The Max Level Hero Has Returned!

The massive lightning incinerated the entire area within the range of its impact, overwhelming the enemies with its voltage. The giant carp seemed to possess no particularly extraordinary power other than concealing itself, and among the colossal entities of the Abyss Davey had encountered thus far, it seemed to have the weakest resilience.

What would happen if the gargantuan, air-floating carp were to lose its head? Naturally, it would fall to the ground. Though Davey did not know much about how it managed to stay suspended in the air, supporting such a massive body against gravity had to require an enormous expense of energy. Once it lost the power to stay afloat, the carp would naturally fall.

The problem was that the carp was located right in the middle of the battlefield. The moment it plummeted, unimaginable damage would occur, and Davey could not let that happen. He spread his right hand and clenched it into a fist.

“Gnoass.”

Davey would counter something big with something that was also big. The ground behind him quaked and moved as if it was alive and following his will. Then it formed into a gigantic fist of rock.

“Hmph.”

The colossal fist of Gnoass rose from the ground and smacked the falling carp, sending it flying. Being merely a piece of meat succumbing to gravity, the enormous carcass flew through the air and eventually crashed with a thunderous sound far away from the battlefield.

BOOM!!!

Simultaneously, the black mist, which had continuously been spewing enemies, began to fade as expected.

The black mist had been generated by the giant carp. Although the monsters that had been already unleashed from the Abyss would not disappear, the lack of further reinforcements from the Abyss meant that the outcome of this battle was already clear. Of course, Davey cared little for the carcass of the carp. What was important was that it had already started moving.

Upon reaching the ruins where the carp had fallen, Davey was enveloped by a chilling current of aura. He lightly wrapped mana around Red Ribbon, and without hesitation, he activated the Taboo’s Karma throughout his entire body. The mana remaining inside him began to absorb the Power of Taboo, turning it into a lethal poison for the beings of the Abyss.

BOOM!!!

The first thing to come out from the ruins was a massive black giant made of rags. Nothing was visible from the inside of the monster’s hood or sleeves, yet its every movement caused a sound of rustling.

Cling......

Staring directly at Davey, the giant shifted its stance, standing as if it had an intangible sword in its grip.

[We are…….]

A hissing sound filled the air.

Shh......

Then, something that looked like a specter descended and finished the sentence.

[One.]

They were two entities from the Abyss reminiscent of Oedon. Even if their power was not on par with the Princesses’ of the Abyss or the colossal figure Davey had encountered during the vampire war, they were still menaces that had reasoning and knowledge about how to set traps against Davey.

-SQUEEEEAL!!!

There was no need for any conversation between Davey and the Abyssal beings. They were each other’s enemy and they wanted nothing else than the other’s death.

The funny thing was that, possibly due to the initial attack Davey had fiercely delivered, the dangerous presence he first sensed was reduced to nothing more than these two. Perhaps there had been a few more like them, but they had probably been hit by the sudden assault Davey launched against the giant carp.

Shh…

The first attack came from the monster made entirely of black rags. It swung its invisible weapon at Davey.

CLANG!!!

The giant’s weapon collided with Red Ribbon, and the impactful clash of the two weapons failed to deal any damage to either. Perhaps it was because of its non-physical characteristics that Red Ribbon couldn’t do anything against it, just as it couldn’t do anything against Red Ribbon. A frighteningly sharp foreboding feeling coursed through Davey, starting on his nape. The creature’s weapon was definitely not shaped like a normal sword. If Davey was anything other than careful, it could get dangerous for him.

“It's worth testing.”

While deflecting the attacks made against him, Davey suddenly grabbed the creature with his hand covered with the Power of Taboo to experiment a hypothesis that he just thought of.

[Curse of Versha]

[Form Collapse]

There were various types of the Curse of Versha, but they were not easy to cast, limiting the number of abilities that Davey could use after taking away the power source from her.This ability in particular was one of the attacks she had unleashed upon him.

CRACK!!!

-SQUEEEEAL!!!

Instantaneously, the Abyssal figure attacking Davey began to distort and warp, letting out a dreadful scream. As the creature suffered in agony, Davey's eyes sparkled.

“Huh? Quite effective, isn’t it?”

‘What makes the Abyssal entities so annoying to deal with is their unique resistance. But the power of Versha is an Abyssal ability to begin with, and one that ignores defense to boot.’

“Thanks.”

Davey pierced the completely deformed monster with Red Ribbon which he had infused with the Power of Taboo. He then turned his attention to the other Abyssal being, his sword threateningly pointing at it.

Perhaps because its companion was taken down so swiftly, the remaining entity hesitated.

Noticing that the entity was trying to escape, Davey spoke to it calmly, “Whatever you plan, remember this well.” He paused as his lips stretched into a chilling smile. “My life plans have been delayed by years because of you guys. That'll cost you. Whether it's the countless Abyssal entities. Or the symbol of the Abyssal power, the Princess of the Abyss. Or even if it’s Thanatos, the God of the Abyss himself. I don’t care.”

The specter tried to fly away, but Davey casually caught it. “Where, pray tell, do you think you're going?”

The specter responded to the baleful question by desperately struggling to free itself from Davey’s hold. Although it was huge, spanning several meters, there was no need to state who was more threatening between it and Davey.

-SQUEEEEAL!!!

Held by what appeared to be the hem of its cloak, the specter struggled to escape but Davey slowly pulled it back.

Crack!!!

Panic filled the monster's movements. Certainly, the Abyssal entities were creatures that withstood even the Wrath of Paradise magic, so they definitely had some backup plans, but they likely did not expect an attack that ignored defense and originated in the Abyss itself. Eventually, the creature tore off a part of itself in a desperate attempt to flee from Davey.

“Let it go,” Perserque suggested.

But Davey grinned and reached out toward the escaping creature. “It's done for anyway.”

CRUNCH…

As the creature flew away, it began to twist and crumble.

“What's the point of running away from a curse? It's over if I can see you.”

Trivialities such as speed and distance were completely irrelevant. Due to the curse of Flow Rejection, Davey generally did not like using dark magic curses. While there were many instances where he used balding curses, Davey tended to avoid the ones that were actually effective and brutally powerful. But if the curse was not dark magic but an ability of the Abyss, then he would use it to his heart's content.

-SQUEEEEAL!!

Davey had cast the Form Collapse curse on the struggling creature, and once it began to melt, he slowly approached it.“How does it feel to be attacked by your own power?”

As the creature reached out with its trembling arm toward Davey, he picked up a thick branch from a nearby shattered tree. Then, he slapped it against his palm, infusing it with the Power of Taboo.

“Historically, this has always been the cure.”

Spare the rod and spoil the child, they said.

-SQUEEEEK!!

Hearing the creature's screams, Davey glanced around.

‘No one in sight. Good.’

An ominous smile was etched on Davey’s face once more, and it grew a tad wider as he swung the branch to finish off the creature.

***

The endless swarm of enemies was no longer in sight. The soldiers of the allied forces, who had defeated the last of the enemy, watched as it crumbled to dust, and silence descended as the battle finally ended.T

“We won…”

“Ah… Aaah…”

“We survived… We actually survived…”

Everyone had thought they were going to die.

At first, they could not comprehend how such a large army could ever be in danger. Commanded by their emperors, they were to vanquish the despicable evil who had killed Princess Jadeflower and Prince Wol Gye-Woo. They did not understand why more than a hundred thousand were mobilized for a single individual. However, they understood the power of the Divine Beasts when they appeared.

In a mass battle, the power of the Divine Beasts was overwhelmingly useful. After being swept away by a disaster-like attack, the soldiers could feel it. The enemy they were engaging was not an ordinary being. And that was not even the biggest problem. It was the Celestial Maidens that appeared in front of them. The Celestial Maidens descended from the heavens with the Divine Beasts, took away the two generals, and disappeared for a while.

Having witnessed the beings of the Spirit Realm, the soldiers began to suspect that the one they sought might be a celestial being himself. But the sudden attack of the mysterious monsters dashed out the thought as quickly as it had formed. It seemed futile to fight the horrific creatures, since an unspeakable number of them kept pouring in. The soldiers expected their own demise amid the stench of terrible death, but then they saw a miracle.

[It's time for vengeance!!]

The one who shouted was none other than the man they had been pursuing. As soon as he appeared, power surged through their bodies, granting them the strength to slay the monsters and ultimately leading them to victory.

“He told us to tear apart our wills…”

“Hmm…”

The irony that the one they had been tracking down was precisely the one who saved them from complete destruction. He was also the one who defeated the mysterious and monstrous creature floating in the sky, demonstrating his astounding power.

“Ah… Ah, the Supreme Lord must have sent an immortal to us,” someone remarked.

“We attempted to capture a being who descended from the Spirit Realm for the sake of the Lower Realm…”

The words spread instantaneously. The remarks of some men led others to concur. The rumors, once set in motion, uncontrollably spread, gaining flesh and bones and swelling regardless of whether they were true or not.

"Waaaaah! He is the true immortal of the Spirit Realm!!"

"The immortal of the Spirit Realm has saved us!!"

Normally, they would’ve praised the emperor, the Son of Heaven, but right now, they were praising this immortal from the Spirit Realm.

Meanwhile, the soldier who had started the rumor silently blended into the crowd, eventually reaching a place where he could not be seen. As his body seemed to liquefy, he pulled out a small gem.

[Dirro, task complete.]

Propaganda and rumors could override even a monarch’s will. It was their fault for depicting the beings of the Spirit Realm as great entities.

***

The Celestial Maidens' feathered robes fluttered as if suspended in the air. But had Davey summoned the beings of the Spirit Realm just to borrow their robes? That was nonsense.

“You!!!” The princess tearfully yelled at Davey as she clutched her robe close to her chest.

“I've used it well. Don’t worry, I did not wear it.”

Angered by Davey’s words, her jaws visibly tensed as she gritted her teeth.

“You think I’ll just let this slide—”

“You won’t let it slide?” Davey interrupted, coldly glaring at the princess and the other two Celestial Maidens.

He had asked Perserque to calm them down, but her effort seemed to have the opposite effect. Fortunately, only a very few knew of their existence, and Davey was in a place hidden from other people’s sight.

“Look here, princess.”

“Release us this instant! Mortals of the Lower Realm are so rude! You block and open passages as you please! You’ve even abducted the Princess of the Spirit Realm!!”

At her outcry, Davey grabbed her by the collar as his expression soured. “Shut it, trespasser. Don’t try to legitimize your existence.”

“What… what did you just say?”

“Lower Realm humans might revere you guys as divine beings. But I know exactly what you are up to. In the past, your greed almost sparked a war. And now, you’ve settled down uninvited as neighbors of the humans in the Lower Realm, which is not even your original homeland.”

“You!!”

“Want me to go on? I’ve summoned you to give you a chance.”

Explaining things to stubborn creatures who refused cooperation would just be a waste of time.

“Go back. Tell your king this: There are still remnants of the Abyss left in this land.”

“Abyss? What is that?”

“What else? They’re creatures that will exterminate everything without discrimination, whether it's the Lower Realm or Spirit Realm."

“How dare you brazenly claim that they will annihilate the realm ruled by the Supreme Lord?!”

Davey smiled smugly. “Do you think you’d be safe?”

“…I've heard about the monsters. But the power of such creatures is nothing compared to the light and anti-demonic might bestowed upon us by the Supreme Lord―Aiiieeeek!!!”

Davey grinned as he watched her collapse with a loud scream.

“It’s a curse that amplifies sensation. Even the slightest touch would make your skin feel like it's going crazy.”

His words sent her panicking with a reddened face, and she shifted uncomfortably. “What on earth… huh?!”

Davey pressed down on her shoulder, forcing her to sit. Fear appeared in her eyes alongside a hint of shame.

“Are you trying to disgrace me?”

“You? Are you mad? Why would I look at another woman when I have a lovely wife? The curse you’re feeling is none other than their power,” he spoke flatly. “Even now, do you think your almighty lord’s power will protect you?”

After Davey had defeated the two deformed monsters from the abyss, he had come across a mysterious entity that had given him a dire warning before fading away.

“Two princesses of the Abyss had already arrived in this land.”

It was a preposterous scenario. It was impossible that not just one but three Princesses of the Abyss would arrive in the Heavenly Central Plains.

“Handling two won't be easy…”

The remnants of the Abyss never ended, regardless of how much Davey prepared.

“Couldn’t even bother dropping one Gem?”

The Gem, unlike the Absolute Gem, was an object that synchronized his spirit and body. It was a slightly more stable method than the parallel world's power in terms of energy output. Davey lamented as he looked back at the Princess of the Spirit Realm. Then, suddenly…

Whooom…

A faint light enveloped Davey, accompanied by the distinctive divine might of Freyja and Neltarid.

[Let your wishes be fulfilled...]

The proclamation came. But the stigmata on Davey's back sparked, cutting off Neltarid’s divine message.

“…What is happening?”

‘Did Neltarid try to… grant my wish?’ He looked utterly dumbfounded.

Whoooom!!!

And then, as if answering his confusion, the divine power unique to Goddess Freyja began to pour down.