Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 156 - Sera’s Revenge II

Nate stood frozen, his entire body stiff with shock as his eyes remained locked onto the horrifying scene before him. He had witnessed death before—had seen men fall in battle, had watched as blood spilled onto the earth like an offering to unseen gods—but this… this was something else entirely. The people of this camp, the men, women, and children who had lived their lives here, who had known nothing but survival and hardship, had all been slaughtered without mercy, their lifeless bodies now stacked in a grotesque pile against the side of a half-burnt hut, their limbs twisted unnaturally, their skin drained of color, their faces frozen in expressions of pain and terror.

Some were missing limbs. Others had been beheaded entirely. The thick, metallic scent of blood filled the air, an overpowering stench of death and decay that clung to the inside of his nostrils, making his stomach churn. He had never seen anyone be so heartless, so devoid of humanity, to treat human lives as if they were nothing more than discarded waste, to pile them up like mere objects, like garbage. His fists clenched at his sides, his breathing uneven, his heart pounding violently in his chest.

He barely registered the sound of footsteps approaching behind him.

Sera had seen where he was looking, and out of sheer curiosity, she had stepped closer, expecting to see something that would explain his strange reaction. But the moment her gaze landed on the scene before her, everything in her world came crashing down.

The smell was the first thing that hit her, an unbearable stench that made her stomach lurch, and she instinctively raised her hand to cover her nose. But when her eyes adjusted, when she truly saw what lay before her, her hand dropped limply to her side.

Her body froze.

Her breath caught in her throat.

And then—

A sharp gasp escaped her lips as all strength left her body, her knees giving out beneath her.

She would have collapsed entirely had Nate not been there to catch her.

Without hesitation, he reached out, pulling her into his arms, holding her steady as a single choked sob tore through her.

She didn't fight it. She didn't care.

Tears streamed down her face as she buried herself in his chest, her entire body trembling, her hands gripping onto his clothes as if he were the only thing keeping her from falling apart completely.

Nate tightened his hold around her, his jaw clenched so tightly it hurt. He didn't speak—because what could he say? He had lost Tiaa, a girl he had known for only a short time, and yet the pain of her death had nearly shattered him. He could only imagine what Sera was feeling now, having lost everyone—everyone she had grown up with, everyone she had loved, all at once, in the blink of an eye.

The weight of that grief was unimaginable.

Minutes passed.

Then, suddenly, Nate's voice broke through the silence.

"Cleo is not here."

Sera stiffened in his arms.

Slowly, she lifted her head, her tear-streaked face contorted in confusion. "What?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Nate's eyes remained fixed on the pile of bodies. His gaze was sharp, unwavering, and filled with an eerie certainty. "She's not here," he repeated. "I only needed one glance to know that she's not among them."

Sera's lips parted slightly as if she wanted to question him, to ask how he could be so sure, but she quickly stopped herself. She had already witnessed him perform feats beyond anything she could comprehend. She had no reason to doubt him now.

Instead, she clenched her fists and took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus.

Liam, who had been eerily silent all this time, finally spoke.

"Where is User?" he asked, his voice filled with barely contained fury.

Sera's eyes darkened at the mention of the name. "User received his reward from the king," she said bitterly. "But after that, the king told him to stay at the palace until his return."

Nate didn't say a word.

He simply nodded once, then grabbed Sera's wrist.

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Before she could react, before she could even process what was happening, the world blurred around her, and in an instant, they were gone.

The next thing Sera knew, she was standing before the grand gates of the palace.

Her legs felt weak beneath her, her mind struggling to catch up with the sudden shift in location, but Nate wasted no time. He let go of her wrist, stepping forward without hesitation, his entire body radiating a lethal intensity.

As they entered through the palace gates, a single guard stepped forward to intercept them, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword as he stared Nate down with suspicion.

"Halt," the guard ordered, his voice firm. "State your purpose for being here."

Nate didn't answer.

He didn't even blink.

Before the guard could react, Nate moved.

His hand shot out in a blur, gripping the man by the throat with terrifying ease. Then, in one swift motion, he delivered a devastating jab straight into the guard's forehead.

The man's body went limp instantly, his eyes rolling back as he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Nate exhaled sharply. He didn't want to kill the innocent guards—they were just doing their jobs, unaware of the true monster they were serving.

But the brief exchange had already drawn attention.

A commotion stirred in the palace courtyard as more guards emerged, their weapons drawn, their eyes locked onto Nate and Sera with hostility. Within seconds, they had surrounded them, forming a tight circle, blocking all possible exits.

Nate's expression remained calm.

Then—

A crackling spark of lightning flickered in his eyes.

And in the next instant—

He was gone.

A single heartbeat passed.

Then, as if struck by an invisible force, every guard in the courtyard dropped to the ground, their bodies hitting the floor one by one, unconscious before they even knew what had happened.

Nate reappeared at the center of the battlefield, standing tall amidst the fallen soldiers, his fists clenched at his sides, his breathing slow and controlled.

He didn't turn to Sera. He didn't need to.

There was only one person left to deal with now.

The commotion had reached his ears long before he stepped outside, but User had not anticipated the sight that greeted him. His eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the unconscious guards scattered across the palace courtyard, their bodies sprawled across the stone floor like discarded dolls. The air was thick with tension, an almost suffocating pressure that made his chest tighten.

And then his gaze landed on the two figures standing amidst the chaos.

Nate.

Sera.

His grip tightened around the small, fragile form in his grasp, his fingers digging into Cleo's thin arms as he dragged her forward. The little girl whimpered, struggling against his hold, but he ignored her. Instead, with a deliberate slowness, he raised a dagger, pressing its sharp, gleaming edge against the soft skin of her throat.

"Not another step," he warned, his voice dangerously low, his eyes flickering between Nate and Sera. "Move even an inch, and I'll slit her throat."

Cleo let out a quiet sob, her tiny body trembling under his grip. Tears streamed down her face, and though she tried to stifle them, her whimpers of fear echoed in the otherwise silent courtyard.

User's lips curled into a twisted smirk as he surveyed the damage around him, then turned his attention back to Nate.

"I'll admit it," he said, tilting his head slightly. "I underestimated you." His tone carried an amused edge, though his fingers pressed harder against the blade. "I didn't think you'd make it this far. But, lucky for me, I had the foresight to grab this one." He gave Cleo a rough shake, causing her to yelp in fear. "Now she's my ticket out of this mess."

Then, as his gaze landed on Sera, his entire body stiffened.

"What the—" His brows furrowed, his smirk faltering as he took an unconscious step back. His eyes darted between her and Nate, then back again. "You—How the hell are you still alive?"

Sera glared at him, her fists clenched at her sides.

"The last time I saw you," he continued, voice thick with disbelief, "you were unconscious in the king's hands. You should be dead. You were supposed to be far away from here by now! There's no way—" His words cut off as he quickly scanned the surroundings, realization dawning in his expression. The king was nowhere in sight.

His pulse quickened.

Something was wrong.

"This doesn't make any sense," he muttered, his grip on Cleo tightening reflexively. His mind raced, trying to piece together what had gone wrong, how they had gotten here so quickly, why Sera was still alive. This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't part of the plan.

And then—

Nate took a step forward.

User reacted instantly, pressing the blade harder against Cleo's neck. The little girl let out another sob, her tiny hands gripping at his wrist, struggling against his hold.

"I said don't move!" User barked, his voice laced with panic.

But it was already too late.

A gust of wind rushed past him—no, not wind, something faster.

A blink. A heartbeat.

And then—

Cleo was gone.

User's body tensed, his breath catching in his throat as his mind struggled to comprehend what had just happened. One second, she had been in his grasp, her warmth, her terrified trembling, the pressure of his fingers digging into her skin—and then, in the next instant, she was simply gone.

He didn't see the movement.

He didn't even register the shift in space.

All he knew was that suddenly, Nate was no longer standing in front of him.

Instead, he was beside Sera, gently placing Cleo into her waiting arms, shielding her with his own body.

The girl clung to Sera, sobbing into her chest, her small fingers grasping onto her clothing as if she would disappear if she let go.

User's heart pounded violently against his ribs.

He swallowed hard, his throat dry.

"What…?" His voice was barely a whisper, his fingers twitching at his sides. He took an involuntary step back, shaking his head slightly. "No… No, that's not possible."

But it was.

And now—

Now he was out of options.