Chapter 255: Two Earned Their Recognition
Lalatina and Sara, having not brought much money, each offered just five thousand.
"Great Lord Kassadin, please forgive the modesty of this offering. I was unaware of the tradition, but I hope this small token will be accepted," Sara said, bowing before the statue. "If I am still here next year, I promise to give more."
"I love the atmosphere and environment here on the island. I hope to stay here for the rest of my life," Lalatina added, also bowing, expressing her longing to remain on Void Island.
Although the island was still in its development stage and couldn't fully compare to the advanced infrastructure of Xandar City, it offered a peaceful, comfortable lifestyle, like a paradise untouched by the chaos of the outside world. After only a few months of living there, both Sara and Lalatina had grown deeply fond of the island, even dreaming of spending their old age in this tranquil place.
At that moment, tendrils of purple energy descended from the sky, enveloping both of them.
"As expected, the great Void God Kassadin is always watching over us," Lix said, his eyes brimming with even more reverence at the sight.
"Lalatina is joining the Void now?" Tony muttered, noticing both Sara and Lalatina floating as the Void energy surged into their bodies, transforming their constitutions.
Lalatina, who hadn't originally been a full member of the Void Island, was only supposed to work until around June or July of the following year before returning to the high-end hotel she came from. Tony didn't need to pay her salary because the hotel was covering that. But now that she had joined the Void Sect, Tony knew that if he wanted her to continue working for him, he'd have to offer her a higher salary.
Not that Tony minded—he had more than enough money. He was genuinely happy that Lalatina had earned Harvey's approval and been accepted into the Void. As for Sara, her joining the Void Sect was something Tony had seen coming from a mile away. There wasn't anything surprising about it. After all, as the record keeper, it had been clear from the start that she would eventually become a full-fledged member, provided she did her job well.
"Two more women on the island, huh?" Leicy said with a smile.
While Void Island had many great things going for it, it was notably lacking in female members. There were few women she could chat with, and although Sara's presence had added one more to their circle, the fact that she wasn't yet a full member had created a bit of a gap. Now, with Sara and Lalatina fully initiated, the female presence on the island was growing, which made Leicy genuinely happy.
"Kael, just make sure you don't lead them down the path of brute force," Kael heard Reno say, noticing the excited glint in his eye. "We don't need more muscle-bound brutes."
Reno was referring to Claudia, who had once been a cool, composed figure but had taken Kael's advice and gone full physical combatant. Now, she was like a walking juggernaut, a far cry from her original persona.
"They choose their paths; it's not like I control them," Kael said innocently. "I just gave them some suggestions."
"Thank you, Great Void God Kassadin, for your recognition," Sara said in awe, gazing up at the statue of Kassadin after experiencing the transformation from Void energy.
"I am truly grateful for this new life," Lalatina murmured, still surprised by her sudden acceptance into the Void Sect. She was fully aware of how beneficial joining the Void was.
Turning to Tony, who was floating above, watching her, she beamed with gratitude. "Tony, I can't thank you enough for bringing me here to Void Island."
Tony, though pleased by the thanks, responded seriously, "It's not me you should thank, Lalatina. Your sincerity is what moved the great Kassadin. I had little to do with it."
After all, the only way to join the Void Sect was through Harvey's approval. It didn't matter who introduced you—if you didn't earn Kassadin's favor, nothing else mattered.
"Sara, welcome to the Void. From now on, you're one of us," Kael said, stepping forward with a smile and extending his hand.
Sara smiled back and shook his hand. "Thank you, Kael. I look forward to your guidance."
"The record keeper, your dedication has impressed the great Kassadin," Lix said, standing above, his tone filled with newfound warmth. This marked the moment he fully acknowledged Sara's role as a record keeper within the Void Sect.
"Thank you, Lix," Sara said, her heart swelling with joy as she bowed politely.
"Come, Sara and Lalatina," Kael said with a grin. "Let's go celebrate with a feast, and I'll give you a proper rundown on the best paths to evolve after joining the Void."
Sara and Lalatina, still reeling from their induction into the Void, were eager to learn more. They knew that their understanding of the Void was shallow at best, so they were more than happy to accept Kael's offer.
"Kael, aren't you going to join Reno and the others?" Sara asked, curious as to why he wasn't with the other senior members.
"They'll be there, too. You see, newcomers aren't exactly flooding into the Void Island these days," Kael explained. "So, we elders need to help you figure out your paths."
"Well, thank you in advance for your guidance," Sara and Lalatina both said with smiles, knowing how much they had to learn.
After the hour-long ceremony ended, the members of the Void Sect made their way to the dining hall for the feast.
Meanwhile, at the mountain villa.
Sonia, observing everything through the Void Temple's monitoring system, saw that both Sara and Lalatina had been accepted into the Void.
This brought the total number of Void Sect members to 516. In the past few months, two others had also gained recognition, joining the ranks.
What surprised Sonia the most was Lalatina's acceptance. She hadn't expected it, but then again, Kassadin's decisions were always spontaneous and unpredictable. Regardless, it was something to be celebrated, so she saw no need to question why.