Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100

Chapter 61: Failed

Time ticked by as Max sat surrounded by flames.

One hour was a very short span, especially for the task George had given him, and everyone knew this. Therefore, they felt pity for Max.

ʼMax wonʼt be able to do it,ʼ Lyra thought, frowning as she observed the situation. Having understood that Aura and Concepts were tied to the very laws of this world, she knew that only geniuses above geniuses could truly grasp something like that. Even they would need several years, let alone the hour of time Max had.

The rest of the young hunters also sympathized with Max. They understood the difficulty of the task and recognized that George was intentionally making things harder for him by giving him tasks that should be impossible for an ordinary human.

Ryan stood, his face contorted in anxiety, watching the flames surrounding Max. His toes tapped the floor, making soft tapping sounds as he waited for something he didnʼt want to see.

ʼMaster is obviously being biased here,ʼ he thought, resisting the urge to call everything off. But as powerless as he was in the moment, there was nothing he could do except watch.

ʼI guess this is the fate of someone who isnʼt lucky,ʼ he sighed, not even entertaining the idea that Max had any chance of comprehending anything from the flames surrounding him.

Everyone waited anxiously as time slowly passed.

George wore a smile as he watched Max meditate. ʼYou are wasting your time here… just give up, kid,ʼ he thought, his grin mischievous.

As the minutes ticked down, only a few remained until the one-hour time limit.

Just then, Max opened his eyes, drawing everyoneʼs attention.

”How is it?” George sneered.

Max shook his head with a sigh. ”I canʼt do it.” It was true. He couldnʼt do it. It was simply too difficult.

Although it felt like he was getting close, the more he tried to grasp it, the more it seemed to slip away. It was as if he were chasing a fleeting shadow—something tantalizingly close yet maddeningly out of reach.

The essence of fire—the elusive ʼsomethingʼ—felt almost tangible, hovering just beyond his grasp.

He could sense it, feel its presence, and even glimpse fragments of its truth. But whenever he reached out, it eluded him, slipping through his fingers like smoke.

It was as if the knowledge itself was alive, teasing him with its closeness, whispering that he was on the verge of understanding if only he could bridge the gap.

Yet no matter how hard he focused, that bridge remained just out of reach.

He had experienced this same elusive feeling once before, when he was comprehending Sword Aura. At that time, however, he had been in the midst of a fierce battle, where every ounce of his attention was locked onto his opponent.

Despite the chaos, he hadnʼt neglected his focus on sword mastery. He had divided his attention between the battle and the essence of the sword itself.

What had made the difference then was his lack of hesitation. There had been no fear of loss, no anxious ”what ifs” clouding his mind. He simply fought—relentlessly, instinctively—and allowed the rhythm of combat to guide him.

In surrendering to the flow of the battle, the feeling of the aura had emerged naturally, seamlessly weaving itself into his strikes until he had finally grasped the essence of Sword Aura.

But this time, it was different. Max couldnʼt quiet his mind, no matter how hard he tried. The weight of what was at stake loomed over him, clouding his thoughts with endless ”what ifs.” What if I fail? What if this goes wrong? These doubts gnawed at him, making it nearly impossible to focus.

The thought of losing his first lead to find his sister haunted him the most, gnawing at his resolve. He knew that if he failed here, everything would be over.

Unlike the battle, where his instincts had taken over, now he was fighting against his own uncertainty, struggling to concentrate with the little time he had.

And yet, there was another reason why Max willingly chose not to use all his time or fully commit his mind to comprehending the Fire Aura.

”Humph, then itʼs over for you. Go home.” George sneered as the flames surrounding Max disappeared with a sweep of his hand.

Max smirked and began laughing. ”Youʼre a fool, you know that?” He suddenly mocked him openly, shocking everyone present.

Ryan and the bald-headed man stared at Max, stunned. They sweated nervously for him—he had the gall to call the Master a fool.

”What do you mean, kid?” George asked, his aura pushing down on Max.

But strangely, Max didnʼt feel any pressure from George. In fact, he might not have even known that George was trying to exert pressure on him.

Max chuckled. ”I get that I failed to comprehend anything from these flames, but I understood a lot. I gained something from that, and I can focus on it in the future to truly comprehend something. But you, on the other hand, made a very foolish decision by sending me back.” He shook his head in pity.

Georgeʼs face turned ugly at Maxʼs words. From the tone Max had used, it felt as though Max had won in the end, not him. ”Kid, you could do nothing to me. Just go away and donʼt force my hand,” he said, gritting his teeth. He was furious at the kidʼs confidence and mocking tone.

”What about me?” Just then, a figure appeared before them. It was a woman in her twenties. She had black hair tied in a ponytail, wore a white top, and a long blue-colored skirt.

Her face exuded a charm that made it difficult for anyone to look away, but the aura emitting from her was so dangerous that no one would want to gaze at her for too long.

”M-Miss Sophia!” George stammered upon seeing her, immediately kneeling on one leg in front of her.

Ryan and the bald-headed man also kneeled before her.

”Hehe, Iʼve seen quite the drama here.” Sophia smiled flirtatiously, but it made George tremble in fear.

He began shaking as he stuttered, ”W-What brings Miss Sophia all the way to the Inner Region?”

A flaming chair materialized behind her as Sophia sat comfortably, her gaze fixed on George as if she were looking at an ant. ”I was tipped off that a genius would be coming to this branch for the recruitment test, so I came to check it out, and I must say, Iʼm impressed.”

George began sweating profusely, trembling even more. He would be a fool not to understand which genius she was referring to. ”M-Miss, I was just joking. I knew you were here, so I was just testing his loyalty,” he said, scrambling to explain himself at the last minute.

”I see,” Sophia said, her tone suspending the air with coldness. ”But itʼs a pity that I donʼt understand a word you just said.”

Her voice turned even colder as she added, ”Also, youʼre fired for being biased. I know why you did it, but it doesnʼt matter. Iʼll send someone else to monitor this branch after I return.”

George slumped back in shock. He couldnʼt believe he was fired after decades of service with the Phoenix Order guild.

Sophia then turned her gaze to Max. ”Shall we depart for the Main Branch?”