As the red timer continued to tick down, the group instinctively drew closer together, their voices lowering despite the chaos around them.
Rita broke the silence first.
"What do you think the admin's level will be?" she asked quietly. "I mean… the system wouldn't choose just anyone, right?"
Koushik folded his arms, thinking for a moment before answering.
"If it's based purely on strength," he said slowly, "then maybe Level 5. At most Level 6. Anything higher would be… abnormal for this time."
Tim frowned. "But what if it's not just strength? What if it's compatibility with the Tower? Or some hidden condition?"
"That's what worries me," Divya said, nodding. "The Tower doesn't do things randomly. If it's willing to vest someone with administrative authority, then that person must have something special." She hesitated before adding, "Who knows what kind of power the Tower will grant them on top of their level?"
Raya clicked his tongue. "Either way, it won't be someone we want to cross."
Arjun glanced at the blinking numbers overhead, his jaw tightening.
Arjun stared at the fading seconds on the timer, an uncomfortable feeling settling in his chest.
"Yesterday, the system said the selection would be based only on level," he said slowly. "No hidden conditions. No special requirements."
He paused, his fingers curling slightly.
"But… this is the Tower," Arjun continued quietly. "Nothing here ever stays that simple."
His gaze hardened.
"So let's just hope it's nothing extreme," he added. "Someone reasonable. Someone who won't abuse whatever power they're given."
Rohit let out a quiet breath. "Hope won't matter if the Tower chose differently."
No one argued with that.
The final seconds ticked away.
3…
2…
1…
While they were still discussing among themselves, the red numbers in the air flickered.
00:00
The countdown vanished.
For a single heartbeat, the entire city fell into an unnatural silence.
Then—
[DING!]
[ANNOUNCING TOP TEN LEVELED OUTLANDERS]
Golden text exploded across the sky, vast enough for the entire domain to see.
Names began to appear, one after another.
[10. Karthik — Level 4 (70%)]
[9. Meera — Level 4 (78%)]
[8. Suresh — Level 4 (85%)]
[7. Farhan — Level 4 (92%)]
[6. Aakash — Level 4 (98%)]
Murmurs spread like wildfire.
"So many Level 4s…"
"Almost at breakthrough…"
"Are they monsters?"
The list continued.
[5. Rina — Level 5 (31%)]
[4. Aravind — Level 5 (33%)]
The atmosphere grew heavier with every name.
Then the top three appeared, glowing brighter than the rest.
[3. Anitha — Level 5 (34%)]
[2. Ram — Level 5 (47%)]
[1. Vijay — Level 5 (56%)]
The city erupted.
Shockwaves of noise rolled through the streets as both outlanders and natives stared at the sky in disbelief.
"Level… five?"
"T-three of them?"
"This early?!"
Even the native residents—those who had lived in this domain all their lives—were thrown into chaos, their expressions filled with fear and awe.
The man who had been boasting earlier stood frozen, his mouth trembling.
"L-Level 5…?" he whispered, his face drained of color.
His earlier confidence shattered completely.
Before anyone could recover—
[DING!]
The Tower spoke again.
[HIGHEST LEVEL CONFIRMED: VIJAY]
[VIJAY WILL BE GRANTED TEMPORARY ADMIN AUTHORITY]
The golden text burned itself into the sky.
A chill ran through the streets.
Temporary Admin.
Power over systems. Authority within the Tower's rules.
Some faces lit up with excitement.
Others turned pale with fear.
"Admin…?"
"Does that mean he can interfere with us?"
"What if he abuses it?"
Arjun's group stood in silence, staring upward.
Divya swallowed. "So… it really was just level."
Arjun didn't reply immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on the name at the very top.
Vijay.
Level 5.
56%.
"…Let's hope," Arjun finally said quietly, "that power doesn't change him."
But deep down, none of them believed the Tower would make things that simple.
While Arjun's group was still processing the announcement, a sudden wave of cheers erupted around them.
At first, they were confused.
The natives—people who had lived on this floor long before the outlanders arrived—were celebrating openly. Some laughed, some hugged each other, and others even dropped to their knees in relief.
"Why are they so happy?" Tim muttered, glancing around.
The outlanders exchanged puzzled looks. Weren't they the ones chosen by the Tower? Shouldn't this be their moment?
Then a native man nearby suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice trembling with emotion.
"All these years—we were trapped on this floor!"
His cry cut through the noise.
"For generations, we lived and died on this floor, never once believing we would ever reach the second floor," he cried, tears streaming down his weathered face. "But now the Tower has chosen an Admin—and that means Ascension Quests will finally begin!"
The surrounding natives froze.
Then realization struck.
"The Tower will start issuing ascension quests across the entire floor!" the man shouted.
"From now on—everyone in this Tower can climb!"
For a moment, there was stunned silence.
Then—
Cheers exploded, louder than before.
Even the outlanders were swept up in the revelation.
"Ascension… quests?" someone whispered in disbelief.
"That means we're not stuck here anymore…"
"We can go up… for real…"
Hope—raw and overwhelming—spread through the crowd.
People who had been strangers moments ago grabbed each other, laughing and shouting.
Some cried openly, unable to contain themselves. Others stared up at the Tower in silent gratitude.
Arjun felt his chest tighten.
"So that's why…" Divya murmured. "For them… this is freedom."
As the cheers reached their peak, the sky above them began to change.
Soft streams of light unfurled across the heavens, like flowing ribbons of color. Blues, purples, greens, and gold intertwined, forming a breathtaking aurora that stretched from one end of the sky to the other.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
The cheering slowly faded, replaced by stunned silence.
Everyone—natives and outlanders alike—tilted their heads upward, mesmerized by the spectacle. Children pointed excitedly. Elderly natives clasped their hands together in reverence. Some whispered prayers. Others simply watched, afraid to blink.
"…It's beautiful," Rita breathed.
Arjun felt the unease in his chest soften, if only for a moment.
Under the glowing aurora, for the first time since the Tower appeared, the world felt… hopeful.
The Tower stood silent.
But the message was clear.
The climb had truly begun.