Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100 Chapter 1366 Black Dragon Palace!

"He won so easily," Lord Arckin murmured with a deep sigh, shifting his eyes away from the arena, the result of Max's clash with Adam lingering vividly in his thoughts. From his position, the gap between the fighters had appeared stark and undeniable.

Adam had strained every fiber of his being, deploying all his skills and full might, but Max had approached the fight like a mere casual drill. No rush marked his actions, no stress etched his features, just steady poise that rendered their power divide utterly apparent.

Ron, positioned silently at his back, released a quiet breath as well. Over the years, he had seen Adam advance from the pinnacle of Divine Rank to his present level, grasping more than anyone the immense dedication Adam had invested in his cultivation. Thus, Ron could already picture the heavy letdown settling in Adam's chest following this loss, not from the defeat itself, but from grasping the true vastness of the journey still ahead.

Following the duel at the Warrior Academy, Max headed back to his quarters in the mansion and stayed inside for the rest of the time. The day slipped by quietly while he concentrated on steadying his mana, methodically aligning it with the thick Divine Essence filling the atmosphere. He avoided hasty progress in his cultivation, opting to polish his base instead, letting his strength integrate smoothly without pushing for a sudden leap.

On the following morning, Ron arrived to call him to the mansion's main hall. Upon entering, Max spotted a recognizable form right away, and a wide grin lit up his face as soon as he recognized her.

"Instructor Virelia!" Max called out, offering a polite bow, his voice brimming with real delight.

"Hehe, it's nice to see you as well," Lady Virelia answered with a gentle smile, giving him an approving nod. "You've grown a touch more grown-up since our previous encounter."

"Hehe," Max chuckled lightly, rubbing the back of his head with a hint of bashfulness.

"It was a bit of a trek for me to arrive," Lady Virelia went on, her face showing mild amusement. "Seems like somebody stirred up a big fuss by toppling the Grim Gladiator in the Divine Colosseum, pulling in the notice of every one of the Black Dragon Palace's seven great families."

Max managed only a sheepish grin in response to her remark. For a fleeting second, he pondered if life would have stayed easier had he simply mined and trained in seclusion after securing his mana, rather than entering the Divine Colosseum and sparking all that turmoil.

"Well then, prepared to enter the Black Dragon Palace?" Lady Virelia inquired, her eyes steady but tinged with subtle eagerness.

Max gave a firm nod right away. "I've waited long enough."

"Excellent," Lady Virelia stated with a brief incline of her head, pivoting to face Lord Arckin. "Arckin, transport us over."

Lord Arckin acted at once, lifting his arm and inputting a series of instructions on his holographic wrist device. Suddenly, a vivid azure glow surrounded Max and Lady Virelia, coiling about them like a vibrant stream before their forms disappeared completely from the mansion.

To Max, what came next felt bizarre and intense. It was like his form traversed layers upon layers of packed energy, akin to undergoing a scan while being disassembled simultaneously, all without a trace of discomfort.

A keen prickling surged along his veins, his skeleton, and even his spirit, as if space bent and expanded nearby. The feeling endured just moments, yet those instants hung timelessly. Then, in a flash, stability returned, and his sight cleared.

The sight that met him rendered him utterly wordless.

This marked the Black Dragon Palace.

In Max's view, the term palace fell far short of capturing the spectacle unfolding ahead. The entire realm appeared shadowed and polished, as if crafted by forge rather than nature. Boundless ebony peaks thrust upward into a heaven veiled by somber clouds that shimmered softly in rich scarlet and purple tones.

Enormous stone dragons, hewn from dark rock, twisted around immense columns stretching skyward, their gazes ablaze with perpetual ebony fires that danced like conscious entities. The atmosphere bore a weighty, timeless force, not crushing but regal, as though the ground itself bowed to power and command alone.

Instead of liquid streams, rivers of dark fire snaked across the land, producing no warmth but exuding a fearsome aura of ruin. These blazes flowed deliberately, not wildly, tracing paths through the scenery like arteries pulsing with the domain's vital force.

Overhead, huge dragon shadows glided amid the vapors, some obviously living creatures, others shaped purely from gathered dark fires and divine essence. Each flap of their wings sent faint shudders through the void, stirring waves over the firmament.

Right at the heart of this expansive territory loomed the Black Dragon Palace proper. Rather than one building, it formed a massive array of linked strongholds, hovering ledges, and giant chambers held aloft by sheer divine force.

The palace's barriers consisted of deep black alloy inscribed with dragon scripts that throbbed gently, emitting bursts of force that stirred Max's senses to reverent alarm. Towering dragon skulls topped the gateways, jaws parted slightly as if poised to consume deities, with silent black fires smoldering in their depths.

Max's pulse raced as he absorbed the grandeur. With every inhale, he drew in hints of draconic power and timeless rule. Beside this site, even the Divine Colosseum seemed rough and basic. This stood as more than a stronghold for a mighty group. It was a domain erected to revere might, supremacy, and the enduring heritage of dragons that reigned supreme.

"So this is the Black Dragon Palace," Max mused inwardly, his gaze mirroring the infinite dark fires stretching out.

At that instant, clarity struck him. The very moment he crossed into this world, his existence had fully embraced the era of deities and dragons, with no path of retreat.