Hitman with a Badass System

Salesi observed the unfolding confrontation with a mixture of amusement and anticipation. She admired Noah for his biting words, knowing well how deeply they would shake Michael psychologically, potentially weakening him enough for Noah to finish him off.

"Good, Noah, very good," Salesi murmured under her breath, her gaze sharp and calculating.

"That little puppy might not be as naive as we thought." Evil Andreas, watching the scene unfold, commented through their telepathic link with a hint of surprise.

"You can't manipulate someone effectively without sprinkling in some truth, Andreas," Salesi replied telepathically, her voice cool and composed. "What Noah is saying to Ghost holds truth, and that's what makes it so potent."

After hearing Noah, Harriet's heart started to beast faster. The truth in Noah's words was not lost on her. "You both have made mistakes, but killing each other is not the answer!" she shouted. Her voice cut through the tension like a sharp blade, her plea carrying the weight of a mother's desperation.

However, Noah shook his head, the lines of his face hardening into a mask of resolve. His eyes, once filled with the warmth of a son, now held a cold, unyielding determination as they locked onto Michael.

"As long as you are alive, there will always be someone pulling the strings from the shadows," Noah said with a firm tone, void of any warmth. "I need to avenge Alicia and protect others from the chaos you bring. You need to die. It's the only way to end this cycle." said Noah.

"You think I pursued power just for the sake of being more powerful?" Michael finally broke the silence, his voice heavy with a mix of resentment and resignation. "Power was not something I wanted; it was something I needed to survive in this world." Michael said pausing for a moment.

"I didn't have the luxury of being born with a silver spoon in my mouth or a family to guide me. I was branded the Dark Lord, the harbinger of evil, before I even knew how to protest it," he growled, his words laced with bitterness.

Michael rarely justified his actions to anyone. To do so was to show vulnerability, to open up the armored facade he had meticulously constructed over the years. But now, surrounded by the carnage of their conflict, with his brother poised as his executioner, Michael felt a desperate urge to lay bare his motivations, however dark they might be.

"You can say not all orphans end up as Dark Lords, but tell me, Noah, did I ever really have a choice?" His voice softened as he challenged Noah's convictions,

"You had everything, Noah, while I had nothing. Born on the same day but worlds apart," Michael said coldly, his eyes narrowing. "Every day for me is a battle for survival. If Skyhall didn't want me dead, someone else would. So I defend myself, and yes, that means I kill anyone who tries to kill me."

Listening to Michael's words, Harriet felt as if she were being pierced by multiple daggers. She blamed herself for not protecting him from Skyhall's prophecy, which had set everything in motion.

"You still believe that whoever holds Rowena will just hand her over if you kill me?" Michael snickered, the sound bitter and hollow. "No, they're just using you…" Michael's voice was heavy with resentment. "I took Alicia's life because she never ceased trying to kill me, to avenge her brother who had it coming. You hail her as a hero for her vendetta, yet when I defend myself from those who robbed me of my childhood, I'm branded the Dark Lord. It's not fair."

Harriet's heart ached as she tried to reason with her son, restrained by the army, yet undeterred in her pleas. "You don't have to do this, Dean. We can be a family again. You two are now powerful enough to stand against anyone." She glanced toward the chaos in the sky where the hydras clashed, their roars thundering across the battlefield. "Look at what's happening around you. Only together can you two stop this."

Noah, however, remained resolute, his expression hardened by the weight of his resolve. He shook his head dismissively at his mother's words, his eyes locked on Michael. "Take out the god-killing arrows, Ghost. We end this today."

"Thought you'd never ask," Michael's growl resonated with determination as he accessed his system storage, and seven glistening arrows materialized in his hand. "No!" Harriet's heart sank, and her voice broke the tense silence. A desperate scream escaped her lips as she struggled against Salesi's men.

Observing the unfolding drama, Salesi signaled her men to tighten their hold on Harriet. But before they could react further, Noah darted toward his mother with a swift, unexpected move. He held a needle, its contents poised to send her into unconsciousness. "No mother should see her son die," he whispered, his voice a mixture of resignation and resolve as he plunged the needle into Harriet's neck. Her protests faded as her consciousness slowly drifted away, her body going limp in the soldiers' arms.

Michael stood still, his face devoid of emotion, the god-killing arrows clutched in one hand and his dark sword in the other. The atmosphere tensed further as Michael manipulated the god-killing arrows, merging them into a single, menacing spear that radiated a deadly aura. The spear gleamed ominously, its sharp tip promising a lethal fate.

Noah, not hesitating, charged forward, his sword enveloped in radiant light flames, casting eerie shadows across the battlefield. The clash was imminent, and the tension palpable.

Michael thrust the spear with precision, its tip slicing through the air towards Noah. But Noah, anticipating the move, executed a swift roll to the side, narrowly evading the deadly point. He countered immediately, swinging his flame-wrapped sword in a wide arc aimed at Michael's midsection.

Michael, however, was quick to react. He parried the sword strike with the shaft of his spear, the clash sparking a cascade of light that briefly illuminated their fierce expressions. With a deft maneuver, he aimed another jab at Noah, this time adjusting his angle to anticipate Noah's evasion.

Meanwhile, Salesi and Andreas watched from a distance, their faces a mix of amusement and anticipation. "Look at them go! Two fools dancing to our beats," Andreas remarked with a chuckle.

"Indeed," Salesi replied, her eyes glinting with excitement. "This is the culmination of so much planning. Let's hope Noah can finish the job this time,"

Back on the battlefield, Noah twisted his body, dodging the spear's tip by mere inches. He countered with a quick thrust of his own, aiming for Michael's exposed side. But Michael's reflexes were sharp as he sidestepped and brought the spear down in a sweeping motion, trying to catch Noah off-guard.

"No more hiding, no more games, Ghost," Noah growled as he regrouped, preparing for another assault.

"Let's end this, Noah. May the best god win," Michael replied, his voice low and steady, as he readied his spear for the next strike.

As the battle between Michael and Noah escalated with ferocious intensity, Michael wielded the spear crafted from god-killing arrows and demonstrated expert control and lethal precision. Each movement was a masterclass in combat, his attacks a blend of vicious swipes and calculated thrusts aimed at overwhelming Noah.

Noah, for his part, defended valiantly. His sword, wrapped in blazing light, clashed against the dark metal of the spear, sending sparks and bursts of energy rippling through the air. Yet, despite his skill and determination, the sharp tip of Michael's spear managed to graze his arm. At that moment, a loud crack of thunder echoed across the sky, and the observers could see the realm tear above them widening significantly.

High above, amidst their own tumultuous battle, Mugashuku's heads took notice. "Did you see that?" one head remarked, its eyes fixed on the spectacle below. "Whatever they are doing, it's affecting the realm tear."

Another head nodded gravely, its gaze shifting between the battling gods and Vedora. "It seems like a god might indeed die today, and that death could save this world from the abomination we fight," it said, casting a disdainful look at Vedora, who continued to thrash and roar, seemingly oblivious to the conversations about its fate.

As Noah lunged forward, ignoring the searing pain from his earlier wound, he swung his swords with a desperate ferocity, managing to slice through Michael's armor and into his chest. The strike was precise, aimed to incapacitate or perhaps even end the fight. Michael, however, was far from defeated. Reacting swiftly, he momentarily separated the spear into two halves, using the blunt end to strike Noah and create space between them.

With a rapid movement, Michael recombined the spear and thrust the sharpened end at Noah. Noah, anticipating the move, tried to dodge aside. He was not quick enough to avoid the attack completely, and the tip of the spear pierced through his shoulder. As the spear embedded itself, a brief flicker of light radiated around the world, momentarily dimming the daylight. Simultaneously, the ground beneath their feet trembled, a palpable sign of the realm crack above them widening further.

(the next chapter will have a concussion of the fight and a new badass beginning)