Ronald pointed. "Is that… the red button we're supposed to press?"
At the center, a red button glowed ominously atop a stone pedestal, surrounded by black mist.
I froze. 'Red button…? That black mist…'
"Red button!" Rona dashed forward.
I yanked her back.
"Rona! What if it's a trap?!"
Isaac nodded. "She's right."
He turned to me. "Since when do you take precautions?"
I answered seriously, "Because I can see it."
"…The trap?"
"No. But I know it's dangerous."
Isaac gave me the side-eye. "Seriously?"
Just then—a boy appeared out of nowhere and slapped the red button.
FLASH.
He vanished.
"Oh no. He got to it first," Ronald said.
"Looks like it's safe." Isaac started forward.
I stopped him. "Wait."
"…What now?"
"Isn't it weird that the super efficient, stuck-up maniac hasn't announced the winner yet?"
Isaac frowned. "…Good point."
"But maybe he's waiting for all survivors to press the button?"
I shook my head. "No. Something's off. Trust me."
Isaac groaned. "If that's not the end goal, then what is?!"
"…I don't know."
"YOU, POOPBRAIN!" he yelled, strangling me.
I grabbed his collar and choked him back. "LISTEN TO ME, DWARF!"
On the other hand, Rona caught a bird and stared at it curiously. "Birdie! Food?"
Without hesitation, she tore the bag tied to its leg and tossed it aside like trash.
Food? Here?
Ronald's eyes widened in horror. "No. Rona. That's not food!" He lunged toward her, but—
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
Isaac and I both froze.
A chill ran down my spine. That sound—
We turned slowly.
Sticking out of Rona's mouth was a twitching bird's leg.
My hands instinctively released Isaac, and he shot toward Rona. "Spit that bird out!"
But she just frowned and shook her head.
Isaac tried choking her. Desperate times, desperate measures.
But it was too late.
Gulp.
Rona beamed like a child who had finished her vegetables. "Yummy birdie."
Isaac spun on Ronald with fire in his voice. "Why didn't you stop her?!"
"I tried," Ronald muttered, trembling. "But Rona is too strong for me…"
"How can she be stronger than you? You're twice her size!"
"When Rona is hungry, nothing can stop Rona," she said proudly.
Disgust crawled over my skin. I backed away, choosing to focus on the strange bag she'd tossed aside. "What's that thing Rona was holding?"
Rona raised it like a trophy. "Rona doesn't know. It was tied to the bird. But Rona knows this isn't edible."
"At least she knows some things aren't edible…" I edged closer and poked at the bag. "Feels hard. Definitely not a slime or worm."
Isaac snatched it from my hands. "Give me that." He inspected it, cautiously opened it, and flinched.
Nothing jumped out.
Ronald exhaled like he'd been holding his breath for hours.
We peered inside.
"...Huh? Another red button?" I pulled it out. "What's with their obsession with red buttons?"
"I don't know anything anymore. So, do we press this?" Isaac sighed, exhausted, handing over the decision-making to me.
I didn't feel anything ominous. No cold sweat. No pressure in the air.
"I don't sense anything bad. I guess it's safe."
I looked at the others.
"Press it together?"
"Together!" Rona jumped.
We nodded.
Click.
Light swallowed us whole.
The only thing I could think of?
I might go blind at this rate. Haiz…
The roar of a stadium thundered around us.
"WINNER! WINNER! WINNER!"
My eyes fluttered open, and a tidal wave of sound greeted me. Cheers. Screams. Lights flashing above.
A crowd—ten times the size of the one in the first game—stood on their feet, applauding us.
I turned. Isaac. Rona. Ronald. All beside me.
A breath I hadn't known I was holding slipped out.
"My, my, my. Would you look at that? We finally have our winner."
The voice froze our blood.
We turned.
Mr. James stood, smiling, his hands clasped like a proud teacher on graduation day.
"Is it another hologram?" Isaac murmured.
"But there's four?" Mr. James tilted his head. "Oh dear. There can only be one winner. What do we do? What do we do?"
He feigned panic, then straightened like a marionette coming to life. "But most importantly… welcome back, four little bunnies."
My chest tightened. "What happened to the rest of them?"
"Dead."
Ronald's knees buckled. "C-Could it be the huge r-red button was a t-t-trap?"
"Yes, my bunnies," Mr. James said, tears mockingly dripping from his eyes. "I wonder who suggested such a cruel and vicious trap?"
"No doubt it's you," Isaac replied without missing a beat.
Mr. James ignored him. "When you four bunnies saw and wanted to press the big trap red button, I was so… worried. But when you four found the right one, I was so di-delighted."
"You wanted to say disappointed," Isaac muttered.
Mr. James's eye twitched.
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"No."
Rona raised her hand like she was in kindergarten. "Rona thinks so too."
"You see? Even Rona knows. You're bad at lying." Isaac huffed.
"Pfft… I have no idea what you're all saying, so carry on." Mr. James waved them off like mosquitoes.
"In denial old man," Isaac scoffed.
I froze. 'Oh no. Please no.'
Mr. James's smile didn't falter, but his eyebrow twitched.
I clamped my hand over Isaac's mouth.
"What are you doing? Hands off. Your hands are dirty and full of harmful bacteria."
"Shut up! I'm saving your ass. Do you want him to kill you?"
Isaac gave me a bewildered look. "Why me? He hates you the most."
"Hello? I only burnt Monica to ashes. You disintegrated Mr. Looney. And now you insulted him. You're topping the leaderboard of hate right now."
"I'm just stating facts."
...Oui. He's beyond saving.
I didn't let go.
Mr. James tapped his mic.
"Test. Test. One, two, three. This is a mic test."
We all huddled together.
"This is the end for us," I whispered.
"I love you all. If this is it… see you in the next life," I said.
"Rona agrees."
"Me too."
Isaac grumbled. "I. HATE. GROUP. HUGS."
Mr. James's voice boomed again, this time with energy.
"Well, my beloved audience! We have a wonderful surprise! Apparently, the Grand Master has been watching this year's Grand Maze!"
The crowd fell into a hush.
Mr. James spread his arms. "Moved by their teamwork, friendship, and perseverance, the Grand Master has declared—all four bunnies are winners!"
The stadium erupted.
Screams. Fireworks. Spotlights. Music exploded from nowhere. A literal storm of confetti rained down.
We stood stunned as a spotlight bathed each of us.
Mr. James stepped forward, guiding us with a smile too calm for comfort.
"Congratulations. Go claim your wish coin."
Before us, four golden coins shimmered.
One for each of us.
My hand trembled as I reached out. A wish.
Can I… really bring Ma back?
Would she want that?
Isaac placed a hand on my shoulder.
"You okay?"
I stared at his coin. "I-I don't know. What about you?"
Isaac lifted his coin, light dancing on its surface.
"I'm satisfied with what I have."
I blinked. "Really?"
"It's rude to wish for the dead to return. Instead, we should honor the memories and keep moving forward. They're with us—always." He placed a hand over his heart.
I smiled.
"Yeah… you're right. Even if I can't see Ma, I know she's here. That's enough."
I turned to Rona and Ronald, still holding their coins.
"Promise you'll stay with me?"
"Forever!" Rona said immediately.
"Me too," Ronald nodded.
I looked at Isaac.
Isaac smiled at me. "Even though being with you is a complete hassle... it was fun. So, I don't mind if you stick around."
I chuckled. "No taking that back. I'm a walking disaster, ya know?."
We turned toward Mr. James and handed the wish coins back.
He raised an eyebrow, amused. "This is the first time winners refused their wish coins. How bizarre."
He clutched the coins and tossed them skyward.
They shattered into golden dust.
A sudden wave of exhaustion crashed over us. My knees buckled. My vision swam.
The fatigue… It's finally catching up…
My eyes fluttered shut.
But before I collapsed completely—
Mr. James's voice echoed like a whisper through fog as my consciousness teetered on the edge.
"Congratulations once again," he said, his tone laced with an unsettling warmth. "But let me be clear—this isn't the end for you."
His words pierced through the ringing in my ears.
"This… is only the beginning."
Then came the smile.
Wider.
Deeper.
Like a crack splitting across his face.
And then, he pointed.
At me.
"Especially for you… the pawn."
A chill ran down my spine.
The world lurched. The floor disappeared.
And everything dissolved into black.