Hitman with a Badass System

Michael walked past the city gates and soon found himself in a lush mountainside, a vivid landscape of rolling hills and vibrant maple trees. Their leaves displayed a stunning array of reds, yellows, and greens, creating a breathtaking tapestry of colors.

Sarba couldn't help but comment on the beauty of the scene. "Ah, these maple trees, Ghost. They truly make everything look so enchanting."

As he strolled through the captivating natural scenery, Michael encountered two guards stationed at the city gates. Both were clad in imposing golden plate armor, symbols of the kingdom's wealth and power. They eyed him suspiciously and one of them asked, "Where are you off to on a night like this?"

Michael replied nonchalantly, "Just going to enjoy nature."

Not giving the guards an opportunity to inquire further, he continued on his way, disappearing into the beauty of the colorful maple trees, their leaves rustling gently in the night breeze.

Sarba's keen memory served them well as he recalled the directions to reach the location of the ruin. He pointed out the landmarks the elf had mentioned, guiding Michael through the mountainous terrain.

Sarba spoke with enthusiasm, helping Michael navigate the unfamiliar landscape. "Alright, Ghost, we need to head east from here. You see that large moss-covered boulder over there? That's our marker. From there, it's a bit of a climb up the hill, and then we'll find a small clearing. That's where the entrance to the ruin should be."

Michael swiftly moved through the mountainside, trusting Sarba's guidance.

Although Michael remembered the directions, it was nice to see Sarba take the initiative. As Michael followed the directions with Sarba's guidance, he received a valuable update from Pink about the mysterious assailant who had been following him.

"Hey Ghost, the man who was following you, he's definitely an angel," Pink's voice echoed in his mind. "I watched him using the Spyder feed and found a secret portal room within Goldspire. But the Spyder exploded when he entered the portal. They must be using that portal to travel back and forth."

Michael knew the importance of this information. His tiny Spyder had tracked the man discreetly until he left the city gates. Pink had been monitoring the situation closely.

"We'll check out the portal later," Michael replied as he climbed the hill with determination.

Curious, Pink inquired further, "How do you plan to deal with Seshat's soldiers guarding the ruins?"

Michael's response was concise and to the point, reflecting his practical approach. "Knock them out." He understood that talking his way into the ruins was unlikely, leaving him with the only viable option of subduing the guards.

As Michael approached, he couldn't help but notice the formidable defenses surrounding the ruined tower. What was once a towering structure had been reduced to a mere six-foot wall, with a dark door guarded by two knights clad in gleaming gold-plated armor. The presence of these guards was further bolstered by archers positioned on the nearby mountain hills, regular patrols circling the ruin, and additional guards stationed in watchtowers.

"That's some serious protection," Pink remarked, her tone laced with seriousness.

Michael nodded in agreement with Pink's observation. The level of security around the ruin intrigued him, leaving him curious about what secrets it might hold. From his vantage point, he carefully scanned the area, noting the strategically placed bells that could be used to sound an alarm in case of intrusion.

What truly surprised him, however, was the presence of bright, glowing orbs illuminating the area around the entrance to the ruin. These magical light sources effectively thwarted any plans he might have had to use Shadow teleportation to reach the ruin undetected.

With a calm look on his face, Michael tapped the skull-shaped medallion hanging from a chain around his chest. The moment his fingers made contact with the medallion, a series of intricate magical runes engraved upon it began to shimmer with an eerie blue light.

The armor, a dark and formidable creation, responded to his touch. It started as a subtle, ethereal presence, wrapping itself around him like a shroud. Within moments, the transformation was complete, and Michael stood encased in a suit of menacing obsidian armor that covered him from head to toe.

Vedora swiftly moved behind the protective cover of Michael's flowing cape, their serpentine form hidden from view as they coiled around the inner lining of the cape.

"I am not you, but I can tell there is no way of getting into the ruin without some fighting and raising some hell. Take out those bells first," Pink said, almost amused, realizing she was giving ideas to the number one hitman.

"Wow, thank you for your wisdom," Michael said sarcastically. He didn't open his metallic wings because they were broken by the Pantheon's executioner and required fixing.

Michael's targets were the bells. To disable these alarms, Michael needed to destroy them.

Wasting no time, Michael activated the shadow teleportation to transport himself near a bell.

"What was that?" a soldier who felt something strange in the air stopped patrolling.

"LOOK!" The soldier shouted when he saw Michael standing behind the alarm bell near him. But before the soldiers could react, Michael raised his hand, sending a stream of dark flames that melted the bell in a few seconds.

"INTRUDER!" The soldiers shouted, alerting the others. Meanwhile, Michael fired bolts of lightning from his hands at the bells while firing dark beams from his eyes at the same time. The lightning bolts and the dark beams snaked through the scene, destroying the alarm bells. Thanks to Seshat's array that restricted using celestial energy, the soldiers couldn't cast a spell or use their cultivation power.

"The alarms are gone!"

"He is targeting the alarms!"

"Strike him down!"

The soldiers immediately roared. Although they were startled, they didn't show any fear in their voices. Although Michael had destroyed the alarms, the archers in the hills and the crossbow-wielding soldiers in the watchtowers turned their gazes at Michael. They immediately fired bolts and arrows at Michael.

"Too slow," Michael snickered as he moved between the soldiers in a blur. Every time he moved past a soldier, they fell to the ground unconscious with a dent in their helmets.

Michael knocked the soldiers out with a single punch while firing dark beams at the glowing orbs lighting the area.

The soldiers, recognizing the need for coordination, began shouting orders to each other, attempting to form a more organized defense. However, their efforts were in vain as Michael moved like a blur among them.

"He's too fast!"

"Watch his movements!"

Soldiers with swords tried to anticipate his path, but he darted around them effortlessly. Meanwhile, the elven archers on the hill continued to fire arrows with deadly accuracy at Michael, even though he moved at a blistering speed. Their precision surprised Michael, but he didn't let that deter him. Instead, he simply caught the arrows in mid-air, his movements so precise and agile that it seemed like a choreographed dance.

As Michael came to a stop in the middle of the soldiers, he couldn't help but praise the archers for their impressive accuracy.

"Nice shooting, I have to admit," he commented, a hint of respect in his voice.

The soldiers, however, were growing frustrated and desperate.

"Stay together! Surround him!"

"Don't let him get away!"

Their shouts filled the air as they attempted to regroup and confront the mysterious intruder.

The soldiers, undeterred by Michael's agility and confident demeanor, raised their voices in unison, shouting their orders.

"We order you to stand down and surrender in the name of Goddess Seshat!"

Their voices echoed across the ruined entrance to the tower. However, instead of showing any signs of surrender, Michael snickered at their command.

"You know," he replied calmly, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "you're already in the presence of a god."

His words left the soldiers baffled for a moment, their expressions a mix of confusion and disbelief. They had not expected such a response, and it momentarily silenced their attempts to subdue the intruder.

Suddenly, Michael raised both his hands into the air, unleashing several bolts of lightning from his palms. Each bolt was precisely aimed at the glowing light orbs surrounding the area. While the arrows and crossbow bolts continued to hurtle towards him, Michael remained perfectly still.

As the lightning bolts struck the light orbs, the once brilliantly lit place was plunged into darkness. Arrows and crossbow bolts whizzed through the air, finding their target in the spot where Michael had stood just moments before.

"Use the emergency light," one of the soldiers calmly instructed despite the sudden darkness. Another soldier swiftly produced a lantern, igniting its flame to light up their surroundings.

However, their relief was short-lived. The lantern's feeble light did not dispel the darkness that enveloped them; it was as if the shadows clung to every source of illumination.

"As much as I enjoy this little game, I'm in a hurry," the voice of the intruder echoed from the obscurity, causing the soldiers to tense. His words seemed to emanate from all directions, further unsettling them.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar scent filled the air, a strange and unsettling odor that sent alarm bells ringing in the soldiers' minds.

"He's poisoning the air!" they cried out in panic, hurriedly covering their noses. Vague growls could be heard from the archers, their voices filled with fear and uncertainty.

As the darkness faded away, the once-alert soldiers, archers on the hill, and those in the watchtowers now lay unconscious on the ground. Michael, with a self-satisfied grin, appeared before the imposing door to the ruin. He couldn't contain his excitement at the prospect of finally getting inside.

"Now, what secrets does this ruin holds?" Michael asked himself.