Hitman with a Badass System
chapter-977

Inside their secluded castle, Salesi and Elara observed the ongoing battle between the Dark Lord and the remnants of the Guardian Guild. The once-mighty guild now stood in ruins, their defense feeble against the unstoppable force before them. Elara and her fellow council members were left with a bitter realization: the guild's days of glory had come to an end.

On the table in front of them, a collection of shimmering golden crystals radiated with potent energy. These precious artifacts held immense power, capable of summoning the formidable guardian dragons. Elara's gaze lingered on the crystals, tempted to employ their strength once more in a desperate attempt to turn the tides. However, Salesi's voice cut through the air, bringing her back to reality.

"Elara, no matter how many crystals we use or how many guardians we summon, they cannot defeat him," Salesi spoke with a tone of conviction. "These crystals possess a far greater purpose than they ever served in the hands of the Guardian Guild. We must wield their power wisely, for the sake of our own survival."

Evan stared at the mirror, captivated by the unfolding war between the Dark Lord and the Guardian Guild. The sight filled him with disbelief.

"I can't believe the Guardian Guild is on the verge of annihilation," he murmured, his voice laced with a mix of astonishment and fear.

Salesi, however, remained composed as she responded, her voice steady and devoid of fear. She understood the true extent of the Dark Lord's power, having observed and studied him extensively. Unlike others who underestimated him, Salesi held a deep admiration for his strength.

"Believe it, Evan. What you see is only a fraction of the Dark Lord's true power," she said, her eyes fixed on the mirror.

Evan's hope dwindled as he pondered the question that plagued their minds. "How can we possibly stop him now? If he has already reached the Celestial stage, our efforts would be futile."

Salesi nonchalantly shrugged, acknowledging the grim reality. "At this point, we can't. We are nowhere near his level, let alone capable of defeating him. That's why we must remain in the shadows and focus on strengthening ourselves."

Evan's frustration was evident as he exclaimed, "But how can we hope to match his cultivation speed? He's practically a deity!"

Salesi's gaze never wavered from the mirror, where the Dark Lord unleashed devastating spells that tore through the guild. Her response carried a hint of determination.

"We may not match his cultivation speed, but we have the power to impede the growth of his army and slow down their progress," Salesi explained, her voice filled with conviction. "The Dark Lord may be formidable, but he cannot win a war alone. He relies on his forces. While he appears invincible now, there will come a time when he meets his equals."

Elara's curiosity piqued as she probed further, intrigued by Salesi's cryptic words. She had chosen to align herself with Salesi due to her keen intellect, despite the criticism that surrounded her. Many within the Guardian Guild disapproved of Salesi's actions, blaming her for Nagaland's decline into poverty and debt. But Elara knew better. She understood that Salesi had orchestrated Nagaland's downfall for a specific purpose. If Nagaland had remained a powerful kingdom under Gaya's rule, who had now become the Dark Lord's lover, it would have provided the Dark Lord with an unstoppable ally. By reducing Nagaland's strength, Salesi ensured that the Dark Lord would have to divert his attention and resources towards rebuilding, thereby lessening the threat he posed.

Elara recognized the dangerous game Salesi was playing in the shadows, but she also acknowledged that Salesi held many secrets close to her chest. She yearned to unravel these mysteries, beginning with Salesi's notion of the Dark Lord's match.

"Who are these matches you speak of?" Elara inquired, her eyes fixed on Salesi, hoping for a glimpse of the truth.

Salesi brushed off the question with a dismissive wave of her hand, leaving no room for further probing. "All will be revealed in due time, my dear," she replied, her tone final, indicating that further questioning would yield no answers. Elara was left to ponder the hidden depths of Salesi's plans, knowing that there was much more at play than met the eye.

As their discussion unfolded, the skies above Hulwick Island darkened, a foreboding omen of the impending devastation. The once raging storm intensified, its fury amplifying with each passing moment. Elara and Salesi watched in awe as the Dark Lord raised his hands, commanding the very elements to his will. The tempest swirled and roared with a newfound ferocity, thrashing the ocean waves into towering tsunamis and spawning violent tornadoes in its wake.

Eyes fixed on the sky, the two women witnessed a sight both magnificent and terrifying. Giant meteors materialized amidst the darkened clouds, suspended in the air like harbingers of destruction. Their presence alone threatened to shatter the tranquility of the island and lay waste to everything beneath them.

"There it is, his final spell against the Guardian Guild," Salesi murmured, her voice tinged with a mixture of astonishment and respect. The magnitude of power displayed by the Dark Lord left her in awe, even as her mind raced with thoughts of outsmarting him.

Elara detected something peculiar in Salesi's tone—an unexpected admiration and a hidden desire to vanquish the Dark Lord using her intellect and cunning. There was a hunger within Salesi, a thirst for victory against insurmountable odds.

Meanwhile, Evan, overcome with grief, rose from his seat. His fists clenched tightly, and tears welled up in his eyes. Though he had only been a member of the Guardian Guild for a short time, his admiration for the organization ran deep. From a young age, he had yearned to serve and protect the guild, and it held a special place in his heart. The sight of its impending destruction pained him to his core, touching not only his heart but also his very soul.

Salesi observed Evan's anguish with a sense of satisfaction. She knew that this pain would stoke the flames of his determination, igniting a burning resolve to stand against the Dark Lord and his formidable army. It was in moments like these that Salesi sought to mold her Shadow Clan, infusing them with righteous anger, motivation, and an unwavering drive to combat the Dark Lord with every fiber of their being.

As Evan's tears streamed down his face, the Dark Lord lowered his hands, releasing his control over the meteoric entities. With a blazing descent, the celestial fireballs tore through the darkened sky, scorching the very air they traversed. Their trajectory led them unerringly towards the heart of the Guardian Guild headquarters and ultimately, the beleaguered shores of Hulwick Isle.

The moment the meteors collided with the Guardian Guild headquarters, a cataclysmic wave of destruction was unleashed upon Hulwick Island. The magnificent building, already marred by the earlier battle between the two-headed dragon and Michael, now faced its final reckoning. The impact tore through its structure, shattering walls and scattering debris in all directions. Once grand halls were reduced to rubble, while elegant towers crumbled into a cloud of dust and ash.

But the devastation did not end there. As the meteors struck the island, the very ground quaked beneath its inhabitants' feet. Fissures cracked open, spreading like veins of molten lava through the once peaceful landscape. The island itself seemed to groan in agony as fiery magma surged forth from the ruptured earth, painting the surroundings in a hellish glow. The once idyllic shores became an inferno, engulfed in rivers of flowing lava that devoured everything in their path.

The impact of the meteors sent shockwaves rippling through the air, unsettling the atmosphere itself. Winds howled with an otherworldly fury, tearing at the remnants of the Guardian Guild and carrying with them the anguished cries of those left in their wake. The sky, already darkened by the storm, grew even more menacing as the magical energies clashed and mingled. Eerie lightning danced across the heavens, illuminating the chaos below with brief flashes of blinding brilliance.

Meanwhile, the sea surrounding Hulwick Island rose in a tempestuous uproar. As if angered by the tumultuous events unfolding on its surface, monstrous waves rose to incredible heights. They crashed against the shores with a relentless ferocity, pounding against the remnants of the Guardian Guild and eroding what little remained of its once formidable structure. The collision of water and land unleashed a torrent of foam and spray, mingling with the scorching heat of the lava and creating an atmosphere of unbridled chaos.

Amidst this devastation, the guardians who had remained on the island found themselves caught in the maelstrom of destruction. Their valiant attempts to defend their stronghold and their cherished guild were rendered futile in the face of such overwhelming power. They were tossed aside like mere playthings by the forces unleashed by the Dark Lord's spell. The survivors, if any, would bear witness to the horrifying scene of their comrades being swallowed by the fiery abyss or swept away by the relentless waves, their brave efforts reduced to naught.

As the devastating aftermath of the meteors subsided, Hulwick Island bore the scars of its encounter with destruction. The once-solid landmass fractured into jagged fragments, each piece teetering on the brink of oblivion. Like a shattered puzzle, the island's integrity crumbled, and its broken remnants began to sink into the unforgiving depths of the surrounding sea.

With an eerie slowness, the fragmented sections of Hulwick Island tilted and shifted as if succumbing to the weight of their own demise. The ground beneath them crumbled and gave way, sending torrents of soil and rock cascading into the churning waters below. Each piece of land, once interconnected, now became isolated, drifting apart from one another in a melancholic dance of destruction.

Amidst this scene of despair, the once-majestic airships and warships of the guardians lay battered and broken. These vessels, once symbols of power and protection, now resembled mere charred and smoldering remains. Their mighty frames sagged and splintered as if drained of their very essence. Flames licked at the tattered remnants of sails, devouring the once-proud masts and turning them to cinders.

With a cruel finality, these remnants of the guardians' fleet met their fate. One by one, they surrendered to the pull of the ocean's abyss, sinking slowly beneath the surface. The sea greedily claimed them, engulfing the shattered wooden pieces until they were swallowed by the dark depths. The waves, now calmer but still bearing the weight of the recent chaos, whispered mournful laments as they swallowed the remnants of the once-proud fleet.

All that remained on the surface were fragments of memories and scattered debris drifting aimlessly upon the waves. They served as silent witnesses to the fallen guardians and the island that had crumbled beneath the weight of unimaginable power. The sea, now a graveyard for the remnants of the island and its defenders, held its secrets close, veiling the tragedy within its eternal embrace.

The onlookers, rogue cultivators, and news reporters stood at a distance, their faces etched with shock and terror as they bore witness to the destruction unfolding before them. Murmurs of disbelief and fear filled the air as they struggled to comprehend the magnitude of the Dark Lord's power.

"By the heavens, I've never seen anything like this! The Guardian Guild... it's falling, crumbling like a house of cards!" exclaimed one onlooker, their voice trembling with disbelief.

"I thought the Guardian Guild was invincible! How can the Dark Lord be so unstoppable?" another whispered, their words barely audible over the roars of destruction.

As the meteors descended and the island cracked, the observers could not tear their eyes away from the horrifying scene unfolding before them. The once-majestic Skyhall, the very symbol of the guardians' might, was nowhere to be seen, leaving many perplexed and fearful.

"Where's the Skyhall? How could it vanish in such a crucial moment?" a rogue cultivator questioned, their voice tinged with confusion and concern.

Whispers of despair and resignation spread among the onlookers, their faces reflecting a sense of hopelessness. They watched as the Dark Lord's forces continued their onslaught, seemingly invincible, and doubt crept into their hearts.

"I fear there is no hope left. The Dark Lord's power is unmatched, and it seems like nothing can stand in his way," murmured a rogue cultivator, their voice heavy with defeat.

"I never thought I'd see the day when the Guardian Guild would fall. If they can't stop him, who can?" pondered another, their tone filled with despair.

In this somber moment, the guardians' once-mighty presence had been reduced to fragments sinking into oblivion, leaving behind only echoes of their valiant struggle against the Dark Lord's overwhelming forces.