Hitman with a Badass System
chapter-1293

After Gaya ended the call, Michael found himself in a state of relative peace, or at least he savored the momentary calm. As the metal armor pieces and ingots melted, Michael took out the mold for his new armor and unsheathed his dark swords. Using the swords, he carefully carved the metal mold into the shape of his armor according to the schematics.

As the furnace roared and the ingots dissolved into a glowing molten stream, Michael prepared the rest of his equipment, a smirk playing on his lips at the prospect of crafting something new, something deadly. He wiped the sweat from his brow and muttered under his breath.

"Let's make this fucker unstoppable."

He lined up the detailed schematics next to the mold, each line and curve a blueprint for destruction. The mold itself was a masterpiece of engineering, designed to interlock perfectly once the metal set. Michael knew the importance of precision here as even a millimeter off could mean a chink in his armor, quite literally.

Grabbing his tools, he worked meticulously, adjusting the edges of the mold with his dark swords. The blades, infused with dark flames, made smooth cuts through the metal, shaping it with more finesse than any regular tool could. "Damn, you'd think after all these years, I'd get tired of this shit. But here I am, forging another armor like I'm the fucking Iron man," he chuckled to himself, enjoying the manual part of this process as much as the battles it prepared him for.

The furnace signaled readiness, its contents now a seething pool of liquid metal that shimmered with potential. Michael donned his thick, heat-resistant gloves and face shield.

"All right, let's pour this out," he murmured, positioning the large crucible over the mold. The air filled with the acrid scent of heated metal as he carefully tilted the container, guiding the molten metal into the mold. It filled every cavity with a satisfying sizzle, the red-hot liquid finding its new form.

As he watched the metal settle into the intricacies of the mold, Michael leaned back, wiping the sweat from his forehead again. "Let's make something that can hold up against whatever fucked up thing the universe throws at me," he mused aloud, his eyes never leaving the bright, liquid fire that slowly turned into the next layer of his defense.

"And if I do this right, this new set won't just protect me, but it'll scare the shit out of anyone who dares to come close. Just gotta make sure this metal sets right," he continued, almost in a trance, captivated by the transformation from liquid to solid, from raw to refined.

Michael reached into the system storage, pulling out the Eye of Secrecy rune that glowed ominously on a chunk of metal. He held it up, examining the eerie light that seemed to pulse with a life of its own. "Now, the real magic begins," he muttered, contemplating how best to integrate the rune into his new armor.

"This little beauty will keep me off everyone's radar, as long as I keep knocking gods off their thrones," he chuckled, turning the rune over in his hands. The liquid metal in the mold had begun to cool and refine, taking shape into what would soon be his new battle armor. "Alright, you're going to be more than just a piece of metal. Let's make you a real nightmare," he said, carefully placing the rune onto the partially solidified chest plate, ensuring it melded perfectly into the core of the armor.

As the rune settled into its new home, Michael started musing about the properties of the Shadowforged ingots he was using. "These ingots will make the armor lighter and stronger. Sure, dark ore is tough as hell, but damn, that old armor was heavy. Slowed me down more than I'd like to admit. This new set needs to be quick, agile and light,"

Next, he turned his attention to the tactical integrations of the armor, specifically the APD. He pulled up a schematic on a screen nearby, talking through his thoughts. "Last time, the dispenser was a lifesaver, but it could be smarter, more intuitive." He sketched a quick revision that would allow the dispenser to react not just to his commands but also to environmental triggers. "If I'm taking a beating, I want it to hit me with a health boost without me having to think about it," he mused aloud.

"And for the palms, the old poison spray was slick, but let's up the game. Maybe add a flame thrower, or ooh, a corrosive mist to melt off faces?" Michael grinned at his own dark humor, enjoying the process of adding lethal functionalities to his gear. "Let's see... for the flame thrower, I'll need a miniaturized fuel chamber, maybe here, in the forearm. The sprayer could use a dual nozzle design for quick switch between poison and fire."

He continued to brainstorm, laying out potential upgrades and mechanisms, each idea more ambitious than the last. "Integration's going to be a bitch, but damn, it'll be worth it. Nothing says 'back the fuck off' like a bit of fire and poison in your face."

Michael glanced over at the cape cloth and the armor kit that lay disassembled on another table. The metallic wings, once a proud feature of his ensemble, were now bent and torn, casualties of Raphael's ruthless metal manipulation during their last encounter. Beside them, his hood and skull mask looked less formidable without their usual intimidating setup.

"Damn, Raphael really did a number on these," Michael muttered, picking up a piece of the mangled wings. "This time, I need something that no asshole can just twist and break." His mind raced through various alternatives, dismissing one after another as too conventional or vulnerable to the same manipulation.

He rubbed his chin, thinking about materials that could offer resilience and flexibility without being susceptible to typical manipulative powers. "Maybe no metal this time... what about organic substances? Like, what if I used ancient beast scales or some shit? Those things are tough as hell." He paced around, warming to the idea. "Ancient beast armor could be the ticket. Risky as hell to get, but worth it if it means Raphael's tricks bounce right off." Michael's eyes narrowed as he visualized the design, the scales interlocking like a flexible, impenetrable shield.

"But for now, let's stick with the cloth," he decided, setting aside the ambitious project for a future date when he could secure the exotic materials needed.

Turning his attention to the skull mask, Michael picked it up, its hollow eyes seeming to stare back at him. "Alright, you're up for an upgrade too, buddy." He already had an air purifier and an underwater breathing kit integrated into the mask, but it was time to add more utility.

"Let's throw in some new tricks. How about a gas ejector? Nothing fancy, just enough to surprise someone who gets too close." Michael chuckled at the thought, enjoying the idea of his enemies recoiling from an unexpected blast of noxious fumes.

Then he pulled up diagrams and notes, sketching out where a compact gas canister could be integrated without compromising the mask's fit or function. "Gotta keep it sleek, though. No use having a gas mask if it looks like a damn bulky snorkel."

Michael's workshop hummed with the energy of creativity and cursing as he laid out the plans for his upgraded gear. The prospect of enhancing his defense with a blend of magic and high-tech gadgetry fueled his resolve for the battles to come. "This is gonna be badass," he muttered with a grin, already anticipating the shocked faces of his foes.

The metal began to settle within the mold, the glowing red-hot liquid cooling to a dull, steely gray. Michael peered into the mold, inspecting the newly formed armor. "Not too shabby for a day's work, but this needs more before it's battle-ready."

Picking up a file, he began to smooth out the edges and joints. "Gotta make sure every piece fits like a damn glove. Can't have any shit snagging in the middle of a fight." Sparks flew as he worked, each stroke refining the armor's brutal aesthetic. As he worked, his mind raced with additional enhancements. "This armor needs to be more than tough, it needs to scare the living hell out of anyone who dares come close," He thought about the red linings he could add to the black armor. "Yeah, some slick red lines might give it a nice, menacing glow... like it's thirsty for some action."

Michael then recalled the fear toxin dispersal system from his previous armor. "That toxin was good, but it's time to crank that shit up. More range, more potency, let's make them piss their pants before they even get close." He jotted down notes for a more efficient delivery system, envisioning tiny, almost invisible nozzles integrated seamlessly into the armor's design.

"This isn't just armor, it's psychological warfare."

He placed the schematics for the toxin system next to the armor, planning the integration points. "Gotta make sure this stuff is undetectable until it's too late for the poor bastards facing me." Michael stepped back, admiring the raw form of the armor inside the mold. "With these upgrades, this armor won't just protect me but it'll be a weapon in its own right." He grinned, already anticipating his enemies' terror as he envisioned himself cloaked in his new, menacing suit, Dark Armor 2.0.