Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100

Max’s lips curled into a confident smile, a spark of mischief flickering in his eyes. ”I got the lightning essence stones,” he said, his tone brimming with triumph. ”And I also left a little gift for the Thunder Monarch Hall. I believe they’ll like it.” He finished with a sly smirk, clearly savoring the chaos he’d sown back in the collapsing cavern.

Arlen’s brows rose in curiosity, and he tilted his head, his voice cautious but eager. ”So, what are your plans now?”

Max fell silent for a moment, his eyes lowering in thought as he weighed his next steps carefully. Then he straightened. ”Of course, we’ll go to the Hunter Association as planned,” he said, his voice firm. ”But I also want to start looking for some clues about the Star Stone.”

Arlen’s brows furrowed as he listened to Max’s words, his expression turning pensive as he slowly exhaled. ”Star Stone,” he repeated, his voice heavy with caution and the weight of old stories. ”It’s very difficult to find one, Max. And you should know—every time a Star Stone has appeared in the Middle Domain, a slaughter has followed. Powerful factions, rogue experts, secret organizations... all of them will come crawling out of the shadows for it, and the blood that gets spilled can drown entire cities.”

He paused for a moment, eyes shifting as though peering into distant memories, then continued, ”Though... you could try asking the Obsidian Order about the Star Stone. They might have some information on it.”

At the mention of that name, Max’s eyes grew distant, his mind spinning as he murmured, ”Obsidian Order...” The words tasted familiar on his tongue, stirring recollections from the old Saintess’s diary he’d pored over so many times.

Even though the Obsidian Order wasn’t counted among the seven overlord forces that ruled the Middle Domain, they were one of the most enigmatic powers hidden beneath the surface of its politics and warfare.

According to the Saintess’s meticulous notes, if there was any piece of knowledge one sought in the Middle Domain—whether it was the location of a rare herb, the secrets of an ancient ruin, or clues about a mythical object like the Star Stone—all roads eventually led to the Obsidian Order.

They operated like shadows among shadows, veiled in secrecy yet woven deeply into the fabric of the continent’s daily life. It was said that the Obsidian Order was the invisible hand behind the clever arrangement and maintenance of the Black Cubes scattered across the many regions of the Middle Domain, ensuring safe travel and controlled commerce for experts.

The diary also spoke of how the Obsidian Order, despite being shrouded in mystery, was the force that kept the markets and trade flowing in the Middle Domain, maintaining delicate balances that allowed business and diplomacy to flourish even amid endless rivalries.

They were the silent brokers, the record-keepers of history, and the merchants of secrets, holding fragments of knowledge about nearly everything under the sun.

And even though they did not publicly hold the title of an overlord force, the Old Saintess had written with absolute conviction that the strength and influence of the Obsidian Order were by no means any less than the seven great powers who laid claim to that lofty title.

As Max stood there, turning these thoughts over in his mind, a spark of intrigue lit his eyes. The Obsidian Order might indeed be his best chance to uncover clues about the Star Stone—though he also knew that dealing with them would be like walking a knife’s edge between knowledge and peril.

”Alright, I’ll head to the Obsidian Order after we’re done with the Hunter Association task,” Max said at last, breaking the contemplative silence that had hung between them for a moment.

He’d been turning the idea over carefully in his mind, weighing risks and benefits. Though he knew the Obsidian Order was a place steeped in secrets and potentially dangerous bargains, he also knew that if he wanted any hope of finding the Star Stone, he’d have to go where information ran deepest—even if that meant stepping into the shadows.

Besides, another curiosity tugged at him insistently from within: he hadn’t truly fought or even laid eyes on a genuine Null except for Vesper, the terrifying transformation of a human into a Null he’d witnessed them before.

The thought of seeing a true Null, of facing one in battle made him curious and, of course he wanted to kill them too.

”Good,” Arlen said quickly, nodding his approval. ”Then let’s head to the Almond Region. That’s where the headquarters of the Hunter Association is located.” His eyes lit up, eager to move forward.

Max returned the nod firmly, and the group turned as one, swiftly making their way through the luminous corridors of the Battle Realm until they arrived before a massive teleportation platform.

The platform glowed with shifting arcs of energy, rippling like liquid glass as it linked the Battle Realm to the black cube stationed in the Almond Region. A faint hum filled the air, vibrating through their bones as the portal shimmered before them like a pool of molten silver.

”Let’s go in,” Max said, his voice low but charged with anticipation. Together, he and his companions stepped forward into the portal, and in the blink of an eye, the world blurred around them in a swirl of twisting light and spatial currents.

A heartbeat later, they emerged on the other side—and immediately, they were met with an unsettling sight. The air was thick and oppressive, swirling with dense, crimson clouds that hung low over the capital city of the Almond Region.

The clouds churned like living smoke, suffusing the streets and towering structures with an eerie red glow, casting shadows that seemed to shift and crawl along the pristine white stone buildings. The entire city felt steeped in an ominous aura, as though ancient grudges still lingered in the very air, whispering secrets of blood and conquest.

Max lifted his gaze, taking in the sight, while Lena’s voice broke through the charged silence. ”It’s said that the Almond Region was once one of the headquarters of the Ascendants long time ago,” she explained quietly, her eyes sweeping across the crimson-veiled skyline. ”But when the Hunter Association was established, they destroyed the Ascendants’ headquarters here, killing many of their leaders and followers. That’s how the Hunter Association carved out its place and began standing tall in the Middle Domain.”

’Hunter Association is also not one of the seven overlord forces, but it acts as a neutral force in the Middle Domain.’ Max thought, looking at the massive tower at the very front of him.