---
title: "Chapter 603: Cruel Competition"
slug: "ch-603"
novel: "Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100"
number: 603
views: 0
likes: 0
wordCount: 1260
createdAt: "2026-04-15"
---

Aria’s sharp eyes scanned the crowd like blades seeking flesh. Her expression was cold, calculating, but behind that mask was a seething fury barely kept in check. Yet no matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t pinpoint a single suspicious face.

One among them was just a young man barely at the 8th level of Seeker Rank—far too weak. The rest were all peak Expert Rank cultivators, clearly overwhelmed by the oppressive pressure of the Master Rank presence around them.

There was only one among them who stood out slightly, a man whose strength teetered on the edge of stepping into the Master Rank, but even he didn’t seem powerful enough to face someone like Silus head-on.

Though if he were part of a coordinated ambush… perhaps the story changed.

But no one said a word.

The entire group from the Lower Domain stood frozen, shoulders stiff, eyes lowered. They understood all too well the reality of their situation. They were nothing here—ants in the presence of dragons. Even breathing too loud might be seen as provocation. So silence ruled.

"We know someone—or more likely a group of you—killed Silus," Elias said, his voice laced with venom, each word a threat cloaked in calm. "If you come out now, I might consider sparing your lives. Silus and I didn’t get along. That’s the only reason I wasn’t with him. So I’ll give you one chance—step forward and confess, and I might let you live."

But no one moved.

Not a soul among the Lower Domain dared to twitch. They exchanged wary glances, each one as clueless as the next. No one had any idea who had done it—and even if they did, none of them had the courage to stand up in front of Elias and Aria. Their lives weren’t worth that much.

Elias’ gaze darkened as the silence grew heavier. "If I find out later who it was…" he said, his voice now ice, "then only death awaits you all."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the trembling crowd. "Now get out of my sight. Explore the third stage if you want, but know this—do not interfere in any of our business. Because if you do, I won’t hesitate to kill every last one of you."

The threat hung in the air like the swing of a guillotine, and the crowd scattered in silence. Max remained still, blending in, his face calm but his heart alert. The game had changed—and the stakes were only rising.

Hearing Elias’ icy words, the leaders and cultivators from the Lower Domain quickly scattered like frightened birds, eager to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the terrifyingly powerful members of the Four God Nation.

No one wanted to stay close—not even for a moment. Within seconds, they spread out across the vast dome, some darting between buildings, others sticking close to walls or heading toward distant corners, all trying to disappear from view and avoid trouble.

Max also vanished from the scene, but unlike the others who moved without purpose or direction, he had a goal. While most were still recovering from the pressure and chaos of the earlier confrontation, Max’s mind was already set. Thanks to the memories he had extracted from Silus, he had detailed knowledge of this stage.

The third stage of the citadel, unlike the previous ones, wasn’t about tests or combat. It was a race. A 24-hour-long free exploration trial inside a massive dome, where treasures, inheritances, artifacts, and various mysterious items were scattered across countless different zones. Finding anything here wasn’t about strength—it was about luck and timing.

At the very top of the dome’s ceiling, visible from every corner of the area, a glowing timer had already started counting down from 24 hours. Next to it hovered a bright green arrow that constantly shifted position, pointing toward the central exit—guiding everyone toward the end goal.

This was the citadel’s way of pushing everyone to keep moving forward, collecting what they could before time ran out.

But while the rest wandered blindly, Max had an advantage. From Silus’ memories, he already knew the location of a few high-potential treasure spots. Not guaranteed finds, but places where the chances were significantly higher.

He didn’t hesitate. He moved through the dome with purpose, his steps swift and silent, weaving between the ancient structures and strange relics dotting the area, not wasting even a second. The others were gambling on luck. Max, however, was working with certainty—or at least, calculated hope.

***

"Hehe, that fool Silus got himself killed by a bunch of trashes from the Lower Domain," Elias sneered, the earlier anger and coldness on his face completely gone, replaced by a mocking smirk that radiated ridicule. "What a disgrace!" he spat, laughing quietly to himself.

It was clear that Silus’ death meant absolutely nothing to him. In fact, it was almost like a victory. But that was how things were in the Middle Domain—ruthless, competitive, and cold. Families weren’t built on love or loyalty, but on strength, power, and usefulness.

In massive forces like the Four God Nation, where each major family had countless descendants and branches, bonds like brotherhood or cousinhood meant nothing unless backed by strength. Only through constant struggle, betrayal, and cruelty could someone climb to the top. And the Four God Nation stood as the perfect example of that brutal philosophy.

Even though Silus and Elias were cousins by blood, there was no warmth between them. Silus had always carried a slightly superior position within the Xuan Family, thanks to his father’s high status. Elias, on the other hand, was just another face among the many in the common branch, lacking any powerful backing.

Silus had always acted above him, strutting about and mingling with geniuses like Aria and others despite being clearly weaker than them. But no one dared put him in his place because of his father’s influence. Elias had hated that, but he could do nothing.

That all changed a few months ago, when Elias and a few of his companions stumbled upon a ruin during a mission and discovered an ancient map. Not everyone could make sense of it, but Elias instantly recognized its importance.

Silus had recognized it too. That was because his branch of the Xuan Family was stationed in the Lower Domain as so-called ’guardians’ and Silus had seen the citadel with his own eyes during his rare visits to the family’s core. He immediately understood what the map led to.

Elias, on the other hand, had the advantage of something else—he had the key. A mysterious treasure in his possession resonated with the citadel depicted in the map, proving it was more than just legend.

Neither said a word. They both kept their discovery secret, pretending nothing had happened. But the very next day, Elias noticed Silus had suddenly disappeared from the family estate without a word. Even a fool could piece together what had happened. Silus had set off for the Lower Domain, trying to claim the citadel and whatever secrets it held for himself.

That was all Elias needed to see. Furious but focused, he immediately formed a team of his own and set out as well. Not to stop Silus. Not even to help him. But to take what should have belonged to him in the first place.

And now that Silus was dead, Elias couldn’t help but laugh at how poetic it all was. He hadn’t even needed to lift a finger. The Lower Domain had done him the favor.