The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1288

A massive surge of something burst out of the demon race before abruptly vanishing. The crimson sky disappeared alongside it.

Still, no one could declare that the situation had ended. That was because everyone who had ears heard it. Creatures similar to the demon race had erupted in large numbers, declared war, and then disappeared.

The existence of the single demon that had contained them no longer mattered.

Sling.

Rip!

Illyna swung her sword a moment too late, slicing through part of the black forms that had been escaping. However, most of them had already vanished.

There was no need to question what they were. Everyone already knew the demon race hadn’t originally come from Tionis.

“Kouna. Kouna!!” At that moment, Davey heard Abel desperately screaming.

Abel had actually returned there with Kouna, but was swept up in the red mist.

Davey had quickly found Abel, but not Kouna. Since she had vanished within distorted space and time, it was only natural for Abel to panic.

Back when she hadn’t realized the presence of the demon, she’d been caught in an accident and fell into a coma. Now, it seemed like she’d gotten sucked into a space-time distortion.

As Abel looked around in despair, Evangeline, though not fully aware of the situation, hesitated as she watched him closely.

“No... No! No!!” Eventually, Abel seemed to lose all sense of reason and fell to his knees, frantically starting to dig through the ruins of the sacred temple.

He was probably clinging to the hope that Kouna hadn’t gotten lost in space-time, but was instead buried somewhere in the collapsed temple. Even if she were injured, that’d be better than not finding her at all.

That was how little regard Abel had for his own well-being.

“Please... Please answer me!”

As he desperately searched through the rubble, Evangeline grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Stop it, you idiot! She’s not here!”

“Let go! Do you know what I went through to protect her?! Do you know why I even came here?!”

“Abel!!” she shouted.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice cracked as he screamed, “Once was enough! I can’t lose her a second time!!!”

After digging through the debris for a while, he finally collapsed to the ground.

“Ah. Aaah!” Tears spilled from his eyes. “I promised to protect her, yet now...”

Guilt and sorrow consumed him. He’d used every method he could, and still wasn't able to save her.

Davey didn’t know what kind of relationship the two would end up having in the future. Honestly, he was in shock since the two were a pair he would’ve never expected. At the same time, he felt a bittersweet relief that Abel hadn’t grown up twisted like he’d feared.

No one really knew their full story, but it seemed they could still feel his grief. Everyone watching him couldn’t help but look on with pity.

Naturally, some were curious about what was happening. One of them eventually couldn’t hold back and came up to Davey. “What’s going on?”

Davey solemnly replied, “He’s doing that because he thought he lost you.”

At his response, the girl tilted her head in confusion. “Me?”

“Yeah. He got caught up with you in the mist and... Wait, what the—” Startled, Davey turned his head to find Kouna standing there, staring up at him with a blank expression.

Abel, who still hadn’t noticed her, looked utterly crushed and full of sorrow.

Thump.

Davey gave Kouna a nudge on the back. “Go comfort him.”

“Who’s that guy even supposed to be?”

Davey was surprised to hear that. “You followed him without knowing who he was?”

“I at least knew he was on our side. I just came along because I thought I could help this time.” She then flinched when she saw Abel suddenly rise to his feet with bloodshot eyes.

“Ah. Aaah.” Abel groaned, stumbled forward, and immediately wrapped his arms around her. “Thank god! Aah.”

Surprised by his unexpected action, Kouna tried to push him away while glancing at Davey.

‘Why are you looking at me?’

Her eyes darted around like she wanted to say this wasn’t what it looked like, that it was a misunderstanding, but Abel didn’t seem to care. He just held her tightly in silence, refusing to let go.

Davey asked in his place, “Where were you?”

“Well, I got caught in the mist near the temple and ended up trapped in a place with nothing in it.”

Davey had already figured that much. “You still made it out?”

“I kept walking like Haetai told me to, and then...”

“Ah.” Now that he thought about it, Davey remembered that Kouna had been contracted as a minister of the Time Dragon Arbit.

He assumed traces of that connection had remained, allowing Haetai to guide her out through a gap in the space-time rift.

“Good thing you’re okay.”

Thankfully, they'd managed to get Kouna back as well. Davey still couldn’t ignore the creatures that had escaped from the dead demon, but he also knew they wouldn’t be able to invade the continent right away.

That left only one matter to deal with.

Davey turned his head toward Priest Roam and Auxiliary Bishop Tophenne, both of whom the Holy Knights held captive. “What happened?”

“I don’t know. But... whatever ritual that bastard performed, it must’ve succeeded, because all those things came pouring out. They’ll probably set up a nest somewhere on the continent and start prepping for war.”

These two were the cause of it all.

Davey looked down at Priest Roam, who was trembling with fear, and Auxiliary Bishop Tophenne, who seemed utterly broken. “You said you wouldn’t acknowledge me as a Saint. Is that why you did all this?”

Tophenne didn't know how to respond.

“Thanks to you, something that could’ve ended quietly has escalated into a continent-wide war.”

His flat tone made Tophenne flinch.

“There’ll be a formal investigation back in the Holy Empire. More importantly, are you alright, Saintess Lena?”

“Y-Yes. I didn’t really do anything, though.” She looked visibly discouraged as well.

Even if she’d come as a witness for Davey, she was still officially recognized as the second bearer of the stigmata.

The fact that she’d been powerless in this situation and was disheartened by it was understandable.

“Escort the Saintess! Holy Knights, take the criminals into custody! Finally, seal and transport that fallen creature!”

At last, the Holy Knights moved into action.

“Do we need to do anything special with the corpse?” one of them asked.

“It’s not like taking it will change anything. Just handle it however you see fit. I’d like to rest for now.”

Along with Evangeline looking at him with eyes demanding for some explanation, there was something Davey needed to do first. “I need to meet with the Goddess.”

“Not that it’ll change anything,” Daphne responded with a smirk.

“We can’t just sit around doing nothing, though.”

Daphne, who had her hood pulled over the garments of a diocesan leader, lifted the edge of it slightly. “So. Why did you let that bastard live?”

She gave a gentle smile. “Are you planning to kill him?”

“Well, is there a need to get my hands dirty? From the Holy Empire’s standpoint, that guy’s no longer part of some elite noble family. He’s now just a criminal who tried to commit high treason and overthrow the nation. Even if we leave him alone, the inquisitors are inevitably going to tear him apart.”

The inquisitors would soon arrive and demand his execution without hesitation.

“You could save him if you stepped in,” she reminded him.

“Why would I do that?”

Priest Roam was no different. However, all of this had happened because of Auxiliary Bishop Tophenne, and Davey couldn’t just let that go.

The ritual the demon performed did let him summon Illyna, which was a good thing, but it also unleashed whatever had been hiding inside its body.

When Davey gave such a firm answer, Daphne nodded. “If that’s how you feel, I won’t stop you. The Goddess is waiting for you.”

* * *

What began as a matter concerning only the Haetan Kingdom had since escalated far beyond the scope of a small kingdom.

That was because entities believed to be the same as the one who overturned the Holy Empire had appeared in large numbers and declared war.

Naturally, no one could afford to fixate on Heins Territory or Davey O’Rowane anymore.

Priest Roam and Auxiliary Bishop Tophenne were immediately bound by the Holy Knights and handed over to the restructured inquisition. After all, the incident had involved apostasy. In other words, it was pure heresy.

The first to suffer was the Haetan Kingdom. Next was the Holy Empire, which had stood firm for countless years. It was only natural that the Three Empires and many other nations, sensing this was far from over, were now on edge.

Back at the territory, Evangeline stood off in the distance watching Abel, whose wounds were now wrapped in bandages.

Seeing them, she made a pained expression. “So that’s Abel from the future? And he came because of Kouna?”

They hadn’t told Kouna everything. It wasn’t a big deal to tell her the fact that Abel was currently an infant sleeping in a cradle, but telling her that she’d one day marry him was another story. There was no telling how she would react.

In the end, all Kouna knew was that he was Abel. She didn’t know anything else.

“It’s totally a ‘calm before the storm’ situation. What the hell is even going on these days?”

Evangeline walked out onto the terrace where Abel was leaning with his arm resting on the railing and spoke up, “Hey, Abel.”

He gave no response.

Feeling awkward for no reason, she subtly leaned against the railing beside him. Even though she had spent a long time living on Earth, this place was still her home.

“Those things... You don’t think they were bluffing, do you?”

Abel, who had remained silent, picked up the wine glass next to him.

“Hey! You’re still wet behind the ears. Who said you could drink?!”

“I’m legally an adult, you know,” he calmly replied.

Evangeline frowned. “When did my little brother start talking back to me? Haaah.”

Finding it funny, he quietly chuckled. “I thought I could fix everything before going back, but I guess things are never that simple.”

“How long can you stay here?”

“A day or two at most.” After that, Abel would have to return. “From that point on, everything will really depend on the outcome of what happens.”

His expression was grim. “Since the one who put Kouna in that state is gone, she probably won’t fall into a coma. Unfortunately, this could still lead to an even worse future.”

A dark cloud hung over his face. “If I’d known it’d turn out like this, maybe I shouldn’t have interfered at all.”

“No,” Evangeline responded. “You did the right thing. You really think just leaving that bastard alone would’ve led to a better future?”

Her encouragement made him let out a wry smile and raise his wine. “Would you like a glass?”

“I’m not legally of age yet, you know?” she reminded him.

“Ah, that’s right. You’re always the same to me... I forgot.”

“If those things are the same as demon races, then there’s nothing Father can do, right?”

“Probably, yeah. Ugh, what a mess!” Evangeline poked at the rainbow slime sitting on her shoulder, muttering irritably, “Especially right in the middle of a stream.”

“Oh, by the way. Your stream goes under in the future.”

“What?!”

“I’m kidding.”

Whack!

Without hesitation, Evangeline kicked Abel in the butt. Unable to withstand the force, he went flying off the terrace.

“There are certain things people can't joke about.”

“Phew. Still got the same fiery temper, just like back then. Still terrible at games, too.”

“Hey. I’m good, okay?” she insisted.

“Heh. If you say so. But, Evangeline.”

“What?”

Since Abel O’Rowane had spent a lot of time with Illyna, who had a strong interest in gaming, he was naturally quite skilled.

Of course, Evangeline, being a streamer, also played plenty of games, and her base mechanics were solid.

However, when it came to fighting games, the record between Evangeline O’Rowane and Abel O’Rowane was simple.

283 matches. 142 wins. 141 losses.

“Pfft! You were terrible.”

Grit.

However, what Abel didn’t realize or recall was just how fiery her temper could get. In fact, it was only in the future that she had become a little more mild.

“W-Wait, sis? Hold on! I’m a patient right now, and you’re gonna use a breath attack—?!”

Boom!!

Without a hint of hesitation, Evangeline unleashed a breath attack straight at Abel.

* * *

While the two bickered back at the lord’s manor, Davey had come to meet the Goddess in the Saint Sanctuary.

Now that war had broken out, damage was inevitable. Depending on whether Davey could participate or not, the scale of that damage would change drastically.

In truth, there were still things Davey didn’t understand about Daphne’s actions this time. She didn’t seem particularly pleased by the idea of killing Auxiliary Bishop Tophenne.

Perhaps it was just a difference in perspective, or the fact she wanted to show some mercy in her own way. Yet, regardless of whether Davey stepped in or not, there was no way he was getting out alive.

At the same time, Davey himself didn’t have any desire to save him either.

Step. Step.

As Davey slowly walked deeper into the Saint Sanctuary, he saw the avatar of the Goddess far ahead, dipping her feet in a pond.

“Goddess, what kind of promise did you make to end up tied down by such annoying restrictions?”

Goddess Freyja slowly turned her head. His eyes widened the moment he saw what was in her arms.

A small, orb-shaped fragment of a soul.

“Why the hell is that bastard here?”

[We’ll need this child’s help in what’s to come.]

“Aaaah. You’ve got to be kidding me. My blood pressure...”

[Do you want to know what happened in the past—before Tionis and the Abyss came into existence?]

“Fine, let’s hear it.” Davey took a deep breath, forcing down his rising frustration, and slowly approached her. “But before that. I can’t work with that thing, so get it out of my sight.”

He glared coldly at the soul fragment nestled in her arms.