Chapter 580: A surprised level up

Chapter 580: A surprised level up

On the other side, the Old Saintess stood still, her expression unreadable but her heart stirred with rare astonishment. She had sensed the strength bubbling within Max the moment he reappeared in the Hidden City—raging and unrefined, yet controlled with terrifying precision.

But even she, who had watched countless prodigies rise and fall, hadn’t expected this. Not to such an extent. Max’s current aura wasn’t just powerful—it was overwhelming, peerless within the Lower Domain.

She had once estimated that Max would eventually surpass all others here, but now she realized eventually had already arrived. He had already reached a realm where no one in the entire Lower Domain could stand against him—not even the elite forces, not even Drevon.

“So,” Max asked with a smirk, looking between Klaus and the Old Saintess, “what do you think? Let’s go and kill Drevon before the Citadel descends.”

His voice was casual, but the intent beneath it was razor-sharp.

Klaus, now composed after recovering from the pressure of the Flame Tyrant aura, shook his head slowly. “Ah, no. It’s not that simple,” he said, the tension returning to his face.

Max’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?” he asked, puzzled. In his mind, the matter was straightforward—strike first, eliminate Drevon, and remove the threat before it could grow.

Klaus sighed, as though the weight of the last month was finally catching up to him. “Things have changed. Dramatically. In the one month you were gone,” he explained. “Remember the Rulers of the Lower Domain I told you about? The ones sent from the Four God Nation to watch over the domain and prevent chaos caused by people from the Middle Domain?”

Max nodded slowly. He remembered. Their existence had always been treated like a distant group of people—one that stayed hidden unless the balance of the Lower Domain was in danger.

“Well,” Klaus continued, “they’ve suddenly revealed themselves. Publicly. We don’t know why. But their presence has shaken the entire structure of the Lower Domain. That’s also one of the reasons Drevon hasn’t made a move. For now, there’s an unnatural peace.”

Max’s expression turned serious. “The Rulers of the Lower Domain…” he repeated, frowning. “Why would they suddenly appear now? I thought they never got involved unless it was absolutely necessary.”

Klaus nodded, his tone deepening. “Exactly. That’s what makes this so strange. But according to Magnar, they’ve come because of the Citadel. He believes that now that all five keys have been found, the final layer of mystery surrounding the Citadel is beginning to unravel—and the Rulers are here to see it happen. They’re not interested in war. They’re interested in the secrets of the Citadel.”

Max’s frown deepened further. He had done his own digging on the Citadel—its origin, its rules, its requirements. “But they don’t have a key, right?” he asked sharply. “The keys are everything—not just to unlock the mysteries, but to enter the Citadel in the first place. Without one, they can’t go inside.”

His tone wasn’t skeptical—it was edged with quiet concern. Because if those Rulers were moving, it meant the stakes were much higher than anyone thought. And if they didn’t have a key, then the question was clear: what did they plan to do when the Citadel descended?

“If I’m not wrong,” Klaus said, his expression darkening with a solemn edge, “they’re teaming up with Drevon.”

His words struck like a hammer, and even before he explained further, Max’s face had already changed. A sudden intensity crept into his eyes, the calm he’d held moments before vanishing like mist.

“There are reports,” Klaus continued, “of the Rulers entering the Central Region and coming into direct contact with Drevon. It’s not confirmed yet, but the signs are too clear to ignore.”

Max clenched his fists slightly, his body tense. If the Rulers—those so-called guardians from the Four God Nation—were truly aligning themselves with Drevon, then killing him wouldn’t just be difficult… it could become nearly impossible.

And worse, it would mean Max wasn’t just facing one enemy, but an entire elite faction with influence and resources stretching into the Middle Domain itself.

“Nobody knows who holds the last key,” Klaus added with a weary sigh. “Not even the Rulers seem to know. So, they did the next best thing—they sided with the strongest man in the Lower Domain.”

Max’s jaw tightened, a cold sigh escaping his lips. Just when I thought I could eliminate Drevon cleanly… Now, the situation had grown tangled, soaked in politics, secrets, and power plays. But he didn’t dwell on it for long.

But suddenly Max felt something in him stirred and a wave of energy was released from him before a notification appeared in his vision.

[Congratulations to Max Voidwalker for leveling up to level 8 of Seeker Rank.]

“Huh? I leveled up?” Max was stunned. He never expected to suddenly level up out of nowhere. It shocked him because leveling in this world required use of absorbing cores or taking treasures but he leveled up like it was nothing.

He had never seen anything like that or leveled up like this before. Especially him who required a truck ton of cores for leveling even one level.

Even Klaus and Old Saintess were surprised to see his strength suddenly increased to level 7 of Seeker Rank out of nowhere.

‘Damn this kid is such a show off.’ Klaus smiled wryly.

“Anyway,” Max said, his voice returning to its composed tone, “I’m heading to the Lost Continent. If the Citadel appears, I’ll join in with the elves and enter with them.”

He turned to the Old Saintess then, recalling something important. “By the way, I need a map of the Middle Domain. I don’t know when I’ll ascend, but I want to be prepared in advance.”

That request seemed to catch both Klaus and the Old Saintess by surprise. Their eyes flickered with realization—not shock, but understanding. After witnessing Max’s overwhelming power, they both silently agreed: the Lower Domain had nothing left to offer someone like him. Staying here any longer would only be a waste of time.

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!