By the time everyone regrouped, the park had gone strangely quiet. All they were doing was waiting until Mimi showed up. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Mina was sitting near the broken fountain with her twin sister in her lap, while Hana hovered nearby with [Basic Heal] still glowing weakly in her hands.

Vivian stood a little farther away, dusting bits of concrete from her jacket as she stared at the ruined park, which was now even more devastated after the fight.

Jin sat on the edge of a cracked planter, staring at the ground while looking at the green Card in his hand.

Everyone was alive. Well, almost everyone.

Deon looked away first and opened the Leaderboard.

[Leaderboard]

[1. Deon Day — 371 Points]

[2. Levi Knox — 284 Points]

[3. Mira Solenne — 238 Points]

It was the third time he’d opened it already. If it had been a few hours ago, seeing himself above Levi Knox would have been enough to make him smile from ear to ear.

Three hundred seventy-one Points.

It made sense. He had gambled everything, killing a Stage boss in one shot, completed the Viewer contract, and gotten the Flag Bearer bonus as well.

Even then, Levi was still just 87 Points away from him. On paper, it was a lot of Points, almost nine Infantry’s worth.

That bastard’s still way too close. And worse...I have no idea if he had already spent his Points on something else.

He closed the Leaderboard before the thought could annoy him any further. Only then did his gaze drop to the Card in his hand.

[Fire Axe]

Deon had accidentally seen it in the wreckage of Zone M-4 and picked it up. For a while, he only stared at it before walking over to Jin.

The boy looked up immediately. "Something up?"

Deon held the Card out.

Jin blinked. "What’s this?"

"[Fire Axe]."

"I know that," the boy frowned. "I mean...why are you giving it to me?"

"Just a gut feeling."

"Then shouldn’t you keep it?" Jin said softly, though he couldn’t take his eyes off the Card.

"I don’t use axes," Deon shrugged. "I’ve already got [Blade]. So Ryker’d probably be pissed if his Card just sat around in my pocket, collecting dust."

Jin’s eyebrows furrowed before he slowly reached out and took the Card. The moment his fingers closed around it, gray light enveloped his hand, almost like the Card was confirming a new user.

Was that...? Whatever, probably just my imagination.

Before he could think about it any longer, a burst of confetti exploded above the broken fountain.

"Helloooo, surviving contestants!"

Mimi spun into existence above them, ribbon-like ears fluttering as its golden microphone appeared in its tiny hands. The porcelain smile on its face looked just as cheerful as ever.

"Congratulations! The First Game has officially, completely, wonderfully concluded!"

...

"Aww, tough crowd! Mimi understands. Exhaustion, survivor’s guilt, emotional trauma, minor blood loss, and major blood loss can really ruin the mood..."

Hana’s hand tightened around [Basic Heal]. "What happens now? Can we...go home?"

"Excellent question!"

Mimi lifted its microphone as several blue screens appeared across the ruined sky.

[Game 1 — Musical Chairs has concluded.]

[Exit Portals have been scattered across District 4.]

[All surviving contestants may proceed to the nearest Exit Portal.]

Vivian’s eyes narrowed. "Exit?"

"That’s right!" Mimi chirped. "Upon reaching an Exit Portal, each contestant will be given a very simple, very generous, very legally binding choice!"

"You can either continue playing..." Mimi said, nodding dramatically. "Or return home!"

Everyone’s head snapped up at the mention of the latter option, but before anyone could say anything...

"Though contestants should hurry! Exit Portals are very expensive to maintain!"

[Time Until Portal Collapse: 05:00]

[04:59]

[04:58]

Mimi spun once in the air. "So run, run, run! Whether you wish to leave the stage or chase the miracle further..."

"Please make your choice before the opportunity disappears forever!"

Then, just like that, Mimi vanished in another burst of confetti.

"..."

Hana swallowed. "We can...go home?"

Nobody answered her. Because the moment she said it out loud, the entire group seemed to realize the same thing. This might have been the first honest choice the Miracle Royale had given them. Or the cruelest trap yet.

Deon clicked his tongue and forced himself to stand.

"Move first," he said. "Think while running."

Hana looked at him. "Deon—"

"Five minutes," he cut in, already turning toward the street. "If this is real and we stand here arguing, we lose the option either way."

Above the ruined city, a few pillars of light rose into the sky, waiting...and already beginning to fade.

Deon ran at the front with his katana already in hand, legs still aching but he forced them to move regardless. Everyone else followed him from behind, frantically moving despite the exhaustion.

[Time Until Portal Collapse: 04:13]

[04:12]

[04:11]

"Why are there still monsters?!" Jin shouted.

A Ruined Hound crawled out from the remains of an overturned bus, its eyes instantly locking into their group. Deon cut it down without stopping as the Hound lunged. Yet even as the panel confirmed his kill, he couldn’t even spare a glance at it.

There was no time.

More shapes started to emerge, Hounds mostly, but further down the street, a group of Infantry was approaching.

Vivian clicked her tongue from behind him. "Left!"

"I know!"

[03:42]

For some reason, seeing the timer made his chest tighten more than the monsters did.

Return home or continue playing. They were two simple options. So why the hell couldn’t his brain pick one?

Home...what the hell was waiting for me back there?

Deon jumped over a fallen motorcycle and landed badly, pain sparking through his knee. But he continued regardless.

Maybe I can wake up tomorrow, and everything’d be just a dream. All this death and destruction...

But even if I did go home, what would change?

The world outside the Miracle Royale had already decided what he was worth. It had already shoved him down and laughed at him before moving on to the next trending thing.

Out there, Deon Day was finished.

In here?

His eyes flicked toward the corner of his vision, where the chat continued to scroll even while he ran.

[ClownWithWifi: RUN BRO RUNNNN]

[ChairGoblin_22: portal speedrun any%]

Even with all the death, destruction, and despair, his efforts were being recognized. Deon didn’t want to say it, but...he was good at this kind of thing.

And at the end of all of this, there was still a wish. A Miracle that could change anything.

The choice was all too obvious.