---
title: "Chapter 384: Difficulty of leveling to Expert Rank"
slug: "ch-384"
novel: "Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100"
number: 384
views: 0
likes: 0
wordCount: 1186
createdAt: "2026-04-13"
---

Aelric nodded thoughtfully as he replied. "Yeah… I've heard that once someone reaches the 10th floor of the Tower, there's a chance to comprehend a Concept."

Max's eyes lit up slightly—but only for a moment.

Because before he could say anything, another voice—sharp and scornful—cut through the air.

"Don't even dream about it," Princess Lenavira said coldly, her heels clicking against the ground as she caught up to them.

Max glanced over at her as she continued, her gaze laced with disdain.

"Comprehending a Concept isn't something that just happens—even inside the Tower of Truth. Even with the tower's help, it's almost as difficult as entering the Middle Domain."

Her tone was matter-of-fact, yet carried the edge of someone who knew just how impossible the path was.

"There are countless experts—humans, elves, demons, and more—at the 10th level of the Seeker Rank, all holed up on the 10th floor. They've been there for years, trying to grasp a Concept. And only a rare few have ever succeeded."

Her eyes narrowed as she looked directly at Max.

"To enter the Expert Rank, one must fuse their body with a Concept. Without that, the breakthrough is impossible. It's the last gate—and it's unforgiving."

She took a slow step forward, her lips curling slightly into a mocking grin.

"You think you can manage that? With your strength? You can only imagine the difficulty of comprehending a Concept."

Princess Lenavira's words lingered in the air, but she wasn't finished. Her voice turned more solemn, her expression sharpening.

"Do you even know why it's so difficult to enter the Expert Rank in the Lower Domain?" she asked, her tone quieter now—but far more serious.

Max met her gaze but didn't speak. He wanted to hear it from her.

"It's not just because comprehending a Concept is hard," she said. "It's because the very laws of this world are too thin."

She lifted her hand slightly, as if gesturing to the air around them.

"The Lower Domain is a fragmented, restrained part of the world. The essence of law here—sword, fire, lightning, time, space, and every other—is weak, diluted. It's like trying to light a fire in a place with no oxygen. Even if you find a spark, it dies out before it becomes a flame."

Max's eyes narrowed. He could feel the truth in her words.

"The Concept Sources you find in the tower or elsewhere may help you reach into the Expert Rank… if you're lucky. But once you're in, you'll find yourself stuck," she continued. "You can't advance. You can't deepen your understanding. The Domain itself holds you back."

Her voice took on a cold finality.

"That's the reality of the Lower Domain. For all races—humans, elves, demons alike—this is the ceiling. The limit. The endpoint."

Max was silent for a moment, the weight of her explanation settling over him.

'So that's it,' he thought. 'The laws here are too thin… too shallow. Even if I fight, win, comprehend—I'll eventually hit the same wall as everyone else.'

He pondered, his mind deep in thought.

'So… she's also stuck at the peak of Seeker Rank,' Max thought, glancing briefly at Princess Lenavira as she walked beside them. 'Just because she hasn't comprehended a Concept yet.

It made sense now.

She, like countless others, had reached the limit of what the Lower Domain could offer—but without a Concept, there was no moving forward. No breaking into the Expert Rank. No true ascension.

Max could now vividly picture it—dozens, maybe hundreds of geniuses from the Lost Continent, all gathered on the 10th floor of the Tower of Truth. Each one at the peak of Seeker Rank. Each one waiting… hoping… straining to grasp a Concept. The final piece they needed to advance.

But very few succeeded.

'And even those that do… they wouldn't still be here,' Max realized. 'They wouldn't be allowed.'

He recalled the rules of the Tower.

Only those at the Seeker Rank and below could remain within its floors. The moment someone broke through into the Expert Rank, the tower itself would eject them—or worse, deny them entry altogether.

They weren't even allowed in 1000 miles radius around the tower.

'So that means every peak-level genius still in this tower… they've all hit the same wall. Just like her.'

It was both sobering… and strangely motivating.

'Well… what do I have to worry about?' Max thought with a wry smile, shaking his head as he walked. 'I'm still only at Level 1 of the Adept Rank.'

The talk about the Expert Rank, the Concept bottleneck, and the stagnation of geniuses at the peak of the Seeker Rank was all very real—but it didn't concern him yet. He still had time. A long road ahead. And right now, there were things he needed to check—things he never got the chance to investigate while he was stuck in the Mourning Depths.

And of course, there was the matter of the elves.

Their sudden interest in him, especially Lenavira's, still didn't sit right with him. He didn't trust them, not even a little. He needed to figure out what exactly they wanted from him—and why they knew about his connection to Freya, something not even the top forces in the Valora Continent could confirm.

But then—

"Don't forget the Yin Soul, kid."

Blob's voice suddenly echoed in his mind, casual as always but with an undertone of warning.

'Yin Soul…' Max's expression turned serious. 'Yeah, I haven't forgotten. How could I?'

It had been on his mind for a while now—ever since he found his problem, a life threatening problem. And the more he delayed, the more it pulled him at the edges of death like a darkness waiting to swallow him.

Before he could dwell on it too long, Aelric spoke up beside him.

"Max, you should rent a place here," he suggested. "You can't exactly live in someone else's house. You'll need your own."

"Huh?" Max blinked. "How would I even do that? With elemental cores or something?"

Aelric shook his head. "No, no. You use the points stored in your Essence Stone."

"Points?" Max looked down at the stone still clutched in his palm.

"You've got about 300 points from killing that demon," Aelric continued. "A basic residence should cost you anywhere between 20 to 30 points, depending on the district."

"So it is a kind of currency," Max muttered to himself, intrigued. "These Essence Stone points can be used to buy stuff, huh…"

It made him wonder—'could people earn points outside the tower too? Could they use it like currency out in the city?'

But before he could even finish forming the question, Aelric cut him off with a small chuckle.

"And no. You can't earn points outside the tower. The only way to get them is by fighting—and winning—inside. That's the rule. You want more points? You'll have to step into the arena again."

"I see," Max nodded thoughtfully.

So the Tower didn't just offer power and life essence—it gave you currency, resources, status. Everything tied to victory. And victory alone.

A world where strength ruled all.