Part 1: Ashes, Eyes, and Awakenings
The skies above the First Floor battlefield bled red. Where once stood monstrous trees, molten lakes, fractured temples, and war-torn plains—now lay smoldering ruins, broken weapons, and bloodstains soaking into stone. Silence reigned. The First Floor Boss had fallen.
But at what cost?
A field of corpses littered the Tower's war zone. Over ten percent of humanity's Awakened had died in a single hour. Limbs lay mangled, faces twisted in horror, and systems flickered next to their bodies like dying stars.
And amidst the carnage, one figure lay perfectly still.
Kaito Yamada.
Cracks spiderwebbed across his face. His breathing was shallow, body scorched and broken. His right hand—once glowing with unimaginable power—now twitched weakly as if trying to hold on to reality.
Beside him, knelt Aya Shirogane—armor cracked, her lightning exhausted, face soaked in blood and tears. She cradled Kaito's head on her lap, her usual coldness shattered like glass.
"He's... still breathing," she whispered, voice trembling.
From afar, Dev Sharma and Meera Iyer approached, the Indian UR duo equally battered but alive. Dev wiped his brow. "He saved all of us."
Meera stared in disbelief at the crater left by the boss's annihilation. "No… He erased the boss. Like it never existed."
---
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT – GLOBAL]
Congratulations! The First Floor of the Tower of Trial has been cleared.
Calculating global survivor ratio... Deaths: 1,020,374 (11.4%) Survivors: 7,912,562 pairs remain.
Error compensation triggered. System stabilization in progress.
World Level Reward Distribution Initiated.
---
Across the world, every screen, hologram, and System HUD lit up simultaneously. Nations paused. Wars stopped. Even governments held their breath.
And then—on every device—the name at the top of the screen burned brighter than any other.
[Global Rankings – First Floor MVPs]
1. ??? + Aya Shirogane (UR Rank) – Kill Contribution: 100%, Boss Termination: YES
2. Dev Sharma (UR Rank) + Meera Iyer (UR Rank) – Kill Contribution: 39%, Critical Support: YES
3. Lena Morozova (SSS Rank) + Ivan Fedorov (SS Rank) – Russian Pair
4. Yuto Takahashi (SSS Rank) + Reika Sano (S Rank) – Japanese Pair
5. Carlos Mendoza (SS Rank) + Diego Alvarez (SS Rank) – Brazilian Pair
The rest of the rankings scrolled down endlessly. But all eyes were glued to Rank 1.
"Who the hell is ???," the world whispered.
---
Back in the Tower – Recovery Zone (Temp Instance Created)
The Tower shifted its space, crafting a temporary healing sanctuary for those who survived. White light bathed everything. High-level healers emerged, summoned from the System itself, stabilizing critical patients.
Kaito's body floated in a stasis pod, surrounded by glowing sigils and medical runes.
Aya sat nearby, watching, still trembling.
"I don't know what you are," she said softly. "But you're not weak. Not even close."
Dev placed a hand on her shoulder. "He's a monster in hiding. But he chose to save everyone."
Aya looked at him. "That's what scares me."
---
In a Place Beyond Reality…
Far beyond the known cosmos, beyond galaxies, dimensions, and timelines… a silent chamber existed. It was not a place—more like a thought etched into the void. There, countless beings of universal scale had gathered.
Radiant gods, shadow emperors, sentient stars, and chaotic world-dragons floated in council.
A floating pillar of light spoke. "Earth's trial sequence was altered. A system error caused a surge in early-floor difficulty. Their mortality rate exceeded acceptable limits."
A multicolored entity with ten mouths muttered, "And yet... one existence wiped a floor boss with a single thought."
A younger universe-being—shaped like a burning book—asked, "What is this 'Unknown Rank'? We never approved that."
All beings paused.
And then—a voice echoed.
It was not loud.
It was not forceful.
It was simply absolute.
"I gave that rank."
The chamber went silent.
Even time froze.
One of the oldest beings in the room, a colossal black hole crowned in white fire, suddenly dropped to one knee.
"Y-you…" it whispered, voice cracking. "It can't be. That voice—it disappeared before this multiverse was born..."
Newer entities looked at each other in confusion. "Who is it?"
The voice spoke once more.
"I'm merely watching. Do not interfere."
Then it vanished.
The space twisted. Power vacuums trembled. No one dared speak for several moments.
Then the light pillar spoke again, voice trembling. "We must compensate Earth. The error forced them into unjust trials."
"Agreed," said the burning book-being. "Let the dead be revived. Let the world be healed."
"And offer a bonus: high-grade equipment and rank evolution options for those who survived."
"And the Unknown?" someone asked.
No one replied.
---
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT – GLOBAL]
SYSTEM ERROR COMPENSATION ACTIVE.
All deceased Awakened on First Floor will be revived.
Earth's terrain, structures, and life damage from Tower activity: Restored.
Bonus Rewards:
Epic-Rank Equipment (Randomized)
Skill Refinement Tokens
Rank Advancement Ticket (Tier Limit: Up to SS)
---
Earth – 3 Days Later
Kaito hadn't awakened yet.
But the world had.
From India to Brazil, Japan to Nigeria—people began mourning and celebrating simultaneously as the dead reappeared at their homes, often confused but unharmed.
Awakened global forums exploded.
"What is ????" "Was that really the masked guy with the Queen?" "Did he kill the First Floor Boss solo?" "Why is he hiding his name?"
Aya, now guarded at the recovery chamber, stared at the ranking list again.
And whispered under her breath,
"Who the hell are you, Kaito Yamada?"
---
[End of Chapter 11 – Part 1]
---
Part 2: Rewards, Regrets, and Restarts
Three days after the cataclysmic First Floor battle, the world hadn't yet exhaled.
And neither had Aya Shirogane.
She stood beside Kaito's recovery pod in the Tower's temporary sanctuary, arms crossed, lips drawn tight, her usual sharp presence dulled by exhaustion. Despite countless high-grade healers, Kaito had yet to awaken. His vitals were stable. His injuries were healing.
But something else lingered—something beyond healing magic, regeneration potions, and system spells.
A part of him had been torn by the power he unleashed.
A power no one could define.
Even the System only registered fragments of it—labeled incomprehensibly as [Unknown Protocol. Pending Classification.]
---
[System Message – Private to All Surviving Awakeners]
Congratulations on surviving the First Floor of the Tower of Trial. You are now eligible for the following reward options. Please make your selection within 72 hours:
1. Epic Equipment Chest (Contains 1 random Epic-tier weapon or armor)
2. Skill Refinement Token (Upgrade one existing skill to advanced grade)
3. Rank Advancement Ticket (For Awakeners below SS Rank only)
Your contributions and compatibility will affect your reward potential.
---
The Recovery Zone buzzed with excitement and disbelief.
In one corner, Meera Iyer grinned, holding up a glowing silver card.
"I got the Rank Advancement Ticket!" she squealed. "I can finally hit S Rank!"
Dev chuckled beside her. "I got an Epic Staff. It's got some fire enchantment thing. Pretty wild."
"You deserve it," Meera said. "We all do."
They both turned toward the silent stasis pod in the center of the zone.
"I wish he could see it."
"He did more than all of us combined," Dev murmured. "That attack... That power. I've seen Universal-level energy signatures before, but that—"
He paused. "That wasn't power. That was a law being rewritten."
---
Back at Earth HQ – Tokyo Global Awakened Command
Military leaders, global guild representatives, and system researchers from across the world watched the Ranking List on repeat.
No update. Still the same name at the top:
??? + Aya Shirogane
"Cross-match her known missions. Any footage of this masked partner. Facial recon. Power scan. Name registry. Everything," the Japanese Prime Commander growled.
"We've tried. Whoever '???' is, they're off-grid. His identity's either being masked by the System… or he's not in the system at all."
"That's impossible."
"Apparently not," muttered the analyst.
---
Meanwhile – Inside Kaito's Mind
Kaito stood in a dark corridor. A place with no walls. No floor. Just floating lights and broken stars.
A voice whispered.
"So fragile. But still chosen."
Another voice laughed.
"He doesn't even know what he's housing."
Kaito looked up. "Where... am I?"
From the darkness, his own reflection emerged. But it wore no mask. Its eyes were bright white.
"You bent a rule that's not meant to exist," it said. "You touched reality without asking permission."
"I saved them," Kaito answered.
The reflection grinned.
"And that's why you're still alive."
Then it shattered.
---
System – Revival Operation Complete
One by one, in cities across Earth, the dead came back.
Families screamed in joy. Soldiers fell to their knees. Partners embraced.
But for those who died in pain, the trauma lingered.
In a news broadcast from Seoul:
"...many revived Awakeners retain vivid memories of their deaths. Some report mental instability. Tower officials advise therapy and soul healing rituals…"
Aya read the report and clenched her fist.
"They paid for our mistakes. They deserve better."
Behind her, Kaito's pod pulsed with a faint light.
---
Inside the Tower: Global Reward Halls – Aya's Session
When it was Aya's turn to claim her rewards, the space she entered transformed into a radiant circular chamber filled with floating panels and blue crystals.
A voice echoed:
"Aya Shirogane. UR Rank. Total Contribution: 87%. Floor Completion Bonus: 100%. Partner Unknown. MVP Classification Confirmed."
Three treasure pedestals rose.
1. [Mythic Gauntlet – Queen's Wrath]
2. [Soul Reforge: Evolve One Skill to Legendary]
3. [Invitation Token: Hidden Trial Layer]
Aya's eyes narrowed.
"I take the gauntlet."
The weapon materialized in her hand—a black-and-gold set of gloves crackling with blue lightning. As she clenched her fist, the System confirmed:
[Queen's Wrath – Bound to Aya Shirogane. Scaling with emotional synchronization. Passive: Enhance power when protecting a partner.]
Aya blinked. "Protecting a... partner?"
She turned around—but Kaito was still gone.
---
Back in the Recovery Zone
Finally, on the fourth day...
Kaito's fingers twitched.
Aya immediately stood. "Kaito?"
His eyelids fluttered. Then slowly—he opened his eyes.
The System activated instantly.
[Vital Stabilized. Neural Regeneration Complete.]
Kaito blinked at the ceiling, then groaned. "Ow. My brain hurts. Did someone hit me with a planet?"
Aya laughed—more from shock than amusement.
"You idiot," she whispered.
Kaito turned to her, dazed. "Did we win?"
She nodded.
"You saved everyone."
He frowned. "Wait. I... remember thinking really hard about the boss dying and then—"
He paused. Then squinted.
"Did I actually kill it... by thinking?"
Aya didn't answer. She just grabbed him in a fierce hug.
Kaito choked. "Aya—air... not optional...!"
She held tighter.
"Don't scare me like that again," she murmured.
Kaito blinked. Then chuckled softly.
"No promises."
---
[End of Chapter 11 – Part 2]
Part 3: The Watchers Beyond Stars
---
The scene opens not on Earth.
Not in the Tower.
Not anywhere mortal.
But in a place without space, beyond dimensions, where Time dares not whisper—only the powerful convene.
Here, they watched.
Floating thrones and radiant avatars filled the infinite plane. Each one pulsed with energy strong enough to shatter universes.
The Eternals of the Multiverse.
Entities worshipped across realms.
The First Architect of the Velnar Galaxy.
The Core Flame of the Immortal Nova.
The Time-Binder of Celesteum.
The War Saint of the Nineblood Forge.
And more…
All gathered around a floating display—a living echo of Earth's First Floor.
The playback of the battle—Kaito's final moment—replayed again and again.
The masked boy.
The shattering reality.
The boss dying without a wound.
Impossible.
Not even the System could explain it.
---
"Who is he?" one entity demanded, its voice a vibration across suns.
"There was no 'Unknown' classification in the System," another hissed, formed entirely of black fire. "How did such a rank emerge?"
"It didn't emerge." The Time-Binder narrowed his glowing eyes. "It was inserted. By something—or someone—stronger than the System itself."
"But that's absurd! Even the Origin Codex can't override the System!"
And then—it came.
The Voice.
Soft.
Low.
Timeless.
A whisper that silenced the universe.
"I gave him that rank."
The Multiversal Council froze.
Even the flames stilled.
A shadow shimmered in the shape of nothingness—just a whisper of presence.
The new entities, arrogant in their youth, recoiled. "Who speaks?"
Only one responded.
An Ancient One, who had not moved in eons, stood. He slowly dropped to his knees.
And bowed.
All gasped.
"Impossible..."
"You... you're..."
But the name was never spoken. Couldn't be.
Not with mortal tongue.
The Ancient One trembled. "You haven't spoken since the First Collapse…"
"I watched. And now I act. That child... was my decision. Earth was corrupted by a system error. Compensation must be delivered."
He paused.
"This is no longer a trial. This is history."
And with that—
He vanished.
No ripple. No sound. Just… gone.
As if he was never there.
And still, silence held.
Then, a single murmur.
"The One Who Sleeps is awake."
---
In the Void Beyond: The Debate Continues
The other entities resumed discussions in hushed awe.
"Earth experienced a Tier 4 collapse due to pairing errors. Their Awakeners faced death unfairly."
"We must offer reparation," the Core Flame declared.
"It is done," said the Forge Saint. "The dead are revived. Earth has been restored. But is it enough?"
"No," the Time-Binder replied.
"Their soul walls are cracked. Too many anomalies persist. They were forced to fight a boss meant for a Third Floor on their First. The Tower failed."
"They need more than repairs. They need protection."
"Agreed."
A cube of glowing runes emerged between them, and they all began contributing to it.
Global Gift Allocation Initiated
– Soul Stabilizers
– Weapon Upgrades
– Resource Spawn Increase
– Future Floor Difficulty Adjusted
– Special Guardian Blessing (Pending Vote)
"The Unknown must be watched."
"Or he will be feared," muttered the Core Flame.
"No," the Ancient One whispered again. "He will be needed."
---
Back on Earth – Hidden Realm: Dreaming Sky Garden
Kaito slept again. But it was not unconsciousness—it was dreaming.
This time, the dream was different.
He stood in a golden field with cracked stars in the sky.
And beside him… stood a silhouette.
No face. No name. Just presence.
It looked at him.
"You bent the first rule: Do not shape fate."
Kaito frowned. "But I didn't know I could."
"Exactly."
The being sighed.
"You're not ready, Kaito Yamada. But the world will need you again. Soon."
Kaito looked confused.
"I'm just a lazy guy who wanted to nap through all this."
The being chuckled. A sound that echoed through galaxies.
"And yet, here you are."
---
[System Notification – Private to Kaito Yamada]
You have unlocked an exclusive hidden title: [The Rulebreaker].
Effect: None. Or Everything. You Decide.
---
Back in the real world, Kaito stirred again. This time, his heartbeat echoed like thunder.
Aya, who had just returned with food, nearly dropped her tray.
"You okay?" she asked.
He looked at her. Eyes glowing faintly—just for a moment.
"Yeah," he said. "But… I think I met God."
---
End of Chapter 11 – Part 3
Part 4: Celestial Judgment and Mortal Reverence
The endless void shimmered with iridescent light as the mysterious voice disappeared, leaving behind a silence heavier than gravity. In its wake, the cosmic tribunal of universe-level entities remained frozen in reverence and fear.
The one who had kneeled, an ancient entity known across galaxies as The Chrono-Seer, trembled as he slowly rose. "It was him... The Watcher Beyond Names," he whispered to the assembly. "He hasn't spoken in eons."
"He gave the 'Unknown' rank," another gasped. "A rank even the Architect of Trials couldn't identify?"
"No wonder Earth encountered anomalies... We must offer reparations," the Aether Matron declared.
Another entity raised a hand, fingers formed of starlight. "The Awakened of Earth were subjected to a corrupted first-floor protocol—one far harder than intended. They faced death before they could even adapt."
"And yet," spoke a molten-eyed elder, "they endured."
The decree was unanimous.
System Broadcast: Universal Override
Due to an error in floor calibration, Earth Awakened faced an unintended difficulty spike.
Reparations are now authorized.
Rewards Dispensed:
All Awakeners who died on the First Floor have been revived.
Fatal injuries fully healed.
Earth's damaged terrain restored.
Bonus Equipment Crates (Tier-Adjusted) delivered to all participants.
First-Floor Clearance Rewards boosted globally.
---
Back on the first floor of the Tower of Trial, the silence was ruptured by flashes of light as bodies began to reappear—those who had fallen in agony now stood gasping, clutching their chests, and staring in awe at the system window before them.
Kaito, still unconscious, lay in Aya's arms. His body twitched, pained by the use of his Unknown-ranked power. Meera Sharma stood nearby, shielding them from any aftershock. Dev Rajan knelt beside him, placing a protective glyph on Kaito's chest.
"I don't know who he is," Dev muttered, "but he's no ordinary Awakened."
Aya gritted her teeth, eyes shimmering. "He saved all of us. And he's paying the price."
From the battlefield, Xenovia Kael and Elijah Voss slowly approached. Their elegant UR-ranked aura crackled with divine resonance.
"Earth was judged by the highest powers," Elijah said. "And it seems… Earth was blessed."
Meera glanced at the others. "This… wasn't just survival. It was a statement."
---
Global Tower Interface Update – Rankings Posted
1. Dev Rajan & Meera Sharma – UR Rank – India – Boss Kill Assist, High Synergy, Minimal Damage Taken
2. Xenovia Kael & Elijah Voss – UR Rank – Vatican – Elite Clearance
3. Leonardo Takashi & Chloe Wu – SSS Rank – Japan-China – Mass Support & Strategic Kills
4. Dmitri Volkov & Anya Petrova – SSS Rank – Russia – Brute Force Clearance
5. Aamir Khan & Faisal Rana – SSS Rank – Pakistan – High KDA Score & Zone Domination
6. Aya Shirogane & ??? – UR + Unknown – Japan – Boss Final Blow, Unknown Power Triggered
---
End of Chapter 11 – Part 4