Hitman with a Badass System
chapter-1081

Amidst the shadows, Griffy's voice took on a haunting cadence, weaving a bone-chilling tale that resonated with the darkness of her very being. "There was an incident," she began, her tone dripping with a cruel reminiscence that sent shivers down the spine. "A young man, curious and enamored by the whispers of the temple of the God of Darkness. The villagers, fearing he might embrace the worship of that forbidden god, turned to me."

A chuckle, laden with wicked satisfaction, escaped her lips. "They believed I held the power to save him from that fate. So, they brought him to my dwelling, pleading for his life."

Her words held an eerie calmness as she continued her tale. "I granted his request, you see. I kept him alive, savoring his flesh bit by bit. His screams, oh, they became my symphony, each note more satisfying than the last."

A sense of morbid fascination danced within her voice as she recalled the grim event. "He cried out to every god imaginable, including the one he was warned against – the God of Darkness. His pleas fell on deaf ears, as I feasted upon his agony."

Griffy's words dripped with a twisted amusement as she revealed the culmination of her malevolence. "When I had consumed every bit of his being, only his bones remained. I spat them out and cast them aside. Then, I spun my tale, one of his departure from the village in search of greater knowledge."

Her voice was mocking as she recounted the deception she had woven. "The villagers believed my lies, so willing to overlook their own fears and suspicions. Fools, each and every one of them, for they chose to be deceived."

Seated amidst the chilling mound of bones, Michael listened to Griffy's tale with a composed demeanor, his dark armor enveloping him like a shroud of enigma. As her sinister narrative reached its conclusion, he allowed a moment of silence to linger before his own voice cut through the darkness.

"Your story reminds me of an ancient tale," he began, his tone measured and deliberate. "There was once an arrogant hunter, confident in his prowess. He had hunted and claimed victory over countless weak prey, fueling his arrogance. Yet, his arrogance led him to believe he could conquer the ultimate prey – a predator shrouded in darkness and myth."

A subtle pause carried a weight of anticipation before he continued. "Little did the hunter know that he had walked into the predator's domain. This cunning predator, appearing as a seemingly weak prey, allowed the hunter to close in. Just as the hunter believed he was in control, the predator's true nature revealed itself."

Michael's words held a quiet intensity, mirroring the ominous atmosphere of the cave. "The predator, masquerading as the very prey the hunter sought, cunningly reversed the roles. With each calculated move, the predator turned the tables, transforming the hunter into the hunted."

He let the implications of his story hang in the air, a mirror to the tale Griffy had spun. "In the end, the hunter's arrogance was his downfall, his belief in his own invincibility shattered by the reality of his vulnerability. The predator relished in this twist of fate, for the true power lay not in sheer strength but in the art of deception and manipulation."

Griffy's laughter echoed through the cavern, a macabre symphony of darkness. "Ah, a tale of shifting roles and hidden intentions," she mused in response to Michael's story. "But who, I wonder, is the true predator, and who is the unsuspecting prey in this dance between us?"

Michael's response was delivered with unwavering calmness. "The roles will become clear in due time," he stated, his words carrying a hint of enigmatic assurance.

As the air trembled with an undercurrent of anticipation, the shadows of the cave seemed to deepen, yielding to the emergence of a figure from the darkness. Michael frowned as a familiar silhouette stepped into view. It was Carmella yet her presence was different, tinged with an unsettling aura.

Carmella's laughter held an eerie edge. It was a haunting sound as a stark realization dawned upon him. Griffy had seized control of Carmella's body.

As the truth settled in, Carmella's features contorted, the very embodiment of innocence distorted by malevolent possession. He locked eyes with the twisted gaze of Griffy, now housed within the vessel of Carmella.

"Surprised to see me, young prey?" Carmella's voice dripped with dark amusement, a sinister mockery of Griffy.

A sardonic smile danced upon her lips as the tension in the cavern escalated. "You see, I've taken quite a liking to this young woman's body. Such potential, such vulnerability – the perfect canvas for my art."

Griffy's taunts laced each word she spoke, a challenge that lingered in the air like a poison. "What will you do, I wonder? Will you harm this delicate vessel, or will you hesitate, torn between your duty and your emotions?"

A ripple of laughter spilled from Michael's lips, a calculated response that halted Carmella's steps, freezing her possessed form in place. "Duty and emotions? Hahaha," he chuckled, his voice carrying an air of confident mockery that echoed through the cavern.

"Why in the world did you assume I would be torn between duty and emotions? I am an angel of death, not an angel of mercy," Michael declared, testing the waters by claiming his identity as an angel.

The revelation of his identity as an angel was a calculated gamble, a move to unsettle the creature that now inhabited Carmella's form.

He was acutely aware that ancient monsters like Griffy often leaned on their raw power, blinded by arrogance that dulled their strategic thinking. This vulnerability was his advantage, a chink in her armor that he aimed to exploit. In other words, they had relied on brute force for so long that their intellect had waned over time.

"An angel, you say?" Carmella's voice, now a vessel for Griffy's presence, carried a tinge of mocking amusement. "In this godless realm, not even your god of death can breach my dominion, let alone grant you his powers,"

A serene smile tugged at Michael's lips, hidden beneath the facade. He breathed a silent sigh of relief, his facade bearing the weight of his true thoughts.

"So you're telling me that even my all-mighty god can't sense my presence?" Michael feigned anger, casting doubt on the claim.

"Indeed, not even the pantheon can. Now, let's see who is the predator and prey," Carmella's form, now twisted by Griffy's possession, emitted a sinister chuckle.

Unbeknownst to Michael, Griffy's Ethereal Fusion Realm cultivation stage remained beyond his perception. Yet, his divine nature as a god surpassed her in strength. With her confirmation that the pantheon's reach did not extend into her domain, Michael found himself unshackled, free to wield his powers without restraint.

(To refresh your memories => Initiate Realm, Qi Awakening Realm, Spiritual Embryo Realm, Elemental Attunement Realm, Celestial Resonance Realm, Soul Ignition Realm, Ethereal Fusion Realm, Void Transcendence Realm, and Divine Ascendancy Realm)

"Ah, the angel thinks he can stand against me," Griffy's voice, now emanating from Carmella's form, dripped with malicious glee. "Your god's protection won't save you here."

Before Griffy's incredulous words could fully register, Michael materialized behind her using shadow teleportation. Her shock was palpable as his hand closed around Carmella's face, fingers glowing with a dark aura as he activated his soul devourer skill.

A guttural roar escaped Griffy's lips as Michael initiated the extraction, his grasp tugging at Griffy's soul ensnared within Carmella's body.

"This power... no angel is capable of this feat!" Griffy's voice trembled with disbelief, yet Michael persisted in pulling her soul free.

Unexpectedly, Carmella fought back with a burst of strength, her fingers slashing across Michael's face. Deep gashes marred his skin, but they quickly sealed as the Advanced Regeneration Potion surged through his veins.

Griffy seized the opportunity to break free, distancing herself from Michael. Perched on an elevated rock formation, she looked down upon him with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty.

"Let me see what kind of angel you are," Griffy's voice was laced with intrigue as she tasted the blood staining her fingers from the scratch she had inflicted.

Carmella's possessed eyes widened as the essence of Michael's blood touched her senses. An unfamiliar sensation coursed through her, a hint of fear mingling with her previous arrogance.

"You are no angel... You are a god," Griffy's words trembled with realization, the shock and fear palpable in her tone.

With a calculated amusement, Michael savored the shift in power dynamics. "Now you understand who's the prey and who's the predator."

In an instant, he employed shadow teleportation once more, this time materializing behind Carmella. Draven, his ally within the body, took control, restraining her as Michael assumed his position atop her.

"This body isn't yours to command," Michael's voice dripped with authority as he focused on Griffy's soul within Carmella's body. The power of his soul-eating abilities was honed on extracting Griffy's presence from Carmella's vessel.

"What kind of god dares to enter my domain?!" Griffy's voice thundered with rage, her resistance fierce as Michael unleashed the full extent of his powers. Under the weight of his might, Griffy's ethereal form struggled against the inevitable, unable to withstand the force bearing down upon her within Carmella.

"You'll find out soon enough," Michael growled, his determination unwavering as he slowly extracted Griffy's essence from its host. Gradually, his hand closed around an ethereal white mist, pulling it from Carmella's form.

"Get out!" With a final, resounding roar, Michael wrenched Griffy's soul free from Carmella's grasp. As he held the captured essence in his hand, a chilling smirk crept onto his lips.

The moment was ripe for Michael to absorb Griffy's malevolent soul, to end her reign of terror. His mouth parted, prepared to consume her essence and bring about her demise.

But fate had other plans. The very ceiling above him erupted into a shower of debris and chaos, the explosion shaking the cave violently. Beneath them, the ground fractured ominously, threatening to swallow Carmella whole. Reacting swiftly, Michael seized her hand, clutched Griffy's soul in the other, and summoned his metallic wings.

With a powerful flap, he propelled them out of the collapsing cavern. Dark flames enveloped his wings, disintegrating the falling rocks before they could harm Carmella or impede their escape.

"I won't die so easily," Griffy's voice echoed from within the trapped soul, defiant even in her dire circumstances.

Emerging from the cave, Michael touched down on solid ground before teleporting himself and Carmella to a safer location within the swamp.

"You're wrong," Michael retorted, his determination renewed as he prepared to absorb the captive essence. However, in an unexpected turn, a surge of energy struck him from behind despite his responsive shield. The impact catapulted him through the air, crashing through trees and landing in the murky swamp waters.

With a growl of frustration, Michael twisted to face his assailant. Griffy's essence had slipped from his grasp.

"You're coming with me to the pantheon, rogue god," a commanding voice boomed, announcing the approach of a powerful entity.