The Max Level Hero Has Returned!
chapter-383

"Keuaaaaack!" The paladin, who had been dragged into a room and thrown onto the floor, shrieked in pain.

"First Judge Clonnie, I have brought the sinner."

"Thank you for your hard work," responded Clonnie, dressed in red armor.

She smiled benevolently before turning toward the statue of the goddess, placed on one side of the underground prison, and reciting a short prayer.

[Please forgive this sinner and allow him to atone for his sins...]

A suffocating silence draped over the area for a moment. The man who had overpowered the paladin looked at Clonnie with contempt. However, neither he nor the rest of the people inside the underground prison stopped her from what she was doing.

"Then... let's begin the trial."

A loud grating sound resonated through the area as Clonnie stood up and approached the captured paladin. She asked quietly, "Do you know why you have been brought here?"

"I have nothing to say to heretics who have gone against the teachings of the goddess."

"Oh, my. A heretic speaking about heresy to people who specialize in catching heretics," Clonnie said calmly, mercilessly slapping the paladin.

Slap!!!

“Kghhk!!!”

Clonnie O’Priscille was a teenage girl, but she possessed an unusual amount of power and strength for someone her age. Consequently, a single strike from her would certainly not be weak.

"I would rather you... kill me... than insult me like this!"

Clonnie simply grinned in response to the paladin’s pleas.

"Every life is considered precious. Purity is paramount, especially for those who repent and receive the mercy of the goddess," Clonnie spoke calmly, gathering power in her palms as she grabbed the paladin's chin. She then pressed the divine object, shaped like a cross, closer to the paladin and continued, "The goddess' messenger has bestowed upon us this divine object. It possesses the power to distinguish between believers and heretics. If you are a heretic, this item will turn black."

Upon hearing her words, the paladin spat at Clonnie's cheek.

"L-Lady Clonnie!" exclaimed the people who were protecting her, startled by the act. In their rush to reach Clonnie, they accidentally trampled the captured paladin.

"Please, stop. We all adhere to the teachings of the goddess. His punishment will come after the revelation, once all of his sins have been exposed," Clonnie calmly stated as she wiped the spit from her chin.

Using the same hand she had used to wipe her chin, Clonnie grabbed the paladin and activated the divine object.

Vwooooong…

The cross that she firmly believed would turn black…

“He is…not a sinner.”

…did not change.

“What…?”

Even the standby paladins, who were there for protection, looked on at the scene in disbelief.

"Ha... Hahaha... Hahahahahahaha! That's right. God has taught us to remain benevolent and always show mercy. He did not teach us to kill indiscriminately like you! Go ahead, kill me! I will die, but know that I am pure and clean. I will die as a martyr!"

Clonnie, listening to the paladin's words, rose slowly as she gazed at the cross. Then, she said, "Lock this man up again."

"What?!"

"Those who aren’t heretics are not subject to our punishments. They are the people we are meant to protect."

"B-But he is the enemy!"

"The enemy?" Clonnie's smile vanished from her face. "The only ones we are supposed to punish are heretics and demonkin. That is what the revelation has said. Since when did we allow our personal feelings to interfere with the sacred trial of heresy?"

Caught off guard by Clonnie's decision, the paladin looked both absurd and embarrassed.

"Heretics must be purified and compelled to repent. However, if they are not heretics or demonkin..." Clonnie grasped her head tightly as she groaned, "Ugh!"

Clonnie appeared to be in pain, her brows furrowing, as someone slowly emerged from the flustered paladins and impaled the captured paladin's body with a sword.

"L-Leader!"

Clonnie, supported by one of the surprised paladins, struggled to look up at the uninvited guest who had entered the room. It was then that she saw a middle-aged man exuding an air of benevolence and kindness.

“You shouldn’t do that, First Judge Clonnie.”

“L-Leader.”

“Didn’t I tell you? Punish the heretics and the demonkin. That is what the revelation that the goddess has bestowed upon us.”

“B-But that man…”

“He’s a heretic.”

Clonnie's eyes widened at the man's short and firm words. "But... the divine object..."

"He's a heretic. There was just a slight problem with the divine object."

The man’s words were a stretch, but he continued with the charade, a grin on his face. "Clonnie, have you forgotten? Have you forgotten how your parents were mercilessly slaughtered by those demonkin when you were young?"

"Demon...kin..." Madness began to taint Clonnie's shaking pupils. "Demonkin... that's right. The demonkin, all of them, should be purified."

"That's right. Who am I? Who is this person standing in front of you?"

"God's... messenger. The one who received God's revelation."

"That's right. The great and mighty Goddess Freyja has sent an Apostle of God to fulfill the mission she has bestowed upon us. This being is currently protecting us from the corrupted saint who has been possessed by the demonkin and the fallen Holy Empire."

"He may appear possessed by the demonkin, but through the formal trial..."

"Dear me. This is also your issue. Being too rigid and honest isn't always the correct answer," he said calmly, pushing Clonnie to the ground. "Lock her up in the tower. First Judge Clonnie dared to question my decision as God's Messenger."

"B-But Leader..."

"Oh? Are you going to defy the words of God's Messenger?" The man's eyes briefly gleamed with sharpness.

Witnessing the glint, the paladins could only nod slowly and drag the unconscious Clonnie away.

As for the paladin who had been stabbed earlier, he vomited a mouthful of blood while glaring at the man with bloodshot eyes. "Orthodox... Heresy Inquisition Leader Collosus Griam..."

"Hoo... It seems you know me well. Are you a first-ranked paladin?"

"Bastard! Your wicked deeds have gone too far! God taught us to show mercy and never engage in mindless killings!"

Collosus Griam simply grinned at the paladin's dying words. "Indeed. God truly taught us how to show mercy. But what mercy did that god, who taught us mercy, show me?"

"What…?"

"Anyway, it's nothing. I have dedicated my entire life to serving God. I have chosen to tread this dark path, doing the dirty work and even shifting blame onto others. I don't mind if others don't know what I've done, but what about God? She didn't even acknowledge me or the things I did," Collosus said calmly as he walked forward. "When I first encountered her, it was merely a coincidence. I saved her on a whim."

"Who...are you talking about?" the paladin asked.

"Ah, there's no need for you to know. Let me continue my story. She was quite a beauty, so I saved her. But it turned out she was an existence I couldn't treat so carelessly. I felt fear, the same fear I experience in the presence of God."

And so, he obeyed her. Did others know what happened to him after doing so? That existence—God's Apostle! An immensely powerful being who called himself Megalodria! His existence could be described as the epitome of power! And he couldn't even defy her!

A faint smile appeared on Collosus' face. "She said she has come here to find someone of her own kind. From what I heard, the person she was seeking arrived here a few decades ago. But she never heard anything from them, so she came in search of them."

"Where... Where did that person come from?" the paladin questioned.

"That... I don't know. The only thing that matters to me is the fact that she entrusted me with the authority to command God's Apostle, Megalodria."

The paladin clenched his teeth. "I found it strange when the inquisition suddenly started acting irrational, but..."

"They might be individuals driven solely by the desire to punish heretics, but they are humans too. In order for them to kill the people I wanted them to kill, I had to manipulate their minds. Especially that unique and special individual, Clonnie O'Priscille."

Silence hung in the air.

"She was already formidable from the beginning. I don't know why she possessed such power, but... Ah, right. I believe she was called a Trait Ability User? From what I gathered, they are individuals capable of dealing with a variety of abilities and powers. Regardless, when she was young, she witnessed her parents being devoured by the demonkin. As a result, she harbors a strong aversion toward heretics. However, for a lunatic like her, she is completely sincere and naive, particularly when it comes to non-heretics. And that is her greatest flaw."

Collosus, upon discovering that Clonnie couldn't fully utilize her powers, brainwashed her entirely. By her own volition, she incinerated those whom the false divine object had deemed heretics, using her overwhelming power.

What was the truth? Did it matter whether she knew or not? She was nothing more than a mindless killer with blood on her hands.

Collosus grinned, his smile concealing a hideous darkness entirely distinct from Clonnie's madness.

"You're insane! Absolutely insane! How dare you deceive your own subordinates?" the paladin exclaimed.

"That's right. So what if I've gone mad? As long as I achieve what I desire, it's all fine..." Collosus retorted.

"The Saint and the Archbishop will undoubtedly hold you accountable for all your evil deeds. You should beg for God's mercy, you damned heretic!”

"A heretic is someone who betrays God. But you know what? It's not heresy when your opponent worships the same God."

The paladin regarded Collosus with revulsion upon hearing his words.

"Anyway, the Saint will meet his demise at the hands of God's Apostle. God's Apostle is an incredibly potent being. So why don't we wait for the outcome, hmm?" Collosus suggested with a chilling grin.

***

[The unsealing has succeeded! The second ability of the title ‘Starbreaker’ will now be released!]

Ping!!!

Davey listened intently to the sound ringing in his ears, his gaze fixed on the shifting contents of the title. After a moment, he was finally able to take in everything and assess the situation.

[Starbreaker]

(A title given to the one that can mimic a portion of an exploding celestial body.)

—The 1st Seal has been completely lifted.

—Mana Affinity will increase by +100% upon title equipment.

—Absorbs up to 10% of the title user’s mana in just two hours.

—Upon title equipment, the title user can control mana by his own will.

—Additional mana will be absorbed according to the will of the title user.

The words added to the title were simple, yet they held immense significance for Davey. This line represented the installment savings plan that Davey had longed for, allowing him to withdraw funds whenever he desired. It was his best option at this moment.

"Good. I have dedicated my life to reaching this moment," Davey declared confidently, springing up from his seat.

All the beings present, previously occupied with their own activities and idly passing time, turned their attention toward Davey. However, he paid no heed to their gazes. He simply approached the crack that separated the disconnected space and halted the ongoing conflict.

As time passed, the number of paladins in the Orthodox Heresy Inquisition had dwindled significantly, recognizing that they couldn't continue fighting due to the space being disconnected. Nonetheless, the remaining individuals watched Davey's approach with nervous anticipation.

Meanwhile, Megalodria, adorned with red and blue scales and feathers, and towering several meters in height, remained curled up with closed eyes. It was engrossed in restoring its strength.

Thump!!! Thump!!!

Amidst the tense gazes of everyone present, Davey finally reached the crack that had split and torn the space between them. He tapped on it forcefully with his bare hands, mustering his loudest voice. "Hey, you punk! Open this damn door!"

Naturally, there was no way the cracked space could be repaired instantly. After repeatedly striking the crack with strength, Davey squinted. He had finally grasped the pattern of the fracture.

"It would take around a day and a half, almost two days..."

There was enough time. Since the plan was already in motion, all he needed to do was prepare to execute it.

Vwoooooooong!

Davey immediately extended one hand and released his mana. Simultaneously, magic circles emitting a brilliant purple light appeared in the sky above him, on the ground beneath his feet, above his head, and in front, behind, left, and right of him.

Magic circles began to manifest and envelop the surrounding space. Like dust being drawn into a vacuum cleaner, the mana in the vicinity started flowing into Davey's body.

With a substantial amount of mana in his hands, Davey swiftly calculated countless magical formulas in his mind. Then, he cast his mana, unleashing its power.

‘I will show you why a pre-casting mage is called a cheat.’

***

A day had passed since Davey initiated the maintenance of the magic circles around him.

Rinne, who had finally realized that Davey was already engaged in a task, swiftly recalled the golems she had released and positioned herself by his side.

Perserque quietly nestled into Davey's pockets, observing the unfolding situation. Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon transformed back into their sword forms and hung from Davey's waist.

As for Alice? She had chosen to hide far away, disregarding Davey's warnings, and kept a watchful eye on the events.

"You'll probably need another day for this... to work. But are you okay? Continuing without sleep?" Perserque anxiously inquired, observing Davey standing motionless like a statue ever since he activated the magic circles a day ago.

"I'm fine," Davey replied, moistening his lips a few times before answering. "This should be sufficient."

Davey's statement captured the attention of everyone present.

"Everyone, please move as far away as possible."

Rinne promptly took Perserque, who was still in her small form, and stepped back to a safe distance.

Then, Davey slowly, painstakingly began to manipulate one of the magic circles.

Vwoooooooong!!!

Simultaneously, an immense amount of mana surged, forming a colossal vortex of five-colored mana that converged around Davey. Then, as if propelled by a powerful current, the vortex soared skyward, drawing in more mana.

This was the culmination of the magic that Davey had diligently prepared, crystallized on his fingertips over the course of several days.

Perserque observed the extraordinary mana flow in the air, sensing a growing sense of danger. Rinne, likewise, swiftly pulled Perserque along, increasing the distance between themselves and Davey, driven by an instinctive sense of crisis.

Following suit, the Azure Sky's Storm Dragon King, Megalodria, a being attuned to the mana's movements, slowly opened its large reptilian eyes and fixed its gaze upon Davey.

‘Goodness. You found out about my plan, but you’re already far too late.’

“How much time do we have left?”

Megalodria could not hear Davey’s voice since the space between them had been cut off. However, it was looking at Davey and his shit-eating grin.

[Reversed 8th Circle]

[Blazing Fireball]

[White Nova]

The reversed magic known as White Nova was a modified version of the spell Davey had used against the World Tree, which had perished at his hands. It was a creation of the deranged mage Odin, often referred to as the God of Mages. This magic prioritized destructive power over efficiency, rendering it highly inefficient.

During his previous encounter, Davey had been a mere 8th Circle mage, exhausting all the mana within his body. However, this time he had advanced to become a 9th Circle Mage, and he had spent several days gathering and accumulating mana to charge the reversed 8th Circle magic.

Additionally, he possessed the title of Exploding Star, which optimized mana efficiency and compensated for magic with low efficiency.

"Well then, it would be nice if time passed swiftly, don't you think?"

Megalodria took several cautious steps back, nervously observing Davey. The King of Mythical Beasts was well aware that it wouldn't emerge unscathed if directly struck by this attack. Its pale face appeared even more ghostly against the backdrop of its blue feathers.