---
title: "Chapter 396: Unexpected Turn of Events"
slug: "ch-396"
novel: "Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100"
number: 396
views: 0
likes: 0
wordCount: 1215
createdAt: "2026-04-13"
---

Just yesterday, several of the elves—eager to learn about Max—had bribed a few humans from the Valora Continent, hoping to dig up some useful intel. And with the right price, they got everything.

Everything about Max—his rise as the strongest genius of Valora, his undefeated record in countless battles, his unheard-of victory during the Ascension Ceremony, and more shockingly, how he had once defeated an Ascendant… even a Null in direct combat.

Elliot hadn't wanted to believe it. He thought the stories were exaggerated, the records overblown. But after seeing Max's duel with Levi, there was no denying the truth anymore. 'His talent… it might actually be at our level,' Elliot admitted grudgingly, 'at the level of the peak geniuses of the Lost Continent.'

Just then, a mocking voice drifted toward him. "What happened, Elliot? Out of options already?"

Elliot turned sharply, his expression darkening as Chris, a powerful young cultivator from the Human Saint Alliance, stepped forward. He wasn't alone — several other humans followed him, standing with quiet confidence behind their leader.

Elliot narrowed his eyes. "Do as you wish," he said coldly. "It's not like that human is your ally anyway."

Chris smiled calmly, ignoring the jab. "That's what I'm here for."

Meanwhile, Princess Lenavira stood in silence, her gaze fixed on Max, who was still standing tall in the center of the arena like a lone mountain. When she first heard about him, she had assumed he was just another arrogant human blessed with raw strength.

But after seeing the battle with Levi, she knew she had underestimated him. He's more than just muscle, she thought seriously. 'His body is strong like a demon's, his mana control rivals that of the elves, and his sword techniques… they're refined and deadly like the best of human masters.'

Her expression turned serious, her sharp eyes narrowing in quiet thought. 'He has no weakness that I can see… other than his current cultivation being too low.' But even at level 1 of Adept Rank, he had just defeated a level 4 Seeker Rank like it was nothing. That alone made her hopeful.

Because Max wasn't just strong.

He was terrifying.

'He's even more of a monster than Freya ever was,' Princess Lenavira thought in the end, her heart pounding slightly as she looked at Max standing tall in the arena. That thought alone sent a chill down her spine.

She had once regarded Freya as the pinnacle of talent and power among the younger generation, but now… Max had completely shattered that belief.

Just then, she felt it—an aura. A dark, suffocating pressure that rolled across the hall like a storm cloud descending. Her eyes narrowed instantly as she turned around, instinctively alert. A figure emerged from the crowd—tall, broad-shouldered, and radiating raw menace.

It was a demon with dark purple skin, sharp golden eyes, and two curved black horns protruding from his head. His presence was overwhelming, as if the space around him itself bent under the weight of his power. Several other demons followed behind him, clearly subordinate in comparison, their heads lowered slightly in respect.

'That aura… even he was alarmed?!' Lenavira's eyes widened in disbelief. The demon's steps were calm but heavy, each one spreading dread through the crowd. She hadn't expected him to appear here—not yet.

As the demon walked past her, he paused for a brief moment and glanced her way. Her breath hitched slightly, but then—he simply shook his head, as if dismissing her entirely, and continued walking toward the arena.

'It's good he didn't recognize me,' Lenavira sighed inwardly. Ever since she had gone to meet Max, she had been using a special artifact to mask her identity, appearing as just a regular elf among the crowd.

She had only ever removed the disguise in front of Max, and only the other elves—her people—could see through the illusion and recognize her true face. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, she was nobody special.

At the same moment, Chris and Elliot also turned around, sensing the same chilling presence. Their expressions darkened the moment they saw who was walking toward the arena.

"That guy… why is he here?" Chris muttered, eyes narrowing.

Elliot's jaw tightened, his voice low. "This just got a whole lot interesting."

Because the demon now approaching the stage wasn't just strong.

He was one of the most terrifying young monsters in the entire Lost Continent.

"You are Max Morgan?" the demon asked, his voice deep and rumbling with authority as he locked eyes with Max.

Max had been watching him since the moment he stepped into the hall. It was impossible not to. The pressure rolling off the demon's body was suffocating, even though he hadn't made a single threatening move.

'A peak Seeker Rank…' Max thought, narrowing his eyes. 'But not just any demon. He's something else entirely.'

"I am Max Morgan," Max replied calmly, his curiosity piqued. He had no idea what the demon wanted with him—aside from the obvious possibility of trying to kill him like everyone else.

"Good," the demon said simply, then turned away from Max and addressed the entire hall. His voice boomed through the space, silencing every whisper and freezing every movement. "Listen carefully. I wish to fight this human—Max Morgan. And for that to happen, I want him to reach the tenth floor of the Tower of Truth as quickly as possible." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the stunned audience. "So I'm giving you all an order—do not challenge him. Leave him alone for one month. Let him climb the tower without interference. And if he challenges you—refuse."

The hall went dead silent. Everyone—humans, elves, and demons alike—stared in stunned disbelief. Not a single person dared to question him. No one even breathed a word of protest. Because they all knew exactly who this demon was. His strength and status alone were enough to make even the proudest geniuses stay quiet.

After a few moments of silence, the demon turned back to Max, his eyes sharp with purpose. "I will see you in one month. Do not disappoint me… human." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving behind a silence so thick it felt like the air itself was frozen.

Max watched his retreating back and honestly didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. 'Seriously?' He had planned to climb the tower the hard way—through battle, through sweat, through sharpening his sword skills against the continent's best. But now, one declaration from a demon had turned his whole plan upside down.

Most people would assume that going unchallenged for three consecutive days wouldn't grant any Life Essence, since no battles were involved.

But the Tower of Truth didn't work like that.

In fact, those who remained unchallenged and still advanced were greatly rewarded—with more Life Essence than even winning ten battles in a row. The tower recognized dominance in all forms, and surviving without opposition was one of them.

'I wanted to hone my swordsmanship in battle,' Max thought with a resigned sigh, 'but I guess this works too.' If this strange turn of events could help him grow stronger and push him through the tower faster, then he wouldn't complain. He'd adapt. As always.