Chapter 24 — Drowning in Regrets

One week had passed since the tragedy at Starlight Stadium

The world had changed. Military checkpoints had become a common sight. Armed patrols walked city streets. News channels discussed the Witches every day. People still went to work. Children still attended school. But no one truly felt safe anymore.

Posters warning civilians about suspicious activity covered train stations and public buildings. Emergency broadcasts interrupted television programs almost daily, reminding citizens to remain calm and immediately report anything connected to the Witches. Even when nothing happened, the fear remained.

Rain quietly fell over the city. A man wearing a navy-blue suit and matching tie walked through the hallway of a high-rise apartment building. It was Endou Tachibana.

He stopped before a familiar apartment. Outside the entrance stood Yuki Horikita. Instead of her white Braver uniform, she wore a white military jacket and matching her braver color. Four armed soldiers stood silently behind her.

The soldiers immediately straightened when Endou approached. None of them spoke. Their rifles remained held firmly against their chests, their eyes constantly shifting between the hallway and the nearby stairwell.

Endou looked toward the closed door.

"...How is she?"

Yuki closed her eyes for a moment. Her expression remained serious.

"...She refuses to leave the apartment. And every day... her condition becomes worse."

Endou sighed quietly. Without another word, he walked past the guards and opened the unlocked door.

The apartment barely resembled a home. Garbage bags covered the floor. Half-eaten meals lay forgotten on tables. Dirty dishes filled the sink. Curtains remained closed despite the afternoon sun. The smell of spoiled food hung heavily in the air.

An untouched television flickered quietly in the living room. A news report about the Starlight Stadium tragedy played with the volume almost completely muted. Endou stared at the screen for only a second before continuing forward.

Endou slowly followed the hallway. He eventually reached the bathroom.

There... He found Saki. She sat on the floor with her knees drawn against her chest. Her blonde hair was tangled. She looked as though she hadn't bathed for weeks. Stains covered her oversized T-shirt. Even the bathroom floor was littered with empty food containers.

"...Saki."

She didn't look up.

"...Go away."

Endou remained standing.

"You have to stop blaming yourself. This wasn't your fault."

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Silence.

"The responsibility belongs to me. I failed to prepare for an enemy like Greed. I should have—"

"SHUT UP!"

Saki suddenly threw an empty bottle toward him. It struck the wall beside his shoulder. Endou didn't move. Tears streamed down Saki's face.

"Roland... Sakura... They're gone because of me! I promised Sakura... that I'd protect her! I left her alone!"

Her breathing became erratic.

"I should've killed that witch girl... If I hadn't hesitated... If I'd just used my lightning... I would've reached Sakura! I would've saved her!"

Endou opened his mouth.

"Saki—"

She screamed over him.

"It's not just Roland and Sakura! Everyone in that stadium! They all died because of me!"

Endou lowered his eyes. His thoughts drifted back to the investigation.

The broken remains of the piñatas scattered across the stadium... Laboratory reports...Human DNA recovered from every shattered fragment.

Men. Women. Children. Every fragment they had recovered belonged to someone who had entered the stadium expecting nothing more than a concert.

His fists tightened. Saki slowly curled into herself.

"...Please... Just let me drown in my mistakes."

Silence filled the apartment. Endou understood. There were no words capable of reaching her.

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After several moments, he quietly turned around and left. Outside, Yuki was still waiting.

"...Please keep watching over her."

Yuki nodded immediately.

"I will. My orders remain unchanged. Every floor of this building is secured. Hundreds of soldiers are stationed throughout the complex. There are armored patrols outside twenty-four hours a day. No unauthorized person will reach this apartment."

Endou glanced toward the soldiers behind her. After everything that had happened to Roland's family, the precautions no longer seemed excessive. If the Witches discovered where Saki lived, no one knew what they might attempt.

Endou smiled faintly.

"Thank you."

After a brief pause, he asked,

"...How are your wives?"

For the first time that day, Yuki smiled.

"They're safe. They've been moved to a heavily protected government facility."

She looked toward the window.

"I appreciate your concern. But they'll be fine."

Endou nodded.

"I hope so."

His expression became serious again.

"We can't afford another mistake. The Witches... They won't hesitate to target families. They've already shown us that."

Yuki quietly agreed. Then she asked,

"...What do you think about the Next Generation Bravers?"

Endou remained silent for a moment. Finally...he spoke...

"Gero has always looked after his own interests. But right now... we need every ally we can get."

Yuki nodded.

"With three of our teammates missing... they may be the only thing capable of evening the odds."

Endou started walking toward the elevator.

"If anything changes with Saki... contact me immediately."

"You have my word. Take care, Endou."

"You too."

The elevator doors slowly closed.

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Elsewhere... Life continued. Families wandered through a crowded shopping mall. Children laughed while carrying balloons. Teenagers browsed clothing stores. Couples shared ice cream.

Security guards stood near every major entrance, and emergency evacuation maps had been posted beside the escalators. Yet most shoppers deliberately ignored them. After weeks of fear, people desperately wanted to pretend that ordinary life had returned.

For a brief moment... The world almost felt normal again.

Then... The automatic doors slid open. Three figures entered together.

The first walked with energetic steps. Long crimson twin ponytails swayed behind her. Her impossibly wide smile stretched across her face. Greed looked around with sparkling eyes.

Beside her walked Wrath.Hands tucked inside the pockets of her black hoodie. Her visible crimson eye wore the same irritated glare as always.

A few steps behind them shuffled Sloth. Her oversized black sweater nearly swallowed her small frame as she hugged her sleeves and looked at the floor. Several shoppers glanced toward the strange trio as they passed.

Greed clapped her hands excitedly.

"Hehehe! What a wonderful day!"

She spun happily in place.

"It looks absolutely perfect for shopping!"