The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 307: Ch: 306 Don’t Break - Part 1

Noah launched a shard of ice at the creature’s leg, but it bounced off uselessly.

"It’s like hitting a wall!"

Nora growled and summoned a wave of flames that surged around the beast’s back.

The monster screeched, irritated, but still didn’t slow down.

"It’s heading straight for the others!" she shouted.

The towering beast, covered in blackened scales and jagged horns, stomped past them with a single-minded focus.

Its eyes locked on the terrified workers Noah and Nora had been trying to protect. Nora’s expression twisted into panic.

"It’s ignoring us—"

"Then we make it notice."

Noah snapped, sending a freezing wind that clung to the monster’s limbs.

Nora responded with a burst of fire, the searing heat clashing violently against Noah’s frost and creating a steam cloud that temporarily blinded the creature.

It halted for a second, but then kept going.

Nora turned to Noah, her voice low.

"Do you trust me?"

He blinked, startled.

"What kind of question is that?"

"Just answer."

Noah looked at her, heart pounding.

"I do. But... why do I feel like I’m going to regret that?"

Nora smiled softly.

"Because you know me too well."

Before he could ask more, she lifted both hands and summoned a roaring circle of fire.

Flames spiraled up into the sky, cutting her off from the rest of the group—and from Noah.

"Nora!"

He shouted, lunging forward, but the heat stopped him cold.

"Take them and go!"

She yelled from within the fire. "I’ll handle this!"

"No—I’m not leaving you behind!"

His fists clenched.

"You have to. I’ll be right behind you. I promise."

She lied, voice gentle.

Noah stared at her for a moment longer before realizing he had no other choice.

The workers were screaming, chaos growing behind him. He turned with a curse under his breath and led the group away.

"Everyone, move! Now!"

Inside the fire ring, the boss monster growled, trying again to bypass Nora. B

ut she moved with it, matching its every step, her flames always cutting off the path forward.

"Not this time. You’re fighting me whether you like it or not."

She whispered.

______

The group stumbled toward the shelter, exhausted and out of breath.

Noah led the charge, glancing over his shoulder every few seconds, afraid the monster might catch up.

Smoke curled in the sky behind them—evidence of Nora’s flames holding the boss monster at bay.

When they reached the gates of the fortified shelter, the shimmering barrier surrounding it flickered, reacting to their presence.

Rize Spencer was standing near the entrance, her brows furrowed as she organized the incoming waves of terrified civilians.

She turned, startled.

"Noah?"

He nodded quickly.

"I need your help. These people—my employees—they need to get inside."

Rize’s lips parted as her eyes scanned the growing crowd behind him. She looked troubled.

"Noah, we’re already over capacity. We’ve let in more than we were supposed to. If the shield fails—"

"I understand. But please. They’ll die out here."

Noah said firmly.

Rize hesitated. Then, with a sigh, she gestured them in.

"Only because you’re Selene’s brother. Get them in fast."

Relief washed over Noah as the group crossed the barrier and collapsed inside the safe zone. He turned to thank Rize—but a booming crash interrupted him.

A massive boss monster emerged from the smoke, claws dragging across the cracked ground.

It let out a screech as it slammed into the barrier, and the protective shield around the shelter pulsed violently.

Rize gasped, a hand flying to her chest.

The veins on her neck pulsed, her eyes flashing as she struggled to keep her composure. Blood pooled at the corner of her lips as the strain of maintaining the barrier increased.

Noah rushed to her.

"You okay?"

"I’m fine. The barrier’s holding... for now. But I won’t be if that thing keeps pounding it."

Rize muttered, though her voice shook.

Noah clenched his fists.

The image of Nora encircling herself with fire flashed in his mind.

He couldn’t leave Rize here to suffer—not when she’d helped him. Not when these people depended on her.

"I’ll take care of it"

He said, stepping back.

Rize’s eyes widened.

"What?"

"You just keep everyone inside. Don’t let anyone step out. I’ll handle that thing."

Rize gritted her teeth, torn between arguing and trusting him.

"I’ll try to keep them calm. But honestly? They’re so scared I doubt anyone’s stepping outside anyway."

Noah gave her a quick nod, turned on his heel, and stepped beyond the barrier. The temperature around him began to drop as he summoned his strength.

He raised both hands and called forth a massive wave of ice, forming a protective ring around the entire shelter.

The earth cracked beneath his feet as frosty energy surged through him, the temperature plummeting with each passing second.

The boss monster snarled, sensing its new opponent.

Noah narrowed his eyes and faced the creature without hesitation.

"You’re not getting past me. I won’t let anyone else get hurt."

He said, breath fogging in the cold air. The monster lunged.

Noah answered with a volley of razor-sharp ice shards.

______

The city was in chaos. Screams echoed in the distance, fires rose like beacons of despair, and the air stank of blood and ash.

Monsters tore through buildings like paper, their roars shaking the ground as they hunted anything that moved.

Zara slammed her foot into a charging beast, launching it into a crumbling wall.

"Damn it!"

She cursed, spinning to drive her blade through another monster lunging from the side. Its body exploded into ash, but another quickly replaced it.

She wiped blood from her cheek with the back of her hand, muttering under her breath.

"At this rate, we’ll be at this for a month. And we don’t have a month."

Just as another boss monster emerged from a collapsing tower, Zara raised her weapon in frustration—only for it to be blasted aside by a flaming projectile that came out of nowhere. The monster let out a screech as it was sent flying past her.

Zara blinked and turned, eyes narrowing.

Ethan Park stood amidst a sea of shattered stone and dead monsters, his body glowing faintly with residual energy.

"You okay over there?"

He asked, voice calm despite the destruction around him.

Zara let out a sharp breath and rolled her eyes.

"I’ve got over a hundred points already. My side’s done. How about you?"

Ethan glanced at the distant horizon, where another horde of monsters loomed.

"Still working through it. Keep collecting points while you can. We don’t know how long this will last."

He said.

Zara gave him a short nod before turning and sprinting off, muttering to herself.

"You better not be planning to win this alone."

Meanwhile, Luke stood atop a crumbling watchtower, overlooking the battlefield.

Below him, the city lay in ruin, dotted with glowing barriers, makeshift shelters, and desperate fighters locked in battles they were never meant to face.

He watched the destruction without blinking, his arms crossed behind his back.

Humans screamed. Monsters roared. Blood splattered the streets. And still, the system demanded more.

He sighed, the sound almost lost in the wind.

He wasn’t surprised by any of it. He’d seen the warnings. He’d read the signs. And still... seeing it unfold made something twist in his gut.

He didn’t care for humanity. Not truly. But there were still people caught in the middle of all this. Innocent people. People who hadn’t asked to be part of some cruel game. free𝑤ebnovel.com

Luke turned slowly and looked toward Selene.

She stood motionless in the corner of the rooftop, her body upright but unmoving, like a puppet left without strings. Her eyes were wide open, but glassy. Unfocused. Almost... hollow.

Luke approached carefully.

"Is this what you envisioned? When you said you wanted to reach the end... was this what you meant?"

He asked, voice low.

Selene didn’t answer.

Her breathing was shallow. Her gaze never moved.

It was as if the chaos, the monsters, the fire—all of it—didn’t even exist in her world anymore.

Luke’s brows pulled together.

He wasn’t expecting an answer, not really. But seeing her like this—so detached, so far from the sharp, furious girl who’d once defied him—it made something cold settle in his chest.

The girl who had clawed her way out of the system’s grasp...

Was now barely even here.

He looked away, back toward the battlefield.

"Don’t disappear. Not now."

He said quietly.

Because something was coming. And they would need her.

Even if she didn’t know it yet.

The wind whipped through the broken buildings, carrying the stench of smoke and blood.

Luke remained by Selene’s side, silently watching as another part of the city collapsed in the distance.

The cries of civilians, the screeches of monsters, the clash of metal and power—it all blended into white noise.

He glanced at Selene again, her hands slightly trembling, her lips parted like she wanted to speak but had forgotten how.

"Don’t break now. Not when we’re this close."

He muttered.

A flicker of something—pain or recognition—passed through her blank expression. But it was gone before he could be sure.