Hitman with a Badass System
chapter-1337

1337 The Doombringer's Destruction

Michael surged forward, his Lightning Dash propelling him towards Malevolous in a blur of motion. Black lightning crackled in his wake, scorching the already devastated landscape.

As he closed in on the dragon, Michael swung the Doombringer in a wide arc. The hammer connected with Malevolous's scales with a resounding crack, frost energy exploding outward from the point of impact. Ice crystals formed instantly, creeping along the dragon's hide.

"How's that for a cool down?" Michael taunted, already moving for his next strike.

Malevolous roared, his echolocation pinpointing Michael's location. The dragon's tail whipped through the air, but Michael was ready. He ducked under the attack, the tail passing harmlessly overhead.

Seizing the opportunity, Michael brought the Doombringer down on one of Malevolous's legs. The impact sent shockwaves through the dragon's massive form, ice spreading rapidly from the point of contact. Malevolous's leg stiffened, mobility compromised by the creeping frost.

The dragon snapped its jaws, guided by sound rather than sight. Michael leapt upward, using the Doombringer's momentum to vault over Malevolous's head. As he sailed over, he brought the hammer down on the dragon's skull.

Frost exploded outward, encasing parts of Malevolous's head in a thick layer of ice. The dragon thrashed, trying to shake off the debilitating cold.

Michael didn't let up. He dashed around Malevolous, striking at vulnerable points - joints, wing membranes, the softer scales of the underbelly. Each hit from the Doombringer left a spreading patch of ice, slowly but surely restricting the dragon's movements.

Malevolous fought back fiercely, claws slashing through the air, tail lashing out, jaws snapping. But Michael's smaller size and superior agility, combined with the dragon's compromised vision, gave him the edge. He wove between attacks, always striking, always moving.

"What's wrong? Feeling a bit stiff?" Michael quipped as he landed another devastating blow, this time to Malevolous's flank.

As the battle raged on, Michael's keen analytical mind kicked into high gear. He began to notice a distinct pattern in Malevolous's attacks. With its dragon breath exhausted and Michael moving too swiftly for spell casting, the beast had resorted to brute force tactics.

"Well, well, what have we here?" Michael muttered to himself, a plan forming in his mind.

He observed that every fifth attack, like clockwork, Malevolous would open its massive jaws wide, attempting to snap Michael up in one devastating bite. Thanks to his Silenest spell and Lightning Dash, Michael had managed to avoid these potentially fatal chomps. He shuddered to think what those jaws could do to him, even with his godly body and enhanced armor.

"Predictable, aren't you, big guy?" Michael smirked, now easily sidestepping the jaw attacks he knew were coming.

As he ducked under another massive bite attempt, an idea struck Michael like a bolt of lightning. His eyes gleamed with a mix of anticipation and mischief.

"Time to turn your strength against you, lizard," he whispered, readying himself for the next cycle of attacks.

Michael continued his assault, striking with the Doombringer and dodging retaliatory swipes and tail lashes. All the while, he counted in his head, waiting for that fifth attack. As Malevolous's jaws began to open once more, right on schedule, Michael's grin widened.

"Open wide, scales-for-brains. This is gonna hurt you a lot more than it hurts me."

As Malevolous's jaws gaped wide, ready to snap shut on its prey, Michael saw his opportunity. With lightning-fast reflexes, he activated the ancient ice core within the Doombringer to its full, devastating potential.

"Here's a little snack for you!" Michael shouted, hurling the war hammer directly into the dragon's maw.

The weapon sailed through the air, its icy aura intensifying as it disappeared down Malevolous's throat. Michael knew the handle might not survive the dragon's internal heat and acidity, but the hammer's head and its precious cargo - the ancient ice core - would remain intact.

"Hope you've got a strong stomach," Michael taunted, bracing himself for what was to come.

His true plan was now in motion. The ancient ice core, destabilized and primed to detonate, would explode within the dragon's belly, freezing it from the inside out. It was a necessary sacrifice of his weapon, but Michael had already decided it was time for an upgrade anyway.

As Malevolous's eyes widened in surprise and pain, realizing too late the trap it had fallen into, Michael prepared for the final phase of his plan. Once the dragon was immobilized by the internal frost, he would rip out its heart, ending the life of this ancient beast by his own hand.

"Time to put you on ice, permanently," Michael growled, his eyes fixed on the dragon's chest, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

As the Doombringer slid down Malevolous's massive throat, the dragon barely registered its presence. To a beast of such colossal size, the weapon was little more than a splinter, easily overlooked in the heat of battle.

Oblivious to the danger within, Malevolous continued its assault on Michael. Massive claws swiped through the air, jaws snapped shut with bone-crushing force, and its tail lashed out like a giant whip. Michael, light on his feet, danced around these attacks, buying time for his plan to unfold.

Inside the dragon's body, the Doombringer began its treacherous journey. The esophagus was a vast, undulating tunnel of muscle and heat. Bioluminescent patches along the walls cast an eerie glow, illuminating the weapon's descent. Acidic mucus coated every surface, bubbling and hissing as it came into contact with the hammer.

The formidable handle of the Doombringer, crafted from materials meant to withstand godly battles, began to sizzle and warp. The acid ate away at its surface, while the intense heat caused the metal to soften and deform. Despite its enchantments, the handle was fighting a losing battle against the dragon's internal defenses.

The destruction accelerated as the weapon traveled deeper, entering the cavernous expanse of Malevolous's stomach. The hammer's head, more resilient than the handle, began to glow red-hot. The metal slowly liquefied, dripping away in molten streams. At the core of the melting weapon, the ancient ice core remained intact, protected by its own powerful magic. As the last of the metal casing fell away, the core was exposed to the full fury of the dragon's internal inferno. It pulsed with an intense, cold light, a stark contrast to the fiery environment surrounding it.

Now freed from its housing, the ice core began to react to the extreme conditions. Cracks appeared on its surface, glowing with otherworldly energy. Meanwhile, on the outside, Michael continued his evasive maneuvers, a knowing smirk playing on his lips as he waited for his trap to spring.

Suddenly, Malevolous paused mid-attack, a look of confusion crossing its massive features. Something felt off, a disturbance from within that the dragon couldn't quite place.

Without warning, an eerie blue glow began to emanate from Malevolous's belly, pulsing with increasing intensity. The light shimmered through the dragon's scales, casting an otherworldly aura around its massive form.

Michael, seeing the telltale signs of his plan coming to fruition, couldn't help but chuckle. "That's my cue to exit stage left," he muttered, engaging his Lightning Dash to put some distance between himself and the dragon.

As he retreated, Michael's mind raced. His plan was a gamble, and he was only fifty-fifty on its success. He'd already formulated a backup strategy to reach Rowena and escape this realm if things went south. But for now, he'd bet on his original plan paying off.

Suddenly, a muffled explosion resonated from within Malevolous's body. The sound was unlike anything Michael had heard before - a mix of shattering ice and imploding energy.

"ARRRRGHHHH!" Malevolous roared, its voice a symphony of agony and shock.

The ancient ice core's detonation sent waves of intense cold radiating outward from the dragon's center. Frost spread rapidly across Malevolous's scales, transforming the beast into a living glacier. Steam hissed from its nostrils as its internal fire fought against the invasive cold.

The area around Malevolous transformed in an instant. The scorched earth from the earlier battle now crackled with a layer of rapidly forming ice. The air temperature plummeted, creating a localized blizzard as moisture in the air instantly crystallized.

Michael watched in awe as his plan unfolded before him. The dragon, once an unstoppable force of destruction, now stood paralyzed, its body a battleground between fire and ice. Icicles formed on its wings and horns, and its movements became sluggish and jerky.

"Now that's what I call an ice dragon," Michael knew he had to act fast. The dragon's internal heat was already battling the ice core's effects, and time was running out. He couldn't let the Doombringer's sacrifice be in vain.

As Malevolous stomped the ground violently, trying to shake off the frost, Michael sprang into action. He dashed towards the dragon, his movements a blur of speed and grace. Leaping over the thrashing tail, ducking under swiping claws, and weaving between stomping feet, Michael's agility was on full display.

Reaching the dragon's chest, Michael summoned all his power. Dark flames engulfed his fists as he drew back for a devastating punch. The impact was cataclysmic - intense heat met extreme cold, and the dragon's frozen scales shattered like glass.

But the force of the blow came at a cost. Michael's arm snapped like a twig, bone protruding grotesquely from his flesh. Yet, through the haze of pain, he saw his goal - the dragon's exposed heart.

There, amidst the icy innards, pulsed Malevolous's massive heart. It was a behemoth organ, easily the size of a small house, beating with slow, powerful thuds.

"Fuck... you..." Malevolous roared, his voice a mix of pain and fury.

Michael's APD kicked in, flooding his system with healing elixirs. But he couldn't wait. With his good arm, he unsheathed his dark sword.

"This ends now," Michael growled through gritted teeth.

Without hesitation, he plunged the blade into the dragon's exposed heart. The sword sank deep, dark energy pulsing along its length. Malevolous let out an earth-shattering scream, a sound of pure agony that echoed through the pocket dimension.

Michael twisted the blade, driving it deeper. "That's for Rowena, you sadistic bastard," he snarled, watching as the light in the dragon's eyes began to dim.