Hitman with a Badass System

The abrupt transition plunged Michael into a dimly lit room, a stark contrast to the swamp. The chamber was illuminated by an eerie red glow, its walls adorned with mirrors and screens of various sizes. It took a few moments for Michael to regain his composure, his heart still racing from the chaotic events in the swamp.

Turning towards the orc beside him, Michael asked, "Who are you?"

The orc slowly turned around, her body trembling slightly. She met Michael's gaze, her eyes a mixture of fear, relief, and uncertainty. "Did you... decode the message in Gaya's temple?" Her voice quivered as she spoke.

Michael nodded. "Yes, it was Morse code. But how did you know about Morse code?"

The orc stumbled over her own feet, her nervousness palpable. Gathering her courage, she asked, "Do you know about Earth?"

The question caught Michael off guard, his surprise evident in his widened eyes. "Earth? How do you know about Earth?"

A mix of anxiety and curiosity danced in the orc's eyes. "You really do know about it..."

Michael's expression turned serious, his guard rising. "Who are you?" he demanded once more, his voice firm.

Nervously, the orc hesitated before finally blurting out, "Are you Ghost? The world's number one hitman, Ghost?"

Michael was taken aback by the unexpected question. His surprise was evident as he stared at the orc before him, struggling to comprehend the words he had just heard.

"Are you from Earth too?" Ayag's voice broke the tension in the room, as Vedora's curiosity found a voice. The sudden appearance of the orc had raised numerous questions, but understanding how she knew about Earth was their current priority. Among those in Skyhall, only Michael, Gaya, and now Vedora were privy to his Earthly origins and his history as a hitman.

"You're Ghost. I can't believe it," the orc exclaimed, collapsing into a nearby chair. Her breathing became frantic, resembling an asthma attack.

"I think she's in trouble," Sarba noted, watching the orc's labored breathing. The orc gestured toward a small dish containing gray powder.

"Take... that..." Michael carefully picked up the dish and handed it to the orc. She inhaled the powder deeply, her breathing slowly stabilizing.

"Ghost, it's really you... damn..." the orc muttered, her eyes a mixture of shock, fear, and elation.

"Are you—" Michael began to piece things together, but before he could utter his guess, the orc revealed her true identity.

"Ghost... it's me, Pink," the orc confessed, causing Michael's heart to skip a beat. He struggled to believe the revelation.

"Pink?" Michael whispered, his shock palpable. Pink had been his partner in countless assassinations on Earth, providing technical support and navigation while he operated in the field. The notion that Pink had also transmigrated to this new world was beyond comprehension.

"I can't believe it... I'm actually seeing Ghost..." Pink stammered nervously, her behavior at odds with what would be expected of an orc.

"37 operations, you and I together... all successful. We were the best pair in the whole world," Pink continued her expression a mix of delight and astonishment.

Michael couldn't doubt Pink's words—her mention of the exact number of operations was undeniable proof.

"It's like a mixture of both a good and bad dream... Jesus Christ," Pink muttered, her nervousness evident as she still trembled from the shock of their unexpected reunion.

Overwhelmed by emotion, the orc, now revealed as Pink, rushed towards Michael and enveloped him in a tight hug. Michael, taken aback for a moment, hesitated before awkwardly patting Pink's back a few times, not entirely sure how to respond.

"Hey, hey, calm down," he finally managed to say, gently trying to loosen her grip. "Let's sit down and catch up. There's a lot I need to know."

Reluctantly, Pink released Michael and took a seat, her eyes still wide with disbelief and excitement. As they settled, Michael prompted her to recount what had happened since their last mission together.

"Well, you remember that target, right? The one you took down with that incredible sniper shot?" Pink began, her voice carrying a mixture of nostalgia and awe. "As soon as you made that kill, this bright light surrounded me. Next thing I know, I'm waking up in this body."

Michael leaned in, intrigued. "What happened to the original occupant of the body?"

Pink's expression turned somber. "She died, apparently some flu or something. Then, I just... I was there. In this orc's body." She paused, as if gathering her thoughts before continuing.

"I didn't realize what was happening at first, but after a while, I started to lose control. My thoughts were a mess, and I was basically going mad." She let out a bitter laugh. "The orcs didn't take too kindly to that. They locked me away in isolation for six months."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Michael interjected sympathetically.

Pink nodded and continued, "Well, after that crazy phase, I guess you could say I became a bit of a nerd. I started reading everything I could get my hands on. Eventually, I spent a whole year in the Great Library of Durran."

"That sounds like quite the transformation," Michael remarked, impressed by her dedication.

"It was in that library that I came across texts mentioning the God of Darkness, referred to as Ghost among the mortals," Pink explained. "Something about that name struck a chord with me, and I realized it was you. So, I delved into every piece of information I could find about you, trying to figure out if you really were the same Ghost I used to work with."

Michael's face carried a mix of surprise and curiosity. The idea that his Earthly alias had lingered on in this world was astonishing to him. He leaned forward, encouraging her to continue with his intense interest. The twists and turns of their conversation were leaving him both amazed and bewildered.

Pink leaned forward, her eyes shining with a mix of enthusiasm and urgency. "The Great Library of Durran has a secret, forbidden section. I knew there was something more to discover, so I managed to sneak into that restricted area. Anything that mentioned gods, I read. And that's when I found something fascinating."

Michael's curiosity grew as Pink's story unfolded. "What did you find?"

Her voice held a sense of triumph as she continued, "I discovered that the Goddess of Monsters, Gaya, is actually the wife of the God of Darkness. But that wasn't all. Digging deeper, I found records suggesting that the God of Darkness had actually lived in this world around five thousand years ago."

Pink nodded, her eyes shining with determination. "And that's where things get tricky. Some of the elder orcs claim the God of Darkness was banished from this realm, while others say he just disappeared. But I couldn't believe that. So, I started searching for his worshippers, and through one of them, I got this." Pink reached into a pocket and pulled out a small, spider-like device.

"Spyder," Vedora exclaimed, recognizing the device.

Pink nodded and then pointed at the device. "This thing definitely has circuits and wiring from Earth, on top of these strange runes. The worshipper who gave me this claimed that it was built by the God of Darkness himself."

Michael couldn't help but be surprised by Pink's intellect and resourcefulness. Her ability to piece together information from ancient texts and her use of technology from Earth to connect the dots impressed him.

Pink's voice held a mixture of confusion and curiosity as she asked, "But here's my question: if this device was built five thousand years ago and the God of Darkness, which is you, lived in the realm of gods five thousand years ago, are you five thousand years old? How does that work?"

Michael leaned back in his chair, considering the complexity of the situation. "Well, just like you, I woke up in this body three years ago. The concept of time is a bit convoluted when it comes to the realm of gods. The short version is that we're in a time reset. Five thousand years ago, I lived and ended up triggering a reset of the entire universe, except for the realm of gods. So, by resetting, I started my life on Earth and ended up in the mortal realm three years ago, essentially reliving the journey that had already happened."

Pink nodded, her brow furrowed as she tried to grasp the concept. "I think I get it, kind of."

"Don't worry, it's a lot to wrap your head around," Michael reassured her. "Just focus on the present and what's to come."

Ayag chimed in, her curiosity evident. "Still, I can't believe how you transformed from a nerdy little orc to a cannon-wielding bad-ass."

Pink chuckled, her cheeks slightly flushed. "These schematics." She rifled through the papers strewn across the table and handed a few over to Michael. As he looked at the blueprints, he recognized his own handwriting and knew they were his designs from his time as the Dark Lord.

"These are the schematics I got from one of your temples. I did my best to build them based on the information I had. Books and schematics can only teach you so much," Pink explained, her tone a mixture of pride and humility.

Curious about her foreknowledge of the recent events, Michael asked, "So, how did you know I would be in the Misty Swamps? How did you know about Griffy?"

Pink shrugged. "Griffy? No idea. I asked you to come to the Misty Swamps because that's where your temple is."

Michael frowned, still puzzled. "That doesn't explain how you came prepared to deal with the angel."

Pink's eyes twinkled mischievously as she motioned to the blueprints. "The answer is in these schematics." Michael's gaze fell on a peculiar device that seemed to have the ability to sense the energy of a god.

"I managed to acquire a sliver of grace left by your previous self, although 'acquire' might be a generous term—I kind of stole it from someone powerful," Pink admitted with a sheepish grin. "I used that grace to calibrate the device, making it alert me if it sensed a similar energy. So, imagine my surprise when it finally went off, screaming."

She chuckled in relief and pointed to a copper-plated circular device in the corner of the room. "But living in this world for three years taught me how the pantheon would react if they sensed your presence. So, I prepared for this mission just like when we were on Earth. I built this cannon using your schematics and left a note in Gaya's temple. So, when the rune I left in the Misty Swamps alerted me, I came as fast as I could. I hoped for a peaceful meeting, but you were fighting an executioner. You should be glad I didn't freeze on the spot when I saw him."

"I'm glad you came," Michael said, a relieved smile crossing his lips. Reuniting with his old partner felt like a dream come true.

He then decided to lighten the mood with a seemingly normal question, asking, "So, back on Earth, you were a girl?"

Pink laughed and nodded. "Yep. But you're exactly as I imagined, minus a three-headed snake on your back," she teased.

"Sorry to interrupt the reunion, but what happened back there, Ghost? Who was that angel who gave you a beating? We've been facing a lot of losses lately," Ayag's frustration and concern were evident in her tone.

Pink's excitement bubbled over as she spoke, "An executioner of the pantheon. He's one of the elite angels sent to deal with rogue gods. But don't worry, Ghost, we're back in action, just like the old times. Damn, I missed this work so much—the thrill, the preparation for the assassination, the anticipation... I missed it all."

Ayag rolled her eyes at Pink's enthusiasm. "Slow down, orc. Our targets aren't your typical run-of-the-mill humans anymore. We're dealing with god problems now."

Pink's expression shifted as she revealed a mischievous, proud smile. "I might have a way to kill the gods."