The Max Level Hero Has Returned!
chapter-441

Milpieu, despite her half-blood heritage, stood out as an exceptional vampire. To put it simply, her blood manipulation ability was truly remarkable. However, among them, the Vampire Lord was regarded as the most superior and significant existence.

So, Davey, his face concealed by a black mask, burst into Shakuntala Academy's female dormitory, abducted the still-sleeping Josiah Frances, and swiftly flew back to Heins Territory. He found himself in a situation where he had no time to explain, unsure of when the evidence would vanish.

Josiah, cradled in Davey's arms during their journey to Heins Territory, awakened the moment they arrived and regarded him with confusion. However, after a brief explanation, her expression began to change.

Josiah was none other than the sole Vampire Lord in existence. While her knowledge of vampires might be limited, she was a pure-blooded vampire possessing powers incomparable to the previous, incomplete generation of Vampire Lords. After discovering Josiah's existence, Milpieu had initially been shocked but soon lost interest in her.

Josiah had been raised as a human child and was merely an apprentice mage. However, beneath her surface, she possessed a power that could rival a gangster's authority. After all, her power was formidable enough to reshape continents. In comparison to a marquis-ranked vampire, Josiah exhibited a heightened sensitivity to the flow of blood.

What Davey presented to her were bloodstains - the remnants of the psychopath's blood, and no one else's. The item he had gifted to Josiah could already be considered an artifact due to its complete infusion with simple magic. Perhaps the assailant had attempted to break the necklace when he tried to abduct her, inadvertently shedding some blood in the process. It appeared almost like divine intervention, a miraculous act facilitated by an item infused with counter-attacking magic.

Josiah seemed repulsed by the grisly scene in the warehouse. However, it didn't take her long to employ her power on [Grim]'s bloodstains. Acting on instinct as she awakened her abilities as the Vampire Lord, Josiah imposed the vampire's unique blood energy magic upon the blood, using it to track down Grim.

Surprisingly, the reason Davey couldn't trace him through the blood's scent was because Grim possessed a trait ability to create his unique space within a normal one.

Upon hearing Josiah's explanation, Davey caused the entire space to tremble until he managed to create an opening. The powers of a trait ability user were comparable to an independent superpower. However, they weren't quite as autonomous as the Abyss's powers. As long as Davey could create a gap through which he could fit, breaking through was possible.

"Gah!" Grim staggered as he attempted to rise, his body refusing to cooperate.

"Damn it," Grim muttered to himself as he retreated a step and retrieved something from his pocket. He then attempted to ingest it.

However, Josiah promptly launched an assault, brutally attacking him, leaving him no room to catch his breath.

“You f*cking lunatic!”

Kick! Kick!

Despite enduring relentless kicks, Grim remained conscious and displayed no signs of pain.

Josiah Frances was evidently a highly skilled apprentice mage of Class F, specializing in battle magic and mana control. How on earth had she become so ruthless? She even infused her staff with mana to augment her attack power.

"Where in the world did you learn such brutality?" Grim finally managed to speak.

"From the instructor," Josiah replied.

After a brief silence, Davey cleared his throat and intervened. "That's enough, Josiah."

"Instructor! Let me handle this scum..." Josiah attempted to protest to Davey but recoiled immediately after.

Seizing the opportunity, Davey approached Grim and seized his head. He remarked, "You seem to possess quite a few interesting items, don't you?"

‘Why don’t we share it?’

"Fufu… fufufufufufu," Grim maintained a grim smile as Davey held him firmly. "Impressive, you found me. But why the solemn faces? A smile suits you better."

Grim's voice remained relaxed, devoid of any hint of pain.

Just as Josiah, increasingly furious, prepared to act, Grim vanished, fading from sight like a specter.

Swooosh!

Clack!

Then, through mysterious means, he reappeared some distance away, a large pistol aimed squarely at Davey's head.

Clang!

Grim squeezed the trigger, sending another bullet hurtling at Davey with devastating force. However, Davey simply waved his hand, deftly catching the bullet between his fingers.

He had employed the Yin Yang Arts, a martial style distinct from the Heavenly Demon Arts he had learned from Heavenly Destroyer Dokgo Jun, to intercept the bullet mid-air and dissolve it into nothingness.

Thump…

Grim narrowed his eyes at the spectacle, his mask briefly twitching as he watched the bullet fall from Davey's hands.

"What an absurd speed, huh? This won't be a walk in the park," Grim commented, exuding not just belief but confidence in his ability to take down Davey.

"But not at this moment," Grim murmured briefly as he aimed his gun at Davey, another salvo of bullets hurtling toward him.

Clang! Clang, clang!!!

In response, Davey lightly raised his foot and delivered a powerful stomp to the ground.

Thud!!!

The earth shook and quaked under the immense force.

[Taiji Yin Yang Arts]

[Energy Defense Barrier]

Fwoosh, fwoosh!!!

The bullets pierced flesh with an eerie and gruesome sound, but the flesh they penetrated did not belong to Davey.

"Ugh," Grim groaned, taken aback by the sudden impact, curling in on himself.

A bullet lodging into one's body should cause intense pain, but Grim felt none, only the force of impact.

Grim clicked his tongue and adjusted his mask when he realized his limited mobility. He muttered, "It's regrettable, but I have to employ the tricks I've concealed."

"Josiah, get everyone out," Davey murmured quietly, his gaze fixed on Grim.

Josiah looked at Davey with uncertainty, but the expression on Davey's face made her flinch and step back. "Y... Yes."

The apprentice mage swiftly ushered the remaining survivors out of the space.

Meanwhile, Grim fired another bullet. However, just as an expert catches a fly, Davey snatched it from the air. Then, he inquired, "You're not from this world, are you?"

Grim, the infamous serial killer who had terrorized the entire continent for decades, was someone who shared the same name but was clearly a different person.

"Davey, what are you saying?" Perserque, who had shrunk herself and now sat on his shoulders, asked.

However, it was Grim who responded. "Ho? That's surprising. Usually, NPCs would never detect that I'm an outsider."

The mention of the word 'NPC' raised questions. NPCs were non-playable characters, essentially the game's artificial intelligence.

With the influence of Goddess Freyja weakening, the protective curtain around this world had visibly weakened as well. It wouldn't be strange for someone from another world to arrive here. Yet, there was something about Grim's body that Davey found peculiar, something he couldn't dismiss as a mere transfer to this world.

"You may not know what this is, but you defended against it quite effectively, didn't you? But how about this?" Grim pulled something out of his pocket, a very long gun that shouldn't have fit in a pocket.

‘An anti-materiel sniper rifle.’

The expression in Grim’s eyes shifted as he completed assembling the massive gun.

"Activate Skill: Reaper Possession."

Even his demeanor began to transform. If he had previously exhibited the mannerisms of a careless and awkward killer just moments ago, he now exuded the aura and homicidal intent of a true psychopathic murderer.

"Grim is an artist. Now, I go by Reaper. Should I be known as Reaper Grim or Grim Reaper? Which name do you prefer?" Grim asked.

"Well, that's up to you," Davey replied calmly, his gaze fixed on the man, and he made no move to draw his sword.

"In that case, shall we hunt the boss monster?" Grim inquired.

Clang!!!

Grim initiated the first move. However, Davey merely leaned back, deftly snatching all the bullets hurtling his way. His opponent had clearly been shot three times, yet his body remained fully functional.

The man moved with the precision of a professional, increasing the distance between them and shooting at Davey to maintain control. Nevertheless, Davey silently intercepted every bullet, his movements executed with measured precision as he probed deeper into Grim's defenses.

A chilling laugh emanated from beneath Grim’s mask as he watched Davey leap forward without hesitation, closing the gap between them. "Smile! It would look good on you if you smiled!"

Clack! Boom!

A Barrett bullet, bearing immense speed and destructive power, erupted from Grim's anti-materiel sniper rifle and hurtled toward Davey's forehead. The sheer size and weight of the rifle should have made it impossible for a person to wield with one hand and endure its recoil. However, the man before him possessed astonishing muscular strength, allowing him to wield it effortlessly.

Perhaps Grim, witnessing Davey easily dodge and snatch bullets, had engineered a situation where there would be no escape from the point-blank shot of his anti-materiel sniper rifle.

The impact and devastation inflicted by a bullet fired from a pistol and one from an anti-materiel sniper rifle were undoubtedly worlds apart. Had Davey been an ordinary person, his head might have already exploded from the shot. Nonetheless, Davey received the attack without hesitation, pressing deeper into his opponent's defenses.

Bang!

The collision between the large, sharp bullet and Davey's forehead produced a resounding sound reminiscent of metal striking metal.

“What the hell?!”

‘It didn't hurt me at all. I apologize, but if my head could be so easily pierced by something with just that much power, it would have already blown off from all the strange and weird things I've experienced.’

Crack, crack!!!

Grim attempted to distance himself from Davey's overpowering and absurd actions. However, Davey had already witnessed everything he needed to. There was no reason for him to let things slide any longer.

When Grim regained his senses, he found his body collapsing. Davey twisted one of Grim's legs and gazed down at him.

“Kghhk… fufufufufufu… that’s surprising. Even though I’m at the master level, I still can’t beat a boss monster? Perhaps you’re a raid-type monster?” Grim remarked playfully despite the situation.

Perserque frowned upon hearing his words. “What the hell are you saying…?”

“You seem to be mistaken,” Davey said, showing an eerie smile as he maintained eye contact with the thoroughly overpowered man. “The people you have killed are not monsters or NPCs in a game.”

Grim's pupils began to shake beneath his mask when he heard Davey's words. Then, Davey applied force to Grim’s mask and slowly broke it apart.

“This mask must be equipment, right? Did you reinforce it?”

“W-What?” A bewildered voice stuttered from Grim's mouth.

“This isn’t a game, you bastard!”

Crack!!!

The white mask disintegrated in Davey’s hands, revealing the features of an ordinary Asian man. Yes, an Asian from modern Earth, distinct from the oriental people of this world. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties.

Grim stared at Davey, struggling to comprehend the situation. Then, he clicked his tongue in annoyance. The killing intent that had oozed from his body disappeared with the wind the moment his mask fell apart, leaving behind the face of an ordinary pleasure-seeker.

There was much Davey needed to learn about the man before him. Davey, whose eyes had turned purple, locked gazes with him. The once menacing murderer easily crumpled when he saw the purple light.

“It was clear you were ensnared by a simple hypnosis spell.”

“Davey, what on Earth are you talking about?”

“This damn insane psychopath isn't from this world,” Davey clarified.

Perserque frowned at his words. Then, she gently placed her hands on the unconscious man as she invoked her Abyss’ Authority.

“Goodness…” Perserque murmured, looking up at Davey with a panicked and bewildered expression.

“How is it?”

“I think…it’s better for you to see for yourself,” Perserque replied, her hands slowly reaching out to cup Davey's cheeks before placing them on his forehead.

Shiiiiing!!!

Simultaneously, the Abyss's power dormant within Davey's body reacted and displayed the memories it had witnessed.

Just as Davey had expected, the man did not hail from the Tionis Continent. Those from other worlds had unique and unconventional energy pathways.

However, what was truly surprising was that it wasn't just him who had invaded this place. They had entered through a virtual reality game.

"He's from Earth?" Davey inquired.

"There are numerous dimensions with similar levels of science and technology to Earth," Perserque replied. "It would be challenging to pinpoint exactly which Earth he hails from. As far as I know, there's no virtual reality technology on the Earth I come from."

Perserque groaned at his words.

Grim had always been a psychopath who didn't experience pain. Since he had never felt sick or experienced pain as a child, he became curious about what the word 'pain' meant. This curiosity led him to seek pain, hoping to understand it better.

The expressions of pain that the dying exhibited were something he couldn't replicate. These expressions brought him excitement and joy, fueling his addiction and leading him to kill more people.

Grim had killed several people in his own reality, but reality was different from fantasy. The risks in reality were too great, and the results weren't satisfying. Perhaps that was why he developed a desire to create and cultivate a more thrilling and vivid art, shifting his focus from reality to virtual reality games.

He delved into a virtual reality RPG, a game that offered freedom of movement, enabling him to continue killing and creating his art.

Soon, the game company updated the game, introducing a new map. Grim continued exploring the new terrain, slaying NPCs as he ventured deeper into the map, until he crossed over into the Tionis Continent.

While Grim wasn't the serial killer who had terrorized the continent in the past, his sudden appearance in this world posed complications.

Who had brought him here? How had he been brought here? Davey's only answer was the intervention of a transcendental and divine being. However, he had no clue as to who that might be. The Abyss didn't even cross Davey's mind as a suspect, as Sleesia, the one capable of dimensional travel, had been killed by his hand.

Sunk deep into the quicksand of unanswered questions, Davey remained silent. Then, Perserque, who had been floating around the unconscious man, asked, "What are you going to do with him? Regardless of who he is, his methods of killing are too similar to that infamous serial killer, Grim. And no matter what we do here, rumors will spread, and people will claim ownership over him."

"Let them argue over it. Since this guy fell into my hands, I'll ensure his downfall."

Perserque chuckled at Davey's words. "Are you planning to kill him?"

"Torturing someone who can't feel pain is futile. Besides, he believes he's not a real person here but a game character. So, he won't be shaken."

Based on what they had seen in his memories, the moment the man shouted "Log out," he would vanish without a trace. There was a high likelihood that his body in this world wasn't his true body but a construct.

At this point, Davey finally comprehended his unique and extraordinary powers, something he had struggled to explain before. It also elucidated why he could escape all the traps he had set.

Even if the man died here, he wouldn't truly perish in his own reality. And he hadn't felt pain since childhood. That meant he had nothing to fear in this world. It was a frustrating position where he held all the advantages.

"I never expected to experience this absurd sensation. This must be how the game's NPCs felt."

"Are you just going to leave him like this?" Perserque asked.

"No way. If one approach doesn't work, I'll find another."

He couldn't feel pain? Davey would make him feel pain. This wasn't his reality? Davey would make it his reality. He wasn't going to die either way? That's right, Davey would ensure he met his end.

By the will of Goddess Freyja, Davey would ensure this man suffered. He wouldn't easily send him into the goddess's embrace.

"Look forward to it. I will show you a hell beyond your imagination."

‘This is the price that you have to pay for touching my family,’ Davey thought, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.