Hitman with a Badass System

Despite Harriet's intervention, Michael's anger did not simmer down. Instead, he attacked both Noah and Harriet furiously, showing no signs of familial bonds.

"Mother, you need to leave!" Noah shouted, barely evading Michael's attack and trying to defend his mother. But Harriet was more stubborn than the two of them combined. Instead of slowing down, Harriet retaliated against Michael with even more furious attacks.

"I don't want to hurt you, Dean, but I will if you don't stop!" Harriet shouted, her voice filled with desperation.

"Don't call me that!" Michael snapped back, his anger flaring even more. He stomped the ground with his raw power, shaking the earth beneath them. The cracking ground made Noah and Harriet lose a bit of balance. Seizing this moment, Michael kicked Noah squarely in the chest and pushed Harriet away with enough force to make her stumble backward.

Taking advantage of their momentary disorientation, Michael charged at Noah before he could regain his balance. He didn't even bother to take out the god-killing arrows from his system storage, as only those arrows could truly kill Noah, a fellow god. However, Michael was too enraged to strategize. He wanted to hurt Noah before ending his life. Thus, as he reached Noah, Michael swung his sword in an arc, but at the last minute, Harriet threw her sword, cutting Michael's hand and making him lose his grip on his sword.

Utilizing the opportunity, Noah retaliated with a flying kick to Michael's chest, sending him reeling backward. As Michael struggled to regain his footing, Noah roared at Harriet. "You cannot stop this, Mother!"

In a swift motion, Noah grabbed a rope from the ground, tying it around the hilt of his sword and coiling it around his wrist to ensure he wouldn't lose his grip again.

As Michael steadied himself and prepared to launch another attack, the sky suddenly lit up with another volley of golden lightning bolts fired by Ayag's head. Several bolts struck the ground near them, exploding with tremendous force. The shockwave from the blasts caught Michael, Noah, and Harriet within its radius, hurling them apart and scattering them across the battlefield.

Dazed and disoriented by the explosion, they struggled to regain their senses. The air crackled with residual energy from the lightning, the smell of scorched earth hanging heavy around them. Despite her injuries, Harriet quickly got to her feet, her eyes scanning for her sons amid the chaos.

"Noah! Dean!" she called out, her voice hoarse with desperation. She stumbled toward Noah, who was slowly picking himself up, his armor dented and his face grim with pain and determination.

Harriet reached him, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. "This isn't the way," she pleaded, her eyes meeting his. "I have no choice, Mother. He needs to be stopped," Noah said, gesturing toward where Michael was also rising, his dark armor smoldering and his demeanor more menacing than ever.

As the soldiers scrambled away from the battlefield, a horrific sight caught their attention. Vedora, the undead hydra, was slowly but inexorably moving toward the city of Icefair. The city's outskirts were already in ruins, with people desperately trying to evacuate amidst the chaos caused by the distant battle. "Look! The hydra is heading for Icefair!" one soldier cried out, pointing toward the looming threat.

Mugashuku, locked in its titanic struggle with Vedora, tried to restrain the undead hydra, but a mysterious force seemed to propel Vedora towards the city, its instincts overridden by some unknown command.

On the battlefield, Noah saw the hydra's movement and turned his fury toward Michael. "All these deaths are on your head!" he roared, his voice filled with blame and anger.

"You have no idea who the real villain in this is." Michael responded with a growl.

Witnessing the escalating conflict and the looming disaster, Harriet stood firmly between her sons. "We can talk this out," she pleaded, her voice desperate for peace. But Michael's patience had worn thin.

"No more talking. This has gone on long enough," Michael declared, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

As the two hydras continued their relentless battle in the sky, their colossal forms ominously floated towards Icefair city. The ground shook with their every move, the city's already crumbling structures beginning to give way under the immense pressure of the ongoing battle above.

Ignoring Harriet's pleas for peace, Noah, fueled by desperation and fury, pushed her aside and charged towards Michael. He had modified his combat style, using the rope tied to his sword to extend his reach and maneuverability. This allowed him to keep a safer distance from Michael's devastating power, which was fueled by raw anger and dark energy.

Noah swung the sword expertly, the blade whistling through the air, creating arcs of silver light as it moved. Each swing was calculated and precise, aimed at exploiting Michael's aggressive approach. The rope allowed the sword to cut through the air, slashing at Michael from unexpected angles.

Michael, caught by the swift and unpredictable attacks, sustained several cuts across his arms and torso. Each strike of Noah's sword left a mark, slicing through Michael's dark armor and drawing blood. Despite the injuries, Michael's response was ferocious, meeting each of Noah's attacks with a counterstrike of his own. His movements, though less elegant than Noah's, were powerful and direct, aiming to overpower rather than outmaneuver his brother.

The fight escalated, with Michael attempting to close the distance between them, his dark swords clashing against Noah's with sparks flying every time they met. Michael's strategy was clear, to remove the advantage Noah gained from the rope by bringing the battle into close quarters where his superior strength could be more effectively utilized.

As the fight continued, Noah expertly threw his sword, slicing a small cut across Michael's face. Reacting swiftly, Michael seized the rope and coiled it around his wrist, yanking Noah closer. With Noah now within his reach, Michael unleashed a barrage of punches, each blow landing heavily on Noah's face, causing him to cough up blood.

Harriet, witnessing the brutal scene, dashed towards Michael, her roar of anger filling the air. "That's enough!"

She attempted to intercept Michael's fist, aiming to stop him, but Michael's raw power was too much. With a forceful shove, he pushed Harriet down, momentarily stunning her.

Seeing her son, Noah, bleeding and struggling reignited a fierce protective instinct in Harriet. Closing her eyes, she summoned the ancient god's blood that coursed through her veins. A thick layer of red energy enveloped her body, glowing intensely as she channeled her ancient heritage.

With renewed vigor and power, Harriet dashed forward, her movements blurred by the intense energy surrounding her. She delivered a powerful kick to Michael, sending him flying across the battlefield. The impact of her kick was so forceful that it created a shockwave, stirring up dust and debris around them.

Michael, caught off guard by the sudden surge of power from his mother, was thrown back several yards. He skidded across the ground, his armor scraping against the dirt, before coming to a harsh stop. The red energy around Harriet flickered with potent force, signaling her readiness to defend her sons at all costs.

"There it is… The ancient god's power," Salesi mumbled from a safe distance, her eyes wide as she observed the battle. This mysterious and potent power that coursed through only a select few in their universe was astonishing. According to her father, these ancient god powers originated from powerful beings beyond their known universe. However, not even he fully understood how mere mortals came to inherit traces of such powerful energy.

"It is not time for admiration, Salesi. He hasn't used the god-killing arrows yet," the voice of evil Andreas echoed in her head.

"He will… One god dies today…" Salesi replied, her voice tinged with amusement.

Meanwhile, Michael picked himself up from the ground, spitting out the blood that filled his mouth. He stared at Harriet with a mix of shock and respect. He had never before experienced such overwhelming force, it was like being struck by a freight train. Even without the aid of arch and celestial energy in the atmosphere, her power had sent him reeling, a feat no small task.

"Mother," Noah murmured, his gaze fixed on the crimson red energy swirling around Harriet.

"I tried to talk you down. But if you only listen to violence, then so be it," Harriet said coldly, her eyes moving between Noah and Michael.

With a burst of speed granted by the ancient god's power, Harriet launched herself at Michael. Her movements were a blur, each strike delivered with precision and overwhelming force. Michael, taken aback by her sudden onslaught, quickly activated a black shield from his wrist to block her attacks. The shield shimmered under the impact, each hit resonating like thunder.

Harriet's assault was relentless. She shifted her weight and threw a series of rapid punches, each one aimed to break through Michael's defenses. The sheer power behind her strikes forced Michael to step back, struggling to keep up with her speed.

Seeing an opportunity, Noah tried to capitalize on Michael's distraction. He dashed towards his brother, sword drawn and ready to strike. However, Harriet was quick to intercept. With the same ferocity she used against Michael, she turned her attention to Noah. Her attacks were not just powerful but also strategic, aiming to incapacitate rather than kill.

She swept Noah's legs with a low kick, sending him tumbling to the ground. Before he could recover, she followed up with a downward strike aimed at his chest. Noah managed to roll away just in time, the ground where he had been seconds before now cracked and upheaved from the force of her strike.

Not letting up, Harriet spun and delivered a backhand strike that caught Noah across the cheek, sending him reeling. As he staggered, she grabbed his wrist, twisting it sharply. The pain forced Noah to drop his sword, his arm rendered useless as she applied pressure.

"Enough!" she bellowed, her voice echoing with the authority of the ancient power within her. "This ends now!"

"You want to play, let's play," said Michael before activating his APD to inject him with the Berseker potion.

Novel Fire - novelfire.net