Hitman with a Badass System
chapter-1292

With a deep breath, Michael removed the medallion containing his armor and hung it on the table. He gently touched the medallion, and as the armor began to emerge, it creaked and groaned under the strain of recent damages. As the armor slowly unfolded from its compact form, Michael grabbed a heavy sledgehammer, its head engraved with runes. Gripping the handle tightly, the recent events flashed across his mind.

"I played right into Andohr's hands," Michael growled, his frustration palpable. He couldn't believe everything that had happened. Michael wouldn't have returned to the mortal realm and fallen into Andohr's trap if Noah hadn't killed Eve. In this situation, Noah played a significant role in Michael's downfall.

"Fuck," Michael muttered as he swung the hammer, bringing it down on his armor. The armor and sledgehammer collided, creating a loud bang and shockwave. The runes on the hammer glowed brightly as the armor slightly cracked. Michael had bought this rune-engraved sledgehammer from the system specifically for dismantling the armors and items he forged.

As Michael swung the hammer again, the armor cracked further under the relentless assault. The battered armor became an outlet for Michael's pent-up anger and emotions. He struck the armor once more, and then again and again, each time with increasing force and speed.

Under the relentless attack, the armor finally shattered into pieces on the table. Michael stood there, his body drenched in sweat, looking at the destroyed pieces of armor.

"Calm down, Michael…" he said to himself, taking a few deep breaths. He then picked up the broken pieces and went to fetch an iron bucket. He tossed the pieces into one bucket and the Shadowforged ingots into another, preparing to melt them.

This forging process strangely calmed his mind as he hung the buckets above the fire and injected dark flames into the tubes. As he stared at the melting pieces and ingots, he felt the earpiece in his ear vibrate.

He frowned as he activated the earpiece with a mere thought, only to hear Pink's voice. Since Pink was in another realm, the connection shouldn't have been possible, yet somehow Pink managed to contact him.

"Pink, how in the hell did you manage to call me?" Michael asked, his turmoil momentarily forgotten.

"Well, first, you underestimate me, mate. Second, I found a blueprint for an earpiece enhancement while I was cleaning up this underground base with Vedora and Gaya," Pink explained.

"Gaya?" Michael frowned as he recalled Gaya's last task. The last time he saw her, she had been adamant about rescuing the beasts and monsters caged by the Iron Hands in various branches throughout Sagespire. She wanted to prove to herself that she could be the Goddess of Monsters that the creatures deserved.

"What is she doing there?" Michael asked, surprised by the revelation. Gaya was supposed to be in Sagespire, but their current base of operation was in the Verdant Forest, which was under the domain of the Goddess of Nature, Flora. Although Michael knew Gaya had the portable portal he gave her before departing from her side, he now had a bad feeling that Gaya wouldn't be at the base unless something had gone wrong.

"Human, where the fuck are you?" Suddenly, Gaya's voice burst into his head as she snatched the modified earpiece from Pink and spoke to Michael.

"I'm in Aurumvale," Michael lied, not wanting Gaya to worry—only then realizing the huge loophole in his statement.

"Don't lie to me, fucker. I know you're in the mortal realm. We wouldn't have had to modify the earpiece if you were in the realm of gods, would we?" Gaya retorted sharply.

Michael was speechless for a moment after being caught by Gaya.

"What the fuck did you do? The entire Sagespire is in chaos, and I bet the other domains must be too. The sun flickering, the Agra worshippers running havoc outside the city, and rumors of Andohr's return to the pantheon. What the fuck happened out there?" Gaya fired her questions one after another.

"Well, it's a long story," Michael began, hesitant to divulge the full details about Eve. The last thing he needed was for Gaya to become enraged. While he could control his emotions and anger, she was not known for her patience. The moment she learned about Eve's death, she would likely storm the mortal realm, wreaking havoc in her path and going berserk on the Skyhall. But Michael needed her in the realm of gods to keep him updated on the unfolding events there, which seemed increasingly chaotic.

"Tell me, I have all the time in the world because Seshat personally sent me here. She thinks I'm not safe within her own damn domain. Even she, the cryptic goddess, said it's not safe, and that's when I knew you really messed up," Gaya growled, her voice a mix of concern and anger.

"Long story short, I learned Harry is in danger from the Skyhall, so I came here to deal with it. One thing led to another, and I ended up killing Noah," Michael said, deliberately omitting many details.

"You killed Noah? Just like that?" Gaya couldn't believe what she heard.

"Okay, give me some time to process this because your story has more holes than swiss cheese," Gaya said, clearly skeptical of the sparse explanation.

"I knew things would go to hell one day because of Harry and Lailah, and now it finally has. I can tell you've been strangely evasive. When you hide things like this, it's usually because something really fucked up has happened. Is everyone there alright? Did someone die?" Gaya's voice was thick with frustration as she growled,

Michael hesitated, not daring to reveal the full extent of the situation. "Everyone's alright," he lied, keeping his tone as steady as possible.

"You're right, I'm holding back a few things, but I'll tell you everything when the time is right."

Through the ensuing silence, he could sense Gaya's skepticism, but he needed to keep her calm because he couldn't afford to make another mistake.

"But tell me, what's happening out there? Did Seshat tell you something else?" Michael quickly changed the topic before Gaya could probe further, shifting the focus to the situation in the realm of gods.

"She looked really worried. She didn't have the usual smile on her face, and she was very direct, which gives me the creeps. She didn't divulge many details, but she did say it's not safe for me to stay here in Sagespire because Andohr is back and he's lost his mind with anger. She also told me the realms are about to change forever and that you and I will be at the center of it," Gaya replied with a serious tone.

"Luckily, I managed to break out most of the monsters and beasts in Sagespire. Without Borgin, the beast tamers are running around like chickens without heads. The internal politics to see who would be the next clan leader made them weak, which worked in my favor. But I think the beast tamers are the least of our worries when we have Andohr to deal with," Gaya growled.

"When are you coming back? And if you're not coming back soon, what the fuck are you still planning to do?" Gaya pressed.

Michael paused for a few seconds, grappling with the weight of his secrets. He knew he couldn't reveal what happened to Eve, but also recognized that Gaya would definitely probe for answers and might suspect something terrible had occurred if he kept evading. Deciding to be forthright about his plans, he dropped the bombshell.

"I'm going to end something I should have ended a long time ago."

"What is it?" Gaya's interest was immediately piqued, and her voice sharpened with curiosity.

Taking a deep breath, Michael broke the silence that had enveloped them, revealing his daunting plan. "I'm going to wipe out the Skyhall once and for all."

The moment Gaya heard him, disbelief mingled with exhilaration surged through her. The Skyhall had been a persistent thorn in their side, and the mere thought of destroying them completely sent a thrill of excitement coursing through her.

"Hell yes! Let me come and help you smash them to bits! When do we start?" Gaya responded with instant eagerness, her voice brimming with excitement.

"I need you to stay in the realm of gods and keep me updated. That's the most important thing right now," Michael replied firmly, recognizing the strategic importance of her role over her presence in battle.

"Come on, human! I want to be in the thick of it, not just sitting back here watching! Let me come with you and kick some ass!" Gaya protested as her voice tinged with disappointment and a stubborn will to fight alongside him. But, Michael was resolute in his decision. "Listen, Gaya, I know you want to fight, but you being there to monitor things is crucial. We don't know what Andohr or the others might pull next. Your eyes there are more valuable than you swinging on the front lines," he explained, hoping to convey the strategic necessity of her role.

"This fucking sucks, you know that, right? But fine, I'll do this for you, but you better keep your ass safe, or I'll come there and drag you back myself," Gaya grumbled, clearly unhappy yet acquiescing to the logic of his strategy.

"That's a promise. I'll keep you posted every step of the way," Michael assured her, a slight smile breaking through as he appreciated her fierce loyalty and protective nature. Finally, once she cut the communication, Michael returned his focus to the melting ingots and the armor. With a deep sigh, he grabbed the silver hammer, pulled out the schematics for the new armor on the table, and prepared to forge the Dark Armor version 2.0.