Topaz's staff crackled with energy at its tip, aimed directly at Garus, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
"Grandmaster, perhaps you could ask Topaz to lower her weapon?" the Collector interjected, attempting to diffuse the tension. He understood why the Grandmaster was irritated—after all, as the absolute ruler of Sakaar, he had never been attacked on his own turf before. Not even the notoriously aggressive Kree had dared to cause trouble here.
Seeing no reaction from either party, the Collector sighed. "Alright, alright, I upheld my end of the bargain last time."
"You said it yourself," the Grandmaster replied, his displeasure vanishing as a satisfied smirk replaced it. "Tivan, I'm letting this slide for your sake…"
With the hostility temporarily alleviated, Garus dispelled the frost energy around him and returned Frostmourne to his dimensional storage. Instantly, the temperature around them returned to normal.
The Collector continued, "I, along with Odin of Asgard and the Ancient One of Kamar-Taj, have reached an agreement. With Thanos growing ever stronger, we've decided to join forces to stop him from running rampant across the galaxy."
Hearing this, Garus realized that the Collector had long maintained contact with Asgard and Kamar-Taj. Back when the Chitauri invaded Earth, the Ancient One had reached out to both Odin and the Collector for assistance. However, the war had begun and ended quickly. By the time the Collector received the message, it was already over—only Odin had managed to send Thor to aid the battle.
The Collector then shifted topics. "By the way, the Ancient One mentioned that after your warship entered the wormhole, they lost all contact with you. Some assumed you had been annihilated by the Chitauri fleet. How exactly did you escape?"
Garus smirked. "Escape? I didn't run. That entire Chitauri fleet was obliterated, including their commander, Black Dwarf. The only issue was that my forces and I got separated, which is why I'm here, searching for them."
The Collector's expression remained skeptical. "Black Dwarf isn't someone to be taken lightly. Among Thanos' Black Order, he ranks near the top in sheer combat prowess. If you truly defeated him, then you should be careful—Thanos won't take this lightly."
"Enough of this," Garus said, turning to the Grandmaster. "Abomination is my subordinate. I'm taking him with me."
Before he could finish, the Grandmaster cut him off with a dismissive wave. "That won't do. I spent a million units acquiring him! He still owes me many spectacular battles in the arena."
The Collector sighed knowingly. He understood his friend's obsession with gladiatorial combat—it was akin to his own obsession with rare artifacts. If anyone dared to interfere with his collections, he would make them regret it.
Throughout the eons, they had both found their unique distractions to pass the time, and these distractions had turned into their greatest passions.
With a sharp clang, Frostmourne sank effortlessly into the floor. Garus locked eyes with the Grandmaster. "You should know by now that your control devices don't work on Abomination. He can leave whenever he wants."
The Collector intervened again, not just because he recognized Garus' strength but also because he had a proposition for him. Additionally, he owed the Ancient One a favor.
"Why don't we all take a breath?" the Collector suggested. "We can let you go, but I need you to retrieve something for me."
Garus narrowed his eyes. "What is it?"
A holographic projection materialized before them. "The Orb. A magnificent artifact for my collection. If you find it for me, I will reward you handsomely. However, you should know that Thanos' forces are also searching for it. Be careful."
Garus immediately recognized the Orb—it contained the Power Stone and was hidden on a planet that had long since perished. The problem was that, despite his vast knowledge, he couldn't recall the exact location. If he had, he would have gone after it himself long ago.
"Which planet?" he asked.
"You're agreeing to this?" The Collector studied him closely.
"I am. But I need details."
"The Orb is on Morag," the Collector explained. "However, the planet is large and extremely hazardous. Many have gone there searching for it, and none have returned. But I trust this won't be an issue for you."
"Let's hope it won't take too long to find," Garus muttered. He still needed to track down Bobby and return to Earth as soon as possible.
"I can confirm the Orb is within the ruins of an ancient city. There should be no sentient life left there."
"Fine." Garus had no intention of handing the Orb over to the Collector. The Power Stone was an artifact of immense power—there was no way he'd give it up so easily.
"Hey, Tivan! Have you forgotten about me?" the Grandmaster huffed, feeling ignored. "Abomination is still my champion. That's my decision."
The Collector sighed. "Brother, consider it a favor I owe you."
"…Alright, alright." The Grandmaster relented. "Good thing I still have Beta Ray Bill to keep things interesting." Trading a champion for a favor from the Collector seemed fair to him. "It's settled then. Now, let's resume the championship match."
He turned to Garus. "The next fight is about to begin—oh, by the way, what did you say your name was?"
Garus met his gaze and answered, "Garus. Headmaster of the Murant Academy on Earth."
The Grandmaster's eyes widened slightly. "Mutants? The genetic experiments of the Celestials? Weren't they wiped out on Earth?"
It seemed Earth wasn't as insignificant in the cosmic scheme of things as Garus had once believed. If even two Elders of the Universe were familiar with its history, then many others likely were as well.
"They weren't completely wiped out. There are probably still thousands, though only a few hundred have been found so far."
The Grandmaster rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Thousands of mutants? If they joined my arena, the fights would be spectacular."
Seeing Garus' unimpressed expression, he quickly added, "Don't misunderstand! Purely for sport—no restrictions or forced participation. What do you think?"
Garus sighed. He regretted mentioning mutants at all. But then again, perhaps this could be an opportunity.
Meanwhile, down in the arena, Abomination stood waiting for Garus' signal. Having already overpowered several guards, he was prepared to leave at a moment's notice.
The audience was growing restless, their impatient murmurs swelling into an uproar.
Dozens of guards surrounded Abomination in a wide circle, though none dared to step forward. The captain of the guard, drenched in nervous sweat, feared the Grandmaster's wrath should things spiral out of control.
"The match continues. After this, we leave."
"As you command, Master."
Receiving Garus' mental command, Abomination turned and marched toward the battlefield, allowing the tense guards to breathe a sigh of relief.
"And now, the Crimson Fury, Abomination, faces the mechanical menace, the Eggbreaker! Let the battle begin!"
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