Hitman with a Badass System
chapter-904

The sky was engulfed in a tempestuous maelstrom of black clouds, illuminated by a frenzied barrage of lightning strikes. The ferocity of the storm was palpable, as heavy sheets of rain relentlessly battered the surrounding landscape, shrouding everything in a mist of swirling droplets.

Amidst this chaotic scene, the ominous silhouette of the Dark Lord's towering mountain loomed ominously over the turbulent waters of the dark ocean. The castle, still only partially constructed, seemed to cling precariously to the sheer face of the mountain, with a sword-hilt mountain leading up to the Dark Lord's garden. The deafening roar of the waterfall cascading down the mountainside only added to the surreal atmosphere of the place.

Despite the inhospitable conditions, a group of vampires dressed in the deepest shade of black could be seen darting through the air with effortless grace, their vigilant patrol never faltering, even in the midst of the raging storm.

An empty hall was eerily quiet inside the castle, with only the sound of Gaya's breathing and the occasional clink of gold coins breaking the silence. The piles of gold coins glimmered and shone in the dim light, casting a warm, inviting glow on Gaya's face. Her raven-black hair was perfectly coiffed, framing her stunning features, and her bright eyes sparkled with unbridled joy.

Unable to contain herself, Gaya let out a high-pitched squeal of delight and threw herself onto the stack of gold coins, letting them scatter around her like a shower of glittering rain. She rolled around in the piles of coins, her laughter filling the room as she reveled in her newfound wealth.

The stack of gold coins before her contained a staggering 4.5 million gold coins, the result of just one week's sales of the red bliss. The sheer amount of wealth was overwhelming, and it was clear that business was booming for the Phoenix manor.

As Gaya was rolling around in the pile of gold coins, she couldn't help but let out a childish giggle. The glint from the gold illuminated her face, making her look almost angelic. But as Azazel appeared in the room, her expression turned serious.

Azazel couldn't help but be taken aback by the sight before him. The Dark Queen, the most feared person in the dark castle, was playing like a child in a pile of gold coins. He cleared his throat to get her attention, and when she heard him, she immediately stopped her play and turned her gaze toward him.

"Tell me everything you learned," Gaya demanded, her tone serious. After the Phoenix Manor gave out free batches of the red bliss to entice the nobles and sold 1500 bottles in the first week, Gaya ordered Azazel to gather information from Sadie about how the nobles were reacting to the new brew.

Azazel took a deep breath before speaking. "It seems the nobles are highly addicted to the red bliss, my queen. They are willing to pay up to ten thousand gold coins for a single battle after getting a taste. Many sects have started discussing putting a ban on the bottle, but it's not easy as the Phoenix Manor is the official distributor."

Gaya raised an eyebrow. "And what about the kingdoms? How are they reacting?"

Azazel paused for a moment before continuing. "The kingdoms are worried. They fear the addiction will distract their young nobles from their studies and cultivation. There's even talk of imposing a kingdom-wide ban, but nothing has been decided yet."

Gaya nodded thoughtfully. "I see. Keep gathering information, Azazel. We need to know everything there is to know about the red bliss and how it's affecting the kingdoms and sects,"

Gaya stood up from the pile of gold coins, her expression turning serious. "Azazel, take some bottles from the next batch and send them to the ministers. We need to make sure they have a taste for the red bliss. Otherwise, they won't hesitate to ban it," she said with a firm tone.

Azazel nodded, his face betraying a hint of concern. "But what about the prices for the next batch, my lady? I've heard rumors that some taverns are plotting to hide the bottles from the nobles so they can raise the prices up to fifteen thousand gold coins."

Gaya let out a scoff. "Those greedy fuckers. We can't let them create a void in the distribution line. If the nobles and the rich get what they want, they'll drink and won't cause problems. But if they're denied what they want, their addiction will make them do something foolish. We have to keep the crime rate from rising as much as we can, or the Guardian Guild will have a strong case for pushing the ban even harder."

Azazel nodded in agreement. "I'll make sure to handle it, my lady. And what about the guardians? What if they start to suspect something?"

Gaya's eyes narrowed, and she let out a humorless chuckle. "Those fools should have already suspected our involvement. But for now, we need to focus on keeping the flow of the red bliss steady and making sure our customers are satisfied. Any disruptions in the distribution can be disastrous for us,"

Azazel's crimson red eyes glinted with blood lust, causing Gaya to feel uneasy. It had been a long time since she had seen that side of him. As a result, the Dark Lord had ordered Azazel to control himself and meditate in order to calm his nerves, especially after the incident where he almost lost control and wreaked havoc among their enemies. Gaya knew that the demon inside Azazel was slowly awakening, and she would have to address the issue when the Dark Lord returned from the Sea realm.

Azazel's question took Gaya by surprise, and she raised an eyebrow. "No need," she replied, her tone firm. "Just inform Zod about these tavern owners. He will take care of them."

Gaya knew that Zod, the current leader of the Phoneix manor, was more than capable of handling the situation. His cunning and resourcefulness had played a significant role in the success of the red bliss distribution thus far. Gaya also knew that Zod was loyal to them and would not hesitate to take care of any threats to their operation.

Azazel nodded understanding and left the room, his blood lust slowly subsiding. Gaya watched him go, a sense of unease still lingering in her mind. She knew that she would have to keep a close eye on Azazel in the future.

Azazel bowed and left the room, leaving Gaya alone with the stack of gold coins. As she looked upon the shining pile, she couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and awe. It wasn't that Gaya had never seen such an amount before, but the fact that they had almost gone bankrupt after Noah, the Supreme Guardian, closed down the Majestic and Hades made the stack before her all the more valuable.

The Dark Castle had suffered greatly from the closure of their two biggest establishments. It was only after the arrival of the red bliss that they had regained their financial footing. Gaya couldn't help but think how quickly fortunes could change. In a barren desert, a mere drop of water was worth more than a lake nestled in the lush hills.

She reached down and scooped up a handful of coins, feeling the cool metal against her skin. The weight of them in her palm was satisfying, and she relished in the sensation.

Gaya was lost in the weight of the gold coins when Azazel rushed into the room, his furrowed brow revealing the urgency of his news. "What now?" Gaya asked, her eyes fixed on the demon.

"My lady," he said, "Lord Saber has made a discovery. He claims to have found not one, but two pieces of the Dark Lord's armor." Gaya's eyes widened in surprise.

The Dark Queen strode into the surveillance room with the aura of power emanating from her. The sound of her footsteps echoed in the vast room as she made her way toward the center. Her black cloak billowed behind her like the wings of a dark angel, and her raven black hair was tied back into a ponytail, revealing her sharp and defined facial features.

Azazel, the demon butler, stood by the entrance with his crimson-red eyes flickering with the reflection of the magical runes etched into the mirrors surrounding the room. The ambient lighting in the room was a mixture of darkness and blue, with the flickering light of orbs casting a dim glow. The dwarves were yet to finish building the surveillance room, and the Dark Forest still served as their main hub of surveillance. But they planned to have a better and bigger surveillance room in the dark castle.

As soon as Gaya entered, Azazel raised his hand, and the individual mirrors, each showing a different Spyder feed from various parts of the castle, flickered out of existence. In their place, a single mirror formed in the center of the room, displaying Saber's face.

"Greetings, my lady," Saber said with a respectful bow, his eyes locked onto hers.

"You found the armor pieces," Gaya's heart raced with anticipation as Saber's words sank in. They had been searching for the Dark Lord's armor pieces for months, and now, finally, they had found them. She couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over her.

"With Lord Tiberius's assistance, I was able to track down Quintus and locate the armor pieces, my lady"

Gaya's eagerness was palpable as she leaned forward and asked, "Where is he?" Her mind was racing, wondering what Quintus was up to now and why he had resurfaced after all this time. Saber hesitated for a moment, his expression unreadable. Gaya could sense his hesitation and wondered what he could possibly say that would worry her. Finally, Saber spoke, "He's in Nagaland, my lady,"

Her eyes widened with shock at Saber's answer, and her jaw dropped in disbelief. Quintus, the elusive General of Kingdom Miral, was now in her own kingdom, Nagaland. Her thoughts raced as she tried to process this information. What could he possibly want in Nagaland? What was he doing? And most importantly, how did he manage to enter her kingdom undetected?

Gaya's mind was racing with a million questions, and for a moment, she forgot to breathe. The silence in the room was palpable, broken only by the soft hum of magical energy that powered the surveillance room. Saber's solemn expression and the weight of his words only added to the drama of the moment.

Finally, Gaya found her voice. "Quintus is in Nagaland?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. "What is he doing there?"

"Preparing for war, my lady," Gaya felt a chill run down her spine as Saber's words sank in. Preparing for war? In Nagaland? She couldn't believe it.

"What makes you think that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Saber's eyes narrowed, and his face turned grim. "My sources in Nagaland have informed me that Quintus has been gathering a massive army, my lady. It seems like he has made some alliances with some powerful people. He is planning something big, and we need to act fast to stop him."

Gaya's mind was racing. How did Quintus even manage to enter Nagaland? Who was helping him there? And how was he able to gather such a massive army?

"And how did he even get there? Who is helping him in Nagaland?" she asked, her tone laced with a hint of anger and frustration.

Saber sighed deeply, his face etched with worry. "I don't have all the details, my lady. But my sources suggest that he has some powerful allies in Nagaland who are helping him. They are probably supplying him with resources and soldiers,"

Saber stood before Gaya, his expression intense and unwavering. "What are your orders, my lady?" he asked, waiting for her decision.

Gaya paused, her mind racing as she considered their options. She knew that Quintus was a dangerous opponent, and the thought of him in possession of the Dark Lord's armor pieces made her blood boil.

After a moment, she spoke, her voice low and steady. "Find out where he's hiding the armor pieces," she said. "And once you're certain of their location, take Quintus down."

Saber nodded, his eyes gleaming with fierce determination. "As you command, my lady," he said before turning to leave his room.