To Catch The Witch, Be The Witch

Time Remaining: 00:17:12

The school was death-silent.

Nobu had bled out in the hall.

Killed in the dark.

One more mistake, and the Witch would win.

Only four remained.

– Sora

– Rin

– Matthew

– And one suspect

Matthew's breath fogged in the cold.

He leaned close to Sora, whispering:

"I'm going to lie again. But this time… I'll pretend I'm the Witch."

Sora's eyes narrowed. "She'll kill you."

Matthew smiled. "Not if I get her first."

***

He stood in the open courtyard.

Voice calm. Confident.

"Alright," he said loudly. "I've had enough."

The three others turned.

"I killed the first player. I was the Witch all along."

The words echoed.

No one moved.

"You're all too late. None of you figured it out."

He pulled a bloodied shard from his sleeve—coated in Nobu's blood. Planted. Intentional.

Rin stepped forward, fury in her eyes. "You're bluffing."

Matthew shrugged. "Maybe."

Sora played her role.

"Then vote for him. End it now."

But her voice shook—just enough to sell the lie.

That's when Kaede—the woman in white—moved.

Too fast.

Too sharp.

A knife pulled from her boot.

Not hesitation. Not fear.

Reflex.

"You're not taking this from me."

She lunged—not for Matthew.

For Rin.

The lie had worked.

The real Witch couldn't allow anyone else to steal her kill.

That meant only one thing:

Kaede was the Witch.

Matthew dropped the act and tackled her mid-strike.

The three crashed into the concrete, knife scattering.

"NOW!" he roared.

Rin pressed the vote sensor—hand bleeding.

Sora's finger slammed hers.

Kaede writhed, eyes wide.

"No. No, it wasn't supposed to be—"

The system voice returned.

Calm. Final.

VOTE REGISTERED. WITCH IDENTIFIED. EXECUTION PROTOCOL TRIGGERED.

Kaede screamed—

Then froze mid-breath.

Her body cracked with light.

And exploded into ash.

Game Complete. Heart Game Cleared.

The courtyard dissolved.

The players were left in a gray loading space.

Rin sank to her knees.

Sora pressed a hand to Matthew's shoulder.

"That lie was suicide."

"No," Matthew said, eyes still locked on the air where Kaede vanished.

"It was the truth—dressed in just enough fear."