The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 68: Ch : Dungeon’s Third Test- Part 2

The dungeon lay still, its once-vibrant energy dissipated as the boss’s body crumbled into ash.

The soft glow of victory notifications washed over Selene and her team, signaling that the threat had been neutralized.

The dungeon’s atmosphere, which had been thick with danger, now felt cool and airy, as if the space itself were exhaling.

Selene helped the fallen healer sit up, pressing a small vial of healing potion into her trembling hands.

The young woman’s fingers closed weakly around it, and with a grateful nod, she sipped, color slowly returning to her cheeks.

"Thank you!"

The healer whispered, her voice hoarse from overuse and exhaustion.

"You did well,"

Selene said softly, brushing stray hair from the healer’s forehead

But the moment of reprieve was shattered by angry voices.

"What the hell was that?"

The first team, their armor battered and their expressions twisted with rage, marched forward, their leader at the front. His face flushed, his eyes hard.

"You stole our kill! We were here first! That was our boss!"

He shouted, his voice echoing through the now-silent dungeon chamber.

Ethan, who had been cleaning his sword, looked up with an arched brow. His demeanor remained calm, but his eyes had a dangerous edge.

"If you wanted the kill, you should have fought better. From what I saw, you were about to become orc food. You’re welcome, by the way."

He said, his tone almost bored.

The first team’s leader bristled, his fists clenching.

"You think you’re so tough, huh? You and your merry band of—"

But the glares from Ethan, coupled with the growing realization of how easily he had handled the boss, made the leader swallow his words.

The first team members exchanged glances, their initial bravado crumbling under the weight of their failure.

Unable to direct their anger at Ethan, their eyes turned instead to Selene, who was still aiding the healer.

"And you! What do you think you’re doing? Meddling in things you don’t understand. You’re just support—you should know your place."

Another member sneered, his lip curling.

Selene didn’t flinch. She finished tying a bandage around the healer’s arm, then rose to her feet. Her expression was unreadable, her eyes cold.

"My place? And where exactly is that? Below you? Because from where I’m standing, the only reason you’re still breathing is because of us—and because of your ’useless’ support"

she echoed, her voice calm but piercing.

Her words hit hard, the first team’s faces turning red, a mix of embarrassment and fury.

"You think you’re better than us? We’ll show you your place."

the leader spat, his hand reaching out, his intention clear.

The moment his fingers stretched forward, a blur of motion cut through the space between them.

Ethan moved like lightning, his hand catching the attacker’s wrist. With a smooth, practiced twist, he forced the man’s arm behind his back, the pop of a joint followed by a yelp of pain.

"Touch her, and I’ll break every bone in your body."

Ethan whispered, his voice low, dangerous.

The first team’s bravado crumbled, the other members shrinking back, but their anger didn’t dissipate. Instead, it shifted, focusing on Selene.

"I can’t believe you’d defend her. She’s nothing but a useless support—barely even that. Are you really going to attack us over someone like her?"

Another team member hissed, his eyes darting between Selene and Ethan.

Selene smiled, but there was no warmth in it.

"You call me useless, yet here you are, unable to survive a single dungeon without your healer. How pathetic."

Her words struck deep, and the attacker flinched, but his pride refused to let him back down.

"We... we didn’t need her! We would’ve been fine—"

He stammered, his voice weaker now.

"Really? Then why aren’t you on your feet, fighting, instead of cowering behind your so-called ’useless’ support? You need her. You just don’t want to admit it because it makes you realize how weak you truly are."

Selene cut in, her voice sharp.

The first team faltered, their leader still pinned by Ethan, the others shifting uncomfortably. But the healer, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up.

"She’s right! I’ve done everything you asked—pushed myself to the brink—and all I get are insults and threats. I’m done. I won’t be your crutch anymore."

The healer said, her voice soft but steady.

The first team’s shock was palpable, their expressions crumbling.

"But... we need you,"

One of them murmured, his voice almost pleading.

"Then treat her like it. Or lose her. And next time, when you’re trapped in a dungeon, don’t expect a miracle. You won’t get another one."

Selene said, her tone final.

With that, she turned away, leading the healer gently to a safer spot, where Zara and Orion were already offering water and food.

Ethan released the first team’s leader, who collapsed to his knees, his confidence shattered.

The dungeon may have been conquered, but it was clear who the true victors were.

Selene and her team didn’t just win the battle against the boss—they had shattered the illusion of attackers’ superiority, proving once and for all that support was not only valuable but vital.

And as the first team nursed their wounds, both physical and emotional, they were left with a hard lesson—one that Selene had been waiting for them to learn all along.

"Hey, do you think those people learned their lesson? Will they treat their healder better now?"

Orion asked in a low voice. He still felt for the healer and wanted to bring her alone. But he also understood that he did not have the capability to save her and then turn a blind eye to others.

Even at ten years old, his burden was getting heavier to carry. novelbuddy.cσ๓

Selene noticed the gloomy look and decided to give Orion the best answer they could.

"Well, they better treat her right. Otherwise, a tragedy can happen to them anytime once their healder decides she’s had enough and stops supporting them with her skills."

Selene informed, remembering such fates she had heard about before.

She hoped that the same would not happen to the party she left behind.