Villain Retirement

"I just call it the Anti-Megawoman Contingency Plan Device. Sorry about that… Megawoman."

"It's… fine? I guess?"

With Queen Adel back on the ground like the rest of them, the crowd that was watching the events unfold could not help but start looking at each other—still not knowing whether to leave or stay.

Although it was not really being talked about, Queen Adel is considered one of the strongest themarians in Hel. She should have already wiped out the aliens around them, so why were they still alive?

Could it be that the people outside their territory were not as fragile and inferior as they were thought to believe?

Although they were still completely silent, the crowd's thoughts almost thundered in the air—but not for long, however, as a slightly demure chuckle whispered in the air and drowned whatever else it was that surfaced in their minds.

"Did you really think that something like this could stop me?" Adel breathed out as she chuckled—and even with violent statics flickering around her limbs and seemingly trying to completely subdue her, Queen Adel just started standing straight,

"I train and sleep while being bathed by this feeling, human." And with those words, Adel grabbed her arm… ripping it away along with Bernard's device. Her arm, however, regenerated instantly,

"I am the Queen, my duty is to protect King Arthus and the Kingdom of Hel from those who wish to harm them… even if it is my own daughter."

She was going to rip her other arm, but before she could do so, Bernard rushed toward her; swinging his leg straight to her head.

"Tch," Queen Adel only clicked her tongue as she blocked Bernard's leg with her newly regenerated arm—the impact, enough to start a large crater to form on the impenetrable ground of Theran.

Before this crater could fully shatter the ground the Queen stood on, however, Bernard's armor popped like a balloon—completely stripping away from his body as it latched onto Queen Adel like a hungry wolf.

And as the Queen was momentarily distracted, Bernard's eyes lit up as a skirt of wind formed around him; he threw himself to the ground, before spinning his entire body and swinging his leg right on Queen Adel's left ankle.

And as his foot made contact with Adel's ankle, the part of his armor that was latched onto her leg quickly transferred back to him—instantly creating some sort of thruster that lifted Adel's foot from the ground.

And with Queen Adel slightly losing her balance, Bernard's main armor that was still wrapping itself around Queen Adel also formed a thruster and exploded. This wasn't enough to push her down, however, and Bernard knew that.

And so, he quickly lifted himself up; somersaulting in the air and slamming his leg down straight on Queen Adel's chest… finally causing her to fall flat on her back.

"..." And as Bernard's armor crawled from her torso and back to Bernard, Queen Adel's eyes were just wide open as she stared at the sky. Soon, however, her eyebrows began to tremble as her eyes turned red, "This…

…is enough!"

And with a roar, the air around Queen Adel exploded, causing a ripple that was enough to blow away the ground itself. Even the themarians that were watching on the side braced themselves from the sudden burst of energy.

Bernard's armor, instead of fully covering him, flew away—shooting straight toward Hannah, Paige, and Tomoe; wrapping and covering them before it automatically carried them away far from the blast point.

As for Elder Olseyir who was also beside them, all the debris and air just moved past her, like there was a spherical barrier protecting her.

"This is enough," Queen Adel's body started lifting itself up in the air. And as her feet once again landed on the ground, she clicked her tongue several times and looked at Bernard,

"So much effort to just keep me grounded, and for what? Even if a thousand of you came here, you will lose because you are nothing. A thousand of nothing is still nothing… and now where is this armor you are so proud of? Gone."

"Well…" Bernard, who was now half naked with his torso exposed, could not help but scratch his unkempt and messy beard as it was filled with all sorts of sand and debris,

"Keeping you grounded is all I really wanted to do, I succeeded in that."

"Mother…" Aerith carefully approached the two of them, "Please, don't kill—"

"It's fine," Bernard raised his palm and shook his head, "I just wanted to talk to your mother because we both have unfilial children."

"Whiteking, my mother is dangerous…" Aerith sighed, "...She will kill you."

"Whiteking, is that what you are called?" Queen Adel once again chuckled as she looked at Bernard, "That is quite a name for someone that will soon be turned to ash."

"It has its moments," Bernard just shrugged even as Queen Adel started to approach him.

"You should be grateful," Queen Adel smiled, "For me to be the one to kill something as insignificant as you is already a service to your kind."

"Did I not tell you already?" Bernard also smiled, "I know you're stronger than me, and I know I am not a match for you even with this Guardian Force nonsense—I wasn't fighting you at all, I was just trying to survive. And as I said…

…I wanted to keep you grounded," Bernard then said as he pointed to the ground.

"..." Queen Adel's eyebrows began to furrow as her eyes very slowly started to look to where Bernard was pointing… only to see a pair of hands were already holding both her feet.

"Sorry," Bernard then quickly flew away, "Do you remember when I said there is only one thing in this life I fear? Well, I called her here…

…my Queen."

"Caitlain'Ur!" Queen Adel's eyes once again violently lit up as she flew up; pulling the owner of the hands that were holding her feet up to the surface. And as soon as she saw who it was, the violent red in her eyes raged; shooting out straight toward Diana's calmly smiling face.

Diana, however, quickly pulled Queen Adel's leg to the left; her energy beam, shooting toward the crowd instead. No one seemed injured, however, as they just continued to watch what was happening.

"Long time no see, Adel," Diana let go of Queen Adel's feet; the smile on her face, still calmly painted on her face as she slowly flew right in front of Queen Adel.

"You…" Queen Adel's mouth began trembling as she sucked in a deep breath, "You dare show yourself in front of me, you bitch!?"

"Language, please," Diana shook her head as she sighed, "There are a lot of children watching you right now."

"You, it's you!" Queen Adel violently pointed at Diana, "You're the one corrupting my daughter!"

"Oh, I beg to differ," Diana chuckled, "Your daughter is the one corrupting my son. Do you know he has an unhealthy obsession with her? Why don't we just all let this be bygones and just marry our children? Hm?"

"I will kill you, you minx!"

"..." Aerith, who was watching from below, could not help but blink a couple of times. She had always known her mother had a temper, but they're usually refined and controlled. But this…

…Did something happen between these two that she wasn't aware of?