IMPERIUM:Earth’s Champion

12 Days Until the Next Fight

The world wasn't sleeping.

Orion's victory had been the first, but it wasn't the only one.

In the past 48 hours, the tournament had exploded into full force.

One by one, the other champions stepped onto their battlefields. Some walked away victorious. Some never walked away at all.

And the world was watching.

CNN – Tournament Special Report

"Welcome back to our special coverage of the global tournament. While Orion Graves has become a household name in the U.S., champions from other nations have begun their own battles. And let me tell you—this is unlike anything we've ever seen before."

"Joining us is Dr. Elias Shaw, an expert in combat physiology and emerging superhuman abilities. Dr. Shaw, let's start with one of the most shocking fights so far—China's champion, Wei Zhen, versus Germany's champion, Elias Richter."

The screen split into two images. One showed Wei Zhen, standing tall, his body wrapped in crimson energy, his sharp eyes unblinking even as his opponent collapsed before him. The other image showed Elias Richter—on the ground, unmoving.

"This match was brutal," Dr. Shaw said. "Wei Zhen has a terrifying ability—Titan's Fortitude. His body hardens under stress, allowing him to take massive damage while growing stronger as the fight continues. Elias Richter was an elite fighter, but the moment he failed to put Wei Zhen down early, he had already lost. The longer the battle lasted, the stronger the Chinese champion became."

"So you're saying he gets tougher the longer he fights?"

"Exactly. Wei Zhen is practically unbreakable in prolonged combat. His opponent simply couldn't keep up."

"Germany's out of the tournament, then?"

"Yes. Elias Richter sustained severe injuries and was declared unable to continue. Germany is officially eliminated."

BBC News – Europe

"While the world focuses on Orion Graves, let's shift our attention to Europe, where some of the most unpredictable battles have taken place."

A highlight reel played across the screen.

France's champion, Camille Durand, moved like a ghost, slipping through attacks, untouched, as her opponent swung wildly at the air.

"Camille Durand, France's champion, has proven to be one of the most elusive fighters in the tournament. Her ability—Afterimage Reflex—allows her to react at speeds that make it appear as if she's in multiple places at once. She secured France's first victory in a stunning match against Romania's champion, Adrian Stanciu."

A different clip appeared. Adrian Stanciu lay unconscious, exhausted from chasing shadows.

"She didn't even need to land many hits," the anchor continued. "Camille won by forcing her opponent to waste energy attacking illusions. Once he was drained, she struck the finishing blow."

The next clip showed Russia's champion, Dimitri Volkov, standing over the broken body of his opponent from Sweden. Blood stained the ground.

"Meanwhile, Russia has made a clear statement—they are here to win. Dimitri Volkov is one of the deadliest competitors so far. His ability—Iron Executioner—grants him exponentially increasing strength the longer a fight continues. Sweden's champion, Erik Lund, survived for over ten minutes, but once Volkov's power reached its peak… he was unstoppable."

The screen cut to Swedish officials, their faces grim.

"Sweden is now eliminated. Russia remains one of the top threats in this competition."

Al Jazeera – Africa & Middle East

"Some of the most dominant performances in the tournament so far have come from the Middle East and Africa. Let's talk about Egypt's champion—Zuberi Anwar."

The screen flickered to a massive man, his dark skin glowing with golden markings, standing in an empty battlefield where his opponent had once stood.

"Zuberi's ability, Adamant Will, allows him to withstand immense physical trauma without faltering. In his match against Turkey's champion, he endured attack after attack without ever showing weakness. Then, when the moment was right, he delivered a single decisive strike—ending the fight instantly."

"Turkey's champion stood no chance?"

"None. Egypt advances. Turkey is eliminated."

The report shifted to another fight.

A clip played of Kenya's champion, Ayanna Okafor, moving like a blur, closing the distance in a flash before knocking out her opponent in one strike.

"Kenya's Ayanna Okafor has proven to be one of the fastest competitors in the tournament. Her ability—Velocity Burst—grants her sudden bursts of extreme speed, allowing her to attack before her opponent can react. Her opponent from Iraq never stood a chance."

"Kenya remains in the tournament, while Iraq is officially eliminated."

- Fox News -

"While the rest of the world battles for survival, the United States is focused on one thing: Orion Graves' next match."

The screen flickered to an image of Orion, the footage of his victory against Bakari playing in slow motion.

"We still don't know who his next opponent will be, but speculation is running wild. Possible matchups include Dimitri Volkov from Russia, Camille Durand from France, or even Ayanna Okafor from Kenya."

"Do we think Orion can win again?"

"It depends. He's powerful, but as we've seen, other champions are just as dangerous. Some even more so. If he wants to survive, he'll need to keep evolving."

- Fort Eisenhower -

Orion sat on the floor of his training room, scrolling through the news on his tablet.

He wasn't surprised by any of it.

The world was catching up. The tournament was proving to be a war between titans.

And he was still just getting started.

His fingers tightened around the tablet as he watched footage of Wei Zhen tanking hits without flinching, of Camille Durand slipping past attacks with ease, of Dimitri Volkov growing stronger with every second.

These were his enemies.

And soon—

He would have to face them.

He exhaled slowly, shutting off the tablet.

Then he stood.

Time to get back to work.

11 Days Until the Next Fight.

To Be Continued…