The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 933. The Place Surtr Hid

Both Emperor Sullivan and the dwarf stared at Davey in stunned belief at his blunt statement.

“What... What do you mean, broken? The sword broke?!”

“While overseeing Evangeline’s swordsmanship practice, the sword couldn’t endure her strength—it shattered,” Davey explained calmly, pulling a box from his Pocket Plane and opening it to reveal the shattered remnants of the blade.

The dwarf looked at the pieces, his expression utterly blank. It had broken into a million shards, meaning there was no hope of reforging it. It wasn’t a simple break that could be welded back together; the blade had been obliterated.

Though many swords were considered disposable tools, there were exceptions, such as the divine sword Caldeiras that had remained intact for thousands of years. And so, thinking of them as merely disposable tools was not entirely correct. The dwarf had believed that the sword he forged stood in the same league as such mythical blades.

To an extent, he was right. The swords he crafted usually retained their strength, resisting the corrosion of blood and the dulling of their edges, enduring even the fierce strikes of Aura Blades. It was only natural, given that the materials he used were far beyond ordinary.

“That’s impossible! Do you know what kind of sword that was? All I went through to make it?!” the dwarf screamed, grabbing Davey by the collar and shaking him violently.

“It can’t be... It can’t be! Are you saying my sword was flawed?! Aaaahhh!”

The dwarf suddenly bolted toward the window and jumped out. Flabbergasted, Davey simply raised an eyebrow as he watched the scene unfold. Emperor Sullivan sighed deeply from beside him.

“Leave him be. He’s always been like this.”

Davey rushed to the window and peeked out. Sure enough, several humans and dwarves had already prepared a large, cushioned mat for him. After the dwarf landed safely, they restrained him with ropes and began dragging him away.

“Well, that was... certainly something,” Davey muttered.

“But I must admit, the sword breaking is quite unexpected,” Sullivan said. “I wouldn’t have thought Lady Evangeline would handle her weapon so roughly.”

“It wasn’t rough handling. The sword legitimately was just too weak.”

“Haha... If that’s weak, perhaps her next sword should be a divine blade.”

“Well, Evangeline’s power is a little... unique by normal standards.”

“I see. So what brings you here today, Prince? Surely you didn’t travel all this way just to inform me of the sword having broken.”

Since the sword was a gift, it was entirely her choice whether Evangeline used the sword for cutting down enemies, as decoration, or even for slicing vegetables. In other words, he was saying that there was no reason for Davey to come back just because the sword had broken—it’s not like it was Sullivan’s fault.

“It’s about Surtr’s Labyrinth—I’ll assist you in clearing it,” Davey replied.

“What? Oh... I see.”

“Well, it’s not like I can ask you for a refund for the broken sword, and I’m also curious about what’s inside that labyrinth.”

Things would’ve been different if Sullivan had given him a defective sword, but mithril swords were well-known to be excellent weapons. The problem lay in the sheer ferocity of Evangeline’s energy, simply beyond what the blade could contain.

But all in all, Davey was just curious about what the labyrinth contained.

“My conditions remain unchanged, Prince,” Sullivan said firmly.

“You’re saying that because this is an unofficial operation, the Rowane Kingdom can’t make any formal demands, correct?”

“Exactly.”

“Fine. I’ll settle for taking a couple of things that we loot from the labyrinth.”

He knew this could be construed as committing embezzlement, but that’d be more of a matter of semantics than a genuine legal concern. After all, the Pallan Empire had specifically requested his help as an individual, not in the capacity of a Rowane Kingdom representative.

This made any attempts at framing his participation as a political matter shaky, at best. While it wasn’t exactly the most honorable or unbiased way to spin it, whatever Davey obtained from the labyrinth fell under personal gain rather than state interference.

"The reason the Pallan Empire ultimately called on me is that there’s something you couldn’t resolve on your own, is it not?"

"In truth, some nobles opposed seeking your help.”

Considering that they also didn’t know what there was to gain or face within the labyrinth, calling him was unthinkable. They had no way of knowing what Davey might demand in return.

"And yet you still requested my aid."

"The Empire has already suffered a great loss in the labyrinth. We can’t bear to see more of our people sacrificed."

"And what if I demand something significant in return for my services?"

"Just promise us one thing.”

"Only one thing?"

"Whatever happens, ensure that whatever masterpiece of Surtr's that lies within belongs to us.

Davey chuckled inwardly, wondering if there would be anything inside the labyrinth that could be considered a masterpiece. But regardless of whether or not there was something like that inside, it wasn’t his goal—he was interested in discovering what secret Surtr had gone to such great lengths to hide.

"Hm. Alright. But let’s hope, if it’s something big, that it doesn’t create any further issues.”

As they shook hands, Sullivan made a relieved expression.

Surtr, the Thousand-day Blacksmith, setting such extreme traps only further stoked Davey’s curiosity about what exactly warranted such protection.

* * *

Surtr’s Labyrinth was found near a lake in the center of the continent.

To avoid further complications, the investigation team had been deliberately kept small and composed only of elite members: scholars, mages, and blacksmiths.

They cautiously entered the small cave near the lake.

"Daddy! Is this a dungeon?" Evangeline exclaimed with excitement.

"Yes, it’s a dungeon," Davey replied.

Although the entrance looked like a typical cave, the interior told a different story. The location of the dungeon, hidden so well between narrow gaps, suggested that it was only discovered because wandering travelers had accidentally stumbled upon it by chance.

"Wait, a child? Who brings a kid to a place like this?"

"Shh! Watch your mouth. Don’t cause trouble."

Davey and Evangeline had cloaks on, so the knights and scholars of the Pallan Empire whispered about them without being aware of who they were.

"Halt! You need to identify yourself before proceeding any further," a knight declared while blocking the pathway with a halberd.

"Identification? I was told this would suffice.” Davey responded while taking out a small mithril insignia from his robes.

The knight examined it with indifference, but the moment he realized what it really was, his eyes widened in shock.

"Ah! A-An imperial insignia! My apologies, Your Highness. I’ve been briefed on your arrival. Please, proceed. Saint."

"Thanks.”

As Davey approached the entrance of the dungeon, the murmurs grew louder.

"That’s the Saint of the Continent? My goodness. He doesn’t emit even a trace of mana..."

"And the girl with him...? Whoa, she’s extraordinary! That young, and she’s already an Expert?"

"She’s probably at least on par with our princess, isn’t she?"

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"Unbelievable... How can someone so young possess that level of mana?"

While they couldn’t sense any mana from Davey, Evangeline was a different story. She was already a supreme Expert, on the cusp of breaking through to Master. Due to her unique racial traits, her power also radiated with an intensity that was felt as several times more ferocious than it actually was, further misleading those around her.

Although the inside of the dungeon wasn’t expansive, there were clear signs of deliberate construction and intervention.

The reason Emperor Sullivan was determined to conquer Surtr’s Labyrinth was because it likely housed one of Surtr’s masterpieces.

While his true ‘masterpieces’ were limited to creations like Caldeiras, Primordial Inferno, or the prototypes of Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon, he also had other remarkable works.

"Ah, welcome, Prince," Sullivan greeted him.

"And what happens to the affairs of state while Your Majesty is here?" Davey quipped.

"I was going to take a brief look before going back. Allow me to introduce you to someone first—this is Sir Gandav, the Imperial Archmage."

"It’s an honor to meet the one whom the Great Sage himself has praised as having conquered the pathway of mana," Gandav said, bowing respectfully. "I am Gandav, a 6th Circle mage.”

"Davey O’Rowane," Davey replied with a slight bow. "A pleasure to meet you, Sir Gandav. This is my daughter, Evangeline O’Rowane."

Evangeline, who had been quietly observing the surroundings, grabbed the edges of her robe and bent her knees slightly. “Evangeline O’Rowane. Nice to meet you!"

"My, what a lively young lady!”

"Yes, I couldn’t agree more.”

Gandav smiled warmly at the remark. "Prince, if it’s not too forward, may I invite you to visit my laboratory someday? There’s a matter I’d like to consult the individual who controls the pathway of mana about.”

"Ahem! Sir Gandav, perhaps personal matters can wait until later," Sullivan interjected, clearing his throat.

"Ah, forgive me. I got carried away," Gandav said, laughing apologetically.

"And this is Count Ainz, the head of the academy. You’ve already met Sir Halphas, our Chief Imperial Blacksmith.”

His long beard made his profession instantly recognizable. The two had met before; Evangeline had recently broken his mithril sword.

"Hmph!" he huffed, turning his head away as if he still thought Davey was the cause behind his sword turning into pieces.

"Sir Halphas," Davey said, extending a hand.

"Ugh... Halphas, at your service," the dwarf grumbled, reluctantly extending his hand for the handshake.

"A pleasure to meet you again, Sir Halphas. I’ve heard much about you from Elder Golgouda.”

"What?! That old man’s still alive?!" Halphas exclaimed, his eyes widening in genuine surprise. “Hm... But then, why isn’t he here?”

"He’s quite absorbed in his own projects at the moment. That’s why I’ve come in his stead, to help with any matters concerning blacksmithing."

"You?" Halphas squinted at Davey suspiciously.

"Well, as long as you don’t get in my way, I suppose it’s fine," Halphas muttered. "But let me be clear—if you interfere, I won’t forgive you."

"Of course.”

Though his tone was harsh and combative, Davey wasn’t fazed. He had already heard about Halphas’s capabilities from Elder Golgouda and his younger brother, Golda.

- That old man Halphas? Oh, don’t even get me started on him. His temper is absolutely atrocious. But that being said, his skill is the real deal. Of course, compared to you he has the skills of a child, but his dedication and passion for blacksmithing are deeply respected by all dwarves. Still, he’s extremely averse—almost to an obsessive degree—to letting anyone unskilled mess with his work.

His attitude didn’t come from just looking down at others.

“I hope we can complete our objective without issue.”

“Hmph!”

The dwarf snorted loudly again, then turned his gaze to Evangeline, scrutinizing her with narrowed eyes. After a moment of silent examination, he spoke.

"So, you’re the one who shattered my sword?"

“Ah! I’m s-sorry! I was careless and inexperienced...”

“I’ve heard from the knights that you’re an Expert. When this is over, stay in the Pallan Empire for a bit. I’ll make you a new one.”

Evangeline waved her hands frantically. “No, it’s fine! Daddy said he’d make me one...”

“Huh? Do you mean the Saint here? Nonsense! Just wait! I’ll make you something leagues better than anything a novice like him could put together!”

He stomped away with determination, as if unwilling to listen to further ignorant protests.

“Please forgive his prickly attitude,” Sullivan said with a sigh. “He had a bad accident in the past that made him that way.”

It was likely that most dwarves had heard rumors about Davey, yet Halphas seemed oblivious, as if he had just descended after living in the woods by himself. Even Elder Golgouda had mentioned not seeing him for over a decade. Of course, this information was something that only the dwarves knew, with few exceptions.

With luminous stones lighting the way, the group followed the investigators deep into the cave. After walking for some time, they passed through several open gates and arrived at a massive stone chamber. Beyond it, an even larger door stood in their path.

“We spent many years and many lives just getting past these first three trials,” one of the investigators explained solemnly.

Davey glanced at the towering stone walls. The scale and detail of the craftsmanship made him suspect that Surtr hadn’t created it alone.

“This is it—the team has been stuck here for six months.”

‘Six months... huh.’

Davey nodded and approached the wall. As he reached out to touch it, someone cried out.

“Wait! Stop!!”

The investigators shouted in alarm, but it was already too late.

Crrreaaaak!!!

The massive door groaned loudly as the walls began to twist and shift.

“Damn it! Everyone, prepare for battle! Shields to the front! Mages, ready your spells!” one of the knights barked, his face pale with tension.

“Are you insane?! Do you just touch everything you see without thinking?!”

Some of them barked in panic, but Davey calmly observed the unfolding events.

Thud!!

The wall split apart, revealing enormous stone golems, their forms glowing faintly.

“Stone golems?” Davey asked casually. “Judging by your reaction, I assume you’ve encountered these before?”

“Yes,” Sullivan replied grimly. “They attack any intruders, and even if we destroy them, the broken pieces reassemble themselves with magic. Worse, defeating them doesn’t even open the door.”

Davey nodded, trying to analyze the situation. If the golems simply had standard magical enhancements, the investigators shouldn’t have struggled so much. The real conundrum, however, was that defeating them while taking losses didn’t bring the team any closer to unlocking the door.

“For magic of this scale to persist, there must be a massive catalyst or an equally intricate magic circle maintaining its operation. However...” Gandav trailed off, looking frustrated. “I haven’t been able to find a way to counter the enchantments on this wall.”

Davey closed his eyes in thought, murmuring, “Constant renewal...”

But he didn’t have to think for long.

“Evangeline.”