Tony, hearing that he could test things out, realized that challenging Reno might not be the smartest move right off the bat. Everyone else was already locked in intense games, and Reno, who was resting, clearly had defeated quite a few opponents already.
But even knowing he might lose, Tony didn't care. It was just the cost of a meal, after all. What mattered more was having fun. Still, that didn't mean he planned to throw the match.
Over the past six months since arriving on Xandar, Tony had evolved 124 times, averaging two evolutions per week. He wasn't even sure how strong he had become.
When he first arrived, his focus was on making money, so he threw himself into his research. There hadn't been much time to find strong opponents or equal challengers to measure his true power. But now that business was on the right track, Tony wanted to take the chance to test his strength—and what better way than through a little competitive fun?
So, Tony tossed the ball up, jumped, and used about thirty percent of his strength to spike it.
With a loud thud, the volleyball zipped over the net, aimed perfectly at the far edge of Reno's side of the court. Reno vanished from his position in an instant, reappearing in time to catch the ball, then leaped high into the air and slammed it back with even greater force.
The ball came flying back toward Tony like a freight train, pushing him three meters back as he made the catch. Luckily, Reno had aimed it directly at him—if the shot had gone to the edges of the court, Tony would have lost that point.
Tony glanced over at Lacey and Kael, who were still locked in their intense match. It was clear they had long since mastered this kind of high-powered play.
"You can hit it straight up and serve again, but let me give you some advice," Reno said, seeing the look on Tony's face. "To win, you've got to be fast. Serve hard, and hit even harder. Controlling your strength is key—brute force alone won't win the game. Kael learned that the hard way. He had to treat us to more than a few meals before he figured it out."
Reno's words sank in, and Tony nodded thoughtfully. "Can I use gadgets?" he asked.
"As much as I'd love to spar with you fully equipped," Reno said with a grin, "this is meant to be a fair competition. No outside tools or powers. It'd defeat the purpose. But don't worry—there'll be other events where we can go all out."
Tony understood. He tried a few more serves, testing his strength. He found that at around forty-five percent power, the volleyball couldn't withstand the impact and would explode.
"So, no outside help. But using my abilities should be fine, right?" Tony said, catching another toss from Reno.
Reno's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Tony, I thought you didn't have superpowers. Aside from the suit, what else have you got?"
Tony grinned. "Well then, let me show you."
With that, Tony's hand began to glow with a purple energy—the power of the Void. He had seen Harvey use Void magic, like spatial manipulation, and Tony had done everything he could to tap into that same power. While he hadn't yet cracked the secret to Void magic, his constant evolution had at least granted him access to Void energy.
Now, he channeled that energy into the volleyball, encasing it in a brilliant purple aura that made it look like a flaming meteor. Instantly, the attention of the nearby crowd was drawn to the glowing ball.
"Where does that power come from?" Reno asked, his gaze sharpening as he watched the transformation.
"It's evolution—straight from the Void itself. So... does this count as fair play?" Tony asked with a smirk.
"Fair enough," Reno replied, excitement flashing in his eyes. "If anything, this just makes things more interesting. The ball looks like it can handle a lot more power now, too."
With that, Tony tossed the ball high into the air. He leaped up after it, his Void energy flaring brighter as he put his full strength into the spike. The ball shot forward like a purple comet, the sheer force of its movement causing a shockwave in the air.
It was a breathtaking sight—a glowing violet streak tearing through the sky like a star on a collision course with the ground, ready to destroy anything in its path.
Reno didn't dare hold back. His body flickered, leaving behind dozens of afterimages as he dashed to intercept the ball. When he caught it, the impact was so intense that a crater formed beneath his feet. The force of the hit drove him down, but Reno dug in, pushing against the overwhelming pressure as his hands trembled.
With a final shout of effort, Reno managed to launch the ball back into the air, leaving a massive ten-meter-wide pit in the sand.
The crowd, who had been watching in awe, couldn't believe their eyes. They had heard bits and pieces about the power Tony had tapped into—the energy of the Void—but now they could see its terrifying potential firsthand. Everyone watching came to the same realization: mastering the Void's power could make them stronger than ever.