The Grandmaster's face appeared on the massive holographic screen above the arena. Spreading his arms wide, his voice trembled with excitement.
"A new champion! The Lord of Thunder!"
All of Sakaar erupted into roaring cheers, the deafening waves of sound nearly shaking the artificial sky apart.
---
In the VIP box, Loki's smile stiffened slightly. He applauded along with everyone else, but his eyes were cold.
Once again, his dear brother had become the center of attention.
Raising his glass, Loki leaned closer to the Grandmaster and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"You see? I told you he would be entertaining. But… a champion who can't be controlled isn't a very good product."
The Grandmaster glanced sideways at him, his smile growing wider.
"Relax. Toys have their own way of being played with."
---
In a corner of the lounge, Valkyrie downed another long swig from her bottle.
Her gaze lingered on the golden figure in the arena, bathed in light.
For a moment, her eyes lost focus.
It had been many years since she had seen that kind of look—that stubborn, burning determination. The last time had been on Asgard, when they faced that woman.
She shook her head sharply, pushing the blood-soaked memories away, and took another drink.
---
Medical robots carried Beta Ray Bill past Thor on a stretcher.
The horse-faced Korbinite nodded weakly to him. It was a warrior's acknowledgment.
Thor returned the nod.
Ignoring the thunderous cheers, he was escorted by towering guards toward the Champion's Passage.
He knew this was only the beginning.
He had become the Grandmaster's most valuable toy.
Leaving this planet had just become even harder.
He needed allies.
His gaze cut through the crowd and landed on the quietly drinking Valkyrie.
---
The Champion's Suite was absurdly large.
A gigantic portrait of Thor hung on the wall—depicting him with exaggerated muscles and a savage expression that looked nothing like him.
In the center of the room stood a bar that automatically refilled blue drinks. Nearby was a massive circular waterbed.
Thor wasted no time. He ordered the guards to bring everyone he could think of.
Valkyrie arrived first, leaning against the doorway with her ever-present bottle. Her eyes were filled with suspicion and mockery.
Korg and Miek were "invited" in by the guards. The rock man looked around curiously, marveling at the automatic bar.
Finally came Beta Ray Bill, wrapped in bandages and lying on an anti-gravity medical bed pushed by two robots. Despite his condition, his eyes were still sharp.
Thor spoke immediately, his voice calm but firm.
"I'm leaving Sakaar. I'm returning to Asgard."
"Hela… has come back."
Valkyrie snorted and tilted her head back to drink.
"That's your problem, Prince. I'm not going back."
She paused.
"Asgard? To me, that place is already dead."
Her tone was quiet, but the despair in it was icy.
Korg, however, raised his rocky arms enthusiastically.
"I'm in!"
Beta Ray Bill struggled to sit up.
"My home was destroyed… and I could only watch," he said hoarsely. "If your home still stands, it deserves someone to defend it. I'll help."
---
The door slid open silently.
Loki walked in with a glass of wine, wearing a flawless smile.
"My dear brother," he said lightly, "how could you discuss a prison break without inviting me?"
He glanced around the room like a host greeting guests.
"As it happens, I know the launch codes to all of the Grandmaster's ships… including his fastest one."
"It's called The Godfather."
Thor and Valkyrie both shot him suspicious looks.
Loki raised his hands innocently.
"Don't look at me like that. I've been trapped here for quite some time too. This time, I really do want to help."
---
What they didn't know was that inside the Grandmaster's control room, a massive screen was broadcasting everything happening in the suite.
The Grandmaster lounged with his legs crossed, munching on wriggling snacks from a bowl.
"Look at this!" he laughed to his assistant. "Family drama! Betrayal! Alliances! It's fantastic!"
He clapped his hands.
"Release the Lava Hounds. Give them a little challenge."
"Broadcast it on every channel. Title it—"
'The Champion's Glorious Great Escape!'
---
A shrill alarm suddenly filled the suite.
The lights turned blood-red.
"Alert! Rebels detected in Sector A! Lava Hounds deployed!"
Korg jumped.
"How did they find out?"
Loki, however, smiled faintly and looked at Thor.
"Well… looks like our party is starting early."
---
The alloy door melted open, a glowing hole burned through it. Molten metal dripped onto the carpet with a hissing sound.
Two mechanical beasts resembling hyenas rushed inside.
Molten lava flowed through their joints, dripping from their jaws and burning holes into the luxurious carpet.
Thor's eyes sharpened.
"Loki—lead the way! Valkyrie—flank! Korg—protect them!"
Valkyrie said nothing. She rolled behind a couch and drew two energy pistols, opening fire.
Korg gave a cheerful "Right!" and planted his rocky body in front of Bill's medical bed like a shield.
Loki retreated toward the back of the room and pointed at a huge ventilation shaft.
"Through there! It leads straight to the lower waste channels—no surveillance!"
---
Thor didn't hesitate.
Lightning burst from his body as he charged the mechanical hounds.
A thick bolt of electricity lashed out from his hand like a whip, striking one of the beasts and sending arcs dancing across its metal shell.
The other lunged at Valkyrie.
She rolled aside smoothly. Several energy shots struck its knee joints, sparking violently—though the damage seemed minimal.
Beta Ray Bill roared from his medical bed and rammed it forward, smashing into the creature and forcing it backward.
Thor seized the moment.
He became a streak of lightning, appearing above the first hound and slamming both fists downward.
The beast's head was driven into its chest and exploded into smoking scrap.
---
Just as he turned to finish the second one, Thor noticed something strange.
A silver drone, about the size of a fist, hovered nearby. A red light blinked on its body while a camera lens pointed directly at him.
Thor froze for half a second.
Looking around, he spotted several more drones in the corners—filming from all sorts of angles.
Down the corridor, more Lava Hounds were approaching.
But their formation looked less like an attack… and more like a queue waiting for their turn on stage.
Thor's anger suddenly cooled.
He glanced at Loki.
Loki was adjusting his collar in front of one of the drones, flashing a perfectly timed mischievous smile.
That bastard had known all along.
---
Thor exhaled slowly.
A strange sense of absurdity washed over him.
Fine.
If this was a show—
Then he'd give them a show.
He spread his arms dramatically toward the ceiling, summoning more lightning to gather around him.
Electricity crackled across his body, making him look like a true god of thunder.
Then he unleashed a fan-shaped chain lightning blast into the incoming hounds.
Valkyrie noticed the drones too. She rolled her eyes but sped up her shooting, targeting the creatures' energy cores to end the farce quickly.
Up ahead, Loki led the way while providing cheerful commentary.
"Oh look out, brother! On your left! That big one looks like it's about to explode! How thrilling!"
---
They fought their way through the corridors.
It felt less like an escape… and more like a live-action obstacle course.
Defense turrets conveniently malfunctioned whenever they stepped into range.
Pursuing guards slipped over cleaning robots at the worst possible moments.
---
Finally, they burst into a massive hangar.
Everyone fell silent.
At the center of the hangar sat a sleek black luxury spaceship.
The Godfather.
Its boarding ramp was already lowered.
A spotlight from the ceiling illuminated the ship dramatically.
All around the hangar, giant holographic screens replayed their "heroic escape," broadcasting it live to the entire population of Sakaar.
The crowd roared for their new champion and his rebellious companions.
Thor walked aboard without a word and dropped into the pilot's seat.
Valkyrie followed, kicking the side of the control panel in frustration.
Korg, meanwhile, looked delighted.
"Whoa! This ship's amazing! Way better than the last one we had! And it's got leather seats!"
Loki whistled softly while expertly operating the controls. The engines hummed to life.
Suddenly, the ship's speakers crackled.
The Grandmaster's recorded message began playing:
"My honored guest has traded for your freedom."
"Consider today's performance the payment for this ship."
"Good luck… Lord of Thunder."
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