The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 142: Ch : Monster among humans - Part 1

The dungeon’s eerie glow faded, leaving behind a still, heavy silence. The dungeon had finally been cleared.

The corestone gleamed where it had fallen, pulsing with a dark, almost sinister energy.

Without hesitation, Selene reached down and picked it up with her bare hands.

The moment she did, a chill spread through her fingers, a whisper of something unnatural and ancient curling through her veins.

Madam Verta was the first to react.

"What do you think you’re doing?!"

She snapped, rushing toward Selene.

Selene turned to her calmly.

"Picking up a corestone."

Madam Verta’s eyes darkened.

"That’s not just any corestone. It’s filled with negative energy. If you hold it for too long, you’ll start turning into a monster."

Selene didn’t flinch. Instead, she pulled out a small vial of water, poured it over the corestone to cleanse it, and—

Swallowed it whole.

The moment the corestone entered her system, a violent pulse of energy spread through her body.

Noah’s eyes widened in alarm.

"Selene, are you insane?!"

He reached out, grabbing her wrist, but it was too late.

Selene had already absorbed the corestone’s power.

A system notification popped up in front of her:

[Core Consumption Progress: 30%

Absorb more cores to unlock a new skill.]

Selene’s breathing was slightly uneven, but she felt stronger—more aware, more attuned to the energy around her.

Fascinating.

’Is this a new window? Did leveling up give me this new feature? Seems useful.’

She barely noticed the world around her shifting, the dungeon’s space dissolving as they were transported back outside.

The cold night air hit them like a wave, the familiar bustling voices of the adventurer’s camp filling the space.

But Selene’s attention was still locked onto the system notification.

A new skill...

If she kept consuming cores, she could gain more power. Now it felt like a worthwhile investment she needed to pay attention to.

It was a tempting thought.

Too tempting.

"Selene?"

She turned to see Noah staring at her, his expression unreadable but his hand still gripping her wrist.

He didn’t say anything, but his gaze burned with questions.

Before Selene could speak, a sharp voice cut through the air.

"You... you’re a monster."

Madam Verta’s voice was laced with both horror and accusation.

Selene turned slowly.

The moment Madam Verta pointed at her, dozens of eyes turned in her direction.

The murmurs started almost immediately.

"She ate the corestone?"

"No one does that! That’s... unnatural."

"What if she’s actually a monster in disguise?"

Selene could feel the weight of their stares, the suspicion curling in the air like poison.

She wasn’t surprised.

People feared what they didn’t understand.

And right now, they didn’t understand her.

Selene’s fingers curled at her sides, but she kept her face calm and unreadable.

Madam Verta took a step closer, her expression cold.

"You’re dangerous."

Noah’s body tensed beside her, his grip on her wrist tightening.

Orion, who had been quiet until now, suddenly stepped forward.

His voice was clear, sharp, and unwavering.

"...So what?"

Madam Verta blinked.

"Excuse me?"

Orion crossed his arms.

"So what if Selene ate the corestone? She cleared the dungeon, didn’t she? She saved our lives. If she’s dangerous, then I’d rather be on her side than against her. Besides, the system usually makes monsters. Do you think you are any better?"

Noah nodded in agreement, his grip still firm on Selene’s wrist.

He wanted to say something, but Selene’s eyes stopped him.

Selene felt something warm stir in her chest, but she didn’t let it show on her face.

Instead, she turned to Madam Verta, her gaze unreadable.

"...If you’re so convinced I’m a monster, then try stopping me"

Selene said quietly, her voice steady.

The air was thick with tension, heavy and suffocating. The gathered adventurers murmured amongst themselves, their voices rising in suspicion and hostility.

Those who had witnessed Madam Verta’s foresight firsthand, who had trusted her abilities without question, quickly moved to her side.

Their expressions were hardened with certainty, their gazes filled with distrust as they turned toward Selene.

The accusations started quietly but grew louder.

"She consumed a corrupted corestone."

"No normal human would do that."

"She might already be turning into something else."

A few took threatening steps forward, their hands gripping their weapons.

Noah immediately moved to stand in front of Selene, his eyes flashing with a warning. His fingers twitched toward his blade, ready to cut down anyone who made a move.

But because Selene had already made it clear that she did not want him to interfere, he could not step forward.

He could feel Nora’s eyes on him and that founded him even more.

’Tsk, there are too many eyes on me to act right now. But I swear! I will overcome this one day.’

Noah felt sorry for not being able to help. But just because he could not help did not mean there were no others who stepped forward.

Ethan moved with a clear purpose.

He positioned himself directly in front of Selene, his posture relaxed but undeniably dangerous. His presence alone sent a shiver down the spines of those who dared to challenge them.

The crowd visibly recoiled, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. They knew exactly who Ethan was—what he was capable of.

For a moment, no one dared to move.

Then—

A new voice cut through the rising tension.

"That’s enough."

A tall, composed figure strode into the gathering, his voice carrying an authority that silenced the murmuring crowd instantly.

It was the government executive who had initially called Selene for help.

His gaze swept over the adventurers before settling on Selene.

"I apologize for this. This is not how we should treat the one who just helped clear this dungeon."

He said smoothly, his voice firm.

Then, he turned to the crowd.

"I have already confirmed Miss Shadow’s identity. There is no need for further suspicion."

His words eased some of the tension, but not all.

Madam Verta’s expression twisted with disbelief, her followers murmuring in protest.

"We don’t accept that. She is still a threat."

She hissed.