Champion's Room.
This place was far more comfortable than that filthy, disgusting cell.
Bant, who had already reverted to an Earthling, was currently soaking in a hot spring. He turned his head and looked out the window.
"I wonder how Loki is doing."
Loki was not dead.
Faking his death had always been his specialty.
Back then, the Loki who "died" was only an illusion. The instant he stepped onto the battlefield, he had already slipped away using a phantom projection.
When it came to overthrowing the Red King's rule, Loki could play a huge role, on the condition that he truly did what Bant told him and gathered every force of resistance on this planet, instead of tucking his tail and running.
Splash!
The sound of water pulled Bant's thoughts back.
He turned his head and saw Luma with all four arms resting comfortably on the edge of the pool, her face relaxed.
Bant never would have imagined that the first mixed bath of his life would be with an alien.
"I still prefer the way you look as a Tazdroman," Luma said as she looked at Bant. "Forget it. This isn't any worse."
Hearing that, Bant thought for a moment, then said, "Sorry, Luma. I misunderstood you. You're a warrior worthy of respect. I'm looking forward to the day I can fight you again."
Being acknowledged by Bant put Luma in a great mood.
"Of course! Once you win your second match, we can fight again!"
The thought of more fighting made Luma visibly excited.
But Bant shook his head.
"I don't mean a champion's challenge."
"You saw it too. That Red King isn't willing to follow the rules at all. Letting him rule this arena, even this planet, is nothing but a stain on dueling itself!"
He stood up from the hot spring, got dressed, then continued, "A man who doesn't understand a warrior's honor… who knows what he's plotting in the shadows?"
"You want to conquer this planet?" Luma caught Bant's intent, then nodded. "I've been thinking that for a long time. But it won't be easy."
"You've had that idea too?" Bant was a little surprised.
"Don't think we Tazdromans are brainless brutes who only swing our fists, okay?" Luma huffed, then said, "That handmaid of Anmor A'shan, Caiera, holds terrifying power. She can even match me head-on. On top of that, he has a suit of armor that grants him great strength, all kinds of weapons, and the Death's Crown. It's not something I can handle alone."
She paused, then added, "With you and me together, maybe… but it would still be hard. Anmor A'shan uses Obedience Discs to control everyone. If we dare lay hands on him in the arena, everyone becomes our enemy."
Obedience Discs, that kind of powerful neurotoxin control.
The "capture the leader first" approach was useless.
In truth, Luma had long wanted to replace Anmor A'shan. She'd hated that sinister little rat for ages. So the moment Bant brought it up, she analyzed the current situation clearly and in detail.
Whether it was the controlled gladiators or the Death's Crown, both were powerful enemies.
Especially the Death's Crown. That army was no group of disposable nobodies. The Red King had cultivated his power on this planet for many years, and the equipment his army carried was overwhelmingly lethal.
"If the Red Wind Legion were here, it'd be much simpler," Luma said regretfully.
That was also why she had been so excited the first moment she saw the Four-Armed Overlord. She thought Bant had been sent by her father to find her.
If they could contact the Red Wind Empire, taking down a small place like Sakaar would be nothing.
But unfortunately, Bant had nothing to do with the Red Wind Empire. At best, he had some connection to the Heavenly Craftsmen Guild.
By now, Luma had already learned from Bant that she was no longer in her original universe.
She did not care at all.
"As long as you're here, the two of us can rebuild the entire empire!" she declared fiercely.
Bant jolted in fear.
Rebuild an empire with just two people?
Do I still want my kidneys?
Terrifying woman!
He skipped past that topic and continued, "Of course it's not just the two of us. There are other warriors in the arena too. Like Bill, who fought you yesterday. If we're lucky, maybe even a Valkyrie, and countless rebels."
"War!" Luma laughed.
"I'm interested. When do we move?" She swished the water and leaned her body against the edge of the spring, compressing her large chest until it visibly deformed.
As a battle maniac, Luma was naturally interested in war. The Tazdromans invented the best engines in the universe, and it definitely was not for sightseeing!
"After my first match, Anmor A'shan will definitely try every trick to kill me. But when the time comes, he won't personally step into the arena."
Luma nodded. "He'll probably have Caiera and the Death's Crown deal with you."
"Even better. Since he's willing to split up the strength he controls, we can break it piece by piece. By the third match, he'll be isolated with no one left to rely on."
"Not bad!" Luma nodded in satisfaction.
"A conquest target, severed limbs, a blue object. All that's left is an ice creature, and the engagement gifts are complete!" She blinked all four eyes and looked at Bant with affection. "And a grand war to celebrate our wedding too. You're so considerate, my sweetie!"
"You misunderstood. It's not engagement gifts. It's conquering Sakaar. I plan to establish the Heavenly Craftsmen Guild here," Bant explained helplessly.
"I say it is, so it is!" Luma fully displayed the unreasonable Tazdroman style.
Thankfully, someone else interrupted them at that moment.
Valkyrie strode in with a bottle in hand and said, "I'm not interrupting you two being lovey-dovey, am I?"
"If you tell me where on this planet I can find an ice creature, then you're not," Luma said. She was clearly familiar with Valkyrie.
Valkyrie shrugged. "That depends on luck. I've never seen an ice creature come through a wormhole to here."
Hearing the two of them talk, Bant wisely did not mention that Loki was a Frost Giant.
"Valkyrie, Luma and I are planning something big. Want to hear it?" Bant asked.
"Let's hear it," she replied.
So Bant shared part of his plan with Valkyrie.
Valkyrie was only a scavenger now. She was not on the Red King's side, and she did not care who ruled Sakaar.
But after hearing Bant's plan, she was still shocked by how daring and reckless he was.
Then she thought again and felt it might actually work.
The brutal Red King had already made far too many people dissatisfied on this planet. Right now, his force was enough to suppress everything. But the moment he showed weakness, the backlash would come immediately.
"Valkyrie, I know you don't want anything to do with Asgard. I'm not Asgardian, and Sakaar isn't Asgard. Instead of being a filthy scavenger under the Red King, join us. When the time comes, you can drink as much as you want without paying for it."
Valkyrie pinched her chin, seeming to weigh whether helping Bant was worth it. After all these years, she felt more like a merchant than a warrior.
"Actually, if I tell your plan to the Red King, I can still get endless alcohol… but fine. Call it your lucky day. I just happen to dislike people like Anmor A'shan." She reached out and shook Bant's hand, signaling an agreement.
"Also, my name is Brunnhilde."
At the same time, in the Red King's palace.
Anmor A'shan's expression was icy and grim.
Caiera stood beside him with a blank face, like a doll.
Still, she spoke to comfort him. "Princess Luma loves combat. Your Majesty used dirty tricks, so it's natural she'd be angry."
"That wasn't me!"
The Red King even looked a little wronged.
But he had done this kind of thing far too many times before. So much that even Caiera did not believe him.
To his excuse, Caiera's attitude was basically: Sure, sure. Not you. The other guy just put on a seizure act and flopped to the ground by himself.
She did not say it out loud, but from her expression, the Red King could tell she did not believe a word he said.
He trembled with rage. If it were anyone else, he would have executed them already.
But Caiera was the strongest warrior he possessed. He could not do that. Losing Caiera would be like cutting off his own arm.
He could not kill Caiera, and he could not kill Luma.
But at the very least, he could kill Bant!
"That Tazdroman must die!"
He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. "For the second match, send him to the Great Maw. I want a global broadcast. I want everyone to see what happens to those who defy me!"
"The Great Maw?" Caiera was instantly shocked.
But the Red King sneered. "Not just the Great Maw." He tilted his head and glanced at Caiera. "You too. Take the Death's Crown with you. You must erase him completely!"
"But Princess Luma…" Caiera hesitated.
The terrifying monster inside the Great Maw, plus her, the strongest warrior of the Phantom Tribe, plus the Death's Crown. That lineup was enough to invade some planets.
To eliminate a "hacker," he was going to be this ruthless?
"Do as I say!" the Red King ordered coldly.
Caiera had no choice. Even though her power surpassed the Red King's, she also wore an Obedience Disc. She simply could not disobey him.
After she left the palace, the Red King finally let out a cold laugh.
Still not enough!
He knew perfectly well that as a villain, you could never give your opponent even the slightest chance to live.
So even after preparing all those backup measures, he still had other preparations.
At that moment, the cruel tyrant stood up. In the darkness, he took out a device.
"Prepare the Deathflame shells, and… the spikes."
…
A week passed in the blink of an eye.
During that time, Bant basically gained authority in the arena comparable to Luma's.
But most of the guards looked at him like they were looking at a dead man.
No one could survive after angering the Red King. Clearly, Bant would meet the same fate as that Asgardian prince and die a miserable death.
Bant did not care at all.
These days, in the daytime, he spent most of his time in the dungeon, staying with the fighters.
His overwhelming strength and the authority he now held gave those fighters hope.
Bant did not immediately reveal his plan to them. Not every fighter was trustworthy. Before they saw the tower of Sakaar about to collapse, someone might betray him.
But he knew who could be trusted.
He found Bill.
/-\
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