The sun rose.
Light spilled into the room.
"Wake up!"
Rose's voice broke the silence.
She stepped forward—and kicked Sloth.
"…Wait," Sloth muttered.
"I'm getting up."
Rose frowned.
"No, you're not."
She stepped back—then rushed forward again, lifting her foot to kick him harder—
In an instant—
Sloth moved.
Too fast.
Gone—
Then back.
Rose froze.
Her eyes widened.
"…What?"
Sloth sat up slowly, as if nothing had happened.
"I'm awake."
Greed smiled slightly.
"Rose… are you not amazed?"
He tilted his head.
"The fastest creature in the world."
Rose said nothing.
She just stared.
The door burst open.
"Enough!"
Precious stepped in, breath slightly rushed.
"We have to go. Now."
The mood shifted instantly.
Greed stood.
Sloth stretched lazily.
They stepped outside.
The village was already awake.
Watching.
Waiting.
Today—
was the test.
Two guards grabbed them.
Without a word—
they were dragged away.
They passed through the village…
then beyond it.
To a place no one spoke of.
A low ground.
Rough.
Broken.
Filled with men.
The guards threw them forward.
"Stay alive," one said coldly.
Then they left.
Silence.
Sloth looked around lazily.
"What is this test about?"
Greed narrowed his eyes.
"I don't know."
The moment he said it—
movement.
Dozens of men stepped forward.
Fifty.
Surrounding them.
One man spoke.
"Today…"
"…you must kill all of us."
Sloth blinked.
"What?"
"You don't care about your lives?" Greed asked.
The man smiled faintly.
"We are the men of the Apple."
"Our lives…"
"…are the life of the Apple."
Silence fell again.
But this time—
it wasn't empty.
It was heavy.
Greed felt it.
That feeling.
Again.
Stronger.
Sloth sighed.
"…So we fight."
Greed stepped forward.
"No."
Sloth looked at him.
"What?"
Greed's eyes moved across the men.
"I feel it…" he said quietly.
"There are more tests waiting for us."
A pause.
"Let me deal with this."
The men laughed.
"A child thinks he can take us?"
Greed lowered his hands.
His arms relaxed.
His body… still.
Sloth watched him.
"…King of beasts," he muttered.
The men charged.
In an instant—
Greed moved.
Faster.
He leapt.
Teeth sank into flesh.
The first man fell—
his scream cut short.
Greed landed.
Spat.
"This…" he said coldly,
"…I learned from a beast."
"The King of Beasts."
Before the words finished—
he vanished.
A strike—
A body dropped.
A kick—
bone shattered.
A headbutt—
another fell.
One by one—
they went down.
Blood covered him.
Warm.
Thick.
Unfamiliar—
but not unwelcome.
Sloth watched quietly.
"…No feelings?"
Greed stopped.
For a moment.
His eyes were empty.
Cold.
"Is there a feeling meant for this?" he asked.
Above—
the Owl watched.
"…Brutality," she whispered.
Envy stepped forward slightly.
"How…?"
The Great Leader said nothing.
But for the first time—
there was something in his eyes.
Fear
Greed stood still.
Blood dripped from his hands.
He looked at them.
"…Nothing."
He tilted his head slightly.
"No joy."
A pause.
"No pain."
His eyes moved to the fallen bodies.
"So this is killing…"
He looked almost disappointed.
"I still need to understand it."