Hitman With A Badass System

Chapter 1339  New Spell and Broken Heart

As Michael sat atop the fallen dragon, catching his breath, a series of system notifications chimed in his head:

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for killing Malevolous, the Ancient dragon. The reward is 250,000 Experience points and 2 million Badass points]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully being a badass. The reward is 5 million Badass points]

[Warning! The Host may now choose one spell of choice from the system store for free]

Michael's exhaustion was momentarily forgotten as he processed these rewards. But before he could fully appreciate them, another notification appeared:

[Congratulations to host 'Michael' for leveling up. The current stage is Celestial Resonance Realm]

[Warning! The Host can reach this new stage upon return to the realm of gods. The system will go offline for four days during the breakthrough. The host must find a secluded spot for breaking through during these four days]

A mix of excitement and concern washed over Michael. The rewards were substantial, and the promise of a new spell and cultivation level was enticing. However, the thought of the system going offline for four days during a crucial time was worrying.

"Well, isn't that just perfect timing," Michael muttered sarcastically. He knew he'd have to plan carefully to ensure he could safely undergo this breakthrough without leaving himself vulnerable to Skyhall's machinations.

As he pondered these developments, Michael's gaze drifted to Rowena, who was approaching the crater. He realized that despite the victory and rewards, their ordeal was far from over. They still needed to escape this pocket dimension and deal with the Skyhall elders.

At that moment, Michael stood atop Malevolous's massive head, a mix of exhilaration and fatigue coursing through him. The thrill of slaying his first ancient beast was intoxicating, a testament to his growing power as the God of Darkness.

However, amidst the triumph, a pang of loss struck him. The Doombringer, his trusty weapon since he first stepped into the role of Lucifer, was gone. It felt like losing an old friend, a companion that had seen him through countless battles.

"You served me well, old friend," Michael murmured, a moment of silence for the sacrificed weapon.

But he quickly shook off the melancholy. Now wasn't the time for sentimentality. There were more pressing matters at hand.

"Right, let's see what new toy I can get," he said, focusing on the system's spell store.

As he was about to browse through the available spells, Michael's mind raced with possibilities. He needed something powerful, versatile, and an area-of-effect spell that could turn the tide against Skyhall.

"Time to upgrade, get the hell out of this pocket dimension, and show Skyhall what happens when you piss off the God of Darkness," Michael muttered and turned to see the colossal corpse of Malevolous. The ancient dragon's body was a treasure trove of valuable materials - scales, bones, organs, each part potentially useful for potions, weapons, or magical artifacts.

"Damn, what a waste," he muttered, realizing the dragon's massive size made it impossible to store in his system storage.

With a resigned sigh, Michael decided to leave the dragon's body behind. As tempting as the resources were, dragging a giant dragon corpse while facing Skyhall wasn't exactly practical.

"Another time, perhaps," he said, turning away from the fallen beast.

As he shifted his focus back to Rowena, intending to enter the system interface and browse through the new spells, he was caught off guard. Rowena grabbed his arm, her grip surprisingly strong given her weakened state.

"Thank you," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I knew you or Noah would come for me. I never lost hope. But where is he right now? Why didn't he come here?"

Michael's stomach dropped at Rowena's question. "Fuck," he thought, his mind racing for a way to answer.

How the hell was he supposed to tell her that he'd killed Noah, the brother she actually grew up with and loved? That his actions had plunged the entire mortal realm into eternal darkness? It was a shitshow of epic proportions.

For a brief moment, Michael considered lying. It would be easier, less painful. But as he looked at Rowena's expectant face, he knew there was no point. The evidence was literally everywhere - the darkened mortal realm was like a giant neon sign screaming "Noah's dead, and the Dark Lord did it."

Michael ran a hand through his hair, buying time. Rowena's love for Noah ran deep, way deeper than any affection she might have for him, the brother she'd only just met. This truth could shatter whatever fragile bond they'd formed.

"Damn it all," Michael muttered under his breath. He'd faced down ancient dragons and gods, but this... this felt like the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. Taking a deep breath, Michael steeled himself. There was no easy way to do this, no sugar-coating the bitter pill Rowena was about to swallow.

"Rowena," he began, his voice heavy with the weight of what he was about to reveal, "there's something I need to tell you about Noah..."

"What?" Rowena's voice cracked, her usually composed demeanor crumbling. Despite her attempts to maintain her icy composure, panic seeped into her words.

Her eyes searched Michael's face, desperately seeking reassurance. But what she found there only deepened her dread. Uncertainty clouded his eyes, and she noticed how they flickered when she mentioned Noah's name. The unnatural darkness that permeated the realm, casting an eerie glow over everything, suddenly felt oppressive and meaningful.

A knot formed in her stomach as the pieces began to fall into place. The absence of light, Michael's hesitation, the palpable tension in the air - it all pointed to something terrible having befallen Noah.

"Dean," she said, using the name she knew him by, her voice barely above a whisper, "what happened to Noah? Tell me he's okay. Please."

Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped Michael's arm tighter, bracing herself for news she already sensed would shatter her world.

As Michael fumbled for words, trying to find a way to soften the blow - even though he knew there was no way to make "I killed our brother" sound nice - Rowena's patience finally snapped.

She grabbed the gorget of his armor, her knuckles white with tension, and shook him with surprising strength for her weakened state. "Tell me what happened, damn it!" she demanded, her voice a mix of fury and desperation.

Michael took a deep breath, steeling himself. "Noah is dead," he said, his voice low and steady. "I killed him."

The words hung in the air, heavy and devastating. Rowena's grip on Michael's armor loosened, her hands falling limply to her sides. She stared at him, her mind struggling to process what she'd just heard.

"What?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "No... that can't... you couldn't have..."

The color drained from Rowena's face, leaving her ashen and ghostly. Her eyes, wide with disbelief, searched Michael's face for any sign that this was some cruel joke. But all she saw was grim truth. A maelstrom of emotions whirled within her - shock, disbelief, anger, grief, all crashing together in a devastating tsunami. Her legs felt weak, threatening to give out beneath her as the full weight of Michael's words sank in.

Noah, her little brother, the one she'd watched grow up, the one she'd protected and loved... was gone. And the one responsible was standing right in front of her, wearing the face of another brother she barely knew.

Tears welled up in Rowena's eyes, spilling over and streaming down her face. A flood of memories crashed through her mind - Noah's playful teasing, his unwavering love that pierced through her icy demeanor, shared meals filled with laughter, nights spent comforting him after nightmares. She remembered cradling him as a child, his small hands clinging to her, his bright eyes looking up at her with pure adoration.

The weight of these memories, now tainted with the knowledge that they were all that remained of her beloved brother, was too much to bear. Something inside Rowena snapped.

With a cry of anguish, she slapped Michael across the face. The sound echoed through the pocket dimension, sharp and startling.

But it wasn't enough. She slapped him again. And again. And again.

Each strike was fueled by her grief, her anger, her disbelief. The sound of flesh hitting flesh punctuated her sobs, a physical manifestation of her emotional agony.

"How could you?!" she screamed between slaps, her voice raw with pain. "He was our brother! How could you do this?!"

Rowena's assault continued, her hand reddening from the impact, but she didn't stop. It was as if by striking Michael, she could somehow undo what had been done, as if she could bring Noah back through the sheer force of her grief and rage.

On the other hand, Michael stood there, accepting each slap without resistance. He knew this wouldn't bring Noah back or ease Rowena's pain, but it was the least he could do. Each strike was a testament to the depth of her grief, a pain he could understand even if he didn't share it.

Although Michael had never developed the brotherly bond with Rowena or Noah that they shared with each other, he wasn't blind to their love. He could see it in Rowena's shattered composure, in the way her usual icy demeanor had crumbled into raw, unrestrained emotion.

"Why?" Rowena screamed, her palm connecting with Michael's cheek again. "Why did you kill him?" Another slap. "Why?" And another.

Each "why" was punctuated by a strike, her voice growing hoarser with each repetition. Her usually composed features were contorted with anguish, tears streaming down her face unchecked.

Michael stood firm, accepting each blow. He watched as the normally unflappable Rowena broke down completely, her pain manifesting in this physical outburst. Her fists began to pound against his chest as her energy waned, but still she persisted.

"Why, Dean? Why?" she sobbed, her strikes becoming weaker but no less filled with pain.

"It was Skyhall and Salesi's manipulation—" Michael took a deep breath, attempting to explain. His words were cut short by another stinging slap from Rowena. Her eyes blazed with fury, her weakness the only thing preventing her from unleashing magical fury upon him.

"Were they the ones who put a sword through his heart?" she demanded, her voice trembling with rage. Deep down, she knew only family could have killed Noah, but the question hung in the air, demanding an answer.

Michael's silence spoke volumes, confirming her worst fears. Rowena's face contorted with a mixture of grief and disgust as she looked at him.

"I was wrong," she spat, her voice dripping with venom. "I was wrong to believe you weren't the cursed child, that you weren't the Dark Lord destined to bring pain and destruction. But that's exactly what you are. You're nothing but a curse upon this world, upon our family."