The Tournament

I'm not sure if there is a time before the tournament, everything feels as though it always has been revolving around it. It seems like the land of Shogukan and Zoan has existed since the birth of the world, and there is no existence before that.

Every 4 years, a tournament was held at Ring Collesium. 96 contestants are sent to a separate digitally-created world to participate in an adventure to win a grand prize.

Azkane.

The world resembled ours, except it was filled with fantastical characteristics. Witches, dwarves, elves, gnomes, minotaurs and dragons, magic, spells, elixirs and curses existed. Every contestants are given a level system, starting from level 1. A limited inventory controlled by a screen they can summon. Health and mana bar carefully placed at the end of their visuals, to carefully navigate avoiding death. A truly mesmerizing fantasy world, with attention to details.

Similar to a role playing game, the 96 contestants started at 4 different Starting Points—south, east, west and north. Their goal is to defeat the Dragon Lord, at the very center of the map. As they progressively get to the middle, harsher and stronger monsters and demons appeared, and so are better gears. With a party of 4, the players will embark on a journey to the middle, and the first group to reach their goal wins.

The grand prize is an audience with the greatest minds behind the game, and 71.7 million chips in total separated to the 4 winners. Not only it is tempting, winning the tournament would mean generational wealth to the successors.

With one simple catch...

The tournament was made with realism in mind. And so, death and injuries in the digital world would meant the same in the real world. Those who died inside the game, dies for real.

But many turned a blind eye to that. Many of those who given up halfway chose to just live in their current town, waiting until the tournament ended. Eventually, they will be send back with the winners. The time limit of the game is 4 months. If the Dragon Lord is still alive after the time ends, everyone goes home and no winners appear.

Every corner of the game is streamed to the entire world. Through 'screens' that are purchasable from any stores, Everyone can see and view the current state of the players. They can even 'clip' some important moments and convert it into a 'drive' to be viewed later on.

With that in mind, everyone raced to earn a spot in the games. The slots are all sold at Curving, the middle center separating Shogukan and Zoan. However, due to limited slots, you can only hope to find some scalpers selling the slots in some back alley with a controllably higher price.

48 years has passed since the first game. Very few winners, Many failed victims. This year is the 12th Tournament. Just like many dwellers of Zoan, I heed it no eye. Why would I? Money and power isn't everything.

That I told myself.