The Max Level Hero Has Returned!

Davey's arrival at the residential facility unfolded as a complete success. The only obstacle that had initially prevented their entry was a positive virus test result. Consequently, Davey exercised their influence to gain immediate access.

Despite witnessing everything firsthand, those present found it challenging to accept the turn of events. Nevertheless, the disappearance of the sole justification for their previous denial, the positive virus test, left no basis for further hindrance.

"We're going to conduct a comprehensive examination. And you... follow me," declared Laeuri, the woman who guided Davey elsewhere.

It was evident that their government continued to function effectively, even in the midst of this turbulent and unstable world.

Upon stepping into the immaculate and well-organized building, Davey observed a substantial number of people bustling about. Notably, the diversity of races in this world indicated that the concept of national borders on this continent had long since dissolved into oblivion.

Having been forced into the Maginot Line's weakest section due to their significant decline, their only remaining option was to endeavor to thrive once more.

"This is Laeuri; I'm entering," Laeuri announced.

Not long after, she gracefully pushed open an antique wooden door and stepped inside.

Upon Davey's entrance into the room, he immediately noticed Leon, who had been examined earlier, along with a man and a very familiar individual seated within. Despite his youthful appearance, there was a strong and unwavering determination in the boy's eyes.

"Huh?"

"Oh?"

The boy jumped to his feet upon hearing Davey's response, indicating that he still recognized him, despite his slightly older appearance.

"Sir Evanov?" the middle-aged man in the room inquired in confusion when he saw the boy jump up so suddenly instead of speaking.

"Brother!!!" The boy rushed toward Davey like a speeding bullet, embracing him tightly.

"How have you been, Eva?"

Though they had not spent much time together during their previous encounter, the boy and Davey were quite familiar with each other.

Evanov Ban: The boy Davey assumed was the descendant of his teacher, the God of Alchemy, Eva. That was this boy's identity.

"What happened to you?! You disappeared suddenly!"

"Humans always have a place they must return to."

"What does that mean…?"

"Hmm… Sir Evanov, are you acquainted with this man?" the middle-aged man asked cautiously.

From what Davey could recall, Evanov was a young boy who had managed to survive and live alone among monsters. However, it was now apparent that he was being treated with respect by these people.

"Of course! He's the one who saved me when I was on the brink of death!"

Evanov's explanation left the middle-aged man looking at Davey with a trace of shock. "Ho?"

"Also… he's the original owner of the twin golems."

Everyone in the room was taken aback upon hearing these words.

"You mean he's the owner of those golems?!"

"My goodness…"

This revelation explained the mysterious phenomenon of immediate rewards when he had activated the dimensional key during his attempt to capture Megalodria earlier. Nevertheless, this revelation didn't concern Davey much, as it seemed to benefit both sides.

‘If it's like this, then it's more advantageous for us in the long run to simply leave them here.’

Even the usually comical and lighthearted Leon gazed at Davey with a mixture of shock and admiration. "Phew. It seems like I've brought in quite the important person..."

"Who in the world are you? Those golems could even put those Parasol Corporation scoundrels in an incredibly embarrassing situation."

Even if they attempted to replicate the same technology, the golems Davey had created were mana-based and leagues beyond what they could produce in this world. They were not solely reliant on the technology of this world; they were hybrids. Consequently, comprehending their workings would be an exercise in futility.

"Thank goodness you're safe. I really, really wanted to see you, brother!"

"Is that so?"

"I'm... I'm genuinely grateful for what you did back then. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even be here."

"Hoho. What an extraordinary twist of fate, wouldn't you say? Private First Class Leon, you did an outstanding job."

“Tch.”

Davey noticed Laeuri, who was behind him, wearing a frown. It was evident that there was a strained relationship between him and Leon.

"Can this contribution ever be forgotten? Sooner or later, you will receive some good news."

"That's a relief. I will make my report, then. Dr. Lisa Cer and several other survivors have been rescued from that cursed Raccoon City."

"Alright. They are the only witnesses who remember the horrors caused by those wretched Parasol individuals."

From what Davey could discern from the conversation, the city where he had ended up seemed to be quite famous. The individuals in the room wore expressions of concern when they heard Leon's report about the city's devastation.

‘Davey.’

Certainly, there was no sense in concealing one's thoughts if there was someone capable of peering into their mind, right?

‘That woman, Laeuri, is a member of Parasol Corporation.’

Davey gave a slight nod in response to Perserque's words. He held little interest in the events unfolding around him. His singular focus lay on the ore production in the Yurgian Continent, the primary material for the reactor he aimed to construct in the Heins Territory. This pursuit was his primary reason for being here, driven by the need for a substantial acquisition of plutium.

"And there's an astonishing revelation," Leon declared, casting a pointed look at Davey. "This individual... possesses the power to eliminate the mutant parasite virus that has already infiltrated our bodies."

A heavy silence followed this revelation.

"Is this truly possible?" the middle-aged man inquired, directing his question at Laeuri.

Laeuri, her face reflecting her perplexity, nodded in affirmation. "Indeed. When we arrived, survivors, including Private First Class Leon, were found to have parasites within their bodies. However, an unusual smoke emanated from his hands, and the detector indicated a negative result. They are currently undergoing a thorough examination, but preliminary tests have shown no signs of parasitic activity in their bodies."

"Goodness..." The man's eyes widened as he jumped from his seat and rushed toward Davey, gripping his hands tightly while exclaiming, "Could it be... that you can cure the infection?"

"No, not at all."

Those who had fallen victim to the infection had already succumbed. Even if the parasites were removed from their bodies, all that remained were lifeless corpses.

"Even after the removal of the parasites, only lifeless bodies would remain."

"Th-Then... They..."

"Their situation is somewhat exceptional. They have been infected, but the infection doesn't progress. To put it simply, they are carriers."

A deep furrow appeared on the middle-aged man's forehead as he processed this information. "Are you saying this is true?"

"In fact, one of the survivors, a young boy, was bitten by a mutant... Yet, his body exhibits no changes," Leon explained, while the middle-aged man shook his head in deep contemplation.

"No, this is still a significant discovery. At the very least, we now know that there is potential for treatment immediately after infection..."

"How would you go about achieving this?" Davey inquired.

A solemn expression settled upon the man's face. "What do you me—"

"I am the only one who can treat it. There is no medicine that can cure it."

"Co-come to think of it, they mentioned a strange smoke..."

Could an ordinary human produce black smoke from their hands? Certainly not.

"I see... You... You are also a victim of the Parasol Corporation. In the end, our only recourse is to find an antidote, isn't it?" the middle-aged man sighed heavily, recognizing the gravity of the situation.

"A victim of the Parasol Corporation?"

"The principal culprits behind all these horrors and tragedies, the Parasol Corporation, had abducted numerous individuals in the past for the development of biological weapons. Consequently, many people ended up with mutated genes. Some possess enhanced strength or speed compared to ordinary individuals, while others exhibit slightly mysterious and unusual powers. In fact, there are quite a few individuals with significant influence, much like yourself, brother," Evanov explained.

Davey nodded in agreement.

It was only natural. The boy was unfamiliar with magical powers, so he naturally assumed that Davey's abilities were the result of a genetic mutation—a logical assumption.

"However, that power is the reason why I'm saved. I'm always grateful to you, brother. Thanks to you, I was able to survive."

Touched by Evanov's words, Davey patted him on the head. "I see. How's that project of yours coming along?"

"We haven't made any progress yet. But one day, I'm sure we'll find a solution to this parasite problem!" Evanov declared with unwavering determination.

Davey nodded in agreement.

Now that Evanov had vouched for their identities, there was no longer any reason to hinder Davey and Rinne's stay in the facility.

Evanov excitedly led Davey, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, and Rinne to his own residence.

It became apparent that Evanov had made significant contributions to humanity by providing the necessary technology for their survival. Davey noticed this as they passed by several residences. Seeing that such a young boy could make substantial contributions by creating things that even the most prominent individuals in this world could not, Davey understood why Goddess Freyja had identified Evanov as the second star of hope.

"We're here."

The homes Davey had seen for the refugees on their way to Evanov's residence did not appear to be in great condition. However, this was expected, given the circumstances. These evacuees simply aimed to survive each day and save the daily food rations provided to their modest dwellings.

This continent had once been a thriving world, but it had deteriorated into a devastated realm. Even someone like Evanov resided in a modest dwelling. Compared to the nearly collapsing shanties Davey had seen earlier, Evanov's metal box was a slight upgrade, though still humble for someone considered a mainstay of their base.

"It may not be much, but please make yourselves at home. Everyone is struggling to survive, so I can't be the only one living in a comfortable place, right?"

"I understand."

Rinne, who had followed Davey inside, scanned the surroundings and reported, "Davey, Rinne does not detect any suspicious devices inside."

"Very well."

The metal box that served as Evanov's residence was filled with various pieces of equipment, including numerous bottles of medicine stacked in one corner.

"Formalin?"

"No, it's not formalin. It's Rutis Solution."

Rutis Solution was the local term for formalin in this world.

"I've been settled here for a while now. Compared to other survival bases, the facilities here are quite limited. But I just couldn't leave this behind," Evanov said with a hint of bitterness as he retrieved a pack of biscuits from storage and handed it to Davey. "I don't have much, but please help yourself."

"Thank you," Davey replied with a warm smile.

Observing this, the boy beamed an innocent smile at Davey. "Haha, brother, it's truly wonderful to see you again. I feared I might never lay eyes on you once more."

"It's not in my destiny to meet my demise in a foreign land. But more importantly, where are the golems?"

"Ah, I instructed the golems to wait outside. They're on a mission, but they should return soon."

Davey nodded, then feigned ignorance as he listened to Evanov's explanation about the current state of the continent.

According to Evanov, an international company known as the Parasol Corporation had conducted a covert gene manipulation project to create biological weapons. The failed results of their biological weapons research were the parasitic creatures, such as the zombies currently roaming the streets.

"I initially believed these creatures had arisen naturally. However, based on the information we've gathered..." Evanov retrieved papers that he had affixed to the walls of his residence and handed them to Davey. "The city you just escaped from, brother? Parasol likely constructed a secret underground laboratory there. The parasite virus leaked from that facility, leading to the sudden collapse of the vast city. In fact, the Parasol Corporation is still lurking somewhere, continuing their malevolent activities as we speak."

It appeared that the gigantic muscle-bound monster, wielding its spiny tongue like a steel whip, was a product of the biological weapons research Evanov had mentioned.

"We can only suppress them with force up to a point. To truly resolve this situation, we must find a basic and fundamental solution."

"Should I assist you?"

Evanov's eyes widened in astonishment at Davey's offer. "You're willing to help me?"

“Sure. In the end, the main culprit that put you guys in this situation are those damn Parasol or padak[1] whatever bastards, right? Do you want me to take care of them?”

Evanov smiled slightly at Davey’s question. “Haha, I know you’re joking, but thank you nonetheless.”

‘But it really is possible, you know?’

The only reason Davey refrained from presenting Evanov with a definite proposal was his limited time in this world.

"More importantly, I've heard that you have a request. Private First Class Leon is well-known and renowned in many survival bases, including this one. In fact, he ventured into the city this time for a top-secret mission."

Davey pondered for a moment. "Well, they probably went there to abduct some individuals and acquire antibiotics, right?"

Evanov's eyes widened in surprise at Davey's words. "How did you know?"

"You also overheard what that middle-aged man mentioned earlier. He spoke about antibiotics, so I took a guess."

‘We have no other choice but to find antibiotics…’ or so he said.

"That's correct. Miss Lisa Cer is the most pivotal human asset for our survival at the moment. After all, antibiotics represent our only hope."

If these antibiotics could put an end to this horrifying and gruesome biochemical terror, who could deny that they symbolized salvation?

"The existence of these antibiotics is mere speculation. We aren't even certain if they truly exist. Private First Class Leon infiltrated the city to protect Miss Lisa Cer and confirm the presence of these antibiotics. Naturally, the Parasol Corporation wouldn't want such an outcome. From what I've heard, their unit was obliterated due to some form of interference."

"And what were the results of this mission?"

"How about we review them together?" Evanov smiled as Davey nodded in agreement.

***

Afterward, Davey returned to the room where he had met the middle-aged man earlier. Inside, he found the middle-aged man, the woman named Laeuri, Private First Class Leon, and a few new faces.

"You're here," the middle-aged man welcomed Davey and Evanov. Then, he said, "Since Sir Evanov has vouched for your identity, we'll trust you and share the results with you, Davey."

Davey couldn't help but remark, "I have a feeling I might find myself in a troublesome situation after hearing what you have to say."

"We desperately need your assistance."

Davey simply nodded in response. "Well, if it can bring me profit, then I will help you."

"What do you want?" the man asked.

Hearing the question, Davey declared his request without hesitation, "A substantial amount of pure plutium."

The middle-aged man's eyes widened to the extent that Davey wondered if they might pop out. Even Leon, who typically wore a comical expression, and Evanov, standing beside Davey, appeared shocked. However, that was the quantity of materials Davey required to construct the mana fusion reactor.

Assisting them in their grand endeavor to save the world was a noble deed, indeed. Yet, if he did not attend to his own interests, they might perceive him as having no bottom line and being a pushover—something Davey could not allow.

"Don't worry. I'll certainly help you out."

‘I trust you won't decline the opportunity to enlist a powerhouse capable of causing a pan-continental disaster.’

1. 파닭 chicken with sliced green onion, a play on words with parasol (파라솔) ☜