Hitman with a Badass System

Once Michael ordered the system to destroy the illusion, the required badass points were swiftly drained. A strange dark smoke then enveloped the area around the illusion before him, creating an eerie sight as it seemed to wrap around empty air.

Realizing his protective veil was about to be breached, Valorix cursed loudly. In a desperate attempt to stop Michael, he threw his halberd with all the force he could muster. "Damn it!" he yelled, the weapon cutting through the air toward Michael.

With surprising ease, Michael caught the halberd mid-flight, a smirk playing on his lips. "Nice try," he quipped before hurling it back at Valorix. The weapon grazed Valorix's face, leaving a scratch that was a testament to Michael's skill and the god of thieves' momentary lapse in concentration.

Soon, a sound akin to glass shattering echoed through the castle, drawing Valorix's attention back to the source of their contention. He watched in horror as the illusion, a masterpiece created by Lathander himself, shattered into pieces, revealing an emerald green orb engraved with various glowing runes.

Michael's eyes narrowed as he spotted the Mark of Morbus among the runes. With a snicker, he couldn't resist commenting, "Looks like you're in bed with Morbus. Not a good look for you, Valorix."

Clenching his fist, Michael prepared to smash the orb with the dark flames swirling around his hand. It was at this moment that Valorix recognized the imminent destruction of his advantage. "Stop!" Valorix shouted.

Hearing Valorix's shout, Michael halted his fist just inches from the orb, curiosity briefly overshadowing his intent to destroy. The god of darkness watched as Valorix, far from displaying anger or shock, actually laughed. With a casual flick of his wrist, a bright light appeared in mid-air between them, transforming into a scene showing adventurers inside a treasure vault, their excitement palpable as they looted the treasure.

"Aye, look at this gem! Worth more than the ale I could drink in a lifetime," boasted a burly dwarf, his beard glittering with the dust of gold.

An elegant elf, her eyes gleaming with the thrill of discovery, held up a scroll. "This spell scroll... It's ancient. The power it could hold!"

A human, clad in armor that gleamed even in the dim light of the vault, laughed heartily. "And finally some treasures for surviving this damn death trap!"

"And to think, we almost missed all this!" A halfling, barely visible over a mound of gold coins, piped up.

Watching the scene unfold beside the orb, Michael turned to Valorix with a slight frown. "What the fuck are you playing at?" As though Valorix was waiting for Michael's question, he clapped his hands, and the plague maidens momentarily halted their attacks. Then a cunning sly smile appeared on his withered face.

"Oh, God of Darkness, this orb doesn't just power the plague maidens. It's also the trigger for all the lovely little surprises I've placed around the treasure vault. If you shatter this orb, it'll trigger the bombs and... well, you get the picture."

Meanwhile, Gaya, who had been searching for the adventurers outside, heard Valorix's words through the earpiece Michael had on. "Did he just say 'bombs'?" she asked, alarm tinging her voice.

Michael remained silent, a rare moment of indecision crossing his face as Gaya quickly assessed the danger. "Handle that asshole, Michael. I'm not about to let some bomb take me out," she said sharply, her voice a mix of urgency and irritation.

Oblivious to the exchange between Michael and Gaya, Valorix boasted about his plan. "Genius, isn't it? I dare you, shatter the orb. But we both know you won't. You're not that reckless," he taunted, sure of his victory.

With Michael turned silent, Valorix had his arrogance and narcissism flare up to new heights. Enjoying his plan was working perfectly, he began to explain his twisted logic and plan with a gleam of cunning in his eyes. "You know, I always figured you and Gaya would waltz in here first. And those stupid adventurers, blinded by their own greed, were just too easy to fool with the promise of another castle filled with gold and a trail of rare potions. It's like leading pigs to the slaughterhouse, and they're just gobbling it up, oblivious to the blade hanging over their heads," he laughed, his voice dark with malice.

Meanwhile, within the illusion, the adventurers were in a frenzy of excitement, their hands grabbing anything that sparkled or held the promise of power.

"Would you look at this potion? I bet it could make me do some awesome shit!" exclaimed a human girl, holding up a vial filled with a swirling, luminescent liquid.

"Found a scroll of firestorm. This will fetch a pretty penny, or better yet, blast our enemies to ashes," an elf declared, her eyes alight with the possibilities.

In the midst of their looting, a grizzled warrior paused, looking around with a suspicious glare. "Where's that black-robed asshole and his bitch? They're missing out, or maybe they planned this all along," he mused, voicing the question that was on a few minds.

Valorix, overhearing the adventurers' banter through the magical scene, couldn't help but chuckle at their ignorance. "See? Like lambs. And I knew you'd find the illusion—actually breaking it surprised me, I'll admit. But, of course, I had my backup plan. I knew you wouldn't let these innocents die. Such a predictable god," he said, dripping with sarcasm as he slowly approached Michael.

With a smug smile, Valorix continued, "So, your only choice is to back off, leave the orb untouched, and deal with the plague maidens. They'll keep coming back, again and again, until you're worn down. And then?" He circled Michael, his chuckle resonating with dark amusement. "Once your physical strength gives in, your soul is mine. Trapped here forever, just like you did to Andohr, remember? Ah, but I'm being generous, giving you a taste of your own medicine." he said before pausing for a moment. Then, he had the courage to lean closer to Michael.

"You know, Ghost, it's funny how history loves to repeat itself. Five thousand years ago, you stood where you are now, faced with a similar shit choice. Kill me and lose innocent lives, or let me go to save them. You chose the latter, and look where it got us."

Michael noticed the unquenchable anger and killing intent in those cold old eyes. But still, Michael remained silent, listening to Valorix's flashback and the history between him and the previous Dark Lord.

"You made me look like this," Valorix gestured to his weathered, aged appearance, a far cry from the handsome youth he once was. "Drained my vitality, turned me into a mockery of my former self. And for what? A moment of mercy?"

As Valorix's words dripped with venom, the air between them crackled with tension. "And now, you're faced with the same choice. But here's the kicker—I won't be letting you walk away this time. No, no, no. This time, I'm taking something from you. Your freedom, your soul, it will be trapped here, a fitting revenge for the humiliation you've forced upon me."

Enjoying Michael's silent, Valorix couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"So, what's it going to be, Ghost? Will history repeat itself, or will you surprise me? Either way, I win. Either you're trapped here with me, or you live knowing you've unleashed destruction by trying to stop it. Quite the dilemma, isn't it?" He asked as he took a few steps back to relish the silence and the look on Michael's face.

"So, go ahead, make your choice. Save them, save yourself, it doesn't matter. Either way, I win. Because this time, Ghost, this time, I'm ensuring your heroics cost you everything." asked Valorix with his gaze never leaving Michael. But to Valorix's complete shock, Michael burst into uproarious laughter. "Hero, me?" he scoffed, his laughter echoing around the cavernous room. "You've got me all wrong, Valorix. I'm the farthest thing from a hero. The idea itself is fucking hilarious. You really think I'd play the sacrificial lamb for a bunch of adventurers?"

Still chuckling, Michael shook his head, an amused smirk playing on his lips. "I don't give a damn about those adventurers. They're greedy, stumbling into traps left and right. They can pray to their own gods if they want saving. Sacrifice myself for them? Not a chance. They'd die sooner or later, one way or another."

Watching Michael's reaction, Valorix's smile froze, his heart skipping a beat as the realization of his miscalculation set in. Before he could recover or attempt another manipulative taunt, Michael's fist, glowing with dark energy, slammed into the orb. The sound of shattering glass filled the room as the orb disintegrated into countless pieces, its destruction signifying Michael's refusal to play by Valorix's rules.

Valorix, stunned and momentarily speechless, could only watch as his carefully laid plans crumbled before his eyes.

The moment Michael shattered the orb, the plague maidens let out ear-piercing screeches and crumbled into gray dust. Almost immediately, the sound of explosions in the distance echoed through the castle, its ancient walls trembling from the force. Amidst the chaos, Michael turned to Valorix, a smirk evident on his face.

"Do you hear that, Valorix? That's the sound of me not giving a shit about those greedy adventurers, AKA your so-called trump cards," Michael said, his voice dripping with disdain.

Valorix, visibly stunned by Michael's cruel ruthlessness, struggled to find words. The god of thieves, known for his cunning and manipulation, found himself at a loss. "You... You're not the same," he finally managed to say, his voice a mix of shock and realization. "The Ghost I knew five thousand years ago... he wouldn't have done this. You've changed. You're far more ruthless, more... cruel."

Michael's actions had not only subverted Valorix's expectations but also forced him to acknowledge a harsh truth: the Michael standing before him now was not bound by the moral codes or heroics of his past incarnation.

"Now what do we do with you?" Michael asked as the entire throne hall turned dark. At that moment, Valorix knew he was about to get the wrath of the new, more ruthless God of Darkness.