These series of events take place during the early 2000s, when the internet was just beginning to become popular.
In this world, the art of combat never died, and each nation holds their own styles of combat in high regard. Imagine that instead of seeing basketball, baseball and soccer on TV as we do, you instead regularly watched Tae Kwon Do tournaments, fencing and kendo. Fighting has cemented itself as a crucial part of culture, just like music, fashion and art have in the real world.
As a result of this, gladiator battles and other things of that sort continued on into the modern era. One of the most recent big tournaments that arose from this, was the Athios tournament, the first global fighting tournament that utilized the newest and greatest technology, which allowed for the arena to completely change with ease.
It exploded in popularity, and has since become a yearly spectacle, which is broadcasted across the globe. Contestants who are daring enough to enter will first engage in a free for all battle, to whittle down the large pool of up to 1000+ contestants to just around 20.
The remaining contestants receive a sizable sum of money, as well as recognition as a finalist on global television, and all of the fame that comes with it. These finalists will then be placed in 4 different teams, to further test their skills, and prove which nation really has the greatest fighters.
The rules are as follows:
Registration
Fighters from across the globe must travel to America to register for the tournament. There aren't many requirements for joining the tournament, just the willingness to potentially break multiple bones within an hour or less.
Registered fighters are provided with meals and a single room if they arrive up to a week before the tournament, however, they may receive a roommate if room capacity is full. There will be access to other amenities such as gyms, office spaces, computer rooms, mini-golf, TV with cable, barista bar, heated indoor pool, lounge areas and more.
Everything is completely free except bottled water.
The Culling
In order to whittle down the large pool of participants which sign up every year, the first event in the tournament presents a free for all situation, where only a few select individuals will make it on to the actual tournament.
Out of the hundreds of participants in the arena, only about 20 will pass.
The game drops players into a vast forest, where their goal is to sit atop the peak of the mountain at the center of the arena at the end of the 24 hour game period.
The only rule is that killing is not allowed. Those who kill either intentionally or unintentionally will be killed.
If more than 20 people reside on top of the mountain, a lottery will be drawn to determine who will be eliminated.
Oh, and the whole event is broadcasted by various hidden cameras in the arena.
Coronation
Those who survive the culling game and make it onto the next stage are celebrated and revered by the public as celebrities. The contestants are placed into 4 teams, and live with their teammates.
For a week, they will enjoy a lavish lifestyle, and will be constantly documented so viewers can learn more about them. From their morning routine to what they eat for breakfast lunch and dinner to what they enjoy doing during their free time. Broadcasters are eager to get every bit of footage that they can to boost their views, so the contestants are often busy with interviews, both planned and impromptu. Being famous never felt so great.
The Tournament
2 teams will be randomly selected to face off each other twice a week, in a capture the flag style game.
Similarly to The Culling, there's only one rule, which is that killing is not allowed.
In order to win, one team must simply capture the other team's flag. However when facing against the world's greatest fighters, this task becomes much more difficult.
Those who lose limbs or break bones are given no choice but to continue fighting until their flag or the enemy team's flag is captured. However, in between battles, medics are available to tend to the wounded. With the power of magic, losing arms and legs is practically nothing.
Whichever team reaches 4 wins first, will be crowned as champions, and would receive the fame and money they desired so much.
The Tournament this year
After many years of running the Athios tournament, the coordinator decided he was tired of watching the same series of events year after year. With his old age, and rapidly deteriorating physical and mental health, he has been left with no choice except to sit idly in his office and desperately try and revive his recently declining ratings. No matter what he tried, it seemed like nothing was working.
Realizing this may be the last tournament he will ever witness, he decides to make things more entertaining this year.
After letting a few battles go on regularly, he decides to make his first move. In the middle of the battle between the Red and Blue team, it is suddenly announced that the contestants must stop fighting to listen or else face elimination.
"There will be adjustments made to this year's tournament for experimental purposes."
A large timer appears at the side of the arena, visible to all, which read "20 minutes".
"Rule 1 has now been lifted. You have 20 minutes to eliminate someone, or else we will randomly select someone to be eliminated. We will reset the timer if somebody has been eliminated and the timer will pause in between matches. The winning team will be allowed to leave unharmed, all other contestants will be executed."
Thankfully, only 1 person died during the remainder of that battle. But suddenly, the constant flashing lights and the gaze of the camera lens which watched over their battles was not as it used to be.
A few days later, another person was added to Purple team, with distinctly orange hair and a strange metal mask.
For the remaining days before the next battle and for the remainder of the tournament, most of the contestants tried to figure out ways for them to escape.
Some tried to negotiate, others attempted to rebel against the coordinators, others accepted their new roles as killers, all with varying levels of success.
