The Villain Professor's Second Chance-Chapter 440: Inside The Dim Room of Terror

The room remained dim, illuminated only by the eerie glow of the symbols carved into the stone walls. The cold, damp atmosphere clung to Amberine’s skin, suffocating, like a thick blanket of mist wrapping itself around her throat. Her wrists were still bound by enchanted chains, her mana sapped, leaving her weak, vulnerable. The cold metal bit into her skin, refusing her any respite. She was exhausted—every part of her ached—but she couldn’t rest. Not here. Not with the fear crawling beneath her skin, urging her to stay alert.

The door creaked open, slow and deliberate, drawing her attention. Her heart leaped in her chest, pounding like a drum against her ribs. She watched, breath caught in her throat, as the figure slipped into the room. He was small, thin, his body hunched like a broken doll. Each movement was jerky, his limbs bending in strange, insect-like angles. He moved as if he wasn’t entirely in control of himself, as if each step took more effort than it should. His face remained obscured beneath a deep hood, and though she couldn’t see his eyes, the crooked grin that stretched across his lips was clear enough—and it sent a shiver down her spine.

The figure paused, his head tilting to the side, as though listening to some unheard tune. His mouth moved, muttering to himself in disjointed words. Amberine strained to understand, but it was gibberish—nonsensical phrases pieced together without meaning. It made her skin prickle, the wrongness of it creeping up her spine.

"The pretty light... yes, yes... dancing shadows," he whispered, his raspy voice carrying a menacing undertone. He giggled, a sound that was childlike yet so unnervingly sinister that Amberine’s blood ran cold.

He turned his head toward her, and though she couldn’t see his eyes, she could feel his gaze—a curious, greedy stare that made her stomach twist in knots. She clenched her teeth, her body tensing as he shuffled closer, his head bobbing as he moved. He reached out to touch the walls, his fingers tracing the symbols with erratic movements, and then he turned sharply, his attention snapping back to her with a suddenness that made her flinch.

"So much... potential," he muttered, his grin widening. His voice was filled with glee, like a child who had found a hidden toy. He took another step closer, his feet barely making a sound on the stone floor. "The pretty light... hidden..." His words trailed off into a whisper, and he let out a soft laugh, his shoulders shaking with mirth.

Amberine’s heart pounded harder, her pulse thundering in her ears. There was something about him—something that filled her with an almost primal fear. She wanted to look away, wanted to shut her eyes and pretend he wasn’t there, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t let him out of her sight.

He swayed as he approached, his movements serpentine, like he was following the rhythm of some unheard tune. The grin on his lips widened, revealing crooked, yellowed teeth. His fingers twitched, trembling as if he could barely contain his excitement. He was close now, close enough that Amberine could see the faint outline of his features beneath the hood—thin, gaunt, his skin pale and sickly, almost translucent.

He reached out, his fingers brushing against her cheek, the back of his hand cold against her skin. Amberine shivered, jerking her head away, but the chains held her in place, preventing her from escaping his touch. His chuckle was soft, breathy, the foul scent of decay wafting from him. She swallowed, her throat dry, fear clawing at her insides.

"So much potential..." he whispered, his voice taking on a singsong quality that made her skin crawl. "But you need a mark, yes... a mark to bring it out." His fingers slid down her face, tracing the line of her jaw before moving to her arm. Amberine flinched, trying to pull away, but the enchanted chains tightened around her wrists, holding her in place.

He pulled out something from beneath his cloak—a small, twisted needle that glowed faintly with a dark green hue. The light pulsated, rhythmic, almost alive. Amberine’s breath hitched, her eyes widening as she stared at the needle. Every instinct screamed at her to get away, to run, to fight, but she couldn’t move—the chains held her still, forcing her to endure whatever horror was coming.

Visit freewёbnoνel.com for the best novel reading experience.

"No," she whispered, her voice cracking, her fear bubbling over into desperation. She tried to pull away, her wrists straining against the chains, but they only tightened further, biting into her skin.

The figure didn’t seem to hear her, or if he did, he didn’t care. He pressed the needle to her arm, and Amberine gasped, her body tensing as a cold, burning sensation spread from the point of contact. It wasn’t like fire—it was worse. It was a cold that seeped deep into her bones, a chilling pain that seemed to freeze her from the inside out.

She bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes as she tried to block out the pain. The needle moved, the figure guiding it across her skin, and dark lines began to form, spreading out like roots, winding their way up her arm. The lines glowed faintly, a sickly green before settling into an inky black, the pain throbbing with every beat of her heart.

Amberine’s breaths came in short gasps, her body trembling. She could feel the dark lines spreading, the coldness sinking deeper, draining what little strength she had left. The figure seemed entranced, his eyes wide with delight as he continued his work, his fingers trembling with excitement.

"Yes... yes, the mark... it will bring it out," he whispered, his voice distant, as though he were speaking to himself. He moved the needle with care, the lines forming intricate patterns that wound their way across her skin, glowing faintly before fading into black ink.

Amberine’s eyes squeezed shut, her body shaking. The pain was unbearable, a deep, searing cold that made her entire body feel heavy, weak. She tried to block it out, tried to focus on something else—anything else. Ifrit’s voice echoed in her mind, a distant whisper that she clung to, a reminder that she wasn’t alone, that there was still hope.

But the pain was overwhelming, the darkness creeping into her mind, her thoughts growing muddled. She felt the cold lines spreading, winding their way up her arm, across her shoulder, their touch like ice against her skin. She didn’t understand what was happening—didn’t understand what this mark was or why he was doing this to her. But she knew it was wrong. She could feel it, deep inside her, a sense of dread that twisted her stomach, that made her heart pound in fear.

The figure stepped back, his eyes wide with delight as he admired his work. He traced a finger over the dark lines, and Amberine felt a strange energy pulse through her—a cold, dark power that made her shiver, her heart pounding in fear. She didn’t know what it was, but she could feel it—something inside her had changed, something dark and twisted had awakened.

Read new chapters at novelbuddy

He muttered something under his breath, his words too soft to hear. Amberine’s body trembled, her breathing ragged, the pain still throbbing through her arm. She watched as he turned away, his movements jerky, erratic. He moved towards the door, his laughter echoing in the small chamber—a sound that was filled with glee, childlike and sinister.

Before he left, he looked back at her, his grin widening. "Soon," he whispered, his voice barely audible, "soon you’ll understand." And then, with a final, jerky movement, he slipped out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him, leaving Amberine alone in the darkness.

Amberine’s body sagged against the chains, her eyes closing as tears slipped down her cheeks. The pain was still there, a cold, burning sensation that seemed to seep into her very bones. She felt weak, exhausted, the darkness pressing in on her from all sides. She had never felt so helpless, so vulnerable.

She took a shaky breath, her voice a broken whisper. "Please... someone... help me." And then, her tears fell, her body trembling as she let herself cry, the fear, the pain, the hopelessness all crashing down on her, leaving her feeling more alone than she had ever felt in her life.