Villain Retirement

If one were to guess, one would choose Death to be the strongest of all the Primordials. She is, after all, not only death but also life — the end of it. No one could truly ever escape death, or at the very least, that is how it should be.

If one were to ask what the sound of death is, one would probably say there is none. But there is — and the sound was a quiet and low-pitched whisper.

"I knew Riri was strong, but this…

…this isn't right."

Miss Pepondosovich, Esme, and Randall were still inside Death's Domain; not even moving an inch from where they were floating—no, from where they were standing since the domain was given birth. One would think that the fight between Riley and Death would reach them, but not at all.

From their perspective, Riley and Death were just in their own world; the two, not even moving apart from each other. The two were not even fighting in the air as they swung their scythes against each other, exchanging blows as close as possible.

Looking at this fight, one would say that the fights in Grandarena City were more fun and eventful… but that is only because they were in Death's domain where all the forces and aftershocks of their strikes just die as soon as they reached a certain distance away from the two, quite literally. But even then, Miss Pepondosovich and the others could feel a certain wave of energy almost reaching them.

"Riley Ross, this is futile."

Death kicked her feet on the white, invisible floor as she rushed toward Riley for the thousandth time, swinging her scythe for even more. Riley tried to deflect it with the blade of his scythe, but once again, his weapon disintegrated as soon as it made contact with Death's weapon,

"You are gone again," Death whispered as her blade sliced through Riley's torso, causing his flesh to melt and wither away instantly. But not even a second after, Death spun her scythe around her arm before placing it behind her, completely blocking Riley's strike as he once again materialized out of nowhere.

And once again, his weapon disintegrated. Riley did not care, however, as he just let it go and pointed his palm at Death.

"Pavoom," he whispered as a violent and invisible force caused Death's domain to distort and tremble. But as soon as this violent force made contact with her, it just… disappeared. Riley once again did not show any reaction as this time, he punched Death straight on her cheek…

…only for his arm to disintegrate, followed by the rest of his body.

"There is no point in fighting any longer, Riley Ross," Death let out a small sigh as Riley just materialized as fast as he disappeared, "Death can not hold you, but you can not also hold death. We are going to be stuck in an infinite loop — that will only pass in the blink of an eye for me, but for you…

…You have everything to lose."

"Hm," Riley did not stop attacking as he stretched his arm to the side, compressing a heat hot enough to cause the white space around him to distort… and very soon, darken. Riley then stretched his other arm to the side, but nothing really happened… visually, at least. And without even say a word, he clapped his hands together — causing the two forces to merge.

"Stop." But before the forces could actually even do anything, Death moved closer to Riley and just placed a finger on it… causing it to disappear,

"You can not show me death, Riley — for I am Death, and death is me. There is, and will always only be one of me," Death sighed, "Perhaps you can turn me into nothing, but how are you going to do that when nothing does not exist and therefore can not be touched by death? And those that can not be touched by death, can not also touch death. Like you."

"Huh…?" Miss Pepondosovich could not help but turn to look at Esme and Randall, "Please tell me I'm not the only one thinking that does not make sense at all."

"The Primordials are concepts beyond our limited mind, Pepondosovich," Randall closed his eyes, "To bear witness to one of them is already almost impossible, to try and understand them would be asking for too much."

"Right… but still…" Miss Pepondosovich continued to watch Riley and Death, "...I don't think this will ever end. But Riri's… clearly losing, right?"

And almost as if to double down on Miss Pepondosovich's words, Death placed her scythe beside her and completely stopped attacking Riley even as he let out a barrage of attacks against her.

"Pavoom. Pavoom. Pavoom."

Riley once again summoned a scythe, swinging it at Death while shooting out his 'Pavoom' attack continuously and without pause. And yet, Death no longer moved and just allowed everything to hit her… but absolutely nothing happened to her.

"Do you not realize, Riley Ross?" Death sighed, "Like you… I can't be killed — I was not created with that sort of purpose. My brothers and sisters could probably be killed by you, but not me. If there comes a time when you truly are successful in turning our universe into nothing to make way for the next one…

…I will still be there."

"You seem to be misunderstanding something, Miss Death," Riley blinked a couple of times as he clapped his hands together before pulling them away and creating some sort of… black hole which sucked out all the light, space, and everything close to him. He then casually let it go and let it float toward Death… who just once again let it hit her without any resistance.

And the black hole just… died.

"What am I misunderstanding, Riley Ross?" Death also blinked.

"I am not trying to kill you," Riley shrugged.

"But you said you would let me experience death," Death closed her eyes and smiled, "You also said you wanted to make me angry — perhaps it comes with the disappointment that I am feeling now?"

"What is your purpose, Miss Death?" Riley smiled as he finally stopped attacking and just looked Death in the eyes.

"...To be there," Death answered.

"And… are you there?"

"..."

"...Now I'm even more confused," Miss Pepondosovich could not help but once again look at Esme and Randall as she saw Death's eye starting to twitch.

"While you are here with me, Miss Death…" The smile on Riley's face grew even wider as he stretched his arms to the side, "...Who grants the creations peace?"

"Riley Ross," the slight discomfort in Death's face faded away as she returned Riley's smile, "You are the one who misunderstands — I might be here with you, but I am also everywhere. I am Death, and death happens—"

"Is happening without you," Riley breathed in, "You are not feeling it. The death that is happening around you."

"Hm?" Death tilted her head to the side.

"I summoned several clones of myself before we entered your domain, Miss Death," Riley breathed in, "And right now, they are wreaking havoc in the domain of the gods. The gods who are in the process of regenerating and healing are being killed by them as we speak — and even beyond that. You are not the face they see, Miss Death…

…It is me."

"Nonsense, Riley Ross," Death once again smiled as she let out a tiny breath, "I may not feel their deaths, but it is still with me where they will end."

"Perhaps," Riley hummed, "But for them, and for those who will follow them. From now on, my face will be the one to welcome them to their deaths — for them…

…I am Death."

"You are not," Death's eyes once again started to twitch.

"No, but they think I am," Riley stepped closer to Death, "And they are not the first too — trillions of people consider me their Death."

"Trillions are irrelevant, Riley Ross."

"But there will be more," Riley let out a tiny chuckle, "My clones will walk through the Domain of the Gods for eternity — and eventually, one of them will find a cosmic piece and create his own universe, and then ultimately traverse the multiverse and turn them into nothing one… by one… by one until nothing remains. And each of them will think of me as Death. And you…

…you will be nothing."

"Enough," the smile on Death's face faded away as she looked Riley in the eyes, "We are done here, Riley Ross."

"But I do not think so, Miss Death," Riley disappeared from his spot and started shooting out several more 'Pavooms' at Death, "Let's have fun here forever."

"No," Death snapped her fingers, and as soon as she did so, the white space disappeared and they were once again back at the City of Summoners, "I am done pla—"

And before Death could finish her words, she realized that nothing changed in the city at all — it was the same scenery as they left it, with some of the gods even slowly recovering.

"You…" Death looked around, seemingly holding her breath,

"...You tricked me?"

"Yes," Riley casually shrugged.

"You…" And as Death's voice started to lower, the entire Domain of the Gods suddenly turned dark, pitch dark, "Do you think this is—"

"Woah, calm down, sis."

And before Death could finish her words, a shadow suddenly appeared in front of her, casually touching her forehead with the tip of his finger. The darkness that filled the domain of the gods also instantly disappeared, as if it was absorbed by the shadow in front of Death.

And very soon, this shadow turned to look at Riley; his dark silhouette, turning gray before resembling the form of a human; woman or man, it was hard to determine.

"It is nice to meet you again so soon, Riley Ross. You do remember me, right? Me, Elementia?" Elementia bowed at Riley, completely covering Death from his view, "Forgive me for interrupting your date with my older sister, but I can't have her expiring this place — I consider the Domain of the Gods as my baby, after all."

"You created the Domain of the Gods, Mis—Elementia?"

"Just Elementia," Elementia chuckled, "And no, I did not create the Domain of the Gods. It was made possible because of me, if that is what you are asking."

"Then…" Riley also bowed to Elementia,

"...Can you please give me a cosmic piece, Elementia?"