I, the All-Class Magus, All My Awakening Skills are LvMax

His blood-drenched face managed a weak smile.

With a breath as faint as a whisper, Old Dog said, "Cap... Captain... we... didn't dishonor Hidden Stars..."

A heavy silence fell over everyone.

They seemed to have anticipated what was to come.

Tears streamed uncontrollably down Silver Tear's face.

She covered her mouth, sobbing quietly, trying not to disturb Old Dog.

John's gaze lowered, his grip on his longsword tightening.

Victor was silent for a few breaths.

His expression hidden behind his golden mask, he nodded gently and said softly, "You didn't dishonor anyone. You saved everyone here. John is safe too."

Hearing Victor's words, Old Dog's mouth twitched as if to smile, and then his last breath slowly faded away.

Soon after, Gold Flash's body also began to grow cold.

Heads bowed, no one spoke.

Alex watched this scene, his fists clenched around his longbow, teeth gritted in a mix of shame and self-reproach.

Maximilian sighed and patted him on the shoulder, offering silent consolation.

After a long moment, Victor carefully straightened Old Dog and Gold Flash's tattered uniforms, showing meticulous respect.

The situation in Stellarburg remained unresolved, leaving them no time to mourn.

Grief was not their immediate concern; the priority was to continue the fight in Stellarburg.

Once everything was over, Hidden Stars would ensure a grand funeral for all who had fallen in battle.

Victor gazed towards the direction of Stellarburg, his eyes filled with depth.

He suddenly addressed Dark Fox and Silver Tear, "You both are injured, it's better not to enter Stellarburg."

Dark Fox frowned, about to protest.

Victor indifferently continued, "The battle there is not something you can partake in. Your presence would not be of help but merely add to the casualties."

Hearing Victor's unsparing words, everyone felt a sense of shame because his statement was the harsh reality.

Just dealing with Venomous Serpent and Femme Fatale had already exacted a dreadful toll on them.

Considering that the Dusk Sect boasts thirty-six stewards, each possessing strength no less formidable than the two they faced, venturing there with their current capabilities would indeed be akin to seeking death.

This realization was precisely what shamed them the most.

At that moment, Albertus suddenly said, "While you fight on the front lines, we, as numerous awakeners, can't just stand by idly. That would be no different from deserting. Although we may lack in strength, there's still something we can contribute."

Alex and the others nodded in agreement.

The deaths of Old Dog and Gold Flash had left a profound impact on them, making the notion of fleeing now unbearable for anyone with a shred of conscience.

Victor glanced at him and stated flatly, "Did I say to do nothing? I merely instructed not to enter Stellarburg. There are still many civilians and awakeners outside Stellarburg. Gather them, prevent them from causing chaos. Leave the matters inside to us."

Upon hearing Victor's words, everyone came to their senses.

Albertus's face turned a shade of embarrassed red.

He hastily nodded, offering a somewhat awkward military salute, and said, "Understood."

Victor glanced at John, who had remained silent.

He spoke with calm authority, "The duty of Hidden Stars is to protect the Federation. Casualties are inevitable. If you feel powerless, then work to enhance your strength, so that next time you face such situations, you can save more people and more warriors like Old Dog."

Without another glance at the group, Victor's figure soared, turning into a swift streak of light heading towards the direction of Stellarburg.

He disappeared in the blink of an eye.

John looked up towards the direction where Victor had vanished.

After a long silence, he finally nodded slightly to himself, murmuring, "I will."

...

Above Stellarburg,

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The Desire Demon, resembling a gigantic octopus, flailed its enormous tentacles, launching frenzied attacks at the agile figure of Shadowcloud.

Each attack created a deafening roar and howl in the air, yet they never managed to touch the lightning-fast Shadowcloud.

Glowing with a ghostly blue light, Shadowcloud darted between the vast tentacles.

His hand wielded a gorgeous yet deadly purple dagger, consistently slashing terrifying wounds across the massive body of the Desire Demon.

Huge tentacles fell from the sky, but before they could even touch the ground, they turned into streams of black smoke, reabsorbing into the body of the Desire Demon.

Subsequently, the Demon's tentacles would regenerate at a horrifying speed.

Meanwhile, the Desire Demon's black blood, raining down from the sky, caused billows of white smoke to rise from the barrier, which flickered under the corrosive assault.

If this continued, the barrier would eventually fail.

Sweat had begun to bead on Shadowcloud's forehead.

Not only did he need to dodge the Desire Demon's relentless assaults, but he also had to remain vigilant against Rean's stealth attacks.

As an assassin, prolonged combat was not his forte, compounded by the fact that Shadowcloud was past his prime.

Continuing to fight like this was a significant drain on both his physical stamina and mental focus.

Observing Shadowcloud's slowing movements, a slow smile crept across Rean's face.

For a legendary-tier awakener, the notion of an instant kill was fanciful.

His strategy from the outset had been to exhaust Shadowcloud to death.

Frowning, Shadowcloud realized he couldn't keep this up any longer.

Otherwise, he would inevitably be worn down by the Desire Demon and Rean.

His life was bound to Stellarburg's fate.

If he perished, then so would the millions residing in Stellarburg.

Just as Shadowcloud was about to resort to his trump card to swiftly conclude the battle, a dazzling sword light suddenly appeared behind Rean.

Victor's gaze was icy, filled with lethal intent.

His sword, aglow, was fiercely brought down.

A crescent-shaped blade aura cleaved through the air, ferociously flying towards Rean.

Rean, caught off guard, managed to detect the danger in time but was still struck by Victor's sword, resulting in a deep gash across his shoulder that nearly split him in two from top to bottom.

However, in the blink of an eye, black liquid had already healed Rean's wound.

He hastily retreated, then turned to face Victor.

Rean's eyes widened in surprise and anger, exclaiming, "How are you here? What about the thirty-six stewards?"

Victor flicked off the black liquid creeping up his sword like parasitic maggots.

He stated indifferently, "Those stewards who were supposed to stop us? I've killed them all."

His tone made it seem as though he hadn't slaughtered Dusk Sect's stewards but had merely swatted a few bothersome flies.

Rean's face showed disbelief, uttering, "That's impossible!"

Every steward is at least of supreme-tier, among them several cataclysmic-level awakeners.

How could they have been so easily vanquished by Victor?

Suddenly, as if realizing something, Rean's eyebrows shot up.

Shadowcloud appeared beside Victor, sizing him up with surprise, and blurted out, "Holy shit, when did you break through to the cataclysmic level?"

Victor succinctly replied, "Today."

Shadowcloud looked puzzled, then seemed to grasp something, inhaling sharply in astonishment, "Could it be within the secret realm?"

Victor nodded in confirmation.

Rean's complexion turned exceedingly grim.

He had intended to trap Victor and his group within the secret realm.

Little had he imagined, not only did he fail to confine them, but he also inadvertently facilitated Victor's breakthrough.

Already capable of slaying cataclysmic-level awakeners while at the transcendent-tier, now that Victor had ascended to the cataclysmic level himself, could he possibly challenge those at the World-Annihilator level?

Rean didn't know, nor did he wish to find out.

Another thought struck Rean.

If Victor was here, then where were Baron and the others? Rean's expression turned exceedingly somber.

In the underground cathedral, the gaunt figure of Raven, along with several stewards, was overseeing the array.

Filthy black liquid continuously flowed from a bronze vessel, filling the entire cathedral with an aura of evil and desire.

Faint, bizarre whispers and murmurs echoed incessantly, as if transcending the barriers of time and space, resonating directly in the minds of all present.

Including Raven, the stewards' eyes blazed with fervor, for these were the whispers of the Dusk Lord!

Now, only the final array pattern remained before the sacrificial array's completion.

Just a bit longer, and they could initiate the grand array to sacrifice the entirety of Stellarburg, summoning the Dusk Lord.

At that moment, with the descent of the Dusk Realm, they would obtain eternal life in the divine domain!

At this critical juncture, Raven and the others' expressions suddenly changed.

Raven bellowed, "Who's there?"

The response was a torrent of roaring azure waters!

"Boom!!!"

The cathedral's ceiling suddenly collapsed, and endless sea water poured down from above.

In the surging waters, flashes of azure light twinkled; what appeared to be ordinary water weighed as much as mountains.

A supreme-tier steward, caught off guard, was crushed into pulp in the blink of an eye.

Above the collapsed entrance stood Theodore, enshrouded in azure mist, his gaze icily fixed on Raven and the others below.

Raven and his companions turned as pale as death, for behind Theodore stood Baron, Alexander, Eldritch, and others!

What had been an advantageous situation for the Dusk Sect was instantly overturned!