Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100

Chapter 1366  Black Dragon Palace!

"He won so easily," Lord Arckin said with a long sigh as he withdrew his gaze from the arena, the outcome of Max's battle against Adam still fresh in his mind. From where he stood, the difference between the two had been painfully clear.

Adam had pushed himself to his limits, using every technique and ounce of strength he possessed, yet Max had treated the exchange as though it were nothing more than a routine spar. There was no urgency in his movements, no strain in his expression, only calm control that made the disparity between them impossible to ignore.

Ron, standing quietly behind him, also let out a soft sigh. He had watched Adam grow over the years, witnessing his rise from the peak of Divine Rank to his current realm, and he understood better than most how much effort Adam had poured into his cultivation. Because of that, Ron could already imagine the disappointment weighing on Adam's heart after this defeat, not because he had lost, but because he had realized just how far the path ahead of him truly was.

After the battle at the Warrior Academy, Max returned to his room within the mansion and chose not to go out again. The remainder of the day passed in silence as he focused on stabilizing his mana, carefully attuning it to the dense Divine Essence that permeated the air. He did not rush his cultivation, choosing instead to refine his foundation, allowing his power to settle naturally rather than forcing a breakthrough.

The next day, Ron came to summon him to the central hall of the mansion. When Max arrived, he immediately noticed a familiar figure standing there, and a bright smile spread across his face the moment he saw her.

"Instructor Virelia!" Max exclaimed as he bowed respectfully, his tone filled with genuine joy.

"Hehe, it is good to see you too," Lady Virelia replied with a warm smile, nodding at him in approval. "You seem to have become a bit more mature since the last time we met."

"Hehe," Max laughed softly, scratching his head in slight embarrassment.

"It took me some time to get here," Lady Virelia continued with an amused expression. "Apparently, someone caused quite a stir by defeating the Grim Gladiator in the Divine Colosseum, drawing the attention of all seven major families of the Black Dragon Palace."

Max could only smile wryly at her words. For a brief moment, he wondered whether things might have been simpler if he had chosen to quietly mine and cultivate after stabilizing his mana instead of stepping into the Divine Colosseum and creating such chaos.

"Alright, are you ready to head into the Black Dragon Palace?" Lady Virelia asked, her gaze calm yet carrying a hint of anticipation.

Max nodded without hesitation. "I have waited enough."

"Good," Lady Virelia said with a small nod as she turned toward Lord Arckin. "Arckin, send us through."

Lord Arckin responded immediately, raising his wrist and tapping several commands on his holographic watch. In the next instant, brilliant blue light enveloped Max and Lady Virelia, wrapping around them like a living current before their figures vanished from the mansion entirely.

For Max, the sensation that followed was strange and overwhelming. It felt as though his body had passed through countless layers of compressed energy, similar to being scanned and torn apart at the same time, yet without any pain.

A sharp tingling coursed through his veins, his bones, even his soul, as space itself seemed to fold and stretch around him. The sensation lasted only a few seconds, but those seconds felt suspended outside time. Then, abruptly, everything stabilized and his vision returned.

What greeted him left him completely speechless.

This was the Black Dragon Palace.

From Max's perspective, the word palace did not even begin to describe what stood before him. The world itself felt blackened and refined, as though it had been forged rather than born. Endless obsidian mountains rose into a sky shrouded in dark clouds that glowed faintly with deep crimson and violet hues.

Massive dragons carved from black stone coiled around towering pillars that reached toward the heavens, their eyes burning with eternal black flames that flickered like living beings. The air was heavy with an ancient pressure, not oppressive, but sovereign, as if the land itself acknowledged only strength and authority.

Rivers of black fire flowed through the terrain instead of water, emitting no heat yet radiating a terrifying destructive aura. These flames did not burn aimlessly but moved with purpose, winding through the landscape like veins carrying the lifeblood of the realm.

Above them, colossal dragon silhouettes drifted through the clouds, some clearly alive, others formed entirely of condensed black flames and divine essence. Each beat of their wings caused space to tremble faintly, sending ripples across the sky.

At the very center of this vast domain stood the Black Dragon Palace itself. It was not a single structure, but an enormous complex of interlocking fortresses, floating platforms, and colossal halls suspended in midair by pure divine power.

The palace walls were forged from pitch black metal etched with draconic runes that pulsed slowly, releasing waves of pressure that made Max's instincts scream in awe. Gigantic dragon heads crowned the entrances, their maws half open as if ready to devour gods, while black flames burned silently within their throats.

Max felt his heart pound as he took it all in. Every breath he drew carried traces of draconic might and ancient authority. Compared to this place, even the Divine Colosseum felt crude and primitive. This was not merely the residence of a powerful force. This was a world built to worship strength, domination, and the legacy of dragons that ruled above all.

"So this is the Black Dragon Palace," Max thought silently, his eyes reflecting the endless black flames before him.

In that moment, he understood something clearly. From the instant he stepped into this realm, his life had truly entered the stage of gods and dragons, and there would be no turning back.