After bidding farewell to Wanda, Garus activated the Death Gate leading to Sakaar.
The moment he stepped through, the distant roar of a cheering crowd filled the air. This gladiatorial world was alive with the frenzy of a grand celebration.
"And now, our reigning champion, Korath the Pursuer, will face off against the Goddess of Death, Hela from Asgard!"
"Korath!"
"Korath!"
"Korath!"
The name echoed through the coliseum, so loudly that even outside the arena, Garus could hear it clearly.
Korath? Hela?
Weren't they both supposed to be dead?
Pushing his way into the stands, Garus spotted the combatants. In the center of the arena stood a heavily cybernetically enhanced warrior, his entire body altered beyond recognition. Opposite him was a woman, missing an arm but still radiating an imposing presence.
Garus had never seen Hela in person, only heard her voice when he was in Asgard. But there was no mistaking it—this was indeed the once-mighty Goddess of Death.
With Asgard's destruction, she had lost her source of power, leaving her with only her battle instincts and formidable physique.
From his seat in the royal box, the Grandmaster noticed Garus among the spectators below. He turned to one of his attendants and commanded, "Bring that man to me."
Garus, sensing the gaze upon him, followed the attendant's invitation up to the private viewing deck.
"Garus, where are the mutants you promised me last time? My arena needs more fighters."
Only then did Garus recall his past agreement with the Grandmaster.
Reading his expression, the Grandmaster smirked. "Ah, you forgot. Well, no matter. What brings you here this time?"
"I need to borrow one of your ships."
The Grandmaster ignored his request. "This is my latest experiment—a Kree warrior enhanced by my modifications. What do you think?"
Below, Hela collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
She had lost so much power without Asgard. She was frail.
"Not impressive." Garus shrugged. Neither Korath nor this diminished Hela were worth his concern.
The Grandmaster grinned. "If you can defeat my champion, I'll give you a ship."
"Deal."
Without hesitation, Garus leaped from the royal box down into the arena.
"Hey, you!" Korath stared at him, feeling an odd sense of familiarity.
"One punch."
Korath was sent flying, smashing into the edge of the arena with such force that cracks formed along the walls.
Garus crouched, his muscles tensing. With explosive speed, he launched himself forward before Korath could even free himself from the wall. Another devastating punch struck his head, embedding him deeper into the stone.
A red laser beam shot from Korath's cybernetic eyes, scorching Garus' armor as his mechanical arm struggled to push him away.
Garus ignored the feeble resistance. Blow after blow, he hammered the cybernetic skull until it shattered, sparks flashing as circuits failed.
With a final strike, Korath collapsed, motionless.
Garus turned to the Grandmaster. "That good enough?"
"Y-You... you ambushed him..."
The spectators were still processing what had happened.
"I don't have time to waste. I won, fair and square. Now, I need that party ship of yours." The Grandmaster's best vessel—faster and more durable than any other on Sakaar.
"No!" He stiffened as a blade pressed against his throat. "Fine. Take it."
As Garus turned to leave, he added, "Hela is Thor's sister. Try not to let her die."
A desolate planet stretched beneath a sky shrouded in thick, churning mists. Jagged black mountains covered the landscape, casting an ominous shadow over the terrain.
A sleek starship cut through the sky, disturbing the eerie silence. It broke through the dense atmosphere, descending toward the surface.
"This planet is massive. How am I supposed to find it?" Garus muttered. The World Tree's guidance had been vague, and searching blindly was not an option.
Then, his weapon hummed. The gems embedded within it shimmered with shifting colors.
"That way."
Adjusting course, he plunged the ship into the swirling fog.
A mysterious light, from an unknown star, pierced through the mist, illuminating a mountain peak scarred by unnatural carvings.
Just as he neared his destination, the ship's systems abruptly shut down. Instruments flickered out, and the vessel spiraled downward.
"Damn it!"
The ship crashed, bouncing across the jagged terrain before settling into a crater.
Garus pressed the release on the hatch—nothing.
"All systems down? That's unusual."
After a brief pause, he summoned his weapon, using its energy to slice open the door.
The Grandmaster's ship was resilient—despite the crash, not a single dent marred its surface.
"Is it the Soul Stone's influence, or something in this place disrupting technology?" Even his tracking device was dead, its screen black.
Not far ahead lay his destination: the resting place of the Soul Stone. A stone platform, distinctly artificial, marked its presence.
"You have finally arrived."
At the peak of the mountain, a figure draped in black robes hovered above the platform.
The windless air did not disturb his cloak. His voice, raspy yet familiar, sent a chill through Garus.
When he lowered his hood, revealing crimson skin, Garus' eyes widened in shock.
"Schmidt? It's you!" He recalled hearing whispers about the Red Skull's fate on Earth. Not long ago, he should have still been there. And the Space Stone was in Garus' possession—so how had he ended up here?
"I am... and I am not." The former Hydra leader's once-maniacal rage was gone. In his eyes burned an ethereal orange glow.
"So the rumors were true... The Soul Stone has developed its own will." There was no trace of death in Schmidt—only the unmistakable energy of souls. It was as if he had been reborn as part of the stone itself.
"I know why you have come, but are you prepared?" Schmidt turned toward the edge of the precipice. "The Soul Stone is the most sacred of the Infinity Stones. To claim it, you must pay the price."
"What price?"
"A soul... for a soul. You must sacrifice your greatest love."
Garus narrowed his eyes.
Oh, so we're doing this again? A soul for a soul?
He had walked this world alone, with only a handful of friends. The only one who could remotely be considered his 'greatest love' was Wanda.
Sacrifice her for the Soul Stone?
Not a chance.
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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON