บท 8: CHAPTER 8
After an hour, there was still no response, and Rhodes came back to his senses.
It should be noted that his current body had long surpassed that of ordinary Protoss, so eating this golden apple had no effect.
The Protoss of Asgard are divided into different categories, but if they do not possess divine power, they can only be called ordinary Protoss, with strength levels ranging from one to ten.
The Protoss who master the power of the gods are called True Gods, and they are divided into lower gods, middle gods, upper gods, main gods, and the Godkings, also known as the heavenly father level.
Rhodes' current body had already surpassed ordinary Protoss; he had reached the specific level of a True God. He didn't know the exact strength of a True God, so that remained a mystery.
The next day, someone knocked on the door early in the morning.
"Mr. Rhodes, Lord Hella is going to the palace, and you need to accompany her as her personal guard," the voice outside the door said respectfully.
As Rhodes was now the personal guard of Princess Hela, the general servants respected him greatly, and they always added the word "sir" to his name.
Upon hearing that he was going to the palace, Rhode sprang up from the bed, dressed quickly, and left his room.
Under the guidance of his servants, he arrived at Hela's door and waited.
Inside the door, a cold-faced beauty wearing a gorgeous dark green dress walked out elegantly.
Hela scrutinized Rhodes from head to toe, her eyes showing appreciation, but she refrained from uttering any words of praise.
Rhodes followed the aloof Hela as they walked towards the palace.
The main hall came into view, grand and magnificent, adorned with bright decorations.
The gate alone was studded with thousands of shining gems.
The guards were all formidable and majestic, their faces carrying a deadly seriousness, making them appear untouchable.
As soon as they spotted Hela, they all bowed slightly, showing their respect for the royal family.
Upon entering the main hall, powerful True Gods stood on both sides.
At the highest seat, a one-eyed middle-aged man, wearing an eagle helmet and golden armor, stood. He gripped a spear tightly in his hand, and two wolfhounds lay at his feet, their eyes fixed on Rhodes.
"Hella, you're here," the middle-aged man said in a deep voice.
"Salute to you, Odin the God-King."
Hela knelt on one knee, and Rhodes followed suit, bowing his head to show his respect.
A figure at the level of a Godking, Odin. The leader of the True Gods, the mightiest being in Asgard. His mere presence on the throne exuded an irresistible sense of authority.
"The Frost Giants are becoming increasingly audacious. They plan to use their artifact—the Ice Treasure Box—to turn our courtyard into an extremely cold winter," Odin said, his tone carrying a hint of displeasure.
Rhodes frowned slightly. He had read in books that the living conditions of the Frost Giants were incredibly harsh, to the point that even a True God would struggle to adapt.
If the Frost Giants succeeded in transforming their courtyard into the icy environment they were accustomed to, most people would freeze to death, and only they would be able to endure it.
This courtyard was the Earth; if they succeeded...
Rhodes contemplated silently, his brows furrowing even further. If this happened, his parents and family members would also perish in the icy grip.
"Hella, I need you to retrieve the Ice Treasure Box. The endless slaughtered animals pose no threat. Once you obtain the Ice Treasure Box, they will revert to being the animals we've slaughtered."
Hela lowered her head and replied resolutely, "The mission shall be completed!"
"Go, I will support you with troops."
After departing from the main hall, Hela and Rhodes returned to the courtyard.
At this moment, Hela abruptly inquired, "Your appearance has changed significantly; you look much stronger. Show me."
Rhodes understood that Hela must have noticed his daily practice of Protoss combat skills. He decided not to continue concealing his newfound strength.
He demonstrated a series of Protoss combat techniques in front of Hela, capturing her attention with his performance.
"Come on, summon a Protoss warrior here," Hela instructed.
Immediately, someone summoned the Protoss warrior guarding the door.
Upon seeing that his opponent was just a servant selected from the Earth, the warrior wore a disdainful smile.
"With all due respect, Lord Hela, it would be an affront to my noble Protoss heritage to engage in combat with an Earthling."
Rhodes couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. Even without relying on golden apples to enhance his physical abilities, his daily sunbathing had already granted him the strength to overpower this Protoss warrior with his human body alone.
With his current strength, defeating this ordinary fighter was even easier.
Hela gestured to the warrior, indicating he should proceed.
The warrior maintained his disdainful demeanor as he turned around, but before he could react, Rhodes unleashed a lightning-fast punch that struck him squarely in the nose. His vision spun, and when he regained his senses, he found himself sprawled on the ground.
"What! How is this possible? I was defeated by an Earthling servant!" the Protoss warrior exclaimed incredulously, attempting to rise and continue the fight.
Hela signaled to him to desist, sending a chill through his spine that deterred him from any further attempts.
"Summon five more Protoss warriors," Hela ordered the servants. She then smiled knowingly at Rhodes.
"It seems you've been concealing your true strength."
Rhodes shook his head, offering a mysterious smile, but he refrained from providing a direct response.
Five Protoss warriors, who had been guarding, promptly arrived outside the courtyard. When they saw their colleague, still nursing a bleeding nose, and Rhodes, who exuded an aura of danger, they instantly grasped the situation.
"You five shall engage him together," Hela commanded succinctly.
A smile remained on Hela's lips as she eagerly anticipated how Rhodes would handle this disadvantageous situation.
Armed only with his bare hands against their spears, it was five against one.
Rhodes found himself encircled by these five warriors, each approaching from a different direction, and the odds seemed stacked against him.
Before any of the five could make a move, Rhodes took the initiative. He leaped to his feet, breaking through the spear defense with a flying knee, and delivered a powerful punch to one warrior's jaw.
The warrior's eyes briefly glazed over before he collapsed unconscious.
The remaining four warriors were taken aback. They hadn't expected Rhodes to be so fast; they barely had time to react.
"Charge!" one of them roared, and the four immediately lunged at Rhodes with their spears.
Rhodes stood his ground, employing the most dominant boxing technique from his combat repertoire, the "Moving Mountain and Horizontal Fist."
He used a double-fist technique to simultaneously block the four stabbing spears, then swiftly advanced toward them, delivering punches that incapacitated each of them, sending all four sprawling.
After accomplishing this, Rhodes breathed a sigh of relief. His demeanor remained calm, as if he hadn't performed anything remarkable.
"Bravo!" Hela applauded his display of strength.
"Outstanding; this strength will undoubtedly shine on the battlefield."
Rhodes, however, regretted revealing his prowess. Despite his efforts to restrain himself, he had to employ his strength during the initial confrontation. If he had wanted to, he could have effortlessly dispatched all five Protoss warriors.
"Rest for a few days, then join me on the battlefield," Hela declared. Rhodes had no choice but to comply.
In the courtyard, Rhodes donned Protoss armor, a high crescent helmet on his head, and held a spear in his hand. Under the sun, the bronze-toned armor made him appear majestic and extraordinary.
Asgardian spear weapons served not only for close combat but also for firing long-range lasers.
Hela assessed Rhodes with approval. "This is your instructor, Chief Guard Sig. He will teach you the art of spear combat."
Sig approached Rhodes with a commanding presence, addressing him firmly. "Human boy, what you are about to face is training akin to hell. I hope you can endure it."
Rhodes nodded in acknowledgment. As he prepared for combat, Sig withdrew his spear and made a sweeping strike toward Rhodes.
Rhodes instinctively raised his spear to counter. In the close encounter, a dull thud rang out, and the spear vibrated violently.
"Did you use your full strength?" Rhodes frowned, suspecting that Sig had launched an all-out attack from the outset.
"I believe that after death, one is reborn. If you survive, you will become a formidable fighter," Sig said earnestly, taking a few steps back and proceeding to demonstrate spear techniques to Rhodes. While doing so, he explained each movement, demonstrating "sweeping," "straight thrusting," "horizontal thrusting," and "floral winding."
After completing a swift set of Protoss spear techniques, Rhodes' extraordinary memory captured every detail. It was all etched into his mind.
"Ding! The host [Rhodes] has unlocked [Protoss Spear Combat Mastery]!"
Rhodes's eyes briefly lit up as he watched Sig's movements replayed countless times in his mind. The memory seamlessly merged with his body. It felt as though he had practiced these spear movements tens of thousands of times.
Sig pointed the spear toward Rhodes once more, and with a glint of challenge in his eyes, he moved closer to test Rhodes with a probing strike.
Rhodes held his spear firmly in position, allowing Sig to circle the spearhead near his face without breaking his defensive posture.
Sig couldn't help but wear a smile of appreciation. "Never arrogant, never impetuous, unperturbed by provocation, youthful yet steady—you are a talented martial artist."
"This move!" Sig initiated an attack, thrusting his spear forward, but Rhodes swiftly raised his spear to parry. He then advanced and lowered his stance, using his arms to push down Sig's spearhead and delivering a slashing strike toward Sig's shoulder.
"Well done!" Sig sidestepped the attack and counterattacked with a precise thrust.
Rhodes, without sufficient time to retract his spear, tilted his head to evade the thrust. He then promptly stepped back to avoid Sig's potential follow-up move, which could have been a sweeping strike to his exposed flank.
Having halted his movement, Sig had already initiated a spiraling technique with his spear, poised to strike swiftly toward Rhodes.
Rhodes, undeterred, swiftly executed a sweeping motion while standing his ground. He expertly deflected Sig's unpredictable spear strikes, then unleashed a series of fast spear movements that knocked Sig's spear out of his grip.
Subsequently, Rhodes balanced his spear with both hands, causing it to recoil and rest its tip lightly against Sig's throat, where it trembled.
"I concede," Sig said with a relieved smile.
"Your ability to learn combat surpasses that of ordinary individuals—no, even a superior True God wouldn't possess such a potent learning capacity as you do."
Although Sig had been defeated, he was delighted to have encountered a natural fighter like Rhodes.
Hela, too, nodded in appreciation. "Complete control of the skill, you're undoubtedly a natural fighter."
Rhodes couldn't help but feel a bit of regret. He had revealed his strength more than he intended. Despite his attempts to conceal it, he had employed his full strength during the initial confrontation. In fact, in that first encounter, he could have easily sent Sig's spear flying with a single punch from his human body alone.
"Rest for a few days, then join me on the battlefield," Hela reiterated, leaving Rhodes with no choice but to comply.
In the ensuing days, Rhodes immersed himself in the study of spear combat techniques. He developed a deeper understanding of long-range attacks.
As the day of the expedition approached, Rhodes waited by Hela's side early in the morning. The news of their upcoming campaign had spread throughout Asgard.
Hela donned her warrior's attire, looking imposing and stylish. "Come with me," she instructed Rhodes.
Rhodes followed Hela as they made their way to the Rainbow Bridge.
This bridge had been his passage from Earth to Asgard.
On the square, the Protoss army stood in orderly formation, each soldier equipped with a spear and shield. Their solemn expressions indicated that they were well aware of the gravity of war.
Rhodes followed Hela's lead. Initially, he had no intention of ascending the high platform on the square with Hela to issue orders to the troops. However, Hela signaled for him to join her.
Thus, he stood alongside Hela on the elevated platform.
Protoss and Earth servants gathered to observe the proceedings, and their astonishment was palpable.
Rhodes' exceptional appearance and demeanor drew many admiring and envious glances.
"I wonder who that man is. He looks incredibly handsome!"
"I heard he's Princess Hela's personal guard. If I could win his favor, perhaps I'd live a carefree life?"
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