Hitman with a Badass System

As the battle between Michael and Valorix raged on, a sudden surge of power coursed through Michael, bolstering his strength. This newfound energy, while not as potent as the surge he experienced when Fayeth prayed to him, was still significant. The system's notifications confirmed his suspicion:

[The host has gained 700 Worship Energy]

[The host has gained 200 Worship Energy]

…

These alerts validated the boost in power Michael felt. The influx of worship energy from Elrion and Lysandra totaled 900, a substantial amount, though it fell short of the thousand worship energy he had received from Fayeth's prayers. Intriguingly, Michael sensed that the larger portion of this energy, seven hundred to be exact, emanated from Lysandra, marking only a three hundred shortfall from Fayeth's contribution.

"This is why you never build your entire plan on how someone might act, Valorix. People change, that belongs to the gods too," Michael declared, halting his movements amidst the ongoing battle.

Shrouded in pitch darkness, Valorix was unable to visually locate Michael. Nonetheless, Michael's voice enveloped him, seeming to emerge directly from the surrounding shadows.

"This battle would have been gone in your way if you had put more thoughts to your plans," Michael continued, his words echoing in the dark.

"Don't lecture me, you fucking bastard!" Valorix retorted, his voice tinged with disbelief and shock, particularly after realizing Michael's willingness to sacrifice the adventurers.

"System, lock down the area and prevent him from using any teleportation," Michael silently commanded the system.

[The System would require two million badass points to create a barrier around the castle. Do you wish to proceed host?] queried the system, to which Michael readily consented.

As soon as Michael initiated the command, Valorix, who had secretly counted on a teleportation scroll for his escape, felt a sudden, unnerving chill.

"What did you do?!" Valorix exclaimed in desperation.

"I am not going to let you escape, Valorix. After all, it's obvious you have some sort of stolen goods that will let you teleport away," Michael responded with a chuckle, his words sending a wave of shock through Valorix.

The immense amount of badass points required to erect the barrier underscored the gravity of the situation, highlighting how Valorix would have undoubtedly fled if Michael hadn't intervened.

!

"Now that I have my worship energy, let's end this, shall we?" Michael proposed, his tone suggesting finality.

Despite the total being only 900 worship energy, Michael deemed it valuable, given the rarity of such energy. It was time to conclude the confrontation with Valorix. Stealthily, Michael positioned himself behind Valorix amidst the darkness. Valorix, reacting on instinct, swung his spear and halberd backward in defense. Nevertheless, Michael effortlessly caught both weapons, wrenching them from Valorix's grip.

"You can't destroy my body. This armor is indestructible!" Valorix proclaimed defiantly.

"But not your eyes," Michael retorted with a snicker. The golden armor that Valorix boasted about protected his entire body except for his eyes. Seizing the opportunity, Michael summoned the dark sword into his hand and drove it into Valorix's eye.

Valorix's grunt of pain filled the hall as dark flames emanated from the sword, snaking their way into his skull. Under normal circumstances, such an attack wouldn't fatally damage a god. However, Valorix's weakened state, a consequence of his excessive soul absorption, left him vulnerable to such a devastating blow.

This grim outcome served as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with consuming souls, a practice frowned upon by the system. Gods like Morbus, Fourcrux, and Xyloth had succumbed to malevolence through excessive soul consumption, veering down a path of evil despite the availability of alternative choices.

"You should have stuck to stealing and lying," Michael remarked, forcing Valorix to kneel with a well-placed kick to the knee. He then pressed the sword deeper into Valorix's skull, the dark flames voraciously consuming his insides.

"I will…be…back!" Valorix managed to scream, his defiance evident even in his final moments. As Michael observed, a wisp of light emerged from Valorix's head, signifying his impending doom. This occurrence triggered a reaction from the castle itself, which seemed to awaken. Suddenly, countless glowing runes illuminated the surroundings, their brilliance intensifying to the point where even the darkness wrought by the death range began to diminish.

The intricate runes that Valorix had meticulously placed around the castle, intended to ensnare Michael's soul, sprang to life with a purpose of their own. Michael had speculated that these runes were designed to trap the soul of any god, not just his specifically. This speculation proved accurate as the runes began to coalesce into an invisible cage aimed at Valorix's soul.

However, before Michael could act on this development, the luminous runes vanished, taking Valorix's soul with them. As the runes dissipated into nothingness, the castle itself started to quake, signaling a significant change. The once formidable hollowed armor, previously enveloped in a golden glow, faded from existence, alongside numerous other items scattered throughout the hall.

"What the hell is happening?" Michael uttered, trying to maintain his balance amidst the sudden upheaval. Unbeknownst to him, the demise of Valorix's physical form significantly weakened his dominion over the stolen artifacts, prompting them to revert to their original owners. This unique reclamation feature wasn't common among ordinary items but was characteristic of special items like the golden armor, stolen from Luxor, the God of Wealth. Valorix had amassed an assortment of such exceptional items throughout his thievery, each embedded with a safeguarding mechanism by their rightful owners. With Valorix's presence extinguished, the magical bond that anchored these items to the castle was severed, resulting in their disappearance.

"Ghost!" Gaya's voice pierced through the chaos, drawing Michael's attention. Turning, he saw her struggling with the unconscious forms of Lysandra and Elrion.

"We need to get the hell out of here. The whole place is coming down!" she exclaimed, urgency lacing her voice as pieces of the ceiling began to crumble around them.

Michael's gaze shot upwards, and with a swift leap, he reached Jin, who was still suspended. A single slice from his dark sword severed the ropes, freeing him from his precarious hang.

"Where is Vedora's remains?" Gaya's concern shifted to their initial quest, her eyes scanning the collapsing environment. They had been led to believe that the heart of the dungeon held the remains of Vedora, a key component of their mission.

After handing the unconscious Jin to Gaya, Michael looked around for an exit. The expenditure of two million badass points to seal the castle, trapping Valorix, had significantly depleted his resources. With only four million badass points left, he was uncertain if it would suffice for their teleportation.

"Looking for these?" A chilling voice stopped Michael in his tracks. Rin appeared, materializing seemingly from nowhere, standing before the colossal skeletal remains of Vedora. The sight of Rin, clad in armor made from blood and flesh, sent shivers down Gaya's spine and unsettled even Michael.

Despite her being a goddess, the sight of Rin unnerved Gaya. Meanwhile, Michael assessed the skeletal remains, identifying the shape of a skull and spinal core. With Andohr possessing another head of Vedora and now Rin revealing one, it became clear that only one more head of the three-headed Vedora's body remained unaccounted for.

"Nice work with Valorix," Rin remarked, her voice causing an eerie stillness as the crumbling around them inexplicably halted. It was as if her presence alone could manipulate time, freezing everything in place.

"Look at our godly couples…how cute," she taunted, her tongue tracing her blackened lips in a macabre gesture of amusement.

Michael, sensing the potential danger, wasted no time. "System, teleport us if she makes any move. Take a loan if I don't have enough badass points," he commanded internally, always thinking one step ahead.

[The system recommends the host not to run away with his tails tucked between his legs. But yes, your request is noted] came the system's response, its tone laced with its characteristic sass.

In this moment of tension, Michael had no energy to spar with the system's attitude. His attention was solely on Rin, assessing her every move and intent.

"It's nice to meet you, Goddess of Monsters, in person…" Rin's words were directed at Gaya, her smile broadening with apparent delight. Meanwhile, Gaya, repulsed by the palpable scent of blood Rin carried with her, couldn't hide her distaste.

"Can't say the same…" Gaya began retorting, only for Michael to glance over his shoulder, a silent plea to avoid provoking Rin further.

For Michael, the priority was clear: to exit the dungeon without further incident. With Rin now in possession of Vedora's remains, confronting her directly wasn't an option—at least, not without a strategic advantage.

"Thank you for killing some of those seal bearers and making a way into the realm of gods for my good friend, Zariel," Rin continued, her grin taking on a sinister quality. At the mention of Zariel, Gaya's fists tightened reflexively. The memories of Zariel's atrocities, particularly the possession and subsequent death of Cindy, were painful reminders of her own losses and the strife it caused with Nithroel, the Goddess of the Hunt.

"And before I forget, I need to thank you for freeing all those souls Valorix has kept over the years…Xyloth will have a great time consuming them," Rin added, her chuckle resonating with malevolence.

As the realization dawned on Michael why Rin was present, frustration swelled within him. Over the decades, Valorix had managed to prevent his complete degradation by consuming souls he had pilfered. Now, however, his extensive collection of souls had fallen into Rin's hands.

"Damn it," Michael silently cursed, the situation growing increasingly dire.

"What do you want, Rin?" he inquired, opting for a direct approach.

"Direct to the point, huh? I like that about you…as much as I'd like to skin you all alive and see what's behind those fair skins of yours, I'm ordered not to," Rin responded, her disappointment evident as she pouted.

"So I'd settle for a finger…finger of Lysandra here…" she continued, her lips curling into a sinister smile.

"Why?" Michael pressed, hoping to glean more from her, but Rin's only reply was a punch to his gut, forceful enough to make him cough out blood.

"Fucking-" Gaya reacted instinctively, her protective instincts kicking in. She launched her fist towards Rin, momentarily forgetting about Lysandra, Elrion, and Jin in her arms.

However, Rin's speed outmatched Gaya's, and with a swift movement, she sent Gaya flying with a powerful punch.

"Oh…how I'd love to murder you two…" Rin mused, her desire for violence barely contained.

In the meantime, Michael, feigning greater injury to buy time, watched as Rin savored the moment before cutting off Lysandra's finger. The anticipation of the system's teleportation was his only solace in the face of Rin's cruelty.

"Do not play around…bring it to me now!" A commanding voice suddenly filled the hall, causing Rin to halt in her tracks. Her body tensed, and the malicious joy vanished from her face.

"Yes, father," she complied, then swiftly disappeared with Vedora's remains, leaving the group in the crumbling castle.

Once Rin was gone, Michael let out a deep breath, relief mingling with concern. The voice that had commanded Rin, and her immediate obedience, lingered ominously in his thoughts.

"Xyloth…what are you up to?" he pondered aloud as the castle's continued collapse, adding urgency to their predicament.