25

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Beginning of the Duel Champion

For most races in the universe, traveling through wormholes more than 50 times consecutively can cause significant physical discomfort.

"Have you checked how many times we need to jump?" Thor asked.

"Uh, it seems to be more than 1,500 times," came the response.

"Ah ah ah ah ah--"

Thor soon began to feel dizzy and nauseous.

Poor Nebula was already delirious; it was clear she wouldn't be able to endure much longer.

The fighter plane suddenly shook, struggling under the strain of continuous jumps and starting to malfunction. This small Chitauri aircraft wasn't built for such load . Thor sighed, embraced Nebula, and pressed the emergency eject button.

…

Sakaar, a chaotic planet with minimal law and order, serves as a dumping ground for various alien civilizations and a haven for criminals. The entire planet is littered with debris, and its inhabitants are rough and violent. It is a place where lawlessness prevails.

Despite its grim reputation, Sakaar has its prosperous side. Certain lucrative industries thrive here, particularly those that wouldn't be acceptable elsewhere.

One such industry is the gladiatorial games organized by the Grandmaster.

The victor of these games can gain unimaginable rewards: glory, wealth, and more. The fate of the loser, however...

No one cares about the losers.

The death rate among gladiators is so high that most people are reluctant to participate. Even those with considerable strength often find other ways to achieve their goals.

Thus, most gladiators are brought by scavengers hunted from the refuse.

Thor emerged from a mound of garbage carrying Nebula in his arms.

A group of bizarre scavengers surrounded them, one of whom brandished a strange weapon—a net with potent paralyzing effects.

"I can handle Thanos and these pests too," Thor fumed, charging forward and defeating them all, leaving them kneeling in defeat.

…

As Nebula slowly regained consciousness, Thor asked with concern, "Do you have any money? Can our cosmic coins buy us a flight?" Even if they had money, it wouldn't be enough for this place. The only funds they had were those they'd taken from the scavengers.

Nebula looked around and shook her head. "It might be enough on a normal planet, but here, with the chaos and high demand, the price might be exorbitant..."

Thor shrugged helplessly. In such a desperate situation, finding a quick way to earn money was essential. The easiest solution was the fighting arena.

…

"Our top priority now is to gather money to buy a spaceship and leave this place," Thor said in a bar, addressing Nebula. "Next, I'll sign up to compete in the gladiatorial games as a free agent and challenge the reigning champion, who is said to have won 66 consecutive battles. Winning will earn us the bounty."

"And me?" Nebula asked.

"You'll handle betting all our money on my victory."

"And then?"

"Bet all your winnings on my next match, and wager on my victory again..."

Nebula frowned. "Is it really that simple?"

But given that Thor had managed to hold his own against Thanos, Nebula was reassured. Clearly, he had the prowess to back up his claims. How could someone of Thanos' stature be defeated so easily...

To Nebula, merely surviving against Thanos for this long seemed a miracle .

…

"You're planning to sign up for the gladiatorial games? And challenge the champion directly?"

The Grandmaster, dressed in an extravagant gold coat, looked surprised. Many aspire to be the end of a winning streak, but they don't often do so at the cost of their lives. Only outlaws or forced prisoners with bomb collars typically challenge the reigning champion.

Although he acknowledged Thor's strength, he hadn't anticipated such confidence.

This assessment of Thor's strength was based on the men who had tried to prevent his entry. Three had been turned to ashes by Thor, and the last had been reduced to a burnt, dough-like mass by the Grandmaster.

…