Hitman With A Badass System

1377  The Quest To Kill The God Of Chaos

Michael was surprised. Agra? That chaotic, unpredictable asshole? He'd crossed paths with Agra's followers a few times in the realm of gods. Mostly bandits, thugs, and generally unpleasant sorts who seemed to enjoy inflicting pain and suffering on well, pretty much anyone. Michael had dealt with a few of them, permanently. He wasn't a fan of unnecessary cruelty.

But if Seshat was concerned about Agra, then it must be serious.

"Yeah, what about that asshole?" Gaya interjected, her voice laced with a sardonic amusement. "He finally lose his goddamn mind?"

Seshat chuckled, shaking her head. "Agra has never been one to have a mind to lose, Gaya." But her smile faded, replaced by a look of genuine concern.

"He's become a liability. The civil war, Andohr's rebellion it has distracted the Pantheon. They've lost control of loose cannons like Agra. And now well, someone needs to clean up the mess."

Michael chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "And you think that someone is me?" He raised an eyebrow. "Why the hell would I do that? I have bigger fish to fry."

The "bigger fish" he was referring to, of course, was Rin. And Michael, still fuming over her attack on Lailah, her threat against Harry, her casual disregard for lives, wasn't about to get sidetracked by Agra's shenanigans. He had a score to settle. And a princess to dethrone.

But hearing Michael, Seshat, ever the wisest of them all, simply smiled.

"Killing Rin is not as simple as you might think."

Michael's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She'd guessed his target without him even saying a word. He was tempted to ask how she knew but decided against it. Knowing Seshat, she would give him some cryptic, vaguely annoying answer about intuition, or the flow of destiny, or some other mystical bullshit.

"Enlighten me," he said,.

"Rin's soul, " Seshat began, her voice soft but firm, "is bound to her father. Xyloth, the God of Murder. No one knows where he resides. Where he keeps his treasures."

"So?" Michael frowned. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"It means even if you kill her, Michael she will return. Xyloth will resurrect her. And each time she dies each time she's brought back she'll become stronger. More corrupted. More evil,"

She paused, her gaze meeting Michael's.

"And Rin, Michael she thrives on corruption. On darkness. On pain. It's what gives her power. It's what fuels her father's influence."

Xyloth and Rin, their existence was intertwined with the darker aspects of reality. The more pain, the more suffering, the more chaos they unleashed upon the world, the stronger they became. Death, for them, was just a temporary inconvenience. A chance to reset. To come back worse.

"You might defeat her," Seshat continued, "You might even kill her. But she'll return. And she'll be worse than before."

Michael just chuckled, shaking his head. He'd heard that kind of talk before. Countless times. Back on Earth, he'd taken out targets that others had deemed "untouchable," "invincible." But Michael well, Michael had a way of making the impossible possible.

He'd killed Rainar, the God of Rain, for fuck's sake. Rin was just a challenge. A particularly annoying, bloodthirsty challenge, but a challenge nonetheless.

And Michael? Michael thrived on challenges. Besides, the harder the task the bigger the reward. And those Badass Points well, those were always a good motivator.

"I'll find her true soul, Seshat," he said as confidence radiated from him. "And I'll deal with it. Permanently. They come back because they haven't been killed by me before."

He cracked his neck, a hint of a predatory smile playing on his lips.

However, Seshat simply smiled with a knowing glint in her eyes.

"Be that as it may, Rin has gone underground. She hasn't been seen in months. And knowing Andohr well, he's probably whispering in her ear as we speak."

"So what do you suggest?" Michael asked, his gaze hardening.

"If you want to kill Rin you need to draw her out," Seshat said, her voice taking on a sharper edge. "Which brings me back to Agra."

She paused, letting the silence hang in the air.

"I know a way. A way to draw Rin out. And deal with Agra at the same time. And if you and Gaya knew what that creature was up to well, I think you'd be more than a little inclined to lend a hand." Seshat said and remained silent for a few moments before continuing.

"Agra," Seshat began, her voice taking on a somber tone, "has… taken over the Verdant Sanctuary."

Michael's brow furrowed. The Verdant Sanctuary. Ava's domain. He'd heard whispers of its beauty, its tranquility, its healing energy. It had been a haven for mortals and lesser beings, a place of peace and sanctuary.

"He's… enslaving Ava's worshippers," Seshat continued, her gaze meeting his. "Turning them into… laborers. Forcing them to… build his… Temple of Chaos."

"So?" Gaya shrugged. "People get hurt, Seshat. Shit happens. It's not our problem. If Ava cares so much about her precious worshippers… she can deal with it herself." n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Seshat, however, shook her head, her smile fading.

"It's not just the worshippers, Gaya," she said with her voice taking on a sharper edge. "Agra… he's enslaving the beasts too. All the creatures in the Verdant Sanctuary. And he's been… buying up beasts. From every corner of the realm. I've heard reports of large shipments arriving from… various beast tamers, Goddess Gaya"

The moment Gaya heard that, her whole demeanor changed.

She might be the Dark Queen, the wife of the God of Darkness, the one who reveled in chaos and destruction… but she was also… the Goddess of Monsters. And the thought of Agra, that chaotic, unpredictable bastard, enslaving her creatures… it filled her with a rage that burned hotter than any dragon's fire.

She'd never met Agra personally. But she'd heard stories. From Malina. From Pink. Enough to know that the God of Chaos wasn't exactly known for his… gentle treatment of anyone. And if he was enslaving beasts…

She could only imagine the horrors those creatures were enduring.

Seshat, sensing Gaya's growing anger, her protective instincts flaring, simply smiled.

"Mortals… they can speak, Gaya. They can cry out for help. But beasts… they have no voice. And Agra… he doesn't show them the same courtesy that he shows his… mortal slaves."

"That son of a bitch!" Gaya snarled, her hand instinctively reaching for the daggers sheathed at her hip. "I'm going to rip his goddamn head off!"

Michael, unable to resist the opportunity for a little… marital teasing, chuckled.

Watching the exchange with a hint of amusement, Michael couldn't resist taking a jab at her.

"Someone was just saying… 'shit happens,'" he chuckled.

Gaya whirled on him, her eyes flashing with a dangerous light.

"One more word, asshole," she growled, "and you'll be tasting my boot leather human,"

Michael, wisely deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, suppressed his laughter as Seshat continued, her gaze shifting back to Michael, a thoughtful frown creasing her brow.

The Goddess of Wisdom was watching him, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

"I believe… a certain… friend of yours… might already be on her way to the Verdant Sanctuary," she said, her voice a low, conspiratorial whisper.

"Who?" Michael frowned. But even as he asked the question, he knew the answer.

Fayeth.

The angel of Ava. The green-haired beauty who'd helped him when he came to this realm of gods, risking her own life to protect him. He'd saved her from Rainar's clutches a couple of times since then, but he knew that righteous, compassionate angels like Fayeth had a way of finding trouble.

But he couldn't blame her, not this time. She was Ava's Angel. And any angel worth their salt wouldn't just sit back and watch while some power-hungry asshole enslaved her Goddess's worshippers, desecrated her domain, and tormented innocent creatures. Even if that asshole was the God of Chaos who would do things things that were far worse than just… killing her.

As Michael watched Gaya, her hands clenched, her whole body practically vibrating with barely restrained fury, a new notification chimed in his mind.

[The quest "Kill the God of Chaos" has commenced. Eliminate Agra, the self-proclaimed God of Chaos, and save your potential allies]

[Upon completing the quest, the host will recieve Ava's Domain, including all worshippers, and complete the "Unlock the Godhood of the Goddess of Monsters" quest]

[Upon completing the quest, the host will receive the knowledge to convert Gaya's cultivation to the realm of gods cultivation and unlock her godhood.]

A slow grin spread across Michael's face. This… this was perfect.

Looks like Agra had just earned himself a spot at the top of Michael's to-do list.

Taking out Agra… it was like hitting three birds with one stone.

First, it would complete Gaya's quest, unlocking her godhood and allowing her to cultivate in this realm. And she needed that. Without it, she was vulnerable, a liability. And Gaya, the proud, fiercely independent Dark Queen, hated being a liability.

Second, it would draw out Rin. Seshat seemed pretty damn sure about that. And once Rin showed her face, Michael could start working on a plan to locate Xyloth's domain, to find a way to permanently deal with the Princess of Murder.

And third… well, a domain full of worshippers? That was a lot of potential worship energy. And Michael, now understanding the true value of that… commodity, wasn't about to turn down a chance to boost his reserves.

"Alright," he said, his gaze meeting Seshat's, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Let's go pay Agra a visit. Gaya? You up for a little… chaos?"