Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 51 Fierce Battle With The Keepers

Nate turned to face the keepers, his jaw tightening as he took in their menacing forms. They were nothing like the creatures he had fought before. These were taller, stronger, and far more dangerous. Standing eight feet tall, their hulking bodies were covered in tough, armored skin that gleamed in the dim light of the chamber. Each carried a massive hammer that radiated an oppressive aura, the weapons nearly as tall as they were. Their glowing eyes burned with rage, locked onto Nate like a predator eyeing its prey.

For a moment, silence filled the chamber, save for the crackling embers that danced around Nate’s feet. He met their gaze head-on, his lips curling into a small, defiant smile. "You’re not the only ones with an upgrade," he muttered, his voice low but carrying a dangerous edge.

Nate’s body flickered with flames, the heat rolling off him in waves. Ever since his powers had surged few days ago, he knew something had changed. His fire burned hotter, fiercer, and more alive than ever before. He could feel its power coursing through him, begging to be unleashed. But he’d been holding back, afraid that tapping into this new strength would summon the ice entity again.

Now, it didn’t matter. The fear of what might happen was outweighed by the reality of what was about to happen.

More keepers poured into the chamber from deeper within the cave, their heavy footsteps echoing ominously. Nate exhaled sharply, muttering under his breath, "How many are there?"

The keepers began spreading out, forming a semi-circle around him. Their movements were slow, deliberate, like hunters closing in on a cornered animal. But Nate wasn’t cornered—he was ready.

As the flames around him grew brighter, hotter, his entire body ignited, transforming him into a living inferno. Fire rippled across his skin, and his outline blurred, becoming indistinguishable from the swirling flames. His presence alone turned the air oppressive, forcing even the massive keepers to take an involuntary step back.

The heat warped the very air around him, and the chamber glowed with an intense orange hue. For the first time, the keepers hesitated.

"RAAAAAH!"

The screech broke through the tension as one of the keepers let out a bone-rattling roar. It lunged forward, its massive hammer raised high, moving with a surprising burst of speed. The hammer came down toward Nate with the force of an avalanche, its wielder fully expecting Nate to dodge.

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But Nate didn’t move.

Instead, he stood firm, his fiery gaze locked onto the charging keeper. The other keepers stopped in their tracks, their expressions shifting from rage to confusion. Even the keeper mid-attack seemed surprised by Nate’s lack of reaction.

With a deafening crash, the hammer slammed into Nate.

Or at least, it should have.

The massive weapon stopped dead in its tracks, inches from Nate’s chest.

The chamber fell deathly silent as everyone froze, the keepers’ glowing eyes wide with disbelief. Slowly, Nate raised his hand, revealing that he had caught the hammer’s head with his bare hand. Flames licked at his fingers, crawling across the surface of the weapon.

The keeper holding the hammer blinked, its fierce expression twisting into one of sheer disbelief.

Nate tilted his head, a mocking smirk playing across his lips. "I don’t think so," he said, his voice calm and dripping with menace.

Before the keeper could react, Nate’s free hand shot forward. Flames roared to life, forming a massive fist of fire. With a grunt of effort, Nate drove the fiery fist straight into the keeper’s chest.

The impact was devastating.

The keeper was launched backward like a ragdoll, its massive body hurtling through the air. It crashed to the ground with a sickening thud, skidding across the rocky floor until it came to a stop at the feet of the others.

Blood spurted from its mouth as it let out a weak, gurgling sound. It raised one trembling hand toward the ceiling, as if reaching for something unseen. Then its arm fell limp, and its glowing eyes dimmed to nothing.

Dead.

One hit.

The remaining keepers stood frozen, their massive forms motionless as they stared at the scene before them. Shock rippled through their ranks. This human—this lone, fiery figure—had just killed one of them with a single strike.

Nate straightened, shaking the flames from his hand like water. His gaze swept over the remaining keepers, his smirk still firmly in place. "Who’s next?"

The oppressive heat in the chamber grew even stronger as Nate’s flames flared brighter, more intense than ever.

The chamber fell silent for a brief moment after Nate’s fiery assault had ended one of the keepers with a single strike. The others stared at their fallen comrade, their glowing eyes narrowing in disbelief and rage. Then, one by one, the remaining keepers let out deafening screeches that echoed through the cave, their cries piercing enough to make Nate’s ears ring.

"RAAAAHHH!"

The sound reverberated off the walls, shaking loose small rocks and dust. The hesitation that had once held them in check was gone, replaced by a collective bloodlust. Though Nate’s display of power had been impressive, their sheer numbers gave them confidence.

They started moving toward him, hammers raised, their glowing eyes locked on their target. Nate braced himself as flames erupted from his body once again, flaring upward like a blazing inferno.

"Fine," Nate muttered, his voice low and resolute. "Come on, then."

The first three keepers surged forward as if on cue, their heavy steps making the ground tremble beneath them. Nate crouched low, his fiery form illuminating the room as he leapt into the air with incredible speed, flames trailing behind him like a comet.

The first keeper swung its hammer in a wide arc, aiming to smash Nate mid-air, but he twisted his body with uncanny precision, dodging the blow by mere inches. He countered by thrusting his hand forward, sending a concentrated stream of fire straight into the keeper’s face.

The creature let out a guttural scream as its head was engulfed in flames. It stumbled backward, clawing at its burning face before collapsing in a heap, its body still smoking.

The second and third keepers, unfazed by their comrade’s fate, charged at Nate simultaneously. One brought its hammer down in a powerful overhead strike, while the other swung horizontally, aiming to catch Nate mid-dodge.

Nate reacted instantly. He somersaulted backward, avoiding the overhead strike, and then twisted his body mid-air to narrowly avoid the horizontal swing. Flames erupted from his hands as he extended his arms, sending twin fireballs hurtling toward both attackers.

The fireballs hit their marks, exploding on impact. The force of the blasts sent both keepers flying backward, their massive bodies crashing into the cavern walls. One of them struggled to rise, its movements sluggish and erratic, before Nate appeared in front of it in a blur of motion.

With a roar, Nate summoned a pillar of fire that erupted from the ground beneath the keeper, incinerating it in an instant.

The third keeper, still reeling from the explosion, attempted to rise as well, but Nate was already there. He grabbed its hammer, which was still glowing faintly from the heat of his flames, and yanked it from the creature’s grasp.

"Let me show you how this is done," Nate said coldly.

He swung the massive weapon with surprising ease, smashing it into the keeper’s chest. The impact sent shockwaves through the chamber as the creature was launched across the room, its body crumpling lifelessly against the wall.

Nate turned back to face the remaining keepers, his chest heaving with exertion. "Still want to play?"

The remaining six keepers hesitated briefly, but their rage outweighed their fear. They roared in unison, charging at Nate from all directions.

Nate gritted his teeth, summoning more flames as his body lit up like a miniature sun. He sprinted forward, meeting the closest keeper head-on.

The fight became a chaotic blur of motion and fire.

One keeper lunged at Nate with surprising speed, its hammer swinging in a deadly arc. Nate ducked low, letting the weapon sail over his head, and retaliated with a fiery uppercut that sent the creature sprawling.

Another keeper came at him from the side, its hammer aimed at his ribs. Nate turned just in time, catching the hammer’s handle with both hands. Flames surged along his arms and into the weapon, heating it until the keeper was forced to let go with a pained screech. Nate spun the hammer in his hands before slamming it into the creature’s head, crushing its skull.

The other four keepers attacked simultaneously, their massive bodies moving with surprising coordination. Nate was forced to dodge and weave between their strikes, his flames flickering as he pushed his powers to the limit.

One of the keepers managed to graze him with its hammer, the blow sending him stumbling backward. Nate winced, clutching his side as he felt the searing pain.

"Not bad," he muttered, a grim smile on his face. "But I’m still standing."

Summoning every ounce of his strength, Nate unleashed a wave of fire that spread out in all directions, forcing the keepers to retreat momentarily.

Seizing the opportunity, Nate focused his flames into a single, concentrated beam. He aimed it at the nearest keeper, the intense heat cutting through the creature’s torso like a blade.

One by one, he took them down, his movements a blur of fire and fury. The chamber filled with the smell of burning flesh and the sounds of the keepers’ dying cries.

When the last keeper fell, Nate stood amidst the carnage, his chest rising and falling heavily. The flames that had covered his body began to die down, leaving behind only the faint glow of embers. Sweat poured down his face as he collapsed onto the floor, utterly spent.

The chamber was silent once more, save for the crackling of distant flames. Nate closed his eyes briefly, trying to catch his breath. Every muscle in his body ached, and his head throbbed from the exertion.

But just as he allowed himself a moment of rest, the ground beneath him began to tremble.

His eyes snapped open as the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the chamber, growing louder with each passing second.

Nate forced himself to his feet, his body screaming in protest. He steadied himself, flames flickering weakly to life around his hands as he prepared for another fight.

Then he saw them.

More keepers emerged from the tunnel, their forms towering and menacing. These were different—larger, more muscular, and radiating an aura of pure malice. Their eyes glowed brighter, and their weapons seemed even more deadly.

Nate’s heart sank, but he clenched his fists, refusing to back down. "Great," he muttered. "Round two."

Before he could make a move, a deafening roar filled the chamber, freezing everyone in their tracks.

"WHO DARES DISTURB MY MINE?"

The voice was thunderous, deep, and filled with an unnatural power that made the very air in the chamber vibrate.

Nate’s flames flickered as an involuntary shiver ran down his spine. The keepers froze as well, their glowing eyes turning toward the source of the voice.

The sound came from deep within the tunnel, and it grew louder with each passing moment. Nate could feel the raw power emanating from whoever was approaching.