The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1220

The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1220

Chapter 1220
Princess Myurin took a deep breath, dreading the fact that those she was about to meet were not on good terms with the Empire. While some were simply unfriendly, the rest were basically mortal enemies.
Shuneria, dressed in her formal Saint’s robe, asked, “Your Highness, are you sure about this?”
“I’m fine. It's just long-distance communication through a video crystal, after all. Let’s go.”
In response, Shuneria nodded stiffly, clearly tense. “Failure is not possible. We'll make it work.”
It was something she had to do, there was no other choice.
Letting out a short sigh, Princess Myurin stepped confidently into the conference room. The crystal orbs positioned around the room lit up all at once, projecting the images of four men and women, not a single kind gaze among them.
She sat at the head of the table, steadying her pounding heart as she calmly spoke, “Let us begin.”
[The demon’s daughter dares to contact us.]
[Why is she trying to deceive us?]
[Isn’t that Lady Shuneria behind her?]
One of their faces lit up with surprise once they spotted Shuneria Recken standing behind the princess. While it would be a lie to say she had helped literally every resistance force in the past, she had nonetheless lent assistance to nearly all of them.
“I’ll get straight to the point.” Though there was no expectation of a warm response, she introduced herself with a cold but unflinching demeanor, “I am Myurin Prasias Nacha, currently acting with full authority on behalf of the Nacha Empire.”
[We’re not exactly here to exchange pleasantries, are we?]
Knowing failure was not an option, the crushing weight and anxiety pressed down on her chest, and the sting of being looked upon with such hatred made her skin prickle. Composing herself, she calmed her trembling hands by pinching her thigh where no one could see.
“I’ve called you all here because there’s been a change in the throne.”
[What’s that supposed to mean?]
“As of this moment, the Nacha Empire will remove all wanted statuses and hostile actions against every one of you.”
The four of them took a sharp breath. After all, while they led a resistance, they had no real way to win that fight.
[What does that even mean?]
[Last I heard, the empire recklessly attacked another dimension and got thoroughly crushed.]
[Now that their internal stability is shaken, they’re trying to pacify us with words? What a joke.]
“The past is no longer relevant, as I’m going to change this country—no, this entire continent.” Her directness left all four of them stunned.
“I will correct what’s broken and eliminate the suffering and discrimination people endure,” she said with determination. “While there will certainly be losses in the process, that doesn’t mean we are doomed to keep repeating the same cycle.”
She then declared firmly, “Here and now, I’m asking every one of you to form an official alliance between us. For our first target...”
She pulled out a necklace hanging around her neck, with a large key attached.
“We’re going to destroy the demon that’s burrowed into the heart of the world! It’s already rotted our societies from within and driven us all to this point, so action is necessary. I won’t accept objections.”
The princess, who had once lived beneath the Emperor’s oppressive shadow, finally broke free and began to spread her wings.
* * *
[Come find me.]
“Are you alright?”
It was clear that no one else—whether Reina, Behemoth, Megalodria, or even Shardran—could hear the voice. However, the moment Davey touched the barrier, the voice echoed through his mind. He had to confirm for himself who it belonged to, as it sounded like someone who had been waiting for him.
‘It’s coming from a different location than the heart of the world.’
Same place, different position.
Same space, different layer.
It was someone from an entirely otherworldly place.
Davey focused more on the strange sensation that seemed to be calling to him. It unmistakably held a trace of Goddess Freyja’s unique divinity.
However, singular focus on it had triggered something. After that, the voice no longer came.
The heart of the world, at the center of the continent, was a vast great forest. Within that forest were some areas protected by barriers, along with others that were entirely open.
“It looks like we will have to remain here until the barrier falls and allows us entry, lords,” Shardran said in an unusually polite tone.
Reina squinted. “
Uuuhh.
Sorry, but...”
“Yes?”
She could no longer hold herself back from saying something. “Can you just talk like you usually do? That overly formal tone is a little too much. Way too cheesy...”
Shardran, face sour, flipped his mask down. “F-Fine, let’s do it that way then. Anyways, we’ll take care of setting up camp, so you guys can just wait. I mean, if we had followed the planned transportation method, we’d have arrived just in time, but who knew we’d ride that black dragon...”
He trembled slightly, still not over his fear of Megalodria. That was when a foul stench hit his nose, making him wrinkle his brow.
“This... I heard about the contamination, but it’s worse than I expected.” He opened his spatial-expansion bag as he spoke, “I’ll do a quick sweep around the area to check on the contamina—”
“That’ll be dangerous,” Davey commented.
Shardran tilted his head in response. “Who? Me?”
“Yeah. You.” Davey abruptly readied himself and stood up.
Reina also stood, lifting her divine spear Longinus with ease. “That reaction... It’s like they were waiting for us.”
“Of course. Now that we’re here, that bastard has no choice but to play all his cards.”
The false emperor was like a rat caught in a trap. Escape through a dimensional passage wasn’t possible, thanks to Davey’s interference, and all other routes had already been blocked.
The stench thickened, rolling in from all directions. It was as if the enemies had been hiding until then, only finally deciding to reveal themselves. The forest floor began to turn a sickly violet as parts of it twisted like grotesque chunks of flesh. Perhaps it was trying to stall for time, or maybe they thought just that would be enough to stop their approach.
The ground grew more tainted with each passing moment, morphing into a swamp. It wasn’t long before monstrous abominations began to emerge from its surface.
“What... are those?” Shardran muttered, visibly tensing at the sight of the terrifying unknown creatures.
“Humans.”
“Humans?!”
“Yeah. They look like people exposed to that demon bastard’s twisted energy...” After muttering, Davey casually kicked a nearby rock.
Boom!
The rock, imbued with aura, shot forward and slammed into one of the abominations, blowing its torso apart. However, that was the extent of the damage. The creature simply reformed like nothing had happened. Just before the impact, the air around it had shimmered, weakening the aura just like the black slime ore that disrupted mana structures.
If the countless monsters swarming them were resistant to aura-based attacks, that was a serious problem.
Clearly uneasy, Shardran muttered under his breath, “Aura-infused attacks don’t work on them...”
Davey raised a hand toward one of the creatures, flatly saying, “Then let’s see if they can nerf this too.”
[6th Circle Holy Magic]
[Divine Flame Cannon]
Boom!!!
A brilliant white light instantly engulfed the abomination, and its body was rapidly burned away into smoke. The spell's raw power wasn’t even as physically strong as a heavy, aura-enhanced rock, yet the result was completely different thanks to its unique traits.
The abomination let out a hideous scream as its body melted away. “
Screeeugh!!!
”
“What was that?!”
“He used holy magic. These things are a lot more vulnerable to elemental counters than I would’ve thought,” Reina chimed in before Davey nodded in agreement.
Fshhhhhhh!
The creatures began surging in from every direction, clearly recognizing the threat and trying to overwhelm Davey. At the same time, the air grew heavier and the flow of mana itself began to falter.
“Damn it! My mana isn’t working!” Shardran cursed, pulling a sword and shield from his expansion bag.
“Is it just a unique property of this place?” Reina wondered aloud.
“This is a place where Divine Beast ores are mined, and the environment naturally disrupts mana structure. The heart of the continent is especially bad. Still, it’s not normally this bad during this time of year...”
A natural mana-disrupting atmosphere filled the area, only thinning and allowing magic casting near the core of the forest. That unique trait made it one of the safest hiding spots on the continent.
Shardran scowled, “Usually, the flow wouldn’t be this strong.”
When Davey turned to Reina for insight, she looked troubled. “It’s not unusable for me... but it takes too much energy. I won’t be of much help.”
“What about Behemoth?”
“
Hmph.
I don’t need mana to fight.”
Of course, he didn’t. Despite his current form as a human boy, his true body was a colossal aquatic creature beyond imagination.
“I can’t figure out why the flow got stronger. When we first got here, it wasn’t like this.” After a moment of thought, Davey then realized that it was likely because of him. Perhaps the place somehow resonated with him. Ever since the voice calling out to him had gone silent, the flow had only gotten worse. It was as if someone was testing Davey.
“This isn’t fair! Why are those things totally fine?”
“Because they don’t run on mana.”
Lord knows how long they’d been preparing for this.
“
Grruuuhhh...
”
As the creatures began their full assault, Davey casually waved one hand. His stigmata resonated with his divinity.
[6th Circle Holy Magic]
[Divine Flame Cannon]
Once again, the Divine Flame Cannon burst from his fingertips, though with a key difference from before.
“Good god... How many of those are there...?”
Ignoring Shardran’s stunned reaction, Davey began firing the glowing orbs around him like a mini-gun, spraying them in rapid succession.
Boom! Crack!
The barrage of light bursts pierced through their bodies in a flash, ripping them apart as they slowly crumbled to the ground. Some managed to sneak through the collapsing lines, trying to slip in undetected. Of course, Reina wasn’t about to let that happen.
Slice!
Swinging her spear, now laced with holy power, Reina cleanly beheaded them with a frown. “They just keep coming.”
“Yeah, I can see that.”
“To be honest, it’s not easy drawing out my power right now.”
As she said, the mana-restricting flow was getting more and more intense. It was almost as if the environment itself rejected anything below a certain level of strength. Even so, the number of enemies continued to grow.
What started as a few dozen enemies quickly became a horde too large to count. If seen from above, it would’ve looked like the entire great forest had begun projectile vomiting out creatures that shot toward Davey. In an area where mana was hard to control, unleashing a mass of innumerable living beings in a swarm tactic could overwhelm almost any opponent.
Fwoosh!
“Damn it! That demon bastard planned for a battle of attrition! He must have known the barrier to the heart wouldn’t open easily!” Realizing mana usage was limited, Shardran pushed back with his shield and drove his sword into their vital points. Thanks to the holy enchantment Davey had cast, his attacks were working on the abominations as well.
“So this is how you want to play it.” Watching the wave of monsters eagerly and desperately block their path, Davey calmly raised one hand high in the air.
Fwoosh!!
[And the Lord said Go Fuck Yourself]
[9th Level Ultimate Holy Magic]
[Middle Finger of God]
A blinding white light exploded outward, pressing down on the surrounding. The overwhelming holy power swept across the area like a purifying force, forming a massive pillar that crashed down as if it’d consume the entire great forest.
Boom!!!!!
A massive shockwave boomed as the twisted, violet-tainted land was purified in an instant. The abominations in the wave’s wake began to disintegrate and evaporate into nothingness.
Reina and Behemoth weren’t fazed, yet for Shardran, it was a staggering sight. Seeing Davey calmly purifying the entire region, Shardran muttered in disbelief, “Who the hell are you...?”
Davey didn’t bother to answer.
With the emperor hiding behind that barrier with their forces, further interference wasn’t likely. Clearly, the plan was to drain his strength over time. Once the entire field had been cleansed, there wasn’t much else the enemy could do but sit and watch, waiting until the barrier opened and Davey stepped inside.
With the area cleared, Davey turned his head. “So, when’s it supposed to open?”
Shardran let out a hollow laugh as he looked at Davey, who sounded like he was on a casual picnic.
Whether friend or foe, anyone standing in front of Davey—a person who shattered all expectations and plans—would probably find themselves speechless.
* * *
No further attacks followed after they took out every last monster the opponent had meticulously prepared for battle.
Reina continued to practice controlling mana, trying to adapt to its unstable flow, while Davey silently waited out the day.
With the arrival of the next morning, the change came sooner than expected.
Crackle!! Bzzzt!!
It seemed Princess Myurin was far more capable than he’d given her credit for.
“It activated way earlier than planned. Looks like Her Highness pulled some serious strings.” Watching the barrier leading to the heart of the continent weaken, Shardran unfolded his map. “The barrier inside the great forest is basically a maze. Stay close and watch your step—one wrong move, and you’ll lose all sense of direction.”
As they moved slowly under his guidance, Reina cautiously approached Davey. “
Uuumm.
Are you really alright?”
“I’m fine. Why?”
Reina spoke softly, concern laced in her voice, “You haven’t looked well for a while now.”
Davey gave her a reassuring nod. “Don’t waste your energy worrying. Let’s keep moving.”
Reina let out a small gasp as she took in the beautiful forest.
The interior of the barrier was completely different from what they could see before, and the amount of corruption was surprisingly limited. While there were patches of contamination here and there, it appeared not even the emperor had managed to completely encroach the region.
No abominations could be seen, either. Whatever that bastard had planned, it seemed they wouldn’t be facing an immediate attack.
Then it hit. A sharp jolt, as if electricity ran through his brain, left his head pounding.
Noticing Davey twisting in discomfort, Reina hurried to his side. “Are you okay? You’ve gone pale...”
“It’s nothing. Just feeling a little off.”
It had been a long time since he’d felt this kind of nausea. However, no one else seemed to notice a thing. Whatever it was, it was affecting Davey alone.
Ignoring the strange sensation, he pushed forward until a massive underground path appeared ahead, leading deeper into the core of the great forest. The terrain looked like the very embodiment of the heart of the world. There was a sinkhole stretching several kilometers wide, plunging down to staggering depths. At its center sat a giant, glowing red stone.
The massive rock, shaped like a beating heart, pulsed with crimson light and pumped energy out across the entire continent. Davey couldn’t help but feel that whoever named it used an apt description for the scene. That stone brought life and peace to the land—it was quite literally the heart of the continent.
As expected, the continent was fundamentally different from other ordinary dimensions. Though the people may be the same, the continent itself, as well as the structure of the world, followed completely different rules.
Reina pointed ahead, having spotted something. “Look over there.”
Davey turned his eyes toward it and let out a short laugh.
In front of the giant heart-shaped rock stood a throne. Upon it sat an old man, arrogantly looking down at him.
While the man no longer had his youthful form, his body was drastically different from the elderly man they’d seen before. No longer shriveled or elderly, it overflowed with muscle—a build that looked like it could take on an army of five hundred without breaking a sweat.
Still perfectly composed, the man looked at Davey and said, “You just don’t give up, do you? Well, it’s too late now.”
He clicked his tongue with a mocking grin and then raised a hand. His target was Shadran. “There’s no need for a dog that bites its master.”
Boom!!
Before he could even let out a scream, Shardran was blown back in a violent explosion.
When Reina moved to draw Longinus, two figures swiftly descended around her.
Ssss.
They were the Executioners who had vanished when the emperor abandoned his empire. One was Stobel Barsha, while the other was a new face.
At the same time, the surrounding plants once more warped into a sickly violet, spilling out grotesque abominations that surrounded Reina.
“Those who defy the throne deserve death!” An immeasurable force radiated from the man on the throne. He showed off his power, as if to make sure everyone could feel the full weight of his capabilities. He smiled sickly with satisfaction. “What, did you think coming here would fix anything?”
Davey didn’t even bother answering, instead casually flicking an energy sword toward him.
Squelsh!!
A disruptive current filled the area, trying to weaken the energy sword. Even so, Davey ignored it entirely and drove the sword deep into the Emperor’s heart.
“
Kieeehhh!!
” A monstrous scream tore through the air, and he violently convulsed.
Squelch!! Crack!!
Davey twisted the blade inside his chest again and again.
“
Kraaaghhh!!!
”
Another horrible scream followed as additional energy swords flew in, turning his body into a pincushion. Davey continued to summon more energy swords with his left hand, while with his right hand he drew Red Ribbon. Without hesitation, he swung cleanly, severing the man’s head.
‘This is his real body. This time, there’s no resurrection.’
Or so he thought.
The man’s severed body melted like liquid, then instantly reformed and regenerated.
Davey’s eyes narrowed as he caught the flow of a certain energy. “You’re feeding off the heart’s power, sucking it from the entire continent.”
“
Oh?
So you can see it. Good! That way, it’ll be even easier for you to despair. This heart is already fused with me—unless you destroy it, I can’t die.”
He was declaring himself immortal. Davey could simply kill him, sure, yet the moment he destroyed that heart, the entire continent would collapse with it.
“Really... This is what happens when someone doesn't watch their stuff...” Davey offered a sarcastic prayer, throwing some blame toward Goddess Freyja for leaving such a mess behind. He then launched himself downward, deep into the bottom of the sinkhole.
Under normal circumstances, it should’ve been too dark to see within such a large hole. However, the gorge was wide enough that some sunlight spilled in, and countless luminescent stones embedded within made the descent surprisingly bright.
Dropping several hundred meters in an instant, Davey approached the emperor again.
“I know how strong you are. Still, if you kill me, this whole dimension dies with me.”
That bastard had taken the entire dimension—the continent itself—as a hostage.
Stepping forward, Davey summoned black flames in one hand. “But the heart, unlike you, doesn’t feel or react to pain.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I’ll make you wish you were dead.”
[9th Circle Elemental Magic]
[Hellfire]
Davey hurled a massive fireball at him with a calm smile.
The last time Davey checked, he hadn’t heard of any rule against how much he could play around with the bastard.

.
!
Chapter 1220