Axis Arena

The Story Thus Far:

A.D. 2060 (Collapse of the old days)

Near the end of the 21st century, oil was all but exhausted. An alternative 
energy source was not in practical use yet. The Middle Eastern oil producing 
countries attempted to take full control over all the oil sources in the 
world, right after establishing a union. Hence, Asian countries, the center 
of high technology, strengthened their import and export restrictions, and 
Europe and America also established their own collective union.

As tension between the unions grew, multinational companies, which were free 
of the unions’ regulations, wielded much power in International society. 
They became more powerful within the unions, as each offered more and more 
benefits.

The multinationals were so powerful that they exhibited economic control over 
entire unions. However, trouble between the unions eventually incited a 
brushfire war.

People didn’t trust their governments anymore and the multinational companies 
just watched and enjoyed this situation as they reaped more profits.

A.D. 2077 (Disaster)

As tension between the unions escalated, an enormous comet, named Gigantic, 
approached Earth orbit.

Governments launched all their Nuclear weapons to avoid a head-on collision 
with Earth. It was quite successful and Gigantic was shattered... but a great 
number of fragments rained down all around the world.

This shower continued for 200 hundred days. The Earth was in chaos.

Through this disaster, the unions tried to unify for an effective restoration. 
The idea failed because of terrorism and more International dispute.
 
A.D. 2120 (Appearance of GNU)

While the governments were getting weaker, the multinational companies were 
getting more powerful.  In addition, the excessive competition among the 
companies resulted in armed diplomacy. 

Out of such past conflict, the world-united organization of nations, (GNU), 
was born in the year of 2100. And DOCWA, which was the military force behind 
the GNU, was established. DOCWA was to stand against the powerful influence 
of the companies. 

The GNU did a wonderful job of containing the multinationals’ abuse of power, 
stopping the armed corporate disputes. The multinational corporations, 
however, eventually corrupted the members of GNU. As a result, GNU turned 
into an organization that represented the powerful companies. 

Because DOCWA was fairly free of GNU control, many considered it a good way 
to keep the GNU and the multinationals in check. Various corporations intended 
to use DOCWA as a means of containing their competitors.

A.D.2149 (The fall and rebirth of DOCWA)

DOCWA did not fall prey to the companies’ demands. Kyle Emerich, the first 
head of DOCWA and a member of the European Nations’ union, was an exemplary 
soldier, but he didn’t watch companies’ power of influence over DOCWA.

In the year 2149, a battle between the companies [CINTEC] and [Nitro] began. 
It happened in a Gigantinum-extracting facility. 

GNU gave DOCWA a mobilization order to stop the fight. The end result was 
that both companies lost much military and economic strength. Neither 
company was able to execute another armed conflict.

However, the Gigantinum-extracting facility was not only completely 
destroyed during the war, but many casualties also occurred. Because of this, 
public opinion no longer favored DOCWA.  People came to see DOCWA as a 
suppressor. The members of the GNU amplified this opinion.  Rumors spread of 
terrorism and International turmoil over this battle.

Even though the rumors turned out to be a lark, Kyle Emerich chose to resign.
After his resignation, DOCWA lost control over its military forces. DOCWA 
became a peaceful bargaining agency but remained judge and jury over the 
corporations.

The GNU congress transferred superior officers of DOCWA or fired them 
outright, to weaken DOCWA, and inaugurated Jerry Yang as the second head of 
DOCWA. Jerry Yang was never a field officer before becoming the head of DOCWA.

DOCWA was now powerless, and corporate unions started forming. The 
confrontation between CINTEC and Nitro flared up once more, and the world 
fell into chaos once again.

Contrary to the GNU’s expectations, Jerry Yang tried to maintain DOCWA’s 
power. DOCWA organized an under-cover armed force, [Illusion Force], to 
interfere with the plans of the power-hungry companies.

The world’s most powerful organizations were reformed by Bitron Industrial, 
a newly born corporate union, Illusion Force of DOCWA, and Geolight United, 
a previously unknown subversive group, stalks carefully among the shadows 
of Bitron.

A.R.M. (Armored Robotic Mechanics)

By the end of 20th century, IT technology was focused on information 
assimilation, but since the beginning of 21st century, people have changed 
their interests to robotic technology.

In the 1960’s, the technology was once a boom, however, it failed to 
proliferate because of a lack of processing power.

In the 21st century, robotic technology experienced a new Golden Age.

In the beginning, robotic applied technology was used only for space or 
polar reconnaissance.  As the technology went to the next step, it came to 
be applied to the daily life of average citizens and then finally, Artificial 
Intelligence and human-like robots were born.

Above all, military conflict among the organizations promoted robotic 
technology.  In the middle of the 21st century, a new type of robot, using 
sophisticated articulated joints, appeared in the killing fields for the 
first time. Engineers called it ‘ARM’.

ARM: the first generation (grafting a joint to an existing weapon) 

The first ARM was essentially a weapon such as a tank or a chopper, retrofitted 
with robotic equipment.  The most widely used form was the tank, which had 4 
ambulatory arms.  Unlike an ordinary tank, this tank could fulfill its duty 
under many more circumstances.

ARM: the second generation (Multi-purpose ground force)

This ARM had more delicate and complicated control systems, and became more 
like a human. This ARM had a different weapon loading system from the old ones. 
It’s weapons and equipment could be added and removed freely depending on the 
surroundings.

In addition, the second generation ARM had a booster pack, which enabled it to 
fly for a limited time. During this era, ARMs took on increasing importance in 
combat.   
 
ARM: the third generation (remote control and independence) 

To be an ARM pilot required unprecedented training. The pilots had to endure 
tremendous G-forces. The number of qualified pilots was very limited and it cost 
a lot to train them.

Accordingly, engineers tried to control an ARM by remote control. However, this 
method had some problems such as geographic features or weather conditions, 
which made it difficult to put to practical use. To solve those problems, a 
newly developed technology, [Photon communication], was developed.

Basically, the idea was to code the wave of a neutrino and then use it for the 
communication system. Thanks to this innovative technology, the remote control 
system became possible. In spite of this technology, pilots suffered severe lag 
situations in real combat.

ARM: The fourth generation (NetSphere control)  

CINTEC was just an ordinary company at first, but it abruptly changed after 
developing an imaginary-to-real space connector, dubbed the [Adaptor]. The 
Adaptor hit it big in the ARM development market.  This new technology allowed 
for real-time remote control of an ARM.

CINTEC became a huge success and bought other companies that owned aerospace 
and other advanced technology.  Based on these newly acquired technologies, 
CINTEC put the 4th generation ARM theory into place.

Consequently, the 3rd generation’s fatal flaw, namely, the absence of real-time 
control, was solved.
  
Adaptor

It is now the year 2157.

An imaginary-to-real space connector, developed by CINTEC, becomes common 
technology.  This allows CINTEC to become a very powerful company and the 
nemesis of Nitro.

Through this connector, NetSphere becomes a reality.

This connector extracts human brain waves and uses them as a computer 
control system. At first, this adaptor was developed to deliver human nervous 
system responses and NetSphere becomes the imaginary space in which humans 
interact with the digital world. This technology quickly becomes a normal 
part of human life.

The ability to control the adaptor depends on the user’s ability to control 
his brain waves. To obtain optimal results, users sometimes insert an overdrive 
device into their body.   

NetSphere

This is the neural link between real space and the Internet.  A [walker] is a 
user who “walks” in the NetSphere.  As a newly developed hi-technology, it 
enables people to join in each other’s experiences as never before, through 
digitally enhanced nervous system responses. Now, the NetSphere is where people 
spend most of their time. 

Edge-Walker

At first, using an overdrive device is strictly prohibited. However, illicit 
use skyrockets. To be an [Edge-walker] means to be a walker of the blade and 
widely includes people who commit crimes in the NetSphere.

The conflicts among large corporations continue to get worse and Edge-Walkers 
become the natural choice for ARM pilots. Therefore, the term “Edge-Walker” 
becomes synonymous with ”ARM Pilot”.

Even though the GNU wants to punish the Edge-Walkers in principle, the targets 
are quite widespread, making them all but untouchable. Consequently, the 
Edge-Walkers, the ARM pilots, are now the target of a widespread GNU manhunt. 

The Edge-Walkers have to hide their social standing. Only a small number of 
Edge-Walkers can claim wealth and fame. The rest of them are regarded as illegal 
Mercenaries.

In other words, these Mercenaries have become hunted fugitives.  Welcome to the 
world of Axis, Edge-Walker…