Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100

”You have grasped the surface of it, but that is not the whole matter,” Lady Virelia said, her gaze steady as she looked at Max. Her voice carried a weight that made it clear the situation ran deeper than simple political pressure. ”The Dark Phoenix Clan and the Heavenly Kirin Clan have already made their move. Each of them has sent a candidate from their younger generation to challenge you directly. Their condition is straightforward. If you are defeated, the Dragonheart Sword will be sealed once more and returned to the place where it remained untouched for thousands of years.”

Max sneered faintly at her words, a cold glint flashing through his eyes. ”Even if I were to lose,” he said slowly, ”do they truly believe that no one from the Black Dragon Clan would ever use that sword again? Do they think the blade would simply become irrelevant after tasting battle once more?”

”It is not that simple,” Lady Virelia replied, shaking her head. ”I believe you have already sensed it yourself. That sword is not a lifeless weapon. It possesses its own will and intelligence. Until it acknowledges someone as truly worthy, it will remain nothing more than a beautiful piece of metal in anyone else’s hands. Power alone is not enough to awaken it.”

She paused briefly, then continued with a quiet sigh. ”Why do you think the Black Dragon Clan never attempted to wield that sword before this? Why do you think the sword was placed there at the Treasure Hall for thousands of years? Do you believe we lacked experts strong enough to try?”

Max’s eyes widened slightly as the implication struck him. ”Do not tell me that all of you...”

”Yes,” Lady Virelia said, confirming his unspoken thought. ”No one succeeded. Over the years, elder after elder attempted to use the Dragonheart Sword. Some tried to suppress it with brute force, others tried to resonate with it through bloodline and cultivation, but the sword never acknowledged a single one of them. In the end, we had no choice but to honor the request left behind by the Dragonheart Sword Sovereign himself. We placed the sword within the Treasure Hall and ensured it could only be taken by a disciple of the Black Dragon Palace, trusting that one day someone worthy would appear.”

Her eyes rested on Max once more, calm yet heavy with expectation, as if the unspoken truth hung clearly between them.

”I see, so their true intention is to make sure the Dragonheart Sword is never wielded again,” Max said with a faint smile, his tone calm yet edged with quiet defiance.

Lady Virelia nodded slowly, her expression composed. ”That is precisely their goal. If the sword cannot be reclaimed by force, then they would rather see it sealed forever than allow it to become a symbol of dominance for the Black Dragon Clan.”

Max’s eyes narrowed slightly as he considered her words, then he asked in a steady voice, ”And what if they fail? What if I defeat every candidate they send?”

A subtle smile appeared on Lady Virelia’s lips. ”In that case, they will have no choice but to acknowledge you and, by extension, the authority of the Black Dragon Clan. The balance within the Dark Trinity Clans will shift, and their fragile understanding will solidify once more, with our clan standing at the forefront as its leader.”

Her smile faded into a more serious expression as she continued. ”Do not underestimate what lies ahead. They have had three full months to observe you, to gather every scrap of information available, and to prepare their candidates accordingly. They will not come lightly, and they will not repeat the mistakes of the past.”

”I will see,” Max replied, his smile deepening rather than fading. There was no arrogance in his demeanor, only quiet confidence. What he had displayed three months ago in the Divine Colosseum was merely a surface glimpse of his strength, a shadow of what he truly possessed, and the thought that others believed they had already seen all of him only made the coming confrontation more interesting in his eyes.

Max’s thoughts darkened for a brief moment before he voiced them aloud, his gaze steady. ”What about the Heron Family? They seem to carry a deep grudge against me. Would they not try to stir trouble here?”

Lady Virelia answered without hesitation, her voice calm and assured. ”Do not concern yourself with them. The Heron Family is only one among the seven main families. They do not rule the Black Dragon Palace alone, nor can they act without consequence. If they attempt anything improper, the Black Dragon Palace as a whole will not tolerate it, and our Grimes Family will certainly not remain idle.”

Her words settled Max’s unease. He nodded slowly, his expression firm. ”Then let us finish this.”

”If you are ready,” Lady Virelia said as she rose from her seat, ”we will proceed to the main hall.”

Max stood as well, and together with Lucia, they followed Lady Virelia through the inner corridors of the Black Dragon Palace. The path grew wider and more solemn with every step, the air itself carrying an invisible pressure that grew heavier the closer they came.

Massive doors carved with ancient dragon motifs slowly parted before them, and the moment they crossed the threshold, Max felt as though he had stepped into the heart of the entire Verdant Sky Realm.

The main hall was vast beyond reason, its ceiling so high it vanished into shadows where enormous black dragon reliefs coiled among clouds of dark flame. At the very front, seated upon elevated thrones carved from obsidian and gold, were the seven family heads of the seven major families of the Black Dragon Palace.

Each of them radiated an overwhelming presence that pressed upon the soul, not through open hostility but through sheer authority accumulated over countless years. Their gazes were calm, sharp, and impossible to ignore, as though a single glance from them could pierce straight through one’s thoughts.

Behind the seven family heads sat rows upon rows of elder figures, each one an existence that would have been revered as an absolute powerhouse anywhere else in the Divine Realm. Their expressions varied, some curious, some indifferent, some faintly cold, yet every one of them carried an aura that spoke of long cultivation and countless battles survived.

Further back, arranged in disciplined order, were the leaders of the thirty six halls of the Black Dragon Palace, the pillars that governed the daily workings of the palace and guided its countless disciples. Their presence formed another layer of pressure, less suffocating than that of the family heads but no less imposing.

As Max walked forward beside Lady Virelia and Lucia, he could feel countless eyes falling upon him from every direction. Some held interest, others scrutiny, and a few barely concealed hostility.

Yet Max kept his posture straight and his expression composed, fully aware that this hall was not merely a place of judgment but a stage where his future standing within the Black Dragon Palace and perhaps the entire Verdant Sky Realm would begin to take shape.