The Max Level Hero Has Returned!
chapter-420

"Come down."

A stern voice that carried a potent magical aura rang out.

Boom!

The demon, who was struggling to control the resisting Black Dragon, gripped and shook the reins but could not withstand the dragon's defiance and crashed to the ground.

"Argh! Narsha! Why are you doing this... Argh!!"

"Snap out of it, Colt! Please, regain your senses, aargh!!"

Nevertheless, they were the lucky ones. Those who tried too hard to control the dragon were being bitten and mauled by the enraged beast, losing their lives instantly.

Boom!!

Soon enough, two, four... eight Black Dragons gathered around him. Watching the Black Dragons land before him one after another, as if catching a standard in formation, was a magnificent sight.

These Black Dragons were notorious for their ferocity. As they were typically cloned from hatchlings, they tended to rely more on instinct than intelligence, exhibiting a wild animal-like nature. For that reason, Davey had heard from Dark Lord Ares and Thousand-day Blacksmith Surtr that breeders often got bitten to death. These fierce Black Dragons were precisely the creatures in front of him.

"Who said they're ferocious?"

Grrrrr...

The Black Dragons, lowly growling and rubbing their snouts against Davey’s hand, were already enamored with him.

"Cough..."

The demons who had fallen but not died or lost consciousness wore expressions as if they were about to foam at the mouth. Their faces showed disbelief. The very Black Dragons who had bitten their caretakers were now bowing their heads and showing affection to a human boy they were seeing for the first time.

To their knowledge, only one being had ever elicited this behavior from Black Dragons—Dark Lord Perserque. The Black Dragon Troop only followed the Dark Lord's commands and were structured in such a way that they could not disobey. These mutated hatchling Black Dragons were absolutely loyal to only the Dark Lord, so it was absurd for them to behave this way toward anyone else.

There could be only one Dark Lord, especially now with Perserque solidifying her position on the throne. So, from the demons' perspective, this situation was both perplexing and stifling.

[You know, excessive interference won't benefit you. Please prioritize yourself.]

'How many people care for me as much as I do for myself?'

Briefly thinking, Davey, who had been stroking a dragon's snout, slowly approached the fallen demon."Speak."

"Cough... Human..."

"Speak. Where did you take the villagers?"

At the flash of red in Davey’s eyes, terror filled the demon's face. "D-Dark Lord..."

"Don't make me ask twice."

As Davey asked, spreading his potent magical aura, the fallen demon started trembling and opened his mouth. Despite its weight, the demon had to obey the Dark Lord – it was in their nature. So, this was not a matter of their resistance.

"All, all of them were captured... and taken back... to the stronghold. Those who resisted... were killed..."

"Enough. I understand. Go to sleep. However, when you wake up, don't cause any trouble. Just wait as if you're dead."

With that, the demon passed out, overwhelmed by Davey's magic. And it was not just him – the others were also affected. Considering the low level of their magical capacity, if exposure to this level was enough to make them faint, then Davey did not find it necessary to deal with them.

"Wait here."

"W-Who are... you?" When the survivor came to his senses, he looked at Davey with a wary gaze.

‘Oh, right, the illusion magic had worn off.’

"I'm Davey."

At the response, the man looked puzzled. But soon after, as Davey covered and then revealed his face with his hand, the man looked startled. "Your face..."

"Illusion magic it is. Now you know, you should be hiding like the dead," Davey said calmly as he embraced Aeria and hoisted her onto the back of the largest Black Dragon.

He made her sit in front of him, securing her with one arm around her waist to prevent her from falling, then tapped the dragon's neck. "Alright. Let's go."

He did not specify the destination.

However, this Black Dragon, driven only by instincts, seemed to understand Davey’s command. Its wings fluttered, and in no time, it shot up into the sky at an incredible speed. The massive Black Dragon was the lead, followed by dozens of other Black Dragons that also began to take flight.

Just after Davey left to find the Silver Chime, the beasts stormed the village. How did they discover his location? Davey could not tell, but one thing was certain. Those who could not find him were furious, and they had brutally dragged the villagers away, leaving only the Grimghast behind to continue the search for him. So now, he had no choice but to reveal himself, whom they were so desperate to find.

* * *

Thud!!!

"Urgh..." Euris grimaced and fell to the ground under a rough kick. She had been forcibly twisted and bound by her arms, and her face was bruised from several beatings. "Damn it..."

Despite her cursing, her eyes did not lose their fiery spirit.

Most people had lost hope in this world, wishing for nothing more than to live like the dead. The savior had disappeared, and the gods had forsaken humanity. Now, the ones worshiping gods in the continent were not humans, but demons.

The villagers were the same. The people who once had strong wills of resistance had realized reality. They had accepted that the continent was no longer for humans, but for demons. They had voluntarily become slaves.

Euris couldn't bear it. It all began when a mysterious foreigner appeared. This man suddenly arrived and drove away the demons that threatened their village. He saved her sister Aeonitia, who was suffering greatly, and expressed a desire for a strange stone that Euris had discovered while scouting the forest.

Initially, she was skeptical of his request, but she didn't want to show ingratitude for his help. So, she gave him the necklace containing the stone, and he vanished with the adorable beastfolk who accompanied him.

Everything seemed fine until the demons invaded and wreaked havoc. These demons, on a relentless search for something, turned out to be the dreaded Black Dragon Squad, the bane of the resistance.

With the Black Dragon Squad came a formidable force. The demons rampaged through the forest, growing increasingly frustrated as they failed to find what they sought. In response, they began violently capturing villagers, and many were killed for resisting. Euris was among those who stood up against them.

Luckily, she managed to survive. Female prisoners of war served to bolster the morale of the war-weary demons. 'I'd rather bite my tongue and die than be at the mercy of these damned demons!' she thought. However, choosing suicide wasn't easy, as she couldn't bear leaving her weak sister Aeonitia behind, especially after her recent childbirth.

Aeonitia was like an older sister to Euris. Despite once being of royal status, she never acted superior, not even with commoners. Instead, she cared for and fretted over everyone, earning their love. Now, she had been forcefully taken away.

"Move it!"

Thud!!

Euris crumpled to the ground once more, her body reeling from the force of a rough kick from behind. She couldn't help but shoot a defiant glare at the demon responsible, but her act of resistance only earned her a severe whipping in return.

"You arrogant wench!"

"Watch where you're looking!"

Smack! Smack!

"Ugh!" Despite enduring the harsh whippings, tears streamed down Euris' face, a tragic anger welling up within her. The pent-up fury she couldn't release gnawed at her, causing immense pain.

Amidst her suffering, a sudden change in the atmosphere caught her attention. The whipping abruptly ceased, and fear enveloped her as she lifted her head to see a colossal figure standing before her. Her eyes widened in terror, recognizing the dreadful being that had claimed the life of the last resistance commander.

It was Nyx, the First Lich—a colossal skull that seemed to send shivers through the very souls of those who beheld it. He regarded Euris with his glowing blue eyes and uttered, "A human with a fierce look I like."

His words resonated in her mind, unsettling her senses. Struggling to contain her rising nausea, she trembled before the fearsome being. Nyx was the one she feared, the one who had caused such devastation to the resistance.

"Speak. What drives you so?" Nyx inquired, but Euris remained silent.

"Is it because of them?" He seemed to probe into her mind, gesturing as if unraveling her thoughts.

"Kyaa!" Suddenly, another woman appeared, seemingly pulled from elsewhere.

"Sister! Master!"

The newcomers were the village chief and Aeonitia from her village. The village chief was badly beaten, with no part of his body spared. Aeonitia, who had recently given birth, was also mistreated, her skirt stained with fresh blood.

Seeing them in such a dire state, Euris broke into tears and cursed Nyx. "Damn you, bald-headed creature! I curse you! Even in death, I'll kill you!"

In response to her fear turning into rage, Nyx approached her, intrigued. He gripped her head and said chillingly, "Overcoming fear, not bad at all. But you fail to understand one thing."

"…"

"I am the master of the dead, a king. Only the god of the demons, her Majesty, can harm me. Nothing else can."

Despite his chilling words, Euris clenched her teeth, tears streaming down her face.

"Join me. I'll grant you power."

"Screw you, mad bald-headed skull creature! Why are you doing this? We just want to live quietly in the forest. Why are you doing this to us!!"

Hearing her vehement plea, Nyx's eyes flickered. "The more you resist, the more those you love will suffer."

As he spoke, Nyx gestured, and the demons advanced toward the two captives with malevolent grins. They began to brutally attack the village chief and violate Aeonitia.

"No, no!"

Triggered by the trauma, Aeonitia screamed in horror, but the demons showed no mercy.

"Why are you doing this to us!!!"

"Why am I doing this…?" Nyx let out a chilling laugh as he muttered, "It's just bad luck. That small village held no interest for me. But you, you have quite an affinity with mana. If you are stimulated a little, you could become very strong."

Euris was overwhelmed with anger at his absurd justification. In despair, she wanted to cry, but instead, she reached out and grabbed Nyx's skull.

"Damn you, bald-headed skull creature! Okay! I get it! Just leave those two alone!!"

In the end, it was surrender. At Euris' desperate plea, Nyx raised his hand, and the beatings stopped, along with the demons' actions toward Aeonitia.

"Good. Follow me."

"What exactly are you planning to do with me?"

"The Unrivaled Angel Project. It was left incomplete due to a runaway test subject in the past, but with your participation, it could be completed."

Euris cared little for the Unrivaled Angel Project or anything else.

‘But if the two are safe for now...’ With that thought, Euris slowly took the hand that Nyx extended to her.

A black aura coiled like a snake, seeping into her entire body.

"The contract is complete."

Nyx turned and began to move, and like jesters following a scripted play, the demons resumed their actions, moving along with him.

"Ah!!!"

"Stay still!!"

Pound, pound!!

On one side, the beating resumed once more.

Seeing this, Euris was shocked and screamed, "Chief!! Sister!! This isn't what we agreed on! Leave them alone!!"

At her desperate scream, Nyx halted his step, turning back to face her. He then clicked his tongue disdainfully. "You have already accepted my offer. The erosion of your mind is complete, resistance is pointless."

Euris looked at him with a hardened expression. "What do you mean…?"

"And did you really think that losers like you have any rights? Pathetic human." Nyx's chilling words cut through the air, mocking her situation.

At Nyx's cold words, tears streamed down Euris's face. 'Please... Please... Someone, anyone, please...’

She wanted to be saved from this hell. If there really was a god, she wanted to grab him by the collar and beg. ‘Please, someone, help. ‘

Contrary to her thoughts, as Nyx had said, Euris’ physical body was moving on its own, controlled by a strange power.

"I am the king of the dead, the king of golems. I do not grant self-consciousness to my puppets," Nyx proclaimed.

At his words, Euris gasped for breath and bit her lips forcefully. Her body, under Nyx's control, was pushed to its limit as she clenched her lips in frustration and despair.

Suddenly, Euris noticed Nyx coming to a halt. He appeared to be blocked by someone—a boy considerably shorter than him. The boy was a stranger with black hair and eyes that had a reddish tint. Euris wondered where he came from and when he had appeared.

The boy's smile seemed familiar to her. Yes, it was similar to the smile of the man who had suddenly appeared before them earlier.

"Quite a chatterbox, aren’t you?" Davey said to Nyx.

Nyx grumbled under his breath, taken aback by the boy's presence. "Hm?"

The boy's smile deepened at the sound of Nyx's voice. "Agreed. There are no rights for losers."

In the demon’s base, a human had appeared out of nowhere. Then, Euris recognized him. He was the same mysterious man who had helped Aeonitia and taken the necklace. Somehow, his appearance had changed, but he seemed more natural than before.

"A human? Where did you come from?" Nyx questioned, looking down at the boy. He found no one like the boy among the humans the demons had captured. Then, he murmured, "Hmm… You have quite a vessel for mana too. Follow me and then…"

"To be honest, I am not desperate enough to serve under a bonehead lich like you."

Surrounded by demons, in front of his greatest enemy, the boy’s words were bold. The area was already filled with demons who surrounded the boy, and he was facing Nyx, the ultimate power among demons. Yet, the boy seemed so relaxed.

Even including the rebel commander, many who faced Nyx had perished without inflicting serious damage. Euris wanted to scream that he should run and that the giant skull in front of him was not something he could face alone, but she found herself unable to speak.

And, just as Euris feared, Nyx began to emanate a great power, as if he were about to pass judgment on the overly confident human. "Fearless human! I don’t know how you got in, but by my will, you are a creature that is neither alive nor dead…"

"Geez, you talk too much. You're just a hollow skull."

There was a short silence, then Nyx's eyes flared. Simultaneously, the ground twisted into a massive mouth, as if to swallow the boy whole. Nyx’s instinctively unleashed power hindered movement. In front of the overwhelming power difference, the boy’s future seemed to be nothing but being swallowed by the giant mouth.

Was this madman aware of where he is?! Just as Euris was about to scream, she froze due to the unfolding situation. It was not just her, everyone else was the same. The giant mouth in the ground that was about to swallow the boy suddenly halted at a certain distance, as if resisting the will of its conjurer.

"You were just unlucky, Nyx," the boy said, echoing Nyx’s own words to Euris. The boy seemed to know Nyx well. "Don’t you recognize me? I’m pretty familiar to you. Just think of it as dying due to bad luck."

With those words, everything began to change. From the boy who was not feeling anything at all, a power that seemed to change the world began to emanate along with his smile. Then, Nyx’s giant skeletal body wobbled for a moment, and began to crumble. What was happening was unclear, but one thing was certain.

From Nyx's mouth came a voice that sounded incredulous. "It... can't... be..."

On the other hand, the voice of the boy, who was the cause of the situation, was extremely relaxed. "It can be, stupid."