CHAPTER 89

"I surrender, I surrender," Galactus pleaded.

Galactus gazed at Rhodes with fear and distress, resembling an 18-ton man.

Rhodes applied his mind control on Galactus once more. This time, Galactus willingly released his own mind, allowing Rhodes to exert complete control over him. He chose to submit to Rhodes rather than endure the endless cycle of obliteration.

Rhodes felt that he had finally achieved full control over Galactus.

Galactus expressed his gratitude. "Thank you, Master."

Rhodes regarded Galactus with speechlessness. "If you'd cooperated earlier, things would have gone more smoothly."

"I'm sorry, Master."

"Alright, let's leave it at that."

Rhodes didn't anticipate that his attempts to slay the Planet Devourer would instill such fear in him. Nevertheless, his primary goal had been achieved – the massive threat to Vulcan was neutralized. With Galactus under control, Vulcan would no longer face danger.

Rhodes teleported back to Vulcan.

As he returned, Hela, Lola, and others welcomed him with joy.

"Honey, are you alright?" Hela inquired.

Rhodes responded with a smile. "Of course, that guy couldn't harm me."

"And Galactus?"

"He's outside Vulcan for now. He's a bit of a problem. He has the ability to regenerate infinitely, so it's impossible to kill him completely. I decided to subdue him. He won't threaten Vulcan again."

"That's wonderful! Mr. Rhodes, we can't thank you enough for saving our planet and our entire empire," Lola exclaimed, speaking on behalf of Vulcan Empire's superpowers.

Rhodes waved his hand modestly. "Don't mention it. You should focus on developing and strengthening your own strength to protect your homeland."

Rhodes helped the Vulcan Empire deal with its crises and supported its development. Now, the people of Vulcan Empire revered him as a god.

The leader of Vulcan was eager to step down from his position and offer it to Rhodes, suggesting that Rhodes become the king of Vulcan. They were ready to worship Rhodes wholeheartedly.

Rhodes, however, gently declined the offer. He told the Vulcan leader that his time in the Vulcan Empire was drawing to a close, and he and Hela needed to leave.

Rhodes's departure saddened the Vulcan leaders and citizens. They knew he couldn't stay with them forever. In gratitude for Rhodes's help, the Vulcan Empire erected temples for Rhodes and Hela. Two colossal statues, each hundreds of meters tall, were erected to honor them.

Rhodes observed the statues with a sense of honor. Although Vulcan Empire's civilization was primitive, their devotion was genuine. These statues beautifully captured the essence of Rhodes and Hela.

Rhodes and Hela were the gods of the Asgardian pantheon. While the power of faith was no longer significant to them in their current form, having so many believers held a special significance.

Laura, in particular, was a fervent believer, placing her faith in Rhodes to an extraordinary degree. It was the first time Rhodes had experienced such devotion.

In a metaphorical sense, Laura could be described as a fanatic. In ancient Greece, devotees of the Greek gods were willing to sacrifice everything for their deities, including their lives. Laura's faith was similarly strong, and she'd likely do anything Rhodes asked of her.

Rhodes, puzzled by this level of devotion, couldn't help but wonder about the consequences of such intense belief. While he appreciated Laura's faith, he also recognized that it could be detrimental to her.

Laura had her own life and destiny. Keeping her by his side or elevating her to the status of a servant of the gods might not be in her best interest.

Laura's future, as a mortal, was limited, and Rhodes couldn't make that choice for her. Instead, he offered Laura a holy white necklace and appointed her as the Saintess of Rhodes Temple. He recognized her dedication and trusted her with the temple's protection.

Laura was elated. She held the necklace tightly, as if letting go would cause it to vanish. "I'll guard the Temple of Rhodes and live up to your expectations."

Rhodes's farewell was bittersweet. He looked around at the Vulcan Empire's people. "Goodbye."

The Vulcan leader and citizens knelt in unison. "Congratulations, Lord Rhodes."

With that, Rhodes and Hela vanished from the Vulcan Empire, reappearing in another corner of the cosmos.

Laura looked up at the sky, holding her Saintess Necklace. She whispered, "Master Rhodes, I'll wait for your return."

On the other hand, Hela expressed her concerns to Rhodes, questioning whether he was being too cruel to Laura. She suggested that Rhodes could empower Laura with the Infinity Gems, allowing her to be a servant of the gods rather than leaving her to wait indefinitely. Hela was concerned that Laura's short human lifespan would make her wait painfully long.

Rhodes, however, pointed out the potential complications of keeping Laura with them, as it could significantly affect the Vulcan Empire. He explained that Laura should live her own life, even if it meant waiting for their return.

Hela contemplated his words. Although it was a hard choice, she realized it was for the best. Laura's life was hers to live.

Meanwhile, Rhodes and Hela resumed their cosmic journey.

...

In another part of the universe, Ronan the Accuser was relentlessly searching for a way to defeat Rhodes.

Ronan had learned of Rhodes's use of Thanos to collect all six Infinity Gems. If not for Thanos's fortune, he might have been eliminated.

Ronan understood that he couldn't confront Rhodes directly. As a result, he combed the universe in search of a solution.

One day, Ronan landed on a desolate planet. The planet seemed lifeless, surrounded by dark swamps. These inky swamps emitted a strange odor and occasionally produced massive black bubbles.

As Ronan explored the planet's barren landscape, he noticed an unusual event unfolding in the dark swamps.

Black, liquid-like creatures emerged from the swamps, surging toward Ronan.

These fast-flowing, viscous entities appeared to intend harm to Ronan. However, he remained calm. These peculiar beings posed no threat to him.

Ronan raised his almighty weapon and dispatched a single blow toward the black substance. The black mass shattered on impact, leaving a sizable crater in the ground. Ronan found little interest in these feeble and bizarre entities and prepared to depart.

Just as he was about to leave, the black substance, shattered moments ago, rapidly reassembled. It transformed into black spikes and assaulted Ronan from behind.

Startled, Ronan sensed that something was amiss. He retaliated, breaking the spike's assault and obliterating the black matter once more.

To his surprise, the substance reconstituted itself once more.

Ronan was baffled. He knew that the power of his almighty weapon was enough to obliterate ordinary cosmic creatures. Yet this bizarre substance appeared to be indestructible.

No matter how many times Ronan killed it, the substance regenerated and relentlessly attacked.

Puzzled, Ronan wondered aloud, "What is this? It's so strange."