Marvel: The Gourmet God

As if responding to Johnny's earlier complaint, a massive pile of space debris crashed down nearby, sending dust clouds billowing into the air.

Before Johnny could react, a loud rumbling overhead caught his attention.

"A spaceship?"

Hovering above was an oddly designed spacecraft. It looked like a haphazard collection of scrap metal pieced together, with four propulsion engines strapped to its sides. The vessel appeared old and worn out.

The ship descended and landed directly in front of Johnny, clearly drawn to his presence.

Seeing the ship stop, Johnny grew tense.

He still had no idea where he was or who—or what—he might be facing. His experiences in the Divine Realm had taught him one thing: in this universe, logic and reason rarely held sway. Strength was the only law.

Under Johnny's watchful gaze, the spaceship's hatch slowly opened, revealing a group of humanoid figures. They wore tattered clothing and strange masks, giving them an unsettling appearance.

Johnny's eyes narrowed as he noticed every one of them carried weapons, their hostile intentions unmistakable.

Though their faces were hidden behind masks, Johnny could sense the greed and savagery in their eyes.

"Are you a fighter or just an ordinary man?"

The leader of the group stepped forward, casually swinging his weapon as he questioned Johnny.

While speaking, the man removed his mask, revealing an eerie, ghostly face. His pale white skin made his distinct features appear even more sinister, like a macabre specter.

"A fighter? I just arrived on this planet, so I guess you could say I'm just an ordinary man," Johnny replied cautiously, unsure of what to make of the situation.

"An ordinary man? Perfect! Looks like dinner's served!"

The ghost-faced man grinned wickedly at Johnny's response, exchanging heated glances with his companions. Their eyes burned with excitement.

"Kneel!"

The ghost-faced man's voice was filled with arrogance, and his companions began spreading out, encircling Johnny.

The moment he heard the word "dinner," Johnny knew there was no chance of resolving this peacefully.

But instead of feeling fear, he felt a twinge of excitement. Standing silently behind him, the phantom of the undead had already emerged, awaiting his command.

"Perfect timing. I'll use you lot to test my current strength. Ghost, dinner's served!"

Surrounded by the scavengers, Johnny's voice was calm and low as he issued his command.

Without hesitation, the phantom—hungry after going without sustenance for so long—lunged at one of the scavengers.

The chosen victim, initially brimming with greed and excitement, suddenly froze in terror as the horrifying specter appeared in his vision.

"What is this… Ahhh!"

A piercing scream echoed as the phantom's newly sharpened claws tore through the man's body, blood spraying everywhere. The sticky crimson fluid splattered across the remaining scavengers, staining their ragged clothing.

The gruesome sight drained the color from their faces. In mere seconds, one of their comrades had been killed in a panic-stricken scream, yet they couldn't see what had attacked him.

The group that had just eagerly encircled Johnny, treating him as prey, now hesitated. Their confident steps faltered as fear began to take hold.

In the chaos, Johnny moved.

After devouring countless Divine Realm warriors and prisoners, Johnny's physical abilities had grown significantly. Additionally, the vast, mysterious cosmic energy he absorbed from the enigmatic spacetime realm filled his body with explosive power.

With one swift motion, Johnny surprised even himself. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of one of the scavengers, who hadn't even had time to react before Johnny's fist crashed into his chest.

The crisp sound of cracking bones was accompanied by a blood-curdling scream. The man's body flew backward, slamming into the ground with a heavy thud, blood gushing from his mouth like a fountain.

When Johnny looked at the man he had struck, the greed and brutality once reflected in his eyes had vanished—along with his life force.

In a matter of moments, two scavengers were dead. Despite their numerical advantage, the remaining group was visibly shaken, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

"Don't panic! There are so many of us—attack!"

The ghost-faced man, evidently the leader, showed a flicker of fear in his eyes as he witnessed his comrades' quick demise. However, emboldened by their numbers, he led the charge toward Johnny.

Seeing the unruly mob rushing at him, Johnny's eyes turned cold.

"Ghost, kill to your heart's content!"

With a low growl, Johnny reached down and picked up a bizarrely shaped weapon dropped by one of the fallen scavengers. He flashed a chilling smile at his oncoming attackers.

The battle erupted in an instant. Despite being surrounded, Johnny fought with ease. His superior strength and combat skills allowed him to fend off the group effortlessly. When an opening presented itself, he struck with precision, ending a life with each blow.

Meanwhile, the ghost was even more terrifying in its slaughter.

Exploiting its undead nature, the phantom remained invisible until it launched an attack. The moment it appeared before a scavenger, it marked the end of their life.

The thick stench of blood permeated the air, fueling Johnny's growing excitement. The adrenaline coursing through his veins enhanced his strength with every strike, sending waves of fear rippling through the scavengers.

The ghost-faced man, their leader, grew more enraged as his men fell one by one. His attacks became increasingly aggressive. Yet, watching his comrades inexplicably die—bodies torn apart—planted seeds of terror even in him.

A straightforward battle against Johnny might not have been daunting for these scavengers, hardened as they were from years of pillaging and murder.

But the mysterious, unexplainable deaths of their comrades filled them with a bone-deep fear, as though death could strike at any moment, without warning.

Another blood-curdling scream rang out. A scavenger's body was split open from the back, collapsing lifelessly to the ground. This was the breaking point for the group—the spark that ignited their terror.

"What is that thing?!"

"He's a demon!"

"Run for your lives!"

Fear, once unleashed, spread like wildfire. The moment one scavenger decided to flee, the group's formation crumbled. Even the ghost-faced man's angry shouts fell on deaf ears as the others scattered.

Watching the terrified scavengers trying to escape, Johnny—still intoxicated by the fight—wasn't about to let them off so easily.

"Let me show you the power of fire."

A sly smirk played on Johnny's lips as fiery energy gathered in his hands.

From the prisoners he had devoured in the Divine Realm's dungeon, Johnny had acquired a Level 2 fire-control ability. This would be its first demonstration in battle.

The blazing energy condensed into two fireballs. Johnny hurled one with all his might at a fleeing scavenger. In the blink of an eye, the fireball slammed into the man's back.

"Boom!"

Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon

https://patreon.com/Glimmer09