Chapter 36 — The Government’s Decision

After the failed assault at the shopping mall, the government had done everything in its power to suppress the truth.

The deaths of the Next Generation Bravers had not yet been officially announced to the public. Neither had the disappearance of another of the original Bravers, Saki Nidou, the Yellow Braver.

Official reports remained vague. News stations had been instructed to report that the operation was still under investigation, while military officials refused to answer questions regarding casualties. But behind closed doors, there was no hiding the severity of what had happened.

Deep inside one of the Global State Defense's most heavily protected military command centers, an emergency meeting had been called. A massive circular table occupied the center of the room. Around it sat some of the world's most distinguished generals and military commanders.

Among them was a man in his sixties with neatly combed gray hair and a stern expression.

General Horikita.

Seated beside him was a handsome young man with blue hair, dressed in a formal blue suit, a black shirt, and a matching blue tie.

Endou Tachibana, the Blue Braver.

Beside Endou sat a young woman with short, silver-white hair, wearing a formal black suit, a black shirt, and a white tie.

Yuki Horikita, the White Braver and General Horikita's daughter.

At the head of the table stood a middle-aged man: the President of the Global State Defense. His expression was composed, but the gravity of the situation was unmistakable.

Everyone inside the room had already read the reports. They knew how the operation had ended. They knew how many soldiers had been lost. And they knew what had happened to the Next Generation Bravers and Saki Nidou.

Yet the President understood that certain things needed to be spoken aloud.

He folded his hands in front of him.

"General Horikita."

He turned toward the general, who raised his eyes to meet the President's gaze.

"Tell us everything we have confirmed regarding the Witches of Sin."

For several seconds, General Horikita remained silent. Then he rose from his chair.

"Based on the information gathered from every confrontation up to this point, we have reached a conclusion."

A holographic projection appeared above the center of the table.

The first image materialized.

A girl with long crimson twin ponytails, narrow, delighted crimson eyes, and an impossibly wide smile. She wore a black sailor-style uniform with a dark red collar and a matching ribbon.

Greed.

Beside her appeared another image.

A taller girl with long, messy black hair streaked with dark pink. Her only visible eye glowed crimson, and her expression radiated irritation and hostility. She wore a black hoodie trimmed with pink, a pink plaid skirt and tie, torn stockings, and dark boots. A chain hung from her waist.

Wrath.

A third hologram appeared.

A short girl with a bright green bob haircut, one emerald-green eye and one golden eye bearing a star-shaped pupil. She wore an oversized black sweater with long sleeves, a white collar, a green ribbon, and a short black skirt. Her timid expression and hunched posture made her look almost painfully uncomfortable.

Sloth.

Finally, the fourth projection emerged.

A girl with long blonde hair tied into a high ponytail, bright golden eyes, and an unnervingly hungry grin that exposed rows of sharp, triangular teeth. Her expression was wild and feverish, as though she were struggling to contain an insatiable appetite. She wore a yellow sailor-style uniform with a white collar and a red ribbon, complemented by yellow gloves and boots decorated with yellow patterns.

Gluttony.

At the sight of Gluttony's image, Yuki's expression faltered. Her fingers tightened around the edge of the table as she stared at the familiar face of the girl who had once been Saki. For a moment, she couldn't bring herself to look at the hologram.

The four images slowly rotated above the table. General Horikita's voice grew heavier.

"The four currently identified Witches of Sin... are the four missing Bravers."

Silence filled the room. No one moved. No one spoke.

Then—

BANG!

One of the generals slammed his palm against the table.

"Are we really expected to believe this nonsense?!"

Several heads turned toward him. His breathing was agitated, and his face had reddened with disbelief.

"The Bravers saved this world! They fought King Cosmos! And now you're telling us they suddenly transformed into monsters resembling young girls and turned against humanity?!"

Although his words were skeptical, the expressions around the table made one thing clear. He wasn't the only one struggling to accept the truth.

Endou finally spoke.

"It's true."

Everyone turned toward him. His expression remained calm, but his eyes were serious.

"I confirmed it myself when I faced Wrath. There was no mistake."

He paused briefly.

"It was Sakura."

The room fell silent again. There was little anyone could say against his testimony. Endou had fought alongside the original Bravers. If anyone could recognize them, it was him and Yuki.

One commander slowly leaned back in his chair.

"Then this confirms it."

His eyes moved toward the four holograms.

"The Bravers have betrayed humanity."

"No!"

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Yuki's voice cut through the chamber. Everyone turned toward her.

"Our companions would never willingly betray us!"

The commander narrowed his eyes.

"My apologies, Colonel Horikita, but I imagine the families of the thousands of victims would strongly disagree with you."

Yuki immediately stood, her chair scraping backward across the floor. Her expression remained controlled, but the anger in her eyes was unmistakable. Her father noticed it. So did Endou.

Before she could respond, Endou gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Yuki glanced at him. After a brief hesitation, she slowly sat back down.

Endou then turned toward the officials.

"I don't believe what happened to them was voluntary."

The President leaned forward.

"Explain."

"Their bodies have been altered by an unknown, corrupted energy. Their minds also appear to have been affected."

"Mind control?"

Endou closed his eyes momentarily before shaking his head.

"No."

He opened them again.

"I don't think it's that simple."

The holograms continued rotating above the table.

"It feels more like their personalities have been twisted. Something is taking whatever darkness already existed inside their hearts and amplifying it until it consumes everything else."

His gaze settled on the holograms of the Witches who had once been his friends.

"At least... that's my theory based on my encounter with Wrath."

The President remained silent for several seconds. Then he touched the console in front of him. The holograms changed.

Footage from several cities appeared throughout the chamber. People screamed as they fled through crowded streets. Black goblins poured through intersections, while soldiers fired desperately into enormous swarms.

Another recording showed wooden puppets armed with blades chasing civilians through an urban district as military vehicles struggled to contain them.

The President spoke.

"Since the mall incident, attacks have been reported across multiple districts and several cities."

One general studied the recordings.

"The attacks appear random."

Another video showed goblins smashing storefronts and attacking anyone unfortunate enough to cross their paths.

"The creatures don't seem to have specific targets. They simply attack everything in sight."

Endou frowned.

"Don't underestimate Greed."

The general turned toward him.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because creating chaos as a distraction seems to be one of her preferred strategies."

Endou crossed his arms.

"She attacks one area, forces us to divide our forces, and uses the confusion to divert our attention from her real objective."

"So you believe these attacks are distractions?"

Endou remained silent for a moment before answering.

"Greed most likely possesses Taichi's memories. Despite being only sixteen, he was the leader of the Bravers. He wasn't just the strongest among us. He was also an exceptional tactician, particularly when it came to military strategy. Even during our war against the invaders, he consistently demonstrated his strategic abilities."

His expression darkened as an image of a red-haired boy with a bright smile surfaced in his mind. His best friend.

"Underestimating those abilities would be a serious mistake."

Another general leaned forward.

"Then perhaps we should stop treating this as a conventional military conflict."

Everyone looked toward him. He spoke without hesitation.

"We should consider using nuclear weapons."

Yuki's eyes narrowed.

"I wouldn't recommend that."

The general turned toward her.

"Why not?"

Yuki met his gaze.

"People could be caught in the attacks. Thousands could die."

The general paused, his expression remaining cold as he spoke again.

"But if the safety of the entire world is at stake, those casualties might still be the lesser sacrifice."

Yuki's expression hardened. The general continued.

"Do not allow your emotions to cloud your judgment simply because these Witches were once your companions."

"My recommendation has nothing to do with emotion."

Yuki replied immediately. She raised two fingers.

"There are two reasons nuclear weapons would be unreliable."

The general remained silent.

"First, we don't know where the Witches are."

She lowered one finger.

"And second... they appear capable of teleportation."

General Horikita nodded in agreement.

"My daughter is correct."

He looked around the table.

"If the Witches can teleport themselves from one location to another, they could escape before a nuclear weapon ever reached them."

He looked at everyone, wanting to make sure they understood the risk.

"We could end up destroying our own cities without even knowing whether we had harmed the enemy."

That silenced the argument. Another commander spoke up.

"What about Dr. Gero Sullivan?"

A new hologram displayed Gero's photograph.

General Horikita answered immediately.

"Responsibility for the failed assault at the mall ultimately fell on him. He has already been removed from his command position."

He tapped the table.

"However, despite the failure of the operation, his technology proved useful."

The President nodded.

"The government has approved additional funding."

Several schematics appeared in the air, displaying mechanized armor and new models of conventional Stellar Energy weapons.

"Dr. Sullivan has been ordered to continue development and begin mass production of combat armor capable of weaponizing Stellar Energy."

Another general leaned back in his chair.

"Which brings us to another problem."

His eyes moved toward Endou and Yuki.

"The remaining Bravers."

The atmosphere shifted.

"Greed has already demonstrated an interest in corrupting the original Bravers."

Another official nodded.

"Endou Tachibana, Yuki Horikita, and Ryuen Shimada."

He looked toward the President.

"They remain extraordinary military assets... but we cannot afford to provide the enemy with additional Witches."

He placed both hands on the table.

"I recommend removing all three from active operations and placing them inside heavily secured facilities."

Yuki stared at him.

"So you want us to sit somewhere and wait while everyone else fights?"

Her voice remained calm, but the anger behind her words was unmistakable.

General Horikita, her father, spoke before anyone could respond.

"I agree that the remaining Bravers must be protected at all costs."

Yuki turned toward him as he continued speaking.

"However... they also possess the original Stellar Energy technology created by Dr. Willow."

Several generals exchanged glances.

"Their experience may become essential during a final confrontation."

He gestured toward Endou and Yuki.

"My recommendation is that Endou and Yuki remain at secure military facilities while assisting with our preparations."

He then turned toward the armor schematics.

"Meanwhile, Dr. Sullivan will continue mass-producing Stellar Energy technology."

For the first time during the meeting, there appeared to be something resembling agreement. Even Endou nodded, and Yuki reluctantly did the same.

Then one officer asked the obvious question.

"And Ryuen Shimada?"

General Horikita let out a slight sigh before answering.

"Unfortunately... Ryuen has refused all cooperation with the government."

"What?!"

One commander slammed his fist against the table.

"That's outrageous! He should be brought before a military court! If necessary, apprehend him by force!"

General Horikita shook his head.

"That would create an unnecessary conflict."

The room quieted as General Horikita continued.

"If Greed is actively searching for opportunities to confront the remaining Bravers, initiating a battle with Ryuen ourselves could give her exactly what she wants."

He folded his arms.

"For now... we have no choice but to allow Ryuen to operate independently."

The President slowly rose from his chair. Everyone turned toward him.

"I appreciate everyone's recommendations."

His gaze moved across the room.

"Today, we lost valuable soldiers."

Then he looked toward the holograms of Greed, Wrath, Sloth, and Gluttony.

"And we discovered that some of humanity's greatest heroes have become its greatest threat."

He straightened his posture.

"But understand this."

His voice echoed throughout the chamber.

"No matter the cost... we will protect humanity."

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At the same time...

Far away from the military command center, Dr. Gero Sullivan sat calmly in his luxurious apartment.

Or rather—

He was desperately trying to remain calm.

Sweat poured down his forehead. His hands trembled uncontrollably, and his face had become almost completely pale.

"...S-Such a surprise..."

His eyes darted toward the unexpected visitors occupying his living room.

"P-Please... tell me what I can do for you..."

"Hehehehe!"

A cheerful giggle filled the apartment.

Greed sat comfortably on the sofa, holding a cup of tea delicately between both hands. Her long crimson twin ponytails rested behind her, and her delighted crimson eyes remained fixed on Gero.

"Awww... Don't be so stiff, Mr. Gero. We've known each other from waaay back!"

Right next to her, Wrath sat with her arms crossed and both boots resting shamelessly on the coffee table. Her crimson eye glared at Gero with its usual irritated intensity.

On the other side of the sofa, Sloth sat quietly near the edge of the cushion. She avoided eye contact, her shoulders hunched as she carefully held a cup of tea between her trembling hands.

And behind the three, in Gero's kitchen—

"Eaaaaaaat!"

Gluttony was attempting to eat a piece of bread... There was just one problem. The bread was still attached to the toaster.

CRUNCH!

Gluttony's jaws snapped shut. Half the toaster disappeared into her mouth.

CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

Her sharp, triangular teeth tore through the metal casing as effortlessly as if it were a piece of crispy toast. The electrical cord dangled helplessly from her lips, but Gluttony barely seemed to notice.

For a moment, the apartment fell silent. Gero's gaze slowly shifted toward Greed. She tilted her head, clearly amused by his frightened expression.

"Your old besties are here to do some business with you."

Gero swallowed hard. Greed carefully set her cup aside. Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly, and her smile stretched wider.

"Now... let's talk."