Hitman with a Badass System

"System, do you have any way for me to start cultivating in this world?" Michael inquired.

The system responded, [The host has to rebuild your body from the molecular level to accommodate mortal cultivation on top of your god-being]

Just the sound of it made Michael realize it was going to cost him significantly.

[The system requires 5 million badass points to reconstruct the body and 2 million points for the required ingredients needed to brew the special potion that would enable the host to cultivate, totaling seven million points.]

"So, once I've done this, I can cultivate in this world and level up by gaining experience points?" Michael sought clarification.

"Yes. The experience points gained by the host after killing the angels and cultivators here will be used to break through to the next stages," the system confirmed.

Michael felt relieved. If he could cultivate, he wouldn't need to use his godly powers in every fight, which would help him avoid detection by the pantheon.

"How long will it take for you to reconstruct my body?" Michael asked the system.

"Just a day," came the response.

"Great," Michael said and exited the system.

He then turned to Pink, realizing he had more questions for her.

"It's clear we need to find the book written by Seshat's angel. But first, let's figure out what to do with you," Michael said, and Pink understood his meaning.

"Unlike on Earth, this world has no technology, no computers or systems for you to hack. So we need to figure out a way to utilize your talents. I had a setup in the mortal realm, but even that had no need for hacking. It just required someone to watch the camera feeds," Michael explained.

"I'm no runemaster, but I have a way to digitize the information if you provide me with the items I need and assist me with certain things," Pink explained, making it clear she already had some ideas.

"Go on," Michael encouraged.

"First of all, I need your Spyder devices. They can mimic the security cameras on Earth and give us eyes in this world. And I need access to Seraphine's crystals," Pink stated.

Ayag, puzzled, questioned, "Seraphine's crystal? What is that?"

"Seraphine is the goddess of information. Think of her as the ultimate spymaster. Nothing happens in this world without her knowing. She has spies and eyes everywhere. This world might not have computers and technology, but a large amount of information like this still requires some form of storage and containment. That's where Seraphine's crystals come into the picture. These special crystals, imbued with powerful runes, store information and allow Seraphine's angels to access the information they need," Pink explained, pleasantly surprising Michael and Vedora.

Then, Pink unveiled another set of schematics. This time, it wasn't just a schematic for a single device; it was a blueprint for an entire setup that far surpassed Michael's surveillance room in his dark castle.

"These devices... Wow," Michael was genuinely astonished. As an inventor, Michael comprehended the devices and regarded Pink with awe.

"Where did you get them?" Michael inquired.

"I designed them. Of course, it took me countless hours of reading hundreds of books about runes and the energy flow in this world. But I believe this will work," Pink stated confidently.

"You designed these devices just by reading books?" Michael asked, amazed. He was shocked to learn that Pink had managed to design such complex devices without any special innate talents, solely through her studies.

"System, we need to grant Pink the inventor trait and give her runemastery," Michael suggested.

[It would require the host to spend at least fifty million badass points or more. For now, the system recommends using your inventor trait to build the devices and explore alternative means to understand the runes,] the system responded.

"So, just to clarify, we need to create another medallion to conceal your presence, which means we have to journey to Durran and meet your runemaster contact. Afterward, we need to obtain the book that might contain information on how to kill a god. On top of that, we have to set up a surveillance room for you, requiring Spyders and Seraphine's crystals, which I imagine will be guarded like treasures," Ayag summarized, her tone tinged with frustration.

"And don't forget, we also need more money, so add a robbery or heist to that ever-expanding list," Michael added with a chuckle.

"Why are you laughing?" Ayag asked, playfully head-butting Michael.

"Because it's exciting," Michael replied. To Ayag's surprise, Pink wore the same eager smile. She was rubbing her hands together in anticipation of Michael's orders.

"Here's our plan: we'll start by building a device to conceal my presence, which means we have to go to Durran. Once we've done that, we'll acquire the book. Since we're running low on funds, purchasing the book isn't an option; we'll have to steal it," Michael declared.

"The auction is next month, so we have plenty of time," Pink informed him.

"While we're in Durran, we'll also find a runemaster to help us set up the surveillance room and procure Seraphine's crystals. I can build the devices based on these schematics," Michael explained.

"I still can't believe you can construct these devices. A power you gained in this world, I presume?" Pink inquired, and Michael nodded.

"So, when I return from Durran, we'll have a medallion and everything we need to set up our surveillance room. However, we need the setup to be transportable. Once I kill Rainar, I'll secure a new base of operations. We can incorporate the same runes into that location," Michael concluded.

"A new base of operation? From who?" Pink asked with curiosity.

"I have my sources, Pink. I am a god, after all," Michael chuckled, keeping any mention of the system to himself.

After confirming that the medallion could conceal his presence as long as he didn't frequently use his godly powers, Michael decided to make his way to the Kingdom of Durran, ruled by an orc god named Norebo.

"We'll tackle our problems one by one," Michael said as he retrieved an earpiece from his system storage. While it required some calibration to communicate with the mortal realm, it functioned seamlessly within the realm of gods.

In truth, Michael needed his subordinates and Gaya to thrive independently in his absence. If any dire situation arose, he had contingency plans in place known only to him and Azazel. Not even Gaya was aware of these backup plans if things went awry in the mortal realm.

"Take this," Michael handed the earpiece to Pink.

"Wow, an earpiece. You have no idea how much I missed this thing," Pink exclaimed, giving the device a quick kiss before placing it in her ear.

"Do you have any means of getting me to Durran?" Michael inquired. Since many kingdoms in the realm of gods were not connected by conventional roads or oceans, portals were required for travel between them.

"This underground workplace is conveniently located just an hour away from Norebo's temple. The temple has a portal you can use to travel to Durran. However, you might want to employ your stealth skills, as the orcs typically only permit orcs to use the portal," Pink explained, implying that she had used the same portal to reach their current location.

"They don't allow humans? Does Kingdom Durran also have a rule against humans in their territory? If so, you should take a closer look at him. He's not an orc," the little snake head protested with an indignant tone.

Pink chuckled at the fiery response from the serpent. "Don't worry. Most of the orcs are not racists, and they tend to be welcoming to others, especially if you show eagerness to learn instead of displaying violent tendencies. So, I'd recommend not being confrontational in front of the orcs and instead mingle with them as a fellow scholar," Pink suggested.

She then glanced at Michael from head to toe. "And you should change your attire to green. Orcs don't have a liking for black and red," Pink advised, causing Michael to let out a sigh.

"Good thing I have spare clothes in my space ring," Michael responded.

"You opened a portal here, right? Can't you do it again?" Michael turned to Cain, but noticed him shaking his head.

"Sorry, I gave him the rune to teleport here. Honestly, I had no idea your little snake could do that in the first place. But I have no teleportation rune to Durran. Even if I did, I doubt external teleportation would work within Durran," Pink explained.

"Speaking of which, where did you leave Carmella and her two cousins?" Michael inquired, looking at Vedora.

"At the outskirts of the misty swamps. I think we should go there and finish the job. The villagers are never safe from Griffy," Sarba expressed his concern for the people in the village.

"Don't worry about that. Now that the Pantheon executioner has set foot in the swamps, his angels will soon follow. They'll interrogate every villager, stay with them, and put them under surveillance. It works in your favor, as these angels typically function as unpaid guards," Pink reassured them.

"A silver lining," Michael sighed.

"Shall we begin? All these preparations will lead to our ultimate goal: killing Rainar. Once we do that, we'll be on the Pantheon's top list. Are you ready for this, Pink?" Michael asked.

"Come on, Ghost. I was born ready, and I've been waiting for this moment. We're really back, aren't we? Ghost and Pink, back in the assassination business," Pink couldn't contain her excitement and began to laugh.

"Assassinating gods... it does have a nice ring to it," Michael also smiled devilishly.

With their plans set and their motivations reignited, Michael exchanged a few more words with Pink before preparing to leave the underground safehouse.

"Take care of yourself, Pink. We'll meet again soon," Michael said.

"You too, Ghost. Don't get yourself killed before we can wreak some havoc together," Pink replied with a grin.

After their brief farewell, Michael made his way towards the exit. He followed Pink's directions and soon found a sturdy ladder leading upwards. Climbing up, he emerged from the underground hideout and into a dried woods. Brown leaves covered the forest floor, creating a soft, earthy carpet under his feet.

The forest was eerily quiet, and a sense of anticipation hung in the air. Michael knew he had to stay alert, even in these seemingly peaceful surroundings. He followed Pink's instructions, making his way through the woods until he reached a muddy path that led towards Norebo's temple.

"I don't have to tell you, but you can wait until nightfall and make your move on the orcs under the cover of darkness. You can change your clothes afterward," Pink's voice came through the earpiece, guiding Michael on his path.

Michael continued walking as he listened to her advice. "Any idea how strong these orcs are?" he inquired.

"Elemental Attunement Realm or Celestial Resonance Realm. You can't take them down without using your godly powers or alerting them. These are orcs, so they'll have runes everywhere to detect an intruder's presence in the temple. If I were you, I wouldn't kill them but look for another way," Pink suggested.

"Roger that. We're back in business," Michael replied with a determined smile and excitement in his voice. He was ready to embark on this new journey, one that would cement his status as the deadliest assassin in the entire universe.