The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Novel

Davey contorted his body, struggling to regain his balance after being carelessly thrown back into the world. He swiftly reached out and caught Illyna, who had also been tossed alongside him, ensuring a safe landing. With a flick of his hand, he brushed away the bothersome hair that obscured his face and instinctively groped his chest.

A brief sigh escaped his mouth when he touched his muscular chest.

A brief silence enveloped the surroundings as Davey absentmindedly assessed Illyna's condition. She remained unconscious due to the lingering effects of divine possession. After confirming that she had no major injuries, he decided to leave her undisturbed.

Furrowing his brow, Davey leaned against his hand, supporting his forehead. Without hesitation, he tapped into his mana and gathered moisture from the air. Unlike the dream world, the Tionis Continent did not impose any restrictions on his ability to access water through his powers.

[Water.]

"Kyaaaack!!!" Illyna exclaimed, startled by the sudden splash of cold and icy water. Her eyes widened as she frantically looked around, and then her gaze settled on Davey. Quickly composing herself, she sat down and stared at him, her head tilted in confusion. "Who are you?"

Davey's eyebrows furrowed in response. "What? Who are you?"

Illyna clenched her teeth in frustration. "Who? I'm asking you who you are?!"

"Kyaaack!!!" Illyna screamed, tears welling up in her eyes as Davey forcefully cracked her joints. "Kyaaack!!! Hurts! That hurts! It hurts!"

Despite being at the level of a Sword Master, a status considered a strategic weapon by the public, Davey paid no heed to her pain.

"Aaaaack!" Illyna shrieked as her body twisted from the struggle and the pain when Davey pressed his fists against her temples and spun them.

"Are you out of your mind, princess?"

As if recalling the sensation of Davey’s painful massages, Illyna pleaded desperately for mercy. "Kyaaack! Davey! So, you're Davey! Alright, alright! Just let me go first, please!"

However, Davey didn't release his grip. He only stopped after determining that the girl had genuinely reflected on her actions.

Completely exhausted, Illyna lay silently on Davey's back as he carried her along. "That... You're Davey...right?"

"That's right."

"Then, why do you look like that...?"

Davey halted in his tracks, then said, "Get down."

He patted Illyna’s legs before setting her down. Then, he stretched his arms.

Illyna immediately recoiled, her eyes shifting nervously as if she expected Davey to do something to her. However, Davey wasn’t paying attention to her at all.

"Davey?"

"How long were we there?"

"About five days, I think?"

Davey silently nodded.

"By the way... What happened to you?" Illyna asked earnestly, finally able to get a proper look at Davey's appearance. "You..."

She gazed at Davey intently, her voice tinged with nervousness. "You have an enviable appearance right now… Hmm.”

"..."

That was true.

"What's going on? Did you suddenly develop an interest in cross-dressing or something?"

"I beg you. If you could just shut up for once, the world would be at peace."

"Hmph. What? Are you saying disaster strikes every time I open my mouth, huh?"

Davey was already content that his body hadn't changed much. However, he wasn't certain about how he would look in two weeks, which was when the next transformation would occur.

"Maybe I should try voodoo?"

His target? Goddess Freyja. He felt that his anger would only subside after creating a straw doll and piercing it with hundreds of nails.

There were various methods to change one's body, such as Body Alteration Dark Magic or the Bone Shifting Arts of the Dark Arts. Illusion magic could even create the appearance of a different body.

There were plenty of options, but Goddess Freyja, with her grudges, had altered Davey's appearance without considering the consequences.

"Wow... Wow... Your muscles have vanished. You... What on earth? Have you turned into a lady or something? Goodness... A prince has become a princess. This is quite shocking..."

Davey simply grabbed Illyna's hands and placed them on his chest.

"Kyaaack! What the... Aaah..." Illyna exclaimed, taken aback by Davey's sudden action. She appeared somewhat embarrassed, but her expression quickly shifted to one of disappointment.

"What the hell... Is this a washboard...?" Illyna commented, forcing her eyes wide open as she closely examined Davey's body. "So, the only things that have changed about you are your height, build, and face?"

"The gender has changed."

"What? So, you're a woman with those washboard abs?"

Davey shook his head in response.

“What the hell? If you’re not a man and not a woman then… Wow! No way?!” Illyna immediately withdrew, a startled look on her face.

Davey let out a sigh and cast a mirror magic, a spell based on the principles of light reflection. The mirror of light materialized in front of him, functioning as a full-length mirror that displayed his appearance clearly.

Now, Davey possessed a shorter stature, long hair, and a slim body. It wouldn't be accurate to describe him as slim like a woman; rather, he had a slimness more typical of a male. Would it be too self-indulgent to say that he looked good?

However, the fact that his appearance had become aesthetically pleasing didn't matter to him. It only served as a reminder that due to that cursed natural disaster and the petty Goddess Freyja, he was forced to remain in this unfortunate state for the next two weeks. Knowing that he had transformed into this or that wasn't something that could bring anyone joy.

"Right. Once I finish all my tasks, I'll make sure to prepare a straw doll.”

Setting aside the matter, Davey looked at Illyna, who was staring at him in amazement.

"Hmmm... If you style your hair nicely, you could instantly join the list of continental beauties."

"Enough. And stop saying things like that from now on."

"I don't want to. I don't know how far I'll be able to go, but if you're in trouble, at the very least I won't be someone who just stands by and watches."

"I'm telling you to take care of yourself."

"I'll be the judge of that. Don't you think you owe me one or two lives?"

Davey contemplated Illyna’s words. He truly appreciated her consideration. The cost of bearing the price of a dimensional extinction was severe. The fact that she had shouldered half of it meant that he had only given up one life. He had used up his remaining ember, but since he used it to save his life, he believed it was a more worthwhile use.

Davey watched Illyna as he began to rotate the meat skewers he had taken out, sitting inside a small cave.

"So much has happened in such a short amount of time. I still can't wrap my head around everything."

Davey had conversed with Belial and manipulated him into becoming the Demon Lord who he eventually overthrew. After killing Belial, Davey became the Demon Lord himself and forcefully put an end to the war. Following that, he compelled Perserque into the prepared body, leading the Goddess to punish him by forcing him to express his power and prematurely strengthen his body.

"What I witnessed during the process..." Illyna's question trailed off as she continued to watch Davey rotate the skewer. "Is that your past?"

"That's correct."

"When was it? He looked like an entirely different person. Could it be...your past life?"

"What do you think?"

"Do you think I would ask if I knew? Pass me one." Illyna then bit into the meat on the skewer, her face contorting at the peculiar taste lingering in her mouth. It seemed the meat's flavor was off, since she fell silent.

Davey retrieved the necessary spices from his Pocket Plane. Proper seasoning was essential for a delicious taste.

Illyna observed curiously as Davey sprinkled some spices onto the meat in her hand. She hesitantly took another bite. Illyna's eyes widened as she savored the flavor, momentarily halting her chewing as she looked at him. Only after that did she continue eating with satisfaction.

"At that time... You feel guilty about it, don't you?"

"No."

"Don't lie." Illyna smiled helplessly, lowering her gaze. "It was the first time, you know? The first time I've seen you shed tears of regret and guilt."

However, Davey frowned at her words. "Cry? Have you lost your mind? Who cried?"

"But my eyesight is fine."

Davey raised his hand upon hearing Illyna stating the obvious. "Was I crying, or is your vision impaired?"

"N-No." Illyna shifted her gaze, her face paling as she answered.

This was because Davey had an overwhelmingly large flame flickering around his palms. Although the heat didn't reach her, Illyna could sense it was a high-level fire magic. The thought of it being directed at her made her turn pale.

"You better keep your mouth shut while I'm still being considerate."

Although Illyna had grown up as a princess and had only dined on lavish and elegant meals, she still had some experience living without a roof over her head and eating simple fare during her training with the knights. That aspect of her upbringing made her existence less burdensome and bothersome.

"What would you do if you could meet again?" Illyna asked, throwing a deep question at Davey.

"If we were to meet again?" Davey looked at Illyna, contemplating her words.

Illyna carefully poked at the bonfire between them before asking, "Isn't she your younger sister? Your younger sister from your previous life..."

"That's correct."

"What would you do if you had the chance to meet your family again?"

Davey closed his eyes in response. "The brother who was unaware of his younger sister's feelings has already succumbed to his illness and passed away."

Shin Hyun-Ah's brother was already gone, nowhere to be found.

Illyna remained silent, merely nodding to indicate that she had heard.

"By the way, this seasoning is incredible! What is it made of?" Illyna asked, impressed by the flavors.

Davey took out a small barrel from his pocket plane and waved it at her. "This? Let me see..."

"Once I return to the Imperial Palace, I will instruct the chef to prepare this. I had no idea that adding something like this could enhance the taste of the meat. So, what is it made of?"

"You gather mantis legs and carp eyeballs, dry them for twenty days, and grind them into powder."

This was none other than the ingredient created by the eccentric gourmand elf, Yuria Helishana.

***

Davey had no idea where they had been thrown in the Tionis Continent. They spent the night quietly in this unfamiliar forest, and only as dawn began to break did Davey rise to his feet, leaving the sleeping Illyna behind.

Due to his current short stature, his range of vision and movements had changed slightly. However, there wasn't a significant difference between Davey's previous appearance and his current appearance, which resembled that of a ten-year-old. Thus, it didn't cause him much inconvenience.

It was said that a sexless body was the most suitable for battle among all genders, as there were no inherent limitations. Reflecting on this, Davey believed that Goddess Freyja had given him this appearance because she had a predetermined plan.

To the creator of the world, Davey's existence was nothing more than a bothersome and repulsive being. The tricks he employed must have appeared ridiculous and childish in her eyes. Yet, she was still ensnared in his web and deceived. Perhaps that was why she still existed.

Davey snapped off a branch and swung it through the air without hesitation.

The blessings, curses, and divine punishments wielded by Goddess Freyja were akin to natural disasters. Could humans truly defy natural disasters and emerge victorious? Davey would wager that it was absolutely impossible. And that was precisely why Goddess Freyja acted the way she did.

No matter how skilled he believed himself to be or how remarkable the heroes of the Hall were, everything within this land and sky would be powerless against the existence that created it all.

Davey propelled himself forward and scaled a towering tree, reaching heights of tens of meters. Once he climbed around a hundred meters, he activated "Eye of the Sky," a skill bestowed by the God of Archery, Apollo. His eyes widened as his vision expanded from several kilometers to tens of kilometers, inundating his mind with vast amounts of information.

Indeed, since he had entered the dream world using the power of a god, he could also employ this power to discern their location. There must have been a reason why Goddess Freyja hastily augmented Davey's strength and bolstered his powers. It was possible that the Abyss erosion was progressing more rapidly and extensively than she had anticipated.

So, why did Goddess Freyja cast Davey into this particular place? The answer was simple: The fissure of the Abyss lay nearby. It was also the domain where Grave, the demon who had eluded Davey, struggled to survive.

It had been fifteen minutes since Davey had departed from the location where he and Illyna had stayed. He walked silently, suppressing his aura and minimizing any sound. As he ventured forth, he came upon a scene: a river completely shrouded in darkness, with a man standing before it.

Silently, the man stood in front of the oozing, repulsive crack. However, he appeared oblivious to Davey's presence.

The demons were unable to openly defy the commands of the Demon Lord. With Belial's demise, Davey had assumed the role of the Demon Lord. As long as he held that position, the conflict between demons and humans could be considered resolved.

Furthermore, many of the high-ranking vampires had perished. Even Gluttony, their primary instigator and leader, had been slain. If things proceeded favorably, they would eventually disperse and seek hiding places. Otherwise, they would be apprehended and taken as prisoners of war.

Once these two factions were dealt with, the forces capable of shaking the entire continent would have effectively vanished. It could be said that the threats to the continent had been eliminated.

However, the most significant adversary of the Continental Alliance remained elusive. It was those individuals whom Davey had to confront. After all, the prelude to the war was nothing more than a clash between those beings and him.

“So, you’re here?”

"Hmm? Heok?! You bastard, how?!!!" The man shrieked, collapsing in surprise the instant he laid eyes on Davey.

At present, the bandage concealing Grave's face had been unraveled. The visage beneath did not resemble that of a demon or a human. It was nothing more than a black, vacant countenance.

They were the origin of Perserque's power. They resided within the Abyss. Their forms were nonexistent. Whatever they may be, their intent was resolute—to abduct Perserque and return to their own realm.

Before anyone could react, the branch in Davey's hand swung swiftly, slicing through the air. Simultaneously, Grave's upper body was severed from his lower body.

"Keheok?! Who, who are you?!" Grave exclaimed in bewilderment.

"It's me. Don't you recognize me?" Davey asked casually as Grave stared silently at him for a moment.

Perhaps it was because he was an extraordinary individual? Even without recognizing his external appearance, Grave still knew who resided within the body.

"This cursed bastard!!! Why target my waist again?!"

"If their waist is their lifeline, shouldn't you pay more attention to that part?" Davey retorted.

As Grave extended his palm and released an unfamiliar black force, Davey swiftly extended his hand in response. A taboo was activated, and a cold aura emanated from his hands. However, before anyone could react, the light had already reached Davey's hands.

Light was inherently intangible. However, such simplistic rules could easily be bent within Davey's body. After all, this power originated from Hercules and was attained by Davey upon reaching this stage. The source? Their bodies.

"Dear guest, why do you still linger here? It's time for you to depart," Davey declared, crushing the hand that pierced through his own before seizing Grave's head. There was no resistance. A firm grip was all it took to crush it effortlessly.

Since Davey's soul underwent another awakening, the power at his disposal had more than doubled. At this rate, it wouldn't take much longer for him to reclaim the strength he possessed within the Hall.

“Get out of my place, you f*cking bastard!”

The power of taboo might have significant effects, but its range was limited and easily weakened with a mere thought. Moreover, it had a lengthy cooldown time. However, that was more than sufficient. It appeared that Goddess Freyja had purposefully sent him to this location, the very place where the Abyss crack existed, knowing this fact well.

Without hesitation, Davey cast Grave into the river, now transformed into a viscous black tar. Then, Davey extended his finger toward the struggling figure.

"Can you perceive the disparity in our powers?"

[9th Class, Final Holy Magic.]

[God’s Middle Finger.]

“Eat god’s shit!”

Then, a flash of light pierced through the dark river.