The Max Level Hero Has Returned!
chapter-506

After subduing Melveque, Boris requested support to clean up and finish their mission. They were currently in the midst of confronting their enemies—the supposed priests who had attacked the headquarters. However, these adversaries weren't priests; they were dark mages masquerading as such.

"Ensure none of them escape! They're all rats trapped in a jar!"

For a Sword Master like Boris, these enemies weren't much of a threat. Yet, dealing with those outside became challenging due to the barrier confining them. The outsiders relentlessly attacked, intent on killing them.

Dark magic proved to be both annoying and troublesome. Apart from Boris, who fought desperately against the dark mages, the other knights appeared utterly exhausted. Among them were numerous experts, with only Melveque and Boris holding the title of master-rank individuals. However, Melveque had betrayed them, and the dark mages allowed no respite.

If the revelation of a traitor among them surfaced, chaos would engulf the knight order. Despite this, Boris believed rooting out these malignancies was essential for their organization's integrity.

‘I'm relieved Knight Davey went there. At least he can thwart their intentions…’

Even if Boris were to perish here, he believed it would be alright as long as Davey remained. Only a few could best the boy, ensuring that Boris's teachings would endure through someone capable of passing them on to other knights. So, what remained for Boris to accomplish? The answer was simple: obstruct their advance, ensuring they wouldn't hinder Davey.

Though Davey possessed considerable strength, he was still a young boy. Despite undergoing a complete metamorphosis, his transformation was merely physical. He remained the same young lad. For someone so young to fulfill his duties, the support of adults was crucial.

"Come at me, you wretches! Even if I perish, I'll take you down with me!"

Boris's fervent cries and formidable battle energy made the dark mages wary. This location was a trap from the outset, sealing Boris's fate. Without a priest like Lucia Shelman, overcoming the countless arrows infused with dark magic that pierced Boris seemed insurmountable. His stamina and energy were rapidly waning, sustained only by his monstrous battle energy.

"I can't believe he endures despite those cursed arrows... He's a monster," one of the dark mages murmured in exhaustion.

"Ensure his survival. I'll transform him into a Death Knight," ordered another dark mage, recognizing Boris' immense value.

"You scoundrels! Think I'll let you have your way? Even in death, I'll drag you down with me!" Boris shouted furiously, choosing to gamble his life.

Already destined to fail and perish here, shouldn't he take a risk? Wiping blood stains off his greatsword, Boris swiftly enveloped it with his aurablade. Clenching his teeth, he raised the sword, exerting his final strength to shatter the trapping barrier. Then, at that moment...

Ping...

The chilling sound of something being fired echoed from somewhere.

Bang!!!

A vivid purple light bullet struck one of the dark mages, reducing them to ashes. Boris, exerting his last ounces of strength to dismantle the trapping barrier, froze at the surreal sight before him. It wasn't just Boris; everyone present wore expressions of disbelief at the unfolding scene.

"What in... What in the world?! What was that?!"

Despite the dark mages' furious shouts, no visible adversary emerged. Instead, something else loomed.

"It's... It's incoming! Cast the shield!" Dark Mage Senos hastily amassed mana, attempting to erect a protective barrier around them.

Boom!

As ludicrous as it seemed, the light purple projectile streaked in, plowing the ground, shattering the desperately cast barrier, and reducing the dark mages to ashes.

"I-Impossible..." someone murmured in shock.

How many had fallen to this mysterious light bullet from an unknown source? Too many to count. Yet, the greatest danger lay in the unknown—where the attack originated and where it might strike next. An unknown adversary was the most perilous.

Clank!

A deafening clash of metal reverberated from somewhere deeper within the forest. Hearing this, the dark mages swiftly gathered their dark mana.

"There! Attack!"

Overwhelming torrents of dark and devil mana surged toward the forest's other side, incinerating it. The dark mages assumed the assailant had perished amidst the catastrophic destruction.

"Is he gone?"

Piiiiing…

Crack, crack, crack!!!

Another purple light bullet soared in from the forest's ravaged edge.

"Impossible! Several kilometers away? He's shooting from that distance?!"

The surviving dark mages were stunned, realizing the shooter was incredibly far off. Despite their astonishment, they were powerless against the merciless projectile hurtling toward them.

"D-Davey's golem..." Boris shuddered, recognizing the source of those lethal bullets.

If an attack fired from kilometers away possessed such devastating force, how could anyone endure it at close range?

Boris had witnessed something similar with Davey before, but this light bullet's current power surpassed anything he'd seen. It was far too potent to be just a sniper golem's shot.

[They'll keep improving. We're still collecting data to upgrade them further.]

Boris could not help but collapse on the ground when he recalled Davey’s playful words.

“Instructor!!!”

In that instant, Boris spotted several figures dashing toward him: Paladin Fildyr, the elementalist Renda twins, and the priest Lucia Shelman. Lucia hurriedly assessed Boris's condition, extracting multiple small bottles from her pockets.

"A curse! Hold on! Just hold on!" Lucia exclaimed, producing a vial brimming with red liquid. "Davey instructed me to use these! He made sure I had this in case someone got cursed! Ah... It's all thanks to the First Saintess's grace!"

Boris felt relieved at Davey's foresight but also found it eerie that the boy could anticipate the situation so accurately. What kind of life had a young boy like him experienced to handle such circumstances with such expertise? Boris had witnessed the boy's seamless movement during the Alpha Reinforcement incident.

"Good heavens... He urged us to hasten..."

"Was it for this?"

The surreal nature of the situation bewildered not only Boris but also Lucia and the Renda twins. Yet, the dispatched knights from other orders were even more stunned.

"Sir Boris... What just occurred…?"

"Those light bullets..."

"Huh?"

"Do you recall Knight Davey? The member who captured Melveque? Those light bullets were fired by the golem he created."

"Not by a human, but a golem?!"

Shock and disbelief swept across the faces of the bewildered knight order members.

***

"Ah! Please, stop!"

"This? Are you kidding me? You're just bones."

"N-No! My precious hair... Keheok! Keuaaack!"

"Alright. There's not much left, but I'll ensure all the hair root pixies return to their original homes."

"Aaaaaaaack! Please!"

Thwack!

"Keuaaaaaaaaack! I'm dying! Mother, father! Your unfilial son is going to perish!"

Illyna wasn't the only one confused and disbelieving as she witnessed the lich shouting bizarre things.

"Davey... Don't tell me this guy is..."

"He's the culprit."

This was the individual who had previously trapped Davey and Illyna in the strange cave, an act devoid of any meaning. Unlike the other dark mages exuding a dirty and grotesque aura, this figure dealt purely in dark and devil mana. Despite this, Davey remained vigilant.

Meanwhile, Illyna felt a tinge of compassion toward the lich, now crouched on the ground, sobbing pitifully.

"Are... Are you alright?" Illyna asked cautiously, feeling pity for the lich's human-like behavior despite knowing he was their enemy.

Suddenly, the weeping lich grabbed her leg.

"Kyaaaaaaack! Let go!"

The lich's eyes gleamed upon seeing Illyna's struggle.

"Hahahahahahaha! You insignificant mortals! You've been deceived!" the lich shouted, seizing Illyna and brandishing a black dagger.

"You vile, wicked creature! How dare you come here? Your greed knows no bounds! But I acknowledge your audacity! If you retreat now, then... Keuaaack!"

Thwack!!!

Naturally, such a tactic would only backfire. Illyna was the sort who'd sooner bite her tongue than be taken hostage.

She swiftly stomped on the lich's foot and then thrust her head backward. The lich lost balance and collapsed, rendered helpless as she trod upon him. Just as she raised her fist to strike the finishing blow, Davey intervened, halting her.

"Let go! Davey!"

Davey merely shook his head, offering a benevolent smile at Illyna's furious outcry. Seeing his reaction, Illyna fell silent and withdrew, wearing a solemn expression.

"I'm sorry..." she murmured, though Davey wasn't sure what she was apologizing for.

Meanwhile, the lich, now sprawled on the ground after Illyna's assault, trembled witnessing the gentle smile on Davey's face.

Then, as if emulating Davey's demeanor, the lich forced a sinister and grotesque smile. Well, it appeared the lich was attempting a cheerful expression, but given that he only possessed a skull, it looked peculiar and eerie.

"Hahaha."

"Hehehe..."

"You find this amusing?"

[Devil Ylgr’s Crowd Suppression]

[Focused Beating]

The principle of this skill was straightforward: strike where one had previously attacked.

Punch! Punch!! Punch!!!

“Keuaaaaaaaaack!!! S-Save me!!!”

“You’re laughing at me? Hey, punk. You dare to laugh at me? You’re only bones!”

“Keuaaaack!!!”

A blaze ignited in the lich’s eyes when Davey, unable to grasp anything else, seized the hair atop the lich's head.

"Uwaaaaack! Goddess Freyja! This demon is after my precious hair! Have mercy!"

"A lich, who's rejected the ten divine providences, seeks mercy from a god in front of her saint? Are you trying to make me laugh?"

"Kyaaaaaaaack! Please! Spare my hair at least!"

This was the most perilous situation Davey had ever faced.

"I'll pluck out every ungodly strand and display them before you!"

The reality was, Davey couldn't fathom why a lich would be so vocal about pain.

"Keuaaaaaaack! Heok! Ahuhuhuhu!"

"Fufufufufu!" Davey chuckled darkly as he witnessed the lich burst into tears the moment he yanked at his hair.

Then, the wretched creature started to complain and rant, "My goddess!"

A lich was an entity that defied divine providence. Even within the realm of dark magic, liches were considered taboo, rejecting and denying the divine. They were typically individuals so obsessed with power that they spurned divine providence, extracting their soul and placing it in a life vessel.

Using dark magic didn't inherently make someone opposed to Goddess Freyja. It was the existence of vampires and liches that contradicted providence and committed taboos. That was simply their nature.

Hence, the Heresy Inquisition would promptly incinerate vampires and liches whenever they encountered them. Despite the Heresy Inquisition's corruption, they still adhered strictly to the will of God.

Yet, here was a lich, pleading to God and begging for mercy? It would be easier to seek the Demonic God, a non-existent entity, than to implore the goddess for mercy upon beings like them. However, the individual before Davey was different. He continued to cry out to Goddess Freyja until the bitter end.

"You'd be better off calling upon the Demonic God!"

Thud!!! Thud!!!

"Keuaaaaack! Aaack! The only god in this world is Goddess Freyja! Whether demons or humans, all beings in this world were born from her touch…"

Davey's punches ceased upon hearing the lich's cry. It wasn't because he was impressed by the words. It was because...

"My god... What on earth am I witnessing, Davey?"

"A miracle..."

...he beheld a miracle.

Swoooooooooosh!

The eyes of the lich, writhing and screaming, suddenly gleamed brightly.

"Ah... Aaaaaah! My God! You have heard my prayers!"

'What in the world? Is this woman blatantly deceiving me?'

Davey observed the lich incredulously as the light of God's miracle descended upon him. After staring at the scene for a while, Davey lifted his foot and stomped on the lich's spine.

"What are you?"

Davey didn't genuinely intend to kill the lich, especially now that he knew the lich was one who prayed and invoked God.