章 1: Love and Betrayal
In a realm shrouded in darkness, three brilliant lights suddenly appeared, each radiating a radiance a thousand times more intense than the sun.
"Damn, where the bloody hell has that thing disappeared to?" exclaimed one of the lights, its voice resonating throughout the surrounding void.
"Calm yourself, Omega Two. The primary threat to us is gone. Now we must explore the universe we've created and locate that entity," another light replied with composure, as the trio's luminosity intensified.
"Did you sense it? We are growing stronger, which means Omega One is no more," chuckled the third light.
"It's all thanks to that entity that it took us a hundred millennia to vanquish Omega One," Omega Two angrily retorted.
"We must locate it before it falls into the wrong hands. After the battle with Omega One, I can't face another Omega," Omega Two fretted.
"Even though the entity possesses the power to birth another Omega, it can't do so until we find it. Besides, what if it falls into the hands of our own creations? We created them, and we can certainly destroy them and reclaim what is rightfully ours."
"Now, let's divide the universe into sectors for our search, and don't forget our agreement."
*******************************
(Meanwhile somewhere else)
The village lay in ruins, a gruesome scene of carnage, with blood-soaked earth and lifeless bodies strewn about. What was once a hidden sanctuary had been transformed into a nightmarish battleground.
The air, which usually carried the soothing scents of herbs and the sounds of nature, now resounded with anguished screams, thunderous explosions, and the chaos of battle.
Men, clad in formidable battle armor, mercilessly cut down hooded figures, while others in armor formed a ring around the last remaining hooded individual.
"Drop your sword, Abras. Without you, we would never have discovered this place. The least we can do is grant you a swift, painless death," declared the man in full metal armor, as he removed his helmet to reveal a sinister grin and a scarred visage. Abras, however, was in no state to assess the man's appearance; he was covered in wounds and consumed by guilt.
Surveying the lifeless bodies of those who had once been his comrades, Abras harbored a desire to end his own life in the most agonizing manner, for he believed that everything that had transpired here was his fault. To the outside world, this sanctuary had remained a mere legend until he had fallen in love with a woman who had used him to lead them to this hidden refuge.
Although his rational mind told him that all was lost and that the cosmic stream they had sworn to protect now rested in the hands of the King of Thusia, his heart refused to accept it, compelling him to fight to the death.
The toll on both nature and the sanctuary was immense, and it would likely take generations for the village to recover. The temple where he had prayed, the schools where he had studied, and the humble houses he had shared with his brethren were now engulfed in gore, rubble, and flames.
For generations, the Elders had protected this sanctuary and its secrecy. Yet, it had taken only one girl and his love for her to bring about its destruction. The cosmic stream, held by whoever controlled it, had the power to tip the balance of the world. That was precisely why the first-generation Elders had founded this sanctuary and guarded the stream for centuries.
Now, with no Elders left, Abras stood alone as the sole guardian.
"Come on, kid, drop your sword. Don't make this difficult," urged the general.
"NO!" Abras shouted defiantly, summoning the last reserves of his strength, and charged toward the general.
"So be it." Booth would have faced a challenging battle against Abras at the peak of his strength, but now, weakened and disheartened, Abras posed less of a threat. Even so, Booth was taken aback by Abras's speed as he narrowly evaded a thrust aimed at his throat. Booth was grateful that the princess had seduced Abras, turning him into a carrier of the disease that had weakened the Elders.
The alchemists and healers had specially crafted the Flu to debilitate the Elders. Without the weakening effects of the flu, the Elders would have been formidable opponents, and even a student like Abras would not have stood a chance.
Recognizing that Abras still possessed some strength, Booth promptly harnessed his Arch Energy, forming a golden shield around himself.
"Now we can dance."
Meanwhile, the other armored guards had begun to search the bodies of Abras's fallen comrades for any valuables, as Abras wiped away the blood flowing from his mouth.
As his heartbeat slowed and his muscles began to fail, Abras sensed that his time was running out.
Booth observed Abras's movements slowing down and swiftly closed the distance between them, landing a powerful blow to Abras's ribs.
The impact sent Abras hurtling through the air, and he crashed into the ground after colliding with a burning tree. Abras's vision dimmed, and he coughed up more blood, all while hearing the mocking laughter of the armored men.
"General Booth, finish off that kid. His Majesty is on his way."
"Yeah, yeah," Booth responded, waving his hand dismissively as he approached the wounded Abras, struggling to clear his vision.
"Forgive me, Elder Wright. Forgive me, Elders."
Abras could vividly see the smiling faces of Elder Wright, his teacher, and all those who had cared for him since infancy. But as their faces gradually faded, Layla's image replaced them in his mind. His anger surged like a volcano. Once, he had remembered her face and dreamt of a future with her. Now, all he felt was overwhelming fury at her betrayal.
When he had first encountered Layla, he believed her to be an innocent farm girl from a nearby village. As a disciple of the sanctuary, he was forbidden from interacting with outsiders. However, when he saw a destitute girl facing death at the claws of a wild panther, he couldn't stand idly by and saved her.
The mistake he made after saving her was agreeing to meet her again at the place where he first saw her, allowing his feelings for her to grow. He didn't fully understand why he did it; perhaps it was because he had no friends or interactions with the world outside of the sanctuary, or maybe her pure and innocent appearance had charmed him.
However, he wasn't the only one who made a mistake. When Elder Wright discovered his relationship with Layla, he chose not to inform the other Elders, who would have condemned them both to a death sentence. Instead, he granted his permission for Abras to leave the sanctuary and start a new life with Layla in a distant land.
Elder Wright, having found Abras as a baby in the middle of the forest and raised him for twenty years, was more like a father than a teacher. This deep connection clouded Elder Wright's judgment, ultimately leading to a disaster for the sanctuary and the world at large.
Even when Elder Wright was bedridden due to the mysterious flu, he ordered Abras to leave the sanctuary and meet Layla as originally planned. It was his last wish, and Abras felt compelled to honor it. Reluctantly, he left the sanctuary to rendezvous with Layla at their usual meeting spot.
However, Layla was not alone when he arrived. Instead of the farm girl he had expected, he found Princess Victoria of Thusia waiting for him, accompanied by a battalion of soldiers and mages. Despite the shocking betrayal, Abras couldn't bring himself to believe it until Victoria plunged a dagger into his chest and departed without a word.
There was no love in her eyes when she committed the act, and though the dagger missed his heart, it shattered it into a million pieces. Abras was left with nothing but guilt and anger, and in his desperation, he decided to resort to the forbidden spell Elder Wright had taught him.
章 2: System Activated
(Meanwhile somewhere else)
"Ghost, can you hear me?"
Michael heard the voice of a teenage girl through his earpiece.
"Loud and clear, Pink," Michael replied, his eyes fixed on the mirror as he adjusted his tie. The reflection staring back at him was that of a handsome young man in his late twenties.
"I do look good," Michael grinned at his reflection.
"What was that, Ghost?"
"Nothing. Has the target entered the building yet?"
Michael checked his Rolex and inquired.
"Not yet, but he will in a couple of minutes," Pink responded.
Pink was Michael's wingwoman, using a voice modulator to sound like a girl. In Michael's line of work, anonymity was crucial. Until now, he hadn't met Pink or learned anything about her, just as she didn't know anything about him, except his codename. The face in the mirror was merely a disguise, as Michael had never revealed his true face to anyone.
"Remember, the client wants you to eliminate the target before he gives the speech."
"Roger." Michael took one last glance at the mirror and left the restroom. Stepping out, he was greeted by a large crowd of wealthy individuals. Every woman seemed to be wearing designer clothes with accessories specially made for them, while most of the men were dressed in classic black tuxedos with white shirts and bowties.
Michael would recognize most of their faces if he watched television or walked through the streets; they were all celebrities, politicians, and famous sportsmen.
"Can you get me an autograph from Dicap?"
"Not for free." Michael donned his black sunglasses and assumed the role of a security guard he had knocked out and left in a dumpster outside.
"Aw, come on, Ghost, I don't have any money to give you."
"You should have saved your two-fifty from the last job," Michael quipped as he walked around the venue, pretending to check the perimeter.
Pink didn't say anything as she knew that he wouldn't do anything for free.
In the world of assassins, Michael was a superstar. Only a select few on Earth could afford to hire an expensive hitman like him. He boasted a one hundred percent success rate, a record unmatched by any other assassin in the world. While a few law enforcement agencies suspected his existence, they had nothing concrete to go on, as Michael left no evidence or traces behind.
The only person who could confirm his existence was Pink. However, if a wingwoman like her were to betray her partner, the criminal underworld would undoubtedly place a bounty on her, leading to a swift and fatal end. Someone with an IQ of 160 wouldn't make the foolish mistake of betraying him.
"The target has entered the building," Pink informed him, and Michael noticed special forces from various countries entering the hall.
After a while, Michael craned his neck and spotted a seemingly unassuming old man entering the hall, surrounded by armed guards in a diamond formation. Many attendees at the gala admired the prime minister's simplicity. The target was the newly elected Prime Minister of Probra, known for liberating his people from the clutches of the previous dictator, who possessed enough nuclear weapons to obliterate humanity.
The target had received numerous awards and accolades, including the Nobel Prize for his peaceful protests against the dictator. He was present to deliver a speech on ahimsa and world peace, and Michael's mission was to ensure that the world witnessed the demise of this man.
While the world regarded Libor Barnes as the embodiment of peace, Michael couldn't help but snicker internally. The facade Libor presented to the world was as counterfeit as Michael's own identity. He had a moral code, and regardless of the payment offered, he refused to kill an innocent person. Libor Barnes did not fall under the category of the innocent.
To the public, Libor Barnes was hailed as the father of the free nation of Probra. However, few questioned how he managed to survive while openly protesting against the brutal dictator, Pavel. Such a dictator would have eliminated any opposition, no matter how peaceful, long ago. Yet, Libor had somehow evaded Pavel's wrath.
Beyond the public eye, only the shadowy figures of the criminal underworld were aware of the true Libor Barnes. Pavel might have been the dictator recognized by the outside world, but in reality, Libor was the puppet master behind him. Despite his outward simplicity, Libor was the wealthiest person on the planet, having amassed his fortune through the exploitation of Probra and involvement in the despicable trade of human lives.
Unable to be proven guilty in a court of law, wealthy individuals from undisclosed locations had hired Michael to eliminate him. As far as Michael was concerned, he was being handsomely compensated to remove a stain like Libor from the world, with a payout of one million dollars.
"Tango two, take my position, I need a restroom break," Michael announced, holding a walkie-talkie.
"Copy that, Tango one, I'm on my way," came a response over the walkie-talkie, though it had already been discarded into a nearby flower pot.
Micheal considered this assassination a relatively straightforward job compared to some of the more challenging ones he had undertaken. To him, it was like a walk in the park. His impeccable track record, boasting a hundred percent success rate, could be attributed to his meticulous preparation. He usually only accepted one or two assignments per year, devoting a minimum of six months to meticulous planning and preparation. While other hitmen might have contingency plans A and B, Micheal had plans spanning from A to Z. He typically opted for simpler plans rather than overly complicated ones.
"I'll reach my position in about a hundred seconds," Micheal informed Pink as he entered a staff-only area.
"Roger that, no signs of anyone nearby," Pink responded.
The security and guards were preoccupied ogling the glamorous actresses, paying no attention to him.
The staff-only room served as a place for security personnel to store their belongings and change after their shifts.
"Fifth locker," he said.
Micheal approached a row of gym lockers and singled out the fifth locker from the right.
"Is it in there?" Pink's inquisitive voice queried.
"No," replied Micheal. Instead of opening the locker, he leaped onto it and pushed the ceiling above it aside, revealing a concealed compartment. This secret passage was only known to the engineer who had designed the five-star hotel and a select few workers. Micheal had discovered it after hacking into the engineer's computer and obtaining the original blueprints during the engineer's supposed family vacation in Tahiti. Unbeknownst to the engineer, Micheal had manipulated the travel agency data to select him for the free trip to Tahiti.
"Damn, I hope the rats didn't eat it," Micheal muttered to himself as he climbed into the concealed passage and sealed the entrance behind him. However, his frown deepened as he noticed rats scurrying through the vent ahead of him.
"Eat what?" Pink asked.
"I'll fill you in later. How's the parade progressing?" Micheal whispered as he stealthily crawled through the vent.
"They're currently crossing Fifth Avenue. You've got five minutes until they reach your location."
"Roger that. Going radio silent. Catch you on the next job."
"Quite confident, aren't you? Alright, see you later, Ghost."
Pink terminated the communication, and Micheal set a three-minute timer on his watch. After precisely one minute of crawling through the vent, Micheal spotted a familiar black bag he had stashed there three months ago.
Brushing off the dust, he unzipped the bag slowly, revealing the Kel-Tec RFB sniper rifle equipped with a thermal scope. What made this rifle special was that it was custom-made entirely from plastic components, ensuring that it would remain undetectable by metal detectors and security scans.
Due to its plastic construction, the rifle could only fire a single shot before the heat generated would cause it to melt and become inoperable.
The bullet was crafted from a unique type of plastic that possessed the ability to penetrate steel without making a sound. Both the rifle and the specialized bullet had cost him a whopping two hundred grand.
Apart from the considerable cost, Micheal also had the added pressure of knowing that he only had one shot to eliminate Libor. Failure was not an option in this mission; if he missed, there would be no second chance, and his impeccable reputation would be irreparably tarnished.
"Four more minutes," Pink informed him.
Micheal activated the thermal scope, aiming at the center of the hall where Libor was about to commence his speech.
"Long live the free nation of Probra," echoed Libor's voice through the hall's speakers as Micheal zeroed in on the thermal signature of the red figure.
"Diddle, diddle, we are so little," Micheal muttered to himself as he smoothly squeezed the trigger. A deafening blast erupted, akin to the sound of a watermelon being obliterated.
As Micheal was about to savor the satisfaction of his perfect shot, his surroundings abruptly turned white, and a sudden ding reverberated in his head.
"Ding, Badass System activated."
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