Part 1: Viral and Violent
Aya was sitting on the edge of the half-demolished couch, legs crossed like it wasn't covered in green slime and scorch marks. Her eyes narrowed as she scrolled through her phone. Kaito peeked over her shoulder.
"…We're trending?" he asked.
Aya didn't answer.
She just turned the screen toward him.
#TrialRoomRomance
#URQueenAndMysteryBoy
#MaskedPartnerOP??
"I'd marry him in one trial too" - @thirstyAwakened
"Who tf is this guy??" – @UR_shiro_stan
The video of their co-op trial had been automatically recorded and uploaded by the System. Half the internet was thirsting. The other half was terrified.
Kaito blinked. "Wait, how do they even know I'm a guy?! I didn't even talk much!"
Aya shrugged. "Doesn't matter. You're popular now. Congratulations. I hate it."
The system chimed again.
[COMPATIBILITY SYNC UPDATED: 8.1%]
Kaito grinned. "Hey, we're getting better."
Aya gave him a deadpan look. "It went up by point-one."
"Progress is progress!"
---
The Public System Announcement
At exactly 6:00 PM, a global broadcast kicked in again. This time, it wasn't just a voice.
It was a silhouette—a System-generated figure wearing formal robes, floating in front of a massive holographic Tower projection.
[WELCOME, AWAKENERS.] [THE FIRST GLOBAL CEREMONY OF PAIRS WILL COMMENCE IN 2 HOURS.] [ALL REGISTERED PAIRS MUST APPEAR AT THE NEAREST TOWER STAGING GROUND.] [NON-ATTENDANCE = PENALTY REDUCTION IN COMPATIBILITY SYNC + PUBLIC MARKING AS DEFECTIVE PAIR.]
Kaito whistled. "Damn. Even couples therapy doesn't go this hard."
Aya was already packing. "We're going. Immediately."
"But what if I want to wear pants this time?"
"You have ten minutes."
---
Arrival at the Tokyo Tower Staging Ground
The location wasn't subtle.
Tokyo Tower had transformed. Black crystal platforms floated around it. Drones hovered. Hundreds of Awakeners stood in rows, most with nervous eyes and awkward distances between partners.
Some held hands. Others looked like they wanted to murder each other.
One thing was clear: No one knew what the hell they were doing.
"Look at all these pairs," Kaito whispered, masked and hoodie-d. "Feels like a fantasy battle royale dating show."
Aya looked stunning. As usual. Even without equipment, her silver-blue hair caught light, and her expression held nobility laced with murder.
People whispered as she walked past. She ignored all of them.
---
The System Speaks
The sky shimmered.
[INTRODUCING: SYSTEM OVERVIEW OF THE PAIR PROTOCOL]
A wall of light rose behind the crowd, displaying the following:
---
[SYSTEM PAIR RULES – OVERVIEW]
1. All Awakeners must be Paired.
Forced Pairing is non-negotiable. Rejection = termination.
2. Marital Binding Required Within 365 Days.
Legal or ritual marriage accepted.
Trial Proxies allowed for minors.
3. Life Sync: Your partner's pain is your pain.
If one dies, the other experiences a delayed penalty.
Revival is possible under rare conditions.
4. Compatibility Sync Impacts Power Growth.
Higher sync = higher stat growth, combo skills, and fusion potential.
5. Public Sync Displays Will Be Enabled After 10%
6. Co-Habitation Strongly Recommended
Every 48 hours apart = sync reduction
7. Cooperation Trials Trigger Randomly
Failing trials affects your global ranking
---
[END OF OVERVIEW] [RANDOM PARTNER MATCH EVALUATION INITIATING]
Lights blinked as a holographic ranking board appeared.
Kaito's eyes widened.
Top 10 Global Pair Rankings (Early Stage):
1. Zane & Mira (SSS & UR) – Compatibility: 15.2%
2. Ren & Lily (SS & SS) – Compatibility: 12.7%
3. Aya Shirogane & ??? – Compatibility: 8.1%
Kaito nearly choked. "We're in the top three?!"
Aya frowned. "This is… embarrassing."
---
First Rival Encounter
They didn't even see her coming.
A blur of red landed in front of them—heels first. She wore a suit that screamed style over sense, with twin daggers at her belt.
"Yo," she said, twirling a dagger. "Name's Rika. Rank: SSS. Partner's a loser, but I carry him."
Kaito blinked. "Uh… hi?"
Behind her, a guy with sleepy eyes and a giant sword waved half-heartedly.
"I watched your slime trial," Rika said. "You two got good flow. Wanna team up sometime?"
Aya narrowed her eyes. "We work alone."
Rika smirked. "Shame. I like breaking ice queens."
Aya raised a brow. "I melt people like you."
Kaito stepped between them. "Let's maybe… not murder each other on the first day?"
Rika laughed and walked away. "See you at 10% sync, lovebirds."
---
New Trial Unlocked
The Tower shimmered, reacting to the crowd.
[TRIAL NOTICE: FLOOR 1 – OFFICIAL OPENING IN 3 DAYS] [ALL REGISTERED PAIRS MAY ATTEMPT ENTRY. DIFFICULTY SCALES TO SYNC LEVEL.]
Kaito sighed. "Three days to get ready. I need snacks. And maybe a sword."
Aya crossed her arms. "We train tomorrow."
"I don't even have a weapon!"
"You don't need one. You have that 'Imagine' skill."
"…Which does nothing so far!"
[SYSTEM REMINDER: UNLOCK DEPENDS ON EMOTIONAL FOCUS]
Kaito groaned. "So I need to feel things? Gross."
Aya smiled for the first time that day. Just slightly.
"You'll manage. Or die."
"…I suddenly feel very focused."
---
Part 2: Bonded or Doomed
---
After the Ceremony – Inside Aya's Apartment
It was Kaito's first time being in someone else's home since the System announcement. It was weirdly clean—sterile, even. Not a single item out of place. Furniture crisp. Kitchen unused. The only chaotic thing here was him.
"You live like a robot," he said, dropping his backpack near the doorway.
Aya gave him a side glance. "You smell like spoiled melon bread."
"That's fair."
Kaito wandered to the sofa and collapsed onto it. Aya stood, arms crossed, evaluating him like a threat to her furniture's lifespan.
"Alright," he said. "So… what do married couples do again?"
"We're not married yet."
"Details."
[PARTNER SYNC STABILIZED: 8.1%]
[COHABITATION MODE ACTIVATED – 1ST NIGHT COUNTDOWN: 24:00:00]
"Wait—wait—what countdown?!"
Aya sighed. "It's part of the System. Every night spent in the same physical residence increases sync by a fraction. It's also a trigger for passive skills."
"So… sleepovers make us stronger?"
"In theory."
Kaito blinked. "This is the best video game mechanic ever."
---
System Update:
[NEW STATUS UNLOCKED – "Partner Bond Thresholds"]
At 10% Sync – Pair Skill #1 Unlocked
At 25% Sync – Trial Entry Priority Upgrade
At 50% Sync – Shared Power Surge
At 100% Sync – ??? (CLASSIFIED)
[WARNING: SYNC BELOW 5% FOR 7 DAYS = PAIR SEVERANCE PENALTY]
"Penalty?" Kaito read aloud. "What does that mean?"
Aya turned from the screen, solemn. "Severed pairs are marked 'Failed' by the System. They're barred from Tower trials… and sometimes targeted by the cleanup programs."
"…There are System janitors?!"
"They don't sweep floors. They delete people."
Kaito swallowed hard. "Right. Okay. So staying friends—or something like it—is mandatory."
---
Dinner Time (If You Can Call It That)
Kaito, as expected, tried to cook. The microwave exploded.
Aya ordered takeout.
They sat across from each other eating ramen, the System's glow humming softly in the air.
Kaito slurped his noodles. "So, we really have to marry eventually, huh?"
Aya didn't flinch. "That's the rule."
"…I was hoping for at least three dates before lifelong commitment."
Aya deadpanned, "You nearly died in a slime explosion yesterday. This isn't exactly a normal courtship."
He chuckled. "Right. Welcome to Apocalypse Tinder."
---
Night Falls – First System Bond Trigger
[PARTNER REST MODE DETECTED – BED DISTANCE: 3.4 METERS]
[MINIMUM COHABITATION RANGE MET. COMPATIBILITY SYNC +0.1%]
Kaito lay on the couch. Aya was in her bedroom. The walls didn't matter—the System apparently just cared about meters.
Kaito muttered, "Three-point-four meters, huh? That's oddly specific."
His screen flickered.
[Secret Bonus: Curiosity Detected]
[You Have Unlocked: Imaginary Form – Level 1]
[Effect: Create tangible illusions for 10 seconds, 1 per hour cooldown]
He shot upright. "Wait—what?!"
In his hand, light shimmered. An image formed—a melon bread. Perfectly realistic. He blinked, and it vanished.
"…I have the power to summon snacks."
Then a whisper echoed in his mind:
[Not all Imaginations are equal. The stronger the vision, the greater the creation.]
Kaito sat back. "Huh. So if I imagine something cooler… like a sword, or a shield…"
He grinned.
"Looks like things are finally getting interesting."
---
Elsewhere – Tower Administrator Chamber (Scene Cut)
Behind a crystalline screen, faceless figures in System robes watched thousands of pairs from across the world.
One leaned forward.
"UR Rank and a data-blocked Partner? Curious…"
Another whispered.
"That masked one… his code structure is encrypted by an unknown thread."
The third responded.
"It's not time yet. Let them grow."
"And if they reach 100%?"
"…Then the Tower itself may shatter."
---
Next Morning – Day 3 Since System Appeared
Kaito woke up with the System screen already blaring in his face.
[GOOD MORNING, TRIAL PAIR! SYNC: 8.2%]
[REMINDER: COMBINATION EXERCISES RECOMMENDED]
"Combination… exercises?"
Aya entered, tossing him a towel. "We're sparring. Get ready."
"I'm still in my pajamas—"
"You can imagine armor."
"…Good point."
---
Training Begins – Shared Ability Test
In the Tower training simulator (provided by the System to all pairs), the duo stood in a marble arena.
[TRAINING MODE: PAIR ABILITY SIMULATION]
[BONUS: UR-class pairing detected – Difficulty increased]
Kaito imagined a sword—this time longer, stronger, glowing faintly.
Aya summoned nothing. She simply moved.
A blast of wind exploded forward.
Kaito barely dodged. "Hey! This is training, not a murder trial!"
"You said you needed motivation."
Another gust nearly shaved his hair off.
Kaito leapt backward, imagined a barrier—and it held.
Aya blinked, impressed for the first time. "You're improving."
Kaito smiled. "I aim to not die."
[COMBINATION ACHIEVEMENT: Minor Success]
[+0.3% Sync Bonus]
---
Closing Scene – Tower Floor One Countdown
As the day ended, the Tower itself shimmered across the world.
[TIME REMAINING UNTIL FLOOR 1 ACTIVATION: 48:00:00]
[PAIR RANKINGS WILL DETERMINE ENTRY ORDER]
Kaito and Aya sat in the apartment, side by side now—not touching, but no longer on opposite ends of the room.
He turned to her. "Do you think we'll make it?"
Aya stared forward. "We don't have a choice."
And quietly, beneath her breath—too low for Kaito to hear:
"…But I think we might."
[COMPATIBILITY SYNC: 8.6%]
---