Hitman with a Badass System
chapter-1233

As Silvaris, now revealed to be Valorix, the god of thieves, slowly rose to his feet, his body mended itself before their very eyes. Then, he chuckled devilishly as the sound echoed through the brightly lit throne hall. The hole in his head, a wound that would have been fatal to any mortal, closed up seamlessly as he tilted his head, eyeing Michael with a mix of amusement and challenge.

"Well, that was a cheap shot, wasn't it?" Valorix taunted, wiping away the last trace of blood as if it were nothing more than an inconvenience. "Why can't you, the god of darkness, have a good old fight like mortals? No one appreciates the classics anymore."

Standing firm before Gaya, Michael remained the epitome of calm amidst the chaos. His expression was unreadable, betraying no hint of concern over Valorix's recovery. With three billion badass points refunded due to Marli's death at the hands of the minotaur before the system could decode the grimoire on how to kill her, Michael was more than prepared for this confrontation.

"Classics, you say?" Michael's voice was cool, almost detached.

"I find it amusing that you, of all gods, would go for the simplicity of mortal combat. But then again, underestimating your foes seems to be a classic mistake."

Meanwhile, Gaya stood slightly behind Michael and watched the exchange with a wary eye. Valorix straightened, his smile fading into a smirk. "Underestimating? No, I merely enjoy the game. And what's a game without a little... unpredictability?"

Hearing Valorix, Gaya couldn't help but snicker as her voice was laced with amusement and a hint of mockery. "Oh, Silvaris—or should I say, Valorix?—hiding behind another name and now preaching about the classics? You've spent this entire time urging us to think like thieves, and suddenly you want a head-on fight? How... thief-like of you."

Unfazed by the jab, Valorix just merely chuckled in response. Then, with a casual flick of his wrist, a suit of golden armor materialized out of thin air, wrapping around him in a display of godly power. Moments later, a long halberd appeared, landing smoothly in his grasp. "This," he declared, the smirk evident in his tone, "is the armor I pilfered from Luxor, the God of Wealth. Fitting, don't you think?"

As Valorix swung his halberd with practiced ease, Pink's voice suddenly crackled through Michael and Gaya's earpieces. "Heads up, you two. Just dug up something interesting. Valorix used to be a Level 4 Prime God but got knocked down a peg to Level 3 Greater God after tripping into one of Dagon's nasty traps about five millennia ago."

Michael and Gaya listened calmly to Pink's revelation, processing the strategic advantage it presented. "With the summoning bell we snagged from Elrion, we can call forth Valorix's avatar to fight alongside us." Gaya's voice vibrated with excitement.

She was aware that even though the avatar would manifest as a Level 2 Demigod when combined with Michael's prowess as a Greater God, they could beat the hell out of Valorix any day. However, Gaya did not dare to underestimate the God of Thieves.

"But let's not kid ourselves," she cautioned, her tone serious despite the adrenaline. "This asshole will likely has more tricks up his sleeve than there are grains in a sack of rice."

On the other hand, Silvaris, now fully embracing his identity as Valorix, held the halberd in one hand and with a swift flick of his other wrist, a bell eerily similar to the one Michael and Gaya had acquired from Elrion appeared in his grasp. With a taunting smile, he boasted, "This little beauty? Liberated it from Morbus, the God of Plagues. It can summon plague maidens, creatures you'd rather not have as adversaries."

Gaya, puzzled and wary, couldn't help but ask, "Plague maidens? What the hell are those?"

Valorix chuckled, the sound ominous in the growing darkness. "Ah, something you definitely don't want to find yourselves up against," he corrected, his tone laced with foreboding.

Without another word, he rang the bell. The brightly lit throne hall dimmed, the lights flickering erratically, as if the very essence of the place was being consumed by shadow. From the ground, ethereal figures emerged, veiled in dark cloaks, each holding a lantern emitting a sickly green glow, attached to long staves. Michael and Gaya could just make out their wrinkled skin and yellowish teeth beneath the hoods of their cloaks.

Then, in unison, the plague maidens let out a roar, a sound so horrifying that the walls of the hall seemed to tremble in response. "God I hate these fucking things already," Gaya, her nerves frayed by the sudden cacophony, exclaimed.

As the echoes of their roar faded, Valorix looked on with a twisted sense of satisfaction. "Quite unpleasant, wouldn't you agree?" he remarked, clearly pleased with the discomfort and chaos his summoned allies had caused.

After the plague maidens appeared, Michael wasted no time. He quickly activated his Eyes of Darkness to see a yellow aura surrounding Valorix. This made sense given that both he and Valorix were at the Greater God level. But what surprised Michael wasn't just the aura around Valorix; it was the similar yellow aura he spotted around the plague maidens. They weren't gods, merely beings summoned by Valorix, yet their aura suggested they possessed the power to fight a Level 3 God toe-to-toe. This revelation hinted at the dangerous potential these entities held, even if they were not gods themselves.

Observing the unfolding scenario with a mix of curiosity and defiance, Gaya couldn't help but snicker.

"Is that your best shot, Valorix, or you got more party tricks up your sleeve?"

Valorix, unfazed, let out a chuckle, the sound echoing ominously through the hall. "One should never lay all their cards on the table at the outset," he replied, his tone laced with amusement and a hint of menace. "Especially not when the game has just begun."

As Valorix was flaunting his stolen goods, Gaya frowned, her thoughts drifting to the adventurers who should have already arrived at the castle by now. The delay was unsettling, hinting at a sinister turn of events she hadn't anticipated.

Sensing her unease, Michael turned his gaze to Valorix, his voice calm but laden with an underlying threat. "What are you planning for the others, Valorix?" he asked.

Before Valorix could respond, Gaya, with a snicker, chimed in, "Something fucked up, no doubt." Her eyes darted to Jin, who was still suspended from his wrists above Valorix, a living testament to the god of thieves' cruelty.

Valorix laughed, the sound chilling. "Let's just say they're not here for a tea party. More like lambs in a slaughterhouse," he quipped, reveling in the discomfort his words caused.

Michael glanced over his shoulder at Gaya as he decided to let Gaya go and check the whereabouts of the others.

"Go look for them," he instructed. If Valorix's machinations with the adventurers went unchecked, it could spell disaster. Not only would it potentially strengthen Valorix, making him even more powerful, but it could also result in untold carnage.

Gaya understood the gravity of her task. Nodding, she began to back away towards the castle door, her resolve firm. They needed to thwart Valorix's plans, not just to save the adventurers but to prevent the god of thieves from gaining more power.

As she moved to leave, Valorix's snicker filled the air, mocking. "Always sending your wife to clean up your messes, eh,?" he taunted, his words dripping with scorn.

After Gaya left the throne hall, Valorix cracked his neck and smirked at Michael. "Since you're not up for a fair fight, I guess it's only right if I make it a bit more... crowded for you," he quipped, the menace in his voice thinly veiled.

"Come at me then. Let's see what you've got." Michael taunted back.

In response, Valorix raised his halberd, pointing it directly at Michael. The plague maidens reacted to his command with a piercing scream, teleporting instantly around Michael, ready to strike.

With no time to waste, Michael cast the Ring of Flames. Dark flames erupted from the ground, encircling him in a protective barrier that shot outwards, burning the plague maidens into gray dust. However, the victory was short-lived.

As the dust settled, the plague maidens reformed from the ashes, their figures reconstituting as if untouched by the flames. Valorix chuckled, the sound echoing mockingly around the hall. "You can kill them, but you can't keep them dead," he taunted, his amusement clear at Michael's temporary confusion.

If the plague maidens weren't enough of a challenge, Valorix, with a smirk, rang the bell in his hand once more, summoning an additional wave of plague maidens to surround Michael. The air thickened with a sense of impending doom as the numbers swelled against the god of darkness.

"I can do this all day," Michael retorted as dark flames raged around him.

"I know," Valorix replied with amusement. Then, he rang the bell a third time, and as the sound echoed through the hall, the bell itself faded away after fulfilling its purpose.

Michael's dark flames continued to burn through the plague maidens, reducing them to dust only for them to rise again. With each cycle, the air around him darkened further, taking on a foul stench that seemed to sap the very life from the room.

"Ever wonder why they're called 'plague maidens'? Even the weakest of gods fear them," he taunted, his eyes gleaming with malice. "It's not just about killing. it's about corrupting, decaying, everything they touch." he said before taking a step toward Michael.

"I might not be able to kill you permanently, but I can damn well trap your soul. Consider this castle your eternal tomb," ************************