The Max Level Hero Has Returned!

Chapter 907

Rumors created shockwaves far larger than one might anticipate. For centuries, many nobles had used rumors to take down political adversaries. After all, surely where there was smoke, there was fire.

This principle held true even in Tionis.

Duke Sharen had never involved himself directly in his schemes. But this time, he had foolishly acted personally.

The reason wasn’t because his son was involved; in fact, he cared little for his own son when compared to protecting the family name.

However, in doing so he had overreached, leaving a trail behind.

Despite that, he didn’t regret it.

“What’s his condition?”

“Your Grace, I regret to inform you... his hair loss and... erectile dysfunction are irreversible.”

“...”

After a moment of silence, he dismissed the man with a nod.

“Leave me.”

“But, Your Grace—”

“I said, leave.”

Hearing his sharp tone, the man left the room. Afterward, Duke Sharen stood up and gazed out the window, muttering bitterly to himself.

“So be it. The Saint of Tionis... Even if my decision proves foolish, if I can leave a single blemish on you, it will suffice.”

The Saint of Tionis had powerful supporters. It was likely due to his immense strength, unwavering reliability, and integrity beyond imagination.

Honestly, Duke Sharen felt his own actions to be unsettling. There weren’t many true psychopaths who took pleasure in crushing others. While plenty trampled others to survive or slandered them out of feelings of inferiority, there weren’t that many individuals who actually set out with the intention of tormenting someone from the beginning.

And Duke Sharen wasn’t an exception.

In his eyes, Davey O'Rowane was a person who upheld his beliefs while wielding overwhelming power—a figure who unknowingly amplified the feelings of inferiority in those around him.

“Have you looked into it?”

The duke summoned his most trusted aide.

“The rumors have spread. By tomorrow, public sentiment should shift.”

Hearing this, the duke closed his eyes, momentarily at peace.

* * *

By the next morning, everything had changed.

Duke Sharen, upon receiving the news, could barely muster his composure.

“What happened?”

Due to geographic constraints, the number of noble and royal applicants to Heins Academy each year was usually around a few dozen, perhaps a few hundred. ṜаNoβĚS

However—

“Three thousand?! Is this some kind of joke?!”

The number was more than tenfold. He couldn’t fathom why.

He just couldn’t understand.

Even in the worst-case scenario, where the rumors failed to harm the academy, he expected it to maintain around the same number of applications as usual. There was no reason for an explosive increase in applications to take place.

He then wondered if the rumors had acted as free advertisement—but he knew that couldn’t be the case. Duke Sharen knew better than anyone that the world didn’t work that way.

“Your Grace...”

“Speak. Explain this to me in a way that makes sense.”

“It’s because of the spirit blessings.”

He narrowed his eyes at those words.

“What nonsense is this now?”

“Upperclassmen at Heins Academy reportedly underwent incredible practical training, during which the Saint of Tionis opened a path to the Spirit World. There, they all received spirit blessings.”

“Spirit blessings... Could it be that kind of blessing...?”

“Yes, Your Grace. It’s exactly what you’re thinking.”

‘Impossible! Those blessings aren’t something handed out so easily!’@@@@

If anything, receiving spirit blessings was—with a little exaggeration—the students becoming master-level individuals after undergoing practical training. While not literally reaching that level, the blessing carried enormous value. It was a near-permanent blessing until one perished, not only boosting vitality but also delaying aging.

“And... the returning students reportedly showed remarkable improvements in their abilities compared to those of other academies. So much so that their progress couldn’t simply be attributed to natural talent.”

This had been Davey O’Rowane’s goal all along. He had taken advantage of Duke Sharen’s schemes and turned the tables, making public opinion lean back toward him instead. He had successfully spread the notion that by attending Heins Academy, students didn’t just improve their skills—they also gained coveted spirit blessings. It was something no other academy could replicate.

For as long as Davey lived, this system would remain a significant advantage. Plus, he was years and years away from dying, at least tens to hundreds of years. It’d only come to an end if either he died or Heins Academy fell.

Duke Sharen clenched his fists.

“It’s a complete defeat...”

[N-No way! This place is so much fun! I want to stay longer!]

"And what about your will-o’-the-wisps? Who’ll take care of them if something happens while you’re here?"

[Well... that’s...]

Indra began fidgeting, caught between her responsibilities and her desire to stay. She then curiously poked the human in front of them wearing a bamboo basket over their head.

[By the way, what’s with this human?]

“They’re an assassin—one of the ones who tried to attack during the practical lessons.”

[What’s an assassin?]

“It hardly matters.”

Davey casually lifted the basket off, revealing the man who was tied to a chair.

"Awake yet?"

“...”

"Don’t even think about killing yourself. Humans don’t die easily simply by biting their tongue, and bringing you back before you can completely die is no problem for me."

Without hesitation, Davey kicked the man in the stomach, sending him flying.

“Gah!”

With a quick flick of his hand, Davey used telekinesis to pull the man back into his chair.

"I’ll keep it simple. From now on, answer with either yes or no.”

“I won’t say a word.”

“Really? You sure about that?”

“No matter what you do, I won’t open my mouth.”

As Davey assessed the assassin’s resolve, he noticed Indra watching from the side. While he knew it didn’t matter, he felt it unnecessary to expose her to such a brutal scene.

“Fine. I’ll be back in half a day. Until then, think long and hard about what you’re going to do.”

Turning away, Davey left the room with Indra trailing behind sporting a confused face.

Creak...!!

Not long after, muscular figures entered the room, carrying weights and various exercise equipment in their hands.

“Hmph?!”

Noticing what they were, the assassin widened his eyes.

“T-Those are...!!”

“You recognize them, don’t you? These are the Killer Rabbits; the ones that decimated your squad.”

“Prince... Davey! You pretend to be righteous, but you’ve been training these terrifying, disgusting creatures in the shadows!”

"Get your facts straight. These guys are still cleaner than you lot. And for the record, just looking at them makes my stomach churn too."

Ignoring his comment, the Killer Rabbits approached the assassin while making their unique cry.

“N-No! Don’t come near me! Stay back!”

“Don’t kill him, but be sure to have your fun. There's no need to hold back like you would with the students. I’ll return for the interrogation in half a day.”

One of the Killer Rabbits flexed its chest muscles in agreement, bouncing its chest rhythmically.

“Ugh... Disgusting,” Davey muttered, quickly exiting the room as his stomach turned.

[W-What were those things? T-They’re terrifying.]

“Yup, makes sense. Their base strength surpasses even a Spirit King’s.”

[I... I don’t want to see them again!]

“Same here.”

No matter how powerful they were, some things were simply unbearable to look at. The Killer Rabbits embodied that sentiment perfectly.

“Your Highness, the number of applicants to Heins Academy has surged.”

“I figured as much. How many are we talking?”

Davey figured there’d be around dozens to possibly hundreds, which in fact wasn’t that much.

“Well... The thing is... there’s three thousand so far.”

“Holy shit.”

The minor ripple Davey had created had returned as a full-scale explosion.

“That’s too many...”

“What should we do? Should we administer entrance exams?”

"Here’s what we’ll do..."