Chapter 132: The Champion's Battle

Forced by the pressure Garus exerted on him, Yondu reluctantly ordered his crew to activate the warship.

The Ravagers' warship entered jump mode, streaking across the cosmos with a flash of light, heading toward the nearest wormhole en route to Sakaar.

After five wormhole jumps, they arrived at a purple nebula surrounded by various ships, all queuing to enter Sakaar.

Pointing at the nebula, Yondu explained, "Sakaar is inside this nebula, a convergence point of different universes. First, you'll need to pass through the checkpoint there. They'll only check to see if you're on Sakaar's wanted list."

He hesitated for a moment before turning to Garus, who was about to leave. "Can I have my Yaka Arrow back?"

Before Yondu could finish his plea, a chilling sensation brushed past his ear. Turning, he saw his weapon embedded in the wall beside him. Without looking back, Garus walked away. Although Yondu was a scoundrel, Garus considered him honorable enough to spare.

Garus returned to his own warship, heading for the orbital spaceport outside Sakaar.

"Boss, shouldn't we get out of here?" Kraglin asked Yondu nervously. Just being near Garus made him feel as if his soul was frozen by an unbearable cold.

"We're leaving immediately. That guy's nothing but trouble. Idiot, do you even know who's with that Earthling?"

"Don't call me an idiot; I'm Sparkface," Kraglin grumbled, annoyed by Yondu's nickname for him. "And no, I don't know who he is."

"My nose tells me he's a Skrull, a major fugitive for the Kree."

Sparkface's eyes lit up. "I remember the Kree put a huge bounty on Skrulls. Should we—"

Before he could finish, Yondu smacked him on the head. "Moron! Do you have a death wish? Besides, with just one Skrull, how much bounty do you think we'd get to split?"

Suppressing his anger, Sparkface glared at Yondu. If the opportunity arose, he'd gladly overthrow his insufferable leader. Still, he wasn't eager to cross paths with Garus again.

Within the nebula, spatial energy fluctuated chaotically. Above Sakaar's surface, wormholes of various sizes swirled, leaving trails of orange, green, and blue light. The largest wormhole, formed by a collapsing neutron star, led to the vicinity of Asgard. Despite the countless wormholes surrounding it, Sakaar remained intact, a testament to its extraordinary nature.

A Sakaarian spaceport official directed Garus's warship into a designated berth. After disembarking, a guard scanned their bodies with a handheld device.

"Cleared."

Following the crowd, they passed through the planetary barrier and boarded a large transport vessel headed for Sakaar's Gladiator City. The streets were bustling with festive energy, with throngs of people cheering and chanting, "Abomination! Abomination!"

The city was adorned in red, with flags waving in every alleyway.

"Is that Emil Blonsky—the Abomination?" Kallruth pointed to a massive sculpture atop the tallest building.

"It does look like him," Garus muttered, unsure how to feel. "It seems he's been enjoying himself here."

Suddenly, a massive holographic projection appeared in the sky, showing a middle-aged man in ornate robes smiling down at the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome! Today marks the commencement of a new Champion's Battle. From Korbin, we have Beta Ray Bill facing off against Sakaar's own champion, Emil Blonsky—the Abomination!"

"Beta Ray Bill? Not Thor? And what's he doing here? Shouldn't he be in Asgard?" Garus wondered aloud.

"Mr. Garus, should we locate Blonsky now?" Kallruth asked.

"No rush. Let's enjoy the fight first."

At the arena's entrance, a long line of spectators extended toward the gates. As they reached the front, each person pressed their hand against a machine for identification.

When it was their turn, Garus scanned the area, signaling Kallruth. Catching the cue, Kallruth stepped forward and pulled the Mind Stone Staff from his coat. In an instant, he pressed it to the guard captain's chest, its power subduing him.

"Hey, what are you doing?" The other guards raised their weapons.

"It's fine. Stand down," the captain, now under the staff's control, assured them. "These are the Grandmaster's honored guests. Let them through."

Hearing this, the guards lowered their weapons.

The captain turned to Garus and Kallruth. "Honored guests, I'll personally escort you to the arena and ensure you have the best seats."

The arena was an enormous coliseum spanning thousands of square meters, its stands filled with a myriad of bizarre-looking spectators. On a platform ahead, a group of guards surrounded two individuals. One was Sakaar's ruler, the Grandmaster, while the other was an equally prominent figure—Taneleer Tivan, the Collector.

Garus recognized the Collector after a moment of thought. Like the Grandmaster, Tivan was one of the Elders of the Universe, famed across the cosmos.

The Collector owned an interstellar conglomerate and operated out of Knowhere, the severed head of an ancient celestial being. Garus wondered if he could resurrect the Celestial to make it his subordinate. Such a being, he mused, could rival the strength of Ego, Star-Lord's father.

As Garus contemplated, the atmosphere in the arena grew electrifying. The Grandmaster's towering holographic projection appeared once more, his voice booming across the coliseum.

"Esteemed audience, welcome to the annual Champion's Battle. I am your host, the Grandmaster—though I know you love to call me simply that."

Smiling, he addressed the tens of thousands of spectators. "Today, two powerful warriors will face off in an epic battle. I'm sure you can't wait to witness the spectacle!"

"First, our reigning, undefeated champion. Give it up for the Crimson Fury—Emil Blonsky, the Abomination!"

A deafening roar erupted from the crowd.

"Abomination! Abomination! Abomination!"

"And his opponent, the dazzling thunderstorm, Beta Ray Bill!"

The gates on either side of the arena slowly opened, revealing the two gladiators set to clash in today's battle.

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