The Max Level Hero Has Returned!

"Davey."

"Ah, Lady Rho Aias."

"Hehe... Don't be so formal with me. I'm not someone worthy of such respect."

Back then, Davey didn't know. He had only heard that she was an exceptional dark magician, never imagining she possessed monstrous power, capable of distorting planets with a flick of her finger or evaporating nuclei. A demigod.

[So, who's the strongest?]

With those audacious words, the ensuing apocalypse revealed a side of her she had never shown before, completely overturning Davey's previous assessment of her.

[I can't break this with my hands.]

She handed him a brooch laden with remnants symbolizing herself. The brooch she gave was an authentic piece, with no duplicates. Similar items might exist, but one imbued with her remnants had been with her until the vortex. She equated her existence to one of four stages: a composition of will forms. Davey would rank them as Mundane, Transcendent, Ascended, and Omnipotent.

All humans, elves, dwarves, beasts, monsters, plants, and animals fell into the Mundane category, the lowest tier. Even the so-called superior beings, dragons, belonged here. However, as these beings evolved and underwent multiple transformations, they ascended to the Transcendent phase.

This was where Davey and most heroes resided – a mere second out of four stages. While it might seem insignificant, the reality was not so simple. The majority could only achieve the Mundane or Transcendent stages.

These four stages were not just determined by power, but also by the realms their souls and bodies could interfere with. The third stage, which Davey often referred to as the Ascended or Demigod tier, only had two beings that he knew of: Rho Aias, the unparalleled dark magician, the unique Death Lord, and the root of the World Tree. Not the Yggdrasil of Davey's knowledge, or the current World Tree, which was a predecessor to Yggdrasil, but the literal root essence of the World Tree.

If this essence faltered, the world shook, risking annihilation. The essence represented a part of the world that held it aloft. Their influence could range from birthing stars to their demise. However, with great power came constraints.

Interestingly, the safest and most liberated stage might be the Transcendent. If the World Tree collapsed, the supporting force of the world vanished. If the physical body of the Death Lord was destroyed, the boundary of the deceased warped. The Demigod realm was such. Though their creation intents differed, their mere existence, or their remnants, significantly influenced the world.

Davey believed that the reason she obliterated her very existence was linked to this realm. As a result, she had to invest immense effort even to die. Ultimately, she managed to cease existing, yet her remnants remained, binding her to the vortex, which she handed to Davey. One day, she asked him to erase even the last trace of her. A seemingly impossible task, but the opportunity eventually arose.

"Sorry, but I was fooled again."

Through divine intervention, the tremendous power, no, the entire world's will, the grand intent, Goddess Freyja, descended upon Davey. Through the original scripture, her will touched Davey's flesh. Davey, who had humorously been connected to her as God's bride, had a body designed to be more receptive to a god's spirit than any other.

A goddess possessing a man's body? What could that possibly mean? The deity, manifested as a bright sphere of light, merely gazed silently at Davey.

"We must now release the departed."

As long as remnants remained in the brooch, Rho Aias would never find eternal rest. Her power would persistently remain, tethering her soul to this world. Some heroes of the vortex would voluntarily vanish after shedding their own regrets or fulfilling promises. At least the heroes who had guided Davey did not do so, but some among those who had not guided him chose that path of self-extinction.

"You've become a pillar of the world due to the restraints you've created and have become the king of the departed. It's unfathomable for a mere being of will to bear that, isn't it?" In response to Davey's inquiry, Goddess Freyja remained silent, ever consistent in her quietude.

As the figure of light gradually approached him, Davey's body began to undergo transformations. His robust muscles started to diminish, becoming slender, and his height reduced. His black hair transformed into familiar long azure strands, and his eyes began turning blue.

"A living person should never attain such a state."

Despite his words, the transformation did not halt.

"One should know to provide salvation to the pitiable soul that has lived for you."

Rho Aias had always admonished Davey never to exceed the transcendent level. It was something he instinctively understood. The moment one ascended from transcendence, they could not meet a peaceful end. In reality, Odin, a wizard from the continent of Atrellia who had taught him magic, was a figure who had retreated from the boundary of that realm. Excluding Hercules, the oldest hero in the vortex was this very pea-sized one-eyed woman.

"Alright. I'll surrender my body as you wish. But you must honor our promise."

Upon saying this, Davey's body completely transformed. And then...

"What... What's happening?!" The arrogant leader of the Illuminati, Descent, who had audaciously harnessed the power of Death Lord Rho Aias, began to panic.

Davey, now entirely transformed, or rather, Goddess Freyja, hung suspended in mid-air, raising one hand.

And then...

Boom!!!

A tearing sound echoed, and the world contorted into shades of black and white. All time ceased, every causal chain halted. Among those conscious in this realm were Davey, Descent, Rinne, the emperor, and a few of the king's knights. In this stilled world, the knights merely stared blankly at Davey and the world's transformation.

Then, acting on pure instinct, they prostrated themselves, bowing their heads deeply. "Oh... Divine one..."

"The Goddess..."

Though they might not have truly understood, the emperor of Contas, sensing instinctively what had entered Davey's body, cast aside his arrogance and knelt reverently, his head bowed. It was a gesture of absolute submission from a creation to its creator.

* * *

In this world where time stood still, those who were conscious felt an innate sense of fear and awe. Amidst the situation where everyone, except Rinne and the transformed Descent, was bowing their heads, Goddess Freyja, who had descended through Davey's body, extended her cold blue eyes and slowly reached out her hand.

The level Rho Aias, the Death Lord, had attained was of the Ascended Realm. And, if her descriptions were to be believed, Goddess Freyja, who adjusted the world's providence and created, existed at the ultimate stage of omnipotence. Even if Rho Aias could obliterate planets and twist galaxies into black holes, the limits of a creation could not be surpassed. Thus, Descent, incomplete and harnessing the Death Lord's power, had no means to obstruct Freyja, now in a divine state.

Within Davey's transformed body, now resembling a young girl with azure hair, Freyja summoned the original scripture she had bestowed upon him. Simultaneously, the scripture, as if alive, unfurled according to her will, emitting a soft golden glow before gently closing.

There were no words spoken. Having a conversation with her was, unsurprisingly, impossible. Davey could only silently observe the unfolding scenario. Descent, despite having fused the brooch and artifacts made of the Death Lord's flesh, sensing an imminent threat, cried out hesitantly.

"St...Stop! If you don't halt, I'll obliterate this land without a trace!"

Despite his outcry, Goddess Freyja continued to approach Descent. A being wielding the power of the Death Lord, capable of shattering worlds with a mere snap of fingers, was fleeing, while a small and beautiful girl with azure eyes and hair walked silently toward him. The one to end this breathtaking standoff was Descent.

"A god? You call yourself a god? Ridiculous! I am the true god! The god of the deceased! The god of death!!! And the god of destruction is none other than me!"

In a way, the traces of the Death Lord could be seen as the god of death or the god of destruction. In arrogance, Descent clapped his hands forcefully. Without any incantation, the world began to corrode. From Descent's feet, the ground started decaying, and the stones and dirt turned to dust as if dead. The unending decay spread just from that clap.

In the past, Davey had used transcendental dark magic to annihilate a creature from the abyss. Even then, using magic that caused rapid decay and annihilation had consumed most of his mana. Comparing that to the magic Descent now displayed, it was a force of unparalleled strength. However, since it was not a product of his own realization and attainment, the power he manifested spread chaotically, running rampant.

And there was no reason for Goddess Freyja, inhabiting Davey's body, to stand by and watch such uncontrolled power.

Whoosh!

With a mere wave of her hand, the forces of the universe began to follow her will. Simultaneously, the decaying mana of the Death Lord ceased and dispersed, and an unidentified force started to restore the decayed land as if reversing time.

"I am the second god of death following the Death Lord! Try and stop me, half-baked deity!"

Because his magic was reversed in an instant, Descent's face contorted in rage. He exerted the power within him recklessly. No matter how vast the death mana might be, if one were to release it thoughtlessly, without any insight or realization, its efficiency would drop immensely. It would, of course, manifest, but it would not operate as intended. This immense power would run wild in moments.

Despite Descent's actions, the body inhabited by Goddess Freyja simply continued walking. And just as Descent, sensing danger, tried to invert space to escape, the body of Goddess Freyja, meters away moments ago, was instantly before him.

"What?!"

Shocked by the twisted causal motion, he gasped. Simultaneously, as Descent's force began to cause world-wide destruction, Goddess Freyja lightly waved her other hand while clutching the original scripture with her small, pale hand.

Sssshhh...

Then, the gravity, atmosphere, and innate forces Descent had killed off began to vanish and were recreated. To discard what was dead and create anew. As it was common knowledge that creation was harder than destruction, what she did was truly beyond imagination.

‘Do all gods, whether Thanatos or Neltarid, possess this level of power?’

Davey, with only his will remaining, observed the situation. There was so much he wanted to ask. Why had the other gods remained silent amidst the chaos? And why did Goddess Freyja resemble Rinne?

Though he had countless questions, Goddess Freyja did not converse with him. Or more precisely, communicating as a being of pure will was truly peculiar.

"What... What's happening... What is this?"

Seeing his power instantly nullified, Descent's face turned pale. His power had escalated to an immense level due to his successful rituals. Though it was the remnant power of the Death Lord and not his own, since he could wield it freely, it essentially became a part of him. But now, with all that power, he could do nothing but be swept away. Davey thought that if it were not for the Baby-Headed Serpent, Yorgan, Descent might not have crumbled so despairingly.

"No... Stay back... Stay away!"

He tried several spells to kill whatever he could. Killing the earth beneath him, the clouds, and stars above. But within the frozen time, Goddess Freyja continued to recreate what he destroyed.

And when she was very close to Descent, the lips of the Goddess Freyja, with her blue eyes, moved slightly. Although no sound was heard, her intent was conveyed.

[Davey.]

At the sound of his name, Davey, with only his spirit remaining, watched her body with a look of bewilderment.

Whoom…

Simultaneously, she raised the original scripture she held and slapped it across Descent's cheek.

Craaack!

The colors of the world shifted several times. Descent froze in place. Goddess Freyja, expressionless, began to furiously beat him with the scripture.

Bang! Thwack! Thwack!

With the sounds of something breaking, cracks began to form on the brooch attached to Descent's clothing. Shattering it would distort the boundary between the living and the dead, but with Goddess Freyja's intervention, it became a meaningless act.

As if relieving stress, Goddess Freyja crazily hit Descent, her lips twitched once. They twitched again. Although her face was expressionless, Davey felt she seemed incredibly annoyed. Then, with each twitch of her lips, her intent was precisely conveyed. But this time, it was sent exclusively to Davey. The intent, shaped in a language most empathetic to a human, grazed his mind.

[Davey.]

Why did she keep calling out to Davey while hitting Descent with the scripture?

[Davey.]

It echoed again.

Craaack!

With such force that it distorted the world's boundaries and caused fractures, the scripture, filled with immense power, was slammed into Descent's skull. Such overwhelming and superior force distorted the firmness of space, creating cracks that shattered it.

This aggressive destruction was uncharacteristic of Goddess Freyja, who had been restoring whatever Descent destroyed. Perhaps she was shocked by her inability to control her power, which damaged a part of the world; her motions briefly paused.

[Davey.]

Yet, as if the intent from the scripture-slapping Goddess Freyja had not fully faded, a fragment of her will flowed into him. Of course...

[Davey.]

Calling out to him again, it felt as if her slapping hand grew even stronger. An illusion... or was it not?