The flaming energy sphere slammed into the scavenger's back like a bomb unleashed, detonating upon impact with a deafening roar. Its searing flames engulfed the unfortunate scavenger, leaving nothing behind once the inferno relented.
The cacophony of explosions and the sudden disappearance of their comrades sent shockwaves through the remaining scavengers, shattering their resolve like glass.
Johnny's survival amidst their onslaught was a testament to his formidable strength and combat prowess. But now, with his display of terrifying fire manipulation, he transcended any adversaries they had encountered before.
To persist in battle would be a death wish.
Reacting swiftly, the leader bolted towards the spaceship, seizing the opportunity for escape amidst his horrified underlings.
But Johnny, astonished by his newfound fiery ability, wasn't about to let him slip away so easily. With another fiery orb blazing in his palm, he hurled it towards the fleeing figure, its tail of yellow flames trailing behind like a comet's tail.
As the heat bore down on him, the faced man dared not glance back, his instincts honed by years of combat guiding him to a desperate dive. The fireball whizzed past his head as he plummeted to the ground, narrowly avoiding annihilation.
Yet, the explosive force of Johnny's attack obliterated a nearby garbage mountain upon impact, sealing the fate of their battleground in a fiery cataclysm.
The man, tumbling across the ground, caught sight of the blazing inferno behind him. Cold sweat trickled down his spine, urging him to push forward with desperate urgency. With a loud cry, he scrambled to his feet and bolted towards the awaiting spacecraft, his heart pounding with fear.
Johnny, though surprised by the man's evasion, harbored no intention of letting him slip away.
"Deal with these trash," Johnny commanded inwardly, his voice resonating in the Spectre's mind with a chilling mix of excitement and bloodlust, punctuated by distant screams of terror.
Acknowledging his master's directive, the Spectre responded eagerly, ready to unleash further carnage upon those who dared to flee.
With a steely glint in his eyes, Johnny observed the leader's frantic dash towards the spaceship, a spark of determination igniting within him.
Brimming with raw power, Johnny unleashed a burst of unparalleled speed, hurtling towards his target like a human projectile. In a matter of heartbeats, he closed the considerable distance with astonishing swiftness.
Just as the leader reached the spaceship, a powerful gust of wind heralded Johnny's arrival, cutting off any hope of escape.
"You're in quite a hurry to leave, aren't you?" Johnny's voice, dripping with icy disdain, echoed menacingly in the man's ears.
Caught off guard, the leader swung his weapon in a desperate attempt to fend off his assailant, only to find his strike effortlessly intercepted by Johnny's iron grip.
Before he could react, Johnny's knee crashed into his abdomen with bone-crushing force, sending him crumpling to the ground in agonizing defeat. Writhing in pain, the leader lay helpless, his mouth stained with a vile mixture of blood and grime.
Disposing of the weapon with contempt, Johnny towered over his fallen adversary, his gaze unyielding as death cries reverberated outside the spacecraft.
Moments ago, these same individuals had surrounded him with arrogance, yet now they cowered before his might.
"Please... mercy!" begged the leader, his voice trembling with fear.
The grimace on the man's face mirrored the agony twisting within him, his pallor drained even further by pain and fear. He pleaded desperately for mercy, his voice a strained whimper against the backdrop of chaos.
But Johnny's gaze held no sympathy, no trace of mercy.
Since his inexplicable arrival in this world, Johnny's mindset had undergone a seismic shift. Gone were the days of pointless compassion towards his enemies.
Outside the spacecraft, the screams had dwindled to a haunting silence, the undead Spectre hovering ominously behind Johnny.
As the Spectre drew nearer, a chilling smile crept across Johnny's lips. Among the scavengers who had sought to make a meal of him, only the grimacing man remained standing.
"Now, you'll answer my questions. Lie, and you'll pay the price," Johnny declared, his voice cool and commanding.
"Y-Yes, sir! I'll tell you everything, just spare me!" the grimace man stammered, his fear palpable.
After a series of interrogations, the man spilled everything he knew.
Piecing together the information, Johnny gained a clear picture of their predicament.
"Sakaar... I've ended up on Sakaar by accident," Johnny muttered to himself, the revelation sinking in.
Sakaar—a lawless, savage world.
Situated amidst a labyrinth of cosmic passages, Sakaar was a hub of chaos, a dumping ground for refuse and a haven for criminals. Governed by Grandmaster, its inhabitants reveled in violence, with arena battles serving as popular entertainment.
[Ding!] A sudden notification from the system jolted Johnny from his thoughts, its electronic tone slicing through the tension.
[Mission: defeat the reigning champion of the Battle of Champions and claim victory. Success would yield special rewards, while failure has no punishment. Do it if you want or else leave it.]
Johnny, a transmigrator, was no stranger to the spectacle of the Championship Battle orchestrated by Grandmaster.
The championship was but a frivolous diversion for the cosmic elder, pitting formidable combatants against each other for his amusement. The last one standing earned the coveted title of king's champion.
Upon hearing the mission, Johnny pondered deeply.
With his current abilities, facing the reigning champion was a daunting prospect. Yet, with the aid of the devouring system, his odds would skyrocket.
Given time to grow and evolve, Johnny could face any foe, mortal or divine, without fear.
But before embarking on that perilous path, there was one task at hand.
"Spectre, it's time to feed," Johnny murmured, casting a final glance at the trembling man before him.
.....
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