The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Novel

Chapter 449

The power of Armageddon was truly and utterly terrifying. A single explosion unleashed by this formidable force was potent enough to send tremors through the deeply concealed research laboratory.

"You have made your choice. There's no turning back," a resolute voice declared.

"Please... please..." came the voice, laden with tears and desperation.

"There's a limit to what the dragonians can prevent. They will undoubtedly reach this place," the voice reassured, maintaining an air of calm while suppressing the cries of the distressed girl.

The girl, her face hidden beneath a cascade of long silver hair, gazed down at the black and white wings adorning her back.

"We've completed all the necessary preparations."

As a man of imposing stature approached her and enveloped her in an embrace, she heard his brief apology.

"I'm sorry..."

"Your apology seems rather out of place at this moment."

"Thank you."

Silence followed. In response to the man's words, the silver-haired girl gently pushed him away with her small hands.

"This is your sole opportunity. Your people are remarkably persistent," she stated bluntly and succinctly, guiding the man's hands to rest upon her chest.

Spurt!

Blood spurted out of her chest as her heart was pulled out. Surprisingly enough, she didn't succumb instantly, despite the fact that her heart, the very essence of her life, had been forcefully extracted from her body.

“The magic circle?”

“Everything has been prepared.”

Hearing the reply of the long-eared elven man, the girl quietly looked up at the gigantic man and said, “Warning. Tears are judged to be inappropriate for the current situation.”

“Sniff…”

"Emphasizing this, please take good care of my heart." The girl smiled quietly, her voice tinged with an unusual tone. It seemed as though she was forcing a smile onto her face, but before long, a radiant smile blossomed.

“Lotto, Rinne is very happy to have met you.”

“Rinne!!!”

Boom!

Her body collapsed just like that.

"After eons, the chains of Armageddon…" the girl said slowly, scales appearing all over her body as her vision gradually darkened when she let go of the final strand of her consciousness. "This is our one and only chance. This is the only way to overcome this. I'm risking my fate, the fate of the last surviving member of my race. So, do your job and make it happen..."

The girl's voice was brimming with determination.

At the same time, everyone opened their mouths and spoke firmly, "The Suicide Corps vows to fulfill your will."

A brief silence settled over the area. Then, the voice continued slowly once more, "You must successfully summon God."

***

Rinne's eyes blinked open. Although she remained in a state of dazed confusion, her eyes moved constantly, as if she were scanning her surroundings.

"Rinne!"

"Waaaaaah! You're awake!"

Rinne frowned slightly upon seeing the two children rushing to her the moment she got up.

“Woo… Rwinne, fweeling bwad?”

“Sniffle…”

The two children gazed at her with their innocent eyes, their expressions filled with curiosity. However, Rinne could only regard Red Ribbon, who was eagerly inquiring, and Blue Ribbon, on the brink of tears, with a sense of bewilderment.

"Take a look at yourself, and you'll understand."

As Rinne glimpsed her reflection in the mirror that Davey had presented to her, her pupils rapidly expanded and contracted. A subtle furrow appeared on her face, only to quickly return to its usual, impassive countenance.

"I am an exceptional biological golem. I have assessed that there are no anomalies in my body structure."

Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon widened their eyes at Rinne's composed response, clinging to her with newfound vigor. Rinne had often played with the two children in the past.

"Hehehehe! Rinne! Like you!"

"L-Like you!"

Though their pronunciation remained somewhat imperfect, since merging into Super Ribbon, the two children had shown remarkable improvement and growth.

.

As Rinne, who had been lost in a daze, redirected her gaze toward Davey, she tilted her head, allowing her silver hair to cascade and veil her face. Nevertheless, it was evident to Davey that her unwavering attention was fixed solely on him.

"Rinne has detected alterations in your biological data. Please report, Davey, regarding the changes in your genes."

"That's correct."

Following his metamorphosis, Davey's appearance had indeed undergone a transformation, albeit not a radical one. Observers might briefly question whether they were truly seeing him, yet Davey was confident that these disparities would easily go unnoticed.

The most conspicuous change was his apparent age. Previously, Davey had the appearance of a teenager in his mid to late teens, but after undergoing metamorphosis, he seemed somewhat older. His current visage suggested he was in his early to mid-twenties. Unless unforeseen circumstances or anomalies arose, Davey was set to maintain this appearance for the rest of his life, thanks to his complete metamorphosis—a fact he regarded quite positively.

"Generally, individuals who undergo metamorphosis don't experience significant alterations, Davey."

Davey nodded in concurrence with Perserque's statement. As he contemplated his hands, he muttered, "Shane Scrift's apparent age is now estimated to be in his early to mid-twenties."

"Do you mean... these changes are primarily attributed to genetic information?"

"Most likely."

Davey had fortified his genetic makeup by incorporating various elements into the cauldron, but the principal factor behind his transformed appearance lay in the genes of the Mythical Beast Summoner and the sole contractor of the King of Mythical Beasts.

In essence, the changes in Davey's physiology stemmed from the forceful introduction of foreign genetic elements. However, he viewed this as a positive development. Davey's ultimate goal had always been to inscribe the genes of the Trait Ability User Mythical Beast Summoner Shane Scrift, one of the Hall's heroic figures, in order to become a Trait Ability User himself.

“Megalodria.”

Megalodria, who had remained silent with his eyes closed, slowly lifted his head when he heard Davey’s call.

“Let’s start.”

[Signing a contract with the King of Mythical Beasts is not an easy feat. You could lose your life.]

Shane had entered into a contract with Megalodria, the Storm Dragon King of Azure Skies, when Megalodria was still too weak to bear such a title. This was the reason for the significant disparity in the difficulty of signing a contract between Davey and Shane.

[The method is simple.]

Tremendous power began to emanate from Megalodria's body. If Davey were still the same Davey he was before undergoing metamorphosis, he was certain he wouldn't stand a chance against Megalodria. After all, the King of Mythical Beasts was a formidable presence that he could only hope to defeat once he had fully regained all of his powers.

Two out of the three remaining Kings of Mythical Beasts were still unaccounted for. However, there was one standing right in front of Davey at this moment, wasn't there?

"Then, speak," Davey said, his red eyes gleaming with sharp intensity as he flexed his hands. It was as if he already anticipated what Megalodria was about to say.

Simultaneously, a black light materialized and enshrouded Megalodria's body.

[Subdue me.]

Megalodria, a King of Mythical Beasts, held the esteemed status of a grandmaster-level mythical beast. There had been debates about the significance of these rankings for mythical beasts, but they served their purpose.

For someone like Megalodria, who hadn't possessed innate strength and had only grown to this level through time and effort, deception and tricks would be of no use. This was a fact that Davey was well aware of.

Boom!!!

The black light expanded until it enveloped both Megalodria and Davey entirely. Within this boundless darkness, a voice echoed in his ears...

[We will duel in this place. Come. Show me the proof that you’re someone who can tame the Storm Dragon King!]

Megalodria's appearance began to transform as his dignified voice resonated in the darkness. Previously, Megalodria possessed two pairs of wings and four legs, but now he resembled a member of the dragon race, adorned with black feathers, scales, and sharp golden eyes.

‘Excellent. Let's begin,’ Davey thought, considering Megalodria the ideal adversary to assess the results of his metamorphosis.

[Come at me! Summoner!]

“Do your best to resist as hard as you can.”

Boom!!!

Chains formed of black light shot out from Megalodria's body, attaching themselves to Davey's ankles. These chains would remain unbroken until one of them yielded, with their powers absorbed by their adversary.

Crack, crack, crack...

The surroundings morphed, transforming into a vast and expansive plain. Megalodria forcefully stomped his feet into the ground, causing it to fracture as he leaped forward, slashing at Davey with his razor-sharp claws.

The rapidity with which he breached Davey's defenses was astonishing. If the Davey facing this situation were the same as before, there was a chance he wouldn't be able to react to this attack. Moreover, Megalodria's size was vastly disproportionate to Davey's. It would have been utterly impossible for him to forge a contract with Megalodria prior to his metamorphosis. But, of course, that was in the past.

[Devil Ylgr’s Crowd Suppression]

[Molar Extraction]

Swoosh!!!

The narrative had undergone a significant transformation. Davey had previously struggled mightily, managing to recover only a small fraction of his power. However, things were different now. In one go, he had successfully regained half of his original power. In truth, such a feat would have been deemed impossible, but by incorporating several additional materials without hesitation and expending all the excess metamorphosis stacks in his possession, his odds had greatly improved, resulting in this outcome.

Bang!!!

Just like that, a reckless and straightforward power struggle unfolded across the vast field. What Megalodria and Davey were engaged in could be likened to a tug-of-war. They fiercely attacked each other, trading blows in their bid to overpower one another with sheer force.

[Come! I will definitely not die in this place! Come at me as if you want to kill me!]

“Cheap bastard! I will die here!”

Baaaang!!!

A massive explosion erupted, forcefully propelling both Megalodria and Davey away from each other. Davey tumbled across the ground but swiftly regained his feet, his body swaying from the impact.

Megalodria's destructive prowess was truly astonishing, to the extent that it could numb Davey's wrists. His durability was equally astounding. Nonetheless, Davey was well aware that this reckless brawl and power struggle were not the right way to engage in combat.

However, before Davey could complete his change in posture and prepare his next attack, Megalodria appeared in front of him. Davey inadvertently caught a glimpse of Megalodria's golden eye for a moment, prompting his hands to instinctively move to strike the mythical beast's stomach.

Davey promptly retracted his fist, using it to block in front of his chest without hesitation.

Boom!!!

Davey flew dozens of meters away in an instant.

[That’s surprising… Even Grandmaster level powerhouses would have a hard time noticing this move.]

“You can say that I have already seen how this will end?”

[I see. You’re definitely a monster,] Megalodria murmured briefly, a frown marring his face for a brief moment. [But not now. We won’t be able to do a proper tug of war if you block it like this!]

“What?” Davey mumbled, watching as the scales on Megalodria’s chest twisted and cracked in an instant.

Crack, crack, crack!!!

[Keheok!]

Megalodria staggered for a moment.

“There’s a gap right there.”

Shiiing.

Davey swiftly seized Red Ribbon and leaped behind Megalodria. Megalodria's eyes widened in shock as he attempted to dodge the attack. However, the lingering effects of their battle appeared to have impeded his body's responsiveness. This momentary delay granted Davey ample opportunity to initiate his own counterattack.

Shwaaaaa!!!

A fearsome red sword energy slashed down from the sky down to the ground.

[Kghhk?!]

Blood sprayed in all directions as the sword energy sliced through one of Megalodria's wings. Carelessness invariably led to grievous injuries—a fact that both the current Davey and Megalodria were painfully aware of.

Indeed, it was true that Megalodria had become stronger since Davey first encountered him. Why? Because he was now in a temporary contract with Davey. With the erosion that had plagued him kept at bay and some of his limitations lifted, Megalodria could resist much more effectively than expected.

Megalodria ascended into the sky, creating distance between himself and Davey. Though one of his wings had been severed, his remaining wings provided sufficient support for him to take flight.

Twitch… twitch, twitch, twitch…

Megalodria's snout twitched loudly, and a golden glow manifested before him, intensifying in brilliance. Then, he opened his mouth as light particles gathered inside.

Breath.

Davey promptly lowered his hand and readied his magic the moment he identified the impending attack. Leaving Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon suspended in the air, Davey extended his other hand and channeled his holy magic.

‘As for the shape… Hmm, a kite shield would be nice.’

[Goddess Freyja. I will use you as a shield now.]

‘Hey, this is a Goddess Shield, no?’

Vwoong!

Swoosh!

With a resounding noise, the flash of Armageddon burst forth from Megalodria's mouth, its Breath hammering and cleaving the ground as it hurtled toward Davey.

Megalodria and Davey were well-acquainted, so their battle was unlikely to endure for long. To execute a powerful attack, they needed to exploit a gap in their opponent's defenses and strike swiftly.

Davey amalgamated the magic he had conjured in one hand with that of the other, summoning the two swords suspended in the air above him.

Shiiiiing!!!

Subsequently, the two swords resonated with Davey's power and consumed a substantial portion of his mana, fusing into a single sword. Simultaneously, a translucent figure of a girl with bluish-red hair wearing a dress materialized. The girl embraced Davey, creating the illusion that he was carrying her on his back.

[Father, Super Ribbon is cheering for you.]

“Can’t you call me Royal Father just once?”

[I don’t want to!]

Davey exchanged banter with Super Ribbon as he lowered one of his legs and emulated the stance of a shield warrior, wielding a shield in one hand and a weapon in the other.

‘This is the most efficient form.’

In the first place, Paladia’s Imperial Family Guards were knights who used their shields alongside their swords and spears.

[I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but you’re too late!]

The Breath, an attack with the potential to vaporize everything it touched into nothingness, surged toward Davey. Nevertheless, Davey simply gazed at the approaching Breath until he could discern the texture and flow of the blue energy within the attack.

“Eat this parry.”

Twang!!!

A translucent and gigantic shield made of mana appeared and collided with the incoming Breath. Then…

Crack, crack!!!

[What?!]

Davey disregarded Megalodria's cry of disbelief, dispelling the power that had formed the shield and directing his gaze toward the bewildered mythical beast.

Physically deflecting and parrying a Breath, an attack that was non-solid and nearly intangible, should have been impossible. However, Davey defied the odds and made the impossible possible.

Without the need for inquiry, Davey could discern the thoughts racing through Megalodria's mind. Terrified and appalled by this bewildering feat, Megalodria appeared to have reached a conclusion after reflecting on the numerous exchanges they'd had today. Megalodria realized that Davey had connections with Shane Scrift. Judging by his expression, he must have understood that Shane had contributed to Davey's accumulation of numerous combat experiences, especially against beings like them.

[You dirty cheating bastard!!!]

"If you believe this is unfair, then venture to the Hall yourself and train for thousands of years!" Davey retorted.

A split-second gap materialized in Megalodria's defenses, albeit very briefly. Yet, that momentary opening was all Davey needed. He took a quick breath and cast aside the shield he held, seizing Super Ribbon's hilt and raising it high toward the sky. The weapon in his hand wasn't a spear, so a slight reduction in effectiveness didn't concern him much.

[Paladia-style Galactic Sword]

[Final Breath: Slash]

[Splitting the Inner Core]

After Tearing the Mantle and Unearthing the Outer Core came the final strike. The bluish-red sword energy shot out, cleaving through Megalodria's suspended body in mid-air.

‘Grandmaster-level Mythical Beast, you had better be ready once you break free from Urd's erosion entirely. You should be aware that I'm not the kind of boss who can be taunted without consequences. You will have to pay for unleashing your grandmaster-level power against me without any restraint.’