The Max Level Hero Has Returned!

Chapter 341: Divine Punishment

Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon were both powerful swords. However, the Divine Sword Caldeiras, a divine sword with the power to slay the Demon Lord, was crucial in annihilating Belial in a single blow.

Ares, the Sword God of the past, had personally used Caldeiras to strike down his adopted daughter, Perserque. He had obliterated her body and imprisoned her soul within the sword. Davey did not explicitly inquire about Ares' intentions at that time.

[A rival… The Demon Lord is my rival and antagonist, you know? You f****ing bastard… You’re really a f***ing crazy bastard.]

Davey attentively listened to Caldeiras' words while he extracted the sword that had shattered Belial's dominion, causing all of the Demon Lord's power and authority to be drawn into it.

Perserque, having defeated all the other demon candidates and ascended as the Demon Lord, had absorbed their powers. However, all of that power, apart from the Abyss' Authority inherent to Perserque, was assimilated into Davey's own abilities.

Or, to be precise, Davey attempted to absorb it. Yet, Goddess Freyja's will posed a formidable obstacle, rendering it exceedingly challenging for him to succeed.

Thwack!!!

A flash of brilliant light materialized as an immense surge of power erupted from his body, dispelling the absorbed power masses as if they were non-existent. Ultimately, only one power remained within Davey.

Apart from the Abyss' Authority, there were six powers meant to be assimilated into Davey's body. However, five of them had vanished entirely, as if they had returned to the arms of God.

‘So, you're confronting me like this merely because of what I did?’

Although the majority of his power had been stripped away, it held little significance to Davey. By slaying the Demon Lord, he had obtained the qualifications to assume the role himself. In other words, he had effortlessly attained the position, which was more than sufficient.

While Davey couldn't yet discern the precise nature of the remaining power in his body, there was one thing he was certain of—the demonic energy, an exclusive power of the demons, had already begun to settle and coil around his form.

‘Welcome. Have you not encountered a human body before? It can be challenging for a newcomer like you to handle the multitude of experiences and memories contained within. Moreover, the senior residents within this body can be quite demanding, can't they? And it appears your senior counterparts possess quite the irritable disposition, am I correct?’

The mighty storm generated by the forces within his body gradually subsided. Following that, Davey surveyed his surroundings. The Demon Lord, the greatest adversary? How absurdly amusing to utter such words in this situation, don't you think?

Despite having become a Demon Lord, there wasn't much disparity. As a human, no horns sprouted from his head. However, his red eyes had deepened in hue, turning a darker shade of red.

Grand Duke Astaroth and Gluttony, the leader of the radical vampires, cast helpless glances at Davey. Even Perserque, her tears flowing due to the constricting tentacles, stared at him blankly. And lastly, there was the astounded Illyna, who bore witness to Belial's demise right before her eyes.

Although she hadn't formed a strong bond with Belial, given their short acquaintance, it seemed Illyna was profoundly shaken to witness the demise of the demon she had once saved, by her own sword.

"The war shall conclude here. I, as the Saint, the Antagonist, and the Demon Lord, command you all to retreat. Each of you must return and relay this message."

‘If you dare crown Perserque as the Demon Lord, be prepared to face my resistance and witness the annihilation of this world.’

The Demon Lord's Usurpation Battle could only be repeated after a certain period of time. Nonetheless, Davey would not reject them. If they disregarded their lives, they were welcome to confront him. Naturally, Davey would spare no effort in annihilating them, leaving not even a speck of dust behind.

Although Davey left his words unfinished, the surviving demons appeared to comprehend his intentions.

"This...can't be happening... A human...has become the Demon Lord..."

"The outcome is right before your eyes."

"What do you know?! Do you understand the immense suffering our race has endured in that desolate land?!"

"So? Is your response to invading the Tionis Continent?"

"How can you blame the descendants for the mistakes and misdeeds of their ancestors?!"

Astaroth's expression seethed with grotesque and horrifying anger. A human had stripped them of their sole hope, rendering rationality impossible for him to maintain.

"I believe I have already conveyed this to another wretched fool before?"

“…”

“If you were truly in an urgent situation, then you should not have come here to fight. You should have come here to ask for help.”

This was the difference between them and the Divine Tree that was now in Davey’s hands. However, Davey did not have any regrets regarding the way he handled the demons.

Thump, thump, thump!!!

Astaroth, standing in a daze, collapsed to the ground, appearing utterly devoid of strength. And it was not just him but also the demons present in this place.

The demons were not beings forsaken by God. If humans were bestowed with Warriors, demons were granted the Demon Lord. God had been fair in bestowing blessings upon both races.

Apart from the messed up system like the Demon Lord's Usurpation Battle, the Demon Lord possessed the authority to kill lower-ranking demons at will. Hence, Davey did just that. Even if their clones perished, their main bodies would not. Well, at the very least, they weren't expelled, right?

As for the leader of the radical vampires? Gluttony could only kneel, his trembling hands rendered helpless as Davey employed Caldeiras to sever his head.

Perserque let out a loud yelp. She unleashed a surge of power, finally breaking free from the clutches of the tentacles. Then, she regained her original size and swiftly dashed towards Davey, gripping his collar and shaking him fiercely. Her physical form remained intact primarily due to the remnants of the tentacles still clinging to her arms and waist.

—Do you have any idea what you have done?! What are you going to do after breaking god’s rules?! Do you want to die?! Are you so crazy that you wanted to die?!

After witnessing Perserque's concern for him rather than her own safety, Davey simply seized her horns and averted his gaze.

‘As expected, an ergonomically designed horn is the best handle.’

“What’s done is done. However, what did you say to me back then?”

—What… What?

“That it’s not like you don’t have any feelings for me?”

Bang!!!

Davey pressed Perserque against the wall, his hands slamming beside her and causing the wall to collapse. Silently, he extended his hands toward the falling debris and cast a shield spell to shield them.

‘Hmm... it appeared that the book claiming that striking the wall like this could stir the hearts of women was misleading.’

“Your body is not yet perfect. However, you will be able to talk, eat, walk, see, and do everything you want to do right away.”

Perserque gazed at Davey with a perplexed expression, seemingly unable to comprehend his words. Nevertheless, Davey simply shook his head in response. It was at that moment when he noticed a silver-haired young girl, burdened with an enormous casket on her back, descending gradually from the sky.

—Ri… Rinne…

“Davey. Rinne has completed the high-speed delivery. Rinne evaluates the completion of this mission very highly!”

“That’s right! I give you the highest rating,” Davey said calmly as he destroyed the Demon Lord’s body that was in the center of the now empty ceremonial hall.

Kihyeeeeeeck!!!

Simultaneously, an immense number of tentacles surged forth from the obliterated form, a manifestation that defied any notion of a conventional human body.

—Hnghh?!

“Kyaaack?! What the hell is that?!”

Davey clicked his tongue in annoyance at the frightened cries of Perserque and Illyna. "These fools have created such a crude vessel. It's unlikely to function properly. Rinne, take care of it."

Instantly, Rinne conjured a massive gun and obeyed Davey's command, obliterating the repulsive body. Although it belonged to the Demon Lord, it was merely an empty shell devoid of a soul. However, its interior had become twisted due to the forced amplification of the container they had created. Yet, that was its sole significance.

Shortly after, Rinne eradicated the magic circle inscribed on the ground with her laser, deftly drawing a new one as if she were well acquainted with the process. Then, she retrieved a breathtakingly beautiful woman with a petite, unclothed form and positioned her at the center of the freshly traced magic circle.

"Let us borrow this land for the magic circle, shall we?"

This presented Davey's sole opportunity to free Perserque from his stigmata with the aid of the Abyss creature donning the mask of the demon, Grave. Thus, he seized Perserque by the arm and guided her into the magic circle.

Vwooooooong!!!

The magic circle activated instantly, aligning Perserque's soul with the body brought by Rinne—the very same body Davey had prepared for emergencies. Perserque might not have full access to her powers, only being able to utilize her authority. However, as time passed, her soul would strengthen, eventually enabling her to gradually reclaim her primary expertise: magic.

—Davey!!! Davey!!!

Ignoring the resounding and enraged cries of the imprisoned Perserque within the magic circle, Davey shifted his attention to Rinne and requested, "Escort Illyna and Per back to the Heins Territory and convey to them..."

‘I will be back soon.’

The instant those words escaped his lips, a dazzling column of light descended from the heavens, engulfing Davey. There was no chance for God, struck on the back of her head, to remain motionless like that. Nevertheless, Davey possessed unwavering confidence that he would endure, even in the face of God's retribution.

At present, the entity that Goddess Freyja needed to restrain was still alive. When Davey turned to observe the Abyss creature, Grave's body had already vanished to an unknown location. Even the silent alchemist Milpieu's form was absent among the vampires.

Davey had not acted rashly; he had contemplated countermeasures. He did not engage in this endeavor merely to be obliterated by divine punishment.

[Bestowing judgment upon the lunatic, Davey O'Rowane, who had disrupted the course of destiny, the verdict was passed: 7th Rank Judgment. Denial would entail the annihilation of the soul.]

The message regarding the divine punishment left Davey with no option for refusal. Moreover, the tone conveyed God's intense anger. To such an extent that Davey deemed himself fortunate that Goddess Freyja had not immediately disposed of him.

—Davey! Stop this! Where the hell are you going?!

Amidst Perserque's tearful and desperate cries, Davey gradually faded away within the radiant pillar.

"Those who have violated the laws shall face judgment, Perserque. However, I remain the Saint. I doubt the goddess will dispose of me so easily."

Davey was also eager to witness the true essence of being the Saint. He had already been informed of this by a seasoned predecessor who had undergone a similar ordeal, thus he was not entirely ignorant of what awaited him.

He made no resistance as his form vanished, merely nodding in acknowledgment to Rinne, who offered a silent salute.

‘Hmmm. Her posture is different from before. I taught her well.’

"Protect Perserque at all costs. And ensure she is treated with utmost respect," Davey instructed.

"Rinne prides herself as an efficient and highly competent golem for escort missions," Rinne affirmed, nodding as she approached Davey with her bandaged feet and patting her chest proudly.

Once Perserque's soul settled back into her body, she would become visible to everyone and regain the freedom to pursue her desires. Since Goddess Freyja and the world's providence would be preoccupied with Davey, there would be no sanctions or restrictions on her resurrection.

The radiant light had already engulfed most of Davey's body, leaving only his face and one arm exposed. Helplessly, Davey averted his gaze from Perserque's desperate and vulnerable expression. But at that very moment...

"Where do you think you're going, you bastard?! Who gave you permission to die, huh?! No way in hell!" Illyna, unaware of the entire situation, rushed forward as soon as she saw Davey disappearing. It seemed her body moved on its own, snatching Caldeiras from the ground and grabbing Davey's arm without hesitation.

"Hey, you brat," Davey muttered, dumbfounded by Illyna's irrational behavior.

"Huh?" However, Illyna could only utter an unintelligible response as the brilliant light enveloped Davey's entire being. "Kyaaaaack!!!"

Thump, thud, thud!!!

When Davey regained consciousness, he found himself surrounded by gritty, dry sand. He glanced down slowly, noticing the blonde girl who had fainted on top of him. In the world, there was no one unaware of how terrifying a divine punishment could be. How could this girl simply rush towards him and grasp his arm? For a moment, Davey wondered if Illyna had lost her sanity. This divine punishment was entirely distinct from the well-known one recognized by the world. Consequently, Illyna found herself in a situation where she had to accompany Davey throughout the judgment process.

The fact that Perserque, who had always been by Davey's side, was now completely separated from him engendered a sense of bitterness within him. After all, it had been quite some time since he had been left alone in solitude.

However, due to some strange twist of fate, he would not be facing this judgment alone. Davey was uncertain whether he should express gratitude or scold the girl standing before him for recklessly risking her life. All he could do was burst into laughter at the sight of the unconscious girl, who fearlessly grasped his arm and attempted to save him without regard for her own safety.

First Saintess Daphne had also defied God's will to save the life of a destitute and wretched man, resulting in her facing judgment. During that time, Daphne overcame the trials presented by the judges and obtained God's forgiveness. However, Davey had no way of knowing if a similar outcome awaited him in his own situation.

Davey exploited the sole loophole in the longstanding rules governing the existence of the Demon Lord and the Antagonist and presented the goddess with a deceitful narrative. Essentially, Davey's actions amounted to slaying the Demon Lord. However, who in their right mind would dare confront the Demon Lord in a battle for usurpation? And that wasn't all—Davey employed a powerful dark magic to momentarily distort the world's rules, compelling Belial to engage in the usurpation battle. The result? The Antagonist triumphed over the Demon Lord.

Davey now embodied the roles of the Saint, the Antagonist, and the Demon Lord simultaneously. In essence, as long as Davey remained alive, there would be no future Antagonist or Demon Lord emerging in the world. Although he might not possess the full extent of his former power, the title of Demon Lord held great significance to him.

"When you think about it, it's rather amusing, isn't it? Haven't you been striking me on the back of my head? You even fed me falsehoods. You should have anticipated that something like this would eventually occur."

If the goddess had made a rational judgment, she would have recognized that Davey had not violated any rules of the world. Instead, this seemed more like an expression of Goddess Freyja's dissatisfaction with his actions and deception. If that were truly the case, Davey wouldn't have to be entangled in this complicated situation.

As Davey carried Illyna on his back and continued walking, he contemplated his circumstances. "A desert..."

In this expansive desert, the only sensation he encountered was an incessant gust of cool wind.

Illyna, having already undergone metamorphosis, could withstand such conditions for a considerable duration compared to ordinary individuals. Nevertheless, it remained unwise to linger in a place like this for too long.

It was only after Davey exercised his authority and accessed his status window that he comprehended the nature of the judgment bestowed upon him by Goddess Freyja.

[If you are unable to absolve yourself of your crime in the presence of the Seven Judges who oversee and evaluate the burdens and sins of the living, your soul will be annihilated.]

“Judge? Did I just read Seven Judges?”

Davey knew the structure and composition of this world bore resemblance to something familiar. How dare they pass judgment upon someone within a world crafted in the dreams of the goddess?