Hitman with a Badass System

Chapter 1147 Worship Energy

In a swift, almost imperceptible motion, Michael swooped down through the darkened hall and retrieved the vial containing the Grace. He quickly secured it in his system storage, ensuring its safety.

The orc, his anger surging through the effects of the fear toxin, roared in fury, "No! You won't get away with this!"

Enraged, the orc entered a battle frenzy, dashing towards Michael with reckless abandon. His punches flew wildly, each strike fueled by sheer rage.

Michael, calculating and composed, cast the spell "Silenes," effectively slowing down time around himself and the orc. The world around them seemed to crawl as he maneuvered himself with precision. In a calculated move, Michael thrust his sword, aiming directly at the orc's eyes.

The blade pierced through, blinding the orc in an instant. The orc's roar of agony echoed through the hall, a sound filled with excruciating pain and shock.

"Arghhh! My eyes!" he cried out, his voice a mix of pain and disbelief.

With precision and finality, Michael thrust his sword deeper into the orc's head through the eye socket, ending his life decisively. To his surprise, the orc's body crumbled into dust, leaving behind a system notification:

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for killing the orc's clone. The reward is 4000 Experience points and 400 Badass points]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully being a badass. The reward is 5000 Badass points] Michael paused, processing this information. He realized then why the orc had a green aura – it was a clone, not the original, which explained the relative ease in overcoming him. "So, the real orc was never here," Michael murmured to himself, understanding that he had been facing a decoy all along.

Putting this revelation aside for the moment, Michael turned his attention to the remaining guards. With the same efficiency and ruthlessness, he lunged at them, his dark swords slicing through the air. The guards, still reeling from the fear toxin and the shock of their leader's demise, stood little chance. Michael cut them down one by one, his movements a blur of deadly precision.

Michael, realizing the need to clear the hall of the lingering fear toxin and dark smoke, cast "Windblast." A powerful gust of wind swept through the temple, dispersing the clouds and revealing the grim aftermath of the battle. The wind carried away the remnants of his tactics, leaving the hall in a state of eerie calm.

As the bodies of the fallen guards began to fall around them, the people screamed in horror. The sight of the dead, coupled with the recent chaos, sent them into a state of shock and fear. They huddled together, trembling, their eyes wide with terror.

Their fear escalated to a new level when they saw Michael, clad in black armor with his face obscured by a skull mask, land solidly before them. His daunting appearance, marked by the remnants of the battle and the ominous mask, made him look like a harbinger of death.

The people, unaware of who he was or his intentions, were paralyzed by his presence. Whispers and murmurs spread through the crowd, "Who is that? What does he want with us?"

Michael landed gently before the crowd and raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Everyone, please calm down," he said softly. "I was sent here by Fayeth, the angel of Goddess Ava."

At the mention of Fayeth's name, a noticeable change swept over the crowd. Their panic subsided, replaced by a sense of hope. "Fayeth? She sent him?" one person whispered to another, their voice tinged with relief.

Just then, Fayeth herself appeared inside the temple. The crowd's reaction was instantaneous, with expressions of relief and joy spreading across their faces.

Michael, slightly amused, turned to Fayeth.

"Were you able to teleport inside the temple all this time?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

The people's voices filled the hall, expressing their gratitude and relief at seeing Fayeth. "Fayeth, you're here!" exclaimed a woman, her voice full of joy. "We're saved," another person sighed, their relief palpable.

Fayeth's presence was like a beacon of hope to the people of Nimbosia. As an angel of Goddess Ava, the Goddess of Healing, she was deeply trusted and cherished by them. Her kind and soothing words further calmed the crowd.

"Don't worry, everyone. I'm here now," Fayeth reassured them, her voice gentle yet confident. "I will make sure you all are taken to a safe place, away from the dangers of Nimbosia."

Her words were like a balm to the scared and weary people, providing them with the comfort and assurance they desperately needed in that moment. Michael, his tone serious, addressed Fayeth, "You do realize that if we evacuate these people, Rainar will likely bring others to replace them."

Fayeth exhaled deeply, a hint of worry in her eyes. "I know, but we have no choice. We have to evacuate them through the divine portals to Goddess Seshat's kingdom. It's the safest option we have right now."

"Why not take them to Ava's kingdom?" Michael, curious, asked.

Fayeth's expression turned grave. "Ava does not have a domain anymore," she reminded him gently, a note of sadness in her voice.

Michael's mind raced back to a conversation with Sarba and Ayag, where they had mentioned Angel Rodney, sent by Rainar, revealing how Ava's own domain had turned against her and banished her. He recalled how it was portrayed as a great tragedy. Given Fayeth's kind nature, it seemed likely that Ava, too, was a benevolent goddess, making her downfall all the more tragic.

The revelation about Ava's domain painted a picture of the volatile and often harsh realities of the divine realms. It was a world where even the kindest souls could face great adversities. Michael's understanding of the complexities of celestial politics deepened, realizing that even deities could be victims of betrayal and loss.

As Michael and Fayeth were speaking, a loud banging suddenly echoed from the door. The people, already on edge, reacted with immediate panic.

"They're here! More guards!" a woman cried out, her voice laced with fear.

"We're trapped!" another person shouted, the dread in their voice rising.

Michael, sensing the urgency, turned to Fayeth decisively. "Take them to the portal. I'll handle the guards," he said, readying himself for another confrontation.

Fayeth, without hesitation, sprang into action and began leading the people toward the portal room, herding them with a sense of urgency but also calm reassurance.

As they moved, a little boy, seemingly unafraid of Michael's terrifying appearance, approached him. His eyes full of curiosity, the boy asked, "Who are you?"

Before Michael could respond, Fayeth interjected, "This is the God of Darkness."

The boy looked up at Michael with a mixture of awe and gratitude. "Thank you," he said softly, reaching out to touch Michael's hand.

As the boy's hand made contact, Michael felt a surprising sensation - a sliver of warm energy seeped into his body. It was an unfamiliar but comforting energy, and he quickly realized that this might be the worship energy Rainar had been so fervently cultivating.

In that moment, the system chimed in, reminding him, [Unlocking worship energy enables the casting of massive god-level spells that cannot usually be cast using celestial energy]

The revelation was significant. The energy from worship opened up new possibilities for Michael, potentially allowing him access to powers he had not been able to wield before.

The system's voice echoed again in Michael's mind, tempting him with the possibilities of the worship energy. [With enough worship energy, you could cast Death's Range on the sun itself, bringing darkness to the entire world for a period of time]

Michael's eyes widened behind his skull mask at the enormity of such power. He began to understand the potential that lay in having a base of worshippers. The realization dawned on him why gods were so obsessed with accumulating worshippers – it wasn't just about ego or reverence; it was a source of immense power.

However, Michael momentarily pushed these thoughts aside. There was an immediate task at hand – dealing with Rainar's guards. He cracked his neck, readying himself for the impending confrontation.

Fayeth, noticing his preparation, said with a mix of admiration and concern, "Be careful, although I know you don't need it." She then turned and continued leading the people towards the portal room, her figure exuding confidence and hope.

"This is like putting a bandage on a cut arm. It's a temporary fix." Ayag, perched closely to Michael, commented in a pragmatic tone.

Cain, resonating with Ayag's sentiment, added, "As long as Rainar is alive, this domain and its people will never be the same. They will always live under his tyranny."

Michael, acknowledging their insights, replied with a determined edge in his voice, "Then we have our next course of action. We will find an ancient beast and craft a weapon from its collar bone. It's time to end Rainar's reign."

His statement marked a significant decision, a commitment to a course of action that would change the balance of power in the domain. Michael's resolve was clear - to bring an end to Rainar's tyranny and become the God Slayer.