[DING!]
[Earth is being divided into 1000 domains (tire-0)]
[Complete the first 10 floors of the tower to be eligible to upgrade the tower]
[The highest-level lifeform within the domain will be the master of the tower until the 10th floor is conquered.]
[The abyss is encroaching on the domain.]
[Upgrade the tower or pour resources into the tower to extend the time of the barrier]
[Entering the Tower in 24 hours]
There is a timer appeared in everyone's vision after the announcement.
[DING!]
[YOU HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO DOMAIN 157]
The message lingered in the air.
Arjun turned on the television.
Only local channels came through.
Every national broadcast. Every international feed.
Nothing but static.
The Tower had cut them off.
All the functioning channels showed the same thing—a glowing regional map. One section pulsed brighter than the rest.
DOMAIN 157 — TAMIL NADU + PART OF KERALA
"So that's it," Arjun muttered. "This is our domain now."
Zara leaned closer to the screen. "No signal outside…?"
Divya nodded slowly. "The system said contact would be restricted."
"That means Raja," Arjun said, already reaching for his phone.
"He's here too."
He picked up his phone and called immediately.
The line connected after two rings.
"Arjun?" Raja's voice was tense. "You saw it too, didn't you?"
"Domain 157," Arjun said. "We're together."
Raja let out a shaky breath. "Good. At least we won't be fighting strangers from the start."
There was a brief pause.
"I'm taking a shotgun with me," Raja said. "If the Tower allows weapons, I'm not going in empty-handed."
Arjun didn't argue. "Keep it close. Don't rely on it completely."
"Yeah," Raja replied quietly. "I figured as much."
Arjun hesitated, then added, "When you enter—hold Padma's hand."
Raja frowned. "Why?"
"To reduce the chance of separation," Arjun said. "The system splits people easily. Physical contact might anchor you together."
There was silence on the line.
"I'll do it," Raja said finally. "I won't let her face it alone."
The timer ticked loudly in Arjun's vision.
[ENTER TOWER: 23:41:12]
"We'll be inside for fifteen days," Arjun said. "Survive. Grow stronger. When we come out—"
"We meet," Raja finished. "Same domain. Same world."
Arjun allowed himself a small smile. "Exactly."
"Take care of your family," Raja said. "And don't die in there."
Arjun exhaled. "You neither."
The call ended.
Arjun didn't waste time.
Within the hour, he and his family were standing inside the Neighbourhood Association Office. The association leader—Mr. Raghavan looked ten years older than he had that morning. His phone buzzed constantly with missed calls he didn't even try to answer.
"You want me to call everyone down?" Raghavan asked. "Right now?"
"Yes," Arjun said. "Before panic turns into chaos."
Raghavan studied him for a moment, then nodded and reached for the community loudspeaker.
____
The main plaza filled fast.
Families poured out of apartments. Some carried bags. Others clutched children tightly, fear written plainly on their faces. The murmur of voices rose and fell like surf.
Arjun stepped forward.
"Listen carefully," he said. "Every adult here—everyone eighteen and above—is going to be forced into the Tower."
The words hit hard.
A woman cried out, pulling her daughter closer. "Then who stays with the kids?"
"No one," Arjun answered. "Not permanently."
Anger flared immediately.
"So we just abandon them?"
"You're insane!"
"My parents are old—how can they fight?"
Arjun waited until the noise thinned on its own.
"We don't abandon them," he said. "We prepare them."
That drew attention.
"All minors—children and teens—stay together in the community hall. One place. Locked only from the outside threats, not from each other."
A man shook his head. "They're children."
"Yes," Arjun said quietly. "Which is why they need numbers, not empty houses."
"What about food?" someone demanded.
"Everyone contributes," Arjun said. "All food. All water. We pool it now."
A voice snapped back, "And when it runs out?"
"Then we go to the supermarkets," Arjun replied. "As a group. Take only what's necessary."
Arguments erupted.
"That's stealing!"
"People will hoard!"
"My family comes first!"
Arjun's voice cut through, calm but heavy.
"If your family comes first, then help build something that lasts longer than a day."
Silence followed.
Raghavan finally spoke. "He's right. No police. No outside help. The domain is sealed."
That ended the debate.
Reluctantly, people began organizing—lists, supplies, volunteers to escort children until the forced entry.
As the countdown neared its end, something else began to happen.
Divya gasped softly.
Her hands—wrinkled only hours ago—smoothed before her eyes.
The stiffness in her knees vanished. Her spine straightened.
"Arjun…" she whispered, shock lacing her voice. "My body—"
All around the plaza, similar reactions erupted.
An elderly man who had needed a cane stood upright, dropping it as strength surged through his legs.
"My back—!"
"I can breathe properly!"
"I look… younger?"
Reflections shimmered in glass windows and phone screens.
Grey hair darkened. Wrinkles faded. Bent shoulders squared.
The old were being rewound.
[DING!]
[AGE REGRESSION COMPLETE]
[ALL INDIVIDUALS ABOVE AGE 25 REGRESSED TO AGE 25]
Fear followed awe.
"This means—" someone whispered.
"We're eligible," another said hollowly.
Arjun's jaw tightened.
"So they're not sparing anyone," he muttered. "They're leveling the field."
Divya clenched her fists—stronger now, steadier.
"No excuses," she said quietly. "No hiding behind age."
Children stared up at their parents in disbelief.
"You look like my brother," a boy whispered to his grandfather—now standing tall, eyes sharp with youth restored.
The ground shimmered again.
[DING!]
[FORCED ENTRY IMMINENT]
Divya took Zara's hands firmly.
"Listen to me," she said, voice calm despite the storm in her eyes. "I may look young again—but I'm still your mother."
Zara nodded, tears falling freely.
Then the light rose.
And no one—young or old—was spared.
The countdown reached zero.
No explosion followed.
No thunder.
Instead, the air tightened.
Arjun felt it first—a pressure behind his eyes, a pulling sensation like the world was gently but firmly tugging him forward.
[DING!]
[FORCED ENTRY INITIATED]
[ALL ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS—ENTERING TOWER]
The ground beneath the plaza shimmered.
Light traced itself into complex circles beneath every adult's feet.
Zara's fingers locked tighter around Arjun's hand.
"Arjun—" Her voice cracked. "You said—"
"I know," he said softly, crouching to her level. "Listen to me."
Around them, panic surged.
"Hold my hand!"
"Don't let go!"
"Mom—MOM!"
Adults grabbed spouses, parents clutched children who were suddenly too young to be taken.
A man screamed as his teenage son—eighteen by a matter of months—was pulled from his grip.
Arjun pressed his forehead to Zara's.
"Look at me," he said. "No matter what you see next—don't run. Don't scream."
Her eyes brimmed.
"I don't want to be strong," she whispered. "I just want you here."
His chest tightened.
"I'll come back," he said. "Fifteen days. Remember that."
She nodded desperately.
Behind them, Divya stood rigid, one hand gripping Zara, the other gripping Arjun.
"We go together," she said. "All the way."
Arjun interlaced their fingers.
"Hold on," he said. "No matter what."
Arjun felt the pull spike.
His hand was still wrapped around Divya's—
Then space twisted.
The pressure snapped like a thread pulled too tight.
Hands tore apart.
Arjun was yanked upward.
Zara's scream followed him.
"ARJUN!"
For a split second, he saw her—
Standing alone in the plaza, surrounded by crying children, hands outstretched toward empty air.
Then—
White.
____
The plaza was silent.
Adults were gone.
Only children remained.
Some stood frozen.
Some sobbed uncontrollably.
Some stared upward, waiting for people who would not come back yet.
Zara sank to the ground, hugging her knees.
She whispered through tears,
"Fifteen days… you promised…"
Above the empty plaza, the Tower stood unmoving.
Waiting.