Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100-Chapter 810: Different Words
"Damn this kid!" Booth Thunder Lord and Tower Lord Mathew hissed almost simultaneously, their faces darkening with rage as they glared at Max, because they realized all too well that with a few simple, well-spoken words.
He had managed to completely change the flow of the situation, shifting the burden of proof squarely onto them and planting seeds of doubt in the minds of everyone gathered before the swirling purple portal, undermining the righteous fury they had used to rally support only moments before.
Their auras surged faintly around them, like barely contained storms, while the Third Elder of the Void Soul Tower, still trembling with grief and wrath, sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes blazing as she shot Max a look of pure venom, then turned sharply to scan the ranks of the various overlord forces gathered in the sky and cried out in a voice that rang with grim authority, "Josh and Scott, from the Thunder Monarch Hall and Mountain Gods Valley; Frank from the Void Soul Tower; Gayle and Rose from the Absolute Sword Palace; and Derek from the Eternal Sun Guild—you all witnessed this matter. Come forward now and tell everyone here what happened that day!"
At her command, six figures stepped forward through the air, one after the other, until they hovered in a neat line above the crowd, suspended high in the sky where all could see them, and though their expressions varied—from cold determination to subtle hesitation—the eyes of the thousands gathered instantly fixed upon them with rapt attention, for these witnesses were the key to determining whether the accusations against Max were truth or fabrication.
Max watched each of them as they emerged into clear view, his sharp eyes calmly studying their faces, but his own expression barely changed, remaining cool and unreadable even as the crowd buzzed with new tension, and whispers spread like wildfire through the experts hovering around the portal.
It was Josh, tall and broad-shouldered, his Thunder Monarch Hall robes fluttering in the breeze, who spoke first, his voice ringing out with absolute certainty as he said, "Elders and leaders of the various forces, it is indeed true that Max killed Julio, a 3-star genius of our Thunder Monarch Hall, and also June, a Heaven Grade genius from the Void Soul Tower. We saw it happen with our own eyes."
His eyes narrowed slightly as he began to recount the events in vivid detail, describing how Julio had stepped forward to challenge Max, only for Max to cut him down without mercy, and then, with a calmness that sent shivers through the listeners, how Max had turned upon June of the Void Soul Tower, his hands blazing with black flames, and reduced her to ashes in a single devastating strike, leaving nothing behind but scorched stone and the bitter taste of death.
Scott from the Mountain Gods Valley stepped forward next, his voice grave and eyes shadowed, and he nodded emphatically, adding, "I also saw Max kill Julio and June with my own eyes. There was no mistake—it was him."
Frank, from the Void Soul Tower, clenched his fists so tightly that the veins bulged across the backs of his hands, his face twisted into a savage snarl as he practically shouted, "Me too. He first killed Julio, and then he killed Senior Sister June. He burned her body into ashes! I swear it on my strength!"
The crowd gasped at Frank’s vehemence, some of the younger disciples recoiling slightly as though they could almost see the black flames flickering in Max’s hands, yet just as the accusation seemed about to cement itself into the crowd’s belief, Derek from the Eternal Sun Guild finally stepped forward, his robes marked with the crest of a blazing sun, and shook his head slowly, his voice clear and steady as he spoke up, "I don’t know what they’re talking about. I met with Max and the others, yes—but nothing like what they’re saying happened. Max didn’t kill anyone. After we met at the restaurant, there was a friendly duel that got a bit out of hand and led to the destruction of the place, but afterward, everyone went their separate ways. There was no killing—no blood, no black flames, nothing like they’re describing."
His words fell like a stone into a still pond, sending fresh ripples of shock and confusion through the crowd as the experts exchanged startled glances, for here was a direct contradiction from a member of another overlord force, and the atmosphere crackled anew with tension as the seeds of doubt Max had sown began to sprout more visibly, leaving the entire assembly teetering between belief and disbelief.
"Derek! What are you saying?!" Scott, Josh, and Frank practically shouted in unison, their voices tight with disbelief, eyes flying open so wide that the whites showed starkly as they stared at Derek like he’d suddenly sprouted a second head, unable to comprehend how he could stand there so calmly contradicting every word they had just spoken, while anger and confusion twisted their faces into masks of raw emotion.
But before the furious trio could launch into further protests, Rose stepped forward, her long hair fluttering around her determined face as she spoke up, her voice steady and carrying clearly across the hushed crowd, "Derek is correct. Me and my brother were the ones who recruited Max and invited him to the restaurant that day, but he didn’t kill anyone there. In fact, just as Derek said, after the restaurant was destroyed because of the duel getting out of hand, we all went our separate ways. Nothing more happened."
Her calm, confident statement hung in the air like a striking bell, immediately drawing countless eyes toward her as whispers rippled through the assembly, while beside her, Gayle nodded firmly, his expression equally resolute as he added in a quiet but unwavering voice, "That is exactly what happened. No one was killed, and Max never attacked anyone beyond the sparring we saw."
Frank’s eyes turned bloodshot as he swung toward them, veins standing out on his neck as his entire body seemed to quiver with rage, his voice shaking as he practically roared, "What are you all talking about?! How can you stand there and say that?! You were there! You saw it happen! Why are you siding with Max now?!"