Hitman with a Badass System

As the life-changing truths sank in, Evan and Victoria's expressions shifted from disbelief to contemplation. Victoria's animosity towards the Dark Lord began to wane after learning about Salesi's betrayal, and she found herself torn between trust and skepticism. Feeling lost and uncertain, they both turned to Michael for more answers.

"Before blindly trusting anyone, always seek the full truth and know both sides of the story," Michael advised them, his tone earnest.

Intrigued, Evan finally mustered the courage to ask the Dark Lord about his own story. He wanted to understand the motivations behind the infamous figure known as the Dark Lord.

"The whole perception of the Dark Lord being evil began with a prophecy by Qin Jiu, one of the Mazeroth founders. That prophecy set off a chain of events that led us to this moment. However, Qin Jiu or the Skyhall never revealed the true intentions of the realm of gods," Michael explained.

"And what are their intentions?" Victoria inquired.

"To make mortals their unquestioning worshippers. They seek absolute control and will eliminate any resistance to achieve that goal. Essentially, they desire to enslave humanity," Michael replied.

"Slavery?" Evan muttered, trying to process the shocking revelation.

"Yes, exactly. Five thousand years ago, I erected a barrier between the mortal realm and the realm of gods to prevent the entire world from falling under their control," Michael revealed, leaving Evan and Victoria stunned.

Victoria's astonishment was evident as she processed the information. "Five thousand years old? That's impossible!"

Michael chuckled. "Not exactly. The one who created the barrier was me, but that was before I reset the entire universe. I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth."

Evan and Victoria exchanged bewildered glances, struggling to wrap their minds around the revelation. Michael's frustration was palpable as he expressed his irritation with their tendency to blindly follow Salesi's narrative without questioning her motives.

"Don't mistake this as an attempt to recruit you. Evan, your condition makes you a ticking time bomb, and I already have stronger subordinates than you, Victoria. I have no use for either of you," Michael clarified, wanting to set their expectations straight.

"But I'm doing this because, whether you like it or not, I've known both of you since I arrived in River Town. I hate seeing you manipulated by that bitch," he added, genuine concern underlying his words.

Evan's curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn't help but ask, "What do you want from us?"

To his surprise, Michael's response was cold and calculated. "Nothing. As I said, you are free to leave, but I'd advise the two of you against revealing that I'm alive. If you do, I won't simply fake my death; I'll unleash every bit of my power. You can only imagine the consequences that would follow. I may be on the side of good, but I am not a saint. If someone threatens my life, I will go all out, prioritizing my well-being."

Michael knew that Evan and Victoria wouldn't easily leave the cabin without falling into his plan. He wanted to give them the truth and offer them a choice, rather than manipulating them completely. Though he had his own battles to fight, he hoped that they would stay out of his way and keep the world in peace until he was ready to settle down with Nithroel ruling the world. But if Noah and his allies stood against him at that time, he would not hesitate to face them head-on, even if it meant taking their lives for real.

"I want to have a long talk with Salesi," Evan clenched his fist, his sadness and pain replaced by a fiery fury.

"Killing her won't solve anything, Evan. If we take out one Salesi, another will rise to take her place. We need to figure out who is truly behind all of this because there's always a bigger threat lurking in the shadows," Michael explained.

"So, I should just let her go and pretend nothing happened?" Evan growled.

"Yes," Michael nodded.

"Let the world believe Victoria died, just like they believe I'm dead. It'll keep her safe while you stay close to Salesi. But remember, don't pick sides until you know the truth. When you're with her, observe how she manipulates everyone around her. Use your brain, Evan. Deep down, you know it's the right choice," said Michael.

For a few moments, Evan and Victoria contemplated Michael's words. Finally, Victoria broke the silence in the room.

"I want him safe. If what you said about his grave rejecting his body is true, I demand a cure for him," Victoria asserted firmly, showing her determination.

"I'm heading somewhere next, where I might find a cure for him. You have my word that I will do everything in my power to fix him," Michael responded, his tone filled with confidence, which strangely brought a sense of reassurance to Victoria.

Then, with a swift motion of his hand, Michael produced a golden parchment and tossed it towards Evan and Victoria.

"Keep these scrolls safe. They are teleportation scrolls. They will sense if you are in mortal danger and transport you to a safe location," Michael explained, making sure they understood the importance of the scrolls.

Both Evan and Victoria nodded, grateful for the aid Michael offered, despite their complicated feelings towards him.

****************************

After Evan and Victoria left the cabin, Vedora appeared through a teleportation portal.

"Everything is ready. I've been monitoring the council of immortals, and they are heading towards the mountains. We need to go now if we want to secure the crystal," Ayag informed Michael. Before leaving Mount Gallion, Michael had asked Vedora to keep a close eye on the immortals. The destruction and loss of their fellow immortals had sent them into a panic, and they decided to protect the crystal that held a piece of the queen's soul.

"Do you believe Evan will work with us now?" Sarba inquired as Michael prepared to head back to the immortal council.

"He will," Michael replied with confidence.

"We'll have a spy deep within the heart of our enemy's ranks," Ayag chuckled in delight.

"Salesi is not my enemy. I could kill her anytime I want. But I want to learn more about Andohr and see if he truly controls Salesi. Someone is pulling her strings, and I need to know who it is before taking action. With Salesi believing I'm dead, she will soon make a mistake, and Evan will be there to exploit it and give us the information we need," Michael explained.

Cain nodded in agreement with Michael's plan.

Then, Vedroa leaped onto Michael's shoulder as he teleported himself near Mount Gallion using his runic teleportation. Once he appeared at the freezing cold mountaintop, Michael flew above the manor, scanning the area for any sign of the Immortals. Soon, he spotted them, carefully making their way down the mountain using a narrow pathway.

"There they are," Ayag whispered into Michael's ear.

Hovering above the sky, Michael observed the Immortals as they arrived at a wall of snow on the mountain. To his surprise, they placed their hands on the wall, causing the mountain to tremble slightly. The ice wall opened, revealing a hidden cave entrance.

Before Michael could follow them, the wall closed, trapping the Immortals inside. Unaffected by the strange energy barrier around the mountain, Michael calmly floated towards the ice wall, bypassing the narrow pathway.

When he arrived at the wall, Michael placed his hand on it and called upon the system.

"System, open this wall for me," Michael calmly requested.

With three hundred thousand badass coins from Michael, the system surpassed the runes on the wall, allowing Michael to enter the cave. The inside of the cave was illuminated by a soft blue glow, eliminating the need for a light source. Following the footprints left by the Immortals, Michael reached the end of the cave where he saw several old men and women dressed in pure white robes standing around a mysterious black crystal.

Michael noticed a dark wisp of smoke emanating from the black crystal and entering the heads of the Immortals. They stood around in a trance-like state, their gazes fixed on the ice ceiling.

"Kill those fools and bring back the crystal to the demon's grave," Michael suddenly heard the voice of the queen in his head, causing a jolt in his body.

"How does she keep invading my thoughts?" Michael wondered, feeling perplexed and ready to take action against the Immortals.

Soon, Michael quietly approached the group of Immortals as he saw them forming a circle around the black crystal. One by one, they joined the circle and their eyes glazed over, indicating they were under some form of mind control. The dark wisp of smoke from the crystal seemed to be manipulating their minds, rendering them obedient to its will.

Taking advantage of their trance-like state, Michael stealthily moved closer to the Immortals, his dark swords unsheathed and ready to strike. Each step was calculated and silent as he closed the distance, his heart racing with the anticipation of the impending confrontation.

( I am writing this chapter with a fever, so sorry for any mistakes…)