Villain Retirement

1035  Chapter 1035: Emerald Paladin

"Darkday…?"

There was not really that much of a reaction from the other knights as Emerald Paladin uttered the name. But some of them, however, were starting to squint their eyes as they started to remember a tale told to them by their superiors who came from the same universe as the Pope.

It was not so much as a tale per se, but rather a story of what could have been. They have always been saying that there was someone, a human from their planet which could very well have ended the war of the gods before — and perhaps the very reason why so many of those from their universe survived the war in the first place.

An entity so evil, it would make the devil shiver — but even then, at those times, they kept saying that if Darkday was alive, then their universe might have just very well been completely safe from the sudden war—no, he could have ended it if he joined it.

But when the world needed him the most, he vanished.

But of course, none of them really believed them and thought it was just some imaginary guy made up by the others.

But now, he was here — and they had actually been trying to kill him for the past several minutes.

"We… all thought you were dead," the Emerald Paladin was careful not to make any sudden movements; his eyes, very slowly looking down, only to see his foot just a couple of centimeters away from passing across the line that Riley drew,

"But of course not. You—you are involved in all of this, aren't you…? This mystical world where everything is just in a single plane, where there are no other planets, no other celestial bodies — just one endless plateau where one could reach wherever they want to as long as they are diligent and patient enough."

"I have no idea what you mean, Emerald Paladin," Riley just shook his head, "I have only been here for less than a week or so. But what I can tell you, is the same thing I have been telling your friends – anyone who passes this line will die."

"Why… are you doing this?" Emerald Paladin's voice started to turn weak, "If you are looking for the Pope, then he is not here — he is personally spreading the word of our lord… I do not really see why you are doing this, you and the Pope are supposed to be friends. I remember you sparing his life several times because of how intrigued you are with him, so why are you changing your stance now!?"

"I did not realize you were this talkative, Emerald Paladin," Riley tilted his head to the side while looking at Emerald Paladin from head to toe, "But what I am doing here does not have any correlation to the Pope whatsoever, I am doing this because of Miss Angela."

"Miss… Angela? Crimson Paladin!?" The Emerald Paladin started looking at his comrades, "But the Crimson Paladin has nothing to do with us anymore, she has abdicated her—wait… did you have something to do with that!?"

"I suppose," Riley let out a small sigh, "I forced her to join my religion, you see — so I am feeling guilty, and therefore inclined to protect and follow any of her requests."

"Religion…?"

"The Religion of Riley Ross," Riley shrugged, "That is not its official name yet, but it might be if it sticks and my members like it."

"Wait, I'm confused…" The Emerald Paladin started looking at his dead comrades before once again focusing on Riley, "...Why are you doing this again?"

And as someone finally spoke to him rather than attack him, Riley once again stabbed Angela's greatsword through the ground as he calmly spoke to the Emerald Paladin; explaining to him all the events so far and why he was doing what he was doing.

"That—" The Emerald Paladin truly wanted to say something critically harsh to Riley, but refrained himself from doing so while reminding himself who he was talking to. After a few seconds of staring at Riley, however, the Emerald Paladin let out a long and very deep sigh before shaking his head,

"Our church has laws, Darkday — sacred laws which must be followed no matter what. I am afraid that like my fellow holy men, I… must do what I can to stop what Angela is doing."

And in the end, the Emerald Paladin raised his lance, causing the wind to snap as he did so.

"Interesting," Riley Ross nodded as he pulled Angela's greatsword from the ground again, "To die for what you believe in truly is the best way to die, no?"

"It should be the only way to die," the Emerald Paladin then whispered quietly to himself, praying as the air around him started to distort. No, it wasn't the air around him that started to distort, it was himself.

There was a sort of humming that started to sing in the air as the Emerald Paladin's silhouette started to blur; his entire body and the gigantic lance he was holding, vibrated in a speed that was enough to cause his feet to start digging through the ground despite the soles of his greaves being completely flat,

"May god guide my hand," the Emerald Paladin then lowered his lance and pointed it toward Riley; like a drill which almost pierced the very air itself.

"I am afraid the only thing you are leading to is death, Emerald Paladin," Riley smiled as he raised Angela's greatsword with one hand and also pointed it at the Emerald Paladin, almost as if he was just using the large weapon like a rapier.

Riley was taught multiple forms of sword arts by Bernard, but not one of them happened to be a greatsword. He knew how to handle axes which were similar in weight to greatswords, but their balance was completely different from each other.

But of course, with Riley's strength, weight and balance did not really matter at all. He just wanted to fight with one of his hands behind his back,

"For more than 600 years, you have survived through a hellish war and a hellish curse — just to be led back to me at the hour of your death. It truly is quite poetic, no? You do not have to worry…

…I will not make a spectacle of your death."

"Do you truly think that we have just been stagnant the past centuries?" Emerald Paladin's voice was filled with resolution; his eyes, slightly shining from behind his helmet, "The strong have gotten stronger, Darkday. And I am one of those!"

And with those words, the Emerald Paladin finally took a step over the line that Riley drew. The tip of his weapon, however, already reached Riley due to its long range.

"Die!" The space around the Emerald Paladin's lance completely distorted just by the sheer heat of his lance scratching the very air itself, "Wh—"

Before he could utter his next words, however, he suddenly found his arm lowering on its own; the vibrations he was producing, instantly dying down as his lance fell to the ground. He wondered what happened at first, but as soon as his neck was the next to lose its strength, he saw Angela's greatsword pierced through his entire torso. He did not even notice Riley first, who was still holding the greatsword while it was lodged through him.

"Darkday!?"

And with his consciousness very slowly fading away, he heard Angela's familiar voice coming from inside the church. Angela was done praying and finally stepped out of the building, and what awaited him was a scenery of blood and guts.

"What… you didn't have to do all of this!" Angela screamed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"I did not do anything, Miss Angela," Riley shook his head, "They did it to themselves — I have already told them they would die if they crossed the line, but they did it anyway. You should not be angry at all, and instead, be proud that they died doing what they believe in…

…even if what they believed in was that you are not allowed to pray to your god anymore."

"This… Emerald Paladin!? Luka!?" Angela's voice became even louder as soon as she saw the Emerald Paladin, who was now only standing due to her greatsword keeping him afloat, "You…"

"You do not have to worry, Miss Angela," Riley shook his head while carefully placing the handle of the greatsword on the ground; keeping the Emerald Paladin still standing up, "I missed all of his vitals, believe it or not."

"Wh—"

"Why…?" Angela was not able to speak as the Emerald Paladin's weak groans scratched the air, "Why… are you sparing me?" He uttered while having a large greatsword embedded through most of his torso.

"I did not, Emerald Paladin," Riley shook his head, "You just happened to be lucky that Miss Angela stepped out when she did — she is done praying, and therefore I have no reason to do what I meant to do to you, which was cause the greatsword to vibrate while inside you, completely destroying your organs. Why did you think I missed all of your vitals?"

"That…" Emerald Paladin's blood spewed out from his helmet.

"Luka, don't speak!" Angela quickly supported Luka so the sword would not continue to destroy his insides any further.

"But… but I must speak, Angela…" The Emerald Paladin whispered, "The reason… why I stayed here instead of coming with you and the Pope. God…

…god spoke to me again and told me to stay. I… I didn't know for what reason… but I think I do now."