The Max Level Hero Has Returned!

[Hello. From today onward, I'll be teaching you dark magic and devil magic. My name is Rho Aias,] she greeted Davey with modesty.

[Yes, for now, take a rest,] she suggested to Davey.

No other hero had ever begun training by recommending rest.

[Your inner self is exhausted from long periods of training,] she explained.

Her simple kindness might have been the first reason Davey felt drawn to her. With a gentle and pure smile, she reached out, caressing his cheek, urging him to sleep deeply.

[Rest well. After a good dream, you'll feel much better. I'll make sure you have sweet dreams,] she reassured him.

Despite Davey’s perfect memory, he remembered almost every conversation with the heroes, but his dialogues with her lingered in his heart longer than any other. It was unthinkable that her body, which she had erased from existence for personal reasons, was being so maliciously abused.

The Illuminati, a group masquerading as various nations, empires, ordinary farmers, or even mercenaries, had dark magicians like the man before Davey. They were following the Deathlord, Rho Aias.

[Who's the strongest?] Davey asked.

His single question had led to her participation in the apocalyptic war, where she remained one of the strongest heroes. It was ironic that her existence was erased even before entering the Hall of Heroes, and this was her own choice. And yet, there were those aware of her. Something was terribly amiss.

Davey silently observed the man before him, known as the high priest, now drastically deformed. There was no power without a price, and he could not wield the Deathlord-tainted artifacts as the leader did, paying with the disintegration of his body. His flesh had turned a deep purple, swollen like a bomb about to burst, with horrific tendons protruding. His once-black hair had bleached white, and his face aged decades. His fingers and toes, unable to withstand the power's aftermath, were blackened and crumbling. In summary, both his external and internal states were abhorrent.

"I don't need anything from you," Davey declared, aware that even someone of his rank couldn't offer valuable information. "So relax, I won't bother torturing you for it. I don’t have time for that."

"You better release me now, you crazy bastard," the man spat.

"That's not for you to decide," Davey retorted, tapping his skin with the back of his hand, watching his eyes fill with even more malice.

"You'll regret not killing me."

"Regret? You're quite presumptuous."

Davey turned away without a second thought. As he did, a strange-colored liquid began to fill a large test tube.

"Every world has its brutal laws, have you heard? An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

The Hammurabi's Code might be famous on Earth, but similar laws exist in other realms too. "It might not be productive, but there's nothing better for quelling the disorder, right?"

"Why are you saying all this?"

"Because now, the disciple of the one you desecrated will exact her revenge on you." Davey had no intention of extracting information from him. He added, "If you mention Rho Aias, I can't even imagine how I'll tear you apart."

What to do with those who exploited the remains of a dead mentor to manifest her power was clear: repay in kind. Davey watched him in silence, then slowly turned away. Rinne, who had been silent, approached and effortlessly lifted his enlarged, monstrous body despite her small stature, showcasing mysterious strength. She then threw him into the test tube.

"I'll chew you up. From your hair to your toes, I'll devour you, bitch!" he threatened, but his fate was sealed.

In response to the curse-laden remark, Davey remained silent. Instead, he recited the fate of his adversary. "As I've said before, I'll judge you by the principle of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

"Arrogant human! What right do you have to judge the existence of the Deathlord..."

"Like I said, if you dare to use another's body to create such things and then flaunt it in front of their students, you shouldn't expect to get off easily."

If it was even remotely possible to come out unscathed, then he was welcome to try. The location where Davey and his foe currently stood was a subterranean facility in the Moon Forest, far removed from the Heins domain.

He had shrouded it in multiple layers of magical barriers to ensure it remained hidden. Davey intended to melt this foe alive and use him as material for an artifact. He was aware that once this act became known across the continent, he might lose part of the reputation he had built up.

It was a cruel act, indeed, but he never cared about such things. The false reputation of Sainthood was nothing but a yoke placed upon him by others.

"Don't be lonely. I'll bring friends soon."

* * *

Having ventured into the vast wilderness, Davey approached Megalodria, who vigilantly guarded the surroundings, and Rinne, who playfully leaned against Megalodria's thick, plushy wings.

"Rinne, how long will the absorption take?"

"Rinne, highly esteemed for mathematical ability, estimates that it might take as short as three days or as long as a week based on cold, hard calculations."

The body of the Deathlord was solely hers. Only she could absorb the unique devil mana in this way. Despite the Illuminati's renowned intelligence network, they would not be able to know that Davey was tracking them through Rinne.

Even if Davey managed to find and eradicate them, they would not suspect the information came from anything other than coincidence or simple inside knowledge. They certainly would not think that it was due to the artifact that formed the basis of their power.

"Master Davey, according to Rinne's excellent memory, there's one more place nearby."

When Rinne first manifested the resonance magic circle, Davey had acquired information about another location besides the one he had just secured. The signals were too weak to catch properly, but he could not expect to accomplish everything at once.

"Megalodria."

[Contractor, I will not go,] the creature stated, seemingly frustrated at being used merely as a carrier, cleaner, or afterthought.

"You do realize the sheer destructive power of your dragon breath, don't you?"

Megalodria's sheer power was greater than Davey's. Considering the massive aftermath, even a simple outburst could be crucial.

"Alright, this time you can take the lead."

In response to Davey's words, Megalodria slowly opened its eyes.

[Keep your promise, contractor,] it reminded him.

"Sure."

Rejoining Megalodria, Davey quietly spoke with a complex expression.

"It's to the north."

Their destination was the northernmost part of the Eastern Continent. While Rinne's tracking magic needed more devil mana to pinpoint the exact location, it was not a concern. That was why he had made enticing remarks to Megalodria, offering it a chance to unleash its pent-up stress.

Excited at the prospect, Megalodria flapped its immense wings and soared into the sky with Rinne and Davey. Its speed was beyond imagination, fitting for a creature whose domain was not the land but the sky. It was known as the Azure Sky’s Storm Dragon King for a reason.

As the landscape changed in the blink of an eye, one might feel a chill if they were not used to the sudden speed. For Davey and Rinne, however, Rinne was a machine and Davey had already experienced greater speed, so they could handle such a pace.

As they flew at a space-warping speed, Megalodria keenly surveyed the surroundings. The northernmost part of the Eastern Continent was notoriously difficult to access unless by flight, with massive crevasses and natural storms blocking the way. Recent reports indicated that the unusual climate had become severely worse.

Though the Holy Kingdom planned to dispatch a research team, Davey doubted they would find anything of value. After all, it did not matter to him what they found.

"It's all ice."

The northernmost ice region of the East exuded a chilling aura, unlikely to thaw unless global warming on the Tionis continent occurred.

"Master Davey, Rinne reports that further resonance magic circles are impossible, attributing it to the low amount of devil mana."

As Davey gently stroked Rinne's disheartened head, she looked up at him.

"What does it matter? You don't need to know," Davey responded, causing Rinne to tilt her head in confusion.

Then, Davey embraced Rinne and leaped down from hundreds of meters in the sky. As they fell freely, Rinne clutched at her fluttering hair and looked up at him.

"Megalodria, it's time to show your true worth. Don't flinch, just obliterate it."

At least, there should not be anyone caught in such a place. As they fell toward the ground, Rinne, who had been watching Davey, soon fixed a fierce gaze on Megalodria as it rose into the sky, exuding a strange aura. Megalodria, rising like a bipedal creature, lightly slapped its hands together and, with a mighty roar, raised one paw.

[In my madness, the heavens shall scream!]

Woosh!

A whistling sound began as a cold breeze bit the skin, but it was clear this was just the beginning.

A tremendous roar followed as the breeze turned into a massive storm, striking the ground. Davey casually deployed a defensive spell, isolating the area from the onslaught.

[Let the earth tremble in fear at my rage!] Megalodria proclaimed.

Another horrifying, yet childish, statement from Megalodria followed, its impact forthcoming. The colossal storm stirred the earth's crust, causing massive upheavals. From above, the polar sky would be engulfed in a storm stretching tens of kilometers.

Such a storm was inconceivable to be conjured by mere lifeforms, but Megalodria was a dragon king of storms, after all. It manipulated the heavens to create a massive storm and upheaved the earth. The ground trembled, and the seismic waves surged as Megalodria's eyes flashed. In this place, Megalodria could conduct a more precise search than Davey himself.

A sizzling sound ensued as Megalodria's mouth gaped open, gathering tremendous energy like converging sparks.

"Hey!!!" Davey called out sharply, but Megalodria ignored him. "Leave the leader alive. If you kill him, I’ll kill you."

Even the chilling warning was disregarded as Megalodria sneered while gathering its energy.

[You dare threaten me with your power, contractor? You are far from ready!] Megalodria mocked.

No matter how wise, it was still a king of beasts. To this colossal beast king, such threats were laughable.

"However, listening to others is also a king's grace!" Davey retorted.

The creature would surely listen to him.

The breath's energy, which had been gathering to wipe out the entire area, suddenly began to condense and shrink. And then, a very thin energy sphere formed completely, and Megalodria, without hesitation, unleashed its breath toward an empty iceberg. The ultra-dense energy compressed to the size of two or three human bodies. The same output in a smaller area naturally meant increased power and pressure. Was his tracking accurate? A black veil unfurled from the direction of the iceberg.

"Lord Davey! A massive amount of devil mana was detected!"

"It doesn't matter." As he spoke, a ripping sound echoed.

Megalodria's action of releasing the super-condensed breath and slicing upwards had not only breached the defensive barrier but also cleanly sliced the entire iceberg, as if cut by a laser. Despite its appearance, it was a Grandmaster-level beast. Currently, the only beings that could stop Davey if he went berserk were the World Tree and this creature. Megalodria's power was that of a tyrant.