Hitman with a Badass System

As Michael's gaze remained fixed on the bustling activity around the beast tamers' compound, Gaya's intuition prickled with unease. "Keep an eye out for that assassin," she warned, her voice tinged with caution. "He's a slippery one, could be anyone, even the tavern keeper we just dealt with."

Michael, however, was undeterred, his focus razor-sharp on the task ahead. "Let's not get distracted by shadows. The mission's what matters," he replied, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

Gaya couldn't help but notice Michael's exhilaration. "You're getting a kick out of this, aren't you?" she teased, shaking her head.

Admitting to his excitement, Michael responded with a genuine smile. "Yeah, I am." His attention then shifted as he retrieved a handful of spyders from his system storage. "With these planted inside their lair, we'll have the intel we need to strategize effectively."

Gaya nodded, her mind already racing with the intricacies of their assignment. "Remember, the assassin wants Borgin dead in the most public way possible—killed by his own captured beasts. It means we've got to lure him out somehow and release those creatures right in the open."

"Remember, the assassin wants Borgin dead in the most public way possible—killed by his own captured beasts. It means we've got to lure him out somehow and release those creatures right in the open."

She paused, her respect for their target's abilities clear despite her animosity towards him. "As much as I can't stand the guy, Borgin's no slouch in a scrap. Taking him down's not gonna be a walk in the park." said Gaya. "Getting these spyders inside will be a piece of cake," Michael mused, his mind already racing with possibilities.

"But the real kicker is dragging Borgin out into the open within four days. That's where the real challenge lies."

Reflecting on his extensive experience as Earth's premier hitman, Michael understood all too well the complexities involved in orchestrating a target's demise indirectly. "Direct hits, like pulling the trigger or setting off an explosive, those I can do in my sleep. But this," he gestured vaguely, encompassing the enormity of their plan, "this is a whole different ballgame. Too many variables."

Despite the obstacles, there was a spark in his eyes, a clear indication of his resolve. "But hey, I didn't earn my reputation by shying away from a challenge. We'll make this work."

Hearing Michael's words filled with confidence, Gaya tapped into the depths of her monstrous knowledge. "Even if we manage to pull him out, we gotta have a beast that packs enough punch to take him down. Borgin's not going down easy," she mused.

Michael nodded, acknowledging the weight of their task. His experience as the top hitman on Earth had taught him the intricacies of indirect assassinations. Planning, timing, and execution had to be flawless, especially when the objective was to let others—or in this case, creatures—do the dirty work.

"That's the tricky part," Michael admitted. "But, what if we level the playing field a bit?" Gaya's suggestion sparked interest in his eyes.

"The assassin didn't say shit about not using potions. If we could weaken Borgin somehow, make him less of a threat, those beasts might just have a fighting chance against him." Gaya leaned forward, a wicked gleam in her eyes. Michael's smile broadened at the idea. "I like that idea. We don't directly attack him, but we tilt the odds in our favor. Slip him something that'll slow him down, make him less aware. He'll be easy prey for whatever we unleash."

"Exactly. Let's make sure that asshole gets what he deserves, but let's do it our way. Sneaky, underhanded, and absolutely foolproof." Gaya's smirk matched Michael's enthusiasm. Soon, the gears in Michael's head began to turn as new plans and ideas took shape.

"So, Borgin's dealing with griffins, huh? First thing's first, we'll need to intercept those creatures and strike a deal with them," he mused aloud, a calculating glint in his eyes.

Gaya, caught off-guard by the mention of griffins, couldn't help but recall a rather contentious encounter she had with one of the majestic creatures not too long ago. Her expression soured at the memory, her previous irritation bubbling to the surface. "Deal with those pompous fucking featherballs? You've got to be kidding me," she snapped, her temper flaring. "Last time we chatted, one of them had the nerve to call me the worst goddamn mother to any hypothetical kids I might have. Like hell, I'm dealing with their snarky beaks again."

Despite Gaya's clear disdain, Michael couldn't suppress a laugh, amused by her fiery response. "Come on, Gaya. You're the Goddess of Monsters, remember? Plus, you've got a way with words like no one I've ever met. Convincing a few griffins to play along with our plan should be a walk in the park for you," he encouraged, his confidence in her abilities unwavering.

But despite Michael's confident in her abilities, her anger toward the griffin she talked to made her reluctant to agree to Michael's plan. So she placed across the room left and right with her brows knitted.

"First off, convincing those snooty griffins is gonna be a hell of a task. And second, even if by some miracle they agree, how the hell are we supposed to ensure they bust out at the right moment and go straight for Borgin?"

Ever the strategist, Michael was already several steps ahead, his mind racing through possible solutions. "The potion's the easy part. We concoct something to sap his strength without him noticing. As for the griffins and the cages," he paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "We'll need to rig the locks, make 'em easy to break from the inside. And timing... that's where our little spyders come into play. We can control the cages remotely, pop them open when the moment's just right."

Although still irked by the memory, Gaya knew deep down that Michael had a point. "Fine," she grumbled, crossing her arms. "But if one of those feathered jerks makes even one snide comment, I'm not holding back. They'll see just how 'incompetent' of a goddess I can be. And if this goes sideways, I'm blaming you."

Michael grinned, unfazed by her threats. "Deal. But when this works, and Borgin gets his ass killed from his own captives, you owe me a drink."

As much as Gaya hated griffins, Gaya knew Michael's plans would never fail. Thus, despite her history with the griffins, she decided to be the Goddess of Monsters and talk to those furrballs again. "Alright, while I'm out sweet-talking those feisty griffins, you better get those cages tampered with and whip up that potion for Borgin. I don't want any screw-ups; he needs to be weak enough that he won't stand a chance." Gaya said with hands on her hips, giving Michael a challenging look.

Michael, ever so confident, leaned against the window sill, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Don't worry about Borgin. He's not exactly a giant in the cultivation world. A little concoction from me, and he'll be as vulnerable as a newborn. He will be nice and tender for the griffins," he said, his laughter filling the room.

Just then, Gaya's stomach growled, betraying her. She grimaced, "Speaking of nice and tender, I'm starving here."

"Seal the deal with the griffins, and I'll cook us something. How's that for motivation?" Michael's laughter doubled at her complaint. Gaya scoffed, rolling her eyes but with a smirk playing at her lips. "Your cooking? God help me. I might as well start praying to the griffins for a decent meal."

"Hey my cooking isn't that bad," Michael complained. Although Michael did not possess the best culinary skills, he did manage to cook pretty good food. But it was hard to impress someone who had been used to eating Raylene, a five star chef's cooking. That was the reason why Michael was thinking of upgrading Raylene to six star level before opening new restaurant chains in the realm of gods.

Hearing Michael's defense of his culinary skills, Gaya couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Oh, please! Remember that time you tried to make that 'simple' elven bread? It ended up harder than a damn rock. I could've thrown it at an enemy and done more damage than with my sword!"

Michael shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face. "Hey, that wasn't entirely my fault. Who knew you needed to actually measure the water and not just eyeball it?"

Despite her teasing, Gaya's eyes softened, and she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Ah, I love you, you know, even if your cooking could be classified as a lethal weapon. Let's make that dinner you're promising something special, alright? Something that doesn't require a healing potion afterward,"

After they joked and had a little light hearted moment, Michael turned his focus back to the beast tamer's building. On the other hand, Gaya prepared herself mentally to confront the griffins.

"Are you coming with me or do I have to find the griffins by myself?" asked Gaya.

"This one, you have to do it alone. Pink will have your back if you need anything," Michael said as Gaya nodded and exited the room to complete her part of the plan.

Meanwhile, Michael entered the system to buy the necessary ingredients needed to brew the potion to weaken Borgin.