The Max Level Hero Has Returned!

Chapter 788: Twilight of Destruction and the Unmissable Opportunity (2)

The swords clashed at imperceptible speeds, each strike aimed with deadly precision toward each other’s solar plexus.

A god was an immortal, imperishable being—beyond the reach of any mere mortal creature. This was true for the primordial Goddess Freyja, Thanatos whom she created, and the related being Neltarid. But the demigod standing before Davey was different, as they were no longer a god.

Since the beginning of time, there had never been a situation where a god abandoned their divinity, so it had never been considered something to worry about. But now that it had happened, there were bound to be far-reaching effects.

Clank!! Clank!!

In an instant, sparks of black flame erupted as their swords clashed several times. Davey managed to slice off Destruction’s arm—even so, they just wiped off the blood and regenerated their arm almost instantly as if nothing had happened.

Davey could tell his attacks were working; he was certain he could drain some of Destruction's vitality. However, even with divine power and the power of taboo, their vitality continued to recover by the moment.

This was the second time that even the power of taboo, which was independent of the authority of a god, wasn't fully effective. Without the same control over this power as Hercules once had, it was only natural for its effectiveness in Davey’s hands to be limited.

[A god who has abandoned its levels of divinity needs a body. They’ll likely end up clinging to one of the humans on Earth who harbors great hatred toward you. The hatred will grow and worsen over time, and Destruction will increase their power by absorbing the fantasies, dreams, and countless other emotions of the humans of Earth. I estimate that period of incubation to be quite long, though.]

This is what Arbit had told Davey, but the man wondered how he even knew about those things. Destruction currently resembled an elf from fantasy tales, but with gray skin. They moved again while wielding a sword wrapped with black energy.

The two didn’t feel the need to say anything to each other. They both knew they had to kill one another, and saying anything would be spilling out unnecessary information.

[God exerts absolute intervention only under special conditions. Beings that are not gods are stripped of the right to ‘intervene regardless of circumstances or conditions.’ Instead, as mortals, they can act within the bounds they’re permitted. Just like you, my lord.]

At first, Davey thought they were simply fighting to survive. To him, it seemed like they preferred to take whatever slim chance they had and fight against him rather than be consumed by Harmony and lose control completely.

But it now seemed like something more profound was at play.

However, Davey couldn’t figure out why Destruction abandoned their power struggle with Harmony and chose to fight him instead.

[As for the reason… You must remember this well, my lord. A god is a being who protects the domain they are responsible for.]

The being before Davey, once known as the God of Destruction, was responsible for destruction. Just before they vanished completely, they had risked everything to fulfill the meaning of their existence.

Clank!!

“I really can’t understand your species of gods,” Davey muttered. Destruction then spoke up for the first time.

[Seems like you can’t see the course of things after becoming a mortal.]

“...”

[That is just what insignificant beings can see. Do you understand, mortal?]

“Whether I understand or not, the result is the same” Davey retorted.

Either Destruction was going to disappear, or Davey was going to die. Since he was facing an enemy with whom communication seemed impossible, the only choice was to take them out to survive—even if that enemy was a half-being that was once a god.

[Come. Within me seethes hatred and the desire to destroy both you and my other half. This is my wrath. I will wield this wrath in a manner worthy of my name."

Clash!!

The two stabbed their swords at each other, both aiming for the solar plexus. As they continued fighting, deflecting and countering each other’s strikes, suddenly, something black flickered in Destruction’s hand. Without hesitation, he grabbed it, concealed it, and then unleashed it.

Thud!!

Davey couldn’t tell exactly what kind of power Destruction was wielding. In fact, it was difficult to discern whether it was divine power or mana.

[Remember, my lord. It is true that you are currently strong, but that alone does not guarantee their death.]

A fallen god was like a natural disaster; relentless and unstoppable until they finally met their end. It might seem unreasonable—even absurd—but for a mere creature looking to have the chance to kill something that should have been invulnerable, it was an enormous advantage that had fallen into Davey's lap. Moreover, there was another crucial fact to consider.

“Hmph!”

Super Ribbon clashed and bounced off Destruction’s sword. The sheer force behind the blow felt like his palm skin was about to tear off. But instead of retreating, Davey pushed forward into Destruction who was trying to kill him and continue their destructive acts. He wielded his bleeding right hand and reached it toward the now-mortal Destruction, who had voluntarily shed their advantages and adopted weakness, in an instant.

[Devil Ylgr’s Martial Arts]

[Solar Plexus]

Zzzt…

The air around them momentarily distorted. Destruction noticed what Davey was doing and tried to kick their knee toward him, but it was already too late.

[Crush]

Boom!

Davey reached for their solar plexus with a fist packed full with a vast amount of condensed mana. The shockwave, which shifted from intangible to tangible, exploded out from their back as if it could shatter the sky itself.

“GAAA!”

With a single blow, Destruction’s body was hurled into the air.

‘This has to be effective on them. Even if they’re being that was once a god, immortal and imperishable, they now have the body of a mere mortal’ Davey thought.

Davey crouched slightly as Destruction was sent airborne. He used the Crouching Bullet’s Shot technique, destroying the ground as he shot up with Super Ribbon in his hand.

“Kaaa?!”

Davey figured Destruction wasn’t used to their body yet, their power fluctuating constantly to adjust to it. He knew that such a period of instability was his opportunity.

Davey knew inattention was seeking death. He gripped Super Ribbon with both hands and moved in close, watching Destruction’s every move, ready to strike.

Slash!!

Without hesitation, Davey finally swung Super Ribbon, slashing the mortal body.

Splosh!!

Red blood splattered through the air. Destruction wasn’t dead yet, but their body trembled with pain. Davey had no intention of stopping—if he stopped before Destruction was completely annihilated, he knew he would be the one lying dead in the end.

Slash!! Splosh!!

He condensed the blue-red aura blade that Super Ribbon was emitting to a high density to slash at Destruction again and again.

Splosh!!

The red blood in the air disappeared as black fragments went flying in all directions. After striking them dozens of times in rapid succession, they became distorted and torn like rags.

[Krrr?!]

Destruction let out an eerie sound, their creepy eyes gleaming ominously. Their form twisted and transformed into something monstrous, no longer resembling either a human or an elf. As they opened their mouth wide, they revealed rows of terrifying teeth. They continued to threaten Davey while showing they were fine. As they fought back, their hands morphed into massive black claws.

Davey had Super Ribbon pierced through their body, but he knew it would only be a matter of time before Destruction would tear him apart with their claws if he simply maintained his current stance.

[Even if I’m a mortal, don’t you dare fight and think you can defeat me!]

“The Goddess Freyja had a message for you.”

Flash!!

In an instant, Super Ribbon, still piercing their body, was engulfed in light and separated, Destruction’s eyes widening as the sword split into two. Davey smiled grimly as he wielded both Red and Blue Ribbon.

"In the name of the Goddess Freyja: Fuck you!”

Slash!!

Davey severed the black energy claws with the energy radiating from Blue Ribbon that was capable of slicing through even non-physical laws.

[Kaaah!!!]

Destruction screamed in agony with a terrible, high-pitched wail as it tried to fight against Davey. As they fell down with Blue Ribbon and Red Ribbon repeatedly impaling them, Davey went around and continued to slash their body relentlessly.

Despite struggling to manage his flagging stamina, he refused to give Destruction even a moment’s rest. If he could kill Destruction before they had a chance to pull any tricks, he knew there would be no better outcome.

Thud!!

White wings of light, made of divine power, sprouted from his back and fluttered in the wind. As the two descended toward the ground, he flapped his wings and sent dust and debris scattering in all directions.

Sling…

As Destruction struggled in agony, Davey combined Blue Ribbon and Red Ribbon back into Super Ribbon to finish them. He aimed for their heart, which would mean their end. After all, their body was now mortal just like any other human.

Clank!!

But Destruction wasn’t going to go down that easily. They caught Super Ribbon with their hand wrapped in black energy, staring up at Davey.

[Kaaah!!!]

Destruction unleashed a massive shockwave.

“Cough!”

The shockwave shattered dozens of layered magical barriers in an instant, sending Davey tumbling across the ground. He rolled two or three times before finally coming to a stop. He took a deep breath after steadying himself on the ground, struggling to regain his footing.

[Krrr… Krrr…]

Davey expected them to counterattack right away, but they remained motionless. Their body, now unsteadily struggling to rise, looked different from before. They no longer resembled the elf form they once took; they now appeared as a human half-consumed by something resembling black slime.

Davey assumed that the human host was likely the one harboring a deep hatred for Davey. But then, the sigh of the human triggered a memory for Davey. He suddenly realized who the host resembled.

"Ah…"

He then realized that the host resembled the devilish kids Davey had previously captured. His appearance was strikingly similar to two of the six children involved. It seemed this man must have been the one who used his wealth to raise those children in a diamond-plated greenhouse, letting them do whatever they wanted.

Davey understood why he would be angry, considering his son was given a cruel judgment and Davey had taken his son away. He acknowledged that depending on the person, they could feel a bit bitter about how things turned out, but he really couldn’t care less about the man.

[Grrr… KAAA!!!]

With a grotesque sound, the black slime engulfed the man entirely once more. Immediately, Davey sensed movement all around him. He felt a mass of ordinary people, each emitting an aura. It was clear that Destruction intended to use them as pawns to hinder him and buy some time to recover.

Davey issued a warning to those that had surrounded him in an instant.

“Put the knives down.”

The crowd consisted of ordinary housewives, office workers, students, large tattooed men, and even little children. Despite their varied appearances, they all shared the same condition: they emitted an aura and moved as if determined to stop Davey even at the cost of their lives. It was only natural when they were being controlled, their bodies moving against their will.

“I hope those two get their work done,” Davey muttered.

They had attacked Davey with all their might. Davey walked toward the individuals that were still alive. These possessed individuals may be as powerful as expert knights that let out aura, but they were weak compared to Destruction and Davey. They couldn’t even constitute a real threat to him.

Davey quickly withdrew his divine power and wrapped the power of taboo around his hands. Then, he unleashed it on those advancing toward him, stretching out his hand and erecting a magic curtain over each of them.

[Devil Ylgr’s Crowd Suppression]

[Nuclear Flick]

Boom!

A large amount of concentrated mana exploded from Davey’s index finger, amplified by the power of taboo.

Under normal circumstances, the force would have been enough to vaporize the heads of every individual, but the magic curtain absorbed the impact. The man was thrown back like a baseball hit by a bat. Davey knew he wouldn’t be able to get up again, as Davey had disabled their control by using the power of taboo so that Destruction wouldn’t have the time to regain control.

Boom! Boom!!

As Davey smoothly took care of each individual threat, Destruction frowned and drew their black sword. They abruptly lunged at Davey.

Thud!!

Destruction’s sword pierced through the protective curtain Davey had set up, stabbing him deep into his abdomen.

“Cough!” Davey gasped at the sharp pain.

‘This was why people say trying to save strangers comes with a cost,’ he thought.

Coughing up blood, Davey steadied himself and aimed at the back of Destruction’s head with trembling hands.

Boom!

He then flicked his finger at a young girl who was stabbing toward him. With her neutralized, Davey had taken care of all the combatants.

[How foolish! Did you really risk your life to preserve the life of just one mortal?]

“What would be the point of killing an innocent person?” Davey retorted.

[That’s funny! To me, you’re more selfish than you are noble! Are you trying to repent now? Do you think you can become a hero now just because you fear the curse on your body will destroy you forever?]

Destruction seemed to know a lot about Davey’s situation.

“Don’t get me wrong, idiot,” Davey spat.

In that instant, he grabbed Destruction’s body and glared with ominous eyes.

“Alright, this isn’t going to work. If we keep going like this, my losses will be too great.”

At Davey’s words, Destruction’s face twisted with rage as they opened their monstrous mouth wide.

[Grrr…]

As Destruction let out an unsettling growl, Davey raised his head and spoke up.

“Remember the other half that was fighting against you?”

[Hm?]

“You don’t really believe they’re just wandering around doing nothing, right?”

At that moment, Davey let out Neltarid’s divine power from his wrist. The divinity of a half god started to flow.

[What you want is a challenge to test your own limits]

‘I can’t believe I got into this mess,’ he thought.

He hadn’t realized how tough this battle would be, along with the fact that there would be so many people around—enough that he couldn’t even use wide-area magic effectively.

[From now on, I will grant you the grace of a god for aiding me]

And then,

[Here, in the name of God, I command you to punish the irresponsible god who dared to break the rules and give up their levels.]

Arbit had said that he would gain overwhelming power, but the price he would have to pay would be great as well.

[Nothing in this world is one-sided. A god abandoning their levels is a big deal. But do keep in mind; the rules that form the basis of the world are never simple—even if it is related to the fall of a god.]

God's fall was something that went against the rules of the world. Because of the choice Destruction made, the rules of the world began to exclude them, and the demigod that had their will began to give Davey the power to erase them.

[In the name of Harmony, I bestow my divine power to delegate Davey O’Rowane.]

Following the divine power that Goddess Freyja had left behind, Neltarid's power, which was now tranquility rather than harmony, began pouring out like a waterfall from the stigmata.

[Unlike Goddess Freyja, I’ve decided all of that power is the price of your ordeal.]

“That’s enough chatter. Let’s get to work already!” Davey shouted, cutting off Neltarid's revelation coming down toward him. He wanted to cut to the chase, as the pain from the sword piercing his abdomen was getting worse.

The light of the stigmata became stronger at Davey's cry.

[What on earth did you do?!]

“What do you mean? There is a saying that every dog is a lion at home.

[...]

‘Let me invite you to the territory where I can be the strongest.’

Tear!

While hugging Destruction, Davey threw himself across the huge rift that Neltarid, the God of Tranquility, had begun to open.

[What… What is this?!]

Davey wondered if it was their first time coming into contact with the Red Void. Destruction's expression changed into worry, and the black slime formed a monster's mouth, biting Davey's shoulder mercilessly.

Despite their attacks, Davey still fell into the Red Void, dragging them along without looking back. He knew that Rinne would take good care of the humans who remained here and were running amok. His job had to be done on this side, not among those humans.

Crack! Thud!

The endless red fog distorted and created a huge space. An unimaginably gigantic dragon appeared outside that space, and soon a huge hourglass fell in the place where he passed.

[My lord, I will amplify your power. You don’t have much time, so use it wisely.]

“Thanks,” Davey spoke calmly and kicked Destruction away, then pulled out the sword stuck in his abdomen without flinching and threw it away.

“Welcome!. This is your first time coming to my world, right?”

According to Arbit, Davey was no different from the Goddess Freyja, the God of the Beginning, in his space—an absolute being with no restrictions.

As soon as the sand began to fall from the hourglass, the suspended energies of the Red Void began to gather and give Davey enormous power as if they considered him their master.

He knew the energy here wouldn’t lend him their strength unless he was a being that belonged here and would someday take over and not be able to leave this place. Fortunately, Arbit’s hourglass made this possible for a very short time.

He was given the duty to one day stay here and turn this Red Void into a new world, giving birth to life, but he couldn’t care less about that future responsibility.

The energy that Arbit had frozen in time, to prevent it from running away, seeped into Davey. With everything prepared, Davey knew that if he lost despite all these advantages he may as well just bite his tongue and die anyway.

Destruction understood what Davey meant and started screaming and emitting an eerie energy.

[You will regret bringing me here.]

“That’s up to me to decide.”

[I will kill you, eat this place, and destroy it! Your life has no meaning whatsoever.]

"Hey."

Davey spoke up, ignoring Destruction.

[I…]

“On behalf of Neltarid and the Goddess Freyja.”

[Will save you.]

“Will save you.”

The two both had the same purpose: the complete death of their opponent.

Either Davey was going to be too late and Earth was going to get destroyed, or he would manage to kill them before it could happen.