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242 lines
7.6 KiB
Markdown
242 lines
7.6 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "Chapter 277: A Punch"
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slug: "ch-277"
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novel: "Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100"
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number: 277
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views: 0
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likes: 0
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wordCount: 1202
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createdAt: "2026-04-13"
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---
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A voice rang out, shaking the very air.
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"STOP!"
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Crown Prince Aelric's voice was filled with commanding authority, his Seeker Rank aura flaring to life.
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And in an instant—
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Ten golden swords and spears materialized around him, hovering in the air like celestial weapons summoned from the heavens themselves.
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Then—
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With a sharp movement of his hand, the blades launched forward, embedding themselves into the ground between Max and Arthur's mist form.
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BOOM!
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The impact created a barrier of golden light, an unbreakable divide that severed the battlefield, preventing Arthur's attack from advancing any further.
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The mist halted abruptly, swirling in place as if struggling against the barrier—before it was forced to retract.
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A second later, Arthur rematerialized, stepping back with a sharp glare, his expression filled with indignation.
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Aelric's piercing gaze swept across the scene, his face grim.
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"This is the Sun Palace, not a battlefield!"
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His voice carried a warning, heavy and unshakable.
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"If you wish to fight, take it elsewhere—but I will not allow unnecessary bloodshed here!"
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The golden swords hummed, their presence still lingering as a reminder of his authority.
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For a moment—
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There was silence.
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Tension thick in the air, a battle halted at the very brink of explosion.
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Arthur had halted, pulled back by Crown Prince Aelric's intervention, his mist form retreating behind the golden barrier.
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But Max—
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Max didn't stop.
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Unlike Arthur, he did not hold back.
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He had already decided the moment he threw those insults—this wasn't just provocation.
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This was declaration.
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His right fist clenched tightly, raw power surging through his veins as 30 Draconic Scales ignited inside him, flooding his arm with tremendous force.
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And then—
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He punched forward.
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Bang!
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The moment his fist shot out, a storm of pure force erupted from the impact, a violent gust of wind bursting outward, carrying an overwhelming shockwave.
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The golden swords and spears—weapons summoned by Crown Prince Aelric himself—were sent flying, torn from their positions as if they were mere twigs in a hurricane.
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But that wasn't all.
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The storm did not stop there.
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It surged past the barrier, reaching toward Arthur's mist form.𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
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The violent force engulfed him instantly, forcing the mist to scatter wildly before it was sent hurling through the air.
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A blur of gray vapor twisted violently, before Arthur was forced to return to his physical form, his body reappearing mid-air, barely able to halt himself.
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But even as he stabilized—
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The shock on his face was unmistakable.
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The force of the windstorm didn't stop at Arthur.
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The weaker geniuses from the South—those who had arrogantly stood behind him, basking in his power—were caught directly in the storm.
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Their bodies were lifted off the ground, tossed like ragdolls as they were sent flying across the garden, crashing into tables, bushes, and fountains.
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Some landed headfirst into the flowerbeds, while others tumbled across the ground in stunned confusion.
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Only then—
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Only after everything had been blown away—
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Did the storm of wind finally settle.
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A deep silence followed.
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A silence so heavy that it felt as though even the world itself was trying to process what had just happened.
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Eyes widened.
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Breaths held.
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Because Max—
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The masked figure.
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He had thrown a punch at nothing.
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He had simply punched the air—
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And yet, it had generated enough force to:
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Blow away Crown Prince Aelric's golden swords and spears.
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Scatter Arthur's mist form mid-attack.
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Send multiple South Region geniuses flying like they were weightless.
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All without touching a single person.
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The crowd of guests stared in awe.
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The murmurs began almost immediately.
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"H-He didn't even hit anyone... and yet the impact alone caused that?"
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"Those were the Crown Prince's weapons—yet they were blown away like paper?"
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"Arthur's mist form was forced back... by nothing but wind?!"
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"Who... Who the hell is this masked man?!"
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Princess Aveline looked utterly stunned, her usual grace momentarily shattered by the absurdity of what she had just witnessed.
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Alice, who had already been shocked once, could only stare, her lips slightly parted feeling the masked figure very familiar.
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Even Crown Prince Aelric, known for his calmness, found himself momentarily speechless.
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Arthur, still floating mid-air, stared down at the masked figure.
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His hands tightened, his teeth clenched.
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He wasn't just angry anymore.
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He wasn't just annoyed by the insults.
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He was shaken.
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'What... What the hell was that?'
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His mind raced, trying to comprehend the sheer power behind that one, simple punch.
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"Haha, so you guys are indeed as weak as ants."
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Max's laughter rang out behind the blue mask, thick with mockery and disdain.
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His posture remained loose, completely unshaken by what had just transpired—as if everything was just as he expected.
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"To get blown away by mere wind from a punch… how disgraceful."
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He shook his head, as if genuinely disappointed.
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The words cut deep into the remaining members of the South Region's group, their pride already battered by the humiliation they had just suffered.
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Arthur, still floating above the garden, stared down at the masked figure, his expression dark.
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He had never expected this man to have such terrifying strength.
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This wasn't just some nobody.
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Whoever he was—he was someone dangerous.
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And Arthur hated it.
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"Didn't you hear me when I told you to stop?"
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Crown Prince Aelric's voice cut through the air, his irritation barely concealed.
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His golden gaze bore into Max, his regal authority pressing down like a mountain, demanding obedience.
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But Max?
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He merely glanced over his shoulder, meeting Aelric's intense gaze with nothing but calm indifference.
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Then, he shrugged.
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"Well, he attacked first."
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His tone was matter-of-fact, as if he was explaining something completely obvious.
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Then, with an almost casual gesture, he pointed at Arthur, who was still hovering in the air.
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"So my attack was just a counter. However…"
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He paused for dramatic effect.
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Then, in a voice dripping with mock sincerity, he added:
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"I do admit it was my fault for not being able to stop my attack midway. My control is just… too weak."
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There was no remorse in his tone.
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Only sarcasm.
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A direct jab at Aelric's earlier command.
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Aelric's frown deepened, his patience wearing thin.
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The masked figure wasn't backing down.
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Not even giving him an opening to take control of the situation.
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Instead, he was pushing back, mocking him in front of the entire assembly.
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It was a rare moment where someone dared to challenge the Crown Prince's authority so openly—and in his own palace, no less.
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Before Aelric could respond, however—
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A new voice cut through the tension.
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"Aelric, if you don't mind, I'd like to take some action here."
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A figure appeared before them, stepping into the center of the growing storm.
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He was young, but his presence was undeniably commanding.
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Dark green hair, spiked upward in unruly strands, gave him a wild, untamed look.
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His sharp, angular features were accentuated by the faint smirk on his lips, a smirk that carried undisguised amusement.
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His attire was bold—dark clothes lined with streaks of emerald, the crest of his clan subtly embroidered on his sleeve.
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There was something rebellious about his stance, the way he carried himself—like a punk who didn't care about rules, only strength.
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And yet—his arrival was met with instant recognition. |