Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100 Chapter 1408 The Puppet!

The instant Max spotted the puppet, it responded in kind. Without any alert, hesitation, or effort to converse, its eyes fixed on him and its form flickered before disappearing from where it stood.

With a speed that chilled the blood, quicker than any foe Max had encountered before, it bridged the gap in mere moments. Right after, it materialized right in front of him, fist tightly gripped and wrapped in a dazzling golden light.

That punch's energy was so thick it made the nearby air shudder fiercely, squeezed by immense force as it hurtled directly at Max.

Max's gaze intensified. He chose not to back away. Rather, he balled his hand, summoning the complete power of the Vein of Origin, and confronted the blow squarely.

Bang!

Their fists smashing together unleashed a thunderous roar that rang across the woods. Ripples of force exploded out, crushing the foliage and rattling the giant trees like a fierce gale had swept by.

One silhouette got shoved back, skidding over the woodland ground until it stopped a few meters distant.

That was the puppet.

But Max experienced no triumph. His eyes tightened as he examined the outcome. Even though repelled, the puppet displayed zero damage. Its limb remained whole, its energy stable, and its frame bore not a single mark.

This discovery caused Max's face to grow grave. His strike, boosted by the Vein of Origin and his Rebirth Realm physique, could cripple most top Rebirth Realm experts. However, this creation withstood it unscathed.

"This puppet's defenses are incredibly tough," Max whispered, his voice steady yet intent.

Without time for more thought, the puppet surged ahead once more. It dashed in with that same horrifying velocity, fist balled again and enveloped in golden energy, the force it emitted splitting the soil under its steps as it advanced.

Max studied its actions closely and soon formed an assessment. "Looks like this puppet sticks to hand-to-hand fighting," he murmured, a slight grin appearing on his face. "Then I'll handle it just like that."

He drew in a deep breath and uttered softly, "Vein of Origin, unleash fully."

Suddenly, the limits inside him broke apart. Pure might rushed into his blood vessels and sinews, as if a huge barrier had collapsed within.

Strength burst forth, fierce and dominant, bolstering every part of his remade form. His aura shifted entirely, the atmosphere twisting from the raw bodily power he radiated now.

The moment Max let loose the Vein of Origin completely, a quiet but clear insight hit him.

'What's this sensation?' The intense power coursing through him seemed altered from earlier, keener and more compact, like it had been remade. Against his Divine Rank days, the Vein of Origin's yield had obviously grown.

It wasn't an abrupt jump, but a smooth upgrade, as if the identical force now ran through a much tougher container.

Even more crucial, Max sensed unmatched command. The wild power didn't risk overflowing or going berserk anymore. Each thread of energy obeyed his every command precisely, reacting at once to his thoughts. His frame felt firm, anchored, and unyielding, akin to a sacred anvil that could harness and guide colossal energy without effort.

'So Rebirth Realm fortifies the body's core directly,' Max understood. This stage didn't just add fresh might. It honed the body that channeled it.

He lacked the moment to ponder it longer.

The puppet had closed in already.

It popped up right before Max, its golden punch slicing the wind with savage drive. Max advanced rather than withdrew, his pose solid as he countered with his fist. Their blows met, not singly, but in a frenzy, as they dove into a savage barrage of hand-to-hand warfare.

Fists hammered. Elbows slammed. Knees rammed. All actions were straightforward and ruthless.

The woods turned into a zone of explosive waves. Every impact hurled waves of packed air that shattered branches and crumbled the terrain under them. Max controlled the battle's pace right from the start.

His hits landed with greater force, his rhythm more precise, and his mastery total. Every swing he delivered held supreme bodily dominance, shoving the puppet repeatedly.

The puppet struck back without pause. It showed no recoil, no lag. It parried each assault with robotic accuracy, its golden energy blazing fiercer as it took Max's hits straight on. Max's punches thudded into its structure, creating explosive crashes, but the puppet held firm, its guards as fearsome as ever.

Max pushed with more intensity.

He herded the puppet through the trees, delivering strike after strike, his primal power flowing without stop. At times, he made it defend with both limbs, its steps gouging long furrows in the dirt as it fought not to get hurled off. In sheer control, Max owned the advantage. His blows shaped the conflict, his aura crushing.

Still, as the brawl wore on, Max detected something disturbing.

The pushback was building.

With each fist meeting, the puppet's rebound force intensified gradually. Its golden energy thickened, its motions grew smoother. What started as weaker blows now packed nearly equal punch to his. The gap was tiny, but Max caught it at once.

'It's adjusting,' Max thought, eyes sharpening.

The puppet's might stayed dynamic no more. Through each clash, it tuned, polished, and boosted itself, mirroring the intensity Max brought. In straight fights, its strikes started to wield force perilously near his level.

Noting the quiet but clear shift happening, Max's look turned stern. He grasped right away the nature of this adversary. Should this skirmish stretch further, the puppet would keep tuning, honing itself, and soon hit a stage where raw power wouldn't suffice to wrap it up cleanly. He refused that chance.

Max resolved to end the fight.