Hitman with a Badass System
chapter-1088

When Michael reached the entrance of the Rideon Funds building, he paused outside, waiting for someone from the Vilnius gang to unlock the door.

"Open the door for that scapegoat," one of the Vilnius gang members laughed from inside.

As the people of Durran watched the unfolding scene with a mixture of curiosity and concern for the human's safety, the door to Rideon Funds creaked open. Stepping into the doorway, Michael found himself face to face with a green-skinned orc adorned with numerous tattoos and piercings, clearly aiming to intimidate him.

"I'm here to ensure the hostages are alright," Michael stated calmly, his voice unwavering.

"Try not to become another hostage," the orc replied with a cold, humorless chuckle. With his large hands, he thoroughly frisked Michael from head to toe, searching for any concealed weapons.

Having stashed his armor and dark swords within the system storage, Michael remained unperturbed by the search.

"He's clean," the orc who had conducted the search announced to his comrades.

"Let that goat inside," came the voice of the same gang member who had negotiated with Barug earlier.

As Michael cautiously stepped inside, he found himself in an elegant hall adorned with counters displaying various golden artifacts. The marble floor gleamed beneath his feet, reflecting the soft light that emanated from ornate crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

Inside, the same orc who had frisked him earlier looked at Vedora with mild amusement.

"Well, ain't that a fancy three-headed snake you got there," he remarked, oblivious to Vedora's true identity as a natural born hydra.

Michael maintained his calm facade, recognizing that he needed to play the part of a concerned civilian to navigate this dangerous situation and rescue the hostages and Gilrut, the renowned runemaster.

"Where are the hostages?" Michael inquired, expecting to find the captives in the hall, but it was strangely empty except for a few rough-looking orcs. There were no hostages to be seen.

In response, the orc trailing behind him let out a menacing growl. "Welcome to the party, human," the orc sneered, indicating that things were not as they seemed.

As Michael proceeded cautiously, he was met by an elf in brown robes with vibrant blue hair. The elf greeted him with a devilish grin. "So, our hero is a human," the elf chuckled, taking Michael aback. Michael had assumed that the negotiator he'd spoken to earlier was an orc, but to his surprise, it was an elf.

"Don't be a racist, human. An elf can lead a group of orcs. The Vilnius gang has no place for racism," the elf remarked as if he'd read Michael's thoughts.

"He's the biggest racist jerk we've ever encountered," an orc chimed in, laughing at the elf's expense.

"Now, now, our precious human isn't here to judge who's the most racist among us but to see the hostages," the elf replied, addressing Michael's feigned fear.

Then, the elf turned his gaze toward the orc following Michael and flashed an evil smile. "Close the door and activate the runes," he ordered.

"What are you doing?" Michael asked, pretending to be frightened.

"Don't be afraid, human. We know how crafty the orcs outside can be. We don't want them listening or seeing what's happening inside," the elf explained with a smirk. Michael observed several runes glowing with crimson light on the walls and ceiling.

"What are those?" Michael inquired, maintaining his fearful act. The elf laughed and clarified, "These are anti-surveillance runes, one of Runemaster Gilrut's creations. Isn't it ironic that we're using the runes he designed to keep him locked in?"

The elf's eyes shifted toward Vedora, who rested atop Michael's shoulder. Intrigued, he reached out a hand as if to caress the creature. However, Vedora reacted defensively, hissing and snapping at the elf's hand, causing him to withdraw hastily.

The elf chuckled at Vedora's reaction. "A feisty three-headed serpent you have there," he remarked to Michael with a smirk, clearly amused by the creature's aggression.

"Show him the hostages and bring him back to me," the elf ordered the orc positioned behind Michael. With a firm grip on Michael's shoulder, the orc guided him in another direction under the elf's command.

Amused chuckles emanated from the orc gang as Michael was ushered closer to the room where the hostages were held captive. After a brief walk, he found himself before a glass wall, peering through it to see the hostages. They lay on the ground, bound and gagged, their expressions a mix of fear and desperation.

The elf, who had been leading this gang of rogues, joined Michael at the glass wall. He pointed toward the enormous vault door situated behind the hostages, his tone dripping with impatience.

"That's the vault of Rideon funds," the elf explained, a sinister grin playing on his lips. Michael's frown deepened as he watched an orc, adorned in emerald green robes, diligently engraving runes onto the massive door.

"You have one more hour to break the runes, Gilrut. Otherwise, we are going to kill your friends in there," the elf, named Elmer, declared to the orc working on the vault door.

With a low growl, Gilrut responded, "I am working as fast as I can, Elmer."

"I don't care. I just need the vault opened in one hour," Elmer retorted callously. He turned his attention toward one of his orc comrades positioned among the hostages. The orc seized a young man by the neck, lifting him into the air. Panic filled the young man's eyes as he struggled to breathe within the orc's vice-like grip.

"Or my orc friend there will snap his neck like a twig," Elmer taunted, his laughter echoing with cruelty. "Then, he'll continue to do so until you open the vault or run out of hostages to kill."

Elmer's gaze shifted back to Michael, his expression cold and calculating.

"Now that you've seen the hostages are in great shape," Elmer said, "run back to Barug and tell him he better have what we asked for in two hours."

With a firm tug, the orc behind Michael propelled him back toward the bustling main hall of the building.

As they moved through the corridors, Michael couldn't help but ponder the dire situation he found himself in. His thoughts raced, and a question gnawed at him, one he couldn't resist asking his ever-present companion.

"System, I want to know if I can take out these orcs," Michael inquired quietly, not wanting to draw any attention to himself as he walked.

In response, the system's voice echoed in his mind, providing a potential solution to his query.

[The host should spend two million points to unlock the "Eyes of Darkness" ability, allowing you to perceive the cultivation stages of beings in the realm of gods.]

Without hesitation, Michael made his decision. "Upgrade the skill," he commanded, fully aware that it was a crucial investment.

Almost immediately, a sharp, searing pain seared through his eyes, a signal of the skill enhancement process.

[The Eyes of Darkness have been upgraded. The host can now discern the energy radiation emitted by cultivators in the realm of gods. Weaker foes will display green energy radiation, while those on par with the host will radiate yellow energy. Any adversaries stronger than the host will emit red energy radiation]

With this newfound ability, Michael was armed with a unique advantage that could greatly influence the course of events to come.

[Why did you choose to upgrade the skill without considering the points?] the system queried, puzzled by Michael's seemingly impulsive decision.

Michael's response was lighthearted but cryptic. "You'll see," he chuckled to himself, not divulging his full plan to the system.

As they reached the hall where he had first encountered the elf, Michael activated his newly enhanced Eyes of Darkness. Immediately, he noticed a distinct green aura enveloping the orcs around him.

[The Eyes of Darkness gauge the energy radiation of adversaries by comparing it to the host's energy levels when not using godly powers. Should the host opt to employ his godly abilities, the Eyes of Darkness will recalibrate accordingly.]

With this ability active, Michael felt more confident than ever in assessing the potential threats that surrounded him.

If Michael had possessed any other weapons, the orcs would have exhibited yellow energy radiation. However, due to his godly raw strength and the dark swords in his possession, Michael had the upper hand, despite lacking a cultivation stage in this world. Moreover, these orcs were merely at the Qi Awakening Realm, the second stage of cultivation.

As they neared the exit, the orc escorting Michael forcefully pushed him.

"Get out human,"

Reacting swiftly, Michael seized a nearby chair and wedged it under the door handle, effectively barring the exit.

The orc, baffled by this sudden turn of events, growled at Michael, demanding an explanation.

"It's game time," Then, Vedora, the three-headed serpent perched on Michael's shoulder, spoke, surprising the orc and catching him off guard.

Michael remained remarkably composed, despite the circumstances. He inquired calmly, "Shall we start again?"

The orc, growing increasingly agitated, reached out to grasp Michael's throat. In a rapid and well-coordinated move, Michael retaliated by delivering a powerful kick to the orc's groin while simultaneously striking the orc in the throat, preventing him from making any noise.

Other orcs, witnessing this unexpected turn of events, were startled. Before they could react and rush towards Michael, he had already seized the orc he had incapacitated, addressing the others in a composed tone.

"Let's avoid a fight. It's better if we worked together," he suggested calmly while dragging the incapacitated orc toward the group.

Michael dragged the subdued orc toward the center of the hall. Halfway there, he seized a chair, balancing it in his other hand, and positioned it in the middle of the room. The orcs, their expressions growing increasingly hostile, emitted low growls and uttered menacing threats.

As Michael calmly settled into the chair, crossing one leg over the other, he maintained his composure in the face of their aggression. The orcs encircled him, their demeanor increasingly hostile.

"Who do you think you are, human?" one of the orcs sneered, baring his sharp teeth.

"Yeah, you've got some nerve walking in here like you own the place," another orc chimed in, cracking his knuckles ominously.

Michael met their hostile gazes with an air of confidence, exuding an aura that suggested he was not to be underestimated.

"You guys said I'm a hero, didn't you? Well, you've got it all wrong. I'm the villain in this tale, and I'm about to clean this place out," Michael declared with a sinister chuckle, leaving the orcs utterly stunned.

"You can relax and get your cut, or you can piss me off. If you do, I'll rob this place clean, and you'll take the fall," Michael laughed with a sinister tone, reveling in his newfound villainy.