Odyssey Of Survival

Madison smiled. The creature had taken the bait. Her grip on the sword tightened, and in the next instant, the weapon let out a piercing hum, its purple aura surging violently. The glow intensified, pulsing like a heartbeat, then suddenly— boom! A shockwave of corrosive energy burst from the sword's surface, expanding outward like rippling fire. The force of the explosion engulfed the creature in an instant, swallowing its humanoid figure in a storm of searing violet light.

Madison had already vanished from her spot, teleporting to a nearby branch before the energy could touch her. From her new position, she watched as the creature was blasted backward, its body flung like a ragdoll through the air. Its inhuman screech of agony was cut short as it slammed into the thick trunk of a massive tree, the impact shaking the branches overhead. The beast fell from the tree as it body whistle through the air.

Bella narrowed her eyes, scanning its body for any signs of life. A slow rise and fall of its chest confirmed it was still breathing, but barely. The explosion had struck it directly in the face, leaving patches of its green skin sizzling from the purple radiation.

With a flick of her wrist, she extended her arm. The falling creature suddenly halted midair, its limp body hovering a few inches off the ground as if held by invisible strings. She then guided it downward gently, ensuring it didn't suffer any further damage. She landed beside it with a soft thud, her boots kicking up a small cloud of dust.

She bent down, her hand reaching for the sword, which now rested beside the unconscious creature. Even now, the blade hummed with energy, though its glow was noticeably weaker. She wrapped her fingers around the hilt, and the moment she did, she felt something shift within her mind—a direct connection, like an unspoken bond between herself and the weapon. With a single thought, she commanded it to suppress its radiance. Instantly, the purple aura dimmed, the corrosive energy retreating back into the blade.

She exhaled sharply, securing the sword against her waist.

Madison finally caught up, appearing beside her with a raised brow. "Damn, Maddy," Bella said, eyeing the unconscious creature. "You didn't hold back, did you?"

Madison smirked. "It was either this or let it escape."

Bella whistled, nodding in approval. "Well, I'd say you did a damn good job." Her eyes then shifted toward the creature's unconscious form, her expression turning serious. "But you saw that sigil on its forehead, right? Same one the Keepers had…"

Madison's smile faded. "Yeah. That's what worries me."@@novelbin@@

Bella folded her arms. "You think it's connected to Zoro?"

Madison didn't answer right away. Instead, she stared down at the creature's motionless face, the fresh burns across its skin still crackling with residual energy. A cold feeling settled in her gut. If Zoro was back, if he was creating more monsters like this… they weren't ready. Not yet. They needed more time.

And time wasn't something they had.

Shaking off her thoughts, Madison reached down and grabbed the creature by its tail. At the same time, she placed a firm hand on Bella's shoulder.

"Let's take it back to camp."

With a sharp flash of purple energy, the three of them disappeared.

---

But they weren't alone.

The moment Madison vanished, another figure stepped out from the dense shadows of the trees. Its green skin blended seamlessly with the foliage, making it nearly invisible even in the moonlight. Unlike the first creature, this one had two tails that swayed gently behind it, almost as if they had a mind of their own. Its sharp black eyes gleamed as it watched the spot where Madison and Bella had disappeared.

A twisted grin spread across its face, revealing rows of jagged fangs.

"You took the bait too."

Its voice was a low, guttural whisper, filled with something dark and sinister. Then, with inhuman speed, it turned and vanished into the night.

---

Meanwhile, back at the cave…

Nate sat cross-legged on the floor of his dimly lit room, his eyes closed, his breathing steady. A small flicker of fire burned in one of his hands, a steady, controlled flame that shifted and twisted like a living entity. In his other hand, sparks of electricity crackled, the faint sound of static filling the air.

He wasn't doing this to train his abilities—his control over fire and lightning was already second nature to him. No, this was something different.

He was trying to break through.

Since that day in the old man's palace, something had changed inside him. He could feel it, deep within his core—like a locked door in the back of his mind, blocking him from something greater. The old man had done something to him. He had unlocked something, but not fully.

And now, no matter how much he trained, no matter how much he pushed himself, he couldn't seem to cross that threshold.

His brows furrowed in concentration. He let the fire in his hand burn brighter, let the lightning in the other surge more violently, until both elements danced wildly around his fingers. He focused on the energy inside him, reaching deep into his own mind, searching for that invisible barrier that kept him chained.

And for a moment—just a brief moment—he felt it.

A flash of something. A glimpse of raw, untamed power buried within him, waiting to be unleashed. It was so close, just beyond his grasp.

Then, just as quickly as it came, it was gone.

Nate's eyes snapped open, frustration flashing across his face. He clenched his fists, extinguishing both the fire and the lightning.

"Damn it…" he muttered under his breath.

He wasn't sure how long he had been meditating, but his entire body was tense, sweat forming along his brow. He wiped it away with the back of his hand before exhaling slowly.

Something was holding him back.

Something inside his own mind.

And until he figured out what it was, he would never reach his full potential.

He decided to try again.

He could feel it, he could almost touch it—but every time he reached for it, it slipped away, teasing him, mocking him.

Just as he was about to try again, a sharp knock echoed through the room, shattering his focus like glass.

Nate's eyes snapped open, irritation flashing across his face. He exhaled sharply, pressing his fingers against his temple to ease the headache forming there. Whoever it was, they had the worst possible timing.

"Come in," he called, his voice carrying a hint of impatience.

The wooden door creaked open, and the moment Nate saw who it was, his expression darkened.

Claire.

She stepped inside with slow, hesitant movements, the flickering torchlight illuminating her figure. She was wearing one of those ridiculously thin, tight-fitting clothes that clung to her body, leaving little to the imagination. The fabric was so light that he could clearly see the outline of what she was wearing underneath. It was almost as if she had deliberately chosen this outfit.

Nate's jaw clenched.

"What do you want?" he asked bluntly, his voice laced with suspicion.

Claire stopped a few steps away from him, her hands fidgeting nervously at her sides. Her lower lip trembled as she sniffled, her eyes glossy with unshed tears. She looked… vulnerable.

Nate narrowed his eyes.

Here we go again.

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The last time she came to him with that same pitiful expression, she had tried to play mind games. He had no patience for that anymore.

He was just about to tell her to get to the point when he noticed something—something he had overlooked at first.

His gaze dropped to her neck.

And that's when he saw it.

A deep red mark, shaped like fingers, wrapped around her throat as if someone had tried to strangle her.

Nate's expression shifted instantly.

His irritation faded, replaced by something else.

A cold silence settled in the room.

Claire stood there, her body trembling, her eyes avoiding his as the first tear slipped down her cheek.

Nate stared at her, his mind suddenly flooded with questions.

Who did this to her?

Why?

And, most importantly—

What the hell was going on?