As the fog and mist cleared from the mysterious box, John wasn't quite sure what he was looking at. A mix of strange symbols, green neon lights that pulsed like a breathing entity glowed full and then dimmer in rhythmic waves.

"Greetings, John," he heard from a friendly warm voice.

In a split second, John felt something grasp onto his entire face blocking his vision. He squirmed and kicked while shouting wildly, trying to get this thing off his face. He could feel his entire body being covered in what seemed like millions of tiny ants over every small curve of his body.

"System acclimating," John heard from the warm, friendly voice.

"Remain calm John. Your heart rate is elevated."

"Who are you! What's happening?!"

"My name is M.A.X...Mechanical Autonomous Exoskeleton."

"I'm here to assist you throughout game."

"GAME?! What are you talking about?!!!!"

"Forgive me, John, I will explain everything thoroughly. For the moment you are safe and i would highly recommend that you do your best to relax." M.A.X said pleasantly in a reassuring voice.

"Ok...ok...I'll try to relax...just tell me what the heck is going on!" John said harshly.

"As I said before I am M.A.X, Mechanical Autonomous Exoskeleton. I am here to assist you any way I can to Help you win this game."

John tried to stay calm and not scream. "What game?! I don't even remember who I am or where I came from! How did I get here?!"

"Oh my..." Said M.A.X

"It seems your memories have been damaged, after an extended period in cryogenic sleep. Assessing brain damage and all biological functions, one moment, please."

John sighed deep as he waited for M.A.X to explain more.

"You have sustained a major injury to your right leg, but your vitals are intact. As far as your memory damage, your brain scan isn't showing anything abnormal or significant that says your damaged. All Brain functions seem to be optimal."

John exhaled deeply again. "Whatever! How did I get here?!"

"According to the records in my database you volunteered to be here."

"What?!...why would I do that?!"

"Analyzing" M.A.X said briefly.

"It appears you volunteered and your family was given generous compensation to better their lives...In exchange for you being a contestant in this game."

"I don't remember my own name yet alone my family or where i came from...You keep saying game...what game?!"

"I'm sorry for the confusion. My system has never encountered a contestant with damaged memories before. Allow me to give you a complete overview of your situation."

"You are John 3001. Your last name and some other details seem to be restricted from my access. You have been given the last name and number of 3001, Would you like me to refer to you as Mr. 3001?"

"What?! NO! GUHhh!!!!!...just call me John I guess..."

"Excellent! I will refer to you as John!"

"Great..." John said unenthusiastically. 

"Proceeding...Your Name is John 3001. You volunteered to be cryogenically frozen by the Syndicate in the year 2058. Your family was accommodated with Stock options, housing, and enough money to let them live long comfortable lives. It seems you were frozen at the age of 28 and have been in cryo-sleep for over 200 years. Current age 30. Height 5 foot 7 inches. Weight Approximately 172 lbs. Physical condition, Fit." 

"Your telling me I've been asleep for 200 years!?!"

"Correct!" Exclaimed M.A.X

"You must be hungry after your long sleep. Now injecting SynthaFuel in place of a nutritious meal."

Ahhh!!! yelled John "That hurt!"

"What the heck did you just put in my neck?!"

"SynthaFuel is a very nutritious blend of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, water, and fiber. Everything the body needs to help it function properly. One injection can replace up to three meals sustaining a human for an entire day."

"Dear God..."

"Would you like a nutritious dessert blend with sweetener salivation property's?"

"NO! Stop doing things without telling me!"

"Certainly!" M.A.X said happily with enthusiasm.

John clasped his head in his hands as he sat on the ground in utter disbelief.

"John? I am detecting trace amounts of stress, sadness, and confusion. Would you like a Neurotransmitter dopamine boost, it's just one small injection into your cordial vas..."

"No!!!! Geeez man...just....I....Ahhhhhh!!!!"

John was overwhelmed with all this new information that now plagued his current reality. He didn't know where to start with questions or if he even wanted to know the answers...

"Hey, Max..." John asked "Can you please get off my face!"

"Certainly!" Said M.A.X

The Mechanical Autonomous Exoskeleton started to leave Johns body and form into a shear on the ground in front of him, Slowly forming in what seemed like tiny ants in a stream.

John was relived and started to breath deeply feeling like he might actually be able to relax with this thing off of him.

John sat in silence for a few minutes just trying to gather his sense of self in this new place he was trapped in. Trying to come to terms with these new found answers.

John started to talk out loud to himself just to piece things together. "Ok...ok...So I'm trapped here...I volunteered for this to help my family...im a part of some sick game..."

"Max?" John asked

"Yes John" Said M.A.X

"What is this game? and how the heck do i get out of here?"

M.A.X Hummed and started to glow a bit as he started to respond. "The best way for me to explain is to show you by being your suit again."

"Uhhh...Ok fine...but this time do it slow..."

John reached out his hand and M.A.X Began to transfer his nano-mites onto johns hand and up his forearm. Eventually the exoskeleton was completely on John showing him a screen that encompassed his vision.

"On this screen I can show many things, Such as Vitals, Maps, and much much more! and to answer your question of "What is this game? and how the heck do i get out of here?" The answer is simple...in theory."

M.A.X pulled up an interface showing a grid and a lush green planet.

"This is planet 80072 also know as "Corasoul" this planet is primarily covered in jungle terrain with many hostile environmental dangers and home to over 700 species ranging from docile to critically lethal and many poisonous subspecies."

M.A.X continued. "Your home 'Earth' is located 8000 lightyears away. The process is simple. Survive and win the game and you will be sent back to earth never having to worry about money again...for yourself and for all future generations of your bloodline..."

"Who would do this kind of thing?" John asked almost to himself.

"The Syndicate was created in year 2047 as a means of entertainment for the extremely wealthy sect of society. The game simply referred to as 'Survival Of The Fittest' is the top grossing source of entertainment on Earth! This planet has 4000 contestants. Sadly 127 of them have perished on landing and 384 have meet there end due to lethal environmental plant hazards and 562 so far have been eliminated by one of the species inhabiting this planet. That accounts for 1073 player eliminations in the past 24 hours with more stacking up as we speak."

"Oh my God!" said John in utter shock and disgust.

M.A.X continued. "That leaves 2927 players currently remaining on this planet. There can only be 1 winner John...This is the game of 'Last Man Standing'" 

"There is only one rule."

"Survive."

John shook his head in a sadness he had never felt before. So many lives lost, for what? Entertainment? This was sick. No...this was far beyond Sick. 

"Many contestants are like you John...They have selflessly given up there lives to help there family's and loved ones have a better life. Others signed on to help cure a loved one of a critical illness with procedures to expensive to be afforded. Some are convicts serving multiple life sentences. And very few are children of the elite sects of society. Trained from birth in every aspect of combat and survival and extensive knowledge of this planet that i don't have access to. I wont lie to you John this game is very unbalanced in terms of Tech, information, and capability's. You had nothing to your name when you signed your life away to the game to help your family. As such you are provided with the most basic 'M.A.X' the melee version. While wealthier players and all elite players bread for warfare will have advanced weaponry I am not capable of constructing. While I am made of nanobots and can do many fantastic things my programing has been stripped and block to only be your suit of armor. You did get to choose your melee weapon and 200 years ago you chose the 'Katana'."

"The cylinder you have found is your Katana and also is a key to access hidden ruins scattered across this planet. These ruins can contain helpful programing upgrades to unlock, weapons, armor, and other helpful treasures that will help you in this twisted game."

"My advice to you as your only ally on this planet is to search for and find as many ruins as you can. This will give you the best chance at surviving in combat against other players and lethal species. This planet was chosen among hundreds of thousands in the known universe because it has some of the most vicious species for thousands of lightyears. Everything on this planet has adapted over many millennium and the food chain is mostly made up of apex predators. 72% of the species are poisonous with the most lethal able to kill within seconds if exposed while others you can survive up to a few minutes. My poison index and bestiary glossary is mostly blank at this time and I don't have further information about the species or deadly plant life."

"That being said while you cant directly use another players weapon frequency to fabricate there weapons you can gather any upgrades they have discovered. Meaning if they scoured ruins to gain programing upgrades those upgrades can be gathered by you to enhance this exoskeleton."

"I don't want to end a life..." John said interrupting M.A.X.

M.A.X replied softly "I understand you don't want to end a human life John, But on some level every single player has agreed to sign there life away for one reason or another. Everyone chose to be here John, including you. Just like you decided your sacrifice was worth your family's safety, security, and longevity...So has every player cautiously participated for some gain."

"Make no mistake John..." M.A.X said firmly. "Every creature and every player on this planet will try to end your life. You are just something standing in the way of another players ultimate freedom, unfathomable riches and infamy."

"I will help you in any way I can John!" "If there is anything I can do to help please just ask, I am here for you and you alone."

John fell silent digesting the weight of the brutal truth now on his shoulders.

"ok..." John said.

"If I can win...then my bloodline wont have to worry about money ever again right?"

"Correct! Winning this game will ensure your family name and future generations will be granted with the highest status of elite family's in all of earths society. Unfathomable Riches, unfettered access to the best medical technology, premium game access to exclusive planets and so much more John. All you have to do is Survive."

"All right..." John sighed. "As much as I hate having this sick game for entertaining the wealthy continue for generations...I could make more of an impact to shut this all down and build a better society if I had the funds and information about how far this twisted disease has spread and who to overthrow to end this sick disease of a game once and for all."

"I applaud your noble optimism for ethics and justice John. But that goal will not be easily reached." M.A.X said realistically. 

"I have to try, not just for me, but for the countless lives that can be saved in the future."

"Excellent!" M.A.X said happily. "Now then you shouldn't have to worry about food or water for your time on this planet. As my nanobots take in sustenance from the air and moisture to form compounds of SynthaFuel that will sustain your hydration and hunger."

"That's actually pretty cool." John said thinking about what else M.A.X might be capable of.

John heard a soft ping followed by M.A.X saying "Player Count Update. In the time we have been talking 47 players have been eliminated by lethal species and 107 players have been taken out by other competitors. Leaving 2773 players remaining. Locations will now start as the first 24 hours of the game have passed. Your location is now visible to all other players on this planet, and all player locations are now on your map and Radar."

"Ahhhhh!!!!!" John shouted!

"Display Map!" John said hastily.

M.A.X pulled up a 75 mile map showing many red dots. 

"Your closest enemy is 1.7 miles away and there are 15 enemy players within the 75 mile radius. 

John started to panic...This just when from a lesson on terrible new facts to encroaching life threatening danger real fast.

"Ok...ok...Ahhhhh...Max! how do I unfold the katana?!"

"Synchronizing cylinder calibration. Systems fully optimal. Simply turn the bottom fourth of the cylinder clockwise to enable katana function."

John went to the backpack on the ground and riffled through it as fast as he could. He grabbed the now glowing cylinder and turned the bottom section counter clockwise until he heard an audible humming Click and activation noise that was actually quite pleasant to the ear. The katana jutted out in sections stacking on each other while the sections seamlessly started to blend in a flash of nanobot reconstruction. 

"Holy crap!" John said aloud in amazement. The katana was a bit longer then a normal katana at about 4-4.5 feet long it had some extra reach. Touching his finger the blade made a small slit in his finger that started to gather blood. The Blade was incredibly sharp! John wondered about the durability of the blade and what it could slice threw. He would become all too aware of its limitations and capability's in due time.

M.A.X suddenly interrupted John's awe and enchantment. "Proximity Warning! Small unknown creature approaching."

The lizard that had saved him from the poisonous slither had tracked John's location after eating the poisonous creature that almost ended him. "10 feet and closing" John was alert and his hearing was enhanced by M.A.X to amplify close incoming movement. John could now see the small lizard with razor sharp teeth drooling and ready to bite.

John felt thousands of times more comfortable having M.A.X as armor to protect his body. This time he had more than a small metal shard to protect himself against these wilds. The lizard closed in quickly, lunging at his upper thigh. John brought the lizard down with one swift slice downward and to the side angled to perfection. Its blood boiled on the ground sizzling as the acidic poison of its veins warped the ground foliage with a hissing and crackling noise. John noticed a tiny circular radar in the bottom right of his vision.

"Why didn't that creature show up in red on my radar?" John asked M.A.X.

"Red is reserved for other enemy players, But from now on I will show any creatures on your radar in purple. 

"Thank you M.A.X" John replied. "Where can I find the closest ruins with upgrades? I need to better equip us."

"All ruin locations are hidden on my world map and I do not have access to its restricted data. I can tell you however that all ruins are very large and hidden in cave systems, underground, there are even some under water and atop mountains. You are on the uppermost section of a very large hill. My best estimate would be to look for a cave system in the wall that this hill is atop. Closest enemy player now 1.4 miles away and closing in on your current location." Explained M.A.X

"All right then...Sounds like the bottom of this cliff is our best bet. Can you calculate the best route to the bottom of this cliff from the hill top?" Asked John.

"Certainly! I will add a pin on the map and display a navigation arrow on your display guiding you on the best route."

"Thanks M.A.X..." replied John.

"You are more then welcome Mr. 3001...just kidding John."

John laughed for the first time since he crash landed and shook his head with a smirk. Heading away from the crash site with a tinge of hope.