Hitman With A Badass System-Novel

1222  God vs God III

As the reality of what had just transpired sank in, the adventurers were left in utter shock, their expressions a mix of disbelief and horror.

"Holy fuck, did she just...?" one of them managed to stammer, unable to fully process the scene before them.

"God damn it, she's trapped a fucking god," another exclaimed, his voice a blend of awe and fear.

The air was thick with tension and disbelief as they realized Marli had successfully captured the God of Darkness, a feat that seemed impossible moments ago.

Basking in the glory of her victory, marli couldn't contain her glee. Her laughter filled the space, a sound that was both triumphant and chilling. She turned her attention to Raphael, her eyes sparkling with mockery. "Looks like you've been chasing the God of Darkness for so long, only for me to catch him first," she taunted, reveling in the moment of her triumph.

"It's two for zero for the God of Darkness," Marli boasted, her arrogance and sense of superiority over the situation evident in her tone. "Poor guy, always ending up defeated by me. Seems like I'm just too much for him to handle," she continued, her words dripping with disdain and smug satisfaction.

As Marli was boasting about her victory, her voice echoing with arrogance and disdain, the maze itself seemed to rebel against the premature celebration. Without warning, the Minotaur, the beast of legend and Marli's supposed pawn, shattered the illusion of control by breaking through a maze wall, standing imposingly before them. The sudden appearance of the Minotaur sent a wave of panic through the adventurers. "Holy shit!" one of them exclaimed, their voice cracking under the strain of fear. "That's the Minotaur?"

Meanwhile, Elrion and Lysandra, despite their prior resolve, could not hide their shock at the beast's arrival. "By the gods," Elrion muttered, his usual composure slipping. Lysandra's eyes widened, understanding the gravity of the situation as she took a deep breath, her mind racing for solutions.

"Now would be a good time to control the Minotaur," Raphael said, his tone carrying an urgency that underscored the immediate threat they all faced.

Acknowledging Raphael's prompt, Marli ceased her gloating and focused on the task at hand. She secured the Pandora's box at her waist and took a deep breath, bracing herself for the challenge of asserting her dominance over the Minotaur. As she exhaled, she released her aura, which manifested as smoke filled with green specks of light, swirling around her in a display of power and intent.

As Marli summoned her aura, the unintended consequences of her power began to manifest among the adventurers. Some started coughing violently, swearing through gritted teeth as a sharp pain pierced their chests. "Damn it, what the hell is this?" one gasped, clutching at his heart.

To their horror, white smoke began to seep out of their bodies, swirling and whisking away toward the Minotaur. Panic and confusion spread as some managed to choke out, "What's happening to us?"

Observing the scene with a grim understanding, Lysandra explained the dire situation. "The Minotaur is consuming their souls. This is what will happen to all of us if it doesn't go away," she said, her voice tinged with urgency and concern.

However, Raphael remained focused on their objective, his demeanor cold and detached. "We got what we came for. Let's take Vedora's remains and go," he stated, indicating that the mission's success outweighed any collateral damage.

Meanwhile, Marli concentrated on the Minotaur, which had begun to inhale the green specks of light emanating from her aura. As the creature absorbed the essence Marli projected, its demeanor visibly shifted; the beast started to calm down, the aggressive tension in its posture easing under the influence of her power.

Witnessing the adventurers' souls being consumed and their lives fading away, Elrion, as a devout worshipper of the God of Valor and Bravery, found himself unable to remain passive in the face of such injustice. Bound by his convictions and the chains that held him, a surge of righteous anger welled up within him.

"I cannot stand by and watch this!" he roared, his voice echoing with the power of his belief. His body began to glow with a radiant golden aura, symbolizing the divine favor of his God Valorius, as he strained against the emerald green chains that coiled around him.

With a Herculean effort fueled by his faith and valor, Elrion broke free from his bindings, the chains shattering under the force of his resolve. He shot to his feet, unsheathing his long sword, its blade gleaming with the same golden light that enveloped him.

"Release them, or feel my wrath, god or not!" Elrion bellowed, directing his ultimatum at Marli and Raphael, prepared to defend the innocent and uphold the principles of his god, regardless of the opposition's divine status.

Observing Elrion's defiance with a mixture of amusement and indifference, Raphael merely snickered at the display of valor. With a casual flick of his fingers, he summoned a swirling vortex above them. The vortex expanded rapidly, its gravitational pull irresistible as it began to suck in everything around it.

In an instant, all the adventurers, along with Elrion and Lysandra, were caught in the powerful suction of the vortex. Their figures blurred as they were whisked away, disappearing into the unknown depths of the portal Raphael had conjured.

As the tension in the air began to dissipate, the Minotaur, the ancient beast that had instilled fear and chaos moments before, started to show signs of tranquility. It slowly knelt down, curling itself into a giant ball, much like a child seeking comfort in sleep. The massive form of the creature relaxed, its breaths becoming deep and even as it drifted into slumber right there in the center of the maze.

Approaching the now peaceful Minotaur, Marli extended her hand to gently brush its head, a gesture of affection and control. "Good boy," she murmured, her voice soft but laced with the pride of conquest.

It was then that Silvaris's voice, ethereal and resonant, echoed through the maze once again, breaking the momentary calm. "So, the goddess Marli has found a loophole to control my boy, huh?" he mused, his tone carrying a hint of amusement mixed with surprise.

"You're just a mortal to us, Silvaris," Marli retorted, her voice firm, dismissing the significance of his observation.

Silvaris's laughter filled the maze, undeterred by her dismissal. "That is true, but the one inside your Pandora's box isn't. He is a god," he pointed out, reminding her of the gravity of her actions.

Marli snickered in response, her confidence unwavering. "We know, thief," she said, acknowledging the power she believed she had successfully contained.

Yet, Silvaris's laughter only grew, a sound that seemed to hint at knowledge Marli lacked. "You know he is a god and the God of Darkness, but you don't know what he's capable of," Silvaris taunted, leaving his words hanging in the air like a veiled warning.

"You don't know what I am capable of," Marli retorted sharply, unwilling to let Silvaris have the last word in their exchange. Her voice carried a hint of menace, a challenge to the spectral thief who dared to question her authority.

Silvaris's response was a laugh, rich with amusement and provocation. "Let's see, then," he said, his tone teasing, suggesting a game of cat and mouse where the stakes were far from trivial.

But he continued, eager to share more about Minotaurs that he sensed Marli might not fully appreciate. "Fun fact about Minotaurs, they're angry sleepers. Wake one up abruptly, and it'll kill whoever is before it in a blind rage, even someone who carries the aura of the place it grew up in," Silvaris explained, his voice carrying a note of warning mixed with delight at the potential chaos this knowledge could unleash.

His laughter echoed through the maze once more, a sound that seemed to revel in the implications of his words. "And that, my dear, is why Minotaurs don't have parents. A spawn always eats the souls of its mother when it wakes up one day," he said, his explanation taking a dark turn.

He let out another laugh, this one darker, filled with the grim humor of the knowledge he was about to impart. "Imagine that, the first thing you do is devour the very being that brought you into this world. Fucking poetic, isn't it?"

"Now, the God of Darkness knows this little tidbit because I've just told him," Silvaris declared, his voice carrying an undercurrent of mischief that seemed to stretch across the ethereal divide between them. "So him getting trapped inside your little Pandora's box might just be a trick of his. Ever think of that?"

He paused for effect, letting the implication of his words sink in. "The God of Darkness is known to be mysterious, elusive, and fucking cunning. You think you've got him cornered, but maybe, just maybe, he's leading you right into his own trap."

Silvaris's tone grew more scornful as he continued.

 "After all, he's the one who stopped all you godly greedy fuckers from reaching the mortal realm. He's been a thorn in your side, a shadow thwarting your grand plans, and you didn't even realize it."

At that moment, the tense atmosphere was shattered by an unexpected event. Out of nowhere, an explosive bolt shot through the air and struck the Minotaur right on its head, detonating upon impact. The explosion echoed through the maze, a sudden and violent interruption to the standoff. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ ɴovᴇlꜰɪre.ɴet

Silvaris's laughter, undiminished by the chaos, resonated once more. "Did you forget in your boasting session that the God of Darkness wasn't alone?" he taunted, his amusement clear even as the situation took a dangerous turn.

"Now he's waking up, and you are in front of it," Silvaris continued, his voice laced with glee at the impending disaster Marli and Raphael were about to face.

True to Silvaris's prediction, the Minotaur's eyes snapped open, rage and confusion evident in its gaze as it was rudely awakened from its slumber. With a swift movement, fueled by instinctual anger, it swatted Raphael with its long tail. The force of the blow was so sudden and powerful that Raphael, caught off guard, was unable to open a portal or defend himself in time.

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