T.F.T. Start!

"That was random..."

This was the thought that filled my head.

I couldn't understand Robert's attitude. If he felt guilty instead of attacking me, he should have just apologized, and why go through all this trouble to pay me back?? Does he think himself looks cool giving me this bag and walking away?? Or maybe this is a trap or some kind of prank?

The truth wouldn't magically reveal itself and all I could do was stare at the leather bag on my hands...

(Well, let's see at least what's on the bag before thinking further.)

As I readied myself to open the bad another slap on my back happened without warning or mercy.

"Fuck you Ralf! Can't you hold back a little!? You know I'm hurt!"

"Hahahaha! Great to see you are better now, man. Great job on your booth, by the way. Even without the main attraction, it's popularity seem quite high!"

"Eh? What are you talking about? Have you seen my booth or are you just messing with me?"

"First thing I did as I arrived here was to search for you in your booth but I found your gramps there instead. Then, after exchanging a word with your old man, I learned you had gone out and it didn't take a genius to imagine where you would be now. So, as expected, here you are!"

"Sorry for the trouble. So, how is it? Ready for the tournament?"

"That's another motive I was looking for you!"

"Hmm?"

"Lina had some health problems and she won't be able to support me on the tournament."

"No shit! Is she okay?"

"It's fine, just women problems, you know..."

"Oh, that time of the month? Can't she take some medicines or something?"

"Hey, my role as her boyfriend is to support her, not question her. So, we got a free slot, but no pilot available. I know you can do a few tricks, so, any interest in participating?"

"You know I don't participate in those tournaments! I'm a builder, not a pilot! The only reason I can pilot is to test my own work myself."

"Come on! It will be fun! At least take a look at the prizes and maybe you will change your mind!"

Seeing Raf's puppy eyes begging to agree, I couldn't help but allow him to convince me.

"Then, please, enlighten me, what's this year prize?"

"For third place we got a three days two nights trip to the best hotel in town."

"Lame..."

"On second place, we got brand new laser rifle developed by Patriot."

"Wow, now that's something I would like! I wonder if I can learn something if I dismantle one!"

"That's only if you can understand their alien technology..."

"Ugh... Don't underestimate me!"

"Anyway, and first prize is a job as a tester for the Odin Spear new Titan!!!"

"That's something YOU would love, not me!"

"Yeah, but if you reject the offer you can still gain a 100000 bucks prize instead."

"What the hell!? Isn't that too much money!?"

"People say that the job's pay is over 50000, so it's just a couple month's salary."

"50000 per month as a Tester!? Are they farting money or have they gone crazy?"

"Hell if I know! But since they are the ones offering, there is no doubt it's true."

"Well, yeah. Those prizes are great, but there are plenty of people better than me, so first or second prizes are impossible!"

"Of course! I don't expect you to take first prize, I just want you to support me and help take down a few competitors."

"What exactly are you planning?"

"You know the format of the tournament is a free for all. Even so, people form alliances and fight in groups to raise their chances, right?"

"Shouldn't the rules prohibit something like that?"

"No. The organizer says this is part of the show. But this created a problem. Now more and more people are banding together. Instead of a free for all, this is looking more like a team fight. While I can defeat people in duels, if they gang up on me, it will be tough to survive."

"I see! So you need me as a escape goat!"

"Right! Or a meat shield, if you so prefer. Jokes aside, I really need some help. So, what do you say?"

"How much will you pay me?"

"Eh!? Come on man! I thought you were my friend!"

"Friends are friends, but business is something apart. Also, here is the photo I promised."

"Oh! I almost forgot! Thanks!"

"Really... if Lina ever discover this..."

"I will just say that this is from before we start going out."

"Whatever, pervert. So, how much do you offer?"

"Fuck! You are really making me pay, hmm?"

"Damn right I am! I won't work for free! Even more now that I got to start my new Titan from zero!"

"Okay, let's see.... how about 50 bucks?"

"Good luck on the tournament! I will cheer you on!"

"Oh, come on!"

"No way!"

"All right! How about this? I will give you 500 bucks tomorrow, but only if I place in the best 4."

"A thousand or no deal!"

"...Greedy bastard!"

"What did you say?"

"I said fine! Deal!"

"Great! Thanks for doing business with us!"

--//--

The T.F.T. or Titan Fair Tournament, happened along with the Titan Fair every year.

Instead of using real Titans, which would be costly and dangerous, they use simulators instead, making matches in a style free for all with 64 Titans on each round.

This year we got 213 entrees in total. Those people were separated in 4 groups. Each group would fight among themselves until only 16 Titans were left, resulting in the 64 survivors in total. From there a final battle with all 64 survivors would start until only one Titan was left standing.

The group we were assigned to was the third one, with 53 people in total. The scenario chosen for our battle was an abandoned city scenario, full of high buildings and destroyed houses everywhere. And the first round's objective was just to survive until there were only 16 people left.

There was no need to hunt people around as the score would reset before the next round, so all I had to do was find a safe place and keep myself hidden until the end of the game, right?

Wrong!

To prevent people from camping for too long the simulator would reveal any Titan that stopped on the same place for longer and two minutes, making them an easy target for anybody around them.

Of course this could be easily prevented as long as you walked a few meters every minute, but doing so would make anyone you are trying to ambush notice there is an enemy near them.

Honestly the whole tournament involved quite a bit of luck. If you are in the wrong place, at the wrong time, you may get attacked by multiple Titans from all directions, which would spell your doom no matter how skilled you are. This made the tournament quite unpredictable, but also quite fun to watch.

Unfortunately this time I was not in the watching side of the tournament, so I was feeling was quite nerve-wracked.

[Round Start!]

"Builder, this is Champ, tell me your coordinates!"

"Builder talking, I'm on 112, 336"

"Damn! That's on the other side of the map!"

"How about we meet up in the middle?"

"It seems like we got no choice! Sure, let's try to do that!"

As the round started the tension kept pilling up, making me afraid to even lift my head, even so staying right in the middle of the road was never a great idea, not only this but I also had a meeting to attend, so it was time to move out.

Pressing the accel pedal the Titan started walking and catch up some speed and started running. On semi-auto the pilot didn't need to make much effort to move around, but this also took out a lot of the maneuverability of the Titan, making it only move in a standard way and becoming quite predictable, that's why I kept my attention at it's peak, to turn back into manual on the first sigh of danger.

Booom!

An explosion sound was heard coming from far away.

On the upper side of the screen a 52/53 number was shown, informing me that one Titan was already eliminated.

Already!? The game had just started and people should be at least at some distance from each other, so getting eliminated this soon should be impossible unless the person suicided...

Soon after more and more explosions were heard as the counter dropped it's numbers moments earlier.

50/53!?

Another two were eliminated, making the situation even stranger. As I started to imagine what was happening, Raf contacted me by the radio.

"Builder, you okay?"

"I'm fine. I heard explosions but they were not near here."

"Me as well. It seems we got someone with an Artillery Mech. Keep your eyes in the sky and jump out of the way on the first sign of an attack!"

"Understood!"

I kept running while keeping an eye on the sky every second or two.

"Even if it's an Artillery Mech, how can he be hitting other people from this far? Is he cheating? No, there are thousands of people watching, it should be impossible to cheat in these conditions..."

Suddenly an explosion is heard from distance and the number on the screen start falling yet again.

Booom!

49/53.

"Damn! Again!? How can this guy know the other players coordinates!?"

Another explosion happens, this time closer to where I was located.

"This is not time stay here thinking, I got to move faster or else I may end up being his next target!"

Deactivating semi-auto, I accelerated the Titan's engine to it's maximum power, bosting my speed as I ran along the streets. Stealth? Precaution? Safety first? How could I consider such things when there was a rain of bombs falling on top of my head?

As I kept gaining more and more speed, soon I was not running anymore, but skipping around as the boosters on my back left a tray of smoke and the loud impact of each step announced my arrival.

With this stealth akin to a crazy elephant I advanced down the roads, praying to not suffer an ambush while keeping my eyes in the sky.

45/53...43/53...39/53...

Suddenly the counter started going down at a crazy speed.

It had been some minutes since the start of the round so it was about time to people start meeting up, but I think the main factor are the bombs dropping everywhere, making nobody feel safe anymore.

Anyway, now the battle was happening everywhere at full throttle. Titans were destroying and being destroyed everywhere, making dark grey smoke appear all around the battle field. I bet I would have a lot of fun watching it if I was outside, but being where I was, I couldn't help but curse the damn artillery again and again for the mess he alone created.

Boom!

A artillery shell fell right on the place I was less than a second ago. If I was still running on semi-auto, I would have been hit for sure.

"Fuck! The crazy bastard decided to aim at me now!"

Feeling my heart almost escaping through my mouth I concentrated in running while doing zigzag to make myself harder to hit.

(If I'm not wrong the shell came from North. There is a crossing ahead, should I head North? Facing the bastard directly would be great, but it would also be the most dangerous option as well, the moment I distract myself if only a little it will be the end of me!)

"Champ! I'm under attack. The AT is North from me. What do I do?"

"North from where?"

"20, 203"

"Eh? If so, the AT guy is right in the center of the map!"

"Yeah! That's what I think as well. So what do I do?"

"Give me a moment!... Okay, I got it! Head East for now, move North on the next crossing. Because of the shopping center is in the way, he shouldn't be able to hit you there. But he should be aware of this, so expect some company guarding the place. Try your best to keep away from the fights and evade any enemies if possible."

"Roger that!"