Ch 12: Good Bye to a sad end- Part 3

Selene sat on the cold floor, her back pressed against the edge of the bed, staring at her trembling hands. Her mind was still spinning, trying to grasp the impossible.

She had died.

Selene had felt the core's energy consume her, felt the burning light that had swallowed her whole. She had made her final choice, knowing there was no coming back from it.

And yet, here she was—alive.

Selene sucked in a shaky breath.

Her last memory was still fresh in her mind, but that did not mean she knew what it was exactly.

She could still see Noah and Nora trying to run toward her, their figures blurred at the edges of her vision. But their expressions?

She couldn't remember.

Had they been angry?

Had they been afraid?

Had they… cared?

She let out a hollow laugh, pressing her forehead against her knees. Once more, her emotions were clouding the objective fact. She knew that, but it didn't matter. 

None of it mattered anymore.

She had done her duty to her family, and surprisingly, it felt different. Her emotions felt different compared to before.

For years, she had given everything to her family. To her siblings. She had let herself be used, discarded, ignored—only to die for them in the end.

But she didn't regret it. Not one bit!

Because in those final moments she had been able to do what had been expected of her. Her siblings had managed to outlive her and that was a relief.

When she had made her choice, Ethan had been the only one who understood.

Ethan Park.

Selene's fingers curled into fists.

She remembered the way he had moved without hesitation, deploying a shield around her just before the core's explosion.

He had trusted her decision.

He had stopped Noah and Nora, keeping them from interfering and she felt grateful for that. Despite what happened between them, Selene loved her siblings a lot. This love was not something a few fights would take away from her.

Even now, in this second life, she felt an odd sense of gratitude toward him because he saved her siblings

But her parents…what was another matter.

Selene took a deep breath, staring at the ceiling.

She would always love her family, but her attitude toward her parents and siblings was different. She had once held them in the highest regard. 

But now, she had nothing left to give them. Her second chance was for herself.

This time… she wouldn't let them take anything more from her, even if this was something her heart duty demanded of her.

For the first time in her life, she felt free.

The thought sent a strange chill down her spine.

Freedom.

What would she even do with it?

Selene had never let herself consider the possibility before. In her past life, she had never once thought of running away—not because she didn't want to, but because she hadn't known how to survive alone.

But now?

She knew.

She knew exactly what was coming.

She knew how to survive the apocalypse.

And most importantly—

She knew how to disappear.

Her heart pounded at the realization.

She could leave.

Selene could escape to a place no one would be able to find her.

She could vanish before the world even started to burn.

But first—she needed to prepare.

Selene forced herself to her feet, ignoring the way her legs trembled. She needed a place to store supplies before everything collapsed.

Artificial storage didn't exist yet.

That had been one of the biggest struggles in the beginning of the apocalypse. With no way to carry extra food, medicine, or weapons, people had been forced to fight over whatever they could find.

She needed to find somewhere safe to keep her supplies.

She needed—

[INVENTORY UNLOCKED]

A soft chime echoed in the air.

Selene froze.

A transparent blue screen flickered in front of her, its glowing text sending a sharp jolt of shock through her body.

[Inventory Unlocked]

[Space Available: 10 Category Slots]

Her breath caught in her throat.

This…

This hadn't existed before. Selene had not awakened, even after 4 years of fighting in the apocalypse. Going in and out of the dungeons regularly and secretly taking things to awaken had not helped either.

An expert had even told Selene that her struggle was futile and it would be better for her to give up. It had been disheartening to hear.

So why now? The apocalypse had not even started yet and powers had not begun to emerge?

"Is this my reward for dying and coming back? This feels like a slap to my face."

That was how Selene felt. But a free reward was a free reward and she decided to gracefully accept it.

Selene hesitantly reached forward, her fingers brushing the glowing text. The moment she made contact, a new message popped up.

[Do you wish to access your inventory?]

[Yes] or [No]

Her lips parted slightly.

Her heart pounded.

Her instincts told her to be cautious, but her curiosity won.

She pressed [Yes.]

A second later, she felt something shift.

It was like an invisible force opened inside her mind, a new awareness settling deep in her consciousness.

And then—

A void appeared before her.

It was small, barely the size of a large bag, but it felt endless.

Selene inhaled sharply.

This was real and It was really happening.

Selene had not seen an inventory before because only an awakened person could see it. But she had heard rumors about how an inventory looked and functioned. And this was what she had heard from experts.

Her fingers twitched as she reached out.

The moment her hand dipped inside, she felt nothing.

It was empty, ready to be filled.

But it was hers.

This changed everything.

Selene clenched her jaw, her eyes darkening.

She had been planning to gather supplies and find a hidden place to store them.

But now?

She didn't need a hidden place.

She had this.

Her very own inventory.

"This is good. Does the universe finally decide to throw me a bone and help me escape? It's such a bitter-sweet feeling."

______

One more to go. I can do it. I can write one more...