The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1307

Professor Bachtobel, once a legendary figure in the cello world, led a rather monotonous life in his later years. At some point, his senses had dulled as burnout hit him hard. Despite having earned global acclaim as a master cellist, he voluntarily stepped away from the spotlight and chose a life of seclusion.

Sure, he occasionally taught students as an adjunct instructor to get by, but that was nothing more than a desperate attempt to reignite a spark in his exhausted soul.

Then, out of the blue, someone contacted him. It was Juliana, one of his most recent students. Word on the street was that she had become a world-renowned violinist.

She was one of the exceptional students who had come close to reigniting the fire inside his heart. While he wasn’t able to bring his passion back through her, he had nonetheless grown somewhat attached to her.

Now, that same Juliana had reached out. She told him it might be their last chance, saying he should take a leap of faith and see for himself who she was talking about.

Naturally, he didn’t want to bother. He was too drained to care anymore, and besides, she hadn’t even explained anything properly. However, he also knew she wasn’t the type of person who would make such requests lightly.

After some hesitation, he recalled something his parents had once told him.

- An artist has to travel, see the world, and experience things.

Moved partly by impulse, he stood up and booked himself a flight to Korea—a place he’d never had a reason to visit. Once he landed, he met up with Juliana.

“Do you have any idea how bold it is for you to waste my time like this?” he addressed in a stern tone while brushing his graying beard.

Other than the ambiguous reason she brought up, he had no idea why she’d be in Korea.

“You won’t regret this, Professor. Just take a look.”

Thirty minutes passed.

“Yes, it’s me, Professor Bachtobel. It’s been a while. Still busy raising students these days? Of course you are. You and I both, we’re bound to burn out with the paths we’ve chosen. Anyways, listen. Why don’t you come see me instead for once? I’m in Korea. That’s right.” Professor Bachtobel, who had looked as though nothing could stir him, called up an old acquaintance.

“Hey, Bachtobel. Do you know how busy I am? Now that I’m here, if this isn’t something serious, I swear I’ll be furious.”

Thirty minutes later.

“Get your ass to Korea! Don’t give me any excuses, they’re all nonsense. Just come, damn it!”

One by one, others began to gather.

* * *

The most important element in an ensemble is harmony.

It’s not about one person outshining everyone else. Each individual becomes a piece of the puzzle, coming together to form something greater than themselves. That was the very foundation of ensemble performance.

In that sense, Super Ribbon’s playing was ideal. She didn’t let her overwhelming talent dominate the group. Yes, her performance was incredible, but the true brilliance lay beneath the surface.

While she didn’t boast any flashy technique, it constantly sparked an endless stream of wondrous musical ideas. Just being near her felt like it could burn away the most intense burnout.

Even if it was just once, or even if it meant burning out completely in the end, joining an ensemble with her was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity no musician could afford to miss.

Starting with Bachtobel, a legendary master of the cello, there were others in the industry who had stopped performing and gone into seclusion under similar circumstances.

Eventually, dozens of them had gathered. Their sudden arrival to Korea naturally set the music world abuzz with heated conversation and speculation. Such reactions weren’t surprising, given they were people who had publicly declared that they’d never perform again.

Yet, there they were, all gathered in one place. On top of that, every one of them was someone nearly impossible to bring together in the same room. It was only natural for the industry to be shaken!

Due to the unprecedented gathering, rumors quickly spread that they were preparing something big.

Of course, when legendary figures came together, disagreements were still inevitable.

“I’m telling you, that’s not how it’s done!” one of them screamed.

“No, this is the right way!” another argued.

“Dear lady, you’re quite lovely. Would you be open to meeting my grandson—cough!!”

“You pervy old man, what the hell are you doing?”

“Juliana, what are you gonna do about this?”

“I didn’t expect this many to show up either.”

Si-Hyun sighed and rubbed his forehead as he looked around at the scene. He knew full well that the people gathered there were all remarkable musicians. However, he should’ve anticipated that too many cooks would spoil the broth.

Super Ribbon’s performance had certainly ignited a spark in their hearts. The problem was, each person had taken away something different from it.

“Damn it! That’s not how we should do this!”

Some of them were locked in heated debate. Things had gotten tense enough that some of the world-renowned masters looked about ready to grab each other by the collar and duke it out.

“I don’t know what to do anymore,” Si-Hyun complained.

“Honestly, even I don't agree with what those professors are saying. I’m this close to stepping in.” Juliana sighed, clearly understanding him.

On the other hand, Super Ribbon was indifferent to the chaos around her, and continued to do whatever she wanted from the start. Whenever her playing echoed through, a few among the group would seem to gain inspiration and started making strange attempts of their own.

Super Ribbon was the focal point, sure, but she didn’t have the skill or experience to guide the group and complete an orchestra successfully.

So of course, it all turned into a mess.

Si-Hyun desperately wanted to place his hopes on Davey, the only one who could possibly pull that off, but Davey hadn’t shown himself after everyone arrived.

All this happened within just five days of Juliana’s arrival.

“You saw the reporters outside, right? This is turning into a huge pain, Juliana.”

“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t think it’d get this big either... I only contacted Professor Bachtobel and a few others! How was I supposed to know it’d spread like a damn virus?”

“Hah. This is when we could really use that man’s help.”

“You mean Saint Davey? Is he really that amazing?”

Juliana had heard Davey play, but she had never felt the same kind of spark from him that she’d felt from Super Ribbon.

To be blunt, while she knew he was good, she doubted he was good enough to hold his own among so many legends.

Si-Hyun chuckled and asked with a smirk. “Juliana, you’ve never actually seen him play properly, have you?”

“Hmm?” She indeed hadn’t.

“I’ve seen it. Everything he’s done until now has just been for supporting others in their ideas. If he actually plays for real, it’ll be something else entirely.”

Juliana raised her eyebrows, intrigued. “You cocky genius. You do realize there aren’t even many with that capability among those professors you speak so highly of, right?”

“So what? He’s the only one. The only person who can pull this whole mess together.”

The problem was, he was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, they heard a voice call out, “Everyone, have something to eat first.”

Si-Hyun shot to his feet the moment he saw Davey appear with a gentle smile. “Saint!”

No one could’ve been more welcome in the chaos.

When Si-Hyun rushed over to greet him, Davey smiled with a look that showed he understood what was going on. “Need some help?”

“Yes! We do!” Si-Hyun eagerly replied with relief.

“Thought so. That’s why I brought someone with me.”

With that, Davey lowered the small figure he had been carrying on his back. “We’re here!” he announced. “Are you just gonna sleep all day or what?”

“Hrrrm. You try being this age. Your whole body aches, and all you want is sleep,” the figure complained.

“That’s called being sick. Like, a real illness.”

The figure Davey had set down was a small girl. Frankly, she was far too tiny to be considered human.

Si-Hyun was stunned. “Ummm. Saint? Who is this?”

“I can’t explain in detail. There’s no central figure right now, and that’s the cause of the chaos, right? She’s the one who’ll fix that. Introduce yourself!” he announced, to which he received another hrm. He continued, “Her name is Mute. She’s my teacher. She’s also the one who turned Super Ribbon, who played serenades of hell at first, into what she is today.”

That one sentence instantly silenced the entire crowd.

All eyes turned toward the sleepy-eyed figure rubbing her face. “Davey, I can’t stay here for more than a few days. I trust you understand that.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll borrow strength from the other heroes so that there won’t be any issues.”

“Phew! How did things get like this...” she complained, rubbing her back. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

“Isn’t this what you wanted? I even went through the trouble of making a new body for you and settling you in.”

Her lingering desire had always been to once again perform in a festival-like ensemble. Alas, none among the heroes had ever moved her enough to make it possible.

“Don’t talk nonsense,” she chided him.

“Isn’t that why you insisted on ensemble practice when I learned from you? Because that’s what you truly wanted?”

Mute had realized it was no longer possible to come together to create a single piece of music with many others, so she had settled for frequent duets with Davey instead. However, his playing had surpassed her expectations in such a bizarre way that she eventually gave up on even that.

“You won’t get another chance like this. There aren’t many students who care this much about their teacher, you know?”

Mute let out a deep sigh and finally nodded. “Alright, let’s do it. Maybe I can get a few things off my chest.”

Though small in stature, she stepped forward with confidence. “Everyone, gather around. Since things have already been set in motion, we might as well take this thing all the way.”

She was a tiny girl they’d never seen before, but not one person there so much as entertained a single thought about refusing her.

* * *

The participation of Mute, the Minstrel Hero and world-renowned master of her generation, was nothing short of extraordinary.

At first, there were a few in the group who didn't take kindly to Mute’s arrival, especially her taking the lead. After all, every single one of them carried a formidable sense of pride.

However, that changed with a single speech.

- What good is a musician who only talks? You must play yourself and move others through your performance.

The task she laid out was simple and well-known, albeit incredibly difficult.

As things came to this, those whose fading passions had just been reignited now revealed their ambition—to seize the opportunity, earn the highest praise, and bring everything together in one final magnum opus.

One by one, without holding back, they expressed their own ideas and concepts.

Arguments may have flared on a personal level, yet when it came to skill, they were not people anyone could dismiss lightly.

Their performances continued. However, none of them stood out as overwhelmingly superior. Nobody was the definitive maestro.

Then, finally, Mute’s turn came.

However, unlike the others, she didn’t bring out any particularly remarkable instrument.

“Hm? Lady Mute, what is that?” Having just watched Si-Hyun be kicked in the shin for calling her a little girl, the other professors were extra cautious with their words to avoid any slip-ups.

After all, despite her appearance, the fact that she wasn’t human meant her actual age could very well surpass even the silver-bearded elders present.

No one really knew who or what Mute truly was. All they knew was that she was Davey and Super Ribbon’s teacher.

“Well, that’s quite a heavy title, but I suppose it’s not important. Seems like you’ve all taken something from that girl’s performance. That will prove a great experience for you. If you’re able to refine what you’ve felt, you’ll be able to make much deeper dives into the art of music.”

“Ah. I-is that so?”

“What I’ll do isn’t anything special. Just this.” What Mute pulled out was a long, thin blade of grass. It was a simple leaf. It seemed to have no additions. Just a plain, ordinary reed.

Surely, nothing could come of playing a leaf like a flute. The masters were caught off guard by her eccentricity. Then, the moment she began to play, the indifference vanished from their faces. Some stood with mouths agape, clearly confused. Others looked restless, fiddling with their instruments as if itching to play something themselves.

Her performance was at a level none of them could possibly reach.

With nothing but a blade of grass, she stirred souls and resonated with spirits directly through sound. While it had only been a reed, by the time her performance ended, not a single person had any complaints about her taking the lead.

* * *

Each one of them carried immense pride, and every single one had made a name for themselves. Even so, they all unanimously chose to follow Mute. That was their tribute to the one whose performance had left them in awe.

“The first goal should be identifying what it is you want to express. Forget the usual, fixed structures and flow. None of that matters here. Remember, we’re not performing for anyone else—ue’re creating music for ourselves.”

It sounded like something a college club leader would say to recruit newbies. Even so, when the members involved were living legends, the story changed completely.

“We don’t need instrument restrictions either. There’s no such thing as an instrument that can’t be tuned to match.”

Mute casually skimmed through the score that Si-Hyun had first proposed. After briefly tapping her fingers on it a few times, she began making checks and markups here and there.

“This part here—it’s putting in effort in all the wrong places. The concept itself is fresh, but if you let it control you, it could turn into a monstrous albatross.”

Si-Hyun nodded, as if under a spell, and began revising the main score alongside her.

“At first, she was acting all tired and sleepy, but now she’s the most excited one here,” Davey said with a smirk.

Juliana had a burning question. “Ummmm. Saint?”

“Yes?”

“Who exactly is she? Is she a famous musician from Tionis?” Juliana asked, her curiosity piqued.

Davey shook his head. “She’s not from Tionis.”

“What?”

“She’s just... a musician who once dreamed a certain dream, a long time ago.” Davey smiled gently as he looked at Mute, who, despite her drowsy expression, had the faintest smirk. He murmured, “Do you see yourself? You do know how to smile.”

Mute had been the most disheartened of all the heroes Davey had met. All the other heroes agreed. That was exactly why the ensemble project wasn’t something Davey could just give up on.

He wanted to give something back to his teacher.

Perhaps it was due to all the preparation Si-Hyun had done, or maybe Mute’s discerning eye was just that sharp, but adjusting the score didn’t take long. Still, Mute wasn’t satisfied with just that.

She showed him countless pieces of compositions that she had accumulated over an unimaginably long time. Of course, Mute, the musician once called the God of Music, had created them herself. From simple melodies to complex arrangements, some of the pieces were enough to send shivers down one's spine.

Anyone else might’ve crumbled under the weight of comparison, thinking their own work was trash in the face of such mastery. Si-Hyun wasn’t like that, though. He quickly understood why Mute was showing him her work. He chose a few to fuse with his own, creating an entirely new composition. He stayed up all night just to finish it.

By morning, looking like a zombie with deep dark circles under his eyes, he distributed the new sheet music to the gathered masters.

They were skeptical at first, of course. While they knew he was a genius, he was still a young man. As they followed the flow of the new score and played through it a few times, however, every last one of them became fired up. Some even set aside their primary instruments and reached for new ones, just to match the piece.

“How is it? Satisfied?” Davey asked Mute, who looked perfectly fine despite having stayed up all night as well. “Is that new body giving you any issues? Feel off at all?”

To manifest her into the physical world, he had created a new vessel. It was similar to her original, but a little different. Even the size wasn’t quite the same. He was sure it must have taken a toll on her to live in that kind of incongruous state.

Yet, Mute shook her head. “You're surprisingly capable of doing something commendable. These rascals are all prideful, but each one of them has potential.”

Davey chuckled. “To be completely honest, those folks being treated like kids feels weird.”

“To me, you look older than them.” Her sarcasm remained, but it lacked the usual chill. “Thanks. Because of you, I think I can finally let go of some of the regret.”

“So? What am I supposed to play?” Davey was eager to know how he’d contribute to his teacher’s greatest wish.

“Anything’s fine... except singing.”

“Huh.” Her sharp tongue hadn’t dulled at all, leaving Davey speechless.

“If you’re gonna participate... yeah, that’ll work. Play this.” She handed him a lyre.[1] “It’s the one you’re best at, right?”

She smiled, and Davey silently took the lyre from her with a crooked grin. “Not sure if the sound will fit.”

“I’ll handle that. You just do your best.”

He had heard similar words from her many times in the past.

- Leave behind a performance the world won’t forget.

The nameless orchestra, surrounded by nothing but rumors, began making quiet but steady progress.

New rumors began to spread as well.

Expectations swelled and snowballed, growing larger and larger with each passing day. Many wondered why such legendary figures had suddenly gathered, and what they were preparing to unleash.

Inevitably, the rumors reached those Si-Hyun had shunned and distanced himself from.

“Well, isn’t that interesting? Who gave him permission to start this crap when his contract with my orchestra isn’t even up?” Brady, a fellow member of the same orchestra as Si-Hyun, and the one who had seized total control through his family's immense wealth, let out a cold laugh.

“Sure, go ahead. Do whatever you want. I’ll allow it. But don’t think you’re getting away with it that easily.”

Greed for fame burned in his eyes.

1. Think of it like a mix between a harp and a guitar. Traditionally a Greek instrument, it is most closely associated with the legendary bard Orpheus, whose lyre-playing even swayed the God of the Underworld, Hades. If you want a visual example, Gustave Moreau in 1865 did an oil painting on wood titled Orpheus that shows his severed head resting on his trusty lyre, and that can be found here.

Additionally, the lyre is such a foundational instrument that the world’s oldest surviving melody, Hurrian Hymn no. 6 from c. 1400 B.C., is believed to have been written for the lyre. You can listen to a rendition of that here. ☜