Hitman with a Badass System

Michael snapped his finger as the lights turned back on. Michael gestured at Mutrad to get back to his feet. The air inside the hall reeked of blood. Everywhere Mutrad turned, he saw blood and bodies. An oblivious man wouldn't believe that they were once Half Immortals. Despite their cultivation level, they stood no chance against Michael. Mutrad shivered, looking Michael in the eyes.

"Is this what you want for your people?" Michael asked Mutrad.

"Because you've been shadowing me for a while. I can come and greet your people, and this cat and mouse run,"

Mutrad's heart skipped a beat hearing his words.

"Give me one reason why I should visit your homeland," Michael gently placed his hand on Mutrad's shoulder.

"I know you might think you have people stronger than Immortals guarding your homeland. But you also knew stronger guards never stopped me from doing what I wanted,"

Mutrad shivered. Dante was an Immortal, yet he didn't even put up a fight against the Dark Lord, who was at the Half Immortal stage. If stronger cultivators could kill him, he would have been dead by now. The Dark Lord always had a way of killing enemies who were stronger than him in cultivation. After witnessing what happened in Itholan, Mutrad couldn't even imagine the Dark Lord stepping into his homeland.

"Please don't," Mutrad stuttered.

"Why? Don't you want to arrest me?" asked Michael with an amused smile.

"I think I want to visit your elders. I haven't tested my spells and power underwater. This might be a great opportunity to do so," said Michael.

"What do you want from me? I'd do anything to stop you," Mutrad managed to utter these words.

"Is that so?" Michael rubbed his chin.

"Answer me this, Mutrad. Are you more loyal to your people or the guardians?"

Mutrad did not understand the meaning of his question. Hence, he took some time to ponder. However, Michael was not a patient man. He squeezed Mutrad's shoulder, snapping him out of his daze.

"To my people," Mutrad answered, getting his teeth. He felt like his shoulder bone was about to be crushed.

Michael loosened his grip as Mutrad heaved a sigh.

"Then you won't have a problem spying on the guardians for me, will you?" Michael smiled.

For a moment, Mutrad couldn't believe what he had just heard. The Dark Lord wanted him to be his spy. And that too inside the Guardian Guild.

"But…I am not a guardian," Mutrad said.

"That didn't stop you from using and manipulating the guardians until now," Michael said. He was nonchalant. Just like Mutrad did his research on Michael, he did the same on Mutrad. Last year, Michael assigned Azazel to learn more about the Sea Folks.

One of the snippets of information Azazel had on Mutrad was how loyal Mutrad was toward the Arctic hall and the Sea Folks. He would give his life for his people. In other words, Mutrad would do anything to protect his people. Michael always planned to use Mutrad one way or another. He was more valuable alive than dead. Moreover, Mutrad's close connection with the Guardian Guild allowed Michael to flip him against the Guardians. After all, Mutrad was loyal to his people, not to the Guardians.

"Do I have any choice?" asked Mutrad.

"Of course you have. You can either do what I ask you or watch the black day repeat all over again,"

Mutrad felt helpless. However, this was way better than having to witness his homeland burn as he watched Itholan. If anything Mutrad learned over the past years, it was not to mess with the Dark Lord under any circumstances. After seeing the Dark Lord slaughter Dante and his team up close, Mutrad let go of his foolish pursuit to apprehend the Dark Lord.

"It seems like I am going to be a rat," Mutrad sighed.

"Better to be rat than dead," Michael snickered. After striking a deal with Mutrad, Michael looted the corpses for their space rings. Since they were all Half Immortals, he knew they might have some juicy items in their space rings. Michael scanned the castle with his Environmental Scanning. To his surprise, the castle seemed rather empty. He only sensed a bunch of Soul Refiners and a couple of Fusion stage cultivations. Apparently, the Skyhall and Sea Folks put the strongest warriors to guard Michael.

When Michael exited the castle, he had enough experience points to reach Immortal stage level 4. Michael now only needed to ensure the floating mountain was secure before triggering the heavenly tribulation again. Gaya was the only one who went through her heavenly tribulation in the dark ocean. Although she passed it successfully, the process was extremely dangerous. Michael wanted to change that. In fact, Michael must ensure all of his subordinates have a safer place to go through their heavenly tribulations safely.

Instead of returning to the Dark Ocean, Michael chose to roam around the Fire Realm. According to Sadie, there might be a primordial flame within the fire realm. But to Michael's knowledge, there couldn't be another primordial flame in the fire realm. Because the Hell Flames were trapped within the golden plate, he took it from the Genric family. So Michael wondered how there could be another primordial flame. Since he was already at the Fire Realm, Michael wanted to look around a bit. With the system back online, he would find out if something was in the realm.

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Two days later, Alicia returned to the Ice Fair with Norvin. The news of Peter's demise had already spread through the kingdom like wildfire. The entire kingdom knew the Dark Lord took Peter after slaughtering the guardians and Belefort family soldiers who guarded Peter. Moreover, the rumor about the Dark Lord swearing to destroy the Belefort family spread among the people of the Ice fair.

The Belefort manor was built on a river bank, overlooking a snowy mountain in the distance. The manor was extravagant enough to be called a castle. It was surrounded by thick walls and guarded by several soldiers armed to the teeth. They all bowed toward Alicia when her carriage entered the giant metal gates.

Unlike ever before, Alicia felt reluctant to meet her family. She took a deep breath and exited the carriage.

"Young Miss," a couple of old women waited at the entrance to welcome Alicia.

"Everyone is waiting for you in the main hall," said the old woman.

Norvin noticed a sliver of concern and sadness in their eyes. As Norvin expected, the manor was crawling with guards. It made sense, especially after what happened to Peter. Norvin also knew the Dark Lord spread the news about the hostility between him and the Belefort family. He wanted the Belefort family to be isolated. Although no one would openly admit they were afraid of the Dark Lord, they would automatically cut ties with the Belefort so they wouldn't end up on the Dark Lord's radar.

Norvin hoped Noah would come out of his seclusion soon to sort everything out with Alicia and her family. If anyone could clean up Alicia's mess, it was Noah. Alicia and Norvin followed the two old women inside.

"Young miss," when they reached a marble door, the two old women gawked at Norvin.

"He is coming with me," Alicia coldly said. She knew they were trying to tell her to leave Norvin outside since he wasn't a Belefort. However, as far as Alicia was concerned, Norvin was her family. Hence, she outright refused to leave Norvin behind.

When Alicia opened the marble door, she was welcome by a specious grand hall. Slender braziers enclosing each of the sixteen onyx columns lit up the lower levels of the throne hall, covering the hall in dancing shadows and a warm radiance. The marble stone of the layered ceiling danced in the flickering light while memorials looked down upon the stone floor of this luxurious hall.

A gray-haired man wearing icy blue robes sat on a throne atop an elevated platform. The regal marble throne sat beneath a statue of an eagle and was adjoined by five rather plain-looking seats for the family members.

The elders and important family members sat on several extravagant and comfortable iron benches, all of which faced the throne in a half circle. Those of higher standing were seated on the embellished mezzanines facing the throne. The moment Alicia entered the hall, the noises fell flat. Silence occupied the hall completely. The man on the throne was none other than Alicia's father, Francis Belefort. He was a fit man with a stubble white beard. At that moment, his blue eyes had hidden anger and concern for his family's safety. Even though he lost his son, he had no time to grieve when his family was in mortal danger. Francis may have soon to be son-in-law who was the Supreme Guardian, but he and the elders doubted Noah could protect them from the Dark Lord forever. Taking a life was so much easier than protecting one.

Alicia's eyes watered, seeing the cold look on her father's face. Looking at their eyes, Norvin could tell all of them were scared shitless by the Dark Lord. Their fear was the Dark Lord's strength. He ruled the world through fear. At that moment, the Belefor family was under his thumb. There was a time the Belefort family could have crushed Ghost without much effort. But time had changed everything. Now, even the most powerful families would tremble at the mere mention of the Dark Lord's name.

"Alicia Flora Belefort," Francis addressed Alicia by her full name. His voice was cold.

"Norvin, please take a seat among the elders. This hearing is only for Alicia," said Francis.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to stand beside my friend, Lord Francis. As her friend and sworn brother, it's my duty, and I hope you won't ask me to fail my duty,"

"Fair enough," Francis nodded.

"Before we start this hearing, I'd like to know everything you know about Peter. Is he dead?"

Everything Francis saw in Peter's home suggested the obvious. Yet, Francis wanted to hear it from Alicia.

"Hmm," Alicia slowly nodded as tears rolled out her eyes.

Francis clenched his fist. It took him several moments to find his next words.

"Is it possible for us to give him a proper burial?" asked Francis.

Alicia's silence spoke volumes. It was hard for them to digest that Peter, the heir to the Belefort family, died a brutal death.

"It's time for you to tell us everything you know, Alicia," Francis asked Alicia.

Alicia remained silent.

"I am not asking you as your father. I am ordering you to speak as the head of the Belefort family," Francis's voice became colder.

Finally, Alicia wiped off the tears from her face and decided to tell her father everything related to Peter's death. She didn't care about what would happen to her. They deserved to know the truth.