Hitman with a Badass System
chapter-1046

After ascending to level 2 of Godhood, Michael stood proudly atop Mount Hades, his fist clenched in determination. The power within him surged, and dark flames flickered and danced around his body. However, before he could take a step forward, a commanding voice echoed through the realm.

"Where is my promised soul piece?" demanded the unmistakable voice of the Queen, radiating immense power.

Recognizing the urgency in her tone, Michael replied without hesitation, "I am on my way to retrieve it right now. No excuses."

"Idiot!" The Queen's anger erupted, and Michael was pushed backward by the force of her shout.

She continued, her voice seething, "The mortals have found my crystal and are attempting to extract my soul piece. I want it back immediately!"

"Do you have any clues about its location?" Michael inquired, mindful to remain respectful in his tone. He knew better than to provoke an ancient, powerful entity like the Queen, especially since he intended to use her in the impending war against the gods.

"The place they call the Council of Immortals," the Queen revealed.

"It's as good as done. I will retrieve it within four days," Michael assured her, confident in his abilities to fulfill the task.

"You have two days!" The Queen's roar echoed through Michael's mind before her presence faded away.

With a heavy sigh, Michael activated his metal wings and gracefully soared away from Mount Hades. As he flew, the colossal bull still grazed in the distance, and the monsters roamed freely, but none dared to challenge the God of Darkness.

Soon, Michael left the eerie Demon's Grave behind and appeared high above the sea surrounding the Awor continent. From this vantage point, he could see the vast expanse of Awor, with its cold mountains in the north covered in snow. The tallest peak reached into the clouds, standing majestically beyond their reach.

To conceal his true identity, Michael suppressed his powerful cultivation level to appear as a mere Core Strengthening stage cultivator. He donned silver robes over his dark armor and wrapped himself in a cloak, carefully hiding his face with the hood. The last thing he needed was for anyone to recognize him and spread the news that the feared Dark Lord was still alive.

Concealing his face and cultivation level, Michael flew swiftly toward the cold mountains. For ordinary cultivators, the journey would have taken months, but thanks to his newly attained Demi-God level powers, he reached the vicinity of the cold mountains in just ten hours. The region was thick with arch and celestial energy, making it a coveted destination for those seeking breakthroughs beyond the Soul Refining stage. However, the extreme cold rendered the place uninhabitable and perilous for most. Many cultivators who attempted the journey either succeeded in their breakthroughs or met their end in the freezing temperatures.

The top of the tallest mountain in the cold range, Mount Gallion, served as the headquarters of the Council of Immortals. The energies there were abundant and potent, attracting cultivators from all over who hoped to attain higher stages of cultivation. The mountain's sheer size made even Mount Everest pale in comparison.

As Michael approached the mountain, he noticed several groups of cultivators heading towards the cold range. Among them was a group of young cultivators adorned in bright ruby red robes adorned with intricate golden engravings. Their youthful appearance, arrogant demeanor, and the expensive jewelry they wore hinted at their belonging to a prominent sect in Awor.

The remaining groups consisted mostly of elderly men, clearly stuck in cultivation bottlenecks and seeking seclusion within the cold mountains to progress further. Michael quickly activated the APD to inject a hair growth pill into his bloodstream. Soon, a thick black beard sprouted on his face, adding to his disguise. His long hair completed the transformation, making it nearly impossible for anyone to recognize him as the feared Dark Lord.

With the upgraded Environmental Scanning ability, Michael sensed several powerful beings in the vicinity of the mountain. Though strong, none of them came close to his level. These figures stood at the Fusion stage, Half Immortal stage, and Immortal stage of cultivation. Michael knew that the Immortals would be stationed at their headquarters atop the peak of Mount Gallion.

As he approached the mountain, Michael felt the presence of an energy dome surrounding it. True to his senses, a translucent white barrier enveloped the cold mountains. By the time he slowed his flight, the sun had set, and the mountains were bathed in the soft glow of four dazzling moons and the shimmering light of stars. The snow under the moonlight seemed to sparkle with its own radiance.

Once Michael and the other groups reached the outskirts of the cold mountain and noticed the barrier, a beastman floated through it and ordered everyone to stop. This beastman had the upper body of a hyena and the lower body of a human. Clad in handwoven brown robes, he looked formidable, and his Half Immortal stage cultivation shocked and surprised everyone present.

"The cold mountains are closed for flying. To reach the summit, please continue on foot," the beast man stated firmly.

An old man with a hunchback and dressed in black robes questioned the beast man's decision. "What is the meaning of this? I traveled all the way from Ozer continent, and I haven't heard that the mountains are closed for cultivators," he said, his annoyance evident, though he still maintained respect for the guardian of the cold mountains and the servant of the Council of Immortals.

Another youngster from the group, dressed lavishly in fine clothes, voiced his frustration. "How are we supposed to reach the summit without flying? Do you expect us to trudge through this freezing cold all the way to the top?" he demanded.

The guardian of the cold mountains simply replied, "Yes."

"If you enter the mountain range and start walking, you can reach the summit in two months," the guardian added matter-of-factly.

Inside, Michael couldn't help but snicker at the thought of taking two months to reach the summit. The Queen had given him only two days to retrieve the crystal containing a piece of her soul. His mission was complex, as he had to retrieve the crystal without revealing his true identity as the Dark Lord. If news of his survival got out, the world would know that the Dark Lord had not perished but instead faked his death.

"You can try to fly, but we have arrays and runes in place to prevent it. Now, if you don't agree with the new rules, you're free to turn around and leave. Have a good day," the guardian replied calmly before turning around and disappearing above the clouds, flying away.

With no other choice, the cultivators sighed in resignation and reluctantly accepted the new restrictions. They knew they had to leave behind the comfort of flying and make their way to the summit on foot.

"What an arrogant jerk," one of the lavishly dressed youngsters muttered, disdain evident in his voice as he descended to the ground.

Following the group's lead, Michael also descended to the ground. As he landed in knee-high snow, he was greeted by a scene of pure white, with mist swirling and the wind howling around him. The snowstorm raged fiercely, making it challenging for many cultivators to see even their own hands in front of them.

However, Michael activated his X-ray vision, allowing him to see through the blizzard with ease. He observed every cultivator using thermal vision to navigate through the snowy landscape. Playing along, Michael joined the group, walking through the snow with determination. He knew that, for now, he had to blend in with the other cultivators to accomplish his mission without drawing attention to himself.

"Michael... Michael, where the hell are you?" Suddenly, Gaya's voice echoed in Michael's mind.

"What's wrong?" Michael asked.

"I've been trying to reach you for four days. Where have you been?" Gaya's voice held a tinge of worry.

"I came to the cold mountains to retrieve the Queen's soul crystal," Michael explained.

"The soul crystal in the cold mountains? How did it end up there?" Gaya asked, clearly shocked.

"The Immortals somehow got hold of it and took it to their headquarters on Gallion mountain. I have only two days to get it back for the Queen," Michael replied.

"Those idiots have no idea what they're messing with, do they? Alright, do you need my help?" Gaya offered.

"No, take care of things on your end. I'll handle the Immortals," Michael assured her.

"But how do you plan to deal with them? If you kill them, news of their deaths will spread like wildfire, and I'll need to control the newspapers and craft a different narrative," Gaya explained, well aware that any deaths linked to the Immortals would lead people to suspect the involvement of the Dark Lord, even if he had faked his demise.

"They won't die. They'll simply disappear," Michael replied, a cold snicker escaping him.

As the group of cultivators made their way through the relentless snowstorm toward the summit of the cold mountains, the youngsters who were previously dressed in lavish red robes grew increasingly agitated. Their complaints and frustration echoed through the freezing air.

"I can't believe they expect us to walk through this freezing wasteland! This is absurd!" one of the youngsters exclaimed, his face red from both anger and the biting cold.

"Who do they think they are? Treating us like this is unacceptable!" another young cultivator yelled, his breath visible in the frosty air as he spoke.

"This is a complete waste of our time! We should be soaring through the skies, not trudging through the snow like commoners!" a third youngster chimed in, stomping his feet to keep warm.

Each step through the knee-deep snow seemed like an arduous task, and their complaints grew louder with every passing moment. Their voices mixed with the howling wind, creating a chorus of discontent and annoyance. The icy wind seemed to carry their grievances as if the mountains themselves were bearing witness to their displeasure.

Despite their protests, the group had no choice but to continue on foot, leaving their ability to fly behind as they followed the guardian's orders. With each passing minute, their complaints grew more fervent, and they questioned the Immortal Council's reasoning for enforcing such a demanding rule.

"Why are they even doing this? It's like they want to make our lives miserable!" one of them shouted in frustration.

As the young cultivators trudged on, their footsteps leaving deep imprints in the snow, their discontentment showed no signs of waning. Their voices echoed through the cold mountains, expressing their dissatisfaction with the Immortal Council's decision to ban flying in the region. It was clear that this new rule was not sitting well with them, and they were determined to make their displeasure known as they ventured towards the distant summit.

Michael couldn't help but feel a connection between the sudden ban on flying and the Immortals retrieving the Queen's crystal containing a piece of her soul. He knew there had to be some significance behind it, but the question remained: what were the Immortals planning to do with the crystal? The memory of the dwarves' disastrous attempt to use a crystal containing the Queen's soul piece flashed in his mind, a grim reminder of the potential dangers involved.

As Michael continued forward, he suddenly felt the ground tremble beneath his feet. The other cultivators also sensed the disturbance and came to a halt, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger.

"I think it's an avalanche!" one of them cried out, fear evident in his voice.

"Find a cave or something, quick!" another cultivator urged, the panic spreading among the group.

The cultivators, despite their magical abilities, knew better than to underestimate the treacherous power of the cold mountains. Even the strongest fusion stage cultivator could meet their demise in these icy peaks. The urgency in their movements increased as they searched for shelter, hoping to avoid the wrath of the impending avalanche and survive the harsh conditions of the cold mountains.

In the midst of the chaos, Michael calmly activated his environmental scanning ability to locate a suitable cave. With a quick scan, he identified a sheltered cave nearby. Using the shadows as cover, he swiftly employed his shadow teleportation technique, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye. In just a few blinks, he had effortlessly reached the safety of the cave, leaving the other cultivators unaware of his movements.