Synopsis: The weak prince of an insignificant country, Davey. After becoming comatose, his soul escaped to a temple where the souls of heroes gathered.
He trained for a thousand years and has now returned as a max level hero!
“Just you guys wait, I’m gonna face you all head-on!”
The refreshing story of Davey’s royal life and revenge has just begun.
The Max Level Hero has Returned (also known as The Max Level Hero Strikes Back!) is a Korean power fantasy where Prince Davey O’Rowane—the weak, dismissed heir of an insignificant kingdom—spends a thousand years training in the Hall of Heroes after falling into a coma, then returns to his timeline as an overpowered existence ready to dismantle the corrupt nobles who poisoned him and murdered his mother.
It’s the kind of story that promises satisfying revenge, political scheming, and kingdom-building wrapped in a glossy power fantasy package—but whether it delivers on that promise depends entirely on how far you’re willing to read before the cracks start showing.
The series started as a Korean web novel by author Devil Tail (also known as 유도) published by Golem Factory, completed at 1,559 chapters, and has since been adapted into a manhwa that’s polarized readers with its bombastic action, generic artwork, and increasingly frustrating protagonist.
If you’re looking for a relaxed read where the MC dominates through overwhelming strength and clever schemes, this might scratch that itch—at least for the first hundred chapters or so. But if you need consistent quality, meaningful character development, or a protagonist who doesn’t irritate you with his savior complex and refusal to take romantic responsibility, you’ll want to approach this one with caution.
Where to Read The Max Level Hero has Returned Online
If you’re hunting for legitimate English translations, these are your main options:
The Max Level Hero has Returned is officially available on Wuxiaworld under the title The Max Level Hero Strikes Back! with consistent translation quality and regular chapter releases, making it the go-to platform for English readers who want the complete novel experience.
The novel is also serialized on Tapas under the title “The Max Level Hero Strikes Back,” providing an alternative official English platform for readers.
The manhwa adaptation is also available on Tapas under the title “The Max Level Hero Strikes Back,” providing an official English platform for readers.
Korean original
The original Korean web novel is completed at 1,559 chapters, published by Golem Factory under the author Devil Tail (유도).
What The Max Level Hero has Returned Is Really About
At its core, this is a revenge story where a powerless prince becomes the most dangerous person in his kingdom after training for a millennium in a supernatural space where legendary heroes’ souls gather. The “real” protagonist, Davey O’Rowane, isn’t trying to become a saint or noble ruler—he’s methodically dismantling the corrupt forces that murdered his mother Queen Lynesse and left him in a six-year coma via poisoned arrow, all while leveraging his absurd power and thousand-year accumulation of knowledge to rebuild his kingdom and protect those he cares about.
The story is anchored in a fantasy world with standard elements—kingdoms, empires, monsters, goblins, orcs, dwarves, elves, dragons, and eventually even mechas called golems that feel bizarrely out of place. Davey’s training in the Hall of Heroes wasn’t some gentle mentorship; it was brutal survival training where heroes threw him into monster-infested forests with poisoned food and water, hung him off cliffs, and pushed him to the brink of death repeatedly for an entire millennium before deeming him worthy.
When he returns to his original timeline, only six years have passed in the real world, giving him the perfect opportunity to act while enemies assume he’s still the weak, powerless prince they dismissed. This isn’t a story where the MC struggles to gain power or faces genuine threats to his life.
Instead, it features a protagonist who’s already at max level from chapter one, using overwhelming strength and schemes to dominate political enemies, a laid-back attitude that masks ruthless pragmatism underneath, kingdom-building and political intrigue as Davey roots out corrupt nobles and rebuilds his nation’s strength, and romantic subplots involving multiple women that never quite commit to harem structure but include enough elements to frustrate readers who wanted clarity.
The core tension isn’t “will Davey win” but rather “how will Davey utterly humiliate his enemies this time”—which works brilliantly when you’re in the mood for power fantasy satisfaction, but becomes repetitive and frustrating when the writing quality declines.
Why The Max Level Hero has Returned Stands Out (And Where It Falls Short)
A lot of power fantasy stories promise “overpowered MC dominates everyone.” The Max Level Hero has Returned earns its early reputation through satisfying revenge execution, diverse skill sets from training under multiple legendary heroes, and political intrigue that goes beyond simple combat—but loses that goodwill through increasingly poor writing decisions, frustrating protagonist behavior, and an ending that leaves much to be desired.
Strong opening with satisfying revenge setup
The first arc immediately establishes what readers came for.
Davey returns to his body with knowledge of medicine, combat, engineering, alchemy, and countless other disciplines learned from legendary heroes over a thousand years, letting him solve problems creatively rather than just punching harder. The political maneuvering as he identifies traitors, manipulates court factions, and systematically dismantles the conspiracy that killed his mother feels genuinely satisfying in early chapters. His calm, laid-back personality contrasts effectively with his ruthless efficiency, making him feel refreshing compared to hot-headed revenge protagonists.
Diverse world-building with escalating scope
The setting expands naturally from local politics to continental threats.
The story progresses from kingdom-level conflicts to exploring different countries, continents, and eventually even other dimensions, keeping the world feeling expansive rather than claustrophobic. Author demonstrates surprising knowledge of various subjects like engineering, chemistry, and history, weaving them into the narrative in ways that add depth when done well. The introduction of dwarves, elves, and other fantasy races provides variety in settings and challenges as the story progresses beyond the initial revenge arc.
Frustrating protagonist with savior complex
Davey’s personality becomes increasingly grating as the story progresses.
He exhibits a serious savior complex where he unilaterally decides to “save” people and place them under his protection without consulting them or respecting their agency, then ignores their opinions and feelings until something bad happens again. His treatment of romantic interests is particularly problematic—he refuses to take responsibility for his relationships, leaving multiple women in vague undefined situations while pushing his modern values on them to avoid commitment.
The narrative frames him as always right and never making mistakes, treating others poorly while the story justifies his behavior, creating a protagonist who feels like a poorly-written self-insert power fantasy. His constant smiling and laughing in every scene ruins any sense of suspense or emotional weight.
Significant quality decline in second half
The novel suffers from the same issue plaguing many Korean web novels—starting strong but failing to maintain momentum.
The first 100-150 chapters showcase clever plotting and satisfying character moments, but the writing deteriorates noticeably as the story progresses beyond that point. Plot points and settings introduced earlier are left unfinished or abandoned entirely, with the author seemingly forgetting about characters and subplots that were previously important.
The ending at chapter 1,559 is widely criticized as unsatisfactory and rushed, leaving readers feeling their time investment wasn’t properly rewarded. Around chapter 140 onwards, many readers report the story becoming “a chore to continue” due to repetitive scenarios and declining creativity.
Generic and uninspired artwork (Manhwa)
The illustrated adaptation fails to elevate the source material.
Davey’s character design is ridiculously generic—a pretty-boy face indistinguishable from countless other manhwa protagonists, lacking any visual distinctiveness. The artwork relies heavily on glossy coloring, blurry backgrounds, and convenient shortcuts like 3D assets and copy-pasted panels instead of redrawing scenes.
Panels don’t flow smoothly together, feeling more like individual illustrations rather than cohesive sequential storytelling. The backgrounds in particular feel like they weren’t actually drawn by artists but rather assembled from stock assets, lacking the craftsmanship that makes manga/manhwa panels “beautiful”.
Confusing narrative structure and exposition
Both novel and manhwa struggle with clarity.
Early chapters suffer from excessive thought narration that tells readers how awesome Davey is rather than showing his capabilities through actions. Speech bubbles in the manhwa are frequently unclear—readers report not knowing whether text represents internal thoughts or spoken dialogue, or even which character is speaking. The story disperses focus across too many characters and locations as it progresses, making readers feel lost about where they are in the narrative and why certain scenes matter. Mind games and intellectual confrontations sometimes go “far too intellectual,” becoming hard to follow rather than impressively clever.
Shallow political commentary and worldbuilding
The story doesn’t engage meaningfully with its own setting’s problems.
Davey aims to root out corrupt nobles and replace them with loyal ones, but the narrative never acknowledges this doesn’t prevent systemic corruption from returning generations later. The entire political structure features draconian punishments like execution for “blaspheming royalty,” yet the story treats this as normal rather than examining whether such systems are fundamentally unjust.
Davey’s use of royal power for personal revenge and satisfaction is arguably just as corrupt as the nobles he’s replacing, but the narrative frames him as righteous without exploring this moral complexity. The story presents itself as kingdom-building and political intrigue but lacks the depth to genuinely explore governance, justice, or societal reform.
The Max Level Hero has Returned Main Character — Davey O’Rowane
Davey O’Rowane is introduced as the weak, sickly fifth prince of the Rowane Kingdom, dismissed by nobles and royalty alike as worthless—until assassins poisoned him with an arrow, putting him in a six-year coma while his soul was transported to the Hall of Heroes. There, legendary heroes trained him mercilessly for a thousand years in combat, magic, alchemy, medicine, engineering, and countless other disciplines until he became what the synopsis promises: a max level existence who can casually dominate anyone in his world.
When Davey returns to his original timeline, he’s fundamentally transformed—no longer the weak prince everyone dismissed, but an overpowered anti-hero with a laid-back exterior masking ruthless pragmatism underneath. His personality is calm and scheming, preferring to use tricks, plans, and overwhelming displays of power to humiliate enemies rather than simply killing them outright. He exhibits a serious savior complex where he unilaterally decides to protect people and place them under his wing, then ignores their feelings and agency until crises force him to intervene again.
His greatest flaw—according to readers who stuck with the story long enough to notice—is his refusal to take responsibility for his romantic relationships. Despite multiple women developing feelings for him based on his actions saving and protecting them, Davey leaves these relationships vague and undefined, using his “modern values” as an excuse to avoid commitment while simultaneously refusing to let these women move on. This creates a protagonist who feels increasingly selfish and frustrating as the story progresses, someone who wants the benefits of relationships without the responsibilities.
His abilities span virtually every discipline imaginable after training under dozens of legendary heroes—he’s a master swordsman, mage, alchemist, craftsman, engineer, and more, giving him solutions to almost any problem. This versatility makes early arcs feel creative as he applies unexpected skills to political and combat situations, but eventually contributes to the power fantasy becoming stale when readers realize Davey will always have the perfect ability for whatever challenge appears.
The Max Level Hero has Returned Characters Guide
These are the key characters and relationships that define Davey’s journey:
Perserque
The first woman to officially enter a romantic relationship with Davey, making her significant in a story that frustrates readers with its vague romantic subplots. She’s positioned as one of the primary love interests alongside Princess Aeria, with whom Davey eventually forms an official polyamorous relationship around chapter 739 of the novel. Her character serves as one of the main romantic pillars in what eventually becomes a harem-adjacent structure.
Princess Aeria
The second woman Davey officially enters a romantic relationship with, forming a polyamory arrangement with Perserque that finally gives clarity to at least part of his romantic situation. According to readers who made it to chapter 739, she shares equal romantic standing with Perserque as Davey’s confirmed partners, though this development comes frustratingly late after hundreds of chapters of vague will-they-won’t-they tension.
Princess Illyna
A main heroine who plays a pivotal role in the story, spending significant time with Davey and learning about his previous life’s regrets and true identity. She’s positioned as someone with high potential to join Davey’s romantic relationships in the future based on their shared experiences and emotional connection, though as of chapter 739 she hasn’t officially entered the polyamory arrangement.
Rinne
An important party member who frequently accompanies Davey on missions and is relied upon as a core member of his group. She’s recovering memories that seem connected to future events involving Davey, suggesting a deeper connection to the overarching plot than initially apparent. Readers identify her as having strong potential for future romantic development with Davey based on their time together and the significance of her mysterious past.
Amy
Davey’s loyal maid who has served him since he first woke from his coma, demonstrating unwavering dedication. When Davey suggested she pursue marriage with others, she explicitly refused and chose to continue following him instead, signaling romantic interest that Davey characteristically fails to properly address. She represents another example of women in Davey’s orbit whose feelings he accepts without taking responsibility for.
Tiara
A young dwarf lady connected to Davey through a childhood engagement arranged and later broken by their parents. This past connection gives her a unique relationship to Davey that distinguishes her from other potential romantic interests, though the story hasn’t fully developed this thread as of the chapters reviewed.
Queen Lynesse
Davey’s mother who was murdered in the conspiracy that also poisoned him, serving as his primary motivation for revenge in early arcs. Her death and the injustice surrounding it drive Davey’s methodical dismantling of corrupt noble factions, giving emotional weight to his political maneuvering when the story remembers to focus on it.
Additional potential romantic interests
The novel includes numerous other women with varying levels of romantic potential: Josiah (a student during the academy arc who relies on Davey’s blood with no alternative given), Aina (a dark elf helping behind the scenes whom Davey realizes he relies on heavily), Lilne (a succubus Davey spared and later considers an ally among demons), Yuriana (an elf who took Davey’s side during the World Tree war and is close friends with Princess Illyna), Saintess Candidate Alice (showing increasing affinity with Davey), and several others introduced during various arcs. This extensive cast contributes to the frustration readers feel about Davey’s refusal to define his romantic relationships clearly.
The Max Level Hero has Returned Quick Wiki (2026)
Korean title: 만렙영웅님께서 귀환하셨습니다
Alternate titles: The Max Level Hero Strikes Back!, The Max Level Hero has Returned!
Author: Devil Tail (유도)
Original publisher: Golem Factory
Original platform status: Completed at 1,559 chapters
English novel: Available on Wuxiaworld and Tapas
Manhwa status: Ongoing adaptation available on multiple platforms
Core premise: Weak prince Davey O’Rowane falls into a coma, spends a thousand years training in the Hall of Heroes with legendary warriors’ souls, then returns to his timeline as a max level existence seeking revenge and kingdom restoration
Genre tags: Power Fantasy, Isekai, Returner, Revenge, Kingdom Building, Overpowered MC, Harem Elements, Political Intrigue, Fantasy
Rating: 3.9/5.0 based on Novel Updates community
The Max Level Hero has Returned Review — Is It Worth Reading?
If you want a satisfying power fantasy with an overpowered protagonist who dominates through overwhelming strength and clever schemes, a relaxed read where the MC casually humiliates corrupt nobles and political enemies, diverse skill applications from a thousand years of training under legendary heroes, kingdom-building elements mixed with revenge plotting, and don’t mind harem-adjacent romantic subplots that eventually become polyamorous, then The Max Level Hero has Returned is worth trying for at least the first 100-150 chapters. However, it’s definitely not for everyone.
It delivers:
Strong opening arc with satisfying revenge setup where Davey systematically dismantles the conspiracy that murdered his mother and poisoned him
Diverse protagonist abilities spanning combat, magic, alchemy, medicine, engineering, and more disciplines learned from legendary heroes over a millennium
Relaxed power fantasy tone where readers can enjoy the MC being cool and dominating without facing genuine threats to his life
Expansive world-building that scales from kingdom politics to continental conflicts to other dimensions, keeping settings varied and interesting
Clear polyamory resolution (eventually) where Davey officially enters romantic relationships with Perserque and Princess Aeria by chapter 739, with potential for other women to join
But The Max Level Hero has Returned is not for everyone, due to:
Severe quality decline in the second half where writing becomes rushed, plot points are abandoned, and the story feels like “a chore to continue” past chapter 140-150
Frustrating protagonist with savior complex who unilaterally “saves” people without respecting their agency, then ignores their feelings until crises force intervention
Irresponsible romantic behavior where Davey accepts women’s feelings without defining relationships clearly for hundreds of chapters, leaving them in vague limbo while refusing to let them move on
Unsatisfactory ending at chapter 1,559 that leaves readers feeling their time investment wasn’t properly rewarded
Generic manhwa artwork with ridiculously bland character designs, blurry backgrounds, excessive 3D assets, and poor panel flow that makes the illustrated version feel uninspired
Shallow political commentary that doesn’t engage with systemic issues, treating Davey’s use of royal power for personal satisfaction as righteous without examining corruption inherent in the structure itself
Confusing narrative structure where focus disperses across too many characters and locations, making readers feel lost about where they are in the story
Protagonist without genuine stakes who smiles and laughs constantly, ruining suspense since readers know he’ll dominate every situation regardless of apparent danger
If you need consistent quality throughout, a protagonist who takes romantic responsibility seriously, or meaningful character development beyond “MC gets stronger and adds more women to his orbit,” this will become increasingly frustrating despite its strong opening. However, readers who enjoy overpowered anti-heroes, can tolerate declining quality for early satisfaction, and appreciate polyamorous harem structures will find an entertaining power fantasy—especially if you stop around chapter 140-150 before major quality degradation becomes unbearable.
The Max Level Hero has Returned FAQ
What is The Max Level Hero has Returned about?
It’s a returner/isekai story where Prince Davey O’Rowane, poisoned and left in a coma, spends a thousand years training with legendary heroes’ souls in the Hall of Heroes before returning to his timeline as an overpowered existence seeking revenge against the corrupt nobles who murdered his mother and tried to kill him.
Is The Max Level Hero has Returned a harem?
Yes, it contains harem elements that eventually become explicit polyamory—by chapter 739, Davey officially enters romantic relationships with both Perserque and Princess Aeria, with numerous other women positioned as potential future additions including Princess Illyna, Rinne, Amy, Tiara, and several others.
Is Davey an overpowered MC?
Absolutely—he’s at max level from the beginning after training for a millennium with legendary heroes, making him vastly stronger than anyone in his world. The tension isn’t “will Davey win” but rather “how will he dominate this time,” positioning this firmly as a power fantasy where genuine threats to the protagonist don’t exist.
How is the novel quality?
The first 100-150 chapters are widely praised as clever, engaging, and satisfying with a unique premise and good execution. However, the second half suffers significant quality decline with rushed writing, abandoned plot points, and an unsatisfactory ending at chapter 1,559—many readers report it becoming “a chore” to continue past chapter 140.
Does Davey’s character improve?
Unfortunately, the opposite—his savior complex and refusal to take responsibility for his romantic relationships become increasingly frustrating as the story progresses. He unilaterally decides to “protect” people without respecting their agency, ignores their feelings until crises force intervention, and leaves multiple women in undefined relationship limbo for hundreds of chapters before finally committing to polyamory.
How long is The Max Level Hero has Returned?
The Korean novel is completed at 1,559 chapters. The manhwa adaptation is ongoing and available on multiple platforms, though it progresses much more slowly than the source novel.
Should I read the novel or manhwa?
If you want the complete story, read the novel on Wuxiaworld or Tapas since the manhwa is still ongoing. However, the manhwa suffers from generic artwork with bland character designs, blurry backgrounds, and poor panel flow that makes it feel uninspired compared to the source material. Many readers find the illustrated version easier to digest despite these flaws, especially when the novel’s quality declines in later chapters.
Is Davey actually a hero or anti-hero?
He’s explicitly positioned as an anti-hero who uses royal power for personal revenge and satisfaction, manipulates people for his goals, and treats others poorly while the narrative justifies his behavior. The story frames him as righteous without examining whether his actions are actually morally superior to the corrupt nobles he’s replacing, making him more of a power fantasy self-insert than a nuanced character.
