The challengers who had advanced to the final four were escorted by guards back to the underground prison of the dueling arena while the extraterrestrial audience began to leave their seats one by one, not wanting to miss a single moment of the action as they exited the arena.
Kyle watched the child symbiotically bonded with Venom until its figure disappeared through the underground entrance of the dueling arena, pulling him out of his contemplation.
"Kyle, we should leave as well," Calvin tugged at his clothes and called out.
"Calvin, do you know of any way I can meet the challengers in the dueling arena's underground prison?" Kyle looked at Calvin and casually asked.
"Want to meet the challengers? I'm afraid I can't help you with that," Calvin shrugged helplessly and explained, "They're referred to as 'Challengers,' but that's just a nicer way of putting it. In reality, their status is that of the lowest criminals and slaves on Planet Sakaar. They belong to Grandmaster alone as his personal property. Unless you have a close relationship with Grandmaster, no one can make contact with the challengers."
It seems I'll have to find another way…
Kyle sighed inwardly while maintaining a calm expression on his face. He rose from his seat and said, "Let's go. We'll come back in three days."
Calvin blinked, then grinned mischievously. "Kyle, I knew you'd get hooked on the Championship Match. I told you, Planet Sakaar is pretty dull, but once you're here, no one can resist the allure of the Championship Match."
Kyle nodded slightly. Though their focuses were different, he was indeed quite interested in the Championship Match.
As the last batch of spectators exited, leaving behind an empty and silent Interstellar dueling arena, along with the colorful bloodstains and remains of extraterrestrial lifeforms on the arena floor, Kyle and Calvin exited the main gate of the dueling arena.
Kyle was preparing to head back to his hotel when, on the square outside the arena, the buzzing sound of spaceship engines suddenly filled the air above their heads.
"Looks like the guy who sold you that axe is here. Maybe he'll see you as an easy target and try to swindle you again," Calvin whispered.
Kyle looked up and saw Enri's distinctive spaceship with its pink markings, hovering directly above them.
The intelligent doors opened, and Enri's little brother poked his pink head out of the cabin, smiling down at Kyle. "Mr. Kyle, my sister says she'd like to invite you for some afternoon snacks."
Before Kyle could respond, Calvin was already crossing his arms and swaying his tail, emitting a slightly annoyed hum.
As if catching wind of something, Enri's little brother turned his head to listen, then continued relaying the message with a smile, "My sister also says that Mr. Calvin must also do us the honor of joining Mr. Kyle."
"That works for me," Calvin said with a proud nod.
Kyle glanced at him and coldly reminded him, "I haven't agreed yet."
Calvin quickly drooped his ears, speaking persuasively, "Mr. Kyle, you mentioned wanting to get closer to the challengers, right? I am only a little scavenger, and can't help you with that, but Enri, who's a hostess here, might be able to. She works for Grandmaster, so she might have the influence to make it happen."
Kyle's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he gave Calvin a meaningful look. Calvin felt a bit pressured and lowered his head, no longer speaking up.
"That's not a bad idea," Kyle said after a moment of silence and a faint smile formed at his mouth as he gained a new understanding of Calvin.
Calvin was indeed a clever lifeform. Although he hadn't revealed much about his inner thoughts and urgency earlier, Calvin had still discerned something and suggested a way forward on his own initiative.
If their previous relationship was that of an employer and a tour guide, then now, Calvin was clearly indicating his willingness to lend a hand.
"Let's go," Kyle said, signaling Calvin to follow him as they made their way toward the descending ladder of the spaceship.
It wasn't until this moment that Calvin let out a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his brow with his paw, and eagerly followed behind Kyle.
Planet Sakaar Interstellar Restaurant, top floor, tenth level.
Located near Grandmaster's residence in the inner city area, all buildings were prohibited from surpassing half the height of the central tower. Under these strict regulations, the tenth floor was the highest height attainable for backstage personnel to construct.
In the main hall of the restaurant's tenth floor, Calvin sat on a two-person sofa, watching Enri's little brother seated across from him. The latter had his head buried in a plate, eating and drinking heartily.
Calvin sighed from the bottom of his heart, "I came to an Interstellar restaurant like this, and yet I have to sit here with a little kid. Can't you be a bit more sophisticated?"
"That shrewd woman, she's actually playing this card," Calvin grumbled, glancing towards the side. On the other side were Kyle and Enri, sitting on a two-person sofa with a distance of about ten meters between them. Their conversation couldn't reach this far.
"Fine, I'll forgive you this time, for the sake of the delicious food," Calvin sighed, his gaze falling on the delectable dishes on the table in front of him. He rolled up his sleeve, grabbed a large piece of meat with his paw, and stuffed it into his mouth at a speed almost matching Enri's little brother.
At the moment, Kyle and Enri were seated by the window on the tenth floor of the restaurant. The shimmering reflection of a small wormhole in the sky contrasted against the window. Looking through the floor-to-ceiling windows, they could overlook half of Sakaar City's district.
Enri was no longer in her work uniform but wore an elegant gown instead. Her features were humanoid, resembling a young human woman, with the exception of her pink skin, indicating her non-human origin.
Clearly, she had put in some effort to dress up. She wore delicate necklaces and earrings, her long hair tied into waist-length twin tails. The pink skin didn't seem out of place to Kyle; instead, it carried a subtle charm of the extraterrestrial.
Of course, Kyle's appreciation was purely aesthetic and was devoid of any ulterior motives. The more unconventional taste of Star-Lord might be more drawn to this style.
"Mr. Kyle, you must have arrived on this planet recently, right?" Enri asked in a soft voice.
"Yes, I arrived about two days ago," Kyle nodded, with no intention of hiding the truth.
"No wonder you're mingling with scavengers. You have just arrived on Planet Sakaar, it's essential to have a local guide," Enri said with a gentle laugh, sighing, "I came to Planet Sakaar with my parent's generation, so my little brother and I have lived on this planet since birth."
Kyle's curiosity piqued, and he asked straightforwardly, "Having lived here for so long and working at the Exchange Bureau under Grandmaster, what's your relationship with him?"
"Grandmaster…" Enri hesitated, glanced around as if wary, and lowered her voice in awe, "No one dares to claim they have a good relationship with Grandmaster. He had developed and rules this planet. This building, Sakaar City, and even us can be said to belong to Grandmaster."
"Grandmaster is a cosmic elder of extraordinary stature, he is fond of collecting rare items and powerful lifeforms from all corners of the universe. His whimsical nature dictates everything."
Enri paused, thinking, and continued, "In all these years, I've only seen the real Grandmaster less than five times. Normally, he appears as a hologram, maintaining an air of grandeur and distance like that of a Celestial."
**(End of Chapter)**
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