45: Punishment, Serving the Servant of God

It seemed as if Rhodes were merely engaged in leisurely activities, like fishing or tending to flowers. His demeanor remained unshaken, and he showed no signs of exertion. Bell attacked relentlessly, employing hundreds of moves, yet he couldn't land a single blow on Rhodes.

Bell's offensive gradually waned, and he realized he was reaching the limits of his strength, unable to break through Rhodes' defenses.

Rhodes commented, "Your techniques are outdated. Don't you have any new tricks? Allow me to demonstrate."

With a casual swipe of his spear, Rhodes disarmed Bell effortlessly. The spear flew swiftly towards a massive stone pillar at the entrance of the Hall of Heroes.

This stone pillar, carved from Asgard stone, was thousands of times harder than ordinary rocks in the Nine Realms. Bell's spear was embedded in it, with only a meter of its three-meter length exposed.

This feat wasn't a testament to Bell's strength but rather Rhodes' control over the situation.

With the tip of his guardian spear pressed against Bell's forehead, Rhodes made it clear that he could take Bell's life at any moment.

Bell felt the breath of death, even more terrifying than the deathly aura exuded by Hela, the Queen of Death.

Frozen in place, Bell dared not move, for he sensed that any sudden movement could result in the spear piercing his skull.

At this moment, the countdown projected by Rhodes in midair finished its last second.

Bell had failed, and the dust settled.

Silence reigned over the assembled heroic warriors. They watched the scene before them in awe. Bell, a powerful combatant akin to a giant bear, had been defeated by Rhodes wielding a single spear. It was a humbling sight.

After a full minute, Bell knelt.

"Master Rhodes, I have lost, and I am willing to honor the bet."

Rhodes withdrew his guardian spear and stood beside Bell.

"Bell, is it time to fulfill your promise?"

Bell respectfully clasped his fists.

"Yes, Lord Rhodes, Bell pledges allegiance to you. Even if the world crumbles and the gods fall, I will remain loyal."

Bell was now completely convinced of Rhodes' strength.

"Very well."

Rhodes proceeded towards the steps of the Temple of Valor, hands behind his back.

"Everyone, gather. From now on, if you disobey Lord Rhodes' orders, I will personally deal with you."

Bell's voice rang out like a thunderclap, and under his command, the hesitant heroic warriors rushed to assemble.

Rhodes maintained his composed demeanor.

Standing on the steps of the Hall of Valor, Rhodes surveyed the thousands of heroic warriors who had gathered in the square.

These warriors were clad in solemn golden armor, wielding golden spears over three meters in length. However, a few stood among them in tattered clothing, their rags barely concealing their modesty, and their weapons missing. Nonetheless, they stood solemnly among their armored comrades.

While the scene may have appeared comical, no one dared to laugh.

All eyes were drawn to the spear embedded in the stone pillar at the temple's entrance. Their bodies trembled involuntarily.

Rhodes cast a serious and cold gaze over the heroic warriors.

He pointed to the spear behind him.

"Tell any future heroic warriors the rules here. If anyone repeats the mistakes of the past, Bell, I'll leave it to you."

"Yes, Lord Rhodes, I'll remember," Bell answered loudly, his voice echoing across the vast square.

"Very well. Let me ask you a question: What are you?"

"We are soldiers."

"What is a soldier's duty?"

"Obedience."

"Then what did you just do?"

In response to Rhodes' question, the heroic warriors bowed their heads in shame.

"You should be ashamed of your actions."

"From this moment on, you are still cowards. Unless you fulfill the responsibilities of a soldier, you are unworthy of being called warriors. You are nothing but cowards."

"If you wish to become warriors, your trials have just begun. Only those who emerge from their trials as true warriors can claim that title. Until then, you are merely cowards seeking redemption."

"You must atone for your mistakes. Do you understand?"

"We understand."

Though humiliated, the heroic warriors' expressions held traces of determination and anger. They longed to reclaim the honor they had lost as soldiers.

Rhodes concluded, "Very well. Starting today, you will run ten laps around Asgard daily, undergo rigorous physical training, and practice combat skills at the highest Protoss standards."

"If any of you fail to complete your tasks, you will wash the clothes of the gods' servants and tidy their rooms."

"Let every resident of Asgard witness the transformation of these noble warriors from the Hall of Valor into servants of the gods, responsible for chores and cleaning."

"In the end, it's a small price to pay. I can afford to lose a soldier, but can you afford to lose your honor? Remember, those who fail their missions will wear their noble armor while performing these tasks."

"We understand, Lord Rhodes. We will complete our missions, even if it costs us our lives."

Rhodes' actions were not indifferent; they were calculated to provoke change. Running ten laps around Asgard alone would be an exhausting endeavor. Asgard was vast, larger than many realms in the Nine Realms, and this was just the beginning of their rigorous training.

Rhodes intended to make them experience humility in order to bring out their full potential.