The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 200: Ch : B-Class Raid- Part 3

Selene turned to Nora with a small sigh.

"We should head back now. It’s late, and people will start worrying about us."

Nora hesitated, then nodded.

"Yeah, I can’t leave my party for too long, or Noah will start causing trouble. Everything will be a mess."

Selene chuckled.

"Trust your brother a little. He’s not that bad."

Nora scoffed.

"No, he is that bad."

The two of them turned to head back, but before they could take a step, a sharp warning flared in Selene’s mind.

Her insight screamed at her—danger was near. Her body tensed, and she instinctively grabbed Nora’s arm.

"Go back first."

Selene said firmly.

Nora frowned.

"What? Why?"

Selene didn’t answer right away. Her eyes darted around the trees, trying to pinpoint the threat. She could feel it, but she couldn’t see it yet.

Nora crossed her arms. "I’m not leaving you alone out here."

"Nora, get Ethan. Now."

Selene said, turning to her.

The serious tone in Selene’s voice made Nora pause. Selene wasn’t the type to ask for help unless it was important.

"...Fine. But if you get yourself hurt, I’m blaming you"

Nora muttered.

Without wasting another second, Nora turned and ran back toward the camp, pushing past her exhaustion. As she neared the edge of the camp, a loud crash echoed behind her.

The noise made her heart lurch.

People around the camp perked up, turning toward the sound. Before Nora could react, Ethan rushed past her at full speed, his expression dark.

—

Selene barely dodged in time. The ground where she had stood moments ago was now a deep crater.

A monster stood before her.

Its twisted body was covered in thick, jagged scales. Its limbs were unnaturally long, ending in sharp claws. Its eyes gleamed with hunger.

Selene’s heart pounded.

A monster this early? Outside the dungeon gates? It wasn’t supposed to be possible.

She didn’t have time to question it. The monster roared and lunged at her again.

Selene rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another devastating attack. The beast crashed into a tree, splintering it into pieces.

She clenched her fists. If she tried to fight it here, there was a risk it would turn toward the camp. The others had no idea how much danger they were in.

She had to lead it away.

Selene turned and sprinted. The monster snarled and chased after her. She felt the ground shake beneath its heavy steps.

Her mind raced. She needed a plan.

Her eyes flicked toward the waterfall in the distance. The terrain there would be tricky for the beast. If she could lure it there, it might slow down enough for her to counterattack. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

It was a risk, but she had no choice.

She gritted her teeth and pushed forward, running as fast as she could.

Selene gritted her teeth as she tried to get the beast to follow her. It was stubborn, refusing to move in the direction she wanted.

No matter how much she baited it, it stood its ground, watching her with sharp, intelligent eyes.

Frustration bubbled inside her. She bent down, grabbed a handful of stones, and hurled them at the beast.

The first few missed, but one struck its shoulder. It let out a low growl, baring its fangs.

"Come on."

Selene muttered under her breath.

She threw another rock, then another. The beast dodged easily, shifting its weight with quick, precise movements. It was learning.

Selene took a step back, then turned and ran toward the river. She needed to get it to follow her. If she could lure it into the water, she would have the advantage.

The sound of heavy footsteps behind her told her the plan had worked. The beast was coming.

Selene reached the riverbank and spun around, breathless. The beast slowed as it approached, sniffing the air. Its glowing eyes flickered with curiosity.

Selene stepped into the shallow water. The coolness rushed over her ankles. The beast hesitated at the edge, watching her closely.

"This is it."

She thought.

She had trained in water before. She knew how to use the terrain to her advantage.

The beast, on the other hand, was land-based. It wouldn’t be able to keep up with her movements.

Or so she thought.

The beast let out a low, guttural sound. The air around it shifted. Then, without warning, the water beneath Selene surged upward.

Her eyes widened.

A powerful wave crashed into her, knocking her off balance. She gasped as she tumbled backward, cold water swallowing her whole.

When she resurfaced, coughing, she saw the beast standing at the river’s edge. The water rippled unnaturally around it, as if responding to its presence.

Selene’s stomach dropped.

The beast had discovered a water ability.

This fight had just become much harder.

The beast’s powerful strike sent Selene flying out of the tree. She twisted her body mid-air, trying to control her fall. The wind rushed past her ears as she braced herself for impact.

At the last second, she landed on the ground, rolling to absorb the shock.

Dirt and leaves scattered around her. Her muscles tensed, and she prepared for the sharp pain that should have followed.

But nothing came.

Selene’s heart pounded as she slowly stood up.

She touched her arms, then her legs, expecting to find an injury. Her body had taken a hard hit, and she had been sure she wouldn’t get out of this fight unscathed.

Yet, she felt nothing. No pain, no wounds.

She frowned and flexed her fingers. Her body felt normal—better than normal, even. It was as if the impact had never happened.

Her eyes narrowed. Something wasn’t right.

The beast, still growling a few feet away, seemed to notice this too. Its glowing red eyes locked onto her with a hint of hesitation.

Selene could see its claws twitching, as if it was confused by what had just happened.

She took a cautious step forward. Her movements were light, effortless, as if she were floating. It was strange. The sensation was new, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

Was this because of the core she had touched in her dream?

Selene clenched her fists. She didn’t have time to think about that now. The beast was still in front of her, ready to attack again.

Whatever had happened to her body, she would have to figure it out later. For now, she had to survive.