Chapter 35: The Voidborn Legion’s Spark – Whispers, Rivals, and Rising Tides

The dawn following the assassination attempt was anything but peaceful.

The Academy grounds, usually filled with the quiet murmur of cultivators beginning their day, were alive with a tension so thick it could be sliced with a blade. Rumors spread like wildfire—whispers of a massacre, of forbidden void energy ripping through seasoned assassins as if they were mere grass beneath a scythe.

And at the center of it all stood Leon, now no longer just an anomaly.

He was a threat.

A storm waiting to devour everything.

Academy Hall – High Elders' Gathering

Seated at a grand obsidian table, the elders of the Academy deliberated. These were men and women who had lived through wars, built empires, and wielded forces capable of shattering mountains.

Yet today, their expressions were grave.

"He killed an entire Abyssal Strike Unit... alone," one murmured.

"Correction," another added, "he and Celeste. The girl who was presumed dead in the Lower Abyss, back from the grave… and stronger than before."

"What is the meaning of this?" the Grand Elder asked, fingers tapping the table. "Void energy, Abyssal flames... and now whispers of him recruiting within our walls?"

They all knew what this meant.

Power.

Unchecked power.

A variable that could either elevate the Academy to unrivaled heights or plunge it into ruin.

Meanwhile, in Leon's Quarters

Leon leaned against the balcony railing, gazing over the sprawling Academy grounds. His mind was already steps ahead, calculating.

[Selene]: "You've rattled the hornet's nest. The Council won't stop. And now the Academy is watching, not as an ally, but as a wary observer."

"I expected as much," Leon replied. "Good. Let them look. Fear is the first step to respect."

Behind him, Celeste emerged, draping a cloak over her shoulders, her golden hair shimmering under the morning light.

"The students are already whispering about you," she said. "Half admire you. The other half want you dead."

Leon smirked. "Perfect. Those who admire me will join the Voidborn Legion. The others... will serve as examples."

The First Recruitment

By noon, Leon stood at the central courtyard, a place traditionally reserved for duels and declarations.

With a calm, steady voice, he spoke, and his words carried across the Academy like rolling thunder.

"From this day forward, those who seek freedom from the chains of the old orders, those who crave true power beyond the stagnation of this realm, step forward."

"The Voidborn Legion rises. And I welcome all who dare defy fate."

Whispers echoed through the crowds.

Some laughed.

Some sneered.

But a few... a rare, ambitious few... stepped forward.

First was Ishka, a battle-scarred warrior from the outer territories. Known for her unrivaled spear techniques, she locked eyes with Leon and nodded. "Count me in. I've had enough of these puppet masters."

Next came Veyra, a rogue alchemist with secrets in her bloodline and an interest in forbidden knowledge. "If the Voidborn Legion means I get to unlock the mysteries others fear... I'm yours."

And as the sun dipped lower in the sky, thirteen new members had joined. It was a humble beginning, but Leon knew empires had risen from less.

Elsewhere – The Envoy Arrives

Far from the courtyard, a black carriage, emblazoned with silver runes from a forgotten realm, arrived at the Academy gates.

From within stepped a figure draped in ancient ceremonial garb, his eyes hidden beneath a hood stitched with the symbols of the Chrono Sages—masters of time, thought to have vanished from the multiverse ages ago.

He approached the guards with calm authority. "Inform Leon, bearer of the Void, that we wish to parley. A storm approaches, and only together can we alter the tide."

Later That Night

Leon sat across from the envoy in a private chamber, his mind already racing with possibilities.

"You've come a long way to find me," Leon said. "Why?"

The envoy's voice was a whisper, yet it echoed with the weight of countless lifetimes. "Because the Void is awakening. And when it does, the Celestial Realms themselves will descend upon this world. You are not just its wielder. You are its key."

Leon leaned back, his gaze cold and calculating. "Good. Let them come. We'll be ready."

[Selene]:

"Leon… this is only the beginning."

And Leon smiled.

Because beginnings were his specialty.