Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100

”I want a life and death battle here,” Max said calmly, his voice carrying across the crowd without strain.

”A life and death battle?” Mike stammered, the arrogance that had ridden him into the platform wobbling like a poorly balanced flag.

Max’s lips curled into a cold smile as he stepped closer until the heat of his presence brushed Mike. ”Did you forget the time you sneaked on me with the intention to kill?” he asked. ”If you had met anyone else in my place they would have been maimed or turned to dust. Do not ask for a friendly duel when your hands have already tasted murder. You wanted to take my life, so the only fitting answer is a life and death battle.”

Mike’s jaw tightened and color drained from his face as the truth of Max’s words dug into him. He had come here to prove himself, to parade his new heights at the peak of the Divine Rank, and he had not expected the challenge to be the last thing he would ever do.

Pride warred with a sudden, stubborn instinct for survival.

Mike’s expression slowly changed. The arrogance that had colored his tone moments ago faded, replaced by a wary seriousness that betrayed the unease growing within him.

He had wanted to challenge Max only for the sake of proving himself before everyone, to let the crowd see that he was stronger, faster, and more talented than the genius with two golden crowns.

He had dreamed of that moment since the day his sneak attack failed, imagining how he would stand victorious while the others finally looked at him with awe.

But now that Max had turned the duel into a life and death battle, that ambition began to twist into something far less certain. A trace of doubt crept into Mike’s thoughts, and he found himself hesitating.

The idea of death had not once crossed his mind when he issued his challenge. What he had wanted was acknowledgment, not annihilation.

Yet here he stood, face to face with the man he had once tried to kill, and Max’s calmness carried a quiet authority that made Mike’s instincts scream danger.

Deep inside, an old memory resurfaced—of that failed ambush, of the moment his strongest attack had been effortlessly countered, of the terrifying feeling that Max’s strength was beyond anything he could comprehend.

He had buried that fear under pride, convincing himself that his rise to the Divine Rank had erased it, but now, under Max’s steady gaze, the same feeling returned sharper than ever.

His heart told him to withdraw, to say something that would lessen the tension, but his pride resisted, whispering that retreat would mean humiliation before the watching geniuses. The two emotions clashed violently inside him.

Though he managed to keep his face composed, his fingers trembled faintly at his sides. He knew exactly why he didn’t want a life and death battle—because beneath all his newfound confidence there was still uncertainty about how deep Max’s strength truly ran, and that uncertainty made the thought of gambling his life unbearable.

”What about it?” Max asked, folding his arms across his chest. His tone was calm, but there was an edge of finality in his voice that made it clear he wouldn’t be entertaining any further debate.

Mike hesitated. His lips parted slightly as if to speak, but no words came out. For several long seconds, he stood frozen, staring at Max with a mixture of pride, fear, and the faintest hint of regret.

His mind raced through the possibilities—what would happen if he refused, what people would say if he backed down now after publicly challenging Max, what his standing would become when the other geniuses spread the story beyond the secret domain.

He knew the outcome all too well. A single word—coward—would follow him everywhere. The name Mike would forever be remembered as the genius who challenged a two-crowned monster and then tucked his tail between his legs.

He clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. ”Fine,” he said finally, forcing the word out through his teeth. ”A life and death battle it is.”

Max’s smile was faint but unmistakable. It wasn’t a grin of arrogance or cruelty; it was the quiet smile of someone who had already decided the outcome long before the battle began. He could almost feel the weight of another golden crown waiting to settle atop his head, a silent acknowledgment that only strength could earn.

Before either of them could move, Nero appeared between them, his expression unreadable. His presence alone commanded attention, and the low hum of conversation in the arena fell silent. He turned his head toward the gathered geniuses and spoke in a firm, even tone. ”Everyone, step back. Give them space.”

The crowd stirred immediately. Even the proudest of the golden-crowned geniuses obeyed without protest. They understood the unspoken truth—when two such monsters fought, standing too close could be a death sentence.

The air buzzed faintly as hundreds of figures retreated across the arena, leaving a wide circle of untouched ground between Max and Mike. The silence that followed was heavy, charged with the anticipation of violence.

Both men stood facing each other across that empty space, their gazes locked.

The gathered geniuses waited with held breath, knowing they were about to witness something that would be remembered far beyond the Heavenly Lord Secret Domain.

”Make your move,” Max said calmly. His arms hung loosely at his sides, his expression composed, his eyes sharp and steady.

Mike didn’t respond. His face turned solemn as he took a single step backward and adjusted his stance, the air around him shifting with a faint vibration. In his mind, only one thought echoed again and again—one strike, one moment to overwhelm him completely.

He knew that if he couldn’t land a decisive blow in the first exchange, he would never get another chance. Max’s calm confidence was like a mountain pressing down on him, and the only way to escape it was to strike hard enough to shatter everything.