Chapter 124: The Indicated Path

After Renoli sent the volleyball soaring, he moved with lightning speed, leapt into the air, and delivered a fierce, powerful spike in retaliation.

"BOOM!" A thunderous sound erupted across the beach, startling everyone nearby.

Enhanced by Void energy, the volleyball did not burst despite withstanding the full-force strikes from both Tony and Renoli. Facing the incoming volley, Tony’s eyes ignited with a competitive spirit. Fearless, he planted his feet firmly, crouched into a stable stance, and met the ball head-on.

At the moment of impact, the resulting shockwave caused Tony to feel his entire body vibrate, while the sand beneath his feet was blasted outward in a massive spray. Fortunately, as Renoli’s evolution was primarily focused on speed, Tony managed to withstand the hit. Though his hands burned with sharp, stinging pain, he held his ground.

Tony launched a counterattack. The two of them were like a pair of super-batteries, each serve triggering terrifying vibrations and shockwaves. By the time Renoli delivered his final serve—the fifth full-power exchange—the ball could no longer endure the immense pressure and finally burst with a loud "pop!"

"That was exhilarating! How long have you been mastering this ability, Tony?" Renoli asked, laughing as he landed back on the sand, his face showing a hint of surprise.

"About half a year, though I didn't have much Void energy at the beginning, so I rarely used it," Tony replied. "It wasn't until I had evolved several times that the amount of Void energy within me increased. I wasn't even sure what kind of effect it would have; I was just testing it out. I didn't know if it could reinforce a volleyball, but it seems I succeeded."

Tony spoke openly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. If he could imbue a volleyball with this energy, it meant he could do the same for other objects—like his Iron Man armor. Although he didn’t yet know if there were time limits, side effects, or other drawbacks to this reinforcement, today’s discovery had undoubtedly opened a brand-new path for his technology. The performance of his armor might soon reach heights he had previously deemed unimaginable.

"How much of your energy did it take to reinforce that ball?" Renoli asked, looking thoughtful. He was clearly envious of the power Tony had displayed and was eager to learn more.

"One-fifth. I figured if it popped, it popped, so I didn't hold back," Tony said, sensing the remaining Void energy within him.

It was a coincidence that led to this; participating in this match meant he couldn't rely on his suit, so he had decided to tap into his own internal power to see if it could assist his serves. More importantly, his opponent was Renoli—a man Tony wasn't confident he could beat even with his armor—and the target was just a ball. With such a strong opponent and nothing at stake, Tony had felt no reservations.

"So, if you manage it well, you can increase both the power and the durability of an object, though only for a single strike," Renoli noted after some consideration. "You need to practice more."

Tony’s grasp of Void energy was clearly raw and unrefined, but that wasn't a problem. The important distinction was between having the power and not having it at all—the difference between a super-powered individual and an ordinary person. The former possesses a capability that, while clumsy at first, can be perfected through practice. The latter doesn't even have the opportunity to fumble with it.

"Yeah, I only just discovered this today. I want to integrate it with my technology," Tony said with a grin. "Perhaps it will lead to a new kind of 'Void Tech.' If I succeed, that’s what I’ll call it."

"But Tony, what made you decide to evolve the Void energy path?" Renoli asked, still curious. Most members of the Void Sect focused on physical evolution, as superior physical fitness provided many conveniences and better survival chances in dangerous situations. Even though evolution seemed limitless, the rate of progress slowed significantly after many iterations, making the initial choices of direction crucial. Yet, Tony had ignored his body to focus on a type of energy he barely understood.

"…It was just a whim. You have to try everything, right?" Tony hesitated for a moment before laughing it off. He couldn't very well admit that he had seen the incredible abilities displayed by Kha'Zix and wanted that same power for himself; that would make him look like he was just riding on someone else's coat-tails.

"A whim, huh? Fair enough. Your main source of income isn't combat, but invention, so you don't have as much of a need for physical evolution," Renoli concluded, not suspecting a thing.

Many members of the Void Sect chose to evolve their bodies mainly because of Cho'Gath. When they first joined, seeing that giant display such terrifying physical power made them subconsciously lean in that direction. Others, like Reksai, had seen many bounty hunters and knew what truly mattered for high-level combat, leading them to focus on a balance of strength and speed.

But now, everyone had witnessed the power Tony possessed. Even if his usage was currently amateurish, anyone could see the infinite potential that Void energy represented. It was highly likely that this was one of the cores of Void evolution. As for why it was only one of them, they had seen Void gods that appeared to be the pinnacle of physical evolution—creatures as vast as galaxies, capable of consuming planets in a single bite. Against such overwhelming entities, conventional attacks would likely be useless. If those beings were also augmented by Void energy, their strength would be truly unimaginable.

"The ball is gone, so I suppose I lost this round," Renoli said, walking up to Tony with a smile. "Let’s go. My treat."

"You haven't lost yet; that was only one point," Tony said. Although he desperately wanted to beat Renoli, he knew he had only scored by sheer luck.

"Consider it a thank you for showing me something so remarkable," Renoli replied. "You’ve pointed out a brand-new path for us all. A meal is the least I can do."

"I like the sound of that," Tony said, letting go of the obsession with the score and breaking into a genuine smile.