Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100

"Swish!"

Inside, Max was already moving at top speed. His figure became a streak of blue lightning, weaving between the jagged cave walls. Each breath he took stung his lungs; the air here was bitterly cold, so cold it felt like knives slicing into his chest.

The Yin energy was oppressive and suffocating, almost tangible. If not for the protective shield of his lightning, Max knew with certainty he would have frozen solid within moments.

Blob's voice broke through the tension. "Such strong Yin energy… Max, where have you gone? Is this even part of the Black Dog Abyss anymore?"

Max grimaced, forcing himself to keep running. "I don't know either," he admitted, his breath ragged but steady. "This doesn't feel like the same place. It's too… different."

But even in his uncertainty, there was one small comfort. He glanced over his shoulder and couldn't see the Black Dog King in pursuit. For now, at least, he had shaken it.

The only problem?

There were countless caves, all twisting and connecting like some massive underground labyrinth. If it weren't for his strong soul power guiding him, Max knew he would already be hopelessly lost.

Even with his strong soul perception guiding him, Max still felt a tinge of confusion as he gazed at the network of pitch-black tunnels stretching endlessly in every direction. Every step echoed faintly, swallowed by the oppressive silence of the cave.

The Yin energy here was unlike anything he had ever experienced—dense, heavy, and suffused with a bone-chilling cold that even his lightning shield couldn't fully block out. His breath misted in the air, and his skin prickled under the weight of the oppressive power flowing through this place.

For a fleeting moment, a thought crossed his mind like a spark in the darkness: "Could this be a Yin Cave?"

"A Yin Cave? Maybe this is really possible," Blob's voice rang out in his mind, its tone unusually serious. The presence of such thick Yin energy hinted at something ancient and terrifying that might lie deep below.

Max sighed and shook his head, forcing himself back to reality. "Forget it. Even if there really is a Yin Cave here, it's useless to me right now. The secret domain limits my growth. I can't increase my strength no matter what treasures I find." His voice carried frustration, a rare moment of helplessness.

While Max slowed his pace to contemplate his next move, another figure entered the Black Dog Abyss—Kevin. His black robe fluttered slightly in the Yin-laden wind, and his face turned grim the moment he laid eyes on the countless black dogs pacing near the outer caves.

Their dark, gleaming eyes reflected like tiny flames in the gloom, and their collective breathing sounded like the low rumble of a storm. Kevin immediately suppressed his aura, hiding it so deeply it seemed he had melted into the shadows themselves.

When he saw no black dogs above the 5th level of Legend Rank, his tight expression relaxed slightly. He lowered his voice and asked, "Senior Dave, are you sure the treasure is really in here?" His words echoed faintly in the cold passage.

From within his body, a dry, sinister laugh emerged—Old Devil Dave. "Don't worry, boy. The treasure lies deep within this black cave. As long as you follow my instructions, you will find it without fail. And look around you—so many black dogs gathered in one place. Do you need any other confirmation? What could possibly draw so many beasts if not something extraordinary?"

But then, Dave's voice shifted, carrying a chilling undertone. "However, don't blame me for not warning you. A place where this many black dogs gather? There's bound to be a king among them—a Black Dog King at the Peak of Legend Rank. Be careful, boy. I would hate to see you die here."

Kevin sneered slightly, though his eyes remained cautious. "Don't worry, Senior Dave. If I really meet my end here, I'll destroy my body before I let you take it." His voice carried a dark edge, cold and defensive.

Old Devil Dave responded with an exaggerated sigh, feigning innocence. "Ah, boy Kevin, your prejudice against me runs too deep. You and I are partners now, bound by fate. Why would I ever harm you? Everything I do is for your benefit."

Kevin's lips curled in a humorless smile. "I hope so." He spoke no further, instead circulating his mana as black energy flared faintly around his body. With a single sharp movement, he shot forward into one of the black cave entrances, leaving a faint trail of rippling air behind him.

The pack of black dogs instantly noticed the intrusion, their heads snapping toward Kevin with snarls and guttural growls. But these were only lower-tier black dogs, none above the 5th level of Legend Rank.

Against Kevin, a 7th level Legend Rank expert, they were nothing more than obstacles to be brushed aside. He moved like a phantom, his figure flashing through them as his attacks shredded any beast that dared leap at him.

In just moments, Kevin's figure disappeared into the darkness of one of the caves, stepping into the same web of twisting tunnels and suffocating Yin energy that Max had entered moments earlier. The chase for treasure—and inevitable collision of fates—had officially begun.

—-

In the countless twisting black caves that riddled the underbelly of the Black Dog Abyss, a lone figure walked with slow, deliberate steps—a big-bellied monk, his form bulky yet unnervingly agile as he moved deeper into the darkness.

His round face was partially illuminated by the faint glow of strange symbols he traced in the air, and his half-lidded eyes blinked lazily, though the flicker of sharp brilliance within them betrayed his apparent calm.

As the thick waves of Yin energy swirled around him, clinging to his robes and sinking into his pores, he paused for a moment, studying the oppressive energy that seemed almost alive.

"I didn't expect there to be such a secret hidden here," he whispered to himself, his voice hushed but carrying a tone of greedy delight. "Perhaps… there is another Yin Cave buried deep within this place. If that's true, then the purpose of my trip will be fully accomplished."