Hitman With A Badass System

Chapter 1384  The Pond Of Tranquility II

"Because I'm here to… kill Agra. And you… you might be able to help." Michael said it so casually. What Fayeth had just heard should have shocked her to her core. The God of Darkness… was going to kill another god? But coming from him, it sounded almost mundane. Like he was talking about… taking out the trash, or doing the laundry. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, her mind struggling to process the… casualness of his declaration.

She stared at him for a moment, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, before finally managing to find her voice.

Gaya, watching the exchange with a barely concealed smirk, thoroughly enjoyed Fayeth's reaction. Even she, who'd witnessed Michael's power firsthand, who'd seen him tear through armies and face down gods, still found it a little… surreal when he talked about killing a deity as if it were just another item on his to-do list.

But she knew he could do it. He'd killed Rainar, hadn't he? Besides, Gaya had a simple philosophy when it came to… mortality: anyone could be killed. God, mortal, didn't matter. If you were clever enough, ruthless enough, motivated enough you could find a way. And Michael… Michael was the best there was. And he was definitely… motivated.

Fayeth, recovering from her initial shock, gestured towards the pond.

"Come," she said, her voice a hushed whisper. "We can talk… over there. Away from… prying ears."

The others, watching them go, exchanged awed whispers. It wasn't often that mortals in the realm of the Gods got to… see their deities. Ava, in her kindness and compassion, had been an exception. But since they'd driven her away a century ago, they hadn't laid eyes on an actual god.

They stared at Michael, their gazes a mixture of awe and… fear. This was the God of Darkness, the one whispered about in hushed tones, the one they'd been taught to fear, to revile.

But he didn't act like a god. There was no arrogance in his demeanor, no sense of godly superiority. He spoke to Fayeth as an equal, his voice calm, respectful, even friendly. And the woman with him… the beautiful woman with the raven hair and crimson eyes… she looked like a mortal. They couldn't sense any divine power radiating from her, couldn't tell she was the Goddess of Monsters herself. Just… a normal, albeit strikingly attractive, woman.

They watched, their eyes wide with curiosity and a touch of… fear, as the three figures disappeared behind the trees, their voices fading into the gentle murmur of the waterfall.

As they reached the pond, Fayeth gestured for Michael and Gaya to sit on a smooth, moss-covered rock beside the water. The pond was a small oasis of tranquility, its crystal-clear water reflecting the dappled sunlight that filtered through the leaves of the golden maple trees. Colorful koi fish, their scales shimmering with gold and red, darted and weaved through the water, their movements graceful and unhurried. Beneath the surface, a bed of vibrant corals and smooth, polished stones created a miniature underwater garden.

Michael, leaning against the wooden bridge rails that arched over the pond, studied the water, his expression calm, thoughtful. Gaya settled beside him, her gaze sweeping across the garden, her usual restlessness replaced by a quiet stillness.

Fayeth, watching him, couldn't help but marvel at his composure. He'd just asked her to help him kill a god… and yet, he looked as serene as if he were discussing the weather.

"What do you need?" she asked finally, her voice barely a whisper.

"Tell me about the Pond of Tranquility," Michael said, his gaze never leaving the water. "What do you know about it?"

Fayeth blinked, surprised. She looked from Michael to Gaya, a flicker of… something… confusion? Amusement? … dancing in her eyes.

"You're standing above it," she said, her voice a soft whisper.

Gaya frowned, turning her gaze to the pond, her brow furrowing in disbelief.

"This is the Pond of Tranquility?" she asked, her voice laced with skepticism.

"Yes," Fayeth nodded.

Michael, too, felt a surge of… disappointment. He'd been expecting something… more. A hidden grotto, guarded by ancient spirits, its waters shimmering with a divine light. A place that felt tranquil. But this was just a pond. A beautiful pond, sure, with its clear water and colorful fish, but a pond nonetheless. He looked at the water again, searching for… something, some sign of the power it supposedly held, but he felt… nothing.

"Why do you ask?" Fayeth asked, tilting her head, her gaze fixed on Michael's face.

"Because I need it," Michael replied, his voice taking on a harder edge. "To… kill Agra."

Fayeth stared at him for a moment, then sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"Why do you always ask the most… ridiculous questions? Every time you try to kill a god, it's always something… outlandish. Last time, it was 'where can I find a giant, ancient centipede?' And now… you need a… pond?"

"Are you sure this is the Pond of Tranquility?" he pressed, gesturing towards the seemingly ordinary body of water. "Because according to… a reliable source… it's the only way to… permanently get rid of Agra."

"It's just a pond, Michael, for the goddess sake," Fayeth said, her voice laced with a mixture of exasperation and amusement. "Ava she used it for meditation. Her angels we all did. It's peaceful. Calming. It has no god-killing properties. I can't believe I just said that out loud."

Michael chuckled, a low rumble in his chest.

"Think about it, Fayeth. The God of Chaos. Killed by… tranquility. It's… ironic, isn't it? Poetic justice, even?"

"Poetic… or are you just messing with him?" Fayeth asked, her brow furrowing in suspicion.

Michael chuckled but didn't offer an explanation. He couldn't exactly tell her that drowning Agra in the Pond of Tranquility was a requirement for killing the Chaos God, a condition set by the System, his most closely guarded secret, now could he?

He shrugged, his smile widening. "Let's just say… I'm a sick puppy with a weird sense of humor."

Despite her lingering confusion, Fayeth smiled warmly at Michael.

"I'm… grateful that you're here, God of Darkness. Thank you, again for helping me," she said, her voice laced with a sincerity that made Michael shift uncomfortably. He wasn't used to… gratitude.

"Just don't make it a habit, Fayeth," Gaya interjected, rolling her eyes. "We've got bigger problems to deal with, "

"I'm sorry," Fayeth said, her gaze dropping to the ground. "It's just without Ava we're lost. Like a flock of sheep without a shepherd."

Even Gaya, who usually didn't give a damn about feelings, felt a pang of… sympathy for the angel.

Michael, however, was already thinking ahead. He could practically taste the rewards of Agra's demise. The domain full of worshippers, their faith, their devotion… soon to be his. The thought sent a thrill of anticipation, of power, coursing through his veins. The Verdant Sanctuary was about to have a new go and a new shepherd.

"Easier?" Gaya raised an eyebrow. "We still have to get Agra here, Michael. And that's not gonna be… a walk in the park."

They both knew, from experience, that dealing with a god was a whole different ball game than dealing with those arrogant, power-hungry cultivators in the mortal realm. Back there, a few well-placed rumors, a carefully crafted insult, even a simple… dare… could be enough to lure a powerful cultivator out of their stronghold. They were predictable, easily manipulated by their own egos.

Gods, however, weren't so easily… swayed. They were older, wiser, and far more… cautious.

"How do you plan on luring Agra out of his fortress?" Fayeth asked, her voice laced with a hint of concern. "Last I heard, he's holed up at the top of that… thing he's building. He rarely leaves."

Fayeth's gaze drifted towards the distant temple, her expression hardening. The Temple of Chaos. It was a blight on the landscape, a monument to Agra's twisted vision, built with the blood and sweat of her people.

It stood on the very spot where Ava's temple had once been. A beautiful, serene garden, filled with fragrant flowers, the gentle murmur of a flowing river, the sweet songs of birds. A place of healing, of peace, of… sanctuary.

Agra's followers had destroyed it all. Ripped up the flowerbeds, diverted the river, and silenced the birds. And in its place, they'd erected this monstrosity. This temple of darkness and despair. It made her sick.

"He's not exactly a shut-in, though, is he?" Michael mused, his gaze fixed on the distant temple. "I hear he's planning a visit. In two days. Some kind of ceremony. To… consecrate his new shrine." He'd gleaned that little tidbit from Qin Jiu herself.. They hadn't mentioned Agra being holed up in the temple, which meant he was… elsewhere.

Fayeth didn't seem surprised. "Agra is unpredictable. Chaotic. He rarely stays in one place for long."

"Two days is a long time, Michael," Gaya said, turning to him, her brow furrowed in concern. "We need a plan. A way to… draw him out. Force him to come here. Because if we try to… drag him to that pond… he'll just… slip away. Disappear into the chaos. And we might never get another chance." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Any… brilliant ideas, oh wise and powerful God of Darkness?" she asked chuckling.

"What does that… temple… tell you, Gaya?" Michael asked, his gaze still fixed on the distant structure. "What does it… say about Agra?"

Gaya and Fayeth exchanged glances.

"It says he's a blight on this land," Fayeth said, her voice tight with anger. "That he doesn't deserve to be called a… god."

But as Gaya stared at the temple, a slow grin spread across her face. She was starting to understand. That temple… it wasn't just a monument to chaos. It was a statement. A desperate cry for recognition.

Agra, the self-proclaimed God of Chaos, wanted to be worshipped. Like the other gods. He craved respect, adulation, and the kind of blind devotion that fueled their power. And that temple was his way of legitimizing himself. Of proving to his followers, to the world, that he was worthy.

And if he craved respect, recognition… well, that meant he had an ego. A big, fragile ego that could be manipulated.

If they played their cards right, they could use that ego against him. They could bait him. Challenge him. Force him to come to them. To prove his power. His… godhood. It was a risky plan, sure. But it was their best shot.

Michael saw the understanding dawn in Gaya's eyes, the predatory grin that mirrored his own. They were on the same page, as always.

"We need to send him a message," Michael said, his voice a low growl. "And what better way to send a message… than in blood?"

"What do you mean?" Fayeth asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"It means," Gaya interjected, her voice laced with a chilling amusement, "we're going to kill those hunting parties. The ones looking for you and your… flock. We're going to make it look like someone's challenging Agra's authority. Someone's thinning the herd. And then… well, he'll have to come out and play. He'll have to prove he's still the top dog. He'll have to… defend his territory."