Marvel: The Gourmet God

The fiery energy ball landed on the scavenger's back like a volatile bomb, exploding upon contact. Intense flames swept outward, engulfing everything in their path. By the time the flames receded, there was nothing left of the scavenger—not even a trace.

The deafening blast and the gruesome disappearance of their comrade deepened the fear in the hearts of the remaining scavengers, completely breaking their will to fight.

Johnny had already proven his dominance with sheer physical strength and exceptional combat skills, easily holding his ground against their assault. But now, with the terrifying display of his fire-based abilities, he became an opponent far beyond anything they had ever faced.

To continue fighting him was nothing short of suicidal.

The ghost-faced man, the quickest to react, wasted no time. As his subordinates stood frozen in terror, he turned and bolted toward the nearby spaceship. If he could just reach it, his chances of survival would greatly improve.

"Trying to run?"

Johnny was still adjusting to the extent of his newfound fire abilities, but he wasn't about to let the ghost-faced man escape. The other fireball in his hand was hurled with all his might, trailing a fiery yellow tail as it streaked toward its fleeing target.

The heat on his back alerted the ghost-faced man to the incoming danger. Terrified, he didn't dare to look back. Relying on his battle-hardened instincts, he dropped to the ground and rolled away.

The fireball soared just inches above his head, missing him by a hair's breadth. It exploded in the distance, obliterating a mound of scrap into fiery debris.

The ghost-faced man tumbled several times before coming to a stop. Seeing the raging flames from the corner of his eye, he broke out in a cold sweat. Without pausing, he scrambled to his feet and made a desperate dash for the spaceship, shouting as he ran.

Johnny was mildly impressed that the ghost-faced man had dodged the attack but showed no intention of letting him go.

"Ghost, deal with the rest of the runners," Johnny commanded the phantom, who was still wreaking havoc among the fleeing scavengers.

"Yes, my master!"

The ghost's bloodthirsty voice echoed in Johnny's mind, followed by a chorus of anguished screams outside.

Satisfied, Johnny turned his attention back to the ghost-faced man, who was now stumbling onto the spaceship. A sharp glint flashed in Johnny's eyes as he bent his knees slightly, his muscles tensing with power.

With a powerful leap, Johnny's enhanced physique unleashed explosive speed. Like a cannonball, he shot toward the ghost-faced man, covering dozens of meters in just a few breaths.

The ghost-faced man had just climbed aboard the spaceship and was moments away from initiating takeoff. A look of relief crossed his face, as though he had narrowly escaped death. But before he could celebrate, a rush of wind signaled Johnny's arrival.

"In such a hurry? Leaving without even saying goodbye?"

Johnny's cold voice echoed right behind him, less than a meter away.

Panic-stricken, the ghost-faced man swung his rod-like weapon instinctively, putting all his strength into a desperate attack.

Thud!

The strike was intercepted mid-swing. Johnny's hand clamped onto the weapon like an iron vice, stopping it dead in its tracks.

Before the ghost-faced man could react, Johnny shifted his weight and delivered a devastating knee strike to his abdomen. The force lifted the man off the ground, leaving him writhing in pain.

Crippled by the blow, the ghost-faced man crumpled to the floor, curling up like a shrimp. He vomited a mixture of blood and half-digested food, his face contorted in agony.

Johnny casually tossed the weapon aside and loomed over the defeated man, his gaze cold and unyielding. Outside, the ghost's relentless slaughter continued, punctuated by the agonized screams of the dying scavengers.

Who could have imagined that just moments ago, these people surrounded Johnny, brimming with arrogance and disdain?

"M-Master, please don't kill me! I beg you!"

The ghost-faced man, already pale beyond reason, now looked deathly white as he writhed in pain, pleading for his life.

Johnny stared coldly at the struggling man before him, his eyes devoid of pity.

Since his inexplicable arrival in this world, Johnny's mindset had undergone a profound transformation. Mercy toward enemies had become a luxury he could no longer afford.

Outside the spaceship, the screams had gradually subsided. The undead ghost's spectral form floated silently to Johnny's side, a chilling presence at his back.

Seeing the ghost approach, Johnny's lips curled into an icy smile. Of the scavengers who had sought to make him their prey, only the ghost-faced man remained alive.

"Now, I'll ask the questions, and you'll answer. One useless word, and you die."

Johnny's tone was calm but carried an undeniable edge of menace as he addressed the man, whose face contorted with a mixture of pain and terror.

"I understand! Master, I'll tell you everything I know—everything! Just spare my life!"

Overwhelmed by fear, the ghost-faced man clung to this final thread of hope and spoke without hesitation.

Through Johnny's meticulous questioning, the ghost-faced man divulged everything he knew.

Piecing the information together, Johnny gained a clearer understanding of his current situation.

"So, it turns out I accidentally escaped the Divine Realm and ended up on... Sakaar!" Johnny murmured to himself, his voice low but resolute.

Sakaar—a chaotic and savage planet.

The planet's unique location made it a nexus of sorts, surrounded by numerous interdimensional wormholes connected to known and unknown universes. Ordinary spacecraft couldn't enter or exit Sakaar's outer space freely, so the planet was often used as a dumping ground for trash and a prison for exiles.

As a result, Sakaar was littered with garbage and teeming with a violent, unruly populace. Social order was enforced by the Grandmaster, and the inhabitants delighted in watching arena combat.

"Ding! Random mission triggered: Defeat the reigning champion and become the new Champion of Champions! Complete the mission to receive a special reward. Failure will result in the removal of all host abilities!"

The system's crisp, mechanical voice suddenly echoed in Johnny's mind, catching him off guard and momentarily altering his expression.

Being a traveler from another world, Johnny had some knowledge of the Champion of Champions, a competition hosted by the Grandmaster.

The tournament was merely a form of entertainment for the Grandmaster, one of the ancient cosmic elders, whose near-immortal life necessitated such diversions. Powerful warriors from across the galaxy were thrown into the arena to fight, with the ultimate victor crowned as the Champion.

After hearing the system's mission, Johnny fell into deep thought.

With his current strength, facing the reigning champion head-on would be no easy feat. However, the existence of the devouring system gave him a significant edge.

Given enough time and the opportunity to continuously absorb and grow stronger, defeating the Champion—let alone a mere mortal—would be well within Johnny's reach. Even gods wouldn't be beyond his ambition!

But there were other matters to attend to before entering the tournament.

"Ghost, it's time to eat."

Johnny cast a final glance at the kneeling ghost-faced man, then spoke softly to the ghost beside him.

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