The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse
Chapter 299: Ch 298: Not ready for it - Part 2

Chapter 299: Ch 298: Not ready for it - Part 2

The system flashed angrily in Ethan’s vision, urgent red warnings filling up the screen.

[WARNING:

Attempting to absorb this energy forcefully may result in critical system failure.

Severe damage to the host body is imminent.

Proceeding is not advised.]

Ethan gritted his teeth.

He knew the risks. He understood what the system was trying to say.

But he didn’t care.

Selene was out there. He had no time to be careful.

With a defiant snarl, Ethan pushed his trembling hand forward again, fingertips brushing the swirling core of energy.

A crackling sound echoed through the chamber—and a sharp, blinding pain shot through his arm.

He gasped as he saw it—fine fractures racing along his skin like breaking porcelain, splitting down his wrist and crawling up toward his shoulder.

His body was coming apart.

But still, he refused to let go.

Just as another sharp crack tore down his arm, a familiar voice cut through the air, desperate and pained.

"Stop, you fool!"

The red-haired woman—the spirit—rose into existence before him in a rush of flickering light. Her form wavered, unstable, but her expression was firm.

"I can’t watch you destroy yourself like this. I won’t."

She said, her voice thick with something almost like sorrow.

Before Ethan could argue, she stepped forward and gently placed her translucent hand over his.

The energy that had been tearing him apart instantly shifted.

Instead of hitting Ethan directly, it now poured through the spirit’s body.

The pressure lifted from his bones. The cracking in his arm slowed. The pain dulled.

Ethan slumped forward slightly, his whole body sagging with relief, but confusion gnawed at him.

"Why? You... hate him. You hate our emperor. Why help me now?"

He asked hoarsely. His voice cracked.

He didn’t say me. He said him—telling the red-haired female just who was incharge at this current time.

The red-haired woman smiled faintly, her features softening into something heartbreakingly kind.

"I never hated him. I waited for him. Even after the kingdom fell, even after he abandoned us... I waited."

She said quietly.

Her fingers tightened slightly around his hand, her form flickering more violently as she continued to absorb the violent energy surging between them.

"But, it seems he’s found something even more precious than this broken kingdom. Something he’s willing to destroy himself for. I... can’t stand in his way anymore."

She said, smiling with bittersweet resignation.

Her eyes shimmered, brimming with unshed tears that would never fall.

"So go. Take what you need, and tell our king—tell him I never once hated him."

She whispered.

Ethan couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak. All he could do was watch, frozen, as the spirit burned herself away to protect him.

The energy from the core started to stabilize, flowing smoothly into Ethan now, soaking into his bones, his mind, his very soul.

Strength flooded him, mending the fractures, soothing the screaming wounds deep inside him.

A power he had never felt before began to settle into his body—wild, ancient, and endless.

Still, he kept silent.

Inside him, the real emperor stirred.

But when Ethan asked quietly.

"Do you have anything to say?"

The emperor only remained silent.

The real Ethan—who had never been a king, who had never wanted a throne—sighed and shook his head.

"I’ll say it for you, then. I’ll get us out of here. And with this... I’ll finally be strong enough to help Selene."

He murmured. His voice was low, but steady with conviction.

The red-haired spirit’s body began to disintegrate, tiny motes of light drifting upward like fireflies.

She smiled one last time, a smile full of sadness and hope, before she vanished completely.

And then it was just Ethan standing there, the now dimming energy source in front of him, the castle around him cold and empty once more.

He let out a long, slow breath, the weight of everything pressing down on him—but it didn’t crush him this time.

It made him stronger.

He tightened his fingers into a fist, feeling the new strength humming under his skin.

[Congratulations.

New Power Acquired: [Origin Core Fragment]

Physical and Mental Parameters Boosted.]

Ethan didn’t even smile.

There was no joy in it.

Only resolve.

Turning back toward the way he came, Ethan began the long walk out of the crumbling castle, leaving the past and its regrets behind.

Ahead of him waited a tournament, a war, and Selene—

—the girl he had sworn, no matter what, to bring home.

And this time, he wouldn’t fail.

______

Selene stood at the edge of the unfinished arena, arms crossed, giving orders to the workers moving in a rush around her.

Dust rose in thick clouds under the relentless sun, the noise of hammering and shouting filling the air.

She barely heard any of it. Her mind was elsewhere—focused only on completing this tournament perfectly.

She needed it to go smoothly.

She needed to finish this mission. And then... she could finally rest.

But just as she opened her mouth to shout another command, a sharp, burning sensation shot through her chest.

Selene gasped, stumbling a step backward, her hand flying to her heart as the searing pain intensified.

It felt like someone was squeezing her heart with iron claws, crushing it from the inside out.

A sharp cry slipped past her lips before she could stop it. Her knees buckled under the agony.

Selene barely managed to stay upright by leaning heavily against a nearby stone pillar.

She clenched her jaw tightly, trying to endure it, but the burning only worsened. The ground beneath her swayed dangerously.

Across the arena, Luke’s head snapped up at the sight of her crumpling figure. Without a second thought, he sprinted toward her, dodging workers and materials.

"Selene!"

He called, voice sharp with panic.

He reached her just as she dropped fully to her knees, arms wrapped tightly around her middle.

"Hey—! Are you okay?"

He asked frantically, crouching beside her.

Selene tried to open her mouth to answer, but only a choked, breathless sound came out.

The pain was overwhelming, as if something inside her was burning away everything she was.

Luke leaned closer, trying to hear her faint whisper.

"Don’t... make a fuss. I’m fine."

Selene gritted out, her voice barely above a whisper.

Luke’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

"Fine? Selene, you’re literally collapsing—"

"I said—"

Selene tried to push him away weakly.

"—I’m fine."

But even she didn’t believe her own words.

Luke pressed his lips into a thin line, clearly torn between respecting her stubbornness and physically dragging her to safety.

Before either of them could move again, the burning sensation slowly, painfully began to fade.

Selene sucked in a shaky breath, her limbs tingling as feeling returned to her legs.

She gritted her teeth and forced herself to her feet, every movement sending aftershocks of pain through her system.

Luke instinctively reached out to steady her, but Selene brushed his hand off harshly.

"I don’t need your help."

She snapped, glaring at him even as she wobbled unsteadily.

Luke exhaled heavily, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, yeah. I heard you," he muttered. But the concern in his eyes didn’t vanish.

Selene turned away, her mind still whirling from the strange sensation.

Her heart continued to pound unnaturally against her ribs, almost as if something foreign had stirred awake inside her.

Luke watched her back carefully. Something about her... felt off.

Frowning, he discreetly opened his system window and tried to scan Selene’s vitals—just to make sure she wasn’t dying on him.

But to his shock, the system returned a strange message:

[ERROR:

Unable to assess target. Access denied.]

Luke’s brows furrowed deeply.

’Access denied?’

That had never happened before—not even with high-ranked hunters or system anomalies.

He snapped the system shut, heart pounding with unease.

Before he could say anything, Selene turned her head slightly to glance at him.

Her eyes—

—for the briefest second—

—glowed with an unnatural, haunting light.

They glowed like something inhuman was staring back at him.

Luke instinctively took a half step back, his hand twitching toward the dagger strapped to his thigh.

But in the next instant, the glow vanished. Gone, like it had never been there.

Selene’s expression was cold, sharp, and tired—but unmistakably her own.

Luke’s hand dropped uselessly to his side. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to relax.

Selene raised an eyebrow at him.

"Something wrong?"

She asked, her voice light, almost mocking.

Luke hesitated. His instincts screamed at him to speak up, to demand answers, but—

Looking at her pale face, the slight tremble in her fingers, he knew she wouldn’t tell him anything even if he asked.

"No, Nothing’s wrong."

He said finally, forcing a casual smile.

Selene nodded once and turned away, issuing sharp commands to the workers once more like nothing had happened.

But Luke couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in his gut.

He looked up at the sky, which had darkened slightly as clouds rolled in above the unfinished arena.

Something terrible was coming. Something tied to Selene.

And if Luke wanted to protect her, he would have to be ready to fight—even if it meant fighting against her.

He clenched his fists at his sides, silently vowing that no matter what happened, he wouldn’t leave her alone.

_______

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