Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100 - Chapter 398

Chapter 398: An Unexpected Situation
“Let’s go then,” Princess Lenavira said, turning on her heels. She led him through the winding paths of Tower City, past grand structures and curious eyes, until they arrived at a section where only elves walked the streets.

The difference was clear—there was an elegance to the area, quiet and serene, yet Max couldn’t help but notice the way the elves looked at him as he passed. Their gazes were sharp, filled with caution and confusion, as though sensing something from him that unsettled them.

It reminded him of the first group of elves he’d encountered, the ones who felt pressured simply by standing near him—except for the group led by Elliot, who didn’t feel anything from him. Still, the effect was the same. Max’s presence stirred something in them… and he wasn’t sure if it was respect, fear, or something else entirely.

Soon, they reached a small, elegant tower standing in the distance, its spire adorned with glowing runes and its base surrounded by elven guards. Inside, the floor was marked with a large teleportation circle etched deep into the stone, glowing faintly with green light.

Princess Lenavira walked forward and stood atop it. “This teleportation rune will take us directly to Sylvaria Kingdom,” she said, glancing back at Max.

Without hesitation, Max stepped forward and joined her on the rune.

“Activate the teleporter,” Lenavira ordered the surrounding elves. They obeyed immediately, channeling their mana into a runestone embedded at the side of the platform. The rune pulsed with light, brighter and brighter, before it suddenly flared.

In a flash of light and a surge of energy, Max and Lenavira vanished from Tower City—teleported away toward the heart of the elf kingdom.

***

Max suddenly found himself standing in what seemed to be the heart of a forest—or at least, it must have once been. The moment the teleportation light faded, he opened his eyes and looked around, taking in the sight before him.

Towering trees surrounded him from every direction, their enormous trunks and twisted branches forming a natural canopy above. But something was wrong. At first glance, it looked like a thriving elven forest, but as Max looked closer, the signs of decay were everywhere. The trees were withering—bark cracked and faded, their once vibrant leaves now fallen and scattered lifelessly across the ground.

The soil beneath his feet was dry and hard, lacking the fresh scent and texture of life. No grass grew, no flowers bloomed, and even the wind that blew through the woods felt heavy, almost sick. Everything seemed still… too still. Like the forest was holding its breath. Or dying slowly.

And yet, even in this eerie silence, signs of life remained. All around him, Max could see hundreds of elves walking and moving about. They lived in tree houses built high above the ground, connected by long rope bridges and spiral wooden staircases.

The houses were beautiful—elegant in design, crafted from the trees themselves without harming them, and decorated with glowing stones and vine-woven carvings.

Despite the natural construction, they carried a strange modern-ancient touch, blending the grace of timeless elven architecture with something more refined and advanced.

Elves moved across the platforms—children running lightly over the bridges, guards patrolling with bows on their backs, scholars and elders in robes discussing quietly under ancient trees.

There was a sense of routine… but also a quiet unease. Many of them turned to look at Max, some with curiosity, others with suspicion, and a few with faint glimmers of hope.

He stood at the center of it all, on a large teleportation rune carved into a wide stone platform surrounded by glowing runes and trimmed with white flowers that had long since wilted.

The air around him was filled with the faint scent of dried wood and fading life. Max didn’t need anyone to tell him—this kingdom was fading, piece by piece, and the weight of that slow death could be felt in the silence of the trees, in the tired expressions of the people, and in the soil that no longer bore life.

“Is this what you meant when you said your kingdom is rotting away?” Max asked, turning to his side where Princess Lenavira should have been standing. But to his surprise, the spot beside him was empty. She was gone.

Max’s brow furrowed as he looked around, but there was no sign of the proud and arrogant princess. He stood alone on the glowing teleportation rune, surrounded by towering trees, crumbling leaves, and the quiet despair of a dying forest.

‘Damn it,’ he cursed inwardly, ‘she brought me here and vanished without a word? Just left a human standing alone in the middle of her kingdom like some lost traveler?’ Max let out a frustrated sigh and took a step forward, unsure of where to go or who to ask. But before he could even begin to make a plan, the worst possible thing happened.

From all directions, a sudden rustle of movement echoed through the still forest. A dozen elves emerged from the trees—lean, tall, and graceful—each of them holding a weapon, their eyes filled with sharp suspicion. They moved fast, surrounding Max in a perfect circle with silent precision.

Spears gleamed in the light that filtered through the dying canopy, and bows were drawn tight, pointed directly at him. Not a word was spoken, but the message was clear—he was unwelcome, a stranger in their sacred land, and now he was surrounded by warriors who looked ready to strike at the slightest twitch.

Max stood still, his expression calm but his eyes alert. He didn’t raise his sword, not yet. But tension filled the air like a drawn bowstring, and Max knew one wrong move could trigger the entire forest to erupt around him.

“Wait! Princess Lenavira brought me here!” Max said firmly, raising his voice just enough to cut through the tension. His gaze moved carefully across the circle of elves, watching their faces and body language. None of them lowered their weapons.

More importantly, none of them seemed to be affected by his natural pressure. That was odd. Most elves he had encountered felt some discomfort just standing near him, except the elves in the faction of Elliot.

“Princess Lenavira?” a cold voice echoed from above.

Max looked up just as a figure descended from the sky, landing gracefully on the edge of the teleportation platform. It was a middle-aged elf with stern features, long brown hair, and sharp eyes that gleamed with hostility.

His presence was overwhelming, even without releasing any aura, and Max could immediately sense it—Expert Rank. Far beyond the surrounding soldiers, who were all between 5th and 10th level of Seeker Rank.

The elf narrowed his eyes at Max, his tone icy. “Humans are not welcome in the elf kingdom,” he said flatly. “And since you are here… you will remain here. Forever.”

Max’s expression darkened. His body tensed slightly, instinctively calculating every angle of the situation. ‘This is bad,’ he thought. He had no allies here, and the person who brought him had vanished without a word.

‘Where the hell is she?’ Max thought with growing frustration, his eyes scanning the surrounding treehouses and platforms above. ‘Lenavira… where did you go?’ He had agreed to come here based on trust—her words, her sincerity, and her promise.

But now, she was gone, and he was alone in the heart of a kingdom that clearly didn’t want him alive.