The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1305

Davey silently looked at Mute, who was listening to Super Ribbon’s gayageum performance and singing.

When she was alive, people had called her Muse—or Mute—but Davey didn’t know the truth behind that name.

“Honestly, I was shocked when I heard her play,” Davey admitted.

“What now? You come looking for me, and now you look like you’re here to pick something up. Shoo, shoo. I’ve got nothing for you, so go on and get out of here.”

Her annoyed attitude made Davey casually shrug. “I mean, come on. She once practically opened the gates of hell with her performance, and now she’s changed like this?”

The way Super Ribbon played in the video wasn’t just a little different from before—it had completely transformed. It was beyond surprising, on another level entirely.

Mute let out a short laugh. “You know what the problem is with people who teach themselves? They don’t know what they’re doing wrong.”

That one sentence made Davey’s eyes widen.

Mute continued, “That’s why her playing like this really gives me chills. How could she change this much after just two corrections?”

Even Mute seemed genuinely dumbfounded.

Davey was surprised to hear that. “You’re telling me she changed this much just from being corrected a couple of times?”

“I just helped her fix her fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to play an instrument. After that, all I did was teach her how to put emotion into the performance itself.” She hopped up lightly and came over, tapping Davey on the stomach. “Your singing’s terrible flaws went way past those kinds of fixable fundamental issues.”

“Why are you knocking me down again? I told you, it's at least decent enough for others to listen to.”

“If it was so decent, why did everyone here plug their ears? Don’t you dare go around saying you learned from me! Sure, you’ve improved, but in the beginning I really struggled deciding whether I should even bother teaching your sorry ass. You don’t know how many sleepless nights I spent contemplating it.”

However, his singing had actually gotten a lot better. At first, his singing had terrified the heroes, but people no longer found it unbearable to listen to.

“Oh, and when I cover my voice with holy power, the tone gets automatically adjusted, so no one can even tell.”

“Davey, the world calls that cheating, you scamming-ass loser. Don’t you notice how even the spirits that dance when you play an instrument take off running the moment you start singing?”

Though she mocked him, she seemed genuinely interested in Super Ribbon’s transformation. “It’s like... once you open the gates, talent just explodes out. It’s been a while since teaching someone felt fun like that again.”

Super Ribbon hadn’t learned from Mute for that long, which made her progress all the more puzzling.

“I tried correcting her before on other instruments, but it didn't work.” She’d ripped through drumheads, and her string performances were like something out of a chorus from hell.

Super Ribbon, thinking she had no talent, had fallen into a depression and eventually given up on playing. Yet now, she had changed this much. Davey was genuinely shocked.

“She ended up achieving a pretty amazing synergy. Her gayageum and vocals came together, mixed with what I taught her, and created unbelievable results. Even so, if you throw a percussion, wind, or keyboard instrument at her?” They might be able to once again experience that hellish overture of instruments. “Still, I can guarantee that your daughter’s got way more talent than you. Overwhelmingly so. She’ll surpass you in a few months at most.”

The gravity of that statement was not lost on Davey. After all, he’d spent a long time learning music from Mute before achieving his current level. On the other hand, she was saying that Super Ribbon could catch up in just a few months.

“Now that her main issues have been corrected, she probably won’t sound so horrifying when playing other instruments either.”

“Huh. That’s unbelievable,” Davey marveled.

“This is what it means to have an eye for talent, rookie. Do you really think what you teach and what I teach are the same, Mister?”

Davey still couldn’t get used to that irritating mix of casual and formal speech she always used. “Even so...”

“Just in case, don’t let her get reckless with experimentation until what I taught her fully settles in.”

It would spare everyone’s ears.

Davey silently nodded.

Even Illyna, who had heard Super Ribbon’s new singing herself, had been surprised by the drastic change.

Not long after, he met up with her and Super Ribbon, who told him how happy she was to finally enjoy the hobby she’d always wanted.

“I’m proud of you, Super Ribbon,” he praised.

“Hehe. I’ve still got a long way to go. Thanks to Mute, I realized just how rough my playing was before.”

Super Ribbon wasn’t a normal living being. She saw the world differently from others. Such a distortion in perception likely explained the hellish serenade she had once played.

No matter how much one’s ego matured, experience couldn’t be acquired overnight.

“Alright then, shall we give it a quick try?” When Davey pulled out a simple percussion instrument and suggested they play, Super Ribbon’s eyes lit up.

“You sure? Then can I try using this?” she asked, pulling out a flute. It was a common wind instrument known for its sharp high notes.

“Go for it,” Davey responded.

After she took a quick breath and began blowing into it, he waited for the right moment and tapped a beat onto the surface of a table.

Tap. Tap.

The light rhythm echoed through the room. Closing her eyes, Super Ribbon quietly began her performance.

The performance itself wasn’t long. Yet, once it ended, both Davey and Illyna had subtle expressions on their faces.

“Yeah... it’s definitely not like the gates of hell opened again like before, but...”

It was far too unrefined. She was nothing like herself in the gayageum performance video. Only then did her bad habits, the ones Davey hadn’t even noticed, become clear. It was just like Mute had mentioned.

“It’s hard to explain in words.”

“Hmm. But it wasn’t bad, right? It’s gotten way better, hasn’t it?” she asked hopefully.

“That’s true, but...” It made Davey question whether this was really the overwhelming talent Mute had talked about.

“Hmm... maybe I really don’t have any talent after all?” Super Ribbon asked with a gloomy look.

Davey firmly shook his head. “No, that’s not it. You did well.”

There was no reason to think negatively. Talent didn’t always mean being great from the start. Sometimes, transforming after a breakthrough was also a part of talent.

He knew Super Ribbon would be the latter case. If everyone in the world could change just by fixing some misunderstandings, everyone would be capable of playing every instrument in the world.

Clearly, that wasn’t the case.

She was doubtful. “Really?”

“Yeah. Just give it a few months, and you’ll be better than me.”

It wasn’t like they were performing for anyone, anyway.

At least, that’s what Davey had thought.

However, a few days later, Evangeline brought some unexpected news.

* * *

Evangeline didn’t seem to care much about listening to how Super Ribbon used to play in the past.

“So, I recently learned that Si-Woo’s relative is a famous artist. After watching your video, they’ve been begging to collaborate. They keep asking if there’s any way to make it happen,” Evangeline told Davey and Illyna.

“Did you say yes?” he responded.

“No, I haven’t.” She glanced over at Super Ribbon.

Super Ribbon, who had been pressing the keys of the wind instrument and experimenting with sounds, suddenly closed her eyes and began playing the flute again as if something had clicked.

“Holy—”

“Oh my goodness...”

Both Davey and Illyna gasped in horror. It sent chills from the tips of their toes to the tops of their heads.

So this was what overwhelming talent meant.

It was the kind of thrill that made it clear why Mute, with her twisted sense of emotions, had been so eager to teach Super Ribbon.

Recognizing her fundamental issue and practicing just a few more times, her playing had fortunately transformed once again. It was as if she had evolved.

At first, her playing had merely been decent, maybe a little rough around the edges. Now, the moment she played, it was enough to make someone gasp.

“Wow! You’re good at flute too?” Evangeline asked in amazement.

Super Ribbon looked startled, pulled the flute from her lips, and gave an awkward laugh. “I’m still practicing...”

“Dad, his cousin said it’d be amazing if you could join too. But if you don’t want to, I’ll just turn it down.”

Davey hesitated. Her offer was a little overwhelming, but he figured it wasn’t a bad idea. Besides, Mute had already said that if an opportunity came up, they should take it. “Alright. Should we give it a shot? Eva, do you have an instrument you like?”

She flicked her fingers and grinned. “I love anything I can hit.”

‘Haaah. Just like her mother.’

Davey started thinking he might need to craft her an ultra-durable percussion instrument, something not even a full-grown dragon could destroy.

* * *

In the end, it turned out that Si-Woo’s younger cousin, Si-Hyun, had his dream come true, though unintentionally.

“Oh my! Welcome! I can’t believe this is really happening! No, wait, what am I doing? Please, come in! It’s a bit of a mess, but let me at least get you something to drink.” He scrambled to greet them, clearly flustered.

Si-Woo, who had brought Davey there, sighed. “Sorry about this. My cousin’s a little...”

“It’s fine,” Davey responded. “Artists are usually like that, aren’t they?”

“He might not look it, but he’s actually a well-known artist. He’s won all kinds of awards since he was a kid. Honestly, he’s the most successful one in our family.”

Coming from someone who used to be a top-tier pro gamer, that assessment sounded questionable, but there was no denying that Si-Hyun was indeed a famous artist.

Judging by his disheveled hair and completely worn-out appearance, he had probably been working all night, but no one seemed to care.

“Haha. If I’d known you’d come to visit this soon, I would’ve at least cleaned up a little or something.”

“It’s alright. More importantly, I heard about the proposal,” Davey said.

“Ah, are you okay with it? If there’s anything you don’t like, I can make adjustments.”

“It’s not that. I just want to know why you wanted to do something like this.”

Si-Hyun lifted his head, as if recalling a memory. “It was the day I saw you play the piano.”

Davey let out a low hum, his interest piqued.

Si-Hyun continued, “I felt it then. ‘If I ever got the chance to work with this person, I could die happy,’ I thought. So, I shamelessly begged Si-Woo to help me reach out to you, though that didn’t really work. Haha. Then one day, I saw Evangeline’s video and it just hit me—that kind of talent was too good to overlook.”

After looking to the side, he continued, “If you agree, I’ll take care of everything on my end. Whether it's technical support or resources, I’ve got it all covered.”

He clapped his hands together. “What do you think?”

“Hmm. I’d like to try it, Father.” Super Ribbon seemed genuinely interested in working with him.

Davey nodded in response. “Sounds good! It’ll be a great experience. Let’s give it a try.”

“A brilliant decision!” Grinning from ear to ear, Si-Hyun suddenly grabbed Davey’s hand and shook it enthusiastically. “Thank you so much, sir! I look forward to working with you!”

He looked like a kid who’d just gotten the toy of his dreams.

* * *

While Super Ribbon tuned instruments with Si-Hyun, Davey took a look around the studio with Illyna and Si-Woo.

Illyna let out a fascinated gasp. “Wow! There are so many instruments here.”

“Seriously. I didn’t realize he had this many,” Si-Woo admitted. “Oh, I know that one! That’s... what was it called again?”

“Ocarina,” Davey answered.

“Ah, right, ocarina. Huh? Saint, you know what an ocarina is?”

“I’m more familiar with Earth culture than you might think.”

Si-Woo gave him an intrigued look, then asked with concern, “But are you really sure about this? He may not look it, but once he gets into work mode... even in the industry, he’s known as a total madman.

“He was already notorious back when he was studying abroad, known as a complete nutcase when it came to music. He didn’t care about hierarchy, and didn’t know how to take care of himself. He just ran wild. But what can you say? He’s so good that no one dares to stop him. What I’m worried about is...” He was clearly concerned that once Si-Hyun got deep into the work, he might cross a line or be rude to Super Ribbon or Davey.

Sensing this, Illyna chuckled and patted Davey on the back.

Si-Woo shyly rubbed his neck, saying, “I just wanted to say it, just in case.”

“It’s fine. I’m used to that kind of thing.” Besides, Davey was curious. Now that her absurd talent had blossomed, he wanted to see how Si-Hyun would respond.

Thinking about her talent made Davey feel strangely proud. Perhaps that was how parents felt when bragging about their gifted kids.

* * *

The terrifying thing about Super Ribbon’s talent wasn’t whether she could handle an instrument well or not. It was the rate of growth that left those who had studied instruments for years completely deflated.

“What the...” Face covered in a stunned expression, Si-Hyun dropped flat onto his butt.

He’d been sure to lower his expectations when Super Ribbon said she’d use an instrument other than the gayageum.

What he’d seen in her was not just basic musical sense, but that heavenly voice of hers as well.

That was the main focus. If she fumbled with other instruments, he planned to gently steer her back to her strengths.

So, when she asked if she could try using a different instrument, he’d been a little caught off guard but agreed without much difficulty.

However, the moment she picked up a daegeum, he couldn’t help but tilt his head in confusion.[1]

He assumed she must have majored in Korean traditional music. Though both the gayageum and daegeum were both traditional instruments, it was rare to find someone who specialized in both.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, she let out a series of puffing, awkward sounds that beginners who couldn’t produce a proper tone usually made. He couldn’t help but chuckle.

It was harder to produce a clean sound than most people expected. She could play the flute, but not a daegeum. He couldn’t help but find it amusing, as both instruments were tough in their own way.

She reminded him of a complete beginner who was learning an instrument for the first time. Unlike his usual self, he patiently taught her how to blow into the daegeum. Si-Hyun hadn’t majored in the daegeum either, but he knew the basics.

After several rounds of trial and error, she finally began producing clear notes.

Suddenly, the strange, clumsy sounds entirely disappeared. After repeating the same mistake a few times, her eyes widened slightly and she let out a soft gasp. “Oooh, so that’s how you do it.”

Then, placing her fingertips and lips, an astonishing sound flowed from the daegeum.

‘She said this was her first time. What the hell?’

There was no advanced technique in what she did, but the tone she played carried a trembling depth that shook the hearts of others. Like a hypnotic pull.

A genius. She was a terrifying genius! She was the kind of existence artists should never come into contact with. A monster with innate talent was standing right before him.

She reminded him of an old horror story he had heard while studying abroad. Back then, the professors and seniors used to joke that if you ever heard someone perform with such ridiculous talent, someone who stood on a mountain of talent so high you could never hope to climb up, you should run.

Some artists never recovered from such an experience. They’d never again be satisfied with their own music, and they’d crumble.

Sure, every field had geniuses. However, for artists who lived and breathed pride in their own work, such an experience was like slow-working poison. Similar to the story of Salieri, who envied Mozart and never managed to surpass him.

Of course, the real story might’ve been completely different, but many in the field could relate.

“I used to think that was just a dumb story,” he said with a pained voice.

The way she played made Si-Hyun feel like his entire career had been invalidated. He rubbed his face with both hands.

Seeing him breathing hard, Super Ribbon stopped playing, startled, and quickly set the daegeum down before approaching him.

His bloodshot eyes peeked through his fingers.

“A-Are you okay?!” she asked in a worried voice.

Yet, he just looked at her in awe. “One more time.”

“Sorry...?”

He jumped to his feet, grabbed another instrument, and held it out to her. “This time, use this.”

Super Ribbon looked a little overwhelmed. “I... I’ve never played this before.”

“It’s okay. I’ll teach you well.”

He began explaining the basic grip, how to make sound with it, and even handed her sheet music.

Though hesitant at first, Super Ribbon began trying to play again. The new instrument, which she started off playing with awful, terrifying sounds, began producing a miraculous melody in less than ten minutes.

It was as if she’d skipped over all the painful beginner stages entirely.

“Wow...” Si-Hyun laughed in disbelief. Then he spoke up with a crazed look in his eyes, “Super Ribbon.”

He reached out and held her hand tightly even as she was still playing.

“Y-Yes?”

“Let’s get married! If we work together, we could create a masterpiece that’ll go down in history.”

Smack!!

His head whipped to the side, and he collapsed in an instant, knocked out cold.

“Si... Si-Woo?” Evangeline was shocked by the sudden turn of events.

“Sorry. I saw it coming, so I stepped in. That crazy bastard...” Si-Woo let out a sigh of relief, thankful Davey hadn’t heard any of that.

Bang! Bang! Bang!!

Just then, the voice of a foreigner echoed loudly through the studio, “Mister Park! Open this damned door, you bastard!!”

His studio was located in a remote area, so it was quite surprising for someone to show up unprompted.

No one knew what was going on. Si-Hyun was passed out cold, and the voice outside sounded ready to kick the door down.

An enraged woman kept shouting outside, “You think you’re getting away with this?! Huh?! Open the damn door!!”

Evangeline was floored. “What do we do?”

“What else? Open the door, and I’ll go wake him up first. God, what kind of mess is this...” Muttering indistinctly to himself, Si-Woo filled a basin with cold water and unceremoniously dumped it on Si-Hyun. Then a dangerous thought crossed his mind.

‘No, no... Don’t tell me this bastard bailed on every global artist just to work with Super Ribbon.’

Even if Si-Hyun was a world-renowned young genius artist.

Even if he’d once been a symbol of national pride.

Even if professors had praised him relentlessly and he swept every competition he entered.

Surely he wouldn’t be that crazy. The music world had been shaken up after Earth nearly collapsed, and new forces had risen.

‘Still... There’s no way he seriously pulled something that crazy, right?’

“No... This bastard totally did.”

When Si-Hyun screamed from the freezing water and shot up like a rocket, Si-Woo stared down at him and questioned with narrowed eyes, “Hey, tell me! Who’s out there?”

“Huh? Who?” Si-Hyun was still blinking water out of his eyes, confused.

“Out there.”

The furious yelling returned. “Hey!! Mister Park!!”

Si-Hyun paused for a moment, then shrugged. “Dunno. Probably just a bunch of spoiled brats who think the world revolves around them. World-class artists or not, they’re nothing in the face of true talent. She’s the real deal.”

His dismissive answer made Si-Woo glance out the window. What he saw was a very familiar face, livid and glaring. The woman outside was none other than the world-famous violinist, Juliana.

“No way...” His suspicion was confirmed.

Si-Hyun had ditched a fellow global-level artist just to work with Super Ribbon.

1. A daegeum is a traditional Korean bamboo flute. As a transverse flute, it’s known for its buzzing membrane that produces deep, mellow tones. ☜