years until I realized—everything that is happening, everything that will happen is Riley's fault."

"Well…" Miss Pepondosovich squinted her eyes, "...Maybe not everything—let's not forget to put accountability on ourselves sometimes."

"Hm…" V only squinted her eyes as she stared at Odun, "...Is her daughter not going to help her?"

"I don't think so," Monkeh turned her attention to Heli, who was just staring at what was happening and not doing anything at all—her eyebrows were furrowed, but that was it, "She wants to stop it, I know she does… but she's doing nothing because of what she had seen—I would be the same as her too. I mean…

…we just literally saw the literal embodiment of Death. Would you truly be willing to disturb a person that was capable of calling Death?"

"But… to see your father being killed in front of you…" Aurora breathed out, "...I am sure she is in pain."

"Maybe you're right…" Monkeh let out a small but very deep sigh as she took a step forward, "...Do you think we can convince Riley to let him go? Miss Pepondosovich… he listens to you. Maybe you could talk to him?"

"And why would I do that?" Miss Pepondosovich shrugged as she finally finished eating and just focused on Riley while gently caressing her bulging stomach, "I just told you—we need to be accountable for our actions, and this Odun guy is just accounting for his."

"I don't like the way he was looking at me either," V crossed her arms, "Did you see how predatory that was? He's probably like thousands and thousands of years old."

"But—"

"King Odun!"

And before Monkeh could actually do something, several people once again barged into the large doors of the hall—all of them wearing armor that looked like it had been worn for ages. Heli did mention something about Odun and the others being out on an expedition—could it be that they have all returned?

The people who entered looked around, and after assessing the situation for what seemed like a quarter of a millisecond, they all rushed to Odun; circling him as they pointed their weapons at the skeleton that was wrapping around him.

"What… is that infernal creature?" The only woman in the group pointed her long sword at Riley's head, "Release our King right now, or you and your entire lineage will suffer our wrath!"

"My… entire lineage, hm?"

"!!!" And all of a sudden, a low-pitched, ominous chuckle coldly whispered through everyone's ears as Riley's head once again extended from his spine like some sort of snake; his smile that reached from ear to ear, making him look completely diabolical as he slowly… leaned toward the warrioress that just spoke.

"I could release your King—but that would mean the entertainment would be gone," Riley sighed as he looked around, "And these people are clearly highly entertained with what is happening."

"Release him!" The warrioress swung her long sword, but Riley just caught it with his mouth and shattered the blade with his teeth.

"Hm…" The smile on Riley's face did not disappear at all as he stared into the warrioress' eyes, "...Choose then."

Riley finally retracted his head back as he also looked at the party of warriors, who all seemed strong in their own right.

"Free your King now, but the people of Aegard will suffer for it," Riley let out a small chuckle as he tightened his ribs further, causing Odun to groan.

"Release the King!" One of the other warriors demanded, "Release the King, and we will thwart whatever it is you throw at us! Fight like a warrior, where is your honor!?"

"My honor, hm?" Riley tilted his head, "Honor would be to keep my word—I will release your King, then."

And finally, a gasp quickly exploded throughout the entire hall as Riley released Odun from his ribs. And almost immediately, Riley's body regenerated. Half of the party rushed to aid Odun, while half kept their weapons pointed at Riley.

Riley, however, did not seem interested in them at all as he just started walking toward the hole that he made when Odun threw him out earlier.

"A shame," Riley then let out a small but very deep sigh as he stared at the beautiful planet of Aegard, "To choose this over your King, even I believe it is a mistake."

"The only mistake here is still letting you speak!" The warrioress who first spoke to Riley lunged toward him, carrying a new blade that threatened to cut Riley's neck through.

But that did not happen at all, however, as the warrioress… just suddenly froze—literally. Her body instantly turned blue, and without even a second later, she just completely crumbled into pieces; parts of her even sliding out of the hole since she practically turned into ice cubes.

"This is quite fitting, no?" Riley then stretched his arms to the side as he looked at Aegard again, "Aegard, Asgard. Odun, Odin—it is clear where we are and who you people are. And so, I will give all of you a very fitting penalty for choosing your King."

"Don't tell me…" V could not help but widen her eyes as she realized what Riley was doing when the temperature dropped, "...Wait, Riley! The people of this planet are innocent!"

"I know, Victoria…" Riley then turned around; the smile on his face even wider than before, "...Why do you think I am doing it?"

And then, with the snap of his fingers, a whisper rippled across the entire island planet of Aegard—completely turning the once vibrant and colorful land pale—completely pale. Their infrastructures, now completely frozen. Their rivers, their trees… dead.

"You… you killed them!?" V gritted her teeth.

"Of course not," Riley, however, just let out a small sigh as he started walking back toward Odun and his warriors, "They killed themselves—well, not yet. I made sure that no one would die just yet—it would not be a penalty if they all died immediately, Victoria—no. This winter…

…it should last them for all eternity. Whether or not they will survive, well, that is up to them."

"Riley…" V could really only close her eyes as she was also reminded of who Riley truly was—but then, a part of her also believed that this was an outcome that could have been avoided—after all, Riley already let them choose, not all have that kind of luxury.

"All…all of you!" Odun finally recovered, quickly grabbing his spear as he looked at Riley, "Kill him!"

"Enough!"

Before any of the warriors could actually rush toward Riley, however, Heli finally made a move as she stood in front of Riley.

"I have been telling you not to attack Riley Ross…

…and now look at what happened, Father! Your so-called wisdom… it has doomed all of our people."