The bounty bar on Xandar was buzzing with excitement.
"Damn, we thought Kassadin might have teleportation abilities, but I never imagined he'd be this insane," one of the bounty hunters exclaimed.
"Yeah, he teleported over a thousand light-years to complete that mission! He's not human, that's for sure."
"We're lucky this bar's on peaceful Xandar, where fights aren't common," another chimed in. "If anyone had provoked him when he walked in, we'd be mopping up blood."
The presence of the Nova Corps on Xandar meant most bounty hunters knew better than to start trouble. No one wanted to end up in a cell.
"Did you hear the rumor? They say even the Seer couldn't predict his future. That's saying something," someone mentioned, lowering their voice.
"What exactly is the Void?"
"C-53's a place called Earth, not the Void," another replied.
"Maybe Earth has another name—Void?"
"Don't be stupid. Just because Kassadin speaks Earth's language doesn't mean the Void is Earth."
"Right, that just means he's been to Earth, nothing more."
The group nodded, the conversation swirling with theories about Kassadin's origins.
Their curiosity was justified—Kassadin had made quite the entrance into the bounty-hunting world. Not only had he completed a high-level bounty within hours of signing up, but now, less than a day later, he'd completed a Tier 3 mission on a planet over a thousand light-years away. The mission, considered nearly impossible due to numerous restrictions, had been done single-handedly by the mysterious bounty hunter.
As rumors spread, many hunters believed they might soon witness the rise of the first Tier 3 bounty hunter in their ranks.
Watching the fervent discussions unfold, Lacey, the barmaid, couldn't help but be amazed. Kassadin had been polite and composed, not at all like someone with terrifying power. But his air of quiet mystery and authority hinted that he was far from ordinary.
"Will we meet again...?" Lacey wondered aloud, resting her chin in her hands, thinking back to their brief conversation. For some reason, she found herself hoping for another encounter.
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
News of Kassadin's successful extermination of the Broodmother was still spreading through Kilfand the bounty-hunting world, but it hadn't yet reached the broader galaxy. In the grand scope of the universe, what Kassadin had done was impressive but far from enough to make him a household name—at least, not yet.
At a Elite hotel, Sonia sat anxiously in her room, staring at her communicator.
Kassadin had told her she could relax until called upon, and she'd been happy at first, relishing the chance to rest. But when morning passed, and then the afternoon, and still no summons came, unease crept in. By evening, she was downright concerned.
She'd much rather be busy than left sitting idle, unsure if her guest was still satisfied with her service. Worse, she couldn't enter Kassadin's villa without permission, leaving her stuck waiting.
I hope I didn't upset him somehow, she worried. The thought of an entire month like this made her stomach churn with anxiety.
Just as Sonia was starting to lose hope, her communicator buzzed to life.
"Sonia, could you prepare some fruit tea and bring it up?"
Kassadin's voice came through, causing her to jump slightly.
"Is that you, Mr. Kassadin?" she asked, startled but relieved.
"It is."
Hearing his calm reply, Sonia's heart finally settled.
"Right away, sir. I'll have it sent up immediately."
Sonia hurried from her room, quickly assembling the tea and making her way to Villa 7777 within minutes.
"I wasn't sure which fruit tea you'd prefer, so I brought a selection," she said with a warm smile as she approached the gold-armored figure reclining by the villa's indoor pool.
Kassadin glanced at the array of drinks, nodding in approval.
Taking a glass, he sipped and let out a contented sigh. "Ahh, that's just what I needed."
The cool, sweet-sour tea refreshed him, providing a welcome change from the overwhelming meals of the past few days.
In that time, Kassadin had consumed the entire Broodmother, earning an astounding 14 million evolution points. Combined with his prior points, he now had 15.5 million, allowing him to undergo ten full evolutions in just a few short days.
While satisfied with his rapid growth, the sheer volume of food—despite the chefs' best efforts—had left him tired of eating. All he wanted now was to relax with a drink and let his body process the benefits.
Sonia, watching him relax, ventured a question. "You look a bit tired, Mr. Kassadin. Would you like a massage to help you unwind?"
Kassadin chuckled softly. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm not tired. Just taking a break after handling some things."
He took another sip of his tea and thought back to his old life on Earth. Back then, he only worked consistently when he needed to quickly accumulate wealth. Once his finances were stable, he spent most of his time relaxing—taking missions only when they paid well enough to justify the effort.
During his downtime, he'd eat, train, and game, occasionally going for a joyride or enjoying the company of a charming woman for an evening. Now, after completing just two missions in this new world, his wealth had already reached one billion.
Things were moving fast, and he liked it that way. But for now, he needed to pace himself.
"Would you like me to prepare some light snacks, then?" Sonia asked, adjusting her approach.
"Not for now. I'm good with just drinks for the moment," Kassadin replied, sipping again. "But for dinner tonight, around 7, I'd appreciate something light and appetizing."
"Understood. I'll have it ready by seven," Sonia said, making a quick note on her wrist display before falling silent.
She stood quietly by Kassadin's side, noting his slower pace of eating compared to a few days ago. Yet, she didn't comment—her job was to serve, not question.
And so, she waited patiently as he continued to sip his tea, content to follow his lead.