THE ELIMINATION ARENA ( One Hundred Enter. One Survives)

THE INVITATION

The tower didn’t belong in this part of town. Sixty stories of glass and steel, its polished façade reflecting the neon lights of the city. Rich people moved in and out as if the world were theirs. Kade stared at the black card in his hand. His gut screamed trap, but Maya’s face pushed him forward. He crossed the street.

The lobby shines with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, everything shouting money. A woman in a crisp white suit stood by the elevators, black hair pulled tight, face like stone.

“Kade Rivers,” she said, not a question.

“Yeah.”

“Follow me.”

She turned, stepped into a private elevator, and pressed the top button. The doors closed with a soft thud.

“What is this?” Kade asked.

“You’ll see.”

The elevator stopped on the penthouse floor. A single black door waited at the end of the hallway. She opened it.

“Inside.”

Kade hesitated. The last chance to run flickered in his mind Maya, hooked to machines, her breath shallow. He stepped in.

The room was massive, windows showing the whole city. A single table sat in the center, a folder and a pen on top.

“Sit,” the woman said.

Kade sat. She pushed the folder toward him.

“Read everything. Then decide.”

“Decide what?”

“Whether you want to live or die.”

He opened the folder. The first page was stark:

*THE CULLING PROTOCOL – PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT*

*Prize: $50,000,000*

*Winner takes all.*

He skimmed the rest—voluntary participation, life‑threatening scenarios, a death waiver.

“What kind of competition?” Kade asked.

“Survival.”

“How many people?”

“One hundred.”

“How many win?”

Her lips curved. “One.”

Kade’s chest tightened. “What happens to the ninety‑nine?”

“They lose.”

He kept reading. No liability, no safety, death expected.

“Who runs this?”

“People with money and power.”

She leaned forward. “We know about Maya. We know you’re broke. We know you fought last night for five hundred dollars.”

Each word cut deep.

“You’re pathetic, Mr. Rivers. A failure. Your sister is dying because you’re too weak to save her.”

Rage flared in Kade’s throat. “Watch your mouth.”

“Or what? Walk away? Leave Maya to die because your pride got hurt?” She smiled coldly. “We both know you won’t.”

Kade’s hands shook. “If I sign and I win, I get the money?”

“Every penny.”

“And if I lose?”

“Your sister loses too. The hospital pulls her off support in two weeks.”

Her smile widened. “Tick‑tock.”

He was trapped.

“You’re monsters.”

“We’re business people. Fair trade.”

Kade picked up the pen. “Once I sign, what happens?”

“You’re transported immediately. Competition begins tonight.”

“I don’t get to say goodbye?”

“No.”

She tilted her head. “Unless you’re too scared? We can find someone else. Someone stronger.”

Kade’s jaw clenched. “What’s your name?”

She blinked, surprised. “Claire.”

“Thank you for being honest, Claire.”

He pressed the pen to the paper and signed. *KADE RIVERS.*

Claire took the contract, pressed a button, and two large men entered. One held a syringe.

“Now?” Kade stood.

“Now.”

He could fight, could run, but Maya would die.

“What’s in that?”

“Transport serum. You’ll sleep. When you wake, the game begins.”

Kade held out his arm. “Make it quick.”

The needle slid into his vein. Cold spread through his body, his vision blurred.

“Good luck, Mr. Rivers,” Claire said from far away. “Most don’t make it past Zone One.”

His legs gave out. Darkness swallowed him.

Kade’s eyes snapped open. A white room, bright lights, a hum of voices. He sat up, head pounding. Around him, a hundred strangers stared, scared and confused.

“Where are we?” someone shouted.

“Let us out!” another yelled.

A deep hum filled the space. The walls lit up, giant screens flickering to life. A robotic voice boomed:

“WELCOME TO THE CULLING PROTOCOL.”

“YOU ARE ONE HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS. YOU HAVE VOLUNTEERED. YOU HAVE SIGNED THE WAIVERS.”

“THE RULES ARE SIMPLE. TEN ZONES. SURVIVE. REACH THE EXIT. ADVANCE.”

“ONLY ONE PARTICIPANT COMPLETES ALL TEN ZONES. THAT PARTICIPANT WINS FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS. ALL OTHERS WILL BE ELIMINATED.”

“This is insane!” a man screamed, lunging at the screen.

“RULE VIOLATION. PENALTY: IMMEDIATE ELIMINATION.”

He exploded in a spray of red mist. Blood splattered the walls. Screams echoed ,people ran here and there some fell silent.

Kade stood frozen. The threat was real.

“ZONE ONE BEGINS NOW.”

The floor opened beneath him. He fell into darkness, wind rushing past, stomach lurching. He hit sand hard, scorching, Pain shot through his body, but he was alive.

A blue screen flickered in his vision, only for him:

[SYSTEM ACTIVATED]

[WELCOME, PLAYER 77]

[OBSERVER'S EYE: ONLINE]

[UNIQUE SYSTEM DETECTED. YOU HAVE SPECIAL PRIVILEGES.]

No one else saw it.

[ZONE 1: THE WASTELAND]

[OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE AND REACH THE EXIT]

[PLAYERS REMAINING: 99/100]

A scream echoed behind him, then another. The killing had started.

Kade didn’t look back. He started walking toward a dome shape in the distance to make a shelter. Maya’s face drove him forward. Nothing would stop him,Not even death.