---
title: "Chapter 1158: How?"
slug: "ch-1164"
novel: "Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100"
number: 1164
views: 0
likes: 0
wordCount: 1057
createdAt: "2026-04-15"
---

Max’s expression turned grim as the reflection formed once again before him. The faint ripples of light that reassembled the copy seemed almost mocking now, glowing softly as if to remind him of his own helplessness.

He stood silently, his chest rising and falling with slow, steady breaths, though his eyes gleamed with cold fury.

He hadn’t imagined it would be this persistent. No matter how many times he destroyed it—whether with flames, sword, or lightning—it simply came back to life. Again and again. Each time it fell, it reformed from the essence of the Mirror Lake as if nothing had happened.

It didn’t even seem weakened by his assaults.

Every strike that could shatter mountains, every technique that could distort space, all of it amounted to nothing before this thing that refused to stay dead.

The reflection smirked faintly, sensing his frustration. It tilted its head in that same infuriatingly calm manner, the motion eerily similar to Max’s own. "You look tired," it said quietly. "Are you starting to understand now? You can burn me, you can tear me apart, but as long as the lake exists—so will I. You cannot destroy what you are unwilling to face."

Max didn’t reply. His silence was heavy, sharp as a blade. He could feel it now—killing this copy was meaningless. It wasn’t a battle of power but something deeper. This reflection wasn’t just his double; it was tied to the Mirror Lake itself, a product of its law rather than a living being.

He exhaled slowly, watching the black flames flicker along his fingertips before fading away. His brows furrowed as he thought, his gaze cold but calculating.

’Killing it again won’t work,’ he reasoned. ’Every time I destroy it, the lake reconstructs it instantly. It’s not alive in the normal sense. It’s part of this trial... or perhaps part of me.’

The realization didn’t bring relief—it only deepened his irritation. The thought of something existing that perfectly mirrored his strength, his mind, and even his essence, yet wasn’t him, grated at his pride.

The reflection watched him quietly, amusement dancing in its eyes. "You’re thinking of how to kill me again, aren’t you? It’s adorable, really. But don’t you see? This isn’t about killing. It’s about understanding. The more you resist, the more you feed me. The more you fight, the stronger I become."

"Shut up!" Max’s voice thundered across the Mirror Lake, echoing like the roar of a storm trapped inside a cavern. The air trembled with the weight of his words. A pulse of black flame rippled outward from his body, spreading across the mirrored surface in waves that scorched the reflection of the sky.

He was losing his patience. Every word that came from the reflection’s mouth was like a blade scraping across his mind. The tone, the calm smirk, the mockery—it was all his own, and that made it worse. The copy spoke with his voice, mimicked his expression, and yet every word it said carried an arrogance that made Max’s blood boil.

"You know nothing about me," Max said, his tone sharp enough to cut the silence that followed. The flames flickering around his hands grew brighter, the heat bending the air. "You’re just a cheap imitation born from this cursed lake, pretending to understand who I am."

The reflection smiled faintly, its eyes glowing like twin mirrors reflecting Max’s rage. "Then why are you angry?" it asked softly. "If I’m nothing, why do my words bother you so much?"

Max’s eyes darkened further, his expression unreadable. The question echoed through his mind for a moment, not because it carried truth, but because it carried audacity. He took a step forward, each footstep sending ripples through the molten light beneath him.

"You talk too much," he said coldly. "And you think too little."

The reflection tilted its head, amused by his response. "Oh, I think plenty," it said in a low tone. "I think about how you’ve changed. The boy who once cared about family, about friends, about protecting his world—he’s gone, isn’t he? You’ve replaced him with this cold thing that burns everything it touches. Tell me, Max, are you still human?"

The moment those words left its mouth, the black flames around Max erupted violently. The surface of the Mirror Lake quaked beneath the pressure. The flames leapt higher, turning the entire space into a furnace of searing heat.

"Enough," Max growled, his teeth clenched. His aura expanded like a storm, black lightning coursing through the fire. "You think you can question my path? You, a reflection made from glass and light? You exist only because I exist, and that’s your curse."

The reflection’s smirk faltered slightly, but it didn’t back away. "And yet here I stand," it whispered. "Alive every time you kill me. Perhaps I am not your curse—but your truth."

Max’s patience snapped.

"I said shut up!" he roared, his figure blurring as he charged forward. The explosion of power shattered the ground beneath his feet, sending fragments of molten mirror scattering through the air. His fist, wrapped in black flame and lightning, met the reflection’s chest with enough force to crack the world itself.

The impact was deafening.

The reflection screamed as its body split in two, the light inside it bursting outward before being consumed entirely by Max’s flames. The black fire spread like a living thing, devouring the fragments until nothing remained but silence and smoke.

Max stood in the center of the destruction, his breathing steady but his gaze sharp and cold. The heat shimmered around him, the air heavy with power. He looked at the empty space where the reflection had stood and muttered under his breath, his voice low and hard, "You are not me. You will never be me."

But deep within the molten lake, faint ripples began to form once more. The same silver light started to gather again, quietly rebuilding what had been destroyed. The reflection’s mocking voice returned, soft and faint but unmistakably alive.

"Then why do you still sound like me, Max?"

Max’s jaw tightened as his mind raced. He could feel the throbbing in his temples, the tension in his muscles, the cold weight pressing on his chest. ’Damn this!’ he thought bitterly. ’How do I pass this trial and get rid of the copy?’