The Max Level Hero Has Returned!
chapter-468

"Whoa! Go away!"

"Did you have a nightmare?"

"Why has this tiny creature become so tall?"

"You used to say that the bigger they are, the easier they are to handle and to run errands."

The conversation was between a middle-aged man with a gentle expression and a petulant black-haired girl. To an observer, it seemed like a father and daughter were bickering, but upon closer listening, it was quite the opposite.

"Mother, I've brought some fruit. Please try some."

"Hmph! I'm not interested in such things."

"I won't give you the book until you eat them all."

"Hey, you little rascal! Hand it over now!"

The black-haired girl, who was losing her temper, was different from the person Davey knew. What could have changed her so drastically? It was evident that this was not her original demeanor. She was the Princess of the Abyss, the younger sister of Urd, who had obliterated the Lux continent. Verdandi probably came here planning to obliterate the Tionis continent as well. However, she had changed in a way different from what Davey knew.

"That Abyssal Princess you mentioned, she seems a bit odd from what I see," said the Divine Tree.

From his perch on a thick branch, Davey quietly responded, "That's why I'm observing. It's hard to tell right now. Anything related to the Abyss is incredibly dangerous."

He might not outright lose to Verdandi now, but her mere existence was a huge variable. Originally, he would have killed her, but Davey changed his mind, seeing that she had no immediate hostile intentions.

"Eat up! You're so skinny; I worry if you can even clean properly!"

"Hahaha, even if I look like this, my body is quite sturdy, Mother."

Yet, despite her words, Verdandi was seen taking care of the former King Greid of Briouk in various ways. Davey recalled a similar figure from the past, the First Saint Daphne.

"That's a lie," the World Tree Al interrupted.

“…”

"You're feeling nostalgia watching those two, aren't you?”

“…”

“Perhaps, the affection of family?"

At those words, Davey waved his hand dismissively. "Enough of that."

"Hmm, intriguing. Surprisingly human of you."

"I can break your branch."

His mood soured at the Divine Tree's teasing laugh.

Perserque chimed in, "You've always been so cold when it comes to the Abyss. But this time's different."

"Be quiet. I'm just watching, gathering information for when I confront another Abyssal Princess."

Perserque shrugged. She then teasingly grabbed and pinched Davey's cheeks. Ignoring her playful antics, Davey, watching the two, suddenly became curious and asked, "But what's with that magic book?"

It felt slightly different from the power of the Abyss, but it was closely related to her power.

"Why don't you ask her directly?"

The magical book, clearly visible from Davey's elevated vantage point, was held by the Abyssal Princess. He had assumed it to be related to the Abyss, but he did not sense any abyssal power from its contents. It felt like an object from this world.

"Perserque, can you see?"

Curious, Perserque peered at the magical book and then chuckled.

"Find out for yourself. But here's a hint..." She trailed off with a sly grin. "It's an heirloom."

Seeing someone clutch onto another's keepsake like that, Davey thought, ‘The person must have been quite important to her.’

Without saying another word, he turned his back on them.

The Abyssal Princess he had sought for so long was revealed in a rather disappointing manner. After addressing matters concerning her, Davey took up residence in the Heins territory. The academy began to operate smoothly, and benefits started to emerge in various areas.

Currently, the Heins territory's most significant client was none other than the Pallan Empire, which was actively expanding, striving to be recognized as the greatest superpower.

Compared to the Earth's powers, they were much like the USA, insisting on the title of international police. The intent was good, of course. In reality, thanks to the Pallan Empire, wars between countries on the continent were greatly suppressed. However, the annual cost incurred by the Pallan Empire to maintain peace was enormous. If the Pallan Empire began to falter due to financial problems, they would divert their attention elsewhere. They would subtly destabilize smaller nations while maintaining peace. Naturally, the Rowane Kingdom was also in their sights.

As soon as Davey became the Lord of the Heins territory and began managing its finances, he initiated regular large-scale trades with the Pallan Empire. Through massive imports and exports, he stabilized the financial market. Even if there was no immediate profit, it was always better to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances. It wasn't long ago when the rise and fall of the Pallan Empire determined whether many merchants invested or withdrew their funds.

“Are these all the ingredients?”

“Yes. Hehe, this battle golem, which was initially just a prototype, has grown significantly in number.”

In the parallel world, with the assistance of the Observer, Davey obtained not only holy water of mana but also the primary location where mana crystals were buried. Stealthily, Davey went there and mined an ample amount of mana crystals. If not caught, it was art; if caught, it was a crime.

Regardless, the presence of a large amount of mana crystals meant strengthening the golem squadron, which had been idle for a while.

Their usefulness was indeed significant. Starting with the command entity Elderbrain Rinne, to the original initial model of the Decepticon Fleet Prototype, Megatron, and later models like the Sniper, Juggernaut Tanker Puma, and many other golems were created. Following these, there were golems like Starscream, capable of aerial levitation in the form of a wyvern, and twin golems. Currently, the twin golems were not in Tionis but were on a journey to another world's continent, Yurgian.

More than mere golems, Davey had always wanted to create something unique, and he succeeded in restoring the blueprints he had painstakingly collected. A being called the god of alchemy in the Yurgian continent, Eva van Hoenheim. The Yurgian continent, where alchemy flourished, was a world that achieved many advancements based on alchemy. And Eva van Hoenheim, during his lifetime, had created one particular entity.

“Rinne highly praises the quality of the blueprint, considering it advanced technology.”

Even Rinne, from the ancient stone-age era, was astonished by the precision, size, and purpose of the design.

“Good heavens...” The dwarves looked on in amazement.

Elder dwarves who had seen much throughout countless years. The Goulda and Golgouda brothers and other elders shared that sentiment.

“This is it?”

To bring out an item, a specific power was necessary. Davey presented a single device design that filled the blueprint.

“What exactly is this? It's a core that operates through a catalyst made with alchemy. The original creator used a different fuel instead of mana, but I intend to use this.”

The dwarves stiffened as they looked at the massive circular object.

“The design may be perfect, but with our current materials and technology, it will be challenging.”

The greatness of the design was evident, but understanding it was another matter. Only two beings could grasp it: Rinne and Davey. To the dwarves, who possessed impressive skills, this was as complex as a middle schooler trying to comprehend a university thesis.

“Even the dwarves find it challenging?”

“Well, no offense to our pride, but if it's this intricate mechanical engineering... Maybe the Blue Rock Tribe would know.”

The Blue Rock Tribe... While the Yellow Rock and Black Rock Tribes specialized in weapons and magical tools, respectively, known for their depth and craftsmanship, the Blue Rock dwarves possessed exceptional architectural skills. They had efficiently built the academy when Davey shared a few techniques with them.

“For mechanical devices, only the Blue Rock Tribe comes to mind.”

"Where are they?" Davey asked.

"You mean them? Ha, truthfully, we don't know either."

The atmosphere cooled noticeably at that response.

"What? In that case, it might be quicker to ask the folks from the Yellow Rock tribe."

"Well, we might not know about their village, but we do know of an old and stubborn elder from the Blue Rock tribe."

Davey hesitated at that statement. "You do?"

"Yes, he's in quite a famous place," the man replied, to which Davey gave a look of encouragement to continue. The man added, "I've heard he's in the main mountain of the Alchemical Sect."

There were many branches within the Alchemical Sect. In fact, Davey had previously met the alchemist Penicillin, who specialized in bio-engineering, and the elder of the Golem branch, Dollmaker Francis, was another key figure he had encountered.

It would be most efficient to go to the Yurgian continent and seek the aid of their technicians, but that was practically impossible, especially since there were resources found there that did not exist here.

"However, that old man is so stubborn. Even the emperor of the empire rarely meets him."

If he held a chief rank within the Alchemical Sect, he would have such prestige, but as far as Davey knew, that rank was held by someone else.

"He must be quite a figure," Davey remarked.

"Ah, he’s just aged like that. So, what will you do? I may not be of help this time, but I think I can somehow arrange a meeting."

Davey nodded slowly in response. "Regardless, I need to meet the technician who can make this."

"Heh, I'll try writing a letter to that stubborn old man. While I can lend my name, it seems we'll need your esteemed reputation to ensure the letter reaches someone of that rank."

Davey nodded once more in agreement.

Arrogance to the point of excess, he was known by many names, yet no one dared mock his self-assured demeanor. Edison, the dwarf alchemist, was a genius who toiled harder than anyone else. Within the Alchemical Sect, regardless of the branch, while they may have labeled him a stubborn old man, no one ever questioned his skills, passion, or achievements. An eccentric elder, he was responsible for numerous innovations that had far-reaching impacts. Many royal families, enticed by his expertise, sought meetings and were willing to offer substantial sums of money.

Alchemists usually took great pride in their skills, and Edison's unwavering dedication was truly remarkable.

"Master Edison, there's a letter."

"Hmm? A letter? I've told you to skip trivial matters." Focused on his workbench, Edison frowned at the words of the young girl.

"But Master Edison..."

"Tiara, there's so much to explore and learn in this world. I don't have time for trifles."

Tiara persisted in capturing his attention, saying, "Grandfather."

"What is it now?!"

"This isn't just any letter."

"Hmm?"

"It's from the Heins estate. Prince Davey of Heins. You know him, don't you?"

"Who is that?"

"What? You don’t know him? He's the continental hero, a revered figure who achieved numerous feats even before the arrival of the Light Warrior, Reina."

Tiara's words brought a frown to Edison's face. "This old man is too preoccupied to remember the names of every young upstart! Stop wasting time and fetch me more scholarly books!"

"Geez, such an eccentric old man."

"What?!"

"Did I say something wrong?"

Tiara grumbled with a sulky expression. "Grandfather, if you continue to display such arrogance, even those on your side may depart. You should spend your later years in comfort rather than enduring so much hardship."

"You! I raised you with great care, and this is how you speak?!"

"People criticize you because you're always so arrogant!"

"Strive to excel and surpass others! Then no one can look down on you!"

"But what if someone more gifted comes along?"

Edison squinted his eyes at the question. "Then you learn from them! That's the destiny of those who seek knowledge!" Yet, deep down, he knew there was no one there to teach him.

"But… this letter. It mentions the Elder of Golgouda?"

At this, Edison's face tensed. "Who?"

"It says, 'Elder of Golgouda.'"

"Show it to me."

Tiara handed the letter to Edison. It contained a concise message: "There's intriguing content here. Are you interested? If we share a good rapport, I'm willing to impart some skills."

It was a letter from the young Davey, and its contents had captured Edison's curiosity. It was audacious to send such a message to Edison himself.

"Heh! He's quite audacious, this one."

Though he spoke those words, Edison was aware of Davey's reputation as a continental saint and his impressive power. Nevertheless, alchemy and that power were distinct domains. This further piqued his interest.

"But, Grandfather," a young woman interjected, "Is this Davey the same person with whom I was in talks for marriage?"

At her words, Edison clicked his tongue in realization. It began to dawn on him. The young lady before him was one of the continent's six great beauties. When she was a child, there had been discussions about her potential marriage to a boy of the same age. That young man hailed from the Rowane Kingdom, and his name was...

"Hmm... They say even a brief encounter is destined. Such peculiar events in this world. Well, if he's this confident, I should meet him," Edison mused, contemplating an unrelated favor he needed from that pesky elder. He clicked his tongue again as he reread the letter.