The Max Level Hero Has Returned!

Perserque, an avid world explorer, and individuals new to the ways of the world, such as Rinne and the two children, favored traveling by carriage. Nevertheless, a carriage journey was undeniably uncomfortable and rather uneventful.

Davey had previously mastered the art of crafting items through alchemy multiple times, also known as Made in AncienTech. On this occasion, he ingeniously fashioned a reinforced convenience system using magic, involving both spatial expansion and shock absorption. Remarkably, these enhancements proved more than adequate.

Illyna, momentarily displaying a look of wonder on her face, remarked, "You used to invest a great deal of care and attention into crafting items like this in the past. But now, you can achieve it with a mere flick of your hand?"

In reality, the carriage appeared designed for a modest party of three to four individuals. However, its interior boasted a spaciousness that could comfortably accommodate dozens of people, even facilitating impromptu tea gatherings. Davey's ingenuity didn't stop there; he ingeniously linked the external view and projected it onto the carriage walls, creating the illusion of an expansive window inside.

Illyna commented, "Even the Imperial Family's carriage doesn't quite match this level of opulence, does it? I might risk facing execution for possessing a more luxurious carriage than the king in a secluded kingdom."

She had previously requested a sparring match with Davey but had decided to postpone it to ensure their timely arrival in the Kingdom of Briouk.

Rinne let out a sigh of relief as she observed the children becoming engrossed in the scenery outside, keeping them contentedly quiet.

Perserque once again cradled the red egg in her hands, prompting Illyna to raise a quizzical eyebrow and inquire, "I've been curious... What in the world is that?"

Perserque casually responded, "Who knows? I'm holding it like this because I thought it might be an egg."

Illyna questioned further, "An egg?"

Perserque confirmed, "Indeed."

Despite its jewel-like appearance, the egg's surface was strikingly smooth for a gem.

Watching Illyna's contemplative silence, Perserque playfully teased, "Well, there's nothing I can do; it won't hatch even if I cradle it like this. Would you like to try holding it?"

Illyna inquired hesitantly, "Is that alright?"

Perserque reassured her, "I don't anticipate any issues."

Both Perserque and Davey had meticulously examined the enigmatic egg, yet they remained baffled about its true nature. Davey had even reached out to World Tree Al for information, but she could only confirm her ignorance. Consequently, they had no option but to patiently await its eventual hatching.

As Illyna took hold of the egg, she remarked, "To be perfectly honest, this resembles more of a precious gem than an egg to me..."

Illyna, with her own knowledge of jewelry, mumbled as she closely inspected the enigmatic object.

Crack.

However, at that moment, the crimson and shimmering surface suddenly fractured and shattered.

"Huh?!" Illyna exclaimed.

"Did it crack?"

"N-No! I merely held it in my hand!"

Davey and Perserque exchanged gleeful glances.

"Hey, try embracing it," Davey suggested.

"That's right, attempt to cuddle it!" Perserque chimed in.

Illyna, unnerved by the mischievous gleam in their eyes, promptly withdrew from them.

Crack, crack… crack, crack!!!

The more she embraced the egg, the quicker it cracked. Naturally, Perserque and Davey observed this closely as it unfolded.

"Oh-ho. Look at this, kid, huh?"

"So, it's seeking an empty vessel? It's rather audacious, isn't it?"

Davey couldn't see much, but he could unmistakably discern what the egg was and what it was presently doing.

"Davey, I believe it's just as you anticipated," Perserque noted.

Davey swiftly halted the carriage, instructing the coachman to do so, and rose to his feet. He then seized Illyna and escorted her out of the carriage.

"D-Davey?! Why are you suddenly—" Illyna began, her voice filled with surprise.

Illyna's escort knights and the Rowane Kingdom guards gazed at Davey with suspicion as he pulled Illyna along by the arm.

"Right over here. Please have a seat," Davey directed, settling Illyna in an open space to facilitate the egg's incubation. "Excellent... It has finally made its move."

Whatever the egg was, its power had been absorbed into Illyna's body and resonated with her own innate abilities.

Crack, crack, crack… crack!

Illyna's eyes widened, and Davey's expression stiffened as they witnessed the cracks spiraling out of control.

"I didn't make a mistake," Davey affirmed.

"What in the world... How should I interpret this?" Illyna muttered in disbelief.

The power emanating from the shattered egg was imbued with divine mana. Yet, this divine energy felt distinct from that of Goddess Freyja. It was evident that the being behind this egg, the same one who had beckoned Davey into the modern virtual reality game world, did not possess the power of Goddess Freyja but that of a different transcendent entity.

Crack!

Before long, something emerged from the completely fragmented egg.

"A-a baby?!" Illyna exclaimed, her gaze alternating between fear and astonishment as she beheld the newborn.

This baby, no larger than the palm of one's hand, bore a striking dissimilarity to humans. The infant's hair was azure, and it sported feathers in a location where horns might typically sprout. Moreover, folded neatly on its back were a pair of wings.

Waaa!!! Waaaaaa!!!

Startled, Illyna found herself at a loss for what to do as the baby began to wail. However, the onlookers around them regarded the two with incredulous gazes.

***

“That… Uh, uhm… Peek-a-boo?”

“Uwaaaaaaaah!!! Uwaaaah!!!”

After witnessing Illyna's struggles to soothe the crying baby, Davey turned his attention to Rinne and Perserque, and he asked, "Is it just me, or is that thing growing rapidly?"

"Indeed, the child's body is undergoing noticeable changes. If this rate of growth continues, it will be challenging to predict its final form."

They had formulated several theories and hypotheses, and their first assumption had proven accurate. The egg, which had absorbed a substantial amount of mana during their journey, seemed to be attracted not to Davey or Perserque's powers, but rather to Illyna's unique power. Two conditions appeared necessary: a certain threshold of power and the absence of godly influence.

Davey suspected that a hierarchy existed among the gods, believing that the entity behind the egg differed from Goddess Freyja. To confirm his suspicion, he conducted an experiment and found that the egg remained unresponsive to him, as his body bore the power of Goddess Freyja, and it also did not react to Perserque, who possessed the Abyss's power—a divine power that Davey was unsure about but recognized as distinct from the power of any single deity.

Given the egg's lack of response to them, it strongly indicated that the child would be born to someone else. As it happened, the child had awakened with Illyna's power, making Davey's initial hypothesis correct.

Davey concluded, "In addition to Goddess Freyja, there exists another god. Whether intentional or not, this god invited me into a world beyond Goddess Freyja's influence and transferred the egg from that world to ours. It all falls into place."

Perserque added, "Honestly, not many people would think like you. Especially high-ranking Saints, they tend to be stuck in their dogmatic beliefs."

Davey acknowledged, "There have been exceptions, but the truth remains that the egg resonated and hatched due to Illyna's unique power. So, it's only fitting for it to remain with her."

The child's growth continued to astound them with its rapid pace. Davey believed that as the child grew, they would gain further insights into its true nature. With the acknowledgment of a third god's existence, Davey recognized that this deity had sent the child to establish contact with him.

Davey contemplated the implications. If this new force emerged while his battle with the Abyss was still ongoing, it would undoubtedly pose a unique set of challenges. Regardless of which side this force chose to align with, Davey knew that his ultimate adversaries would remain unchanged.

"Davey, consider engaging in a mock battle with the child," Perserque suggested.

"A mock battle?" Davey inquired.

"Yes, it seems that the child is sensitive to fluctuations in Illyna's power and can grow more quickly when exposed to greater power. How about drawing out that power through a friendly sparring session?" Perserque proposed, her playful smile returning.

Davey's face mirrored her relaxed and playful expression as he replied, "Well, let's give it a try then."

Since Illyna had already expressed her desire for a spar, Davey saw no reason not to accommodate her request.

***

"Come at me whenever."

Illyna had been hailed as a genius from a young age. Even if her birth was disregarded, she exhibited remarkable strength, surpassing all her peers. Her swordsmanship skills were so dominant that she was often referred to as the continent's Sword Princess.

Her ability to absorb knowledge merely by observation was such an advantage that it left anyone learning the sword feeling deprived and inadequate. At the age of seventeen, she had astounded everyone by becoming a Sword Master, showcasing her unparalleled and almost cheat-like talents. Since then, her progress had been remarkable.

However, ever since she had met a certain boy, her already rapid growth had accelerated even further, enabling her to break through previous limitations. Simultaneously, her aspirations shifted. Instead of merely enjoying and admiring the art of the sword, her new goal was to catch up with the boy.

Illyna nervously raised her sword, the Divine Sword Caldeiras.

[Illyna, be cautious. That guy's power has reached a completely different level than before. Did he consume the root of a wild ginseng or something...?]

"It seems like he's undergone a transformation."

[That physique? Coupled with that talent? Undergoing a transformation?! Isn't that incredible?!]

Illyna disregarded Caldeiras' fearful cry as she unleashed a radiant blue aura that enveloped her body, a clear manifestation of her mastery of the Longsword style. Her intent was crystal clear—to give it her all and confront her opponent head-on.

However, her adversary was none other than Davey, who displayed a remarkable level of nonchalance by casually waving a twig in his hand. Instead of merely ignoring her, it seemed as though he held complete disdain for his opponent.

"I'll begin," Illyna murmured, her power surging around her, showcasing her swordsmanship skills and a myriad of tricks as she analyzed Davey's own style. It was as if she was proclaiming that she wouldn't succumb easily.

Yet, Davey's movements suddenly shifted.

"Goodness. I feel like my head is pounding. Maybe it's because I drank too much last night?" Davey mumbled, stumbling as if afflicted by a severe hangover.

Nevertheless, there were still only a few discernible openings in his defense—gaps that ordinary individuals wouldn't have noticed.

A subtle smile graced the corners of Illyna's mouth. Even if winning seemed impossible, perhaps she could land a punch or two, she thought.

"What are you doing? Get up," Davey chided her faintly.

Illyna's gaze turned vacant as she found herself lying on her back, gazing up at the blue sky above, with the knights around her looking surprised.

"Just now... your movements were sloppy and filled with openings. Why?" Illyna murmured, her voice mirroring the dazed state she found herself in.

Davey replied, "It's called the Drunken Sword. Haven't you seen it before?"

Illyna's face flushed with embarrassment upon hearing his response.

"Again," Davey urged.

Shortly after, another surge of power erupted from Illyna's body. Unable to rely on Davey's clumsiness in his swordsmanship, she opted to focus on landing a significant blow. A glint of determination gleamed in Illyna's eyes as she observed Davey's movements while he swung the twig in his hands.

Crack!

Several meters of fissures appeared on the ground behind her as she leaped forward, her sharp gaze fixed firmly on Davey, ready to strike.

[Longsword]

[Splitting the Boulder]

The attack appeared nearly impossible to block. Illyna was confident that Davey, with his pride on the line, wouldn't dodge this assault. Her attack was deliberately exaggerated, clearly intended to goad Davey into dropping the twig in his hands and engaging with her directly.

Yet, Davey simply observed as she closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Instead of defending himself, he turned his attention to the ever-evolving winged baby, which was rapidly absorbing power from Illyna's body. What had once been a palm-sized infant had now grown to the size of a small child.

'Bingo.’

Realizing that the situation was unfolding as they had expected, Davey made his move, working to achieve his original goal. He set about controlling his body, a task that had become increasingly challenging after his metamorphosis.

[Demonic Sword]

[Mind Sword Energy]

[Disarm]

Baaaaaaaaang!!!

Davey discarded the twig and, with an open palm and curled fingers, made a deliberate move. He didn't evade Illyna; in fact, he took a step toward her and extended his hand.

In the blink of an eye, the invisible blade, a weapon detached from heart and mind, clashed with Caldeiras. The result? Illyna's silver greatsword was sent soaring into the sky.

After disarming Illyna, who had charged at him with immense force, Davey promptly seized her hands and pulled her toward him without hesitation. Then, he raised his fist and prepared to strike.

Illyna's eyes widened as she saw the fist, which came to a halt just a few centimeters from her face.

Vwoooong!!!

Boooom!!!

His fist never made contact with her, yet changes had already been set in motion. A tremendous shockwave erupted behind her, shattering countless trees into thousands of pieces, as though they had been cleaved by a gust of wind.

"This... it's too powerful."

He had regained half of his strength, but his proficiency in employing minor arts and techniques had increased significantly. In light of these developments, Davey couldn't help but question whether he had truly only recovered half of his strength.

"Perhaps... when I regain all of my strength, then... I will be even more formidable than when I was in the Hall," Davey mused.

Meanwhile, Illyna, still seated on the ground, turned her head to witness the devastation that Davey had wrought behind her. Then, she looked up at Davey, her face marked with helplessness and despair. She clenched her fists tightly as tears welled up in her vacant eyes. Her indignation was palpable. She knew it, and it was glaringly evident. However, she had devoted her entire life to the sword, making her feel overwhelmingly powerless in this moment.

At that precise moment, the child, still in the midst of its rapid growth, slowly opened its eyes.

"Davey!" Rinne, who had been monitoring the child, exclaimed in shock, her eyes widening. "Rinne believes you should retreat immediately!"

At Rinne's words, a blue light flickered in the child's eyes, and an unfamiliar energy began pouring out of Illyna's body.

Crack, crack!!!

Bang!!!

Davey's eyes narrowed as he witnessed Illyna levitate, her body enveloped in the power of the child, while his own body instinctively raised his mind sword.

"In the name of the Great God, Neltarid, I will thwart those who seek to harm my mother," the child declared.

It was rather laughable, Davey thought, that a child less than an hour old already possessed such a substantial amount of holy power.

'So, it's Neltarid.'

After numerous experiments, schemes, and traps, the answer to all their doubts and questions had finally been revealed.