"Items placed on the betting table will be protected by the Gladiator Contract," the Gladiator Spirit said.
Homelander stood where he was without a word, a faint cold smile on his lips.
Thanos made no move either, gripping Tyrant's Twin Blades as steadily as a mountain.
Neither of them intended to produce their Stones.
Hand over the Infinity Stones? What a joke.
They were both extremely self-centered and exceptionally cautious people. Neither would ever hand his trump card over to a third party.
The Gladiator Spirit waited silently in midair.
After the air had remained frozen for half a minute, it seemed to see through their thoughts.
"Refusing to surrender the physical items? The rules allow flexibility..."
The Gladiator Spirit raised both hands.
Two golden beams shot out and struck Thanos's and Homelander's arms respectively.
Homelander frowned slightly and looked down.
He found a Gladiator Mark burning with dark golden light on the sleeve of his uniform.
The same pattern appeared on Thanos as well.
"The Gladiator Marks have been created." The Gladiator Spirit lowered its arms. "Since you refuse to place the wagered items in custody, you need only verbally agree to the terms of the wager. Once the contract is established, the loser's wager will be forcibly stripped away."
Thanos stared directly at Homelander and spoke in a deep voice. "I agree."
Homelander shrugged and flashed the Gladiator Spirit a toothy grin. "I agree too. Sounds fair."
"The contract is established!"
The Gladiator Spirit spread its arms, and a ring of golden ripples swept across the entire arena.
"Warning." Before vanishing, the Gladiator Spirit left them with one final message. "Until a final victor is determined, the Infinity Stones offered as wagers will be isolated by the Gladiator Laws."
"The Stones' ability to distort the laws of the