Hitman with a Badass System

Meanwhile, back in the realm of gods, Andohr returned to the halls of the pantheon. As the god of space and time, Andohr could literally open portals anywhere in the world, and there were few countermeasures that could stop him. Despite being caged for five thousand years and having spent most of his energy breaking out and opening a portal for Vedora, Andohr remained powerful. To be precise, Andohr was still at Level 6 Elden God, on par with Zorian, the God of the Sun. Fortunately for everyone, Andohr had not yet recovered his peak powers.

The halls of the pantheon were breathtaking: white marble floors gleamed majestically, grand pillars and statues of various gods adorned the space, sparkling sofas embellished with gold and gems invited divine discourse, and angels with feathery wings and silver armor patrolled the area, their bodies covered in glowing armor from head to toe.

When the angels witnessed the sudden appearance of a god, they were taken aback. These angels could sense the godly aura emanating from Andohr, but they did not recognize his identity. How could they, considering Andohr hadn't stepped into the halls of the pantheon for five thousand years? Even before that, Andohr was one of the few gods who seldom visited the pantheon or graced his worshippers with his presence.

"This place hasn't changed a bit..." Andohr muttered as Salesi stood beside him in awe. She never imagined she would be in the realm of gods so soon, let alone in the very halls of the pantheon itself.

"Don't embarrass me. Act like you're the daughter of the most powerful god," Andohr snickered, his tone overflowing with arrogance and narcissism.

"Yes, Father," Salesi quickly nodded and sealed her lips. Despite being the queen of Nagaland and the orchestrator behind the demise of a god, Salesi's usual arrogance and pride melted away in the presence of her father, rendering her as docile as a well-trained cat. This shift wasn't something she resented; rather, she relished the opportunity to stand by her father's side and bask in his formidable presence.

However, Andohr did not harbor the same affection for his daughter as she craved from him. To him, Salesi was merely a subservient underling, someone who would follow his commands without question and worship him fervently—exactly what he required.

As Andohr surveyed his surroundings, a group of patrolling angels led by a tall angel with golden wings approached. The lead angel, hand resting on the hilt of his sword, addressed Andohr with a tone that was neither respectful nor outright disrespectful.

"We do not recognize you. Who are you?" the angel inquired.

"How dare you speak to him like that?" Salesi snapped, her temper flaring, barely restraining herself from attacking, oblivious to the vast power disparity between them. Being in the realm of gods without having ascended through cultivation or deity status, Salesi's only protection was her proximity to Andohr.

"Silence, girl. They haven't been in the powerful presence of Andohr in a while," Andohr chided her coldly, his head tilting with a sinister grin.

Upon hearing the name, the angels tensed. They might not have recognized him by sight, but the legacy of the so-called 'caged god' was known to them.

"Andohr? The caged god?" blurted one angel from the group, unaware of the implications of his words.

"Did you just call me 'caged god'? Is that what you pathetic angels have been calling me?" Andohr's anger ignited further, his rage compounded by his previous confinement. His ego, already bruised from years of captivity, could not tolerate such disrespect, especially not now that he had regained his freedom.

"Kill them for the disrespect they showed you, father," Salesi hissed, her words dripping with venom, urging Andohr to retaliate. Amused by his daughter's lethal zeal and already seething with fury, Andohr found the insolent angel a perfect outlet for his wrath.

"Wait—" the lead angel attempted to interject, sensing the imminent danger of Andohr's fury. But it was too late; with a mere gesture of his hand, Andohr disintegrated the angel's body into cubic chunks that crumbled to the ground. Then, with a casual flick of his wrist, Andohr opened a small portal, from which an intense heat burst forth, startling everyone present. They stared in horror and awe at the portal which revealed the blazing sun on its other side.

"Caged god?" Andohr scoffed, and with a wave of his hand, he sent the dismembered remains hurling through the portal into the sun.

The remaining angels stood frozen, caught between their duty to confront a god who disregarded angelic life and the overwhelming power of a being who could extinguish their existence in the blink of an eye.

"Is that you, Space god?" A familiar voice filled with laughter echoed through the hall, causing Andohr to furrow his brows in recognition.

"Lathander," Andohr muttered, turning to see the God of Mischief approaching with a mixture of shock, excitement, and a hint of concern.

"First of all, how in the hell did you manage to break out of that magnificent castle, and second, who is this delightful young mortal?" Lathander inquired, his tone light and playful.

"She is no mortal; she is my daughter, Salesi," Andohr responded coldly.

"Ah, a pleasure, my dear," Lathander greeted, gracefully taking Salesi's hand and planting a courtly kiss upon it. "I am Lathander, the God of Mischief and an admirer of the ladies," he introduced himself with his usual dramatic flair.

"Where is the rest of the pantheon, Lathander? I have exhausted all my patience, so I have none left for your theatrics," Andohr stated bluntly, cutting through the pleasantries with icy detachment.

"Aww, did you forget your way around, Andohr? Never mind, follow me and tell me all the juicy details about how you escaped your—" But before Lathander could finish his sentence, Andohr, having had enough of Lathander's antics, flicked his wrist, creating a portal directly beneath Lathander's feet. Caught off guard, the God of Mischief had no time to react and fell through the portal, landing in a mountain of snow.

"Asshole!" Lathander shouted as he emerged from the snow, brushing off the chill and glaring at the now-closing portal above him. "The God of Darkness did nothing wrong!" he growled defiantly, his voice echoing off the icy slopes.

Back in the pantheon, Andohr allowed himself a brief amused smile as he casually strolled forward, leaving the remaining angels dumbstruck by his display of power.

Eventually, Andohr and Salesi arrived at a massive marble door adorned with intricate carvings of various gods, including one holding an hourglass, unmistakably Andohr. He touched the carving, and it lit up, triggering the doors to slowly creak open.

Salesi's mouth fell slightly open in awe as she gazed upon the core of the pantheon's meeting hall—not just any meeting hall, but the council chamber of the core pantheon gods.

This magnificent hall, though small, exuded grandeur with a majestic round table at its center surrounded by thrones crafted from gold and silver. The walls were adorned with carvings depicting gods in battle with various mythical creatures, and the floor boasted a snow-white rug as soft as snowflakes. Above, the ceiling hosted gently floating clouds, adding to the ethereal atmosphere.

This hall was the meeting place of the most powerful gods, and once, Andohr had been an integral member of this elite group. Despite his prolonged absence, he was determined to reclaim his rightful place among them.

Andohr strolled toward his former throne, shaped like an hourglass, as Salesi followed, her gaze sweeping across the grand but deserted hall.

"Where are the others, father?" Salesi asked, her voice echoing slightly in the vast chamber.

"Probably dealing with the consequences of Noah's death. He was the God of Light, after all; his demise would have weakened many here. It's the perfect time to strike," Andohr replied with a cold chuckle, his eyes fixed on his throne.

He knew that among the gods who frequented the pantheon, Zorian, the God of the Sun, was one of the most powerful. With Noah's death, a significant source of Zorian's power—light—would have diminished. While there were rumors of other gods more powerful than Zorian, they remained aloof from pantheon affairs. Overthrowing Zorian would effectively put the pantheon under his control.

"Once the pantheon is mine, I will own this entire realm. Then, I will ensure that every god who betrayed me pays for their inaction or their treachery," Andohr mused, his voice laced with venom as he took his seat upon the throne.

With Andohr's return, a new chapter in the divine civil war began. In the mortal realm, the God of Darkness consolidated his power, while in the realm of gods, Andohr, his arch nemesis, maneuvered to take control. Thus commenced the Age of Darkness and the onset of a great war.