Chapter 9 — Ice and Shadows

The enormous silhouette stepped out from between the buildings.

THUD.

Each footstep made the ground tremble, and the people who had only just begun believing they were safe froze once again.

The creature slowly emerged into the open plaza.

It was enormous, nearly as tall as the surrounding buildings. Its body was covered in pitch-black skin stretched over mountains of muscle, while thick arms hung beside its body, each fist large enough to crush a truck.

Its glowing crimson eyes swept across the terrified crowd.

One little girl dropped her stuffed rabbit.

"...M-Mom..."

Her mother immediately covered her mouth and pulled her away.

Even Roland narrowed his eyes.

"...A troll..."

It resembled the goblins, yet its body had evolved into something far larger and far stronger.

One of the cadets whispered,

"Impossible..."

Roland felt it.

The creature's energy wasn't merely powerful. It radiated the same sinister aura as the goblins—the same corruption, the same twisted darkness.

Then he noticed something else.

Resting comfortably upon the giant troll's enormous open palm sat a girl. She swung her legs back and forth happily as though riding a park bench, her long crimson twin ponytails dancing in the wind while her black sailor uniform remained perfectly spotless despite the destruction surrounding her.

Most unsettling of all was her impossibly wide delighted smile, framed by narrow eyes curved into cheerful crescents.

When she noticed Roland looking at her, she waved enthusiastically.

"Oh my!"

Her voice carried effortlessly across the ruined plaza.

"It's been sooo long since I've seen you wearing that suit!"

Roland immediately stepped forward, and the civilians instinctively retreated behind him.

"...Who are you?"

The girl's smile somehow widened even further.

She gently patted the troll's enormous hand.

"Awww..."

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"So serious already?"

The troll slowly lowered its hand toward the street, allowing the girl to step gracefully onto the pavement.

Her movements resembled an elegant dance rather than ordinary walking. She spun once, her skirt fluttering, then placed both hands together before her chest and gave Roland a theatrical curtsy.

"Allow me to introduce myself!"

She looked up, her delighted eyes sparkling.

"I'm..."

She spread both arms dramatically.

"Greed!"

"The cutest Witch of Sin!"

She giggled.

"Hehehehehe!"

The surrounding civilians unconsciously stepped backward. Something about her cheerful laughter made their skin crawl.

Roland never lowered his guard.

"The Witch..."

"...of Greed."

Greed nodded enthusiastically.

"That's me!"

She pointed toward the unconscious goblins scattered around the plaza.

"I also prepared today's little pre-party event!"

She clapped happily.

"Did you like it?"

Roland's expression darkened as his eyes drifted toward several injured civilians being carried away by paramedics. One elderly man was unconscious, while nearby a child cried as doctors treated a broken arm.

The smile disappeared from Roland's face.

"...You call this..."

"...a party?"

Greed blinked innocently.

"...Yes?"

Roland slowly clenched both fists.

"...You're an inhuman monster."

Silence.

Then—

Greed's smile somehow became even brighter.

"Awwww!"

She clasped both cheeks dramatically.

"I absolutely love that expression!"

She slowly skipped toward him, every movement playful and almost childlike.

"I always liked how angry you became over the silliest little things."

Roland's eyes narrowed.

"...What?"

Greed leaned forward.

"When somebody cried..."

"You got angry."

"When somebody got hurt..."

"You got angry."

"When somebody was treated unfairly..."

"You got angry."

She giggled.

"Hehehe..."

"It was always sooo easy to make you mad."

Roland stared at her.

"...Why..."

"...are you talking as though you know me?"

Greed tilted her head and smiled sweetly.

"How do you think I know?"

She answered his question with another question.

Roland remained silent.

Something about this girl unsettled him. The way she spoke, the way she laughed, even her crimson hair stirred an uncomfortable feeling inside him.

Like a memory he couldn't quite grasp.

He forced the thought aside.

Whatever she was, she was dangerous.

"...You're coming with me."

Greed blinked.

"To prison."

Roland took a step forward.

"You'll answer every question there."

Greed placed one finger against her lips.

"Hmmmmm..."

"I'd be happy to answer all your questions."

She nodded cheerfully.

"I really would."

Her smile suddenly became mischievous.

"But first..."

She pointed behind Roland.

"...You should play with my two cute little pets."

Roland's instincts screamed.

He spun around.

Too late.

A gigantic shadow already towered over him.

His eyes widened.

"A second—"

BOOOM!!

An enormous fist slammed into Roland's side, blasting him straight through the wall of a nearby office building.

Concrete exploded outward, and windows shattered across three floors as Roland crashed through multiple interior walls before finally stopping inside a destroyed conference room.

"...Ghk!"

Blood escaped the corner of his mouth as he slowly pushed himself upright.

Pain shot through his ribs.

"...Damn it..."

He burst back through the ruined wall.

Outside, two giant trolls now stood side by side. Each one was nearly identical, towering above the surrounding buildings.

Roland quickly searched for Greed.

She was gone.

Only the trolls remained.

His fists tightened.

"...Where did she go?"

The larger troll answered with a deafening roar.

Both monsters charged simultaneously.

Roland sprinted forward, driving his fist into the first troll's jaw.

BOOM!

The giant staggered backward several steps.

Roland immediately spun and drove a powerful kick into the second troll's knee.

The monster stumbled.

But it didn't fall.

Roland frowned.

"...Too durable..."

He attacked again and again. Each strike was powerful enough to demolish tanks, yet the trolls merely staggered before recovering.

Their bodies showed almost no damage.

"They're regenerating..."

Roland muttered.

One troll swung its massive arm, and Roland ducked beneath it.

The second troll was already behind him.

"...!"

Its fist connected squarely with his back.

BAAAANG!!

The Emerald Braver slammed into the pavement, and the street collapsed beneath the impact.

Pain exploded through his body.

Roland tried to stand, but his arms trembled beneath him.

"...I..."

"...can't..."

"...move..."

Both trolls slowly approached and raised their enormous fists high above their heads, ready to crush him.

Roland closed one eye.

"So..."

"...this is it..."

Suddenly—

The air grew cold.

Very cold.

Snowflakes drifted through the ruined plaza as a pale blue light spread silently across the ground.

The trolls froze.

Literally.

Ice rapidly climbed their bodies, locking their raised fists in place. Within seconds, both giant monsters had become enormous statues of crystal-clear ice.

A calm feminine voice echoed behind Roland.

"...I apologize."

"...It appears I was late."

Roland slowly turned.

Walking calmly through the falling snow was a woman clad in a pristine white Braver suit. Her short silver hair reflected the pale sunlight, and her expression remained composed as always.

The White Braver.

Yuki Horikita.