The Max Level Hero Has Returned!
chapter-419

A forbidden command had been imposed on the creatures. From ancient times, it was a realm that should never be violated.

[In the name of God, a curse will be cast. Even in death, you will find no rest, forever trapped and suffering.]

An arrogant human, driven by a desire to reach the divine, dared to cross a line never meant to be crossed, ultimately invoking the wrath and curse of God. As a result, the living were condemned to isolation from the world, forced into the depths of the earth, becoming the cursed dead. They were destined to suffer indefinitely, lost and eternally unhealed.

The king could only watch helplessly, sighing at the devastating sight. It all began with pure curiosity and the aspiration to propel civilization forward. If the duplication of the Silver Chime succeeded, centuries of progress were anticipated. However, the outcome left him with a hollow feeling, as it brought nothing but immense pain to his beloved kingdom and its people.

Those afflicted by the curse found themselves trapped within the kingdom's boundaries, enduring ceaseless torment. The king narrowly escaped the curse, but this only deepened his despair. He couldn't bear the sorrow of knowing that innocent souls had to suffer due to his actions. Yet, amidst his daily lamentation, a glimmer of hope appeared.

In a dream, he encountered an enigmatic presence...

‘Leave the kingdom and head east. There, you will find answers.’

Unable to find a way to lift the curse of God, he had made a solemn promise to the suffering people of the kingdom, "I will surely return and save you."

With that determination, he embarked on a journey to the east, and 5,000 years elapsed.

In essence, his mission ended in failure.

[The east, yes. Where the Holy Kingdom of Valchas is now. There, I received a divine revelation. There is no mercy for those who violate the taboo. Forever be an eye, watching over the world's flow. All of this was a kind of divine punishment.]

As a result, the kingdom of Prugrepf, along with its entire civilization, fell under a curse, and all records of its existence were wiped from the world, turning it into a forgotten civilization that no one knew about.

[Time passed and a holy kingdom was built where my body fell. Originally, I could only watch the world flow and the kingdom's people suffer.]

"But it seems to me that you're talking quite well now."

[I don't know. For some reason, the divine power that blocked my interference has weakened.]

So, as Davey manifested the karma of taboo, the weakening of divine influence in the world became an opportunity for the Observer. Originally, the world was not at that level, but in a parallel world, the divine influence weakened unspeakably, and thanks to that, the ancient king was able to come to Davey’s side.

"Did you deceive me?"

[No, I never thought that someone, who focuses on realistic and practical aspects of life like you, would empathize with their pain and save them.]

The problem was that Davey, who had come here to get the Silver Chime, committed an act that went beyond his expectations.

[The curse of God does not disappear unless God withdraws his anger. You shattered that. Can you imagine?]

At the voice of the Observer, Davey quietly closed his eyes and murmured, "The one that Princess Aeria absorbed..."

[The Silver Chime, the original. The duplicates had all been destroyed under my command. This is a precious item that can't be found anywhere else in the world.]

It was the only treasure left in the world.

[God did not give me the right to approach the dying kingdom people due to the curse, so...]

"So?"

[I prayed to God, prayed again, and repented for my sins. I prayed desperately, and after about 4,000 years had passed, I was given a chance. I believed that if I could maintain the balance of this world, God would soothe his anger. Isn't it ironic? I was asked to balance when all I could do was watch. It was a deception.]

If only he could break the curse, he would do anything, but in reality, he could not interfere beyond being a mere observer.

"But recently, an opportunity presented itself."

[Indeed, that's right. Suddenly, as the influence of God weakened, I could at least interfere with my voice. And that's when I found you, someone from outside the world.]

He was willing to use Davey's power to complete the trade with God, even if it meant giving up the Silver Chime, a treasure of the kingdom. However, he never imagined that the curse could be broken in such a brute way.

[But... What are you? How on earth did you break God's curse...]

"There are many things I have hidden. Well, now there's no need to maintain the balance and rush."

At Davey’s words, the Observer fell silent.

[There were many deaths. Weren't they precious lives too? A tension-filled hell punctuated by hatred and vengeance would have been better.]

Having watched the world for a long time, he unintentionally came to love it. That was why, even though the curse on the kingdom's people disappeared and a way to rest was opened to them, he could not easily leave.

"Ahh... Ahh... Oh, Sovereign," a clay soldier still bearing a crown in its sickly form approached Davey, lowering his head in front of him. "You, unlike the king who betrayed us, are the grand being who has saved us."

The kingdom's people had no idea how desperate their king had been to save them, a secret from the ancient Prugrepf civilization. It was a secret the king himself did not wish to share, considering he was the one who had inflicted long years of suffering upon his people.

"Although we obtained the chance to tread the path of reincarnation with the aid of the grand being..." With these words, the statues started to move, bowing their enormous forms to kneel before Davey.

The countless clay soldiers followed suit, bending their bodies to him as well.

"If we cannot repay the grace of the grand being, we are not even worthy of leaving..." His voice, once filled with hatred and madness, had cleared. He continued, "Please... grant us the opportunity to be of service to the grand being."

Davey silently closed his eyes. He had already obtained the Silver Chime necessary for Aeria. All that remained was to check her condition during the limited time left and to depart. There was nothing left for him to do in this place.

[Time is short. Stop thinking too much and prepare to leave.]

"I was just about to."

[If the moment comes when you are needed in this world, you will be called upon again. However, now is not that time. Now, it's just a coincidence.]

The deity did not intentionally send Davey to this place. Instead, upon noticing his arrival, the deity neither reprimanded nor exploited him. Well, it was not a bad outcome in retrospect. Due to this encounter, he gained more than he could have expected.

"Stop talking nonsense and make your vows. You don't have much time left."

"Ahh... Ahh... Oh, Sovereign."

The bowed figures seemed to promise not to hinder his departure. Ignoring them, Davey gently picked up Aeria and exited the dungeon.

* * *

Aeria showed no signs of waking up. The Silver Chime had the ability to enhance immunity, capable of nullifying any penalties imposed upon her.

Carrying a sleeping Aeria on his back, Davey exited the ruins, ignoring the gaze of the governor watching him from the entrance. But he had not gone far before a strange smell filled his nose, the smell of something burning…

The first thing he heard was a tremendous boom. Then, he saw a giant black-scaled creature staring down at him. The massive monster, a Black Dragon, was holding a small pig in its mouth.

Upon spotting Davey, it roared furiously, its eyes gleaming. However, the creature's roar did not last long. Something seemed to distort, and its body collapsed on the spot.

"A Black Dragon hatchling? Have the demons decided to cause trouble?" Davey muttered, squinting into the empty air. "You told me nobody knew."

[Umm…]

"Given your viewpoint, Observer, you should be able to see clearly what is happening where. Are you still not going to say anything important?"

[There are times when ignorance is bliss.]

Davey, now stepping into the heart of the village, could see the black smoke filling the sky. His baby sister, Aeonitia, who had just given birth not too long ago, must have been there. Even though the Aeonitia of this world had no significant connection to him, that did not mean she had ceased to be Aeonitia.

The village was in complete chaos. Seeing the village engulfed in flames, Davey quickened his pace and managed to find another survivor, a man. He asked, "What happened?”

"Attack... From the sky... The demons..." The man, shaking uncontrollably, raised his head. As he finished speaking, the man collapsed, seemingly exhausted.

"Who told you to die without finishing your sentence?"

Woong!!!

"Please, bless me with full power, damn Goddess."

[9th Level Holy Magic]

[High Recovery]

"Don't die on your own accord."

Suddenly, a large burst of light began to spread. At the same time, hatchling-class Black Dragons started to rise and fly in Davey's direction from all around.

These Black Dragons were different from regular hatchlings, as they were affected by magic that prevented them from growing. Despite being young, they were known for their unusual strength, a significant factor in their past fame. They were called the Grimghast, or the Black Dragon Troop, a name of considerable renown.

"Ugh...ugh..." The man who had thought he was dead regained consciousness as he was enveloped in the warm light. He stared up at Davey with a blank expression. "What's going on...?"

"Never mind that. What's the matter? You were dying even before you could speak."

At Davey's words, the man looked at him with a baffled expression, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Answer me."

"T-The demons attacked us! They took all the villagers!"

Hearing his desperate outcry, Davey glanced at the numerous Black Dragons gathering around him as if to encircle him.

[Go back to the port city of Valchas. The people here might have been precious to you, but they are from a different world. You have no reason to sacrifice yourself anymore.]

Ignoring the Observer’s advice, Davey quietly watched the Black Dragons. Reckless interference would gradually increase the danger. However, hearing that Aeonitia, who had just given birth, had been taken by the demons, something boiled within him.

"A human? A human, indeed!"

When one of the demons riding on the back of a Black Dragon shouted, another demon pulled out a small piece of paper and compared it to Davey's face. Due to the magic dispelling upon arriving here, Davey's current appearance was perfectly identical to his original form.

"We found him! This is the human!"

The demons would naturally recognize him. The Black Dragons encircled Davey as the shouting demon pointed at him, ready to attack him at any moment.

"Where did you take the villagers from here?"

At Davey's question, the demon sneered coldly. "Hah! Human bastard! We've got nothing to say to you! Everyone, charge your breaths!"

With that shout, the Black Dragons began to gather a cold black breath in their mouths. It appeared these dragons had evolved from Blue Dragons, known for manipulating coldness, into Black Dragons. The surrounding temperature started to plummet.

Ten or so Black Dragons surrounded Davey, and dozens more were circling the sky. It was an excessive force to wipe out a small village. In other words, they were here to find Davey.

But how? Before he could ponder that, Davey prioritized protecting Aeria, whom he was holding, from exposure to the cold by spreading a thin veil around her.

Seeing him only bow his head without taking any action, the demons seemed to think he had given up and showed a relaxed demeanor.

"Hah! Are you scared? The chief of staff said to capture you if we can. If you beg for your life right now, we might spare you!"

Several Black Dragons thrust their heads forward as if to intimidate and provoke Davey, bellowing loudly.

The man who had collapsed on the ground began to shudder, seemingly despairing at the sight of the gathering Black Dragons. "It's over... It's all over..."

It seemed that even though Davey had beaten the Swordmaster as if he were nothing, the survivor thought there was nothing Davey could do now.

After a brief consideration, Davey slowly lifted his head and began to gather his magic energy, which was initially suppressed by different forces.

"Beg for your life."

Upon hearing Davey's quiet mumble, one of the Black Dragons that locked eyes with him froze.

"I command you in the name of the king."

After all, Davey was still the Dark Lord. The Grimghast were Black Dragons that obeyed the Dark Lord's command absolutely. Which meant, they were all his.

"All of you, kneel."

Davey’s quiet voice echoed swiftly. Then, after a brief silence, the movements of the Black Dragons began to change.

"What, what?! Kaaahh!!!"

The Black Dragons, which had thrown off and torn apart the demons on their backs, came down in an orderly manner and started to bow their heads in front of Davey. The remaining demons were left aghast at this absurd situation, their mouths hanging open. They then looked at Davey.

"Why are the Black Dragons…?"

"Why? They're obeying because their king commanded them. What could you guys possibly do to refuse?"

Confusion started to show on the demons’ faces.