Chapter 735: The Gladiator Arena

After paying a considerable toll, Mike and his two companions were warmly invited into the planet by the Sakaaran guards.

They were also thoughtfully offered spaceship docking services.

Of course, Mike didn’t need the docking service.

Under the guards’ astonished gazes, he put the giant spaceship into a crystal ball, then declined any further value-added services from the guards, and walked onto the streets of Sakaar with Wanda and Nebula.

Compared to the relatively peaceful Xandar, Sakaar, located in the heart of cosmic chaos, had no less foot traffic than Xandar.

At the same time, the high-tech public infrastructure on its streets was not much worse than Xandar’s.

It must be said that The Grandmaster’s ability in construction was indeed very strong.

“Where do we go next? Are we going straight to cause trouble for The Grandmaster?” Nebula had followed Thanos to Sakaar several times before.

However, she could never bring herself to like the false prosperity built on the blood and sweat of the lower-class citizens here.

She didn’t have the chance before, but now that she had a good boss, she felt she could do something for this place.

“No, there’s no need for such trouble; we’ll go straight there.” Mike pointed to the giant projection screen on the street.

It was currently scrolling advertisements for the arena’s new season of events.

Among them, Thor, with his short, neat hair, and the Hulk, with his expanded physique and ferocious face, each occupied half of the screen.

“Is that Thor? Boss, you really do have precognitive abilities.” Nebula flattered him.

Of course, a large part of it was genuine.

She had heard Mike say he could find his friend Thor on Sakaar and thought he was just making it up, and that his real intention was probably to find trouble with The Grandmaster.

But it turned out Thor really was here, and he looked quite imposing.

“No,” Mike shook his head with a strange expression.

“You’re not admitting you have the ability to see the future?” Nebula pressed.

“No.” Mike stifled a laugh, reorienting Nebula’s finger, and said, “Actually, the one on the left is Thor.”

“What?” Nebula exclaimed in surprise, looking at the significantly “thinner” Thor on the left, and said, “Then he’s in for a rough time this time.”

…And indeed, Thor had a rough time. As the gladiator day arrived, his younger brother, whom he had placed so much hope in, didn’t come to save him.

“Was that stick-figure your brother? Not to be rude, but he doesn’t look like the type to keep his promises.” Korg, the rock man, squeezed into Thor’s cell and advised, “The most important thing you need to do now is find a handy weapon. That will allow you to die with a little more dignity in the arena later…”

Instead of his brother, Thor, with his jovial personality, had made good friends with the other provisional gladiators in the cell over the past week.

At the same time, he had become immune to the seemingly simple-minded but actually talkative rock man, Korg.

Of course, one thing the other party said was correct: no matter what, first find a suitable weapon.

That way, even if Loki didn’t come to save him in the end, Thor was confident he could win the gladiator match and walk out on his own.

Yes, The Grandmaster’s arena rule was that victorious gladiators would ultimately gain their freedom.

“I need a hammer.” Thor, who had come to a realization, stated his need.

“Excellent, Thunder King! You’ve finally returned to normal. Leave the weapon to me…” Korg, the rock man, seeing Thor finally willing to speak, happily thumped his chest.

Then, putting an arm around Thor, he walked towards the detention area’s armory, saying, “By the way, Thunder King. Compared to an impractical weapon like a hammer, I suggest you choose a flail. Not only is that thing incredibly powerful, but its attack range is also wider…”

Thor, on his part, had long developed a resistance to Korg calling him “Thunder King.”

Upon reaching the armory, among a pile of bizarre axes, halberds, hooks, forks, and flails, he still firmly chose a large short-handled hammer.

“Boss Korg, will Thunder King be okay like this?”

“Yeah, he looks even more sullen than after his last haircut.”

“…”

Watching Thor choose his weapon and then quietly squat in a corner again, the group of subordinates who followed Korg, the rock man, couldn’t help but whisper.

It was a way of expressing their concern.

“Go, Thunder King is a real man. He was so depressed after his last haircut, but didn’t he recover in just two days? I believe he’ll get through this time too…” Korg, the rock man, paused, then continued, “Of course, two days is still too long. Thunder King had better recover his cheerful mood before entering the arena this time. That way, he can at least cheerfully accept death.”

“As expected of Boss Korg, always so caring…”

“If I were Thunder King and knew Boss Korg cared about me so much, I’d definitely be moved to tears…”

…The group of provisional gladiators, whether truly foolish or genuinely moved, actually started flattering Korg, the rock man.

“Low-key, low-key, you guys just know it yourselves. Don’t let Thunder King hear it and get distracted; he needs quiet now.” Korg, the rock man, modestly stopped his subordinates.

But his deep, resonant voice made it hard for Thor not to hear.

Listening to everyone doubt him, Thor couldn’t help but clench his fists again.

His heart also became incredibly agitated.

“Thor, The Grandmaster wants to see you—”

Just then, two detention cell guards entered and escorted Thor out of the cell.

Afterward, just like when he first arrived, his hands were fixed to a chair by magnetic locks.

He was then pushed upstairs to meet The Grandmaster, and Loki, who was mingling among the people in the room.

Returning to the Sakaaran arena, it was not an artificial structure but the skull of an ancient giant god.

This skull was as vast as a mountain, deeply embedded in Sakaar’s messy garbage plains, and was later repurposed by The Grandmaster into an arena.

It was divided into two levels: the upper level for viewing, and the lower level containing circular detention cells and the central dueling area.

Its overall shape somewhat resembled the Roman Colosseum.

The giant god’s gaping maw, leading to eternal darkness, served as the arena’s entrance, while its jagged teeth transformed into natural arches and the base for the general viewing area.

Further up, the skull’s eye sockets and nasal cavity, massive hollows, were converted into luxury suites and giant projection screens.

The room where The Grandmaster was located was one of these two luxury suites, offering the absolute best viewing position.

As for Loki, ever since he sweet-talked his way into The Grandmaster’s good graces, he had been practically strutting around Sakaar.

Welcomed and feared everywhere he went, his vanity had been greatly satisfied during this time, and he had become so engrossed in the fun that he naturally forgot someone was waiting for him to be rescued.

Now, seeing Thor being brought into the suite, he immediately lowered his head guiltily, not daring to make any eye contact with him.

Thor shook his head in disappointment, saying nothing more.

“Do you see those spectators outside? They all came for the arena’s reputation. And also for you…” Grandmaster Topaz stood before Thor, looking down, “So, to ensure you deliver a spectacular match, I need to teach you a lesson in advance…”

The Grandmaster said, gesturing to Topaz nearby, and then something like a stun baton with a metal ball at one end was handed to him:

“Victory or death!”

“This is the core rule I established when I created the arena. Draws are not accepted here, and the outcome of defeat is…”

The Grandmaster, acting as a temporary commentator, walked towards the emaciated man locked next to Thor, holding what looked like a toy in his hand.

This man looked as if he had endured inhuman torture, his entire body withered and devoid of vitality, his bulging eyes filled with terror and a desperate longing to live.

“No, don’t kill me, please spare me…”

Seeing The Grandmaster approach, the emaciated man screamed for mercy in terror, as if he had seen the devil.

When that had no effect, the man immediately turned and shouted at Thor and the others in the room, “Please save me, I don’t want to die… Help me…”

His deranged appearance was enough to prove he truly did not want to die.

It was only when the man cried out that Thor noticed someone in the chair next to him. After all, the man was indeed too thin; sitting in the large chair, it was hard to notice him without looking carefully.

Thor was then shocked by the desperate will to live on the man’s face.

As for the other spectators in the room, they watched with an air of amusement, some even smiling.

Clearly, they were accustomed to such scenes.

Of course, this did not include Loki.

Seemingly sensing something, he was now frowning, observing his brother Thor and the emaciated man beside him.

Then, as The Grandmaster pressed the metal ball of his “stun baton” against the emaciated man’s chest, the man’s body went limp and he collapsed into the chair, then flowed onto the ground.

Yes, he flowed into a large puddle on the ground, like jelly.

Thor, who had witnessed the torture up close, his shock turning to horror, immediately took over the emaciated man’s previous screams.

Those in the room who had been waiting for a show now erupted in a huge burst of laughter.

“Ugh, how disgusting!”

The Grandmaster, who had caused all this, disdainfully avoided the “jelly” on the ground, threw the “stun baton” back to Topaz, and commanded, “Quickly, have someone clean this up. It’s utterly nauseating.”

Then, he leaned close to Thor and said, “Victory or death! Did you remember?”

…Until he was sent back to the detention cell, Thor’s mind was still buzzing, replaying the gruesome death of the emaciated man.

“I must survive—!!”

It was only at this moment that Thor gained a clear understanding of the arena’s cruelty.

He also understood why Korg, the rock man, and the other provisional gladiators so desperately wanted to escape this place.

Meanwhile, in the viewing area upstairs, Loki, the God of Mischief, who had only been concerned with finding amusement, also realized that everyone in this suite was a “devil.”

His petty schemes were completely insignificant compared to their cruelty.

How does the saying go? Even bad people hope their friends are good people.

So, Loki, feeling extremely insecure, found an opportunity to sneak out.

On one hand, he genuinely didn’t want to stay there; on the other hand, after witnessing the emaciated man’s torture, he suddenly realized and wanted to see if there was still a chance to rescue Thor.

Though he might prank his brother, they were still brothers after all.

This made Loki unable to simply watch him die.

“Where are you going? The match is about to begin.” Just as Loki was tiptoeing to the door, The Grandmaster’s voice suddenly reached his ears.

“Uh… I wanted to go outside and see if there were any better viewing spots.” Loki, startled, quickly thought of a reasonable excuse for his actions.

“Is that so? Then you don’t need to waste your effort. This is the best viewing area. If you still think it’s not enough, you can come sit beside me.” The Grandmaster had a harmless smile on his face.

But perhaps it was psychological, after witnessing his cruelty, even with The Grandmaster’s gentle expression, Loki only felt a chill down his spine as if a cold wind was blowing.

And his little schemes seemed to have been seen through by the other’s eyes.

“Th-thank you!” Loki, not daring to act rashly again, for the sake of his life, could only accept The Grandmaster’s offer with a forced smile.

He went to sit beside him… “I never thought Grandmaster Topaz had such a cruel side…” Nebula, in the other luxury suite, voiced her displeasure.

The two luxury suites were only dozens of meters apart and not completely enclosed; if one looked carefully, they could barely see what was happening on the other side.

It was also thanks to Mike being wealthy and unwilling to compromise his comfort that Nebula had the chance to secretly observe Grandmaster Topaz’s true nature.

“When do you plan to save your friend?” Having witnessed The Grandmaster’s cruelty, Nebula was even more worried about the safety of Mike’s friend, Thor.

“Anytime, but before that, he needs to learn a good lesson.” Mike, squinting and enjoying Wanda’s thoughtful massage, replied.

He wasn’t a full-time babysitter; Mike couldn’t always pay for Thor’s recklessness.

Therefore, he would take this opportunity to let the other party truly grow.

As the gladiator match time approached, deafening electronic rock music blared through the dimly lit arena.

Accompanied by the rough style of the surroundings and the pale giant god’s skeleton, it had a somewhat death metal vibe.

Below, in the parallel viewing stands, spectators from every corner of the universe, hearing the music begin, immediately fell into collective frenzy.

Among them were alien nobles with colorful skin, mechanical lifeforms made entirely of metal, and even more, ragged gamblers who looked like trash.

They jostled together, their shouts, cheers, and curses forming a cacophony.

From a distance, the chaotic scene resembled hell.

At this moment, Nebula, in the luxury suite above, couldn’t help but once again praise her boss’s foresight.

Although it cost a lot of money, it was all worth it.

The frenzy below continued, and under the command of the massive death rock music, the already deranged crowd seemed to be performing a grand religious ritual.

Then, as the holographic projection above the arena opened, countless dazzling electronic fireworks exploded over the stands, pushing the atmosphere to another peak.

And those electronic fireworks were not true “fireworks” but rather gladiators’ odds, records, and close-up shots.

As gamblers placed their bets one after another, the air seemed to be filled with a pungent odor, a mix of sweat, sweet blood, and inferior fuel and stimulants.

This was the smell of primal desire and violence, condensed after being evaporated.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Scum of the universe! Welcome to—the Contest of Champions!”

Amidst the intense atmosphere, a large-headed alien in punk attire walked to the center of the arena, holding a microphone.

His appearance undoubtedly attracted the gaze of countless spectators.

Everyone realized that the bloody and violent gladiator match was about to begin…

“Oh my god!”

Thor, who had witnessed the torture up close, his shock turning to horror, immediately took over the emaciated man’s previous screams.