Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100

Chapter 1236  With Alice

After spending time with Freya and speaking openly for the first time in years, Max felt as though his entire being had been reset. His mind, once clouded by heavy thoughts, now felt clear. His soul felt lighter. Every dark emotion that had been pressing upon him since his awakening seemed to dissolve, replaced by a strange calmness he had not felt in a very long time.

He stepped out of Freya's room with a fresh breath and an urge to meet Alice. He wanted to reassure her, talk to her, and perhaps simply spend a quiet moment together after everything that had happened.

But just as he exited into the corridor, he noticed a familiar figure hiding poorly behind one of the pillars in the distance.

Alice.

She peeked around the corner repeatedly, glancing this way and that with a nervous expression, clearly searching for someone. Seeing her like that, Max felt the slightest hint of amusement flicker through him.

"Let's have a little fun," he thought to himself.

He suppressed his presence completely and pulled out a rune paper along with a rune brush. His Black Soul stirred, guiding his hand with smooth precision. He drew a series of strokes—clean, elegant lines woven together with subtle complexity. The rune flared softly, and an illusion rune formed in his hand.

Anyone with a soul weaker than his would see this illusion as reality itself.

With a flick of his fingers, Max sent the rune behind Alice. It landed silently, and the illusion activated without delay.

A few steps behind Alice, a perfect replica of Freya appeared—calm expression, composed posture, and an aura that radiated quiet authority.

"You must be Alice. What are you doing here?" the illusion asked in Freya's exact voice.

Alice nearly jumped out of her skin.

She stiffened completely, her shoulders trembling as she slowly turned around. When she saw Freya's composed, unreadable expression, Alice's heart nearly stopped.

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard. "I–I was looking for Max," she stammered, her face turning red.

From his hiding spot, Max covered his mouth to contain his laughter. Seeing Alice flustered this much was rare.

"What business do you have with Max?" the illusion asked again, maintaining that perfectly calm tone Freya always used.

Alice lowered her head even further. "I–I wanted to meet him. That's all."

Alice was one of the few who knew that Freya was Max's sister. She remembered clearly that Max had once joined the Phoenix Order just so he could search for her. He had traveled across the regions with that single purpose in mind. Knowing this made the presence of Freya feel even more intimidating.

In truth, Alice had no reason to be nervous in front of Freya, yet she couldn't help it. Something about Freya's presence—the quiet authority, the calm eyes, the overwhelming dignity—made Alice feel as though she were standing before a supreme elder whose approval actually mattered to her.

Max, watching from the shadows, felt his smile widen.

This was turning out to be far more entertaining than Max expected.

But unfortunately, the illusion rune had its limits. No matter how perfectly it mimicked Freya—her voice, her aura, her expressions—it was still only an illusion. It would not last forever. The glow beneath the illusion's feet began flickering, signaling the rune's time was almost up.

Before it dispelled completely, Max stepped out from his hiding place with a bright grin.

"Are you looking for me?" he asked, amusement written all over his face.

Alice jumped in shock. "Max…!" She clamped her hands over her mouth immediately, remembering she was talking in front of Freya. But when she turned around, the illusion began glowing with soft white light. The image of Freya flickered, broke apart into countless tiny light particles, and vanished. A rune paper fluttered gently to the floor in its place.

Alice froze. Then realization struck.

She turned slowly toward Max, her face twitching with disbelief. "Max Voidwalker… you are dead!"

"W–Wait, Alice—!" Max burst into laughter as she charged toward him, flames appearing around her hands in anger and embarrassment.

"Your face was priceless!" Max dodged her flames easily, laughing wholeheartedly. "I should draw it and hang it on the wall."

"Max, stop running!" Alice shouted, but she was smiling through her flustered anger. Her cheeks were red, her eyes sparkled, and she chased after him with fiery annoyance.

Max dodged one more flame blast, then vanished from sight for a moment.

Alice blinked. "Where—?"

He appeared right in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. Before she could react, he wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her gently.

"Let's go," Max said softly.

He shot into the sky with her in his arms, the wind rushing past them as they ascended through the clouds.

Alice's surprise faded into quiet laughter, then into a peaceful smile. The warmth between them grew naturally as they flew higher until the world below became small, distant, and silent.

They spent a long time like that—talking, laughing, teasing. The heaviness that had clung to Max's heart for so long felt lighter with every minute. Alice's presence grounded him, steadied him, and reminded him that he was not alone in this world.

As they drifted above the clouds, Max suddenly stopped laughing. His eyes softened as he looked at her.

"Alice…" he said quietly. "What if the two of us just disappeared from this world?"

She blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean?"

Max looked toward the horizon. The sky was deep and endless, the world far below. His voice was tired but honest.

"What if we go somewhere else… just the two of us? A world with no war, no demons, no nulls, no danger. No fighting, no destruction… only peace. A place where we could grow old and live a quiet life. Would you want that?"

The question sank deep into the silence between them.

Alice looked at him, her expression softening. For a moment, she genuinely imagined it—the two of them living somewhere far away from everything, somewhere untouched by chaos.

"I would want that," she said gently.

Max looked at her with surprise and hope.

"But…" she added, her voice lowering, "we don't have that privilege, do we?"

The words pierced reality like a cold breeze.

They both knew the truth.

Their world needed them. Their people needed them. The ones they cared for needed them. They did not have the luxury to run away, no matter how much they wished to.

Max nodded silently. "Yeah… we don't."

Alice leaned her head on his shoulder. "But it was a beautiful dream, even if it's not possible."

Max didn't respond. He just held her closer as they drifted above the clouds.

The rest of the day passed quietly. They sat together, watching the sun descend on the horizon, painting the clouds in shades of crimson and gold.

They talked. They laughed. They shared moments they had both forgotten how to cherish.

And for a few precious hours, Max felt peace—true, unbroken peace—as he and Alice watched the sunset from above the world.