Chapter 56:
The crafting recipe for the golden apple was pretty simple. You put an apple in the center of the crafting table and surround it with gold ingots. For the enchanted golden apple, you just replace the gold ingots with gold blocks.
Mark, being a dedicated miner, always made sure he had plenty of ores at home. Surprisingly, it was the apple itself that was harder for Mark to get.
Before coming to the Marvel world, Mark had crafted a total of thirty-two golden apples and six enchanted golden apples. It wasn't that he had run out of gold; he had simply run out of apples.
Despite his wealth, Mark found himself staring at the golden apple in his hand, lost in thought.
"Did Tony peel the golden apple before eating it?" Mark wondered absentmindedly, reaching out and carefully examining the golden apple.
The apple felt heavy in his hand, with a smooth and cool skin that was like polished metal. Honestly, it looked more like gold than an apple. Mark even thought he might chip a tooth if he bit into it.
But Tony had eaten one without any problems, so Mark cautiously took a bite.
With a satisfying crunch, he bit off a large chunk of the apple. Unlike its metallic appearance, the flesh of the golden apple was delicate and white.
As he chewed, the crisp flesh released a sweet and tangy juice that filled his mouth. The rich aroma, with all the flavors of apples, rushed into his nose, making Mark's eyes light up.
He quickly devoured the entire golden apple. Shortly after, he felt a slight itching sensation in his body, but it disappeared within a minute.
Mark tested his physical abilities and noticed a small increase in strength. But it was like a martial artist who could punch with a force of 100,000 kilograms now being able to punch with a force of 100,001 kilograms—a negligible difference for him.
Thinking back to Tony's condition, Mark noticed the obvious changes in his body. When Mark operated on him, the density of Tony's muscles and bones was greater than a normal person's, approaching the peak of human potential. It was similar to Captain America or Black Panther, who gained superhuman strength through the Super Soldier Serum and the Heart-Shaped Herb, respectively.
Based on Tony's transformation, Mark guessed that the regular golden apple could enhance the human body, allowing ordinary people to reach peak human strength. As for why it didn't have the same effect on him, Mark figured it might be because he had consumed a lot of Essence Berries.
Mark was already stronger than a normal human, able to fight beings like Thanos and the Hulk. Even the gods of Asgard wouldn't dare challenge him, making the effects of the serum and the herb useless in comparison.
Having tested the regular golden apple, Mark turned his attention to the Enchanted Golden Apple—a much more powerful item.
The Enchanted Golden Apple, made from eight solid gold blocks, was incredibly dense and heavy. If you calculated it based on real-world physics, the Enchanted Golden Apple would weigh a staggering 152 tons, yet it was still the size of a fist. You could almost imagine it collapsing into a tiny, dense object if you ate too many.
Luckily, after being materialized, the Enchanted Golden Apple wasn't as heavy as you might expect. Mark weighed it in his hand and found it was only slightly heavier than a regular golden apple. He cautiously took a bite.
With a crisp sound, Mark chewed the crunchy flesh, and the tangy juice burst out, flowing down his throat. But unlike the regular golden apple, this one had golden juice that not only looked beautiful but also had a strong fragrance.
With just one bite, the whole room was filled with a refreshing fruity smell. Mark quickly finished the Enchanted Golden Apple.
This time, the sensation was different. It wasn't like eating Essence Berries. The berries gave a warm feeling as they went down, while the Enchanted Golden Apple gave a cool and refreshing sensation, as if every cell in Mark's body was breathing. Along with the delightful aroma from the juice, Mark felt his body rapidly growing stronger and his mind becoming clearer.
It was like an invisible veil had been lifted, making the whole world seem more vivid. Mark could sense dust floating in the air, a gentle breeze blowing through the grass outside, and even a tiny insect crawling on the windowsill. He quietly enjoyed this amazing feeling, where everything seemed within his sight and reach.
[Achievement Obtained: Overpowered]
A notification sound rang in Mark's mind. It was an achievement players got in the game after eating an Enchanted Golden Apple. But now, Mark understood why it was called "Overpowered."
"This feeling is really nice..." Mark took a deep breath, then had Steve bring him another Enchanted Golden Apple.
Mark watched as the Enchanted Golden Apple materialized with a flash of white light, and he immediately started eating it. Soon, another Enchanted Golden Apple was gone, filling the air with its enchanting aroma, and the cool, refreshing sensation flowed through Mark's body again.
But this time, Mark didn't experience the heightened awareness.
"So that's how it is," Mark nodded, realizing something. "It seems this item, like the heart-shaped herb and the super soldier serum, is a one-time thing and can't be used repeatedly like the Essence Berries."
Mark casually tossed the golden apple back into the Alchemy Bag. But as he opened the bag, his attention was suddenly drawn to the Void Ring inside. A new
idea popped into his mind.