Hitman with a Badass System
chapter-1306

As the Celestial Cannon powered up, the skyhall angels scattered in fear, desperate to escape the beam's deadly path.

"Get the fuck out of the way!" one angel screamed, his wings flapping frantically as he darted away.

"Shit, shit, shit! We're all gonna die!" another angel yelled, eyes wide with panic as he tried to put as much distance as possible between himself and the cannon.

"Move your asses! That thing's gonna obliterate everything!" a third angel shouted, shoving others aside in his haste to flee.

The crew aboard the ships floating under the cannon's point also panicked, knowing their vessels were doomed.

"Goddamn it, we're sitting ducks here!" a sailor bellowed, gripping the rail as he looked up in terror.

"There's no way we can get out of the way in time! We're fucking dead!" another crew member cried, his face pale with fear.

The ominous hum of the cannon grew louder and louder, a harbinger of the destruction it was about to unleash. Michael snickered, confident in his ability to use shadow teleportation to escape, a skill that had become invaluable since the world plunged into darkness. However, he couldn't simply teleport away and let the cannon fire on his floating mountain and castle. The mountain was a cherished gift from Eve's family, an extension of Eve's legacy, and he wasn't about to let it be destroyed.

Michael flew away at incredible speed, drawing the cannon's pointy end with him. The colossal weapon ominously growled as it tracked his movements, its deadly tip following him as he led it away from his precious stronghold.

Meanwhile, the Celestial Cannon continued to power up, the lines around it glowing brighter and brighter as it charged. Inside Ganeria, Elder Tarsus strategically positioned his ship next to the cannon's side, watching intently. His patience frayed, he barked orders at the cannon operators, his frustration boiling over.

"What's taking so fucking long? Get that thing charged now!" Tarsus yelled, his voice echoing through the command hub.

"We don't have all day! Fire it already!" he shouted, pacing back and forth with mounting impatience.

The people in the command hub exchanged uneasy glances, aware of the immense power of the Celestial Cannon. They murmured among themselves, their faces etched with concern.

"If that thing fires, our ships might be caught in the blast," one whispered, a worried frown creasing his brow.

"Yeah, and the crew on board, not to mention some of the demons, could turn to dust," another added, his voice low and tense.

"We're too damn close," a third muttered, nervously glancing at the cannon's glowing lines.

Amidst the murmurs, the elf, displaying rare courage, stepped forward to confront Elder Tarsus. "Elder Tarsus, this is a bad idea. The cannon's blast could obliterate our own forces. We need to reconsider this plan," he stated firmly only to get grabbed by Elder Tarsus by his collar.

"You useless elf! Always doubting, always whining. Your elven kind are either cowards or traitors!" The elder said, shaking him violently. "We can't back off now! If we don't take out the Dark Lord, there won't be a Skyhall left to protect this world that's gone to shit!" The elf struggled to maintain his composure as Tarsus continued.

"Elder, the Celestial Cannon will fire in fifty seconds." A halfling in the ship meekly spoke up.

Outside, the battlefield was a chaotic mess, with lightning bolts still striking and ships burning in the ocean. Demons continued to hurl gunpowder barrels and fire cannons at Michael, who deftly evaded and countered their attacks.

"Elder, this is madness," the elf said, trying to regain his composure. "The cannon's blast could obliterate everything in its path, including our own forces. This is a losing battle. The Dark Lord doesn't play by our rules. Even if we overwhelm him, he'll just teleport or retreat to the realm of gods and come back stronger. We need to be smarter about this!"

"We can't take any fucking chances! Anyone who has a problem with my plan can jump out of my ship right now!" Tarsus pushed the elf aside with a snarl. The crew members exchanged uneasy glances, the tension in the command hub thickening. Outside, the demons and angels continued their desperate battle against the Dark Lord, their efforts seemingly futile against his overwhelming power. "Twenty seconds!" the halfling announced, his voice trembling with anxiety.

Outside, the Celestial Cannon began to tremble slightly as its tip glowed a golden orange, the energy building up and radiating intense heat. The demons, ruthless in their strategies, knew they had to keep the Dark Lord in place for the beam to hit him. Without a second thought, two two-horned demons lunged at Michael, trying to grab and hold him still in mid-air, even if it meant their own obliteration.

But catching the Dark Lord was no easy task. Michael evaded their grasp with fluid precision. Realizing their initial plan wasn't enough, the demons quickly adjusted. They flew in every direction, forming a circle around Michael. Then, in a coordinated effort, they fired their makeshift cannons inward, creating a deadly net of fire that forced Michael to stay within their formation, making him a more stationary target for the Celestial Cannon.

Inside Ganeria, the crew watched in shock at the demons' cunning strategy.

"Holy shit, they're smart fuckers," one crew member exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief.

"They're actually trying to pin him down for the cannon," another murmured, a mix of awe and horror in his voice.

"Fucking hell, they're sacrificing themselves to make sure we hit him," a third added, shaking his head in disbelief.

Finally, when the timer the halfling saw in the mirror hit zero, the Celestial Cannon outside trembled. A bright, intense beam of energy shot out from the cannon, lighting up the darkened sky. The air around it heated up instantly, causing a wave of scorching heat and violent tremors that shook everything in its path. The booming sound was deafening, resonating across the battlefield.

"Fire now!" Elder Tarsus roared.

The beam targeted the circle where the Dark Lord was caged by the cannonballs. The light was so blinding that no one could keep their eyes open, illuminating the entire dark ocean in a strange red hue.

"Holy fuck, what is that?" a burly dwarf with a braided beard exclaimed, shielding his eyes from the intense light.

"It's gonna vaporize everything!" a pale-skinned elf with silver hair yelled.

"We're gonna be fucking dust!" a human with scars across his face shouted.

The floating airships caught in the beam's path turned into ashes in seconds. The unlucky angels and demons who were within the heat radius crumbled to nothing, their bodies disintegrating almost instantly. The beam continued its destructive path, obliterating everything in its way and shooting straight into the raging dark ocean below.

The water beneath the beam boiled and hissed violently, sending up massive clouds of steam. Huge waves erupted from the point of impact, crashing into the surrounding ships and causing chaos in the already tumultuous sea.

Elder Tarsus watched with a mix of anticipation and dread as the devastating power of the Celestial Cannon was unleashed, hoping against hope that this would be enough to finally bring down the Dark Lord. As the beam died down, the intense light faded, and the crew slowly opened their eyes, squinting at the sky where the Dark Lord had been. Inside Ganeria, the air was thick with tension and anticipation.

"Did we get him?" a dwarf muttered, his voice trembling with uncertainty.

"Is he finally dead?" an elf asked, barely daring to believe it.

"Could it be over?" a human with a scarred face whispered, hope flickering in his eyes.

Outside, the demons who had their skin scorched by the heat slowly began to heal, their charred flesh regenerating rapidly. The Skyhall angels, who had managed to stay outside the range of the cannon's fire, scanned the sky, looking for any sign of the Dark Lord. But he was nowhere to be seen.

For a moment, it seemed like the battle might finally be over. The sense of relief was almost palpable among the crew and the remaining forces.

But then, a halfling looked through the window and felt a chill run down his spine. His eyes widened in terror as he saw the Dark Lord casually standing atop the Celestial Cannon, which now lay horizontal after firing.

"He's on the cannon!" the halfling screamed, pointing his finger out the window. The crew inside Ganeria turned their gaze to the cannon, their faces draining of color as they realized the Dark Lord was still very much alive.

Elder Tarsus's jaw dropped as he stared at the Dark Lord standing casually atop the Celestial Cannon, seemingly without a scratch. He struggled to comprehend how Michael had escaped the devastating beam unscathed.

"It's teleportation, plain and simple." The elf beside him snickered. Elder Tarsus's face twisted with rage. He stared at the Dark Lord, who defiantly raised his middle finger in the direction of Ganeria, fully aware they could see him. The gesture only fueled Tarsus's anger further.

Suddenly, the elder realized he could still have the final laugh. His eyes shifted to the floating mountain and the dark castle.

"Order the Celestial Cannon to fire at his mountain!" Tarsus barked, his voice filled with venom. "Blast that fucking place to hell!" The minions scrambled to comply, the urgency of their task clear as they moved to redirect the cannon's aim.