Hitman with a Badass System

Two days after King Bredia's death, the soldiers and the king's family concluded that it was a tragic accident. The citizens believed that the king had celebrated too much after the Dark Lord's supposed demise and tragically fell from his chamber. Given the history of animosity between King Bredia and the Dark Lord, many found it plausible that the king had indulged excessively in alcohol.

Meanwhile, Michael gathered all his loyal subordinates at a magnificent manor owned by Nithroel, the Empress of Awor. The manor was situated in a secluded canyon overlooking a serene lake, surrounded by lush greenery and majestic mountains.

The lavish manor exuded an aura of grandeur, with its elegant architecture and marble halls adorned with exquisite artworks. Portraits of Nithroel, with her golden hair and elven grace, adorned the walls, showcasing her regal beauty.

Using specially crafted teleportation scrolls designed by Elidyr, Michael's subordinates and closest allies arrived at the main hall one by one. The hall resonated with a sense of anticipation as they gathered to hear the Dark Lord's plans and further their allegiance to him.

Among the gathering of subordinates, Lenora, the elder vampire who had her head severed by the blood prince, stood tall, her body restored through Project Phoenix as Michael had promised to Trista, who was also present in the hall.

"Where is the Dark Lord?" Saber inquired, standing next to Adelia. Adelia was anxiously awaiting to see her daughter Gaya. It had felt like an eternity since she had last laid eyes on her daughter.

"How did you manage to escape?" Saber asked Adelia, curiosity evident in his voice. The last time Saber had seen Adelia, she was trapped inside a glass cage, breathing in deadly poison fumes, and succumbing to death, her body subsequently incinerated by Noah's Light flames.

"I have no idea. The Dark Lord said he had a plan to save us all. And true to his word, he saved us. But I don't know how," Adelia explained. Despite being the Dark Lord's mother-in-law, she hadn't been privy to the secret plan he used to rescue her.

As they anxiously awaited the Dark Lord's arrival, the lights and chandeliers that illuminated the hall suddenly flickered and went out, shrouding the room in darkness. After a few seconds, the lights returned, and before them stood the Dark Lord, the Dark Queen, and their three-headed hydra, Vedora, perched atop the Dark Queen's shoulder.

As the Dark Lord arrived before them, the sheer power emanating from him caused the lights to flicker and go out. It was evident that he was reaching a level where his energy, godly in nature, began to interact with mortal energies, resulting in such anomalies. Michael knew that to harness this energy radiation and unlock more of his true power, he had to journey to the realm of the gods.

Upon his arrival, the subordinates erupted in cheers and applause, overwhelmed by the realization of the Dark Lord's astounding feat. They were fully aware of the difficulty involved in making the world believe he was dead. Although they didn't quite grasp the extent of his intricate manipulations, they were certain that the Dark Lord had successfully fooled everyone.

"Did I disappoint you?" Michael asked, fully aware of the answer.

"No, my lord," came the resounding response from everyone.

Soon, another figure appeared behind the Dark Lord. It was Azazel, who walked forward and handed him a roll of parchment. Michael unrolled it to find a list of vampires, undead, and soldiers of the dark army who had lost their lives.

Michael sighed inwardly, knowing that such sacrifices were necessary in the pursuit of victory. He understood that winning a war often came with the heavy price of lives lost.

"The Skyhall has captured many of the nightwalkers and undead. We are trying to figure out where they are being held," Azazel informed Michael.

"What about the rest?" asked Michael.

"We sent them to the Gravesinger's pocket dimension. They are safe and sound," Azazel confirmed.

"My Lord," suddenly Saber raised his hand, drawing Michael's attention.

"What is it, Saber?" asked Michael.

"Now that you have entered the Celestial stage, why can't we get rid of the Skyhall once and for all?" Saber asked Michael. As an elder vampire, Saber was displeased that his brethren and fellow nightwalkers were being held captive by the Skyhall.

"You cannot underestimate the mortals, Saber. I was once a mortal and believed to be one. Look at me now. We cannot overestimate ourselves and underestimate our enemies just because we won one battle," Michael said in a serious tone. Despite achieving the impossible, he never underestimated his enemies or Noah, who may have few braincells but have whole heap of luck.

"Besides, we have bigger enemies now, the gods," Gaya continued. When the subordinates heard Gaya's words, they murmured in shock and surprise.

"At this moment, only the Dark Lord as the God of Darkness can stand a chance against the gods. But we all witnessed what happened at the wedding; even he wasn't strong enough to fight someone possessed by just a sliver of a god's power. So just imagine how powerful higher-level gods will be," said Gaya.

Gaya allowed her words to sink in for a moment, and a heavy silence filled the hall before she spoke again.

"That's why we must become gods ourselves," Gaya's words sent a chill down their spines, but excitement also stirred within the subordinates. Even Claire, who had recently learned about her mother's imprisonment in another world like Itonys, felt a mix of emotions. Adelia had previously discovered that the dark elves had imprisoned Claire's mother, Elasha Mortero, in a separate world. However, with Michael's plan in motion, he couldn't spare the resources to rescue Elasha at the time. Since Michael's plan to fake his death and so many moving parts, Michael did not risk deviating from his plan.

Everyone who heard Gaya was shocked and left speechless, including Adelia.

"But to achieve that, I have to go somewhere else, leaving you all here. That's why I called everyone here," Michael calmly explained.

He didn't mention that to build the contraption capable of turning his subordinates into gods, he needed materials that could only be found in the realm of gods and beyond. Michael's machine was far superior to Hammond's, as it would transform his subordinates into true gods with stable and real power.

Despite his vast resources and wealth, buying the necessary materials from the system store would lead Michael to bankruptcy. His only option was to venture into the realm of gods, as he had planned. But before he could embark on that journey, Michael needed to ensure that his subordinates carried out some secret tasks.

"Although we lost our castle and made the entire world believe we failed, we cannot allow our enemies to gain more power. From now on, each one of you will remain hidden and operate in the shadows. You will continue with your assigned tasks, just as you always have, but this time, you will not reveal yourselves to the world. Staying in the darkness is crucial for our future success," Michael instructed.

His subordinates listened carefully, fully aware of the importance of secrecy and the strategic value it would bring to their cause.

"To sustain our position, we need a steady flow of income. The red bliss distribution will continue as usual, now that Alicia is no longer there to oppose it. However, we must not rely solely on red bliss for our finances. We need to diversify. With Olivia on our side, we can expand our production and distribution of other alcoholic beverages. Our allies at Phoenix Manor will establish chains of restaurants and taverns, providing us with an additional source of income," Gaya elaborated on their future plans.

Since Michael couldn't bring Gaya into the realm of gods until he found a way, she would stay behind to lead their subordinates. Although Michael usually allowed his subordinates to work independently, the stakes were too high this time, and any misstep could unravel his carefully crafted plan. Thus, he needed Gaya to stay and build up their shadow empire.

"While I'm away, you will follow Gaya's lead and continue to grow. The war we fought against Noah was just a prelude to the battles we will face in the future. But winning that war will make us the masters of this universe. I promised you all immortality, and soon, you will all become Immortals. Gaya has discovered energy deposits that will help you advance to the Immortal stage. However, you will have to cultivate in the Cold Mountains, one by one. When your heavenly tribulations draw near, our allies in the sea realm will escort you deeper into the ocean, ensuring you emerge safely from the tribulation without falling into Noah's grasp," Michael explained.

The subordinates attentively absorbed Michael's words, nodding in agreement with their determined gazes, ready to take on the challenges that lay ahead.

"But remember, the empress is taking a significant risk by aiding us. If any one of you dares to reveal her involvement, I will know, and I won't show any mercy," Michael's voice turned colder as the lights flickered in response to his intense energy.

With his future plans explained, Michael prepared to depart for the realm of gods. Each subordinate received their specific tasks from Gaya and Michael. After the instructions were given, Michael allowed Gaya some time with Adelia and made his way outside. While the subordinates gathered in the hall, Michael walked to the distant lake.

As he gazed at the tranquil waters, the space around him began to distort. Suddenly, a figure materialized behind Michael. Without a second thought, the figure lunged at him, embracing him from behind.

"I almost thought I lost you," said the figure.

"I promised you I'm not going anywhere, Sabrina," said Michael, his smile gentle and reassuring.

Just like everything else, Sabrina's betrayal at the end of the war was also part of Michael's plan. He had instructed her to pretend to betray him so that she could have her family back. With the Dark Lord seemingly gone, the Skyhall would no longer keep the Winstons imprisoned. Michael had a soft spot for Sabrina, and he genuinely wanted her to reunite with her family.