---
title: "Chapter 1267: Towards the first Demon Lair"
slug: "ch-1274"
novel: "Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100"
number: 1274
views: 0
likes: 0
wordCount: 1279
createdAt: "2026-04-15"
---

Max let his words linger in the heavy air for a moment before turning toward the distant horizon of Nullaria. The cursed land swallowed light like a void and twisted it into an eerie green gloom. The warped trees in the distance moved as if breathing, their branches rising and falling with a rhythm that felt disturbingly alive.

The geniuses behind him felt the atmosphere tighten, and even the squad leaders straightened, waiting for his next instruction.

"Now," Max said, his voice calm but firm, "let’s hunt down the first demon lair."

A ripple went through the gathered geniuses, a mix of anticipation and nerves. Victor stepped forward. "What plan do you have?" he asked, expecting Max to lay out formations, strategy, patrol routes, or an attack pattern. Something logical. Something structured.

Instead, Max smiled. It was a slow, knowing smile that made every squad leader fall silent.

"Plan?" Max repeated, as if amused. "What plan are you talking about? I have no plan, Victor. And we won’t be using any plan."

Victor froze. Others stared. A few geniuses blinked in confusion.

Max continued before anyone could protest, his tone steady and composed. "The situations that you will face in the future will not always give you time to think. You won’t always have the luxury of standing in a hall, drawing maps, discussing strategies, or arguing with each other about the best route to take. Real danger does not wait. Real danger crashes down without warning."

He walked closer to them, the sound of his steps soft but the weight of his presence heavy, pulling every gaze toward him.

"In a real crisis," Max said, "you may have only seconds to choose. You may suddenly be surrounded without knowing how. You may face an enemy who appears without sound or warning. You may find yourself fighting alone. You may lose sight of your squad. You may fall into terrain that restricts your movement. You may be hunted. You may be cornered."

He paused to let the severity of those words sink in. The younger geniuses swallowed hard. The squad leaders stepped forward unconsciously, as if absorbing a blow.

"These moments," Max said, "are where lives are decided. Not by planned formations. Not by carefully arranged routes. But by instinct. Awareness. Reflex. Adaptability. That is why you are here."

He pointed at the cracked, rotten earth around them. The land of Nullaria. A place where nothing behaved normally and where every breath carried uncertainty.

"This world is perfect for your training," Max said. "It will feed you chaos at every turn. It will throw surprises at you without warning. And if you learn to survive here without relying on pre-made plans, then you will survive anywhere."

The geniuses looked at each other, understanding slowly dawned across their faces.

Max continued, his tone deeper. "I want you all to gain experience. And experience is born from unpredictability. So we will train under the same conditions your future enemies will force upon you. No plans. No comfort. No rehearsed steps. Only awareness. Instinct. And quick decision-making."

He lifted his hand and pointed toward a distant slope in the green wasteland where faint traces of demonic energy pulsed like a heartbeat underground.

"You will approach the first demon lair without any preparation," Max said. "You will adapt on the spot. You will deal with whatever comes your way. You will learn to fight without depending on perfect coordination or memorized formations. This is how real warriors are forged."

The seven squad leaders straightened with renewed resolve. Victor nodded slowly. Arthur tightened his grip on his spear. Seraphina’s eyes glowed with sharp determination.

Max finished with a calm but heavy tone. "Only when you can face chaos without fear or hesitation will you stand a chance in the future battles that await this world. That begins today."

"Create a small base here for us to settle," He added. His tone left no room for hesitation. "The rest of you move forward with me."

The squad leaders immediately moved into action. A small group of selected geniuses broke away from the formation and landed on the barren land. Under the guidance of their captains they began constructing a temporary base made of protective barriers, rune-reinforced shields, and layered defensive circles.

Even though their strength was at the peak of Divine Rank, Nullaria’s oppressive atmosphere forced them to take every precaution.

Meanwhile, Max drifted upward, lightly touching the air beneath his feet with spatial energy. The remaining geniuses rose behind him and followed as he moved deeper into the cursed world. The silence on their journey was unsettling. Even at this level of power they felt a faint chill, as though unseen eyes watched their every motion from the shifting green mist that clung to the terrain.

Max said nothing as he led them. His senses had already extended outward in every direction, and he knew exactly where their first target was. The demons had been careful. They built their lair at the far edge of a wide valley where the cliffs curled inward just enough to hide movement and distort vision.

To an average observer the place would appear empty and lifeless but Max had already seen the faint spiritual distortion the demons left behind. It was subtle, but not hidden from someone who had mastered spatial dominion.

The geniuses followed him until the rugged ground curved downward, revealing the mouth of the valley. Max stopped mid-air, and the entire group halted behind him.

Below them, tucked against a narrow ledge, was the demon lair.

It was a patchwork of pitch-black stone, jagged tunnels cut into the cliff face, and shadowy figures moving in and out of the openings. Strange purple flames flickered near the entrances, making the entire lair appear alive with twisted demonic energy. The number of demons present was high. Dozens moved through the shadows and deeper inside Max sensed hundreds more.

Max slowly turned to the geniuses gathered behind him. His expression remained calm but his voice carried across the silent chasm with unmistakable weight.

"Your task is to kill all the demons present in that lair," Max said. "Every last one of them."

Not a single genius made a sound. Their eyes were fixed on him.

"But remember something important," Max continued. "No matter how strong you are, no matter how confident you feel, your survival comes first. Do not take a fight you cannot win. Do not let pride or impulsiveness decide your fate. If you must retreat, then retreat. I would rather see you fall back and fight another day than throw your lives away."

He let those words sink in, especially for the younger prodigies whose egos burned hottest.

Max looked directly at the squad leaders standing at the front. "As for the squad leaders, you bear the greatest responsibility. Every person in your squad is under your protection. You must watch them carefully. You must lead them decisively. If one of them is about to walk into a trap, you are the ones who must pull them out of danger."

He pointed down toward the blackened valley with a calm, steady gesture. "If anything strange happens, if something too powerful comes out, if things turn chaotic, leave it to me. I will handle all the oddities. You only have one job."

His voice hardened.

"Sharpen your blades."

The geniuses clenched their fists, their eyes burning with determination.

Max raised his hand, palm open, and let it fall.𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Go."

Dozens of figures shot downward all at once, streaks of divine light rushing toward the demon lair as the first true battle of their Nullaria expedition began.