Chapter 273: Ch 272: Breaking Free - Part 2
Selene stood in silence. Her sword hung limply at her side.
"You’re right. Sorry. I just... I didn’t think I’d hesitate like that."
She murmured.
Ethan didn’t respond right away.
Instead, he looked at her, really looked at her—her trembling fra, her pale face, the way her shoulders shook slightly despite her attempts to appear composed.
"I don’t bla you. But you’re shaking"
He said at last.
Selene blinked.
"I—"
Before she could say anything, Ethan stepped closer and gently wrapped his arms around her from behind.
Her back t his chest in a sudden, warm shock. Then his chin rested softly on her shoulder, his breath calm and steady.
"You’ve done enough. Just let go for now. Don’t worry about a thing."
He whispered.
Selene closed her eyes for a second, letting his warmth anchor her. For a fleeting mont, the world felt still.
But chaos returned fast.
The air around them shifted.
The faint hum of distortion turned to screams.
Selene opened her eyes just in ti to see the guards around them—once human—begin to twist and writhe. Flesh warped. Bones snapped. Faces split open with monstrous fangs.
Their forms shifted into grotesque creatures, snarling and twitching in the gloom.
"What...?"
Selene whispered.
Then she saw him.
Prince Atticus.
He rushed toward her, panic carved into his youthful features.
"What have you done?"
He shouted.
But before he could reach her, he too began to twist—his body contorting unnaturally, growing claws and monstrous limbs.
Selene gasped and looked away, chest clenching with horror. She didn’t want to see it. She couldn’t.
Ethan noticed. Without a word, he gently placed his hands over her ears and pulled her closer against him.
"Don’t listen. Don’t look. I’ll watch for you. I’ll rember the things you don’t want to see."
He whispered.
Selene’s heart ached. Gratitude and sorrow tangled together.
He was shielding her from a world she didn’t want to face—but she couldn’t keep hiding behind him.
She wanted to protect him too. But how?
Before she could form the thought into words, a sharp prickle of danger surged through her spine.
"Ethan—!"
She began.
But he was already moving.
In one swift motion, Ethan grabbed her tightly and leapt backward.
A clawed hand slashed through the air where she’d just stood. A monster—one of the corrupted guards—had lunged from the side, teeth gnashing, eyes glowing red.
They landed hard behind a pillar, Ethan twisting to shield her from the brunt of the impact. He winced, but didn’t loosen his hold.
"Stay close."
He said, low and firm.
Selene nodded, mind racing.
There was no more ti to hesitate.
No more room for fear.
The dungeon had changed. Reality was crumbling, and everything was turning against them.
But she had Ethan.
And Ethan had her.
That had to be enough.
For now.
It seed like their attacker had lost all sense of reason.
The monster lunged again, eyes gleaming red, shrieking a sound so unnatural it made Selene flinch.
Ethan didn’t hesitate. With a flick of his wrist, shimring chains burst from his palms and wrapped tightly around the creature’s limbs.
The boss snarled and thrashed, but the chains held—for now.
Ethan gritted his teeth.
"Damn it. I can’t use my full strength. This place is—limiting ."
He muttered, sweat beading his forehead.
Selene glanced at her own interface, heart dropping when she saw the sa glaring ssage across her screen.
[Status: Restrictive Mode - External Influence Detected]
So it wasn’t just Ethan. The dungeon itself was suppressing them. Holding them back.
Her mind raced. They wouldn’t last long if they fought this thing half-powered.
"Think, Selene."
She whispered. Then she tapped her system open and slotted Amplify. One slot for Ethan. One for herself.
It worked—barely.
Their stats bumped up, just enough for them to move faster, strike harder. But not enough to win.
Not while the dungeon was suppressing everything they had.
As she struggled to find another solution, the voice returned.
[You’re going to die like this, Selene. Let
help you. Let
protect you.]
The voice. The sa voice that had helped her before... and nearly cost her everything.
Selene clenched her fists.
She knew it was a bad idea. She knew that every ti she gave it power, it took more from her.
But right now, the others were still inside the dungeon. They didn’t know what was happening. And if this boss got free...
[You both don’t stand a chance.]
"Selene! Don’t even think about it. Whatever it’s offering you—don’t take it!"
Ethan snapped his head toward her, his voice sharp. His eyes locked onto hers.
His words hit her like a slap.
But they also made the decision clear.
She t his gaze evenly.
"I’m sorry, Ethan. But I can’t let any of you die here."
The voice humd in her mind, satisfied.
[Wise choice. Let us begin.]
Selene felt it imdiately—like a current of heat flooding her limbs. Her heartbeat doubled. Her vision sharpened. Her limbs moved faster than her thoughts.
And her soul?
Her soul felt like it was being threaded into sothing else. Sothing darker. Sothing ancient.
Selene clenched her jaw and whispered to the voice.
"Take over. Just help them. Help us."
There was a pause. A low hum echoed in her mind, and then she felt it—like the entity was smiling. Not with kindness, but with delight.
[Finally. Now the real fun begins]
It purred.
The mont it took control, Selene’s knees buckled.
Her consciousness slipped into the background, as if she were watching through a fogged window.
She could still feel her body, still exist, but sothing else was in the driver’s seat now.
The entity stretched through her limbs, flexing her fingers with twisted glee.
[Ah... such a fine vessel. We’ll do marvelous things together.]
The voice spoke and Selene felt her mouth move. She felt like she was moving but not moving at the sa ti.
It felt weird but calm at the sati. Almost as if Selene no longer had to think about anything.
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