Hitman with a Badass System
chapter-1351

After a few long moments and the sudden appearance and disappearance of Don's face, the vortex spat him out.

"Finally," Michael mumbled, bracing himself against a sudden wave of dizziness, his senses reeling from the abrupt transition. When he opened his eyes, the dim, oppressive atmosphere of the Obsidian Palace was gone, replaced by… well, by something else entirely.

He was standing on a hilltop, overlooking a sprawling kingdom that could only be described as… magical.

The sun hung high in a sky of the most brilliant blue Michael had ever seen. A gentle breeze, carrying the scent of wildflowers and freshly baked bread, rustled through his hair, and the air was alive with the sound of birdsong and distant laughter.

The kingdom below was a sight to behold. Buildings, crafted from a mixture of polished wood and white marble, rose in graceful tiers, their roofs adorned with intricate carvings and colorful banners that fluttered in the breeze. The streets, wide and paved with cobblestones, were lined with maple trees in full bloom, their leaves a vibrant shade of green that contrasted beautifully with the warm, golden light of the afternoon sun.

Michael could see fountains, their waters sparkling in the sunlight, and gardens filled with exotic flowers he'd never seen before. Guardians, clad in gleaming armor, patrolled the streets, their faces relaxed and friendly, their presence more a reassurance than a threat.

And the people…

Michael's eyes widened in surprise. Elves and dwarves, their arms linked, strolled through the marketplace, laughing and chatting like old friends. Halflings, their faces flushed with merriment, haggled over prices with human merchants, their voices filled with good-natured banter. Orcs, their green skin gleaming in the sunlight, carried baskets overflowing with fruits and vegetables, their expressions surprisingly… gentle.

It was a scene that would have been unthinkable in his own universe. In his reality, dwarves and elves hated each other's guts, and orcs…, they were more likely to be found buried in a book than wielding a battle-axe.

But here… here everything seemed… harmonious. Peaceful.

"Damn," Michael muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "This is… different."

His gaze drifted towards the outskirts of the kingdom, where a giant tree, its branches reaching towards the heavens like welcoming arms, stood sentinel. A wooden sign, etched with the name "Everlight," hung from one of its lower branches, the letters glowing with a faint, ethereal light.

Everlight. He knew this place. He'd been here before.

Two years ago, back when he was still trapped in the Shadow Realm, honing his powers and exploring the multiverse, he'd stumbled across this kingdom. It had been smaller then, less… developed. But the energy, the sense of peace and harmony, had been the same.

He knew time flowed differently in other universes, that what might be a few years in his reality could be decades, even centuries, in another. This… this must be the future of the Everlight he'd seen before.

But something was off.

Unlike his previous visit, Michael couldn't move. His body felt heavy, as if anchored to the spot. He could see, hear, even smell the sights and sounds of the kingdom below, but he couldn't interact with it. It was like he was here… but not truly here.

And then, as he watched, a figure descended from the sky.

A silhouette, clad in black armor landed on a rooftop overlooking the kingdom. The figure's stance was confident and radiating an aura of power that made even Michael, the God of Darkness himself, feel a flicker of… respect. But as the figure turned, revealing a face framed by dark hair and blue eyes, a slow grin spread across Michael's face.

"Don," he murmured.

Finally, Don landed before Michael, crossing the distance from the rooftop in a blur of motion. Everything about this place had changed, evolved, blossomed. But Don… well, he looked exactly the same. The same stoic expression, the same piercing gaze, the same… unnervingly youthful appearance. He looked like he was in his late twenties, not a day older than the last time Michael had seen him. It made Michael wonder if the Ancient God had somehow lost the ability to smile.

"It has been a long time," Don said, his voice deep and resonant, carrying an echo of power that sent a shiver down Michael's spine.

"You could say that again," Michael chuckled, shaking his head. "Never thought I'd see you again, Don. And I sure as hell didn't expect to find your blood… well, you know."

"The blood… it was a calling card. I knew you would find it, eventually." Don nodded, a barely perceptible movement of his head.

"A calling card?" Michael frowned. "Why?"

Don sighed, his gaze sweeping over the kingdom below, his expression unreadable. "There are things you need to know, Michael. Things about the future… about the enemies you will face."

"Enemies?" Michael snorted. "What else is new? Seems like every time I think I've reached the top of the goddamn food chain, some bigger, badder asshole comes along to knock me down a peg."

He paused, thinking back on his recent encounters, the constant escalation of power, the enemies that seemed to grow stronger with each passing battle.

"It's like climbing a mountain," he mused, shaking his head. "Every time I reach a peak, I realize there's another, even higher peak looming in the distance. And those peaks… they never seem to fucking end."

Hearing Michael's complaint, Don's lips twitched, the barest hint of a smile. It was gone as quickly as it appeared, but Michael could have sworn he saw it.

"I understand, Ghost. Believe me, I do." He'd climbed his own mountains, faced down enemies that seemed insurmountable, only to discover even greater threats lurking in the shadows. It was the price of power, the burden of reaching for the top of the food chain.

But now, there were more pressing matters at hand. Don took a deep breath, his expression hardening. "The blood… it's not just a calling card. It's a shield. A way for you to… mask your presence."

"Mask my presence? From what?" Michael frowned.

"It's not about you, Ghost," Don said, his gaze intense. "It's about… the power you carry. The power that's… not your own."

A cold dread began to creep up Michael's spine. He had a bad feeling about this. A very bad feeling.

"What are you talking about, Don?" he asked, his voice tight. Could Don… could he possibly know?

"You need the blood to hide the System, Ghost."

The words hit Michael like a physical blow. His breath caught in his throat, his mind reeling.

The System. His System. His most closely guarded secret, the source of his power. The Badass System was his, and his alone. No one else, not even Gaya, knew about its existence. And yet… here was Don, an Ancient God from another universe, casually mentioning it as if it were common knowledge.

How the fuck did Don know about it? It was impossible. "What… how…" Michael stammered, his mind struggling to grasp the implications. "You… you know about the System?"

"Hmm," Don simply nodded. After hearing Don confirm his worst fear, Michael knew bluffing wouldn't cut it. The cat was out of the bag. "Okay, so you know about the System," he said, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "How the hell did you find out? And who are we hiding from, exactly?"

"In my universe, several years ago, we fought together against the Queen and her… allies." Don's expression remained serious. Michael nodded slowly. He knew the Queen. A multiverse-level pain in the ass, she was. Not exactly his enemy, per se, but he'd occasionally helped her out—finding lost soul fragments, tossing them Mugashuku's way… nothing that made him an ally, but not exactly an enemy either.

"The Queen, huh?" Michael mused. "And her allies… who were they?"

"They called themselves the Omegas. They were searching for the System, Ghost. And they nearly destroyed my entire universe trying to find it." Don's jaw tightened.

"Omegas…" Michael's mind raced. He vividly remembered the one time the System had gone completely offline, refusing to answer him. It was after he'd stumbled across a cryptic mention of the Omegas from the system. He'd pushed the System for answers, but it had clammed up, silent as a tomb. Deep down, he knew that there was something out there, something that threatened the very existence of the System, but he'd been too busy dealing with his own shit to worry about some abstract, multiversal boogeyman.

Now… now it seemed those boogeymen were about to become very real.

Judging by the fact that Don was talking about a battle that, from Michael's perspective, was still in the future. In other words, it meant he was destined to team up with this Ancient God and fight the Queen and these goddamn Omegas soon.

"Fucking fantastic,"

As Michael processed this mindfuck of a revelation, Don continued. "The blood I left for you, Ghost… it's from my future self. It's… stronger. Its energy signature will temporarily mask the System, make it harder for the Omegas to track."

"So I gotta use this… cosmic perfume to cover up my System's stink?" Michael sighed. "Damn, this is messed up. But I guess I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"No, you don't," Don confirmed, his voice grim. "You need to use this time, Ghost. Get stronger. Be ready when they come for you. Because they will come."

"But how did you even know about the System, Don?" Michael pressed. "Did the Queen tell you? Or those Omegas?"

"They didn't tell me." Don shook his head,

"Then who did?" Michael asked as a cold dread settled in Michael's gut. He had a bad feeling about this.

"He did."

"He?" Michael frowned. "Who the hell is 'he'?"

And then Don spoke a single name, a name that sent a wave of icy fury crashing over Michael.

"Hunter,"

"That son of a bitch!" Michael roared, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "Of course it's him!"