**"..."**
A loud bang that resonates throughout the room shakes your bones and wakes you up. You find yourself blindfolded and tied to a chair. You begin to hear shouting in languages you can't understand, and suddenly—a flash of light and a sharp pain behind your ear.
***bzz* *bbzzzt***
You feel a strange object under your skin and...
—"Welcome to the ultimate game, dear spectators and players!"
Your blindfold is removed, and you see several dozen people in the same situation—tied to a metal chair in front of a large stage inside a white room.
The only thing that breaks the aesthetic of this grand room is a person in a black suit and white mask, microphone in hand and an unsettlingly cheerful demeanor for someone standing before 50 people in what most would call a _"kidnapping."_
—"It is a great pleasure to present this edition's games. I hope to do a good job, dear spectators!"
The self-proclaimed host has a strange accent no one can quite place. He's clearly foreign, but somehow, he's speaking a language everyone understands.
—"Surely you must be very confused, dear participants… Let this introductory video speak for itself!"
Behind him, a large screen lights up with an explanatory video.
A robotic-sounding female voice plays from the enormous speakers:
—"Welcome to _The Bunker._ If you're watching this video, it means you've been selected to be the players of the thirty-ninth edition of the globally acclaimed game _'The Bunker.'_ You were randomly chosen from schools and academies across the world to participate in these games. Fun is optional, participation is mandatory!"
A dark-skinned boy speaks with an accent that's hard to identify:
—"HEY! What the hell is this?!"
The video pauses, and the host grabs the microphone again.
—"Please remain silent during the video presentation."
A tall, muscular man approaches the boy and strikes him with an electric shock, knocking him out again.
**"..."**
Everyone falls silent for a moment. Then panic erupts among most of the participants.
Screams and cries echo through the room until the host pulls a firearm from his coat and fires at the ceiling.
**"..."**
Silence spreads across the room as the sound of the shot fades.
—"Please, let's continue with the video,"
he says in a serious tone.
The female voice continues:
—"You were randomly selected, but some of you are an exception—our cherished sponsors have nominated you to play in this edition under their patronage."
**"Question Round"**
A countdown timer appears on screen: 20 minutes left.
—"Please raise your hands and respect the order of questions. We don't want to be here all day. Thank you."
The ropes suddenly fall off all the participants at once, freeing them. No one dares to move a muscle. But…
A tall, blue-eyed blonde boy raises his hand.
—"Is there any difference between the nominees and the randomly selected?"
he asks confidently, with a heavy Russian accent.
—"The only difference is that some nominees have played in previous editions of the game, whereas the randomly selected usually have not. But don't worry—the games are entirely fair for all experience levels. Next question."
A boy in a camouflage uniform with an extremely short haircut speaks up:
—"What are the rules for this edition?"
The boy, speaking with an Asian accent, stands like a trained soldier and raises his hand in a military salute.
The host responds:
—"They'll be explained shortly. However, the rules may vary depending on the game."
Minutes pass and more people begin to ask questions.
—"I didn't agree to play this!"
—"I want to go home!"
—"I'm going to sue you!"
...
And so on.
**Beep.**
**Beep.**
**Beep.**
The timer ends, and the video continues.
—"The general rules of this place are as follows:"
- The laws of the participants' home countries and the location of this facility do not apply here. Past, present, and future legal offenses committed during the duration of the games will be pardoned. The only laws you must obey are those provided by the administration.
- Physical violence is strictly prohibited unless explicitly stated otherwise.
- Attempts to escape the facility will be punished with lethal consequences. The only way to leave this place is by winning all the games.
- A monetary system will be provided for use within the facility. This "money" is worthless outside and cannot be loaned or used for free items. Use it wisely. Every participant, without exception, will start with **5,000 "Yogokones"**—for convenience, they will be called "Gokos."
This money can be used to buy anything inside the facility. It has several clauses, presented below:
- You cannot buy your freedom or victory.
- You cannot request another participant's elimination.
- You cannot purchase information that the administration refuses to sell.
- You may use Gokos among yourselves, but gifting is prohibited.
- If you run out of Gokos and can't buy food, you will be offered a free basic meal consisting only of bread and water.
**"With the rules stated, let's proceed to the next phase."**
**"We'll now take you to your home during your stay here."**
**"The Rooms"**
"You will have 24 hours to adjust after the journey here and to get to know each other. After that, the games will begin—and they will not stop until there is one winner."
A large gate opens behind the chairs, revealing a luxurious vacation resort filled with stores, five-star hotels, hostels, restaurants, and all kinds of services.
Before entering, everyone is given an electronic bracelet showing the number **5000.** A boy approaches a vending machine, touches a button, and his balance drops by 2—now at 4998.
Everyone runs toward the area, some unaware of how dire the situation really is, and others still cautious.
Some head straight to the cinema or entertainment venues to mingle or have fun. Others settle in a central park without really speaking to one another—still suspicious of everyone else.
Groups form instinctively based on continent:
**"The Europeans"**
**"Asians"**
**"Americans"**
Due to cultural or social similarities, these groups emerge without much conversation.
—"Hey! Nice to meet you, my name is Luna, Luna Silva. I'm from Spain, I love football, and I go to the official FC Bardrid academy. What are your names?"
The energetic girl seems out of place among her serious groupmates.
—"My name is Misha. Though my friends call me Volk. I'm from Russia. My academy is EMER, an elite Russian military school,"
proclaims the blonde boy with a heavy accent.
—"Ah! You're the one who raised his hand first, right? The blonde guy… I don't remember what you asked?"
says the bubbly girl.
—"He asked if there was any difference between Nominees and Randoms,"
responds a boy wearing clown makeup with a condescending tone.
—"Right, I forgot! And what's your name? Your uniform is really fancy!"
—"My name is Arule. Arule Berluth. I'm from the _Rouge Acteur_ school—a prestigious acting academy."
The young man speaks with arrogance and confidence.
—"Now that you mention it, you look familiar. I think I've seen you in a movie, maybe?"
says the Spanish girl.
—"No," Arule replies.
An awkward silence abruptly ends the conversation.
Meanwhile, the American group is loud and energetic.
—"Nice to meet you! I'm José Ramírez, from Mexico, and—"
—"I'm Lautaro Herrera, from Argentina. I've played in these games before."
—"That's interesting. Which games did you play in? Can you help us win?"
asks a blonde girl with a heavy American accent.
—"I'd rather not talk about it. What's your name?"
Lautaro replies.
—"My name's Harper Smith, I'm 19, from a small town in Texas, and I attend Sharp Institute for Young Inventors."
says the girl in a thick, distinct accent.
Suddenly, a very energetic girl shouts from afar:
—"Harper? Is that really you?!"
Luna, who was earlier with the European group, runs over to greet the American girl.
—"Luna? You're here too? I hadn't seen you. It's been so long! How are you?"
The girls, now reunited, are oblivious to the cold, sharp stares coming from the European group.
—"Do you two know each other?"
Lautaro asks them.
—"I studied in Spain for a few years. We were in the same school. It's been years since we last saw each other,"
says the American girl, now hugging Luna.
Their touching reunion is interrupted by yelling and scuffling from another group in the park.
—"What did you just say?"
A furious boy with glasses grabs another glasses-wearing boy by the collar—both dressed in opposite-toned uniforms.
**"..."**
—"I only said your family's a bunch of cowards. Why are you so upset?"
says the boy in the white uniform, pulling away from the grip.
—"You don't know anything about my family. Don't insult them like that or I'll—"
The facility's loudspeakers emit a sharp beep that makes everyone cover their ears.
—"Dear participants, we'd like to remind you that physical violence is strictly forbidden within this facility. Severe punishments will be issued if this rule is broken. Thank you."
The boy in the black uniform scoffs loudly—"Tsk."—and turns his back on the arrogant boy in white.
—"Hey Luna, wanna go to the movies? I heard that famous actress is in that film."
—"Sure, let's go!"
The two girls run off toward the recreational zone. Lautaro and José go off on their own to get used to their new "home."
The Europeans stick together, whispering as they walk toward a fancy restaurant.
The Asian group, however, is the most divided.
—"My name is Isamu. Isamu Hayakawa."
The boy with piercings and painted nails feels awkward and insecure with the others. He thinks he should go solo, but decides it's best to find allies soon.
—"I'm Liu Zhen. Don't worry about that idiot earlier—he has no honor or value to cause any real problems. I'm from Chengdu, China. I'm a two-time national chess champion. I enjoy chess as a hobby and hate unprofessional people."
The boy in a white uniform and glasses speaks arrogantly, waiting for a reaction.
A boy in a military uniform stands at attention and speaks with conviction:
—"My name is Yoon Jihwan. I'm from the Hwarang Strategic Military Academy, Unit 7, Unified Korean Nation. I'm highly trained in physical, strategic, and intellectual operations. I look forward to collaborating efficiently."
A monotone, disinterested voice says:
—"Okay… My name's Vahelion. Just Vahelion. I like coffee and I hate noise. I'm from Asian Russia, and I don't like talking much… I'm from ND Omega Academy, focused on science, though I'm not a fan of it."
...
All around the resort, dozens of young people of various ages, both minors and adults, enjoy their new privileges granted by their **Gokos**. Some are already broke, while many others prefer to save.
The American group, along with Luna, enjoyed the resort cautiously, spending a few Gokos but not wasting them.
The Asian group took the free meal package to save as much money as possible.
The Europeans, on the other hand, started businesses just hours after arriving—after spending their money on expensive food and branded clothing from their respective academies. One started a betting house, noticing the resort lacked one. Another opened a food stand that became successful for its low prices and high quality.
What felt like minutes to many soon became night, and a warning was announced:
—"Lights will turn off in 20 minutes. Please return to your rooms. Your bracelets will indicate your assigned room number. Sweet dreams, rest well, and good luck. You'll need it."
All groups returned to their rooms. Some had plans for after the lights went out, but before midnight, every participant was in their assigned room.
**Goko Count: **
**American Group:** 16,790 Gokos
Luna Silva (Spain): 4,000 Gokos
Harper Smith (USA): 4,240 Gokos
Lautaro Herrera (Argentina): 4,800 Gokos
José Ramirez (Mexico): 3,750 Gokos
**European Group:** 20,322 Gokos
Misha Volkova (Western Russia): 7,500 Gokos
Arule Berluth (France): 8,432 Gokos
Felix Schulz (Germany): 4,300 Gokos
**Asian Group:** 14,882 Gokos
Liu Zhen (China): 4,950 Gokos
Vahelion (Eastern Russia): 4,932 Gokos
Yoon Jihwan: 5,000 Gokos
**Total Gokos among 50 participants: 187,970**
**End of Day 1**