File: Clone.drone.in.the.danger.zone.v1.3.1.37.... -

When I dropped back into the arena for Tier 2, the ground was different. Giant rotating saw blades rose from the floor. Massive gaps opened up, leading to a bottomless abyss. "Wave 6! Bring out the Kick Bots!"

The arena smelled of ozone and hot oil. I blinked my optical sensors, adjusting to the bright, neon-soaked coliseum. My legs felt heavy, articulated hydraulic joints hissing with every tentative step I took. File: Clone.Drone.in.the.Danger.Zone.v1.3.1.37....

I had survived twenty waves. I was missing an arm, my chassis was scorched black, and my optical sensors were flickering. But I was still standing. When I dropped back into the arena for

The giant raised the hammer and brought it down. I dashed backward using my jetpack just as the weapon slammed into the floor, sending a shockwave that cracked the arena tiles. The hammer was stuck in the floor for a brief second. "Wave 6

A door slid open and a fleet of slender, agile robots came sprinting out. They didn't have weapons; they had heavy, hydraulic legs designed to send opponents flying. Before I could raise my sword, one of them delivered a massive dropkick to my chest.

"Welcome, Human 402, to your new life!" a booming, synthetic voice echoed from the massive floating screen above. It was the Emperor’s main commentator, a massive floating bot with a penchant for cruel sarcasm. "You have been upgraded! Try not to get sliced in half in the first ten seconds. The crowd hates a short show."