The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 201: Ch : B-Class Raid- Part 4

The monster let out a low growl, its glowing red eyes narrowing at Selene.

It looked annoyed, almost offended, that she was still standing. Without hesitation, it lunged at her again, its sharp claws slicing through the air.

’Tsk, I need a way to be able to stop the monster before it ends up stopping me forever. My lack of physical strength sure is a hindrance in more ways than one.’

Selene barely dodged, feeling the rush of wind as the attack passed inches from her face. She clenched her fists.

She needed to fight back. Her body still felt heavy, her muscles sore, but she couldn’t afford to hesitate.

[Amplify.]

The moment she activated the skill, a surge of power rushed through her veins.

Strength flooded her limbs, and for the first time, she felt like she could actually take this monster down.

But along with her skill activation, Selene could feel something else changing inside her as well.

’Is something going to happen? I have a weird feeling about something. I hope it is not something dangerous.’

Fortunately for Selene, the system was in her favor and decided to give her something unexpected.

[New Quest System Unlocked!]

Selene blinked in surprise as the system’s notification popped up. She had never seen this message before.

[Would you like to accept a new quest for exclusive rewards?]

Selene hesitated. A quest system? This was new. But curiosity got the better of her.

"Open the quest system."

She muttered under her breath.

A new screen appeared in front of her.

[First Quest: Harvest the monster’s core and consume it.

Reward: A random buff]

Selene frowned. Eating a monster core?

The system seemed to be pushing Selene more and more toward core absorption...to the point where it felt almost unnatural.

She tapped the quest details to read more.

Depending on the core’s grade, the buff could increase strength, improve health, or even grant an offensive skill. The stronger the monster, the better the buff.

It was tempting. But also suspicious.

She narrowed her eyes.

Could she trust this? What if it was some kind of trap?

But this was her system. It had never tricked her before. If it was giving her this quest, it had to be for a reason.

Selene exhaled sharply.

"Fine. I’ll do it."

She whispered.

The monster let out another furious snarl and charged.

Selene braced herself, but she was still outclassed. Her movements felt sharper than before, but the monster was still faster. She barely managed to dodge in time.

Just when she thought she was about to be hit, a sudden force slammed into the monster from the side.

Ethan.

He moved like a storm, his blade slicing through the air in clean, precise movements. The monster roared in pain as it staggered back, deep wounds appearing across its thick hide.

Ethan’s expression was thunderous.

"You’re reckless. Why didn’t you call for backup?"

He growled as he parried another attack.

Selene ignored his scolding. She watched the monster stagger, its strength fading. Ethan was about to go for the kill.

"Wait!"

Selene ran forward.

Ethan stopped, his blade hovering inches from the creature’s neck. He turned to her, eyes sharp with frustration.

"What are you doing?"

Selene knelt beside the monster’s chest, reaching into its wound.

Blood smeared her hands as she pulled out the glowing core, warm and pulsing like a heartbeat. She quickly stored it in her inventory before looking back at Ethan.

He was staring at her, his usual stern expression unreadable.

"You’re taking its core?"

Selene nodded.

"The system told me to."

For a moment, Ethan said nothing. Then he let out a quiet sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

"You shouldn’t have told me that."

Selene tilted her head.

"Why?"

"Because now I have to tell you to keep your mouth shut. Don’t tell anyone else about this."

He crossed his arms.

Selene rolled her eyes.

"I’m not stupid. I told you because I trust you."

Ethan’s posture stiffened. His usual confident demeanor faltered for a brief second. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then shut it.

For the first time, he looked... flustered.

Selene smirked.

"Cat got your tongue?"

Ethan scowled and turned away.

"Just don’t do anything reckless next time."

Selene chuckled, gripping the monster core tightly in her inventory. She didn’t know what kind of power this would bring, but she had a feeling this was only the beginning.

______

The sudden attack outside the dungeon took everyone by surprise.

One moment, the camp was calm, and the next, chaos erupted.

People ran in different directions, shouting in panic. Some screamed, wondering if the world was ending. Others grabbed their weapons, unsure of where to aim them.

Selene’s heart pounded as she tried to make sense of what was happening.

The sky above them flickered strangely, as if reality itself had cracked for a brief moment.

Then, Ethan’s voice cut through the panic.

"Calm down!"

He commanded. His voice was steady and powerful, forcing everyone to stop and listen.

"This was a one-time thing. But if we don’t clear the dungeon, this might start happening more often."

He continued.

His words sent a wave of unease through the crowd. The idea of more sudden attacks like this made everyone shudder.

But Ethan’s presence kept them grounded. His confidence reminded them that they couldn’t afford to lose control.

Slowly, the panic faded. People steadied their breathing and refocused.

In the middle of all this, Selene caught Nora’s gaze.

She lifted her hand slightly, signaling that she wanted to talk. Nora hesitated but then gave a small nod.

Selene felt relieved. She had a bad feeling about Nora’s condition and needed to know what was going on. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Just as Nora was about to step toward her, the government official spoke up.

"It’s time to enter the dungeon."

He announced.

The mood shifted immediately.

The attack had rattled them, but now they had to move forward. One by one, the awakeners began forming lines.

Selene let out a quiet sigh. She wanted to talk to Nora, but it would have to wait.