Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100 - Chapter 1020

Chapter 1020: Max’s final words

Aden Fireborne, who had been silent until now, narrowed his eyes. His voice carried the weight of fire and authority. “Divine… what’s going on? How did Max break through a runic shield that even most Divine Rank experts wouldn’t be able to touch? Explain.”

Finally, Lady Divine exhaled softly, setting her teacup down with care. “I don’t think he broke it by force,” she said, her tone calm yet edged with gravity. “I think… he dismantled my runic prison by comprehending it.”

The hall fell silent.

Aden’s brows furrowed deeper. “What do you mean?” he asked, his voice solemn, unwilling to accept such an outrageous possibility without clarity.

Lady Divine’s eyes flickered with memory. “When I was treating his friend, Max said something peculiar. He told me he was able to understand my runes. He even claimed that, given enough time, he would be able to replicate them himself. At the time, I dismissed it. I thought he meant centuries of study. I believed he would need lifetimes of dedication before even scratching the surface of my work.” She shook her head slowly, her face tightening.

Turning her gaze to the vacant spot where Max once sat imprisoned, her voice grew heavier. “But from the looks of it… I vastly underestimated him. He didn’t just study them. He comprehended them fully. Enough to unravel the foundation of the runes without triggering resistance or chaos. That level of mastery… only happens when one’s control of runes stands on equal ground with mine.”

A sharp intake of breath swept through the hall. The elders exchanged looks of open disbelief, their eyes wide. Even Aden’s calm composure flickered, his gaze narrowing sharply.

Because they all knew the truth. Lady Divine might appear youthful—like a woman in her forties at most—but beneath that appearance was one of the oldest living figures in the Middle Domain. For centuries beyond count, she had dedicated herself solely to runes. Studying, refining, and transcending them until she reached heights no other had touched. Her mastery was the result of endless years of obsession.

And yet Max, a boy who had only begun receiving her guidance three or four months ago, had accomplished something inconceivable. He had not only grasped her runes but dismantled them—her prison, a structure that could bind even Divine Rank experts—without leaving so much as a ripple of disturbance.

It was nothing short of monstrous.

The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the faint hum of fading energy in the room. Every elder present could only draw in a breath of cold air, their hearts shaken. Max hadn’t simply escaped. He had proven himself capable of stepping into a realm of comprehension that defied common sense.

Lady Divine’s lips curved into a faint smile, though even she could not hide the trace of disbelief in her eyes. “Even though I guided him here and there on the path of runes and soul power… I never imagined he could dismantle my prison so cleanly. This guy… he’s a complete freak of a monster.” Her voice carried a mixture of awe and resignation.

She knew exactly what it had taken her to reach this height. Centuries of painstaking dedication, endless failures, sleepless years of pouring herself into the mysteries of runes. All of that time and torment, and yet this boy—this boy who had only walked the path for four months under her casual guidance—stood on the same level as her. It was terrifying. It was exhilarating. And it was humiliating.

To still her doubts, she slowly released her soul power, letting it seep through the room to see if perhaps she had overlooked some hidden clue.

Swish!

The air rippled, and suddenly a rune at the center of the chamber lit up, glowing with a soft, eerie brilliance. Before anyone could react, the glow coalesced into a figure—a young man with flowing red hair and eyes like burning coals.

“Max?!” Alice gasped, stepping forward, her heart skipping a beat.

Lady Divine raised a hand calmly, her expression steady. “No. That’s an illusion rune. He left this behind.”

The figure flickered once, then lifted its head. The eyes locked onto them all, burning with controlled fury. When it spoke, the voice was unmistakably Max’s—sharp, cutting, and filled with a weight that silenced the room.

“Lady Divine, I’ve had enough time to think about the situation you forced me into. And I’ll admit it—you were right about one thing. Maybe I’m reckless. Maybe I needed time. But that doesn’t give you the right to cage me like an animal. I hate this. I hate it from the bottom of my heart.”

The elders shifted uncomfortably, the weight of his voice pressing down like chains.

Max’s figure continued, his words only growing colder. “And what I hate even more… is someone threatening me with my friend. You told me you had a solution to save Lenavira, but you never said what it was. You turned your back and walked away, leaving her to rot. Why? Why didn’t you save her? Were these four months of you ‘treating’ her nothing but a lie? Were you keeping her in this state just to keep me here? Or is there something you’re still not telling me?”

Lady Divine’s hand trembled faintly against her teacup.

Max’s holographic eyes burned hotter, his expression grim. “I thought about it. I thought about it for hours. And in the end, I came to one answer. You finally figured out how to remove the curse from her body, didn’t you? But you didn’t tell me. Why? Because you wanted to control me through her. You knew I would do anything to save Lenavira. After all, you’ve known me for four months—long enough to judge my character. And when the moment came, when you had the chance to awaken her, you refused. Not because you couldn’t—but because of your ulterior motives.”

His figure shook its head, the bitter smile on his lips more painful than anger. “I hate this. I hate this more than you can imagine. Why didn’t you tell me? I trusted you. I believed you would help me awaken Lenavira. But I was wrong again. Trusting people has always been my mistake.”

A pause stretched in the air like a blade poised to strike.

“Don’t come looking for me. Not unless you want another problem at your hands—one far more dangerous than demons or nulls.”

With those final words, the rune shimmered once before dissolving into sparks of fading light.

Silence crushed the chamber.

No one spoke. No one dared.

Alice stood frozen, her chest aching as though someone had driven a knife into her heart. She was worried about Max and now Lenavira too. She couldn’t understand how she came into all of this.

Emperor Hermes clenched his fists, his face twisting with a mixture of fury and dread.

Aden’s expression was grim, though a flicker of something—pride, or perhaps understanding—lingered in his eyes.

The elders looked at one another, pale, shaken.

And Lady Divine… Lady Divine only stared calmly in the air, her thoughts unknown.

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!