Chapter 11 — Five Minutes

The afternoon sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the streets as Roland slowly walked through his neighborhood. His Braver armor had already disappeared, replaced once again by his green military uniform, and every step sent pain through his bruised ribs.

"...Guess I really am getting old."

He laughed quietly to himself.

People walking along the sidewalks recognized him immediately.

"The Emerald Braver!"

"Thank you for saving us!"

A little boy excitedly waved.

Roland smiled and waved back.

"It was nothing."

The boy's mother bowed deeply.

"Thank you..."

"If you hadn't arrived..."

Roland simply smiled before continuing his walk. The gratitude of ordinary people had always embarrassed him. He had never become a Braver to be admired.

Only to protect.

His thoughts slowly drifted toward home.

He pictured his daughter running toward the entrance.

"Daddy"

She always threw herself into his arms without caring how exhausted he looked.

His wife would immediately notice every bruise.

Then she'd sigh.

"You got hurt again."

She always tried to sound annoyed.

She never succeeded.

Roland smiled warmly.

"...I'm looking forward to dinner."

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A few minutes later, his apartment building came into view. Children played outside while neighbors chatted peacefully, and everything looked completely ordinary.

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Too ordinary.

Roland frowned slightly.

"...Strange."

He had expected police vehicles after the attack. Perhaps the news hadn't reached this district yet.

He climbed the stairs toward his apartment, and the smile slowly returned to his face as he stopped before the familiar wooden door.

"...I'm home."

Silence.

"...?"

Usually, tiny footsteps would already be racing toward him. His daughter always recognized his voice.

Roland knocked gently.

No answer.

"...Honey?"

Nothing.

He reached toward the doorknob.

It slowly turned.

The door creaked open.

Roland froze.

"...The door..."

"...Was unlocked?"

His wife never left the apartment unlocked.

Never.

A cold feeling settled inside his chest as he slowly stepped inside. The apartment was dark, every light switched off except for one illuminating the kitchen.

Roland's heartbeat quickened.

"...Honey?"

"...Sweetheart?"

Still nothing.

The apartment felt empty.

Too quiet.

He carefully walked through the living room, but nothing seemed disturbed. The television remained off, his daughter's toys still lay scattered across the carpet, and a family photograph rested upon the shelf.

Everything appeared perfectly normal.

"...Where are you...?"

He hurried toward the kitchen.

No one was there.

Only the light.

And a tiny present box.

It sat neatly in the middle of the kitchen table, wrapped with a crimson ribbon.

Roland's breathing became uneven.

"...No..."

His instincts screamed at him. Every battlefield, every ambush, every life-threatening mission he had survived suddenly felt less frightening than that small gift box.

Slowly, almost unwillingly, he approached.

His trembling hand reached toward the ribbon.

"...Please..."

He untied it and opened the lid.

Inside, there was only a folded piece of pink paper with a tiny heart drawn in one corner.

Roland unfolded it, his eyes rapidly scanning the message.

Go to this address for the party! ♥

You have five minutes.

Your Bestie, Greed.

For several seconds, Roland simply stared.

Then—

The paper crumpled in his fist.

"...That..."

His entire body trembled.

"...Bastard..."

The room exploded.

CRAAASH!!

The kitchen table shattered beneath his fist, sending wooden fragments scattering across the room as cracks spread across the walls.

His breathing became ragged.

"...Greed..."

"...If you touch them..."

"...I swear..."

Without another second of hesitation, Roland rushed from the apartment.

The front door slammed violently behind him.

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Meanwhile, several kilometers away, inside a heavily guarded military headquarters, Endou walked quickly through a long concrete corridor. Soldiers saluted as he passed, but he barely noticed.

His thoughts remained fixed on Roland's report.

The Witch of Greed.

The goblins.

The trolls.

Taichi.

Everything felt connected.

He simply couldn't see how.

A conference room waited ahead, where several high-ranking officers had already gathered. Yuki had reportedly arrived moments earlier with the combat recording recovered from Roland's armor, and Endou intended to watch every second of it.

Perhaps some small detail everyone else overlooked would reveal the truth.

His phone suddenly vibrated.

Roland.

Endou answered immediately.

"Roland?"

What came through the speaker wasn't calm.

It wasn't composed.

It was panic.

"ENDOU!!"

Roland's voice shook violently.

"...That bastard!"

"...That witch..."

"...She has my family!!"

Endou stopped walking.

His heart sank.

"What?!"

"What happened?!"

"I came home..."

"The apartment was empty!"

"There was a message!"

"I-I..."

Roland's breathing became frantic.

"I don't have time!"

Endou immediately began running.

"Listen to me!"

"Where are you?!"

Roland quickly read the address from the note, and Endou memorized it instantly.

"I'm sending every available unit!"

"Don't move!"

"Wait for reinforcements!"

"No."

Roland answered without hesitation.

"If I wait..."

"...They'll die."

"Roland!"

Endou shouted so loudly that nearby soldiers turned toward him.

"Don't go in there alone!"

"This is exactly what she wants!"

A brief silence followed.

Then Roland spoke quietly.

"...I know."

"...But they're my family."

The line went silent for a heartbeat.

Then—

The call disconnected.

"...Roland!"

Endou stared at the phone.

No response.

"...Damn it!"

He immediately turned toward the stunned soldiers.

"Emergency deployment!"

"Notify Colonel Horikita immediately!"

"Send every available Braver support unit to this address!"

He held up his phone.

"Move!"

The hallway instantly erupted into motion as sirens began echoing throughout the military base.

Endou was already running toward the exit, his expression becoming deadly serious.

"...Hold on..."

"...Roland."

"...Please..."

"...Don't let this end the same way."