"Understood." Sonya nodded, noting down the request.
Harvey glanced at her. "Once you've finished handling this task, you're free to do as you please until the visitors arrive."
Sonya acknowledged his instruction and left him to wait. Though the news would take a little time to spread, Harvey was confident that it wouldn't be long before someone showed up. In a universe where survival often meant taking risks, any mention of power—especially the promise of it—was enough to attract attention, no matter the cost.
Sonya, meanwhile, wasn't surprised by her newfound freedom. What she did want to know, however, was how exactly Harvey planned to spread the name of the Void God Church and attract more believers. Still, seeing him so calm and unconcerned about the matter, she decided not to worry about it either.
She left the hall and returned to her quarters, where she arranged for the necessary supplies to be delivered directly to the island. Once that was settled, she turned her attention to other tasks.
Elsewhere, the message bearing Kassadin's name had already begun circulating through the bounty-hunting community.
In just a few months, Kassadin had become a well-known figure in the bounty world. However, he'd been quiet recently. But now, the sudden appearance of a message bearing his name had sent shockwaves across the network.
On Xandar, bounty hunters gathered at a local bar.
"You saw the message too, didn't you?" A silver-haired man in a flashy silver cloak, who went by the name Reno, addressed another man as he entered the bar.
"You're here too, so it seems we're all curious," replied the newcomer, a figure wrapped entirely in black bandages and a cloak, known only as the Seer.
"A chance for 'glorious evolution,' huh?" A third figure, a massive blond man with spiky hair, chimed in. He stood at over seven feet tall, shirtless, and radiating strength. "Do you think it's real, Seer? Reno?"
"I've heard about Kassadin before," Reno replied thoughtfully. "From what I know, he's not exactly the charitable type."
"Kassadin rose to the top of the bounty world in just a few months. He's powerful. But oddly enough, I can't see anything about his future," Seer added. "If I could, I would've scouted the location already."
Seer's ability to foresee the future was his most valuable asset. The fact that Kassadin's future remained hidden from him was both intriguing and unsettling. It meant that if Kassadin wanted to kill him, the Seer would have no warning and no chance to escape.
"I think you're both overthinking it," the massive man, called Kael, said, unimpressed by their caution. "Kassadin's power is undeniable. No one on Xandar can challenge him. Hell, you wouldn't doubt for a second that he could wipe this entire planet off the map, would you?"
Both Reno and Seer reluctantly nodded in agreement. There was no point in denying the obvious.
"Then think about it. If someone like him says he's offering an opportunity, why waste time questioning it? Just take it at face value," Kael continued. "This whole thing about the Void God Church? I've never heard of it either, but I bet it means he's building his faction. That makes sense, right? No leader can go it alone."
Reno considered Kael's logic, even if he found it hard to believe that someone like Kassadin would go through the trouble of building a faction. "He's powerful enough as it is. Why bother with an organization?"
"Think about it," Kael pressed. "What do guys like Odin of Asgard, Zeus of Olympus, or even Thanos and the Collector all have in common? They're some of the strongest beings in the universe, but they also built empires. They surround themselves with people to handle the little stuff while they focus on the big picture."
As ridiculous as Kael's excitement seemed at first, Reno couldn't deny the validity of his point.
"Well, when you put it that way, it makes sense. But, Kael, why are you so... excited about this?" Reno asked, noticing how unusually eager his companion seemed.
Kael shrugged, unabashed. "Because this is our chance, man."
Reno raised an eyebrow. "Our chance?"
"Of course! You, me, Seer—together, we have an edge over the competition. We're stronger, faster, and smarter than the rest of those clowns out there. Why wouldn't we jump on this opportunity?"
Seer stood up, surprising both Reno and Kael. "He's convinced me. We should check it out."
"How did he convince you?" Reno asked, still a bit skeptical.
"The usual way. A fight."
Reno nodded knowingly. "Ah, of course."
"Let's go, then," Seer said as the trio started to make their way out of the bar.
Just before they could leave, a female voice called from the side. "Wait—can I come with you?"
Seer glanced at her and nodded. "Yes."
Kael and Reno turned to see who had spoken. It was a woman named Lacey, another bounty hunter.
"Her reason is simple," Seer said as they stared. "She wants to change her life. It's why she convinced us to bring her along."
The two men exchanged glances before shrugging. "Fair enough."
"Let's go."