Odyssey Of Survival

Nate watched as the big man stormed toward him, his large frame shaking the ground with each heavy step. The crowd roared in excitement, some cheering for the big man, others murmuring in disbelief that Nate was even standing his ground. Dust kicked up around the man's feet as he closed the distance, his arms wide, his entire body intending to crash into Nate like a boulder rolling downhill.

But Nate remained calm. He didn't tense, didn't flinch. He simply watched, waiting for the perfect moment.

The big man thundered forward, his muscles flexing, his breath heavy, his eyes locked on Nate like a predator ready to crush its prey.

And then—just before impact—Nate moved.

With a swift step to the side, he avoided the incoming mass of flesh and muscle, letting the man charge right past him. The big man barely had time to react before Nate's foot snapped out, landing a precise kick against the side of his leg.

It wasn't a strong kick, just enough to test something.

The impact made the man's knee bend slightly, and for a moment, he nearly lost his footing. His heavy body wobbled before he quickly stomped his foot down, regaining balance. The stumble lasted only a second, but it was enough to cause murmurs in the crowd.

A moment later, those murmurs turned into laughter and gasps.

"Did you see that? He almost fell!"

"I can't believe it! That was a clean hit!"

"That's impossible… but I guess it makes sense. The big guy was already moving. It was easier to throw him off balance."

Among the crowd, some women chuckled, shaking their heads at Nate's foolishness.

"Pretty boy, take that small victory and go," one of them called out.

"It's already shocking that you made him stumble," another woman added. "If he catches you now, you're dead."

"Just admit defeat and live," a third woman said, her tone almost pleading. "He's going to rip you apart if you keep this up."

But Nate wasn't listening to any of them.

Instead, his eyes were on the big man, who was now standing still, his face turning red with fury. His fists clenched so hard that his knuckles cracked, his breath coming out in ragged, angry bursts.

The crowd fell silent as the big man roared in rage.

"If that's your strength, then you're already dead!" he bellowed, his voice shaking the air.

Nate simply shook his head, his lips twitching in mild amusement. "That wasn't my strength," he said, his tone casual. "I was just checking how much force I'd need to bring you down."

But the big man didn't hear him.

He was already charging again, his eyes blazing with fury, his mind clouded with humiliation.

This time, he wasn't just running. His body moved differently, his legs pushing harder against the ground. His speed had increased.

Nate's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the change.

Interesting.

It was already surprising that someone so massive could run that fast, but now his speed had nearly doubled. His large strides carried him forward like an unstoppable beast, and his target was clear—Nate.

The moment the big man reached him, he slammed his leg forward in a powerful kick aimed directly at Nate's chest.

Nate barely had time to move.

With quick reflexes, he shifted to the side, dodging the attack. But as he did, something became clear.

His movements too… they're faster than before.

The increase in speed wasn't just a small boost—it was significant. Before, he had been fast for his size, but now? He was pushing beyond what Nate had expected.

Still, even with this increased speed, Nate wasn't worried.

The crowd gasped in awe as Nate avoided the attack effortlessly, but the big man wasn't done.

Seeing Nate dodge again only fueled his anger further. Without hesitation, he shifted his upper body back slightly, his muscles coiling like a spring.

And then—

His massive arm shot forward, his fist clenched tightly, his body weight shifting into the strike.@@novelbin@@

The crowd collectively held their breath.

"He's using that move?" someone whispered in shock.

"No way—he never pulls it out this quickly."

"Anyone who's taken a hit from that has never gotten back up."

The infamous move was feared among fighters. It wasn't just a punch—it was a devastating attack that used the full force of the big man's weight, his strength, and his balance to deliver a blow so powerful that nobody had ever survived it unscathed.

And the worst part?

Nate was too close to dodge it this time.

The world seemed to slow as the big man's massive fist hurtled toward Nate, the force behind it enough to break bones and shatter ribs. The air around the strike vibrated with raw power, and the crowd watched in horror, their eyes wide, their breath caught in their throats.

Nobody had ever survived a direct hit from that attack.

Some of them turned away, unable to watch what they believed would be Nate's gruesome end.

But Nate?

He didn't move. He didn't flinch. His expression remained the same, calm and unreadable.

He knew that trying to dodge at this range was pointless—the sheer speed and weight behind the attack made evasion nearly impossible.

So he did something no one else would have even considered.

He raised his right hand and opened his palm.

Then—

SMACK!

The impact rang out like a thunderclap, echoing through the hushed crowd.

Nate's palm met the incoming fist head-on.

And caught it.

Silence fell over the gathering.

Everyone stared in shock, their eyes flicking between Nate's hand and the giant fist trapped within it.

Nate didn't stagger. He didn't budge. He stood firmly in place, as if the devastating punch had never even happened.

The big man's expression twisted in disbelief, his face contorting with confusion and shock. His eyes darted down to his captured fist, unable to comprehend what just happened.

The murmurs in the crowd turned into gasps of sheer disbelief.

"W-What…?"

"He caught it…?"

"No way… That's impossible!"

It wasn't just the fact that Nate had stopped the punch—it was the fact that he had stopped it so effortlessly.

The sheer force behind the big man's attack should have at least pushed him back, even if he had somehow managed to block it. But Nate hadn't moved an inch.

His grip tightened around the big man's fist.

And then—

CRACK!

A sickening, sharp sound filled the air.

The big man's face twisted in pain as a scream tore from his throat.

His wrist bent at an unnatural angle, his fingers spasming as the bones inside fractured beneath Nate's grip.

The pain was instant and unbearable, his legs wobbling as his body reacted to the shock of sudden injury.

But Nate wasn't done.

Without releasing the man's broken fist, Nate stepped forward, closing the small distance between them. Then, with a fluid motion, he raised his leg and stomped down on the big man's stomach.

The force of the step alone was enough to knock the wind out of him, but Nate wasn't using it to attack.

He was using it as a platform.

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With his foot pressing down on the man's thick gut, Nate pushed himself up, his body lifting off the ground.

And then—

WHAM!

His other leg swung up in a clean arc, a perfectly executed crescent kick that connected directly with the big man's jaw.

The sheer force of the strike sent a shudder through the man's skull, his head snapping backward with a sickening jolt.

His eyes rolled back as his body went limp, his consciousness ripped away in an instant.

But Nate wasn't done moving yet.

As soon as his kick landed, he spun mid-air, using the momentum to twist his body gracefully before landing lightly on the ground, his movements fluid, precise, almost unnatural in their execution.

The moment his feet touched the earth, the fight was over.

The big man's massive frame collapsed like a falling tree, his body hitting the ground with a dull, final THUD.

Complete and utter silence consumed the crowd.

Nobody spoke. Nobody moved.

They had just witnessed something beyond belief.

From stopping the fist, to breaking the man's hand, to delivering an impossible finishing move—everything had happened in mere seconds, yet it had felt almost surreal.

And then, as if reality had finally caught up with them—

The crowd exploded.

"What the hell just happened?!"

"He—he beat him! He actually beat him!"

"No, no, that's not possible! That guy—he was the strongest in the group! How did a random kid defeat him like that?!"

"I swear to the gods, I've never seen anyone move like that before!"

Some were in shock, others in awe, and a few even in outright denial. The scene had been so fast, so brutal, so unreal, that their minds struggled to process it.

Meanwhile, the young woman with the bow—the huntress—stood frozen in place, her sharp eyes fixed on Nate.

Her fingers twitched slightly around her weapon, her heartbeat slow and steady despite the chaos around her. She had fought and hunted for years, had seen countless battles, had witnessed warriors of all kinds.

But never had she seen this.

Nate's movements weren't just fast.

They were precise.

Efficient.

Deadly.

There was no wasted motion, no hesitation. Every action was calculated, controlled, like someone who had been fighting for decades.

It wasn't brute strength. It wasn't raw power.

It was pure technique.

And that was terrifying in its own right.

Amidst the chaos of the crowd, Nate finally turned to face the huntress.

He didn't speak. He didn't need to.

His gaze alone was enough.

His golden-brown eyes locked onto hers, a silent question passing between them.

Do I qualify now?

The huntress felt a strange chill run down her spine.

This wasn't just some normal fighter.

This wasn't just some kid.

This was someone dangerous.

But before she could open her mouth—

Her expression suddenly changed.

Her sharp instincts flared, her body moving before she could even think.

"Hey—watch out!"

****

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