The Max Level Hero Has Returned!

Chapter 460

Chapter 460

"He overdid it..." Great Sage Hellison Valestia murmured with a stern face. He mumbled to himself as he watched Merlin being carried away on a stretcher.

"Great Sage."

"I'm sorry. If it weren't for Winley, I wouldn't have intervened."

"Tsk tsk... So naive..."

Confidence was a virtue for a magician, but excessive pride was never right.

"That was a neat and quiet approach, even making him understand it himself."

Realizing he had fallen completely for a mere 4th Circle illusion magic, Merlin would have lost the foundation of his pride that relied on his talent.

"He probably can't use magic anymore."

"There was a case like that before. He met a mage superior to himself, could not shed his pride, and was almost on the brink of breaking his mana loop."

"Are you talking about yourself, Great Sage?"

At Davey's question, Great Sage Hellison Valestia gave a bitter smile. "It's unfortunate. Being at a critical point in life. For a magician, a broken mana loop signifies death."

Davey and Great Sage Hellison Valestia approached the old man who had collapsed while following Merlin.

"Look here, my friend..."

"Oh... Great Sage..." The old man looked at Hellison with a devastated expression. "It's all my fault... I did not raise that poor boy properly..."

The man murmured dejectedly and looked at Davey. "I apologize, Prince Davey. Because of that boy's greed, I've caused you trouble."

Merlin had intended to kill Winley to lure out the Great Sage into the arena. If this was known, his life as a magician would undoubtedly end, and he would face even worse consequences. However, Davey intervened and only shook his mana loop.

"If he truly accepts reality and repents for his issues, he might rise again," Davey said.

"Perhaps. If so, he might overcome the same barriers I did," Hellison Valestia said in agreement.

"I'm just a mere 3rd Circle mage. So, I don't know how high and solid the barrier of the upper circle is." The old man spoke calmly, then murmured dejectedly. "I should have been stricter with him..."

"So, you're Merlin's mentor."

"It's embarrassing."

"It's not just about magic skills that a master and disciple share. He might have been talented, but... you're the elder in life." At Davey's words, the man looked at him in surprise. Davey added, "If parents don't guide their children properly, then what?"

"Oh... Ahh..."

"Stay strong. I'm sorry for neglecting the situation to this point... Truly sorry..."

At the bitter murmur of the Great Sage, the old man wept sorrowfully while still seated.

"Even without a blood relation, this is a master who loves his disciple so much..."

Davey felt a selfless love emanating from the pitiable old man, shedding tears for him. It was a strange and unfamiliar feeling, this unconditional love. Davey had experienced it twice before, but he had left before he could fully repay either of them.

Silently observing the scene, Davey discreetly slipped away.

* * *

The intense competition came to a temporary standstill. Merlin's disqualification for attempting to kill his opponent and his subsequent inability to wield magic resulted in Winley winning by default and advancing. The atmosphere, which had been dampened by Merlin's actions, was reinvigorated by the lively and passionate contests that followed.

Yet, there were also murmurs of concern arising. Some perceived Davey's intervention to secure his younger sister Winley's victory as skillfully executed. Although no one explicitly voiced it, this incident provided an opening for those seeking to challenge or undermine Davey's actions.

Peep!!!

At the same time, a familiar energy commenced coalescing in the sky, unveiling a distinct figure. The Fire Chicken, a fiery avian entity, materialized. Ordinarily inhabiting the forests of the Hyun country, the Fire Chicken frequently accompanied Reina throughout the continent.

Screech!!!

The powerful presence of the Fire chicken made the people scream.

"It's the hero! The Hero of Light with the Phoenix!"

"We're saved!"

The sudden raid was unfolding across the capital, plunging it into chaos. Amidst the bedlam, the majestic figure of the massive creature soaring through the sky offered a glimmer of hope. Reina, her sword in hand, swiftly took to the air, confronting the onslaught of monsters emerging from the pillars. Gradually, those who had gathered started stepping up. Accomplished magicians collaborated, synergizing their spells for greater impact.

Standing out among them were Reina and Illyna, the bearer of the divine sword Caldeiras. Both exhibited remarkable harmony, perhaps due to their parallel existence. However, while Reina recognized Illyna, the latter perceived Reina as an unfamiliar entity in Davey's company.

"Prince Davey!"

Emerging from a building and heading toward the palace, Davey spotted three figures descending rapidly from the sky: the Great Sage Hellison Valestia, Yulis, and Winley.

"What's happening?" Yulis exclaimed, clearly flustered.

"No time to explain, Yulis. Get in and help!"

"Yes, Master! Let's go, Winley!"

"Absolutely!"

As they swiftly departed, Davey turned to Hellison Valestia. He asked, "Any insights?"

"Unlikely to be an external assault. No one would dare with our combined presence." Hellison Valestia fixed his gaze on the sky, at the ascending pillars. "Prince Davey, from my experienced eyes, that pillar seems to be an 8th Circle spell..."

"It's the 8th Circle Mass Teleport. If we don't intervene, it will keep spewing out more."

"Can it be halted?"

"Not with ease. But... I can neutralize it. However, I'll need some assistance."

They had been making preparations for a significant period. Davey also needed to be cautious. Lightly vaulting onto the rooftop of a tall structure, he extended his hand toward the purple columns of light piercing the sky.

"The Mass Teleport is a flawed spell. Simply dispelling it will result in a spatial backlash."

"Is that feasible?"

"That's why I'll defuse the 'bomb' and eliminate it. This will require my full attention, though. So, Great Sage, I need you to probe and locate the origin of this event elsewhere."

Upon hearing Davey's instructions, the Great Sage nodded and swiftly departed. Despite his advanced age, his magical prowess remained undiminished.

"Now then..." Davey extended his hand backward.

"Davey, I'll assist you. Just focus on dispelling."

"I appreciate that."

Without hesitation, Davey channeled his mana toward the first pillar, which continued to unleash a torrent of monsters.

Zap! Crash!

Simultaneously, one of the robust pillars that had been incessantly birthing monsters shattered and toppled. It was an 8th Circle magic that had been tragically dismantled. Just as Davey was on the verge of dispelling the second pillar, an uncanny sensation tugged at him from a distance. His attention was drawn to a girl in a far-off location, clad in a white dress that brushed against her calves, her long black hair cascading down. Nestled within her arms was a brown tome of magic.

"..."

Their eyes met, and Davey found himself unable to avert his gaze from the peculiarly familiar aura that surrounded the girl. He sensed as if he had encountered her before, yet he struggled to recall where.

Wait, he couldn't remember? It was uncharacteristic of Davey to forget.

This could only mean that he was truly encountering her for the first time. But why did she evoke a sense of recognition? The girl locked eyes with Davey momentarily, then turned her head and swiftly vanished. She appeared familiar, yet there was an undeniable enigma to her presence.