Chapter 25— A Shopping Date

The moment the three Witches entered the shopping mall, people stared. Their appearances were impossible to ignore. Greed happily skipped through the entrance, her long crimson twin ponytails swaying behind her as her black sailor uniform and red ribbon bounced with every step. Wrath walked beside her with both hands buried inside the pockets of her black hoodie with pink trim, her long messy black hair streaked with dark pink framing her permanently irritated expression and single visible crimson eye. Behind them shuffled Sloth, her short green bob hanging around her tired face as her mismatched emerald and golden star-pupiled eyes remained lowered, nearly disappearing inside the sleeves of her oversized black sweater.

For a few seconds, nobody seemed to understand what they were looking at. Some shoppers slowed down, while others pulled out their phones, assuming the strangely dressed girls were performers promoting some kind of event. A few even began taking pictures.

Several shoppers whispered.

"...Cosplayers? Is there some kind of event today?"

One father walking beside his wife and young daughter looked directly at Greed. His face slowly lost all color.

"I... I know her..."

His trembling finger pointed toward her.

"That's Greed!"

Before anyone could react, a tiny black goblin leapt from Greed's shadow and landed on the man's face.

"Aaaah!!"

Panic erupted as dozens, then hundreds, of glossy black goblins poured from Greed's shadow and scattered throughout the shopping mall. People screamed and ran in every direction, children cried, and store alarms began ringing as security guards rushed toward the entrance.

Tables were knocked over as families desperately pushed toward the exits. Shopping bags, phones, and drinks were abandoned across the floor while the goblins happily chased after anyone unfortunate enough to fall behind. Within seconds, the peaceful afternoon had transformed into complete chaos.

Completely ignoring the chaos around them, the three Witches continued walking at an unhurried pace. Greed happily clasped her hands together.

"Hehehe! Isn't this wonderful? Three lovely girls going shopping together! And afterward, we can eat lots of sweet treats!"

Wrath looked around with visible disgust.

"...This place reeks of humans. I want to burn the entire building... with everyone inside."

Sloth slowly shook her head and looked toward the fleeing civilians.

"...That..."

"...would be..."

"...too cruel..."

"...Turn them..."

"...into puppets..."

"...first..."

Greed smiled brightly.

"I knew Darling♥ and Sloth would have wonderful ideas!"

Stolen from NovelPhoenix, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

The three stepped onto the escalator while panic continued spreading across every floor. Security personnel attempted to stop the goblins, but their efforts were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of creatures.

Greed casually waved at several terrified people running past the escalator, behaving as though she were simply greeting strangers during an ordinary shopping trip. Wrath didn't even bother looking at them, while Sloth quietly lowered her head whenever someone screamed nearby.

Greed suddenly stopped.

"Oh! A café!"

She pointed excitedly before walking inside without hesitation. Two frightened employees stood frozen behind the counter as Greed smiled politely at them.

"Excuse me! Three milkshakes, please!"

Neither employee moved. They were too terrified to answer. Greed tilted her head.

"Oh dear..."

She looked toward Sloth.

"Would you mind helping them become a little more obedient?"

Sloth sighed heavily.

"...Always..."

"...making me..."

"...work..."

Black tendrils slowly emerged from beneath her oversized sleeves and wrapped around both employees. Within moments, the struggling figures stiffened, their skin became polished wood, and their movements became mechanical. Without saying a word, the wooden puppets calmly began preparing three milkshakes.

Sloth watched them for a moment before quietly pulling her sleeves over her hands again, almost as if what she had just done required more effort than she was willing to give.

Greed clapped happily.

"Thank you!"

She turned toward Wrath.

"Darling♥! Would you choose a table for us?"

"Tch."

Wrath clicked her tongue in irritation as she looked around. She ignored the many empty tables. Instead, she stopped beside one occupied by a terrified man. He looked up at her in horror.

"...P-Please..."

Without a word, Wrath grabbed him by the collar and hurled him through the nearby window.

"Gyaaaa!"

Glass exploded outward as the man's scream disappeared into the chaos below.

Wrath calmly sat down, crossed her arms, placed both feet on the table, and stared directly at Greed.

"...Enough. What's the plan?"

Greed sat across from her with an affectionate smile.

"Oh, Darling♥. There's no need to rush. We should enjoy this date first."

She leaned across the table, her eyes sparkling and her lips puckered. Wrath responded by kicking her squarely in the face, sending Greed tumbling backward onto the floor.

"Kyuu!..."

She made an oddly pitiful sound as Sloth flinched. Wrath's expression never changed.

"...Five seconds. Tell me the plan... or I'll break your skull."

Greed simply giggled.

"Hehehe... You flirt in such a rough way, Darling♥."

She pulled a tablet from beneath her uniform. The screen displayed Gero Sullivan's announcement introducing the Next Generation Bravers. Greed held it so Wrath and Sloth could both see.

"If humanity mass-produces Braver technology... that would become troublesome."

Her delighted smile slowly widened.

"So... our first priority is making absolutely sure that never happens."

CRACK.

Greed crushed the tablet in both hands, scattering plastic fragments across the table. Her smile somehow grew even wider.

Wrath looked at the broken remains.

"...Then why don't we just walk into headquarters and kill Gero?"

Greed stood and began twirling happily around the café.

"This time... humans are much more prepared. It'll be far more enjoyable if we lure them out instead."

She spun again.

"And besides..."

She laughed.

"Wouldn't it be much more fun to fight them... surrounded by innocent people?"

Wrath's irritated expression remained unchanged. Behind them, the wooden puppets quietly placed three milkshakes onto the table.

Sloth hesitated before speaking.

"...What..."

"...about..."

"...Gluttony...?"

"...We still..."

"...need..."

"...a host..."

Greed nodded enthusiastically.

"We'll do both!"

She smiled at Sloth.

"And actually... I have a very special job just for you."

Sloth's shoulders immediately slumped.

"...Why..."

"...is it..."

"...always..."

"...me...?"

Greed only laughed.

"Hehehe! Because you're adorable!"

Outside the café, people continued fleeing toward every exit. Then thick black tendrils began spreading across the walls of the shopping mall. They crept over windows, wrapped around pillars, and covered the ceiling until the entire building slowly disappeared beneath a living web of black.

Police officers and emergency vehicles were already beginning to gather around the building. None of them dared approach as the unnatural darkness continued spreading across the mall's exterior. Through the remaining uncovered windows, desperate civilians could still be seen pounding against the glass.

Terrified civilians could only watch as the mall was swallowed by darkness.