The Max Level Hero Has Returned!

Chapter 340

All of them looked at Davey incredulously when they heard his words, and their expressions deepened when they saw Davey casually breaking the chains that bound him tightly. In fact, it felt like they were dreaming.

For a moment, they felt like the chains that tied Davey up were not really a big deal. However, those who were aware of the power and force incorporated in those chains could only stare at him in shock.

"Grave!" The demon's Grand Duke Astaroth, who was proceeding with the ritual, called out to Grave after witnessing Davey's light and easy actions. However, he couldn't hide the complicated look in his eyes as he turned to look at the human they thought they had sealed.

"H-How?!"

Grave was certain that escaping the chains' binding would be difficult. This was because the power hidden within the chains that bound Davey was neither the demon's demonic energy nor the vampires' blood energy. The power dwelling inside those chains was none other than the mysterious power of the Abyss.

There weren't any real problems with the way it was used for restriction. After all, it operated on different laws. And that meant Davey could use it in reverse.

"How many experiments do you think I conducted with that guy I stole from the other side of the world?"

Davey firmly believed that he shouldn't recklessly pick a fight with an opponent he knew nothing about. In this fight, he was the one who knew half about the enemies, while his enemies didn't even know half of him. And that difference was quite significant.

Bang!!!

At the same time, Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon, who were also bound by the chains, responded to his will. They easily broke off the chains in their bodies and settled gently in Davey's hands.

All the surviving vampires and demons present in this ceremonial hall looked at Davey in terror. Even Perserque, who was undergoing the synchronization of her body and soul with the ritual, opened her eyes wide and stared at him in shock.

"S-Stop that bastard! We can't let him disturb the ritual!"

However, none of them charged at Davey or attacked him immediately.

So, Davey took the time to reach into his Pocket Plane and retrieved a strange lump of metal, which he promptly threw into the air.

—Davey... What did you do...?

“I’m sorry, but I already told you this from the start.”

‘There’s no way you’ll be resurrected as the Demon Lord.’

—N-No! Davey! Stop that!

Perserque shouted urgently, having realized the nature of the item Davey threw into the air, albeit a bit late. It was only after the lump of metal started to twitch and react that she grasped its significance.

Davey paid no attention to Belial, who had caused immediate chaos, and instead focused solely on the metal lump floating in the air. It was none other than the power of the Abyss that had been reversed.

Shwaaaaaa!

Suddenly, beams of light burst forth from the metal lump as numerous cracks marred its surface. In an instant, an abundance of tentacles extended and ensnared Perserque's arms, legs, neck, and waist.

—Kyaaaaack?! I don’t want this!!!

Perserque let out a piercing scream, her face contorting with a mix of distress, revulsion, and repulsion.

Taking control of the metal lump, Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon emanated a brilliant glow, casting an eerie atmosphere that illuminated Davey's sinister grin.

"Well then, excellent work, everyone. Now, all that remains is for me to devour everything within this place.”

Shwaaaaaa!!!

With a swift motion, the bright red sword in Davey's hand gleamed as it cleaved Grave's body in two. After all, there was no reason to spare the most dangerous man in the room, was there? The surviving vampires and demons attempted to resist and confront Davey, but they all crumbled in an instant.

A maniacal grin adorned Davey's face as he had already unleashed his true self. "I appreciate what you have done. However, a debt is a debt, isn't it?"

"H-Hi... Hiiik!"

Shwaaaaaa!

A flash of blue appeared as Davey swung Blue Ribbon, the swordlight destroying Grand Duke Astaroth’s shield. It was immediately followed by a flash of red light that severed the demon’s arm. Observing that Astaroth was able to evade the fatal blow and only lose his arm made Davey realize the immense power of a Grand Duke.

However, Astaroth was still not as potent as that black dragon bastard. Comparatively speaking, all the demons were formidable individuals. Nevertheless, it required a substantial amount of power for them to cross over from the artificial Demon World, where they had been banished. Thus, even if their main bodies managed to cross over, they would still be unable to exert significant force. What if it was merely a clone?

"Stop that bastard! If we fail here, there will be no future for our race!"

"Die!!!"

They desperately resisted, charging forward despite the risk of losing their lives. In response, Davey manipulated Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon, allowing them to float freely in the air as he forcefully clapped his hands together.

[8th Circle Earth Magic]

[High Ground Break]

Thud!!!

The ground twisted and turned, a crack opening up like the jaws of a gigantic alligator and swallowing all of the vampires who attacked Davey.

Crack, crack, crack, crack!!!

However, Davey did not stop there. The earth broke apart, trapping the vampires and floating freely in the air. Then, Davey raised his palm and clenched it into a fist. Simultaneously, a tremendous pressure weighed down upon them until they burst into pieces. It was a horrendous scene to watch, but Davey did not stop.

Claaaang!!!

In the end, they had prevented the worst outcome, where Perserque would become the Demon Lord. As long as Belial was alive, Perserque would never ascend to that position. However, with Belial as the Demon Lord, there were still numerous ways for the demons to reinstate Perserque as the Demon Lord.

"I waited for a long time," Davey said calmly as he approached Illyna. Then, he added, "It took you quite a while to come and find me."

None of them understood why Davey kept glancing at his watch. Even Illyna wore a puzzled expression on her face. It seemed that none of them had fully comprehended Davey's intentions yet.

Crack, crack! Crack, crack!

The cocoon shattered completely as Belial emerged, emanating an immense power that far surpassed his previous state. Though his eyes remained closed, his appearance had undergone a significant transformation.

Davey could discern traces of the Abyss' power within Belial. It made him wonder if this was why the Abyss and its creatures actively aided Perserque's resurrection as the Demon Lord. If the previous Belial was an entity Davey could easily dispatch, the current Belial belonged to an entirely different realm. The energy radiating from his body was so potent that Davey would need to exercise extreme caution if he were to engage in a desperate battle with him.

Yet, this was precisely why Davey utilized Belial to strip Perserque of her position as the Demon Lord. Davey had no knowledge of Belial's newfound power and had to approach it with utmost wariness.

"Ha... Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Fool!" Astaroth and Gluttony, who had been staring blankly, gradually snapped out of their daze. They erupted into maniacal laughter at the sight before them.

"Anyone who becomes the Demon Lord through this magic circle will be under our control! Human! I don't know how you manipulated Belial, but the result remains the same! It does not matter who it is, as long as we have our king!"

They believed that it made no difference whether Belial stood by Davey's side. As long as they could dominate and manipulate him as they intended to do with Perserque, it would suffice.

Truly, it didn't matter whether the resurrected Demon Lord was Perserque or Belial. The demons and vampires had already achieved their goal once the Demon Lord was brought back. They would gain the power to reshape the continent and drive away the alliance of humans from the Tionis Continent.

However, did they believe that Davey had orchestrated this situation without being aware of their intentions?

"Let me ask you again. What are the conditions required to become the Demon Lord?"

"What...?"

—A demon qualified to become a Demon Lord... Davey, don’t tell me...

Perserque’s eyes grew wide. It was as if she had finally understood what Davey intended to do.

—Stop!!! Do you not know how dangerous what you’re trying to attempt is?! The Abyss is far greater than what you think...!

However, disregarding Perserque's desperate cries, Davey continued to advance toward Illyna. An unsettling smile adorned his face as he lightly patted the bewildered Illyna and uttered, "Thanks, Illyna. Let me borrow this once more."

"What... What do you mean?"

"This," Davey replied cryptically.

Clack!!!

Davey forcefully tore off the brooch from Illyna's chest, causing her to struggle against his grip as he compelled Caldeiras to activate. In that moment, a sense of déjà vu washed over Illyna, but she could only stare blankly ahead, realizing that she had been completely deceived by Davey.

Since Belial's escape, she had been manipulated from the start. Why did Davey resort to trickery? Because he couldn't simply borrow Caldeiras without giving rise to rumors, except in a situation like this.

Davey turned his gaze toward Belial and aimed Caldeiras at him. With determination in his voice, he declared, "Belial has become the Demon Lord by absorbing the power from the resurrection magic circle you created. I know there may be some sort of deception within it. Since you admitted that he would be a pawn in your plan, forcing a continental war, I cannot leave him be. I have no choice but to fight him, don't I?"

Even if Davey spared Belial at this moment, they would inevitably clash in the future, potentially igniting another continental war.

Caldeiras' voice resonated in Davey's ears. Simultaneously, he released his sacred mana, the very same energy he had been conserving for this precise moment, and spoke calmly...

[Goddess Freyja.]

[I’m sorry, but I have you and the former Demon Lord completely deceived. Well, I’ll gladly receive any punishment.]

[I hope you grant mercy to this foolish Saint who has strayed from the righteous path, attempting to sever the bonds that bring forth bloodshed, sorrow, and anguish in the future.]

“Belial, it’s time to pay the price.”

[Transcendent Circle Black Magic. Subordination Magic.]

[Lord of Geas]

The curse, carefully crafted by Rho Aias, manifested with just enough potency to avoid complete rejection. As a result, the curse began to take effect, drawing out both the holy mana that Davey had cautiously conserved and the dark mana within his own being.

Trapped within an impenetrable barrier, even a powerful Demon Lord like Belial slowly opened his eyes and extended his hand toward Davey. He declared, "In accordance with my oath and loyalty to Demon Lord Perserque, I offer my life in exchange for hers. By the authority of the Demon Lord, I accept Davey O'Rowane as a challenger in the Demon Lord's Usurpation Battle. If you emerge victorious, you shall become the next Demon Lord."

The second method to attain the position of the Demon Lord was through the Demon Lord's Usurpation Battle, where the previous Demon Lord had to be slain.

"Perserque, I warned you, didn't I? Unless I am defeated, you will never ascend as the Demon Lord."

If Perserque truly intended to protect Davey through her betrayal, she should have grasped the significance behind his previous words.

It wasn't just the demons or the vampires who were mere pawns in Davey's grand scheme. He manipulated everyone and everything, even deceiving the very deity of this world, if only for a fleeting moment.

Shiiiing!!!

Davey swiftly darted forward, leaving behind a white afterimage, as Caldeiras emitted a radiant white light. Before anyone could react or Illyna could even scream, Davey closed the distance and thrust the blade of Caldeiras into Belial's heart.

"As trust is given, trust shall be repaid. Loyalty and allegiance deserve faith and conviction. What a fitting saying, wouldn't you agree?" Belial spoke his final words.

Even as the newly appointed Demon Lord, Belial remained true to his ancestors' ideals and displayed unwavering loyalty to the Demon Lord by sacrificing his own life. He was a demon with a genuine and devoted heart, incapable of accepting the manipulation of his master by others.

"Thank you for your unwavering dedication," Davey remarked.

However, this was all part of a trap designed for a single individual. The vampires and demons had laid a snare for Davey, yet unbeknownst to them, Davey had been meticulously setting up his own trap for Perserque for a considerable length of time. His sole intention was to resurrect her as a unique demon girl with extraordinary powers and, above all else, to prevent those despicable individuals from ever turning her into the Demon Lord again.