Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100 Chapter 1476 First Battle!

"Max, position yourself at the tower's base, and teleportation to the interior will commence," Grand Elder Waller directed with a firm tone that echoed over the trial area.

Without a second thought, Max gave a nod. The whispers from the surrounding disciples grew distant as he advanced, his attention intensifying. Towering over him stood the Combat Legion Tower, its aged exterior inscribed with subtle motifs that appeared to move faintly upon closer inspection. The energy it released was structured and composed, resembling a force poised for orders.

Upon nearing the foundation, Max sensed a subtle harmony linking his own energy to the edifice ahead. A gentle tremor ran through the earth under his boots, while the inscribed symbols in the tower's base started to emit a soft red luminescence.

He halted right in front of the doorway.

In that short instant, complete stillness prevailed.

Suddenly, a ray of brilliance shot down from the heights, encasing his form entirely. The environment blurred in a flash, and the noises from the outer square disappeared as if devoured by quiet. Spatial forces encased him, solid but regulated, and moments later, his setting transformed utterly.

As his sight restored, Max discovered himself in an expansive crimson hall.

Circular and broad, the space featured walls of polished red rock that cast a soft radiance. The atmosphere hung thick, not suffocating as in the Path to Eternal Flames, but charged with contained power. No entrances were apparent, no foes lurked, no ledges or hurdles existed. It stood utterly vacant.

Remaining motionless, Max surveyed each section of the hall.

No indication of combat targets appeared.

Right as he prepared to probe deeper with his spiritual sense, a serene and detached voice filled the space.

"Select a weapon."

The phrase reverberated uniformly from every angle, betraying no source.

In short order, the area in front of him wavered, and numerous armaments appeared suspended in the air. Blades of diverse sizes and styles hovered vertically. Lances shone with icy metal luster. Polearms, hatchets, longbows, knives, and massive mallets emerged too, all exuding a consistent yet polished energy. At initial view, none struck as exceptional, though none were mundane. Each was equilibrated, exact, and evidently forged for battle tests.

Max's gaze tightened a bit while he inspected the selection.

On impulse, he sought to call forth his personal blade from the dimensional storage. He directed his intent inside, connecting to the known essence of his armament.

No response came.

He attempted once more, concentrating harder now, yet the link seemed dampened, like an interruption had cut the path from his mind to his kept possessions.

"I understand," Max whispered softly. "These runes here block access to any storage artifacts."

Even if his dimensional holding wasn't a typical relic but an innate power tied to spatial rules, it adhered to similar core laws. Evidently, the Combat Legion Tower enforced a limit that canceled all outside storage usage. All challengers started on equal footing, depending only on the tower's offerings.

Grasping this fact, Max avoided lingering on the matter.

His attention shifted back to the hovering array of arms.

Drawing nearer, he assessed the quality and poise of every edge. Certain blades were slim and graceful, suited for agility and accuracy. Others were wider, meant for forceful blows and protective firmness. He grasped one with a careful hold, sensing its mass fit comfortably in his palm.

A soft vibration emanated from the sword, recognizing his grasp.

Max tested it with a gentle arc through the atmosphere, evaluating its agility. The equilibrium proved superb, the sharpness acute, and the build robust for enduring multiple impacts.

A subtle grin formed on his face.

Should the tower aim to evaluate his fighting prowess justly, this sword would do.

With resolve, he picked that weapon.

The other arms disappeared at once, breaking into light specks that blended into the hall's red sheen. The sword he held stayed tangible and firm, now accepted by the tower.

Abruptly, the crimson hall faded, its red barriers melting into lines of brilliance that dispersed into void. The floor under Max quivered slightly, and in an instant, the confined area gave way to an boundless plain extending in all ways.

Now, he was in a immense sandy waste.

Endless yellow grains reached the skyline, forming soft rises under a sky tinged with faint illumination. The breeze carried dryness, and a subtle warmth haze warped the far reaches. No buildings, no plants, no edges showed. The wasteland's hush was total, heightening the tiniest stir.

Max steadied his hold on the sword and extended his awareness outward with care.

Whish.

A disturbance stirred in the atmosphere a few paces distant, and a dark silhouette coalesced from nowhere. Humanoid in form, it was wholly ebony, as if molded from solidified shadow. Its traits blurred, but its contour cut sharp and clear. It clutched a blade almost matching Max's in size.

Max's stare grew keen right away.

"Power at the First Level of the Rebirth Realm," he noted silently while sensing the energy from the silhouette.

Scarce had the thought arisen when the dark foe blinked out of sight.

The very next moment, it materialized in front of him, its actions quick and accurate. Flames of red burst along its sword's length, raging fiercely. It swung the burning edge down at Max in a bold vertical chop without pause.

Straightforward, potent, and streamlined defined the assault.

Max refrained from parrying with his sword.

Rather, he unleashed the complete might of his Third Level Rebirth Realm presence.

The gap in power burst forth like a hidden blast. Sands around him flew wildly as his force spread everywhere. Prior to the fiery edge completing its arc, the dark form got hit by the superior pressure of his energy.

Hurled back through the sky, its structure wavered in transit.

The crimson fire on its weapon wavered and weakened while fissures of light spread over its dark body. Ere it hit the ground, the whole figure shattered into myriad red motes that blew away on the gust and faded out.

The wasteland fell quiet again, as if no event had transpired.

"First floor cleared. Second is loading."

Once again, the flat voice rang out over the area.

The sandy vista warped, the rises breaking into light trails akin to the prior crimson hall. The grains underfoot vanished, supplanted by even rock flooring.

Upon the change concluding, Max positioned himself amid a grand coliseum.

Round and bounded by immense rock barriers ascending toward the heavens, the coliseum's floor was solid and flat, etched lightly with signs of past fights as if myriad duels had unfolded. The atmosphere weighed more than the sands, infused with a constant and intent battle energy.

Max breathed out steadily, his stance loose but vigilant.

Moments later, twin disturbances appeared in the forward space.

Out of both emerged dark forms matching the initial one, taking shape together. Each wielded blades that shimmered softly in the coliseum's glow, and each projected the First Level Rebirth Realm energy.

Now, a lone foe was absent.

The next confrontation loomed near.