---
title: "Chapter 74: A Very Difficult Opponent"
slug: "ch-74"
novel: "Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100"
number: 74
views: 0
likes: 0
wordCount: 1236
createdAt: "2026-04-13"
---

Max appeared in his cube as soon as he entered the Battle Realm.

"It seems that because of my winning streak, I’ve become far too popular for my own good," he said, chuckling wryly and shaking his head as he stepped out of the Battle Cube.

However, the moment he came out, he was immediately surrounded by hundreds of people.

"Fight me, Max!"

"No, fight me, and I’ll offer an extra 100 coins."

"No! Fight me, and I’ll give you 200 coins."

The crowd buzzed with excitement, each individual raising their offer, desperate for a chance to test their strength against the young prodigy. Max’s reputation had grown so fiercely that even losing to him was seen as an honor—a chance to learn and grow.

Max smiled wryly, finding the situation amusing. He just didn’t know if all these people wanting to fight him had the strength to back it up or if they were simply interested in fighting him because of his newfound fame.

He scanned the people in the crowd and chose one. "You," he said, pointing and sending an invitation to a young man with red hair.

After inviting him for a battle, Max went inside his Battle Cube.

"My luck is good today," the young man laughed mysteriously as he also entered his cube.

---

Max appeared on the battlefield but soon realized this battlefield was very different from any other he had fought in.

All around him, broken buildings and wreckage burned in red-hot flames. The trees, the structures, the ground… everything in the battlefield was engulfed in fiery, red-hot flames.

"I guess this is your first time fighting in a battlefield other than the standard ones provided by the Battle Realm?" the young man with red hair asked, introducing himself. "By the way, I’m Locke Steer. You can call me Locke."

Max heard Locke and turned to him. "You can change the settings of the battlefield? How?"

Locke stared at Max for a moment before bursting into laughter. "You really are a newbie in the Battle Realm, but no worries. You see, in the Battle Realm, if you have coins, you can buy anything. And with enough, you can even change the settings of the battlefield," he explained.

Max nodded, understanding. "So you did all this because you think you can defeat me in this fire-elemental battlefield?" he asked.

Locke’s face twisted with madness as he smirked. "I don’t think… I know that I will, if we fight in this battlefield."

As he spoke, the flames scattered across the battlefield seemed to spring to life. They flickered and swayed, almost as if they had a mind of their own.

Their heat intensified, rolling off in waves as they whipped around chaotically, like dancers caught in a wild, untamed rhythm.

"What’s going on?" Max frowned, observing the situation.

Slowly, the flames began to transform. They twisted and reshaped themselves, hardening into solid forms.𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Swords with jagged edges, spears sharp enough to pierce through steel, massive hammers radiating sheer power—one by one, countless weapons emerged from the inferno.

The sheer number of these flaming weapons was staggering. No matter where Max turned, his gaze was met with hundreds of these blazing creations, surrounding him from all directions.

It felt as if the flames themselves had transformed into an army, poised to strike at any moment.

Locke threw his head back and laughed maniacally. "Hahaha! You’ve lost, Max! Admit it, you’ve lost!" His voice echoed across the battlefield, carrying a twisted mix of triumph and madness.

He gestured dramatically to the weapons surrounding him, his eyes gleaming with unrestrained pride. "Behold my masterpiece, my absolute, precious creation! Do you see this power? I am unstoppable! You know, Max, I awakened a class called Flame Construct, but without flames, I’m nothing. I’m helpless, insignificant."

Locke’s grin widened as he spread his arms, basking in the fiery chaos around them. "But here? Here, in a world consumed by flames, I am a god! The god of this battlefield! The ultimate arbiter of life and death! I hold dominion over everything—you, the flames, the very laws of existence!"

"…"

Max stared at Locke, his expression blank as his thoughts swirled between disbelief and exasperation. He couldn’t fathom how someone could be so unhinged over the mere perception of having the upper hand.

For a moment, he simply stood there, watching Locke revel in his fiery theatrics, wondering what sort of chaos this lunatic would unleash if he actually managed to win.

’Is this what happens when people get too drunk on their own power?’ Max mused, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. ’What a nightmare this guy must be on a good day.’

"What are you staring at?" Locke’s voice boomed with arrogance, his eyes gleaming with self-assured dominance. "If you truly want to win, then get on your knees and beg for mercy. Maybe—just maybe—I’ll let you walk away with a sliver of dignity. Otherwise," he sneered, pointing a flaming blade at Max, "that shiny reputation you’ve built overnight? It’ll come crashing down in seconds."

Locke’s grin widened, his confidence radiating like the flames surrounding him. He clearly relished the moment, convinced of his inevitable victory.

’Is this guy for real?’ Max thought, his expression a mix of amusement and exasperation. He couldn’t decide if his luck had taken a nosedive today or if he’d unknowingly walked under a cursed star to end up facing someone like Locke.

’Guess I better finish this quickly before he starts spewing even more nonsense,’ Max mused, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he prepared to strike.

He pointed his finger at Locke as if he were holding a gun.

Experience tales at empire

"Oh, it seems you haven’t lost confidence yet. Good, good, as expected from a genius like you," Locke said, smiling confidently as he watched Max take action.

However, only a moment later, he regretted his hasty decision.

A concentrated blue beam of light erupted from Max’s index finger, tearing through the air with a piercing hum. It struck Locke squarely in the head, obliterating it instantly.

His body fell to the ground, and a moment later, it dissolved into red particles and disappeared into thin air.

"What a strange fellow," Max muttered as he left the battlefield.

---

Outside the cube, both Max and Locke appeared, but Locke acted as if he had lost his soul and silently wandered off into the distance.

Max shook his head at the sight. He understood that being arrogant and conceited would only lead to self-harm.

"Look, Max won again!"

"Looks like his winning streak continues."

"I don’t think so. Today, many from the top five guilds and four super families must have sent someone to test Max’s strength."

The crowd, this time, felt no surprise at Max’s victory. They had become numb after what had happened the day before, but they still held hope that someone would come and defeat Max today.

"Choose me, Max!" someone shouted from the crowd, eager for a chance to fight him.

"No, choose me."

"Heh, choose me over them. I’m better, and I’ll offer 100 coins if you fight me."

Max smiled wryly and randomly chose a guy with yellow hair. "I challenge you."

The yellow-haired man jumped in joy as Max selected him.

A moment later, they both entered their respective cubes for the battle.