Antarctica

The next day.

In the main square of the Great Snowfield Shelter.

An exceptionally dazzling spaceship stood in the square.

Apart from the necessary defensive forces, nearly all the combat personnel of the Great Snowfield Shelter had assembled.

The formation of two thousand looked particularly imposing. Everyone wore a solemn expression, their eyes resolute.

They were setting out to secure survival for those who came after them, to seize hope for civilization's continued existence!

Snowflakes drifted down without pause, dancing like elves before each of them.

Yet the warmth of their bodies sent steam rising like sunlight.

Jiang Yang stood at the very front, looking helplessly at the beautiful girl beside him in her white combat suit.

The close-fitting suit outlined her lovely curves, and her gaze was just as firm as iron.

He recalled the girl's resolute words when he had tried to persuade Ania not to go the night before.

"If it's to do my part for the survival of human civilization, then as a member of humanity, I, Ania, am duty-bound. Besides, I'm a light-type awakened, Senior. I can help you!"

"All right, Ania. Come back safely."

"We both have to come back safely, Senior!"

As Jiang Yang's thoughts drifted like snowflakes, it was not long before he saw Li Xiaowa approaching them, pushing a white-haired elderly woman in a wheelchair.

This was the leader of the Great Snowfield Shelter, the respected elder, Ms. Yuan Jing.

Fierce battles with monsters in her earlier years had left her unable to fight and crippled both her legs, but she still possessed the most indomitable fighting spirit.

Ms. Yuan Jing came before the two thousand people and quietly swept her gaze over each of them, as though she wanted to remember them all.

"You are all warriors of the shelter. Some of you children, I watched grow up. Human civilization was once incomparably prosperous, yet now it has declined to this."

"Every time I see the land beneath the snowfields, with not a soul for a thousand miles and bones littering the ground as far as the eye can see, my heart twists in agony. But even so, we will not give up!"

"Because we are human. We bow to no being. We will grow tenaciously and forge the future anew."

By this point, tears streamed down Yuan Jing's face. She knew how powerful the Super Beast named Nidhogg was. Perhaps the vast majority of the warriors before her would never return.

But what of it?

"I wish I could go onto this battlefield with you, but though my heart is willing, my strength is lacking. Since that is so, I will keep this home safe for you."

"Warriors, this is the darkest age. Humanity does not even know whether it has a future, but someone must shoulder the burden and press onward. Darkness has already shrouded the earth, and you are the only light!"

Standing among the crowd in his military uniform, Jiang Yang stepped forward and solemnly gave Leader Yuan Jing a military salute.

"Rest assured, Commander. Unless the Super Beast is destroyed, we will not return alive!"

As the strongest among them, he now commanded these warriors as well. The two thousand warriors behind him all raised their hands in salute.

"Humanity shall endure, its radiance eternal!"

"Humanity shall endure, its radiance eternal!"

The impassioned cries of two thousand people shook heaven and earth. Even time seemed to pause at that moment. Above them, the clouds dispersed, and sunlight spilled down.

Above the Antarctic Continent, seven large spaceships were now hovering in the sky.

Seven figures stood in midair.

Their auras were radiant, scorching, domineering, or icy.

Though their auras differed, without exception, their presence blazed as gloriously as that of gods!

Like great suns that could crush heaven and earth, like bright moons shining over the vast seas, they stood lofty and imposing!

They were none other than the Seven Human Transcendent Kings!

Aboard the Great Snowfield's spaceship, Ania stood on the deck, her long golden-brown hair whipping in the wind. Her sky-blue eyes gazed unblinkingly at Jiang Yang, who shone as brilliantly as a sun in the sky.

"So this is Senior as the Flame King. He's so dazzling."

In the sky.

The seven strongest humans were chatting and laughing loudly.

But by now, Jiang Yang's face was twitching uncontrollably. He wanted nothing more than to give the stunning white-haired woman opposite him a thorough beating.

"Oh my, I recently heard that Jiang Yang, one of the Seven Kings, an old man of seventy, actually found himself a young girl in her twenties. What a rare sight."

"Yisha!!"

The King of Ice and Snow, Yisha, had quite a history with Jiang Yang. From the moment they awakened, one had been fire, the other ice.

Isa

Later, when humanity retreated to the shelters, the two had been appointed by the United Human Government as members of an S-rank awakened squad.

Jiang Yang had been the captain and Yisha the vice-captain, but this woman was exceedingly proud and had always felt that she should be the one in charge.

Thus, though the two were comrades-in-arms, they were also rivals.

"Hahahaha, you two, don't start arguing at a time like this."

This was Odin, a tall, powerfully built middle-aged man with a full head of blond hair.

As it happened, all Seven Kings knew one another and had even fought together.

Only later, when human civilization retreated to its final seven shelters, had the Seven Kings been separated, each guarding one.

The Seven Kings were roughly equal in strength, but Odin had been their superior officer, and they would all follow his command in this operation.

After all, humanity could not afford a single defeat.

Seeing everyone's eyes on him, Odin nodded and spoke in a deep voice.

"Everyone, look."

Odin pointed at a sleeping, serpentine Giant Beast beneath the clouds.

Nidhogg!

It was a thousand meters long, its entire body covered in hard, pitch-black scales. It had three enormous heads, with a long, sharp, hard horn growing from the central one.

The radio waves that spread across the globe and controlled the monsters were emitted from this horn.

Around the Super Beast were three Alpha-class Giant Beasts, guarding it like subjects surrounding their king.

Countless monsters encircled them.

"This time, we have brought almost all of human civilization's remaining fighting strength. We will kill the Super Beast, even if every one of us falls in defeat!"

"Next, in my capacity as commander of human civilization's final battle, I will assign your missions. Yisha, Brahma, and Ra will each take on one of the three Alpha-class Giant Beasts."

"As for Nidhogg, Zeus, Mar, Jiang Yang, and I will hold it off. I have already arranged for the strongest spatial ability user to wield Gungnir and seek an opportunity to slay the Super Beast!"

"Our warriors will hold back the remaining monsters for us. Remember, the sooner we destroy Nidhogg, the fewer casualties our warriors will suffer."

"Yes!"

They all answered.

"Then, everyone, humanity shall endure, its radiance eternal!"

"Humanity shall endure, its radiance eternal!"

"Kill!"