Villain Retirement

It was but perhaps a momentary lapse in judgment, or perhaps it was meant to be. Maybe it was fate?

Fate that Empress landed right at the very moment these doctors had their hands bloody, holding organs that are no doubt… from Megawoman. It might not be hers, it might've belonged to an animal.

But this was the facility where Megawoman was being kept. And so, the only conclusion that landed on Empress's mind…

…was that they are harvesting Megawoman for her organs.

For what reason? It didn't matter.

"Change of plans, Darkday. We…

…are going to kill everyone in this facility."

It may be a momentary lapse in judgment, but it is judgment nonetheless.

"Hm…"

As for Darkday, it was hard to see what kind of emotion he held behind his helmet. Maybe it is as always, nothing? In his hand, however, floated the other doctor left; screaming and begging for his life– Empress, however, did not even look at her.

"Make it quick. We still need to sweep the facility and search for Megawoman."

And with those words, a small snap whispered into her ear as the doctor's neck was turned into a way it shouldn't.

"Let's go," Empress slightly grunted as she walked away. Riley, on the other hand, did not take a single step.

"What are you doing, we should–" Empress turned around, only to see Riley holding the organ that was on the box the doctor was holding.

"Your rage is justified, Empress," Darkday then let out a small but very deep breath as he held the organ close to his face, "This is Megawoman's lungs."

"...What?"

"These people," Darkday's tone then slightly changed, "These weak, pathetic humans… think they could tamper with the body of a god?"

"..." And suddenly, Empress no longer knew where to get angry. Whether the fact that they truly were harvesting Megawoman's organs… or the fact that Darkday knew exactly what Megawoman's lungs looked like.

For him to memorize even something like that, wouldn't that mean that Darkday opened up Megawoman in the first place?

"If I had known you were one of Megawoman's protege, Empress. I would have given her body to you instead," Darkday's sighs could be heard even from his helmet, "Such a grave mistake on my part… but no matter. Once we retrieve Megawoman, please take care of her."

"..." His words, his actions, the tone of his voice– it really does change whenever a topic involving Megawoman was involved. Maybe it would have actually been better if Darkday didn't give Megawoman– no. She was sure Darkday was also torturing Megawoman.

Do not forget who is the real evil here, Empress thought.

"It's best for us not to separate," Empress muttered, "We don't know what else they have in here."

"It is alright, Empress."

And as Darkday said that, four… other Darkdays started emerging from the floor– seemingly using whatever was in their surroundings as a sort of material to build their silhouette.

"They will go that way," Darkday then pointed at the hallway behind him, "While we go and explore there?"

"...Right," Empress could only shake her head as she started walking, "Let's just finish our mission. Whiteking, do we need to be wary about anything?"

[You're alright– only a single call from your area and I've intercepted it. Are you… really going to kill everyone there?]

"Developing a conscience now, Whiteking?"

[And you're losing yours. Why don't you just retreat and let me and my son handle this?]

"..." Darkday only listened as he followed behind Empress. He could just lift the entire facility if he wanted to, but in some ways, Empress was right– if they were harvesting Megawoman's organs; then destroying parts of the facility might do something to her. And that wasn't good. If Megawoman was going to get hurt or die, then it should be inflicted directly by him.

"No," Empress breathed out as her steps became faster, "They are going to pay for what they are doing to Megawoman."

And with those words, the entire hall slightly trembled as a skirt of wind enveloped Empress's body– her silhouette, disappearing into the unusually long hallway.

"..." Darkday stared at the hallway for a moment, before shaking his head and proceeding to follow. And with the speed that Empress was going, it didn't even take a minute before they found something.

A control room. The images on the screens, similar to what one could find in a hospital room. Temperature, heart rate, sugar levels, oxygen levels– everything was being measured. Who? Empress could only assume that it was Megawoman's.

"E… Empress!?"

And immediately, as Empress barged into the room, the eyes of the people all centered on her. How could they not when she just suddenly barged in… and with her body almost covered in blood.

"Are your kills always this messy?" Darkday stepped over the two guards that seemed to have guarded the control room on his way inside the room. And as soon as he entered, everyone immediately started running away.

But alas, before they could even take 3 steps, they all turned into a mist of blood– this mist, however, did not stick itself onto the consoles and screens, but instead just floated near the ceiling– almost like red clouds.

Everyone was dead– except one.

"What are you people doing here?" Empress then finally stepped away from the entrance as she slowly approached the shivering man that was hiding beneath the table;

"What are you doing here?" Empress repeated her words as she pulled the man out, placing him on the chair near them,

"What is that?" She then said as she pointed at the monitors, "Where are you hiding Megawoman?"

"I… I don't know anything!" The man said as he forcefully closed his eyes; turning his head to the side almost as if he didn't want to see what was happening.

"!!!" But alas, it suddenly became impossible for him to avoid anything as his eyelids… were suddenly ripped away by Darkday.

"..." Empress paused for a moment as she saw this; but after a few breaths of trying to compose herself, she once again asked the question.

"P… please, I… I only work here! I don't know anything!"

"The man outside also said the same thing," Darkday muttered as he looked at the stats that were being shown on the screen, "Interesting, none of the parameters are out of their normal range."

"Darkday, this is not the time to–"

"Have you ever wondered how Supers came to be?"

And before Empress could finish her words, a woman suddenly entered the control room; also stepping over the corpses of the guards as she did so.

"Whether we're from another planet like master," the woman then said as several more people followed behind her; all wearing the same uniforms as the guards that Empress killed,

"Or we're just really the next step in evolution?"

"...Aurora?" Empress said as she slammed her hand on the man's head… not even knocking him out and only causing him to tumble; her hand, also throbbing a little. And as Empress felt this, she could not help but click her tongue in frustration,

"You… are involved in this?"

"Good evening to you too, Adaeze," the woman then also grabbed a pistol from the holster on her waist; pointing it towards Empress,

"Have you… come to visit our master?"