Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100 Chapter 1356 Behind the Divine Colosseum

The relentless echoes of Max and the Grim Gladiator's clashes filled the Divine Colosseum with unceasing roars, leaving the announcer to gradually hush his voice, his face frozen in place as he lingered powerlessly at his station. Such a choice lay completely outside his control, since the matter of whether Max could battle the Grim Gladiator had never been his to decide from the start.

Exclusively the top leaders overseeing the Divine Colosseum—or to be exact, the Heron Family's intentions—held the power to shape how events would progress.

Thus, the announcer had no option but to stay rooted there, enduring the weight of thousands upon thousands of staring eyes as he awaited a response he couldn't deliver himself.

Buried deep inside the Divine Colosseum's core, shielded from the thundering spectators and isolated from the turmoil overhead, lay a spacious chamber resembling an office. At its center stood a circular table made of shadowy crystal, surrounded by three figures who dominated every bout, every regulation, and every fate inside the arena.

Among them, two were male and one female, and it was this trio who pulled the strings of the Divine Colosseum from the darkness.

"This kid's power is way too overwhelming," grumbled one of the men, his brow deeply furrowed. Known as Randolf, he was a hefty fellow with a bushy beard and a shiny bald scalp that caught the dim glow of the chamber. "He took down all four fighters we threw at him without breaking a sweat." Frustration and incredulity laced his words, as those four had been intended as far more than mere hurdles.

"What's our next move?" inquired the other man, his tone measured yet gravely intent. He went by Chris, differing from Randolf with his smooth-shaven features and shoulder-length flowing locks. "His prowess has obviously outstripped the Grim Gladiator's by now. Pitting the Grim Gladiator against him would just repeat the defeats of those prior four fights."

Chris hesitated for a moment before pressing on, his face growing somber. "Worse still, this kid's got the gall to straight-up spurn the Heron Family. Had he just accepted our offer, we wouldn't be in this mess, but his reputation has ballooned so much that I'm sure the other six major families are keeping a keen eye on him already."

"Hmph," the woman huffed icily, her gaze piercing as she at last broke her silence. She was Malissa, and of the three, she wielded the most sway in the Divine Colosseum. Her ties to the Heron Family ran deeper and firmer than those of her companions, lending her statements an undeniable force.

"If that kid can't join our ranks, then no other family will claim him either. Sure, it might not shift the bigger picture much, but I won't stand for him forging ahead on his own after turning down the Heron Family." Her stare chilled further as her words sharpened. "Anyone who spurns our family gets no shot at tranquility, least of all some ordinary human bold enough to rise above us."

"What does the family desire?" Chris questioned, his forehead creased deeply, his voice wary as he glanced at Malissa. He knew all too well that even if they yearned to smash Max and wipe out the chaos he stirred, their private wishes paled against the family's decree.

For individuals like them, lineage and familial command always took precedence, forcing any personal grudges to yield to that truth.

"Father demanded I drag Max into the fold no matter what, but I'm not about to heed that," Malissa scoffed with chilly scorn, her mouth twisting in contempt. "We offered once, and he snubbed us. That's plenty. A fool who defies the Heron Family earns no further mercy." She then fixed her keen eyes on Randolf and Chris, narrowing them as she went on. "Unleash the third one."

"The third one?" Randolf and Chris blurted out nearly together, their features etched with astonishment. Those mere words thickened the chamber's atmosphere, for they both grasped precisely what Malissa meant.

"But deploying that requires the family head's direct consent," Chris countered swiftly, his tone strained as he sought to persuade her. "Throwing him at Max right now risks everything blowing up beyond repair. Once we start, there's no turning back."

Randolf nodded vigorously right away, his look solemn as he added his voice. "Exactly, Malissa. The family head made it crystal clear that the third one stays locked away until he orders otherwise. Solving the Max issue this way won't save us from his wrath if we go rogue."

"You dare challenge my word?" Malissa queried evenly, but the instant her statement hung in the air, the room's chill deepened. Her stare pinned the two men with unyielding intensity, brooking no debate.

Randolf and Chris promptly bowed their heads, avoiding her eyes at all costs. Disobeying her held no appeal, yet they recognized the Heron Family's boundaries that demanded the head's approval to breach.

"Follow my command," Malissa stated flatly, her assurance rock-solid. "I'll handle father on my own." With that, she shifted her focus to the massive display in the room, showing Max poised steadily in the arena, oblivious to the plot weaving in the shadows.

Randolf and Chris shared a quick glance brimming with doubt and worry, fully aware of the fallout from their impending actions.

Ultimately, though, they held their tongues. Silently pivoting, they proceeded to execute Malissa's directive and free the third one, unleashing a force that would prove hard to rein in.