章 56: CHAPTER 56

Excitedly, the space pirate rushed over to a red-skinned leader with terrifying fangs and wrinkled skin resembling a Shar-Pei.

"Boss, boss."

The leader of the space pirates was sitting on the sidelines, clearly worried. He had been searching for days but couldn't locate the power gems. His frustration was evident.

Although they couldn't wield the power of these gems, they were aware that many individuals in the universe would pay a hefty price to possess them. To make a fortune, the space pirate boss had set his sights on the power gems.

Impatiently, the pirate boss said, "Go away, don't bother me."

The space pirate persisted, "Business is starting, boss."

"Huh? Have you found the power gem?"

The pirate boss widened his eyes.

"No, I found a living person over there. This guy is definitely not our match. Robbing him will bring us riches."

"Really?"

The pirate boss rolled his eyes and grinned.

"Alright, hey, brothers, the opportunity is here, let's go."

Under the command of the pirate boss, a group of space pirates didn't even bother to eat; they immediately boarded their aircraft and headed towards Rhodes.

Rhodes, at this moment, had searched every corner of the hall but found no trace of the power gem.

As he exited the dilapidated hall, a group of 100 space pirates surrounded him.

Observing that Rhodes was wearing an Asgardian robe, the pirate boss knew that Rhode must be wealthy. The pirate boss grinned, revealing his sharp fangs.

"Hey, kid, if you want to survive, hand over all your valuables."

Rhodes looked around as many space pirates pointed their laser guns at him, but he simply ignored them.

Rhodes asked the pirate boss, "Are you also looking for the power gem?"

One of the pirates, lacking self-control, asked instinctively, "How do you know?"

However, he received a swift slap on the head from the pirate boss.

"Are you daft? Don't reveal our intentions."

Rhodes looked at the naive space pirates and shook his head with a smile. "Leave before I grow too weary of talking to you, or your lives will be in danger."

The space pirates burst into laughter upon hearing Rhodes' words.

"Hahaha... I think this kid has gone mad, even daring to threaten us. You won't be laughing when you see your doom."

The pirate boss raised his laser gun, preparing to shoot Rhodes.

"Since you're courting death, there's no other way."

With a wave of Rhode's hand, countless massive alien snake-like creatures suddenly appeared on the surrounding ground. These creatures had mouths over a meter wide and attacked the space pirates.

These alien snakes entwined the space pirates and swallowed them.

In the blink of an eye, the once notorious space pirates were devoured by the alien snakes.

Only the pirate boss remained. He sat on the ground, trembling, overwhelmed by the scene.

They had never experienced such a battle before; the group was wiped out in an instant.

Rhodes approached the pirate boss with a leisurely stroll.

"I'll ask you once more, are you here to find the power gem? My patience is limited; you have only one chance."

The pirate boss was thoroughly frightened by Rhodes.

"Yes, yes, my lord, we are here to find the power gem."

"Then where have you searched? How long have you been searching?"

Rhodes had been searching as well, but these space pirates arrived earlier and likely had more information.

The pirate boss hastily took out a small screen from his pocket and said, "My lord, we have searched these places. We don't know exactly how long, but we've marked them on the map. Please accept it and spare my life."

Rhodes took the map, number 770, and saw that the space pirates had indeed scoured many locations. Many halls that might have contained power gems had been searched, but all of them were marked as fruitless. However, a few unexplored halls still remained.

This saved Rhodes a great deal of effort. These space pirates were experts at searching for treasure, and their previous attempts had likely ruled out many locations.

Rhodes nodded and accepted the map. "This map will prove useful."

He then left the scene, disappearing, and leaving only one phrase in the air.

"I can't allow others to know I'm hunting for the power gem, so it's best that you meet your end."

After searching through several dilapidated halls, Rhodes finally found a cosmic spirit ball suspended on a stone platform within a locked, deserted hall.

Rhodes brought the cosmic spirit ball to him and used his immense strength to crush it open, revealing the power gem within.

Rhodes held the crystal-clear Power Gem, radiating potent energy, in his hand, wearing a satisfied smile.

"Very well, only three gems left now."

Rhodes transported back to Asgard, taking a closer look at the Power Gem.

Even though the Infinity Gauntlet was a foreign object, it could hold six Infinity Gems, each contributing to the power it contained. With the full Infinity Gauntlet, Rhode's strength had not increased significantly.

In contrast, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver had absorbed the power of the Infinity Stones, becoming immensely powerful.

Rhodes contemplated the idea of absorbing the power from all six Infinity Gems, considering how it might enhance his abilities.

He held the Power Gem in his hand, attempting to absorb its power. However, no matter what method he tried, the power extracted remained outside his body. Rhodes couldn't absorb the Power Gem's energy directly.

Rhodes received a notification from his system, indicating that the transformation of his body was complete, allowing him to absorb the Power Gems.

His Silver Superman genes had begun to take effect, altering the cells within his body. The Power Gem's energy flowed into him, integrating into his limbs, blood vessels, nerves, and cells.

Rhodes could feel the source of power within the Power Gem flooding into him. He began to absorb the energy at full throttle, a purple mist enveloping his body.

The purple mist emanated from his hands, seeping into every part of his being. As he continued to draw power from the gem, he felt an increasing surge of energy.

The source of power within the gem appeared limitless, despite his efforts to absorb it fully. The Power Gem's energy persisted.

Rhodes slowed his absorption of the Power Gem's power, shaking his fist. While he could feel the increased strength, it wasn't a significant boost.

Rhodes had harnessed the power of the sun, obtaining unparalleled strength. The power gained from the Power Gem paled in comparison.

Rhodes had no knowledge of the energy capacity of the Power Gem. A rough estimate might help him determine its limits. If the Power Gem's energy could be used efficiently, it would be a valuable resource.

Rhodes decided to share the gem's power with others, beginning with the Asgardian guards.

"Come here."

Two or three Asgardian guards stationed in Rhodes' room entered.

They saluted Rhodes respectfully, addressing him as "Master Rhodes."

Rhodes issued his instructions, "I called you here to absorb the energy from this gem. Give it a try."

The guards, puzzled but obedient, approached the Power Gem in Rhodes' hand. They attempted to absorb the energy using their divine powers.

However, their efforts were in vain. Despite their utmost exertion, they could not draw even a wisp of the purple mist from the Power Gem.

Rhodes sighed. He understood that the gem had a barrier preventing creatures from directly absorbing its energy. If that weren't the case, it could become a limitless power source, potentially creating countless superhumans.

Rhodes' system then notified him that he had obtained the genetic modification technique, allowing him to modify the genes of others to harness the Power Gem's energy.

Rhodes smiled, realizing he could modify the genes of Asgardian guards to allow them to absorb the Power Gem's energy.

The Asgardian guards had no inherent capacity to absorb the gem's power. They relied on Rhodes to modify their genes and physique, enabling them to harness the energy safely.

Rhodes had made a significant step towards his goal. He was closer to gaining the Power Gem's full potential and strengthening his allies.