"What happened?"
Leon sat down in the center of the sofa near Tony, an arm loosely around the silent Supergiant. She obediently fed him slices of alien fruit, her earlier defiance nowhere to be seen.
Tony jerked his chin toward Loki, clearly enjoying himself.
"Loki said the arena fights were boring. Started mouthing off about 'God of Hammers' and 'Can you even fight without it?' And… well. Here we are."
Loki shrugged helplessly. Mjolnir rested firmly on his lap.
It didn't feel particularly heavy—but it might as well have been rooted to the fabric of reality. Like a metaphysical anchor, it held him completely in place. No matter how he strained, he couldn't budge it an inch.
"That's… very on brand," Leon said with a grin, making no move whatsoever to help him.
The Grand Arena of Sakaar
The arena was the most popular structure on Sakaar—Grandmaster's proudest invention.
The hemispherical open-air coliseum was packed to capacity, the roar of the crowd deafening.
Above the arena floor, thousands of drones projected a towering, hundred-meter hologram of the Grandmaster into the night sky, complete with immersive surround sound.
Thor volunteering to fight?
For someone like the Grandmaster—who lived for spectacle—it was perfect.
"Look at you all!" he beamed.
"Magnificent performance! Beautiful evening! Are you having fun?"
"I am your host—Grandmaster! Let's hear that applause!"
The audience erupted.
"And now—no more delays! The main event begins!"
"Tonight, we welcome a special challenger. First appearance—but do not underestimate him."
"Ladies and gentlemen—give it up for the God of Thunder…"
"Thor Odinson!"
The steel gate on one side of the arena lifted.
Thor stepped out in full Asgardian armor. In his hand was a heavy axe-hammer forged from Sakaaran metal—a crude but serviceable weapon.
No enchantment. No special properties.
Just metal.
The crowd booed immediately.
Compared to the reigning champion, Thor looked… small.
Thor ignored them, scanning the VIP suite until his gaze locked on Loki.
"Wait and see," he muttered.
The Grandmaster leaned forward excitedly.
"And now… our champion."
Smoke shells detonated above the arena, despite it being night. The ground trembled.
Thor's expression shifted. Whatever casual confidence he had evaporated.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Grandmaster shouted, barely containing his glee. "Our defending champion—unmatched, unstoppable, invincible!"
"Give it up for—Cull Obsidian!"
A monstrous roar drowned out the crowd.
Before the massive steel gate could fully open, a gigantic gray-black arm tore it apart.
Nearly three meters tall, shield on one arm and war-axe in the other, Cull Obsidian leapt forward and landed before Thor with seismic force.
In the Ultra-VIP Suite
Supergiant suddenly sprang to her feet.
"Yes!"
Cull Obsidian.
A fellow member of the Black Order.
The very one Thanos had sent her to locate.
Hope flared in her eyes.
This is my chance—
Smack.
"Getting excited?" Leon asked mildly.
She winced, immediately sitting back down in his arms.
"Yes… my master."
Under Leon's calm, watchful gaze, she confessed everything. Cull Obsidian's status within the Black Order. His role under Thanos.
Leon listened idly, a finger brushing lightly across her lips.
Three down.
Ebony Maw.
Supergiant.
Cull Obsidian.
Thanos hadn't even shown himself yet, and his Black Order had already lost three pillars.
How unfortunate.
"Nice!" Loki suddenly shouted, eyes glued to the arena.
Leon followed his gaze.
Thor—without Mjolnir—had miscalculated.
Cull had grabbed him by the ankle and was slamming him into the ground like a ragdoll.
Even the Grandmaster blinked in confusion at Loki's enthusiasm.
"Isn't that your brother?"
"I love this game!" Loki declared. "He never listened to Father. A little humility will do him good!"
Grandmaster cackled. "Then he's in for a lesson. Cull Obsidian is my strongest champion."
The Beating
Thor tried to recover, but the strength gap was undeniable.
Cull's brute force overwhelmed him before his combat skill could compensate.
When the slamming stopped, Thor lay spread-eagle in a crater, struggling to breathe.
Cull leapt—
And landed directly on top of him.
His fists crashed down again and again.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Blood mixed with dust across Thor's face.
In the VIP suite, Tony subtly began manipulating magnetic fields, trying to create interference around Cull.
Leon casually caught Tony's wrist with invisible telekinesis and shook his head.
Tony exhaled, standing down.
Below, Thor clenched his fists.
For a fleeting moment, he considered breaking the rules.
Calling Mjolnir.
But before the thought fully formed—
Everything went white.
The Vision
A vast, luminous void.
Countless fallen warriors surrounded him—echoes of Valhalla.
And then—
Odin.
Not as the Allfather upon a throne.
But as an aging father nearing the end of his journey.
His golden armor was gone. He wore simple clothing, like an old traveler.
Only the eyepatch remained.
Thor stared at him.
"…Father?"
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