Chapter35-At This Moment, I Am the Only Light

The Sealing Artifact flickered slowly, its purple light drifting through the air. 

In the dungeon, the general-tier awakeners stared intently at the Sealing Artifact, watching as it gradually calmed, as if victory was within reach.

Humanity's elite forces had been decimated, with more than half fallen. 

Apart from Fatima and a few others who had only suffered minor injuries, the rest of the survivors were doomed to spend the rest of their lives in wheelchairs.

"Have we won?" A bloodied awakener lay on the ground, clutching his entrails, tears shimmering in his eyes. 

Humanity had defended its home, at the cost of the lives of these heroes at the pinnacle of human existence.

"Have we truly won?" Fatima wondered silently, feeling that something was amiss, yet unable to pinpoint what it was. 

The god-tier Sealing Artifact should have been inescapable.

Through the dungeon, Henry and others clearly saw this scene. 

Several women surrounded Henry, hugging him tightly, crying inconsolably. 

The brutality of this battle had surpassed anything they had encountered in any dungeon before.

Suddenly, the world changed dramatically. 

A fierce storm swept through both the dungeon and the real world, and amidst the thick swirling sands, a human form gradually took shape, revealing an aged figure.

"He's not dead yet!" The barely alive general-tier powerhouse, witnessing this scene, clenched his fist in frustration.

The aged figure looked on and couldn't help but laugh heartily: 

"Indeed, you humans of this realm are strong. Even mere general-tier awakeners have caused me great difficulty."

"But, what you face is a true deity. In both strength and cunning, you are far outmatched."

"What you've sealed is merely one of my avatars. Now, no one can stop my descent!"

Algado laughed heartily, a stark contrast to the deathly silence of the general-tier awakeners. 

But they did not retreat. 

Fatima stepped forward first, facing Algado with a determined look in her eyes. 

She spoke firmly, "We fight to buy more time for humanity."

Moments later, every device connected to the internet globally was forcibly linked to a single broadcast. 

The scene displayed was the dungeon where Algado resided, accompanied by a grave voice.

"Fellow humans, greetings. This is the Human Awakener Integrated Control Center."

"There's regrettable news we must share. Our planet is on the brink of collapse, and humanity is on the verge of becoming slaves to a dark god."

"Our high-ranking awakeners are fighting to buy us more time to escape."

"There's no more time for explanations. We urge everyone to find places to hide, to preserve the ember of humanity."

"And let's not forget those awakeners who have fallen on the front lines today."

Panic spread globally in an instant, as people, unclear about what was happening, took to the streets in terror.

"What's going on? Could this just be a prank?"

"All devices worldwide have received this message. It must be from the Human Awakener Integrated Control Center."

"It seems like we might really be facing sudden death."

Cries of despair echoed everywhere. 

Mothers clutched their children at home, bewildered, while prisoners in jails became restless. 

Bank employees initially thought of opening the vaults, but quickly realized the futility — with humanity on the brink of extinction, money had lost all value.

Cursing, Henry clenched his fists, realizing that even his proud rate of leveling up was too slow, still insufficient against a deity.

Just then, Emily, who had been holding onto Henry, suddenly collapsed to the ground.

"What's wrong?" Henry rushed over, crouching down to support Emily.

She was pale, trembling all over, and looked at her beloved with panic in her eyes. "It feels like something terrible is happening to me."

In the dungeon, Algado watched this scene and burst into hearty laughter.

"Algado, what have you done!" Fatima, seeing Emily's condition, immediately had a bad premonition.

"You are all too naive," Algado taunted. "Did you really think that when I kept talking about possessing that little guy named Henry, I would actually do it?"

"No, you are mistaken. My target was never him, but that female magus!"

"Why else do you think a mere magus like her could rise to wield magus skills like the great Algado? This was my true plan all along!"

Suddenly, a pillar of light erupted from Emily, connecting her with Algado in the dungeon. As the light intensified, Emily's spirit began to wither.

"Henry, I think I'm not going to make it. Could you kiss me one more time?" Tears streamed down Emily's face as she spoke, "I really don't want to leave you."

"No, I won't let you die!"

Henry, with gritted teeth and eyes blazing with fury, glared at Algado in the dungeon. "I will kill him and save you."

Henry pulled out the heart of Maldream and opened a connection with the conscious space. 

"Is there any way for me to gain temporary immense strength? I need the power to fight a deity."

Maldream was silent for a moment, seemingly realizing something, and did not intervene. 

She sighed and said, "Master, do you remember the mysterious item I once mentioned to you? The one that's a water flask."

Henry abruptly remembered the purpose of that flask and asked, "Can it really grant me the power of an Ascendant God, even if just temporarily?"

Maldream nodded, but then added with concern, "The power of this flask comes from a mysterious source, one even I haven't fully understood. If you decide to use it, it will cleave half of your soul and offer it to an unknown deity."

"Afterward, that unknown deity will grant you an hour of Ascendant God's power. But regardless of whether you survive, you will be driven to madness."

Henry didn't hesitate for a moment. "How do I use it? Tell me quickly."

Maldream sighed, 

"Master, are you sure you want to do this? Once you turn mad, everything you have achieved among humans will dissipate into nothingness, losing all meaning."

Henry thought of the fallen general-tier awakeners, the extinction actions Algado would carry out upon his arrival, and the woman lying in his arms. 

His gaze gradually hardened.

"Tell me. I must do this."

...

In the dungeon, more and more general-tier awakeners were dying. 

Eventually, including Fatima, only three awakener generals remained on the human side. 

Facing Algado's giant claw, Fatima raised her sword, blocking it with sheer force.

Algado, somewhat impressed, said, 

"You are quite remarkable, possessing potential worthy of a deity. Even on a planet with billions of people, your talent is top-tier."

"If you submit to me now, I promise not to kill you and to keep you by my side."

Wiping the blood from her lips, Fatima raised her greatsword, her voice cold and detached, "You are not worthy!"

Enraged, Algado's energy surged, and he launched a furious punch towards Fatima. "In that case, you can die!"

Fatima's eyes dimmed. 

She no longer had the strength to block this strike.

Finally, is it all coming to an end?

With a resounding "bang," a fist collided forcefully with Algado. 

A young figure appeared in front of Fatima, stunning everyone present.

"Is it you, kid? How is this possible... How can a level 28 awakener possess the might of a deity!"

Algado, shocked at this unexpected turn of events, bellowed in anger.

"What have you done?" Fatima, seeing the chaos and madness in Henry's eyes, was enveloped in sadness, recognizing the great price Henry had paid.

In Henry's hands was Anna's gold-tier longbow. 

An arrow was nocked and drawn taut.

Henry, gazing at Algado, spoke coldly: "If there's no sun at this moment, what does it matter?"

"I am the only light!"

Whoosh!

The arrow flew swiftly forth.