Tower of Trial – After the Second Floor Massacre
The world had barely begun to breathe again.
Cities that once echoed with explosions and screams now sat in stunned silence. The skies, once torn by monsters and gods, were finally blue again. Ten million Awakened had entered the Second Floor. Less than half had returned. And every survivor carried the weight of those they had lost.
But then...
—DING!—
> [Global System Notification]
[Initiating Final Mass Recovery Protocol...]
[All surviving Awakened will be restored to optimal condition.]
[Warning: This is the final automated recovery.]
[Future injuries must be treated through natural means, skills, or relics.]
A light surged through the air like a pulse of divinity.
Every surviving Awakener, regardless of location or condition, was struck by it. It wasn't painful—in fact, it was euphoric. Bones mended. Eyes clouded by trauma became clear. Scarred skin smoothed. Missing limbs regrew in brilliant light. Even psychological wounds—the grief, the guilt, the agony—were dulled, if only slightly.
It was a farewell gift. The System's last act of mercy.
---
[Tokyo – Kaito and Aya]
Kaito opened his eyes as the pain vanished from his ribs. His internal bleeding was gone. Even the tremors in his fingers from overusing his abilities had stilled. For the first time in days, his body felt whole.
Aya, standing nearby, looked radiant—her cuts healed, her shoulder fully restored.
"So that's it?" she asked quietly. "The last reset?"
Kaito nodded, eyes serious. "Next time, if we lose a limb, it stays lost."
Aya crossed her arms. "Then don't lose one."
Kaito smirked. "I was about to say the same to you, Miss Arrogance."
---
[New Delhi – Dev and Meera]
Meera's tears streamed freely as she watched Dev flex his fingers—his shattered arm now good as new. His chest, previously punctured by the bone spear of Zharak, looked untouched.
She grabbed his hand. "We survived... together."
Dev smiled and kissed her forehead. "And we'll stay that way."
---
[Moscow, Beijing, Rome, Karachi – Global Scenes]
The reaction was the same everywhere:
In Moscow, Anya wept silently while Dmitri lit a candle for their fallen comrades.
In Beijing, Chloe hugged Leonardo tightly, neither speaking, just feeling each other breathe.
In Vatican City, Elijah and Xenovia stood before a mass grave, offering a silent prayer.
In Karachi, Aamir raised a glass with Faisal. "To the dead—and to those stubborn enough to survive."
---
[Global News & Funerals]
Mass funerals were held across continents.
Monuments rose in every major city. Names of the fallen were etched in steel. Some cities declared months of silence. Others held week-long celebrations, honoring those who fought and fell. Governments offered lands, medals, and pensions to families of the deceased.
The world had been at war... and now it grieved.
---
[Private Top Duo Group Chat – System Interface]
> Dev: Let's take a break. We need one.
Chloe: Seconded. I haven't slept right in days.
Faisal: And Kaito needs to be monitored. His power still looks... unstable.
Meera: Why not a trip? Just us. Every duo hosts in their country.
Aya: Ohhh, I like that.
Kaito: You're all just trying to steal my snacks, admit it.
Leonardo: Starting from where?
Meera: India. I'll cook.
Chloe: China after that. Martial arts demonstration included.
Dmitri: And Russia third. If you survive our vodka, you can survive the next Floor.
They laughed—together, truly together for the first time since the chaos began.
---
[Stop 1: India – Hosted by Dev Rajan & Meera Sharma]
New Delhi, for once, was alive with joy instead of sirens.
The top duos arrived in style—teleportation gates shimmering at the airport tarmac. The Indian Government had cleared out a palace-turned-hospitality-resort just for the occasion. Locals cheered in the streets, waving flags and showering petals.
The highlight?
Meera, dressed in a dazzling saree, personally served everyone an insane ten-course meal.
Spicy curries. Creamy paneer. Fresh rotis. Sweets that melted in their mouths.
Faisal nearly cried over the biryani. Aya fought Kaito over the last gulab jamun. Dmitri tried to eat an entire chili and regretted it instantly.
"I can see the gods," he gasped.
"You mean see god?" Elijah asked.
"No. I mean all of them. At once."
They laughed. They danced. Dev even rapped in Hindi—with Leonardo beatboxing.
---
[Stop 2: China – Hosted by Chloe Wu & Leonardo Takashi]
Beijing welcomed them with precision.
The duos were taken to a hidden Shaolin temple where monks had trained since ancient times. Chloe and Leonardo gave a joint martial arts demonstration, their fluidity and teamwork mesmerizing.
Aya tried the kata. She accidentally destroyed a tree.
Kaito, unimpressed, performed a ridiculous drunken fist impression that somehow impressed the monks.
Dinner was hotpot—with Kaito accidentally cooking his shoe in the pot.
"I thought it was tofu!" he yelled as the others cried laughing.
---
[Stop 3: Russia – Hosted by Dmitri Volkov & Anya Petrova]
Moscow was a snow-covered paradise.
The cold bit into their skin, but Dmitri's vodka warmed their souls. Anya had prepared handmade fur cloaks for everyone, and they spent hours in log cabins with fireplaces, swapping war stories and playing traditional Russian games.
They even held a small snowball war.
Aya froze the entire field with a single stomp.
Kaito sat on his ice throne. "I am Snow-kage."
Dmitri tackled him into the snow.
---
[Stop 4: Pakistan – Hosted by Aamir Khan & Faisal Rana]
Lahore welcomed them with lights, music, and food that nearly ended Kaito's life again.
Faisal introduced everyone to truck art, painting Aya's sword sheath with neon wings. Aamir took them to an ancient Sufi shrine where a mystic performance moved even Kaito to silence.
At night, they danced under fairy lights on rooftops.
Aya and Meera dominated the dance floor.
Kaito just tried not to trip on his own feet.
---
[Stop 5: Japan – Hosted by Aya Shirogane & Kaito Yamada]
Back in Tokyo, Kaito prepared the final leg.
He rented an entire onsen resort deep in the mountains.
The duos bathed in hot springs, dressed in yukatas, and ate sushi under cherry blossoms—somehow blooming out of season.
Kaito looked around as they all sat around a fire, laughing and singing terribly off-key.
"I never thought I'd see this day," he muttered.
Aya glanced at him. "You didn't think you'd live?"
"No," he smiled. "I didn't think we'd laugh again."
She leaned into him. "We always will. As long as we have time."
---
[Final Scene – Mount Fuji Overlook]
The top duos stood quietly on the mountain ridge, the world spread below like a painting. Wind carried the scent of spring. Some smiled. Others simply watched the clouds drift.
Then—
—DING!—
> [SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT – GLOBAL NOTICE]
All surviving Awakened have been fully regenerated.
This marks the final use of the global recovery protocol.
No further automatic healing or regeneration will be provided.
—
The next Gate Event will appear in 27 days.
Only one country will be eligible to enter.
Failure to clear the Gate in time will result in a global punishment.
Prepare accordingly.
—SYSTEM
A long silence followed.
Then Meera took Dev's hand.
Kaito exhaled and muttered, "So much for a vacation."
Aya's lips curled into a smirk. "Let's enjoy what time we have left."
The sun rose higher—
And time ticked down.
---