Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 79 The Ice World

Nate stood firm, his eyes locked onto the towering serpent that loomed above him. Its black, scaly body shimmered ominously under the dappled sunlight breaking through the trees, each movement radiating power and menace. His outstretched hand crackled with vibrant arcs of blue lightning, electricity dancing along his arm like living tendrils.

Alice, bruised and battered from her earlier encounter with the beast, leaned against a nearby tree, her breaths shallow. Her wide eyes were fixed on Nate, her expression a mixture of awe and concern. She had seen him wield fire countless times, but this… She had only seen it once.

The serpent hissed, its forked tongue flickering in and out as its glowing yellow eyes focused on Nate. The ground trembled beneath them as it shifted its enormous body, coiling tightly as if preparing to strike.

Nate didn’t flinch. His face was stoic, his body radiating an unyielding energy that seemed to reverberate through the air.

"You’re done," Nate muttered, his voice low but laced with unwavering determination.

The serpent lunged, its massive head darting toward Nate with terrifying speed. The sound of its movement was like a whip slicing through the air, but Nate stood his ground. At the last possible second, he sidestepped, the serpent’s jaws snapping shut where he had been standing moments before.

The ground shook as the serpent’s head slammed into the it, sending dirt and debris flying in all directions. Nate leaped into the air, lightning bursting from his body in a brilliant display. His outstretched arm directed a concentrated bolt of electricity straight into the serpent’s head.

The beast let out a deafening roar as the lightning struck, its body convulsing violently. Sparks danced across its scales, but to Nate’s frustration, the attack didn’t pierce through its hide entirely. The serpent shook its head and whipped its tail toward him, the force of the movement creating a powerful gust of wind.

Nate twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding the tail as it crashed into a nearby tree, shattering it into splinters. He landed gracefully on the ground, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation.

"Your scales are tough," he muttered, clenching his fists as more electricity surged through his body. "But let’s see how long you can handle this."

The serpent reared back, towering over him like a living mountain. Its mouth opened wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth and a glowing green orb forming in its throat—a venom attack. Nate didn’t hesitate.

He dashed forward with lightning speed, leaving a trail of electricity in his wake. The venom blast erupted from the serpent’s mouth, but Nate was already gone, appearing on the serpent’s side in a flash of blue light.

He slammed his electrified fist into the serpent’s body, the force of the blow sending ripples through its scales. The beast roared in pain, its body writhing as the lightning surged through it. But Nate wasn’t done.

Using the momentum, he leaped onto the serpent’s back, his hands glowing brighter with each passing second. He slammed both palms onto its scales, releasing a massive surge of electricity that lit up the entire forest. The serpent screeched, its body thrashing violently as it tried to shake him off.

Alice watched in stunned silence, her heart pounding in her chest. The sheer power Nate was displaying was unlike anything she had ever seen. His movements were precise, calculated, and relentless.

The serpent managed to throw Nate off its back, sending him crashing into the ground. But Nate rolled with the impact, springing back to his feet in one fluid motion. He wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes never leaving the serpent.

"Not bad," he said, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "But you’ll have to do better than that."

The serpent lunged again, its massive body moving with surprising agility. Nate met it head-on, his body a blur of motion as he dodged its strikes. Each time the serpent tried to attack, he retaliated with a burst of lightning, chipping away at its defenses.

Finally, he saw his opening. As the serpent reared back for another venom attack, Nate summoned all the energy he could muster. Lightning arced around him, forming a crackling sphere that seemed to pulse with raw power.

"Let’s end this," he growled, his voice echoing with an otherworldly intensity.

The serpent lunged, its jaws open wide. Nate thrust his hands forward, releasing a massive bolt of lightning that collided with the beast’s head. The impact was blinding, a brilliant explosion of light and sound that shook the forest to its core.

The serpent let out one final, agonized roar before collapsing to the ground. Its body convulsed once, twice, and then went still. Smoke rose from its scorched scales, the smell of burnt flesh filling the air.

Nate stood over the fallen beast, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. The electricity around him gradually faded, leaving behind only the faint hum of residual energy.

Alice pushed herself away from the tree, her legs trembling as she approached him. Her eyes were wide with disbelief as she stared at the massive serpent lying lifeless on the ground.

"You… you killed it," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Nate turned to look at her, his expression unreadable. "It wasn’t as tough as it looked," he said simply, though the exhaustion in his voice betrayed the effort it had taken.

Alice opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She could only stare at him, a mix of admiration and confusion swirling in her chest.

Nate glanced at the serpent one last time before turning back to Alice. "Let’s keep moving," he said, his tone calm but firm.

As Nate turned to continue their journey, Alice called out, her voice steady despite the lingering tension in the air.

"Nate, wait! Look back at the serpent!"

Nate frowned and turned around. His sharp eyes locked onto the massive corpse of the serpent, its scales still steaming from the battle. Amidst the dark pool of blood surrounding its head, something shimmered faintly. A vibrant, crystalline glow pulsed through the thick liquid, drawing both of their gazes.

"What is that?" Alice asked, taking a hesitant step closer.

Nate approached cautiously, the air around him still crackling faintly with residual electricity. He crouched near the source of the glow and reached into the warm, sticky blood. His fingers closed around the object, and he pulled it free.

It was a crystal, unlike anything he had ever seen. The gem was roughly the size of a clenched fist, emitting a soft, golden light. It felt warm in his hand, almost as if it were alive.

"I don’t know," Nate said after a moment, turning the crystal over in his palm. He could feel a faint hum of energy resonating from within it, but its purpose was a mystery to him.

Alice stepped closer, her eyes fixated on the glowing object. "Is it dangerous?"

"Not sure yet," Nate replied. He glanced at her and tossed the crystal in her direction. "Here, keep it for now. We’ll figure it out when we get back to camp."

Alice caught the crystal with both hands, surprised by its weight. She slipped it into her backpack without another word, though her curiosity remained. Find more chapters on novelbuddy

With the crystal secured, they pressed on, weaving deeper into the forest. Nate could feel it in his bones—they were close. The air had changed, the surroundings becoming increasingly familiar. Each step felt heavier, weighted by a mixture of anticipation and unease.

The dense trees finally began to thin, and the seemingly endless walk reached its conclusion as they emerged into a clearing. Before them stood a cave, silent and foreboding, its entrance veiled by thick vines.

Alice stared at the cave, her brows knitting together in confusion. "This is it? Are you sure?"

Nate nodded, his voice firm. "Yeah. I’m sure."

He stepped forward, summoning a small flame to his hand. With a wave, he sent the fire toward the vines. The flames consumed them quickly, leaving only ashes drifting to the ground. The cave entrance yawned open, dark and ominous, its interior shrouded in shadows.

As Nate’s fire illuminated the cavern, Alice’s eyes widened. The walls were lined with red tendrils, organic and pulsating with faint traces of life. Or, at least, they had been. Now, they hung limply, like deflated veins, still attached to the walls but utterly lifeless.

"What… what is this?" Alice asked, her voice tinged with unease.

Nate didn’t answer immediately. His jaw tightened as he stared at the motionless tendrils. Memories flooded his mind—the first time he had been here, the vivid dream that had consumed him.

"It’s better if you don’t know," he finally said, his tone clipped.

Alice frowned, not satisfied with his vague response. "You’re hiding something," she said bluntly.

Nate turned his head, his expression distant. "Just trust me on this."

Alice crossed her arms, glaring at him. "Trust you? You realize how suspicious that sounds, right?"

Nate coughed awkwardly, avoiding her gaze. "Let’s just keep moving."

Alice huffed but didn’t push further. Instead, she muttered under her breath and followed him deeper into the cave.

The air grew colder as they descended, the narrow passage twisting and turning like a labyrinth. Nate’s flames flickered on the walls, casting eerie shadows that seemed to dance and writhe with each step they took.

When they finally reached the end of the cave, Nate came to an abrupt halt, his breath catching in his throat.

Alice nearly bumped into him. "What’s wrong?" she asked, peering over his shoulder.

What lay before them was both extraordinary and unsettling. The last time Nate had been here, the portal had been concealed by an illusionary wall, hidden from sight. Now, the disguise was gone, leaving the portal fully exposed.

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A swirling vortex of icy blue light shimmered in the center of the cavern, its edges crackling with a faint, frosty energy. Beyond the portal, they could see another world—a frozen expanse of ice and snow stretching as far as the eye could see. Jagged peaks glistened in the distance, and strange, ethereal lights danced across the frozen sky.

Alice stared, her jaw slack. "What is that…?"

"It’s the Ice World," Nate murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

They couldn’t feel the cold radiating from the portal, but its presence was undeniable. The sheer magnitude of what they were looking at sent a shiver down Alice’s spine.

"It’s… beautiful," she said, though her tone was laced with hesitation.

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