The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 272: Ch 271: Breaking Free - Part 1

Orion gritted his teeth, his shield flickering with every impact.

Julie’s fists pounded against it like thunder, each blow heavier than the last.

He could feel his mana draining fast—his footing slipping as she pressed in harder, faster.

The shield began to crack under the pressure, and he stumbled back, struggling to hold it together.

"Damn it."

He muttered.

Julie didn’t let up. Her eyes glinted with sadistic glee as she launched another barrage.

"Come on, little knight. You got your power back, didn’t you? Show me what you’ve got."

She said mockingly.

Before the final strike landed, Zara leapt in from the side, slamming into Julie and knocking her off-balance.

Sparks of magic burst between them as Zara conjured a blade of energy and went in for a direct strike.

Julie caught the blade with a glowing hand and pushed back, forcing Zara to skid across the ground.

"Well now, you’re more fun than Selene. Maybe I picked the wrong assistant. You’d look better by my side anyway."

Julie purred.

"I’m flattered. But I’m allergic to lunatics."

Zara deadpanned,

Before Julie could retort, Noah and Nora charged in.

"You don’t get to talk about Selene like that."

Noah snarled.

"Especially not in front of us."

Nora added, flames curling around her hands.

They attacked in perfect sync.

Noah slid across the ground, ice blooming in his wake, trapping Julie’s feet.

She tried to move, but her legs froze solid. Nora took the opportunity and launched a stream of fire, barely missing Julie’s face, forcing her to duck.

Julie’s smirk faltered for the first time.

"Well, now... that’s impressive."

She flexed her fingers and tried to gather power, but when she raised her hand—nothing happened. No glow, no surge. Nothing.

"What? No, no, no—this isn’t right."

She snapped.

She tried again, but her power remained absent. It was as if the palace had locked her out entirely.

"What the hell is going on?!"

No one answered. The others only stared at her, realization dawning on their faces.

Zara saw the hesitation—just for a second—and didn’t waste it. She rushed in, her blade humming with energy, and struck Julie in the chest.

The blow wasn’t fatal—but Julie’s form shuddered, then began to dissolve into mist. Her laugh echoed, high-pitched and mocking.

"Such a hollow victory. This was only the beginning. The real path? Oh, it’s just starting. I remember everything now."

She giggled, even as her body faded.

Then she was gone.

______

Meanwhile...

Selene stood beside Ethan, staring at the shadowy entity as it raised a hand.

A ping echoed through their minds. A red warning flashed across both of their systems:

[New Trial Initiated: Dungeon Liberation Sequence - Stage One]

The shadow figure’s voice came softly.

"A gift... for the task you’ll soon undertake."

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"We didn’t ask for any gifts."

"You’ll need them. Especially you.""

The entity replied.

Ethan’s expression darkened, but he didn’t argue.

The entity stepped forward, slowly placing a translucent hand over his own chest.

"To begin the liberation of this place... you must strike me here. This shell was never meant to last. End it, and the real dungeon will awaken."

Selene’s fingers wrapped around her weapon instinctively. She took a step forward but hesitated.

"Why me?"

She asked.

"Because you’re the one who still questions everything. "

The shadow replied.

Ethan stayed silent. His eyes never left the entity.

Selene raised her blade. Her grip tightened. Her chest ached with unease.

The blade hovered inches from the shadow’s heart.

She didn’t move.

She couldn’t.

She looked at him—not just the smoke, but the glimmers of what she’d seen beneath. A face like Ethan’s. A presence that had helped her. Guided her. Saved her from herself.

"You helped me."

She whispered.

"Yes."

"And now you want me to kill you?"

"I was never meant to exist. Just a fracture... a memory. You must choose."

Selene’s arm trembled. Her breath caught. It felt wrong—so wrong. And yet... something about it also felt necessary.

"I don’t know if this is right or wrong. I don’t know if I’m freeing you... or killing you."

She said quietly.

"That’s the point."

The words echoed through her mind.

A choice without a clear answer. A line without a direction. The kind of decision that marked every turning point of her life.

Her blade remained raised, but her heart was chaos.

Ethan finally stepped closer, placing a hand gently on her shoulder.

"You don’t have to do it alone."

He said softly.

Selene didn’t look away from the figure.

"But I do have to choose, don’t I?"

"Yes."

She took one more breath—then raised her blade higher.

The moment hung in the air.

Then she brought it down.

Selene’s blade descended with certainty—until the last moment.

It missed.

The tip scraped the ground beside the entity’s chest.

Her hand trembled, her grip unsteady. She stared at the weapon in disbelief, barely able to register her own failure.

A curse slipped past her lips as she took a shaky step back, shame burning at her core.

The shadowy figure stood still, watching her with the same unreadable gaze it always held. It didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Just... waited.

Selene opened her mouth, voice caught in her throat.

"I—I’m sorry. I couldn’t do it. I thought I could, but—"

She whispered.

Before she could finish, someone grabbed her wrist.

Ethan.

His hand guided hers with firm control—and without hesitation, he plunged the blade into the entity’s chest.

Selene gasped, watching in frozen silence as the figure’s body convulsed once, then stilled.

Smoke began to billow from the wound, twisting into the air and consuming the space around them. The world darkened. freewēbnoveℓ.com

The shadow entity looked up one last time. Its form faded like mist unraveling in the wind.

"Thank you."

It whispered.

Then it was gone.

Selene instinctively reached for where it had been, but Ethan wrapped an arm around her, pulling her back.

"It’s over. There’s nothing more we can do for him now."

He said gently.