7 Saka and the Grandmaster

"Got it," the scavenger leader conceded, realizing there was no use in concealing anything from Caesar any longer. He hastily adopted a more servile tone, saying, "If you've got any questions, I'll spill it all, no hiding, I swear."

Caesar glanced at the scavenger who lay feigning unconsciousness and declared, "I'll interrogate them later. Anyone caught lying won't live to see another day!"

It was evident to Caesar that the scavenger leader, who could feign death so convincingly, was particularly cunning.

Caesar wasn't about to take the scavenger leader's words at face value.

"Got it, got it," the scavenger leader, hidden behind a mask, his face obscured, trembled visibly.

"First question: where exactly are we?" Caesar couldn't shake the feeling that he'd been here before, but the place remained elusive in his memory.

"Sir, this is Saka. It's on the edge between what's known and what's not. It's a forsaken, forgotten land, ruled by a warlord who's fond of arena battles. He's got quite the army of fighters..."

The scavenger leader, recognizing Caesar's unfamiliarity with Saka, spilled all he knew about the place.

"So this is it? Do all those who fall from the Bifrost end up here in Saka?"

Caesar rubbed his temples. But didn't dwell on it too long.

His priority was finding a way out of Saka.

In this time-distorted world, where a single year inside equaled to who knows how long outside, time was of the essence.

He didn't intend to linger in Sarkar for long, because he feared that it will be too late when he venture out and by then Frigga might have died and the Ragnarok might have happened.

He urgently needed to escape this nightmarish realm.

"Heimdall? Heimdall?" When it came to swift transportation, nothing rivaled Bifrost except perhaps the Space Gem.

Caesar bellowed Heimdall's name, but received no answer.

With a resigned shake of his head, Caesar wasn't surprised.

Saka was a place where time twisted and the flow differed across the nine realms of the universe.

If Heimdall possessed the strength to bridge time's barriers and employ Bifrost to rescue Caesar from Saka, then he would have already done so.

"Your Majesty? Your Majesty?" The scavenger leader studied Caesar intently, pondering deeply upon hearing his words.

Caesar mused over this development; meanwhile, the scavenger leader remained subdued beneath Caesar's feet, his strength seemingly amplifying with each passing moment.

He had no desire to be inadvertently crushed by Caesar.

"How do I depart from this place?" Caesar inquired calmly, glancing down at the quivering scavenger leader, exerting a subtle pressure with his foot.

"My lord, my lord, no soul has ever escaped Saka! It is a realm of oblivion and banishment, the crossroads between the known and unknown. No one can depart from Saka..." The scavenger leader cried out in anguish, his tone tinged with despair.

No one willingly remained in this spectral realm except a fool, yet there had been no tales of anyone leaving.

"Are you absolutely certain?" Caesar reiterated, applying a bit more pressure with his foot.

"Ah, my lord," the scavenger leader exclaimed, then quickly corrected himself, "Grandmaster, Grandmaster, only the Grandmaster can get people out of this ghostly place!"

"Alright, cut the act," Caesar shifted his feet away from the scavenger leader, "I know you're not that feeble."

The leader's unyielding demeanor and heat betrayed his facade, making Caesar realize he was merely putting on a show.

"Has the Grandmaster ever granted someone freedom from here?" Caesar comprehended that the Grandmaster had the capability to depart from this place, yet he preferred not to engage with the Grandmaster unless absolutely necessary.

Each of those cosmic elders possessed an infinite lifespan, their existence shrouded in mystery.

To alleviate the tedium of eternity, they each adopted various pastimes.

For instance, The collector Taneleer Tivan had his Collection, and the Grandmaster hosted his Champion Fights.

Though these cosmic elders might appear comical in films and television, their true power remained an enigma.

Take the Collector, seemingly easily defeated by Thanos!

Thanos had long been aware that the Reality Gem resided with Taneleer, yet he prioritized the destruction of Xandar, the Nova Corps, and the acquisition of the Power Gem.

The he proceed to vanquish the retreating Asgardians and secure the Space Gem.

The Reality Gem acquisition took place only after that.

Progression always followed from simple to complex.

Until Caesar reached a sufficient level of strength, he preferred to avoid direct confrontation with these immensely powerful beings. There was no certainty they wouldn't suddenly turn hostile, choosing to imprison or slay him on a whim.

"I cannot say for certain, perhaps some champions have been granted freedom. However, aspiring to become one yourself is futile, utterly futile!" The scavenger leader's body quivered involuntarily at the mention of the championship, his words tinged with dread.

"That's your problem," Caesar retorted with a sneer.

[Attention, the host has arrived at Saka and must make a decision!]

[Choice 1: Confront the Grandmaster, plead for release.

Reward: +1 Physical Resistance, Super Speed Regeneration!]

[Choice 2: Remain on Saka for a decade.

Reward: Friendship with the Grandmaster, Level 1 Divine Power Upgrade!]

[Choice 3: Enter the champion fights and emerge victorious.

Reward: Cellular absorbtion upgrade, Level 1 Divine Power Upgrade!]