Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 60 Hot Pursuit

Madison stood rooted in place, her gaze fixed on the man before her. His calm demeanor and mocking smirk sent a wave of frustration and unease through her. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly challenged. This wasn’t someone she could easily outmaneuver, and that knowledge burned.

Suddenly, she felt a soft breeze behind her, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Alice stepping forward to stand beside her. Frost began to swirl around Alice’s hands, spreading up her arms as her eyes turned a stark, glowing white. It was a stark transformation from the usually timid girl Madison had come to know.

Alice’s voice was steady as she asked, "What does he want?"

Madison didn’t answer immediately. She kept her eyes on the man, assessing him carefully. His presence radiated an almost tangible power, but she wouldn’t let that intimidate her. Finally, she took a step forward and spoke, her voice firm.

"What do you want?"

The man tilted his head slightly, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "What do I want? Well, for starters," he said, gesturing lazily toward Nate, who lay motionless on the ground, "I’d like my prisoner back."

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The word "prisoner" hit Madison like a slap. Her fists clenched at her sides, and her voice rose, laced with anger. "He’s not your prisoner! Nate belongs to no one and you’re not taking him."

The man chuckled, a low, patronizing sound. "Such fire," he said, his tone almost amused. "I like your courage, girl. To stand before me without so much as a tremble... impressive. But courage alone won’t save you."

Madison narrowed her eyes, unfazed by his attempt to undermine her. "You talk a lot for someone who’s scared to fight," she shot back.

The smirk on his face faltered for the briefest moment before returning. "Walk away now," he said, his tone taking on a sharper edge. "Take your little friend and go. Pretend this never happened. It’s your only chance."

Madison could feel Alice tense beside her, but she wasn’t about to back down. She took another step forward, her voice cold and steady. "You don’t want us to leave because you care about our safety," she said, her tone dripping with disdain. "You want us to go so you can follow us and find out if there are more of us. I’m not stupid."

The man’s smile vanished entirely, replaced by a hard, calculating expression. "So, you’ve figured that much out," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl.

Madison raised her chin, refusing to let him intimidate her. "If you want Nate, you’ll have to go through us."

The air seemed to grow heavier with tension, the forest around them eerily silent as the man’s lips curled into a grim smile. "Very well," he said, his voice icy. "You’ve made your choice."

In an instant, lightning began to flicker across his body, dancing along his arms and crackling in the air around him. His eyes glowed faintly as he leaned forward, then shot toward them with inhuman speed.

Madison barely had time to react before he thrust his hand forward, releasing a surge of electricity aimed directly at them.

Alice was ready. With a fierce cry, she slammed her hands together, conjuring a massive wall of ice between them and the oncoming attack. The lightning struck the ice with a deafening crack, sending shards flying in every direction. For a brief moment, it seemed like the wall would hold, but the sheer force of the lightning proved too much. The ice began to crack and shatter, pieces falling away as the electricity burned through.

The man watched the destruction with a satisfied smirk, confident that his attack had incinerated them. But as the last of the ice crumbled, he found the space behind it empty.

His smirk faded, replaced by a snarl of irritation. "Teleportation," he muttered, his voice dripping with annoyance. He turned, scanning the area until his eyes landed on Madison, who now stood several meters away with Alice and Nate.

"You’re a pain in the ass," he growled, his voice low and menacing. His hands sparked with fresh electricity as he took a step toward her. "I’ll deal with you first."

Madison glanced at Alice, her face stern and resolute. "Take Nate and Ann. Get them out of here," she ordered, her voice cold but firm. "I’ll hold him off."

Alice hesitated for a moment, her eyes filled with worry, but Madison’s gaze brooked no argument. With a nod, Alice quickly carried Nate and helped Ann to her feet, urging her to move swiftly. Madison turned back to face the man, her expression hardening as she met his predatory gaze.

Without another word, she took a step back, melting into the shadows cast by the towering trees around them. Her body seemed to disappear as though the darkness had swallowed her whole. But even as she vanished from sight, she knew the man wouldn’t be far behind.

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A crack of lightning split the sky above, its thunderous roar reverberating through the air, and with it, the man’s form vanished from the spot where he had been standing. His speed was unnerving, but Madison wasn’t worried—at least not yet. She had a plan, and she knew how to stay one step ahead.

She reappeared high on top of a distant hill, taking a deep breath as she surveyed her surroundings. Her heart pounded in her chest, but her mind remained sharp. The man’s pursuit would not be an easy one, and she needed to get farther away before he could catch up.

She stepped forward, her eyes scanning the area. The hilltop offered a clear view of the land stretching out before her, but that was not enough. The man always took longer to find her when she was far away. She had learned that much from previous encounters. Madison closed her eyes for a moment, calculating her next move.

Then, with a swift movement, she disappeared again, leaving the hilltop behind. When her vision cleared, she was atop an ancient, towering tree, its bark gnarled and thick with age. The wind howled around her as she steadied herself on the highest branch, feeling the powerful shift in perspective.

From up here, the world stretched out below her, and her sight sharpened. She could see for miles, her vision magnified, picking out even the smallest movements. As she scanned the area, she saw something out of the corner of her eye—just a blur at first. Then, it became clearer, a shadow moving with unnatural speed.

Her breath caught in her throat as she realized what it was. The man. He was coming straight for her, moving faster than she could have imagined. He was fast, too fast, and closing the distance with alarming precision.

But that wasn’t the only thing that unsettled her. How was he finding her so quickly? Her eyes narrowed as she studied the path of the shadow, the way it tracked her every movement. There was something about his pursuit that didn’t add up. She had disappeared far enough, hidden herself well enough—so why could he track her so easily?

A shiver ran down Madison’s spine as the realization hit her like a bolt of lightning. The man wasn’t just fast—he was somehow anticipating her every move, like he knew exactly where she would be before she even moved. How could he know?

Her mind raced as she calculated her next steps. She couldn’t outrun him; that much was clear. But she wasn’t out of options. There had to be a way to shake him, to lose him in the vast expanse of the forest, but the pressure was mounting. The seconds were ticking by, and with each passing moment, the man’s figure grew nearer, his speed never faltering.

Madison’s fingers tightened around the branch beneath her, her knuckles white with tension. She had to think fast—she couldn’t let him get any closer. But the question still gnawed at her: How did he know where she was?

The answer seemed just out of reach, like a puzzle with a missing piece, but Madison knew one thing for certain. This chase was far from over, and the man’s pursuit was only going to get more dangerous. She had to outwit him—because if she didn’t, the consequences would be dire.

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Thanks for all power stones and golden tickets.