The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Novel

In the continent of Tionis, various musical instruments existed, yet the one Davey was crafting was absent—a lyre. The lyre, renowned for its soft, melodious tones, stood as one of Davey's favorite instruments. His motive for investing time in its creation was simple—it boasted the widest range.

"Really, you're not going to use that to beat someone up, are you?" Illyna asked skeptically.

"I've said it before, if I wanted to engage in physical violence, I'd opt for a cross instead," Davey retorted.

One could float like a butterfly or sting like a bee before God. A handy spear or a large, heavy weapon, even a cross, could surprisingly serve as an effective bludgeon. Davey believed that God would pardon bloodshed via the cross.

The quality of the lyre he crafted slightly surpassed that of a common mass-produced one, yet it served as a single-use instrument. Crafting an instrument typically demanded substantial time, prompting Davey to choose a simple yet efficient design. He swiftly shaped the wood into a U-shape, using an aura blade precisely overlaying his carving knife to ease the wood's slicing.

After approximately three hours of labor, Davey had successfully fashioned a decent lyre.

It was a beautiful instrument but lacked the durability for a second use.

"This will break after one use," he coldly assessed, lightly plucking the strings.

Captivated by the sound, Illyna expressed her admiration. "The sound is truly... beautiful."

Davey examined the instrument, then stood up. "Now, let's put them all to sleep."

* * *

This mission demanded stealth rather than direct confrontation. Specifically, the aim wasn’t to obliterate the adversaries but to infiltrate, extract information without detection, and then make a swift escape–an easier said than done task.

"So, what's the plan now?" Illyna whispered cautiously, striving not to make a sound.

Without hesitation, Davey lightly infused mana into the lyre, enhancing its sound to reach everyone. He began to play the tune [Island Baby], a simple yet beautiful piece, concealing its true nature as a potent lullaby that could put anyone within earshot into a deep slumber.

As the monotonous yet captivating melody pervaded the facility, some glanced around in curiosity while others instinctively prepared for an attack. However, all they encountered was the lulling music. Those exposed gradually succumbed, falling into a deep sleep. All they would recall was the sudden lullaby and their subsequent slumber.

"Let's move."

When the music ceased, the lyre's strings snapped, releasing built-up tension. It was a one-time instrument that unleashed a powerful surge of mana. Davey was content with its performance, given its hasty construction. Confirming that the Illuminati members were fully asleep, he approached one of them, who was snoring on the ground, and pinched the man's cheek without hesitation.

"What... What are you doing?!" Illyna exclaimed, shocked.

Davey continued to shake the man's cheek, seemingly prepared to tear it off, yet the man didn't stir. "Hmm, the effect is quite strong."

"Unbelievable... He's not waking up?"

“If you’re in a deep sleep, you're almost oblivious to pain.”

When the brain plunged into deep slumber, this was an anticipated outcome. Liberated from constraints, Davey began moving confidently.

“Hmm… should it be safe now?” Illyna, looking uneasy, peeled off the robe of a collapsed man on the floor to check his face. She poked him and chuckled softly. "Strange, to doze off like this."

Her expression held a newfound sense of wonder. "As expected, with you around, anything seems possible."

Davey felt slightly awkward at her radiant smile.

Suddenly, sensing something instinctively, Davey and Perserque both turned their heads to peer deeper into the hideout.

"Why... What's wrong?" Illyna asked.

"You stay here and search for information. I'll be back soon," Davey said.

"Wait... What?" Illyna exclaimed, trying to follow him, but Davey had already swiftly departed.

* * *

Illyna was likely to uncover valuable information, whether it be a list of traitors in the Last Wisp Knights or details about the Illuminati. To Davey, the specifics didn't matter; the information was just a pretext.

"It's close," Davey thought aloud.

"I know," Perserque agreed.

But Davey's interest lay elsewhere. In the lower part of the cave hideout, a secret passage awaited. Initially secured with multiple locks, Red Ribbon had sliced through the door, rendering the locks meaningless.

"Ugh... That stench."

As they breached the massive stone door and stepped inside, a wave of foul odor assailed them. Perserque instinctively erected a barrier to ward off the smell, which dissipated instantly.

"Let's go, Davey," she said, walking beside him after descending from his shoulder and enlarging her body.

Navigating the pitch-black underground staircase without a torch posed no hindrance to Davey, well-accustomed as he was to darkness as a necromancer. If a necromancer wasn't accustomed to darkness, that would be problematic. However, his keen sight sometimes felt like a curse.

"My god..." Perserque murmured at the horrendous sight.

“Of course, these individuals never fail to disgust me,” Davey remarked.

Davey had already been aware that these individuals were involved in unimaginable acts, yet this situation startled him even further. The underground chamber housed the remains of infants, seemingly about a year old.

"How many are there?" he inquired.

"Easily hundreds," Perserque estimated.

The sight of hundreds of infants' bodies, not just deceased but brutally mutilated, was staggering. Some had been dissected, while others exhibited signs of frostbite or poisoning. The skin of certain bodies had turned purple, likely due to poison intoxication.

"Why only children?" Perserque pondered aloud.

Davey experienced a whirlwind of emotions, questioning the motive behind such horror.

‘What purpose could they have for doing this?’

Then a chilling thought struck him, "Could these individuals truly be..."

Suddenly, he bolted upright as a massive explosion reverberated from above, where Illyna was.

* * *

"Ah... Uh..." Illyna, momentarily losing consciousness, was shocked and slowly opened her eyes.

She had inadvertently stumbled upon documents related to the Lastwhisp Knights. Among them, Illyna discovered a list of traitors who had aligned with the Illuminati. Eager to share the news with Davey, she turned around with a bright expression. However, she was met with a horrifying sight—a colossal snake with a baby's face waiting for her.

Instinctively drawing her sword, Caldeiras, Illyna attempted to defend herself, but she proved no match for the snake. It slammed her against the wall with its enormous body, swiftly bit into her waist before she could react, and tossed her around helplessly. The excruciating pain rendered her unable to scream as she was pinned against the wall, devastated.

Caldeiras slipped from her grasp, and Davey was nowhere to be seen. Struck by the monstrous snake, she briefly lost consciousness, finding herself in a dire situation.

"What is that thing?" Illyna wondered aloud, unable to believe her eyes.

Known for her acute sense of detection, she had failed to sense the baby-faced snake approaching. Collapsing to the floor, coughing up blood, she realized the snake's bite had poisoned her, rendering her arms powerless and her skin a deadly shade of purple. Her organs and bones were severely damaged from the snake's attack, leaving her unable to fight back.

Illyna berated herself for being careless and unprepared. She should have anticipated and readied herself for such ambushes.

"Too naive and foolish," she sighed.

She should have been primed for an unexpected assault at any moment. Blood trickled down her forehead, blurring her vision. Struggling to lift her head, Illyna saw the baby-faced snake leisurely approaching, releasing a resigned sigh.

"There's such a thing as too much bad luck."

Now defenseless, Illyna could only watch as the snake, which had initially struck her, halted its approach. It slowly opened its mouth, revealing unimaginably large and sharp teeth. But that wasn't all. A forked tongue shot out, with terrifying eyes in the center, eerily rolling around. The snake then redirected its attention from Illyna to a member of the Illuminati lying on the floor, and began moving toward them.

The snake gruesomely devoured the member, blood splattering and body parts flying. Too weak to move, Illyna was compelled to witness this horrific scene of carnage.

Suddenly, the baby-faced snake, having finished its meal, emitted a cry akin to a baby's wail, trembling before refocusing its gaze on Illyna. She realized she was its next target, gripped by terror. Attempting to call out for Davey, her voice failed to emerge. More than just a sore throat, her body was unresponsive.

The giant snake briefly glanced at her, its innocent, childlike gaze capturing her.

Then, with a chilling crunch, the sound echoed throughout the area.