The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 275: Ch 274: Breaking Free - Part 4

Ethan barely ducked under the wave of compressed air, the force of it slicing through the pillars behind him like butter.

Dust clouded the chamber, but he could still see her—Selene, no longer in control, her body consumed by the entity.

She hovered a few inches above the ground, eyes glowing, hands crackling with power that wasn’t hers.

"You made the wrong choice. If you truly wanted someone to unlock their potential, you should’ve picked someone stronger. You should’ve picked me. Not someone as fragile as Selene."

Ethan growled, fire flickering around his hands.

Selene’s—no, the entity’s—head tilted to the side. Then came a slow, mocking smile.

"Oh, child, don’t be so dramatic."

It said with a laugh.

The voice twisted from soft to sharp in seconds.

"You were our first choice. You were the chosen one. But you gave it all up. You walked away. So don’t you dare pretend to be the victim now."

Ethan’s expression faltered.

"What...?"

But he had no time to process.

Selene’s body raised a hand, and the entire room seemed to shake. Before Ethan could move, his limbs stiffened—his system blinked red.

Power Bound.

His knees hit the ground.

"Damn it."

He hissed through clenched teeth.

"It’s the end, Child. Now watch as I reshape everything with her."

The entity whispered sweetly,

"You’re wrong. It’s not the end. I still have one last card to play."

Ethan said with effort.

"Then play it. Let’s see your worst."

The entity grinned, its voice carrying a cruel edge.

Just as Selene’s body lunged toward him, it halted mid-motion. Her eyes widened. She turned.

Behind her stood the smoke-covered figure, his fingers wrapped tightly around her wrist.

"Let go."

The entity snarled through Selene’s lips.

The smoky figure’s grip tightened.

"No. You’ve done enough damage on my turf. It’s time you pay for what you’ve done... both of you."

He said, voice steady.

"You’ll regret this."

The entity hissed.

But it didn’t matter.

Ethan watched, frozen, as the two forces collided inside her.

Selene’s body convulsed. Sparks flew from her fingertips. Her mouth opened in a scream—but it was no longer the entity’s voice.

It was hers.

"E–Ethan... it hurts—!"

He closed his eyes, helpless.

"I’m sorry."

He whispered, fists clenched.

Selene screamed again, her voice laced with agony, and then fell silent. Her body dropped to the ground with a lifeless thud.

For a second, Ethan didn’t move.

Then the smoky figure turned to face him. The haze around its face shifted for just a second, revealing eyes that mirrored his own.

"She’s alive. But this is only the beginning."

It said quietly.

Ethan rushed to Selene’s side, kneeling beside her collapsed form. She was breathing—but barely. Her skin was cold. Her fingers twitching. Her face... peaceful, but strained.

"What happens now?"

Ethan asked, not looking away from her.

The smoky figure stared at him for a long time.

"She has to fight now. Alone."

Ethan gritted his teeth.

"There has to be something I can do. Anything."

The figure went silent for a moment. Then:

"Hope is a dangerous thing, Ethan. You know that better than anyone. It gives, but it also destroys."

Ethan’s hands trembled as he cradled Selene against his chest.

He didn’t argue. He just sat there.

Silent. Helpless.

And full of regret.

Ethan stared at the crumbling walls of the dungeon, at the fragments of once-solid ground breaking apart underfoot.

The air was thick with smoke and magic, unstable and chaotic. He knew he had to move. Knew he had to get Selene out before everything around them shattered for good.

But his body refused to cooperate.

His knees shook. His muscles screamed. His chest burned with every breath he took.

His powers, bound and battered from the fight, no longer answered him.

Ethan gritted his teeth, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

"When did I get this weak...? When did it all start falling apart?"

He muttered under his breath.

Selene lay unconscious beside him, her body barely stirring.

She looked peaceful in a way that made his heart ache. She had given up everything in that fight—and now it was his turn to get them both out.

But how?

He didn’t even have the strength to lift his own arms, let alone carry her.

That’s when the smoky figure reappeared beside him.

"Ugh, I can’t watch this pathetic show any longer."

The entity groaned, arms crossed.

Ethan blinked up at him.

"What?"

"You heard me. Take my power. Use it. Get her out. You’re the only one who can."

The entity said.

Ethan hesitated.

"You want me to... absorb you?"

The entity’s glowing eyes narrowed.

"I need you to. The dungeon is done. I have no purpose left. But you—you’ve still got work to do. So stop hesitating and take the damn hand."

The weight of that stare—firm, unwavering, and almost familiar—finally pushed Ethan into action. With trembling fingers, he reached up and grabbed the entity’s hand.

The moment their palms touched, a shock tore through Ethan’s body like a bolt of lightning.

The smoky figure began to dissolve, tendrils of energy coiling into Ethan’s chest and arms. His bones vibrated. His skin burned.

But with the pain came power.

Real, pulsing, undeniable strength.

The last thing Ethan heard before the entity vanished was a quiet whisper:

"Good luck."

The transformation was instant.

Ethan gasped as energy surged through his veins, filling every crevice of his exhausted body. His legs steadied. His strength returned.

He could breathe again.

No, he could do more than that—he could move.

Without wasting another second, he scooped Selene into his arms.

She was weightless now, or maybe he was just stronger. He tightened his hold around her and turned toward the collapsing corridor.

Everything around them was falling apart. Cracks spread across the ceiling, chunks of the dungeon’s structure rained down like hail. Magic fizzled in the air like broken glass.

But Ethan didn’t stop.

One step. Then another. Then a full sprint.

The exit was crumbling, but he could see it—the last shimmer of a doorway still intact.

Gritting his teeth, Ethan pushed forward. The dungeon no longer had a core. It no longer had rules. It was chaos, folding in on itself.

And if he didn’t make it out now, they were going down with it.

With one final burst of speed, Ethan leapt through the collapsing portal, shielding Selene with his body as everything behind them turned to smoke and dust.