Chapter 123: Summer Beach

Over the following month, Sonya found herself constantly on the move. She was either welcoming visitors to the island or attending various meetings offsite. As a result, she spent most of her days shuttling between the island and the mainland.

Fortunately, after a few days, Harvey decided to purchase a spacecraft for Sonya. Without it, the amount of time she would have wasted traveling back and forth would have been unthinkable.

Of course, this spacecraft wasn't just for Sonya's convenience. When not in use, it would be handed over to Tony Stark for research purposes.

Originally, Harvey had intended to purchase a large battleship, but Sonya had convinced him otherwise. Not only was it an extravagant expense, but using such a massive ship for personal travel was impractical. Furthermore, even if they did purchase a battleship, there wouldn't be enough funds for Tony to research it.

The wiser option was to start small. By having Tony research the spacecraft first, they could generate revenue while Tony gained technical expertise. As their knowledge and resources grew, so would their ability to develop large-scale projects.

After a month, Sonya spent 3.7 billion credits to purchase a small island roughly 200 square kilometers in size, located about fifty nautical miles from Void Island. She set up factories, bought the necessary equipment, and assembled a team of skilled workers to produce the intricate components needed for the gravity devices.

Once these components were completed and assembled, they were shipped to Tony's lab on Void Island. There, J.A.R.V.I.S. would upload the final programming, and only then would the gravity devices be ready for use.

They had an order for 800 gravity devices, amounting to a contract worth 8 billion credits. Normally, such devices, which were suitable for mid-sized spacecraft, would cost at least 500,000 credits each. However, Tony's version only cost 100,000 credits, slashing the price by 400,000 credits per unit.

While it seemed like they were taking a financial hit, the cost of production for each device was just over 42,000 credits, including labor. For Tony, who was just breaking into the arms industry, the key was to start by offering high-quality products at a lower price. Once his reputation was established, they could gradually increase the prices.

With things running smoothly, and knowing that it would only be a matter of months before he could afford his spacecraft, Tony decided it was time to take a break.

It was June 2010, the peak of summer on Xandar, and Void Island's beaches were crowded. Most of the beachgoers were men, with only three women among them. Women who were bold enough to join Void Island and devote themselves to the Void Faith were a rarity.

But these three stood out, their bikinis showing off their stunning figures, leaving the men around them in a daze.

As Tony approached the beach, a sudden boom echoed through the air like the sound of distant thunder. Something spherical shot toward him like a cannonball. Reacting quickly, Tony raised his hand to catch it.

Smack! The spherical object slammed into Tony's hand, spinning rapidly and sending up wisps of smoke. The force of the impact pushed Tony back two meters, leaving a deep furrow in the sand.

His hand stung slightly from the friction, but he wasn't concerned; the pain was already fading.

Looking down, Tony saw that it was a volleyball.

"Tony, it's rare to see you out here! How about joining us for a game?" came a voice from the side.

Turning, Tony saw Reno approaching, extending an invitation for a friendly match.

"Isn't it a little unfair for me to compete with you?" Tony said with a grin, spinning the volleyball in his hands as he walked over.

"We're just playing for fun. No one's using their full strength," Reno replied, chuckling. "Besides, if we played seriously, who'd dare challenge Kael?"

Reno nodded toward the towering figure of Kael, who was currently in the midst of an intense beach volleyball match on a thirty-meter court. Standing like a mountain, Kael leaped into the air, easily clearing ten meters.

With a thunderous boom, his massive arm came down, slamming the volleyball with immense force. The sheer power of the hit resonated like rolling thunder, but the ball didn't shatter. It shot toward the other side like a blazing meteor.

On the opposing side was Lacey, a woman in a black bikini, her toned body displaying both strength and elegance. Her eyes sharpened as she moved with lightning speed, her feet barely disturbing the sand as she intercepted the ball with a powerful strike.

The ball shot upward, and with a swift push off the ground, Lacey soared into the air, spiking the ball back toward Kael with a resounding thud.

Kael, just landing, moved with the grace of a charging bear. Each step caused the ground to rumble beneath him as he swiftly caught the ball and sent it flying once again.

The match between Kael and Lacey was a spectacle of raw power and precision, their control over their strength evident as the volleyball, despite the intense force, remained intact.

"Alright, what are the rules?" Tony asked, twirling the volleyball in his hands, now fully engaged.

"If you miss a serve, lose a point. Hit the ball out of bounds, and lose a point. If the ball breaks, you lose a point. And the loser buys drinks," Reno explained with a grin.

Since the members of Void Faith possessed physical abilities far beyond that of ordinary humans, even common sports became intense competitions of skill and power when they played. Despite this, these games were some of the most popular activities on the island. Not only were they a chance to blow off steam, but they also allowed everyone to sharpen their control over their abilities.

The competitive spirit was infectious, with no one wanting to lose. These beach games had become the perfect way to enjoy the summer, catch some sun, and test each other's skills. There was even betting involved—just small wagers, like buying drinks—but enough to make the games even more exciting.

"I've never played before," Tony admitted. "Mind if I test the ball first?"

"Go ahead! I'll even let you serve first," Reno replied with a carefree smile.

Note: If you are interested, read up to chapter 156 at patreon.com/MythicForge11.