Chapter 26: Pikachu Appears

After Thor left, the Grandmaster sat back, deep in thought about his next move.

Finally, he spoke. "Give him a gold card loaded with one million cosmic credits."

The assistant beside him—a heavyset woman with a skeptical expression—blinked in shock. "Are you sure? You're… giving him money?"

The Grandmaster smirked, a dark glint in his eyes. "If he loses, the card comes back to me anyway. What's a little credit?"

"And if he wins?"

"If he wins, the value he'll bring will be far more than a million."

Back at his temporary quarters, Thor was surprised when someone delivered a sleek gold card. Technically, he could now afford a small ship and leave the planet. But he'd already agreed to fight in at least three matches, and he was a man of his word.

Besides, he wasn't in any rush to get back to Earth. The next big event was still years away.

Nebula, meanwhile, took the entire million and placed it on Thor to win, exactly as he'd requested. Soon, word spread throughout Sakaar that some newcomer had the nerve to challenge the reigning champion. Rumors and speculations flew, with most people declaring the challenger an absolute fool.

Annoyed, Nebula tried to track down the source of these rumors, only to find one of the main sources was… Thor himself.

What on Sakaar is he up to?

Three days later, the arena was packed. Thor strode confidently onto the stage, wielding a giant sword in one hand and a shield in the other.

Across from him stood a massive creature with a lizard-like head, towering over eight meters tall. The beast was a terrifying sight, its barbed claws each over a meter long, and its muscular arms thicker than Thor's entire body. Its gaping mouth, filled with razor-sharp fangs, was as wide as a black hole.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!" the Grandmaster's voice boomed through the arena, sparking cheers from over 100,000 spectators. "Tonight, we have an unforgettable matchup! On one side, our reigning champion with a record of 66 consecutive victories—the ferocious Tyrant Lizard! His hide is tougher than steel, his claws capable of disemboweling anyone foolish enough to challenge him!"

He paused dramatically, then continued. "And our challenger… the electrifying… Mr. Pikachu!"

The crowd erupted in boos and jeers, their contempt even drowning out the guttural roars of the lizard-like champion. Standing under two meters tall, Thor looked puny by comparison. The audience was sure his sword wouldn't even pierce the monster's hide, and his shield would crumble like paper under its claws.

Bets poured in, with odds on Thor's victory set at an astronomical 1 to 123. Nebula placed the entire million-credit bet, and the Grandmaster, ever the shameless opportunist, followed suit with his own wager of one million.

With the crowd at a fever pitch, the lizard champion charged, aiming to shred his tiny opponent to pieces.

Thor rolled to the side, dodging its deadly claws, which smashed into the ground with a force that made the entire arena shake. He brought up his shield, and with several swift strikes, he managed to pin the lizard's steel-like claws into the floor.

The creature struggled to free its claws, roaring in rage, but Thor gave it no chance to recover. With a leap, he sprang high, aiming straight for the gaping maw of the lizard's open mouth.

The crowd gasped, holding their breath as Thor disappeared into the beast's jaws. But a moment later, a muffled gurgling sound escaped the creature, and its body went rigid. In an explosive display, Thor tore out through the back of its neck, lightning crackling around him as he emerged covered in blood and viscera.

Boom! The massive creature collapsed to the ground as Thor wiped his sword and sheathed it.

A hush fell over the stadium. Then, a beat later, the crowd erupted in deafening cheers.

Thor raised his sword, triumphant, as the crowd went wild. 

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