The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Novel

Chapter 501

Numerous dark mages had perished in the traps meticulously set within this accursed dungeon in the past. Their prior experiences formed the foundation of the plan to ensnare the detestable Last Wisp knights and that Saint named Davey.

Though the flow of mana might be severed, a massive rock coated with adamantium would effectively seal off the cave entrance. Should anyone attempt to breach the rock, the entire cave would collapse.

However, a quandary persisted: the cave would revert to its original state once all trapped inside perished. It seemed as though the cave itself possessed a life force, akin to a living, breathing dungeon.

So, what was this place? The organization referred to it as the dungeon—a clandestine repository belonging to the Assassin King. Here, she hoarded her invaluable possessions and treasures, including an item crucial to fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of their organization.

This subterranean dungeon was linked to the underground mountain ranges. Their organization had assigned them the critical task of locating the controls essential for gaining unrestricted command over Tartaros. Once they reached this location, they would uncover the hidden treasures of the Assassin King, widely regarded as the greatest thief in history.

The black-skinned man, Gagao, considered this as the perfect opportunity to not miss out on. Disguised as priests and paladins, they enticed foreigners to assist in breaking through the dungeon and guide their exploration within.

Their indifference toward the foreigners' lives was evident, yet these outsiders wouldn't act unless there was something in it for them. Hence, Gagao opted to deceive and win them over by donning the priests' and paladins' uniforms, invoking the church's name. Their deception extended beyond the foreigners to deceive the entire continent's gaze.

However, as they neared the knight order safeguarding the Tartaros Subterranean Mountain Ranges, subtle clues emerged, arousing doubts among others. Eventually, Gagao sought the organization's support, recruiting robust individuals and several foreigners to dismantle the knight order.

With just a bit more effort, their goals would be accomplished. Regardless of the adversary—be it the continent's Saint—there seemed no way for anyone to impede their progress.

"I've toiled and endured so much to see this through. There's no chance a youth not yet twenty could thwart us," Gagao declared with a vicious glint in his eyes.

To him, Saint Davey was merely a naive individual immersed in powers, blind to the continent's tumultuous undercurrents.

***

"Wow…"

Dazzling, glittering gold, and mountains of treasures greeted them as they passed through the tunnel from the newly opened doors. It seemed as if all the world's treasures were amassed in this place.

The contrast between this location and the vampire's hideout they had overtaken before was starkly evident. There, they had managed to acquire only a few jewels.

Moments ago, people trembled in fear; now, they stood wide-eyed, gazing at the gold-laden mountains surrounding them.

"Oh my god… Are all these gold coins and gems?"

"If we took just one of those jewels or trinkets, we could sell it for an exorbitant price…"

Among the knights murmuring to themselves while captivated by the treasures, Lucia Shelman appeared to regain her senses.

"Ah… First Saintess Daphne, forgive me for faltering in the face of my desires…"

Naturally…

"Ah… Ahh…"

Despite her resolve against greed and succumbing to desires, Lucia couldn't release the glittering ring in her grasp.

"That woman. She's the type who'd lose her mind at the sight of gold."

"Huh?"

"Nothing, forget it."

First Saintess Daphne was the sort who lit up at the sight of gold. However, this was something Davey couldn't disclose to her. A bittersweet dilemma, wasn't it?

"This… This is the Thousand Year Tears," Illyna murmured in shock. "If one could possess just one of these, how much would it fetch…"

Greed briefly flashed in Illyna's eyes.

"So beautiful…"

Her expression blank, she unconsciously reached out her hand.

Vwoooong!!!

Life surged back into her eyes when the sword, Caldeiras, hanging on her back, glowed brightly. Simultaneously, Illyna tossed the Thousand Year Tears from her hands, her body trembling in shock.

"Eh?! What have I done…?"

"The Thousand Year Tears possess a charming power. Unless your swordsmanship level has reached absolute mastery, resisting this power is exceedingly difficult."

Perhaps feeling ashamed of her display of greed, Illyna immediately bowed her head upon hearing Davey's words.

"Wahahahahaha!!! I'm rich!" Fildyr, scuttling around as if swimming in a sea of gold, shouted loudly. Observing him, Davey couldn't help but wonder if he truly belonged to the clergy.

"Wow… Sister! Look at this! It's so beautiful!"

"And this one too!"

The Renda Twins exhibited the same fervor, their eyes gleaming as if capable of shooting beams.

All of them belonged to a knight order that had severed ties with worldly attachments and relinquished desires. They had little yearning for wealth compared to ordinary people, yet in just a brief moment, they had transformed.

‘This is precisely why I hesitate to reveal Hermesia's secret warehouse to others.’

History books depict Hermesia as a legendary thief and assassin, often portrayed as a God of Death reveling in others' bloodshed, a money-hungry monster. Yet, these accounts were crafted by those who fell victim to her power.

In the annals of the Assassin and Thieves Guild, Hermesia was revered almost like a deity. Anything connected to her was highly esteemed. Previously, Davey utilized a replica of Hermesia's treasure to easily garner support from the information guild, Echo.

To them, Hermesia was an assassin championing justice for the oppressed, eliminating ruthless nobles and aristocrats. Both perspectives held some truth.

Beyond this, Davey felt a responsibility. He needed to intervene with these individuals. Left unchecked, they were bound for ruin. Even Lucia, skilled in wielding holy mana, couldn't tear her gaze from the mountain of treasures.

Their fixation wasn't solely due to the allure of the treasures. The cave housed an amplification magic circle intensifying a dark magic circle, inflaming greed to an extreme degree.

‘In essence, this was designed to incite conflict among those who ventured here.’

The Alpha Reinforcement knight order specialized in nurturing talented children into knights. Despite the Renda Twins, Lucia, and Fildyr being gifted individuals, their lack of experience beyond the order was glaring.

"Ah! That's mine!"

"Aren't you going to let go?!"

Fildyr gripped the necklace tightly upon hearing Shayir's angry cry. Their squabble escalated, leading to abrupt and forceful movements. Ultimately, Shayir stumbled backward, landing on her hips.

"No, my sister grabbed that necklace first! What are you doing to her?!"

"Ah..."

"Apologize!"

Suffering a minor injury, Shayir cried after Fendyr's outburst. Even Lucia Shelman, adorned with a golden crown, chimed in, "Fildyr! This is your fault! Apologize, quickly!"

Fildyr stuttered in fear, "I... I see. S-So..."

However, he continued to stutter, finding it difficult to apologize. His eyes widened, and he shouted, "You're the one who did wrong first!"

"Kyaaaack!!! Today, I will send you back to god!!!"

The situation escalated abruptly. Despite considering themselves a family and usually having admirable personalities, they were now in an abnormal mental state, evident from their discord.

Davey, silently observing, raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The action sent forth a heavy yet swift shockwave, infused with mana targeting their consciousness and reasoning with a unique wavelength.

“Ha?!”

“Ugh?!”

Simultaneously, the four of them, previously acting without restraint, suddenly stiffened. The first to retract was Fildyr, who had been arguing with the younger Renda Twin. Wide-eyed, he muttered, "What… what have I done...?"

"No…"

Frustration etched across Lucia's face while Fildyr stared at his trembling hands, collapsing to the ground. The Renda Twins, still gripping precious jewels from their altercation with Fildyr, hastily discarded whatever they held, their faces drained of color.

Amidst a suffocating silence, Fildyr turned to Davey, trembling, and asked, "D-Davey… What was that?"

"This cave is infused with dark magic that amplifies one's greed. It's crafted so intricately that individuals may not realize they've succumbed to its influence. Since you're not sword masters, having fortified your consciousness and mental strength, resisting its power proved difficult," Davey explained.

"This place was designed to incite those who enter to turn against each other," Illyna added, quickly discerning the purpose behind it.

Fildyr, upon hearing this, could only grit his teeth. "What… What have I done..."

“Sob…”

Fildyr felt utterly helpless witnessing Fendyr's sorrowful tears, a result of the commotion they had caused earlier. "I-I'm sorry! It wasn't intentional."

“Sob, sob…”

Even in their situation, gripped by a force beyond their will, potentially rupturing their bonds, Fildyr attempted to maintain composure.

"There are traps like this all over the world. Remember that. Rushing toward unprotected treasures often leads to such situations," Fildyr cautioned.

"What... are you talking about? And how do you know all this?" Fildyr queried Davey, resurfacing with a serious expression, his face riddled with confusion and doubt. "I've heard tales of Assassin King Hermesia's secret warehouses. The records claim they hold astonishing treasures scattered worldwide. I thought it was mere folklore. No one has ever discovered one, yet..."

His skepticism toward Davey stemmed from wondering how someone could possess such intimate knowledge of the place. Davey's words and actions indicated a profound familiarity with the location.

Meanwhile, amidst tears, Fendyr, who seemed to have pondered this issue deeply, gazed up at Davey and asked in a solemn tone, "Are... Are you the Assassin King reincarnated?"

"Tch!!!" Davey clicked his tongue and flicked Fendyr's forehead firmly upon hearing the somewhat innocent yet naive question.

"Ouch! That hurts!"

'Don't liken me to her. Her temper is atrocious.'

The knights, finally back in control of their faculties after Davey's intervention, stood dazed. Davey comfortingly patted Fildyr, the most despondent among them, and inquired, "How are you feeling?"

"This is the first time in my life I've wished I were dead," Fildyr replied.

"Is that so?" Davey responded, feeling mischievous upon seeing Fildyr's state. Almost reflexively, he activated and adjusted the magic circle within the place.

"Ugh?!"

"Haaaack!"

The group, except for Illyna, began to gasp.

Snap!

With a flick of Davey’s fingers, their expressions reverted to normal.

"Davey... What did you do?" Fildyr asked.

"Sensory amplification," Davey explained.

The magic's intensity was far lower than Princess of the Abyss Versha’s curse, yet it seemed to have some effect.

"...Do you know why I did this?" Davey inquired.

Fildyr and Fendyr seemed discontented, but despite her tears, Shayir raised her hand and offered, "Is it because of the black mages we're tracking?"

"Correct!" Davey affirmed, tossing a nearby Ring of Protection to Shayir. "This ring safeguards against magic up to the 4th Circle, twice a day."

“Oh my god…” Shayir murmured, frightened.

Ignoring her reaction, Davey continued, "Dark and demonic mages study the human mind and body. Dark mages focus on the mind and consciousness, while demonic mages study the body."

As everyone listened intently, Davey continued his actions, sweeping the mountains of gold coins into his Pocket Plane.

"With a knight order headquarters destroyed, higher-ups might confront the dark mages using the information you possess. However, dark mages excel at manipulating the mind."

No matter how robust their bodies, a compromised mind would spell defeat.

"Since we're already involved, I have to highlight the risks to your safety. Don't you agree?"

Davey's connection with the Alpha Reinforcements wasn't rooted in justice. Despite his brief stay, he had bonded with the apprentices there. These individuals pledged to maintain peace on the continent, foregoing recognition or gratitude. Their recklessness reminded Davey of his younger brother, Baris, who would confidently declare he'd follow Davey, flashing a fearless smile.

‘Seeing something first hand often holds more value than hearing about it a hundred times.’

Experiencing it firsthand was far more impactful than repeatedly cautioning them. Nothing rivaled the effectiveness of allowing them to confront the fear of their adversary, etching it deeply into their minds in the shortest time possible.

Davey deactivated all the magic circles inside the cave and tossed a weathered sword from the treasure pile to Fildyr. "Use this. From its appearance, I believe it's the Frost Guard. Seems like a perfect fit for you."

Fildyr's eyes widened as he unsheathed the sword. "Wow... Despite its age, it's incredibly sharp!"

"It's a self-repairing sword, crafted from mythril, adept at channeling holy mana," Davey explained.

Next, Davey handed Heaven’s Stone, a necklace-like treasure, to Lucia, and gave Fendyr a red robe known as Salamander’s Skin. Lastly, he offered Illyna the necklace he held, labeled as the Thousand Years Tears.

“The Thousand Years Tears,” Illyna blushed, reaching out. It was the first item she noticed upon entering the cave.

“Why this?” Illyna questioned.

“It’s a valuable item. Keep it,” Davey urged, noting the charm and temptation it held.

Illyna's face briefly showed excitement before she returned it. Yet, Davey insisted, draping the necklace around her neck.

“Take it. Besides, its charm isn't overwhelming. Plus, your connection to holy mana can neutralize it."

Illyna gazed at the glowing blue diamond on her neck. "Pretty things seem to render everything meaningless, don't they?" she mused.

"It's an artifact enchanted with meditation magic," Davey explained.

Illyna's eyes widened in surprise.

"Use it during training; it aids in mana recovery. It might help you reach your goal one day."

“How did you know?” Illyna asked.

"I have my ways," Davey replied cryptically.

‘What does this woman think of me?’

For someone as dedicated to training as her, there was no better gift than an artifact aiding mana recovery.

"Just consider it a gift," Davey offered.

"Haha, we're in the Assassin King’s Treasure Warehouse, and you act like you’re generously handing out gifts?" Fildyr joked.

"Not interested? Then return it," Davey replied.

"No, no. Who said I'm not interested? I'm just claiming the treasure I found in the ruins. Nothing wrong with that, right?" Fildyr chuckled, waving his hand.

"Do you know what this is?" Illyna inquired, to which Davey nodded.

"I have a pretty good memory," Davey confirmed.

"The Complete Memory Ability, was it?" Illyna recalled, flustered.

"Exactly. Remember when you were being examined by the knight order and massaged?" Davey teased.

"Forget that! Forget that!!!" Illyna exclaimed, embarrassed.

Ignoring her reaction, Davey examined the walls. Since entering the cave, details about the place had flooded into his mind, thanks to his Complete Memory Ability. He recalled its vastness and its chilling intricacy.

"What now? We're in this secret treasure warehouse, but how do we leave? Our exit's blocked by that..." Shayir pointed cautiously at the adamantine-coated rock.

"God... Trapped here when we were supposed to pursue our enemies..." Fendyr lamented.

Their initial goal was tracking down the assailants who attacked the knight order. Locating their whereabouts through Melveque was a breakthrough, but now they'd lost the trail, casting doubt on their purpose. Why were they here?

This treasure warehouse served as the primary passage to the subterranean mountain ranges. Originally a simple cave leading underground, Hermesia's influence transformed it into the most convoluted and challenging path.

"Why would anyone risk such a dangerous route to enter the subterranean mountain range?" Davey pondered. "We'd know if we understood what those bastards are up to."

As someone that stood at a higher stage and knew a lot of things, Davey often thought of countless possibilities. On top of that, he could tell that these bastards were aware of the traps and devices installed in this treasure warehouse.

‘I don’t know how much they know, but they certainly know some things…’

It was certain these adversaries had made numerous attempts to breach this place.

"I know this is a treasure warehouse. But why did Assassin King Hermesia construct such a massive facility?" Davey murmured, catching Illyna's intrigued gaze.

"Is there something significant here?" Illyna inquired.

"That's only part of it," Davey replied calmly, applying pressure to the wall.

Crack, crack, crack!

The walls parted, leaving everyone, including Fildyr, staring in astonishment. Observing their reaction, Davey pulled out a bag from his pocket plane and tossed it toward them.

"Fill it with gold. Tell the Knight Order to buy the supplies they need," Davey instructed.

"Instructor Davey, what about you?" Fildyr inquired silently.

"The imposters, disguised as priests and paladins, aimed to dismantle and slay the stationed knight order. This indicates they're researching somewhere between this place and the outer world, not within the subterranean mountain range," Davey explained.

"Wow... You can see it that way?"

"If you notice they're carefully exploring the vicinity near the treasure warehouse, the answer becomes obvious," Davey continued.

Hidden within this underground treasure warehouse lay an essential item Hermesia had sealed due to its dangerous power. Somehow, these adversaries appeared to know how to utilize it.

After elaborating, Davey lightly touched a device. Simultaneously, a colossal magic triggered, projecting a hologram displaying five or six red dots darting through the labyrinthine tunnels of the underground cave.

"T-Those..."

"They're the dark mages," Davey confirmed, his words draining color from their faces.

"From now on, I'll show them true hell," Davey declared.

Even without his intervention, the dark mages would meet their demise in this cave filled with countless traps. But now, Davey focused mana at his fingertips and directed it toward the exposed wall.

‘I don’t know if it will work, but let’s try it, shall we?’

The ball of mana Davey had shot spun rapidly before vanishing from their view. Shortly after, it materialized on the map as a glowing dot of light.

The chamber storing the mana ball perfectly synchronized with Davey’s body. Upon its arrival at the location of the red dots, Davey activated the mana sphere.

Voice could be understood as a form of waves too. If someone generated a wave within their body and released it, it would manifest as their voice. Naturally, this couldn't be achieved with high-level languages like incantations. Nonetheless, it was more than sufficient to generate a wavelength capable of teasing or intimidating an opponent.

‘Aah, aah. Mic test. Mic test.’

“Welcome to Hermesia’s Special All-Round Hell Attraction!”

Bang!!!

Simultaneously, Davey slammed his hand onto the marble on the wall, infusing it with mana. Numerous traps and devices were scattered in the vicinity of the red dots. Although uncertain if they had neutralized all of them, most seemed to have been disabled, albeit temporarily. Reactivation was a simple task for Davey.

Crack, crack, crack!

The entire underground cave trembled violently.

"Isn't it impolite to barge into someone else's home uninvited? Let's begin with the Jordan River Express Ride," Davey taunted.

To initiate, the walls of the passage they occupied slowly began to narrow down. Witnessing the mana sphere sent by Davey, Dirro sprang into action.

Dirro's body contorted and liquefied before morphing into a sphere, careening wildly. Then, he went on a rampage, seemingly aiming to crush everyone within the gradually constricting passage into mere meat cakes.