The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Novel

All of them looked at Davey incredulously when they heard his words, and their expressions deepened when they saw Davey casually breaking the chains that bound him tightly. In fact, it felt like they were dreaming.

For a moment, they felt like the chains that tied Davey up were not really a big deal. However, those who were aware of the power and force incorporated in those chains could only stare at him in shock.

"Grave!" The demon's Grand Duke Astaroth, who was proceeding with the ritual, called out to Grave after witnessing Davey's light and easy actions. However, he couldn't hide the complicated look in his eyes as he turned to look at the human they thought they had sealed.

"H-How?!"

Grave was certain that escaping the chains' binding would be difficult. This was because the power hidden within the chains that bound Davey was neither the demon's demonic energy nor the vampires' blood energy. The power dwelling inside those chains was none other than the mysterious power of the Abyss.

There weren't any real problems with the way it was used for restriction. After all, it operated on different laws. And that meant Davey could use it in reverse.

"How many experiments do you think I conducted with that guy I stole from the other side of the world?"

Davey firmly believed that he shouldn't recklessly pick a fight with an opponent he knew nothing about. In this fight, he was the one who knew half about the enemies, while his enemies didn't even know half of him. And that difference was quite significant.

At the same time, Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon, who were also bound by the chains, responded to his will. They easily broke off the chains in their bodies and settled gently in Davey's hands.

All the surviving vampires and demons present in this ceremonial hall looked at Davey in terror. Even Perserque, who was undergoing the synchronization of her body and soul with the ritual, opened her eyes wide and stared at him in shock.

"S-Stop that bastard! We can't let him disturb the ritual!"

However, none of them charged at Davey or attacked him immediately.

So, Davey took the time to reach into his Pocket Plane and retrieved a strange lump of metal, which he promptly threw into the air.

—Davey… What did you do…?

“I’m sorry, but I already told you this from the start.”

—N-No! Davey! Stop that!

Perserque shouted urgently, having realized the nature of the item Davey threw into the air, albeit a bit late. It was only after the lump of metal started to twitch and react that she grasped its significance.

Davey paid no attention to Belial, who had caused immediate chaos, and instead focused solely on the metal lump floating in the air. It was none other than the power of the Abyss that had been reversed.

Suddenly, beams of light burst forth from the metal lump as numerous cracks marred its surface. In an instant, an abundance of tentacles extended and ensnared Perserque's arms, legs, neck, and waist.

—Kyaaaaack?! I don’t want this!!!

Perserque let out a piercing scream, her face contorting with a mix of distress, revulsion, and repulsion.

Taking control of the metal lump, Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon emanated a brilliant glow, casting an eerie atmosphere that illuminated Davey's sinister grin.

"Well then, excellent work, everyone. Now, all that remains is for me to devour everything within this place.”

With a swift motion, the bright red sword in Davey's hand gleamed as it cleaved Grave's body in two. After all, there was no reason to spare the most dangerous man in the room, was there? The surviving vampires and demons attempted to resist and confront Davey, but they all crumbled in an instant.

A maniacal grin adorned Davey's face as he had already unleashed his true self. "I appreciate what you have done. However, a debt is a debt, isn't it?"

"H-Hi... Hiiik!"

A flash of blue appeared as Davey swung Blue Ribbon, the swordlight destroying Grand Duke Astaroth’s shield. It was immediately followed by a flash of red light that severed the demon’s arm. Observing that Astaroth was able to evade the fatal blow and only lose his arm made Davey realize the immense power of a Grand Duke.

However, Astaroth was still not as potent as that black dragon bastard. Comparatively speaking, all the demons were formidable individuals. Nevertheless, it required a substantial amount of power for them to cross over from the artificial Demon World, where they had been banished. Thus, even if their main bodies managed to cross over, they would still be unable to exert significant force. What if it was merely a clone?

"Stop that bastard! If we fail here, there will be no future for our race!"

"Die!!!"

They desperately resisted, charging forward despite the risk of losing their lives. In response, Davey manipulated Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon, allowing them to float freely in the air as he forcefully clapped his hands together.

[8th Circle Earth Magic]

[High Ground Break]

The ground twisted and turned, a crack opening up like the jaws of a gigantic alligator and swallowing all of the vampires who attacked Davey.

However, Davey did not stop there. The earth broke apart, trapping the vampires and floating freely in the air. Then, Davey raised his palm and clenched it into a fist. Simultaneously, a tremendous pressure weighed down upon them until they burst into pieces. It was a horrendous scene to watch, but Davey did not stop.

The resistance posed by the demons and vampires was fierce.

Liline Orlouge, the succubus beside Grand Duke Astaroth, charged at Davey's flanks with her huge side sword. On the other side, Gluttony, the man who seemed to be the leader of the vampires, attacked Davey's rear.

Davey stretched his hand forward without hesitation, grabbing the tip of Liline Orlouge's side sword with his index, thumb, and middle finger. Then, he kicked her away.

"Ugh... Don't you get tired?!"

"I'm someone who can send missile dropkicks to anyone, whether they are a man or a woman. So, you better clench your teeth, Miss Succubus."

Liline felt as if a huge bat had hit her as her body flew back and got stuck on the wall. It was just one kick, but Liline seemed to have already fainted, completely motionless and silent as debris from the walls behind her fell down around her.

The ceremonial hall was a complete mess after it had suddenly turned into a battlefield. However, the battle did not last long. This was because not many of the vampires had come here, despite the fact that many of them were still alive.

When Belial caught the head of the last resisting high-ranking vampire and pierced through his heart, the battle had ended. After looking at the ritual's magic circle, Davey saw Belial slowly approaching Perserque, who now had a physical form after being bound by the tentacles.

The teary Perserque frowned in confusion when she saw Belial kneel down on one knee and bow to her.

—You… What in the world are you doing?

"It's a pleasure to meet you. My Lord, I am willing to give you my everything," Belial said calmly as he slowly looked up. "The fact that your soul has been kept safe is all thanks to God's grace."

"Belial, we don't have much time. Move to the magic circle before it gets extinguished."

Belial slowly stood up at Davey's words. "Forgive me for whatever disrespect I will show you from here on out."

It seemed like those who survived the onslaught of Davey's attacks had yet to understand the situation they were in. That was when they saw Belial enter the center of the magic circle and devour the current of power swirling around it, created from the sacrifice. This power was meant for Perserque's soul, so she could devour it the moment she was revived as the Demon Lord.

At the same time, something wrapped around Belial, transforming him into a giant pupa protected by a cocoon. Everyone fell silent, stunned by Belial's unexpected betrayal and the dire consequences it entailed.

—Davey!!! What the hell are you doing?!

Perserque's cry echoed the thoughts in everyone's heads. Although their purposes differed, both Perserque and the vampires aimed to resurrect the Demon Lord.

Davey held Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon lightly before placing them in his Pocket Plane. He scoffed, "Why do you think I allowed you guys to tie me up and drag me here for such a long time?"

"W-What?!" Grand Duke Astaroth, now missing an arm, asked grimly.

In Reina's own world, Astaroth was one of mankind's greatest horrors, a being that had wiped out humanity. In this world, he had received the Abyss' buff and had become even stronger. For him, this task was incredibly easy. At the very least, he was no weaker than Nyx, who had existed since their ancestor's time.

—Davey… Don’t tell me…

"That's right. This is the usurpation of the Demon Lord," Davey said calmly, nodding toward the cocoon. "The next Demon Lord will not be Perserque but Belial."

"Why on earth... Why on earth are you doing this?! What will you gain from this, you bastard?!"

It wouldn't matter whether it was Belial or Perserque who became the Demon Lord. If it was Perserque, she would be controlled by some kind of force upon resurrection. As for Belial? He was already Davey's enemy, so it wouldn't make a difference.

But in the end, the outcome would still be the same. This was why Astaroth couldn't comprehend why Davey had to go through this process.

"Of course, it's different."

Not long after, Belial finished absorbing all the power of the Demon Lord through the ritual and began to break free from the cocoon. Witnessing this, Davey raised one hand lightly and said, "The difference lies in whether Perserque becomes the Demon Lord or not."

"W... What?"

"Listen, Demon Grand Duke," Davey said calmly, waving the mana gathered in his hand to create a massive shockwave that dissipated the mana in the area.

Those who were preparing to launch a surprise attack became flustered as the power they had gathered suddenly vanished. Then, a girl who had been hiding on one side of the ceremonial hall emerged with a surprised expression.

The girl had successfully concealed herself thanks to the power of the divine sword, but she could no longer conceal her presence after this commotion.

"Your skills have improved greatly, huh? Illyna."

"Davey... What the hell are you doing?" Illyna asked, her face stiff with disbelief. "The Demon Lord's usurpation? What in the world are you trying to accomplish with the enemies that attacked mankind..."

Davey disregarded Illyna's trembling and instead inspected the now cracked cocoon. Then, he turned to Astaroth and asked, "Do you know the conditions required to become the Demon Lord?"

Astaroth gritted his teeth, his hand putting more pressure on his severed arm. He replied, "As long as the Demon Lord exists, no other demon or living being can become the Demon Lord... But now, with the Demon Lord's position vacant, there are two ways to determine who will claim the title...

"The first method can be executed in the absence of the Demon Lord. One can become the Demon Lord through a formal ceremony. If they survive after accepting the power of the former Demon Lord, they will ascend to become the new Demon Lord. In this method, there is no need to kill others.

"The second method is the usurpation of the newly emerged Demon Lord. It requires killing the previous Demon Lord in battle."

What they were doing here was the second method. With Perserque, who was attempting to re-emerge as the Demon Lord, restrained, Belial took advantage of the opportunity and forcefully seized Perserque's power. Then, he proceeded with the Demon Lord's ritual.

Perserque might still possess the power of a Demon Lord, but she was already dead. The only way for her to regain her position as a Demon Lord was to be resurrected with her full power. Thus, they had no choice but to perform this ritual for her.

If they could keep Perserque restrained for a while and strip away her power while safely completing the ritual, she might not become the Demon Lord and could possibly continue living.

In the end, they had prevented the worst outcome, where Perserque would become the Demon Lord. As long as Belial was alive, Perserque would never ascend to that position. However, with Belial as the Demon Lord, there were still numerous ways for the demons to reinstate Perserque as the Demon Lord.

"I waited for a long time," Davey said calmly as he approached Illyna. Then, he added, "It took you quite a while to come and find me."

None of them understood why Davey kept glancing at his watch. Even Illyna wore a puzzled expression on her face. It seemed that none of them had fully comprehended Davey's intentions yet.

The cocoon shattered completely as Belial emerged, emanating an immense power that far surpassed his previous state. Though his eyes remained closed, his appearance had undergone a significant transformation.

Davey could discern traces of the Abyss' power within Belial. It made him wonder if this was why the Abyss and its creatures actively aided Perserque's resurrection as the Demon Lord. If the previous Belial was an entity Davey could easily dispatch, the current Belial belonged to an entirely different realm. The energy radiating from his body was so potent that Davey would need to exercise extreme caution if he were to engage in a desperate battle with him.

Yet, this was precisely why Davey utilized Belial to strip Perserque of her position as the Demon Lord. Davey had no knowledge of Belial's newfound power and had to approach it with utmost wariness.

"Ha... Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Fool!" Astaroth and Gluttony, who had been staring blankly, gradually snapped out of their daze. They erupted into maniacal laughter at the sight before them.

"Anyone who becomes the Demon Lord through this magic circle will be under our control! Human! I don't know how you manipulated Belial, but the result remains the same! It does not matter who it is, as long as we have our king!"

They believed that it made no difference whether Belial stood by Davey's side. As long as they could dominate and manipulate him as they intended to do with Perserque, it would suffice.

Truly, it didn't matter whether the resurrected Demon Lord was Perserque or Belial. The demons and vampires had already achieved their goal once the Demon Lord was brought back. They would gain the power to reshape the continent and drive away the alliance of humans from the Tionis Continent.

However, did they believe that Davey had orchestrated this situation without being aware of their intentions?

"Let me ask you again. What are the conditions required to become the Demon Lord?"

"What…?"

—A demon qualified to become a Demon Lord… Davey, don’t tell me…

Perserque’s eyes grew wide. It was as if she had finally understood what Davey intended to do.

—Stop!!! Do you not know how dangerous what you’re trying to attempt is?! The Abyss is far greater than what you think…!

However, disregarding Perserque's desperate cries, Davey continued to advance toward Illyna. An unsettling smile adorned his face as he lightly patted the bewildered Illyna and uttered, "Thanks, Illyna. Let me borrow this once more."

"What... What do you mean?"

"This," Davey replied cryptically.

Davey forcefully tore off the brooch from Illyna's chest, causing her to struggle against his grip as he compelled Caldeiras to activate. In that moment, a sense of déjà vu washed over Illyna, but she could only stare blankly ahead, realizing that she had been completely deceived by Davey.

Since Belial's escape, she had been manipulated from the start. Why did Davey resort to trickery? Because he couldn't simply borrow Caldeiras without giving rise to rumors, except in a situation like this.

Davey turned his gaze toward Belial and aimed Caldeiras at him. With determination in his voice, he declared, "Belial has become the Demon Lord by absorbing the power from the resurrection magic circle you created. I know there may be some sort of deception within it. Since you admitted that he would be a pawn in your plan, forcing a continental war, I cannot leave him be. I have no choice but to fight him, don't I?"

Even if Davey spared Belial at this moment, they would inevitably clash in the future, potentially igniting another continental war.

Caldeiras' voice resonated in Davey's ears. Simultaneously, he released his sacred mana, the very same energy he had been conserving for this precise moment, and spoke calmly...

[Goddess Freyja.]

[I’m sorry, but I have you and the former Demon Lord completely deceived. Well, I’ll gladly receive any punishment.]

[I hope you grant mercy to this foolish Saint who has strayed from the righteous path, attempting to sever the bonds that bring forth bloodshed, sorrow, and anguish in the future.]

“Belial, it’s time to pay the price.”

[Transcendent Circle Black Magic. Subordination Magic.]

[Lord of Geas]

The curse, carefully crafted by Rho Aias, manifested with just enough potency to avoid complete rejection. As a result, the curse began to take effect, drawing out both the holy mana that Davey had cautiously conserved and the dark mana within his own being.

Trapped within an impenetrable barrier, even a powerful Demon Lord like Belial slowly opened his eyes and extended his hand toward Davey. He declared, "In accordance with my oath and loyalty to Demon Lord Perserque, I offer my life in exchange for hers. By the authority of the Demon Lord, I accept Davey O'Rowane as a challenger in the Demon Lord's Usurpation Battle. If you emerge victorious, you shall become the next Demon Lord."

The second method to attain the position of the Demon Lord was through the Demon Lord's Usurpation Battle, where the previous Demon Lord had to be slain.

"Perserque, I warned you, didn't I? Unless I am defeated, you will never ascend as the Demon Lord."

If Perserque truly intended to protect Davey through her betrayal, she should have grasped the significance behind his previous words.

It wasn't just the demons or the vampires who were mere pawns in Davey's grand scheme. He manipulated everyone and everything, even deceiving the very deity of this world, if only for a fleeting moment.

Davey swiftly darted forward, leaving behind a white afterimage, as Caldeiras emitted a radiant white light. Before anyone could react or Illyna could even scream, Davey closed the distance and thrust the blade of Caldeiras into Belial's heart.

"As trust is given, trust shall be repaid. Loyalty and allegiance deserve faith and conviction. What a fitting saying, wouldn't you agree?" Belial spoke his final words.

Even as the newly appointed Demon Lord, Belial remained true to his ancestors' ideals and displayed unwavering loyalty to the Demon Lord by sacrificing his own life. He was a demon with a genuine and devoted heart, incapable of accepting the manipulation of his master by others.

"Thank you for your unwavering dedication," Davey remarked.

However, this was all part of a trap designed for a single individual. The vampires and demons had laid a snare for Davey, yet unbeknownst to them, Davey had been meticulously setting up his own trap for Perserque for a considerable length of time. His sole intention was to resurrect her as a unique demon girl with extraordinary powers and, above all else, to prevent those despicable individuals from ever turning her into the Demon Lord again.