Chapter 198 - Entrance Of Hope

"..."

Riley was now currently floating towards a nearby diner, which surprisingly, was still intact even with all the mayhem and destruction drowning the entire streets. He did not expect that there were also monsters wreaking havoc in other cities. And whether or not they were also monster clones, it didn't really matter.

What mattered was that Tempo said that Los Angeles was the most peaceful out of all the monster zones. Most of the buildings around him, even if not yet completely destroyed, were on the verge of collapsing… how is his place the most peaceful one?

And so, Riley made his way to a nearby diner, slapping away a monster that blocked his path and throwing it several meters away… accidentally saving someone.

"T… thank you!"

Riley, however, completely ignored that gratitude that came his way as he waved his hand, lightly pushing the man away and opening the door to the diner at the same time. And seeing that a part of it bent as he did so, it would seem that it was locked from the inside.

And true enough, there were more than a dozen people hiding there– and seemingly even more in the kitchen area. A monster seemed to want to follow him in, but before it could destroy the glass walls of the establishment, Riley snapped his fingers, causing the four-legged monster to explode.

"..." Riley ignored the whimpers of shock that entered his ears; instead, his eyes moved continuously until they reached a certain object inside the diner– a brown box, no. An old TV.

"Hello, server," Riley then tapped the counter, causing the woman hiding behind the counter beside him to slightly flinch, 

"Can I please change the channel of the TV?" Riley then said; his eyes not leaving the screen as it showed some sort of European telenovela show from the 90s.

"Yes?"-- was the only response the woman could utter.

"Thank you, server," Riley then slightly moved his eyebrows, turning the knob of the old TV until he reached a station that showed the news– he didn't have to search long, however, as the 2nd click of the TV immediately featured fire and chaos.

He tried to change to another channel, and that too, reported what was currently happening in the country– no. They were showing what was currently happening in the world.

"..."

It was true that it look chaotic from the view of the news helicopters that were hovering above the different cities– but the headlines were saying that the situation was mostly already contained; with the monsters completely eradicated or escaped to somewhere and are currently being hunted.

"..." How is his place the most peaceful one when the streets of LA he was in were already filled with blood, guts, death, and hopeless screams?

"..." Riley then look outside the window, then back towards the news being shown on the TV. Even though there were a lot of people dying… it was only limited in the streets he was in– because he himself was not letting anyone escape.

And by doing that, he also indirectly contained the chaos in a single place.

"..." Realizing his mistake, Riley's eyes started to twitch, along with his fingers that were itching to kill everyone inside the diner. He has only been retired for less than a year, and yet he was already getting clumsy?

This isn't good. What would Megawoman say when she comes back to see him not living up to his reputation? To see the one who basically put her into a coma doing such a lousy job of terrorizing the world… wouldn't she be disappointed?

"As I thought. The damage was controlled because you were here."

"..." Riley then turned towards the voice that suddenly whispered into his ear, only to see Tempo stepping at the regenerating monster repeatedly– almost at a speed that his feet looked slow doing so.

"To be able to blow this thing with just the snap of a finger," Tempo then continued his words, "That's really something else. You do know we're currently hiring in the Hope Guild, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Tempo," Riley sighed and nodded.

"It also doesn't help that your father is currently MIA," Tempo also let out a sigh of his own, "Where is your father anyway? He's been missing for ages since Prophet croaked. Rest in peace to that guy, of course."

"Father… is missing?" Riley tilted his head to the side.

"...You don't know? Shit, did I run off my mouth again?" Tempo then looked to the side as he slightly slapped his own lips,

"He's probably with Empress, then. Shit, I did it again, didn't I?" This time, Tempo completely covered his mouth, "Sorry, kid. My mind is too active."

"You do not need to apologize, Mr. Tempo. My mind is in the same state," Riley once again sighed before stepping out of the diner; slightly glancing back at the news as he passed the door. He then carefully looked at his surroundings; the look on his face, clearly showed a sign of disappointment that was rarely seen.

Was he… getting rusty? He thought as he looked at all the blood and guts surrounding him.

"..."

"..."

No. What was he even thinking? He was currently retired right now– he then thought. Doing this much when he was supposed to be retired? Isn't that a feat in and of itself? There was also the fact that he caused this much carnage to litter in the streets… and yet there was no one trying to kill him.

Riley, was in a way, like a child that was freely getting away with the trouble he was causing. Of course, for him, it was just the perk of being perceived as a hero. Truly, it was the right decision to enroll in Mega Academy.

"Dark– !!!"

The Crimson Paladin screamed as soon as Riley's eyes strayed towards him; he stopped his words before he could complete them, however, as soon as he noticed that Tempo was behind Riley.

"Riley Ross!" He then instead screamed as he continued to deflect Aerith's advances. He could just let Aerith charge Riley… but seeing as there were a lot of civilians in the diner behind him, he couldn't do that.

"Why is this grey one intent on targeting you!?" He shouted as he continued to block Aerith's claws with his giant sword.

Riley did not answer him immediately but instead turned his head towards Tempo, then back to the Crimson Paladin. The Crimson Paladin called him by his name instead of Darkday– could it be he didn't want anyone to know of Riley's identity?

…Could the Pope need him for something?

"..." Riley then paused his thoughts as he looked at Aerith, finally answering the Crimson Paladin's question,

"She is targeting me because I am handsome."

"Wha–"

"Ha! That was funny," Tempo then let out a small chuckle, sliding his finger inside his helmet to try and wipe the small tear coming out of his eye, "I see you still have a sense of humor. I thought you had no EQ at all like Whiteking. I guess geniuses are like that? A few screws loose here and there?"

"..."

"Sorry, am I too talkative?" Tempo's body once again flickered as the people inside the diner seemed to add in number, "My mind works differently than most because of my abilities… or maybe I also inherited it from my parents? I wonder how they are? I haven't visited the Philippines for almost a day now."

"...You're not from Japan?" Riley slightly widened his eyes.

"No, I'm Filipin–" Tempo's eyes could also be seen widening from his helmet, "I probably shouldn't have said that… Oh well, at least it's not like Whiteking whose whole life is already out there. Maybe I should out myself as well?"

Tempo's body once again flickered; the number of people inside the diner, almost multiplying in number. The monsters that were previously chasing almost everyone, now just focused on the Crimson Paladin who was still waving his giant sword almost without end.

"V should be here soon to neutralize these monsters," Tempo then said as his body continued to flicker. Tempo really is strong, Riley thought as he glanced at all the people he saved. But alas, during the fight with Megawoman, all Riley had to do was lock Tempo's limbs– completely making him useless.

In the end, his telekinetic abilities were superior. Perhaps he should really thank his deceased biological mother… speaking of which; the voice he heard earlier, could it be possible it was from her?

…Was that a memory? So why did Riley see her beside him through the glass? Riley thought as he looked at the window– only to see only his reflection.

"..."

"..."

"Why are the two of you just watching!?"

The Crimson Paladin's greaves then left a trail of dust as he slid towards Tempo and Riley– his sword, almost already dented from Aerith's endless attacks.

"What are you talking about? I'm busy saving people," Tempo then said as his body once again flickered– adding another person inside the diner.

"That… what about you!?" The Crimson Paladin then turned his head towards Riley.

"A member of the Hope Guild is already here," Riley shrugged, "I'm just a child so I am letting the adults take over."

"Y–"

"He is right… knight or whatever you are," Tempo then said as he stepped forward, "Let the kid rest. As adults, it's our turn to–"

"Adults are suckers!"

And before Tempo could finish his words, a blinding green light suddenly flashed throughout the entire street– momentarily drowning the walls with green. And as soon as the light faded, a mecha suit almost 3 meters in height landed right in front of Riley and the others.

Its knee and knuckles, touching the ground before standing as dramatically and slow as possible– letting out whirring noises as snaps of green lightning streaked throughout the entire suit.

"In the end, the future generation will always be the one to clean up after the adults!"

"....What did we say about flashy entrances, V?"