The Max Level Hero Has Returned!
chapter-376

The sudden clash with the eerie monsters had taken its toll. The state of the remaining survivors was worse than anticipated. Many were stricken with terror to the point of incapability, some even appeared unable to move properly.

"When did this start happening?" Davey asked.

"A few days ago... This has been the situation since we returned from the reconnaissance mission. I didn't want to trouble you, so I didn't mention it..."

"Amy."

At Davey’s soft call, Amy jumped and bowed her head. She apologized, "I-I'm sorry, my Lord."

"I'm not blaming you," Davey said calmly, placing his hand on her head.

"You've taken on too much alone all this time. It's not just about the last few months. You may have had to do things you didn't want to do because they were orders, things you didn't want to do while governing the territory, but you did them because of discipline."

"..."

"That was wrong."

Davey sat on the infirmary bed, reaching out to the men shivering with fear.

[O mighty Freyja who oversees all creation.]

"I consider you an important talent. Remember what I told you: think of this not as a military relationship, but as a relationship between a boss and an employee. If something is efficient, you should always speak up, and if something isn't right, you should address it. What good is it to keep everything to yourself because of what you think I would think?"

[Here, miserable souls are gathered, all seeking mercy, all stricken with fear.]

"But, but..."

"Would it have been a loss if I had stopped what I was doing to come here after you told me about this? Or would it have been a loss if I had been unaware of their suffering, even though I was closest to them?"

"I-I'm sorry..."

"Everyone in the territory is my family, including you. Even though I don't govern directly often, I trust you that much. It's right for you to come to me for help when you're struggling. But I hate it when petty and pointless reasons keep you from efficient methods. Who is the person in front of you? Is it simply a superior who is hard to deal with and a royal of this country? Or is it the person who has given you faith?"

At Davey’s words, Amy lowered her head again.

"Can you do it?"

"Yes!"

"That's good. I trust you. You should trust me completely, too."

‘Pointing out what's wrong and giving opportunities. I believe that's the right way for a leader to rule. Goddess Freyja, don't fret about your weakened influence, please take good care of everyone here.’

[8th Level Holy Magic of Blessing]

[Grand Purification]

Whoosh!!!

As the warm and bright light began to envelop the soldiers, a sense of calm gradually began to creep into their trembling bodies.

"Master Davey, the current condition of the subjects is extreme fear. It's anticipated that purification magic may not be sufficient."

"Perhaps."

The reactions were too uniform to be just fear. It was a deeply ingrained fear that seemed artificial. Davey could only interpret it as a deliberate imposition of fear that needed to be erased with purification magic, much like Lysol. There was no other way to perceive it except as a characteristic that forcefully engraved fear.

‘If you want to challenge me, you'd have to bring at least a transcendent-level black magic that engraves fear. You're out, you bastard.’

Whoosh!!! Crash!

With the sound of something breaking in the air, the soldiers and knights began to fall all at once. As the stimuli that had kept the fear-ridden soldiers alert disappeared, those who had been enduring pain and sleeplessness could no longer resist the overwhelming urge to sleep and collapsed.

"Prepare a simple meal. They'll probably sleep soundly for half a day. When they wake up, they'll be hungry, so distribute the food. And give them a break to rest."

"Yes."

"Just a word of thanks for your hard work... No, I'll deliver this message myself."

"Yes!" Amy responded energetically.

Leaving the cleanup to her, Davey headed straight to the bedroom where Perserque was sleeping.

"Hmm... Davey?"

"Perserque, take a look at this."

As she moved away from Davey, the power of the abyss vanished, leaving only the bare minimum. That was why Davey needed her assistance.

"This is..."

As she stared at the massive feather Davey handed her, her eyes narrowed slightly. Simultaneously, a faint light filled her red eyes, causing them to widen.

"Azure... Sky's Storm Dragon King..."

At this point, there was no room for denial.

"It's a feather from Megalodria."

"I thought as much. We hit the jackpot."

As she looked at him, seemingly questioning where he obtained it, he sighed, took the feather, and tossed it into subspace.

"Davey, what's going on here? If it's Megalodria, then surely..."

"Yeah, one of the three notorious Mythical Beast Kings of Lux Continent."

"How do you have a feather from such a mythical beast?"

In response to her question, Davey hesitated, then slowly opened his mouth. "Well, that's..."

As he fell silent, wearing a serious expression, she mirrored his seriousness. "I guess we'll have to figure it out."

"..."

‘I understood it was a feather from Megalodria, but how was I supposed to know anything else?’

"How am I supposed to know what's going on with the guy who left the house?"

Davey recognized that something had happened, but he did not know exactly what. In such cases, there was only one reliable source of information.

* * *

"So, you came to me again for this issue, is that it? Do you have any idea how far it is from the Eastern Continent, where you are, to the Divine Tree's Land in the West?"

"Well, I had to exhaust all the mana I have and use warp three times just to get here. I'm completely worn out. Why don't you step out of the room and get some fresh air, Elder?"

"You little brat!"

Despite the World Tree's teasing reprimand, Davey maintained calm. "If it's the Eye of the World Tree, it should at least be able to see beyond the sky."

The most valuable source of information would be Aina Helishana, the dark elf working with Davey. Even an information guild had its limitations when it came to gathering information. And she was the only ally who could casually access those restricted areas.

"Al."

"Alright, alright. You cheeky brat, you certainly know how to make use of people."

"So, you're going to do it then?"

"I have to. Why else would I team up with you?"

Her goal was to maintain and preserve peace. If Megalodria was as deranged as Shandra Minea's avatar, it would pose a significant problem for her as well.

"So, what did those who witnessed the massive mythical beast say?"

"They only saw its shadow."

The sole piece of information Davey obtained from the soldiers and knights of the Heins territory, who regained consciousness after a powerful purification magic, was that they caught a glimpse of an enormous shadow engulfing the sky. When they attempted to look up for further observation, their memories vanished. Ultimately, all they could recall was the sight of the immense shadow and the feather Davey had shown.

"But if your account is accurate, does that mean the rampaging beast spared them despite its loss of sanity?"

"If it's the Megalodria I know, he wouldn't succumb to madness so easily."

After all, he was the mentally strongest among the three mythical beasts. As Davey spoke, she closed her eyes and fell into silence. An intangible current began to radiate from her body. At first glance, the World Tree appeared as a mere towering tree, but that was far from the truth. Its roots spread across the continent, and the seemingly modest World Tree possessed the power to interact with everything in the world.

A potent surge of energy erupted, moving swiftly and seamlessly. Like a spirited gust of wind, the energy flow extended high into the sky. When she opened her eyes again, some time had passed.

"He is not present."

Upon hearing her words, Davey let out a sigh. "He wouldn't be easily found, would he?"

"Just a mythical beast evading the scrutiny of the World Tree?"

"The issue is that he is more than just a mythical beast."

The distinction between a Mythical Beast King and an ordinary mythical beast was strikingly apparent.

"With this, we can be reasonably certain that he still possesses some sanity."

"That's likely. If he had completely lost his mind, he would have at least revealed his whereabouts."

Davey's judgment was that an individual driven to lunacy, someone who had completely lost their sanity, would not possess the capacity for thought or the ability to decide to conceal themselves. Those who had been driven insane by forcefully traversing dimensions relied solely on their instincts. Particularly, someone as mentally resilient as Megalodria, who could be deemed a visionary, likely had a decent chance of resisting the tides of madness.

"If related information comes up, I'll deliver it to you directly."

Davey quietly nodded.

"But what happened with that?"

"Are you talking about the title?"

"Yes, the title."

Davey waved his hand lightly, and simultaneously, the lingering power of the abyss within him swiftly brought up his status window.

"Indeed, there are abilities attached. However, it appears that they all require a Metamorphosis by Force Stack 1 to activate."

Al, who was well aware of Davey's circumstances, didn't need to overanalyze his words.

"If the dimensional key remains functional, why not give it a try considering what has transpired?"

At her suggestion, Davey nodded quietly. Metamorphosis by Force Stack 1. He only possessed a single stack at the moment, but that was precisely why he harbored no significant regrets.

‘I don't know where I can use it right now, let alone how much I need to accumulate.’

As he pulled down the titles marked with a plus sign, he suddenly stopped at the very last title he had obtained, Starbreaker.

[Star Breaker]

- Current efficacy not manifested. Unlock when Phantom and Skeleton Stack 1 is used.

"Starbreaker..."

It was an excessively arrogant title, but after a while of contemplation encouraged by Al, Davey cautiously extended his hand. With boldness, he invested the only Metamorphosis by Force Stack 1 he possessed. If there was a chance to accumulate more in the future, it was worth exploring the potential of the title.

Indeed, there were titles that could be activated even without utilizing a Metamorphosis by Force Stack.

[The Innocent Novice Sentenced to Innocence]

- Likability increases by 50% to the opposite sex.

- Emit an aura that escalates the heated atmosphere. Success rate of flirting increases by 1%.

It was such a lousy title. However, if even this lousy title yielded some effect, Davey concluded that a title with unlock conditions would possess extraordinary performance.

Thump!!! Crack!

As soon as he lightly tapped the plus sign next to the Starbreaker title, the sound of something shattering began to echo.

And then...

The hidden effectiveness of the title began to manifest. Its impact was rather astonishing.

"Wow... has the goddess finally gone mad?" Davey couldn't help but utter in disbelief.