The Max Level Hero Has Returned!
chapter-352

The force behind the white light had significantly weakened. It seemed that Goddess Freyja's power had also diminished. If that wasn't the case, then it was likely due to the weakening of the countless connections that God had established in this world.

Whatever the reason, Davey was certain of one thing. Purifying the now blackened river, or perhaps lake, all at once was a daunting task. If the influence of Goddess Freyja was not functioning properly, then the power he had received from her and could wield would be weaker. For the time being, Davey had no choice but to rely on his own power rather than the holy mana within his body.

"Do you think we'll back down just like that?!" Grave, who had been dragged and sucked into the dark, black lake, screamed at Davey upon his reappearance. It seemed he was quite resilient and determined.

"You bastard! You will never surpass our unity. The gates will open without fail. The day the gates fully open will be the day you die…" Grave cursed, his body slowly being pulled back into the murky waters of the lake. It appeared that he no longer had the strength to pull himself up and return here.

While studying the uses of the tentacles, Davey discovered that they still faced limitations and restrictions in this world, despite being quite immune to its rules and providence.

The world's providence was not a simple program. It wouldn't allow the opponent to continuously exploit and escape. They might have had an easy time coming here before, but that didn't mean they would find it easy to return, especially after being forcefully dragged back to their original location.

Boom!!!

At that very moment, a pillar of light descended, piercing through the darkness and illuminating the surface of the murky lake. The water rippled and trembled under its radiant glow.

Simultaneously, an enormous mouth resembling that of a crocodile emerged from the depths and engulfed Grave in one swift motion. Then, an appendage extended from the colossal creature's massive body, gradually exerting force against the pillar of light. Astonishingly, it was able to push back the 9th Class, Final Holy Magic.

‘These bastards are the real ones, huh?’

Bang!!!

There was nothing before him, yet an unseen force collided with Davey, sending him hurtling through the air. In that instant, he experienced the sensation of being a baseball struck by a powerful bat, the impact launching him away. The intense pain coursing through his body added to the overwhelming assault he endured.

“…”

‘This hurts a bit.’

The nonchalant smile vanished from Davey's face as he observed the immense crack suspended above the dark lake. He narrowed his eyes, focusing on the exact spot where the pillar of light had emanated, and became aware of a presence staring back at him from within the depths of the crack.

Although invisible to the naked eye, the gaze that bore into him exuded an unsettling aura capable of instilling sheer dread. Taking a step forward, Davey uttered the first words that came to mind, "So, the big shot is making an appearance, huh?"

Davey had no way of knowing or determining whether their intentions involved emerging from that location or not.

Bang!!!

As another attack hurtled toward him, the air surrounding Davey shifted, and a barrier materialized, forming a protective shield around him. The barrier intercepted the incoming assault, deflecting it harmlessly away from Davey's position.

Crack!!!

The issue was that the barrier did not hold for long. The intangible, odorless, and colorless attack effortlessly pierced through several dozen layers of defensive magic that Davey had meticulously erected around himself. Its sheer power was capable of causing ripples in the air.

However, Davey was no fool to let himself be attacked a second time. Despite being unable to perceive anything within the void before him or sense any mana movements in his surroundings, he extended his hand and gathered the mana present in the nearby area.

Baaaam!!!

Simultaneously, the telekinetic magic without any specific attribute unraveled, expanding to a magnitude that surpassed anyone's expectations. It detonated, distorting the space surrounding Davey in a violent display. Utilizing the resulting rebound, Davey propelled himself away from the vicinity while conjuring two fiery orbs on the tip of his finger. Without delay, he hurled the fireballs toward the abyssal void concealed beyond the spatial rift.

Bang!!!

The attack, clearly aimed at Davey, detonated, but it was already too late. Davey had swiftly distanced himself from his initial position. The two minuscule fireballs he had unleashed also exploded, engulfing the entire area in a devastating inferno that belied their small size.

This marked Davey's second encounter with the Abyssal crack. The first crack had been comparatively small, with a cluster of tentacles reaching out in an attempt to drag Perserque back. However, the current crack was immense, easily accommodating a dozen of the cracks he had previously encountered. How long had they been preparing for it to grow to such proportions?

Previously, Davey had managed to tear apart the smaller crack with his sheer strength, aided by the power of the jewel that allowed him to harmonize his body and soul. But now? The goddess had intentionally imposed restrictions on him, making it arduous for him to regain his power.

When Goddess Freyja had cast him into this predicament and entrusted him with the situation, Davey had initially perceived it as an exaggerated reaction in the absence of an immediate crisis. However, a formidable and potent being like her would not act in such haste if there were no imminent perils.

Davey retrieved a handful of talismans from his Pocket Plane and tossed them into the air. Then, he brought his palms together, his eyes flickering rapidly.

[2nd Grade Binding Arts]

[Lightning Restriction]

The several dozens of talismans suddenly turned into hundreds as gigantic black spears poured out of them and pierced through the now still lake. After all, at this point, the 9th Class Holy Magic had already been completely offset by whatever had popped out from the lake’s depths.

Davey was not sure if it was because it had a certain immunity against the powers that existed in this land or if it was because the being that had popped out was covered with plenty of elements but it was not that good compared to the lump of flesh that Davey had experimented on before.

Bang!!!

Not long after, its body shook fiercely from the impact of the attack. However, Davey did not stop there. With his hands still together, he quickly rotated the power in his body. With the spears that he sent earlier, the blackened lake’s body began to shake fiercely once again.

Guwoooooooo!!! The monster, which had changed its form from water to a sticky and creepy tar, roared loudly as the spear pierced deeper into its body.

Just like Davey had expected, the 2nd Grade Sorcery Lightning Restriction was working. It was an art that would release spears that would pierce through the opponent and absorb its power thereby depriving them of their power and suppressing them.

But after seeing that these beings did not get completely suppressed and restricted even after being pierced through by dozens of such spears, Davey had realized that the cheat-like power of immunity to all powers truly made these beings extremely resistant. Of course, that did not mean that there weren’t any countermeasures against them.

[8th Circle]

[Corona Break]

Davey gradually began to make an impact on the creature, employing attacks at the 8th Circle and beyond. This approach was informed by his previous experimentation on a lump of flesh, which had shown signs of developing immunity when subjected to forces at the 4th to 5th Circle level.

Clearly, this adversary before him would likely be immune to attacks at the 5th Circle level. Thus, Davey initiated his assault at the 8th Circle, resulting in a noticeable reaction. However, he was well aware that he would need to utilize even higher levels of mana to ensure the efficiency and efficacy of his attacks against this formidable opponent.

Despite being sealed with sorcery, the monster persistently strained against the restraints, gradually weakening the seal due to its amorphous and elusive form. Describing its shape was a challenge in itself, as it lacked any discernible regularity, resembling nothing more than a shapeless mass of flesh.

Thwack!!!

In response to Davey's attempt to seal its body, the monster exhibited signs of anger. Suddenly, its eyes flashed, and without warning, another colorless, odorless, and intangible attack was launched toward him.

‘I've already told you, and I'll tell you again. You might be able to attack me once, but I won't fall for the same trick twice.’

Davey delved into the viscous creature using Blink. He noticed that sorcery, in comparison to magic, holy magic, and dark magic, had some effect on this entity. With this in mind, he wanted to test whether martial arts, something akin to skills and techniques in this world, would also prove effective against it.

[Ice Demon God’s Arts Pinnacle Skill]

[Supreme Ice God’s Field]

The Ice Demon God's Arts was a renowned skill among those who followed the Evil Path. It originated from Dokgo Jun, the one who had taught martial arts to Davey. Davey had stolen this martial art and learned it for himself, making it his own.

However, there was one thing that Davey could guarantee. He would be able to harness more power using the Ice Demon God's Arts than its true owner and master. Martial arts, an art dedicated to enhancing firepower, differed greatly from the swordsmanship in this world, which relied on mana volume, purity, and precision.

Crack, crack, crack, crack!!!

His inner qi froze the air around them, forming an icy path resembling a colossal dragon extending its body, casting an eerie chill over the surroundings. The massive ice storm further impeded the already sluggish movement of the sticky creature from the abyss. However, this effect lasted only briefly before dissipating.

Baaaaang!!!

The colossal monster from the Abyss expressed its displeasure, as if the encroaching ice had become exceedingly bothersome. In an instant, the sluggish mass of flesh began to undergo transformation. The previously solid, black lump of flesh started multiplying and morphing into repulsive clusters of tentacles. This was a form that Davey was all too familiar with, resembling the tentacles he had extracted from the abyss and experimented upon.

[We are one.]

Davey sensed a profound connection as the eye materialized in the center of the massive fleshy mass that had emerged from the crack. It seemed to communicate with him through a spiritual link rather than conventional means of physical communication.

[We are the gathering of the entire Overminds’ Will.]

“…”

[The day our Will becomes perfect will be the day our wish will come true.]

"Enough with your incomprehensible babble," Davey muttered in frustration, channeling his power to create a colossal 8th Circle Fire Magic spell. He had exhausted every method at his disposal to control the situation. That's why he had to unleash the destructive power and reduce the creature to ashes before it posed an even greater threat. Even if the monster could withstand the assault, Davey was determined to persist and unleash relentless attacks until it reached its breaking point.

Bang!!!

To his dismay, the creature emerging from the crack exhibited a vitality and life force far surpassing Davey's expectations. It continued to multiply and adapt, rendering his attacks less effective over time. Even the formidable 8th Circle Fire Magic proved futile against its resilience. The talismans and restrictions he had placed on the creature were gradually nullified and released, not simply due to their loss of power, but because the opponent was growing stronger and more dangerous.

"Hmmm..." Davey let out a sigh, realizing he could no longer afford to leisurely indulge in his experiments. He extended his right hand and fixed his gaze upon the monstrous being from the Abyss, a sense of urgency replacing his previous nonchalance.

[I am telling you that this will be the end. How can you, a small and trivial being, fight against this body that is made with the wishes of tens of millions of beings?]

[We are…]

[…one.]

The multitude of voices echoing in Davey's head only served to irritate him further. As a final attempt, he conjured a Hellfire and hurled it at the Abyssal being, but its impact proved minimal. What a truly formidable body it possessed, swiftly adapting to even the 9th Circle of magic.

If such a creature were unleashed upon the continent, it would spell doom for all living beings, swiftly devouring and destroying the world in a matter of moments. Davey contemplated the situation at length before firmly resolving his course of action. Brushing aside his obstructing hair, he took a step forward and began to draw upon the forbidden power.

Depending on how he wielded it, the restrictions and consequences imposed on his body would vary whenever he invoked the power of taboo. Having already endured the penalties, it was only fitting that he utilized it to its fullest potential. The 9th Circle Magic was no longer effective, and his holy power had waned with the weakening of the Goddess. The only remaining efficacy lay in his sorcery, albeit diminishing as the monster grew accustomed to it. Nevertheless, he had no choice but to give it his all and fight back.

Delving into his Pocket Plane, Davey retrieved the towering staff known as Transcendence Demise. He glanced at the disregarded restrictions afflicting his body, their influence negated by the power of taboo. If his attacks proved futile and he could only watch as the creature escaped through the crack, then perhaps it was time to test its endurance against Transcendental Dark Magic.

Black smoke coalesced within Davey's palms as he infused the dark magic, renowned for its destructive prowess, with the essence of taboo. The amalgamation of these powers rendered it an unstoppable force, an ultimate adversary in its own right. Gradually, the black smoke assumed the form of a colossal skeleton, akin to a voracious black hole devouring everything in its path. When the smoke dissipated entirely, not a trace remained within a hundred-meter radius, including the gigantic monster itself.

“Goodness. It’s much stronger than what I thought?”