I have finished translating this fanfic, IMUC (I Am In Marvel With Unlimited Cards) and have posted all the advanced chapters on Patreon (Last Chapter -- 706). (/c/marvel6395). You can read all the advanced chapters there.
After nightfall.
On the desolate planet Sakaar, the Arena was a colossal structure, capable of accommodating hundreds of thousands of spectators.
The stands surrounding the circular arena were packed with aliens, stretching from the front row to dizzying heights. They waved cheering objects enthusiastically, and the massive roar echoed through the night sky above.
A private spaceship hovered hundreds of meters above the arena.
As the rear hatch opened, the Valkyrie stepped out and said to the silver-haired youth behind her, "We've arrived. Just in time, the match is about to begin."
Kyle exited the ship, standing at the edge of the deck, surveying the familiar, electrifying scene below.
Roughly calculating, it had been at least ten years since he had left this place.
Ten years, almost a complete cycle. He had fled in disgrace back then, and now he was back.
Kyle reflected quietly, and as he did, his attire shifted. To the Valkyrie's surprise, Venom, in a surge of excitement, transformed his appearance into the black battle suit he had worn back then. The battle uniform, in an old-fashioned style, clung tightly to his tall, muscular physique.
"With your strength, you could pick a fight with anyone on this planet, but never provoke the Grandmaster. He is the ruler of this planet, the true god who controls everything here," The Valkyrie warned, not wanting to be dragged into any trouble.
She pulled out a bottle of alcohol from somewhere and casually sat on the edge of the deck, swinging her legs back and forth.
"The Grandmaster, huh?" Kyle muttered softly, his expression unchanged as he stood at the edge of the spaceship, looking down.
The arena remained largely unchanged from before. It was still the same circular battlefield, resembling a football field magnified five times. On one side of the arena, at the top of the dome, a raised platform stood. Through a large window, the Grandmaster, adorned in luxurious clothing, sat in the main seat, entertaining Loki as his guest.
At this moment, Loki was oblivious to Kyle's presence. Otherwise, he would have already attempted to escape using the Tesseract.
After several small flying vessels appeared, they evenly distributed themselves across the lower airspace of the arena. Their collective light projected a large hologram, forming a towering 3D image of the Grandmaster, nearly a hundred meters tall.
"Ladies and gentlemen, good evening! I am your host for tonight..."
After the Grandmaster's opening remarks, the alien audience erupted in cheers, and he quickly moved on, saying, "Let's get to the main event. First, let's welcome the challenger. Although it's his first appearance, he seems to possess a certain skill. Let's all witness his true power."
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome... Thor!"
The gates on one side of the arena swung open, and a short-haired Thor, draped in a red cape, wielding a shield and a mace, strode out. His face was painted with red war paint, resembling camouflage.
The audience responded with a chorus of boos.
Even Kyle couldn't help but chuckle. Was Thor truly serious about this? It reminded him of his younger self.
However...
Back then, he was a human who had transcended godhood, and now Thor had become a god who was once human. It was a complete role reversal.
Kyle rubbed his chin, muttering to himself, "Losing Mjolnir might have freed him from long-term dependence. Only this way can he truly evolve from 'Thor, the god of thunder' into 'Thor.'"
"Now, let's welcome the one you've all been waiting for. He's here, he's truly here," the Grandmaster declared, his voice brimming with excitement. The crowd went wild, releasing green smoke into the sky to cheer for the upcoming fighter.
"This beast... how should I describe it? Unique, unmatched. He is tonight's defending champion! Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome— HULK!!"
In response to the Grandmaster's enthusiastic announcement, the ground trembled as the gates on the other side suddenly burst open. A massive green humanoid monster stormed out.
Its enormous body was clad in armor, and it wielded a Warhammer in both hands, roaring and growling like an untamed beast.
"You really are something, Hulk," Kyle remarked with a knowing smile.
The green humanoid fighter defending the arena was none other than Hulk, who had vanished during the Ultron battle six months ago.
Kyle had been wondering if Hulk had ended up on this planet, and now he knew for sure.
"My friend, it's you," Thor said happily as he walked towards Hulk. "I've missed you, Banner. I've lost my hammer and my long hair. The last time we met feels like it was just yesterday."
"No Banner, only Hulk!" Hulk roared in fury in response to Thor's attempt at camaraderie and swiftly swung his Warhammer.
Boom—
Thor's shield shattered instantly, and he was sent flying back more than ten meters.
Ordinary individuals would have been killed by this strike, but Thor, with his divine physique, landed on his feet, skidding to a halt and carving a trench into the arena floor, dissipating the force of the impact.
"The superpower match in the Carl Kingdom was missing both of you, but now it seems like you're both here to fill the gap." Kyle, still observing, had no intention of intervening just yet.
"Banner, we're buddies!"
Thor had intended to continue his attempt at reasoning, but he realized Hulk had completely lost Banner's personality. Not only was Hulk speaking in full sentences, but he also possessed independent thoughts and ideas.
Left with no choice, Thor had no option but to engage Hulk in combat. The ensuing brawl was a terrifying spectacle:
First, Thor was thrown and crashed into the arena wall, creating a massive hole. Then, Hulk was smashed away, and for a brief time, the two were evenly matched in their combat.
However, engaging Hulk in prolonged close combat was not a wise strategy.
As the fight dragged on, Hulk's anger continued to escalate, exponentially increasing his power, while Thor's stamina began to deplete, placing him at a disadvantage, as Hulk relentlessly pummeled him.
Finally, Thor's eyes crackled with electricity, and even without Mjolnir, lightning surged around him. He raised his hand and unleashed a bolt of lightning, pushing Hulk back several meters. Thor then rolled and regained his footing.
"I understand now." Thor looked down at his hands as his lightning powers intensified. At that moment, he realized that Mjolnir wasn't his exclusive weapon after all; it was his father's tool for refining his divine power, a Gene Suppressor.
"Raaah!" Hulk roared, charging at Thor with full fury. Thor's body crackled with lightning as he harnessed his Thor's power, charging forward to meet Hulk's assault.
Just as the two were about to collide, a blazing figure suddenly descended from the sky, landing squarely between them.
One hand intercepted Thor's electrified punch, while the other halted Hulk's massive green fist.
Voom—
The three powers exploded simultaneously, and the air around them cracked, sending a wave of dust outward.
The audience fell silent, their cheers abruptly cut short as they stared at the silver-haired youth who had suddenly intervened in the battle.
Kyle, in his enhanced state, burned with flames as he effortlessly blocked the full force strikes from both Thor and Hulk. He looked at both of them and spoke in a deep voice, "This farce needs to end."
"Kyle, you're here too?" Thor exclaimed, his face lighting up with joy as he saw him.
Seeing Kyle, Hulk instinctively recoiled, his fury seemingly extinguished in an instant.
''(End of Chapter)''