Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 68 Test Of Strength

The sun hovered at its zenith, casting sharp shadows over the makeshift dueling arena carved into the camp’s clearing. A circle of packed soil marked the boundaries, surrounded by curious onlookers whispering in anticipation. At its center stood Madison and Bella, facing each other with determined expressions. The air between them crackled with tension.

Madison clutched a bow unlike anything ever seen before. Its sleek, silvery body shimmered faintly with an otherworldly glow, and veins of pulsing blue energy ran along its length, giving it a life of its own. The bowstring appeared to be a strand of light, shifting in color with every subtle movement of her fingers.

Opposite her, Bella stood confidently with three swords hovering behind her in perfect formation. Each sword was unique: one emitted a faint golden glow, with runes etched into its blade that seemed to pulse rhythmically; the second had an icy sheen, sending faint chills into the air; the third, darker than the void itself, seemed to absorb light, exuding an aura of quiet menace. They floated around Bella as if tethered to her will, responding to her every thought.

"Begin!" boomed Ryder’s voice from the sidelines.

The moment the command echoed, Madison moved first, her bow already drawn. She let an arrow of glowing energy loose, its trajectory unnaturally straight as it whizzed toward Bella. But Bella was ready—her icy sword darted forward, slicing the arrow mid-air. The two clashing forces produced a sharp, crystalline sound as fragments of glowing light dissipated into the air.

"Nice try," Bella said with a smirk, the other two swords circling protectively around her.

Madison smirked back, vanishing in a blink. Bella’s eyes darted to her left just in time to see Madison reappear, her bow already aimed. Another arrow flew, but Bella’s golden sword intercepted it this time, the impact sending a ripple of energy outward.

"You’ll need more than that," Bella taunted, stepping forward with her swords swirling around her in an intimidating display. One sword shot toward Madison, its icy tip aiming for her chest. Madison teleported again, this time reappearing directly above Bella. She loosed another arrow mid-air, but Bella spun and flung her dark blade upward, swatting the arrow away effortlessly.

The crowd gasped as the two fighters danced around each other, the tension building with every second. Madison teleported repeatedly, firing arrow after arrow, each one aimed with deadly precision. Bella, however, was equally fast, her swords weaving a near-impenetrable defense as she deflected or destroyed the glowing projectiles.

Suddenly, Madison stopped teleporting and aimed three arrows at once. Her eyes glowed faintly as she whispered something under her breath. The arrows shot forward, splitting into a dozen smaller ones mid-flight. Bella’s swords whirred into action, striking down the arrows in rapid succession. But one slipped through her defenses, grazing her arm before vanishing in a puff of blue smoke.

"Gotcha," Madison said, a triumphant grin on her face.

"Not so fast," Bella replied, her dark sword lunging forward like a predator. Madison barely had time to teleport, reappearing just outside the ring as the sword struck the ground where she had been standing. The force of the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the earth, knocking some of the spectators off balance.

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"Close one," Madison muttered, wiping sweat from her brow. She teleported back into the ring, her bow drawn again. This time, her arrows shimmered brighter, charged with more energy than before.

Bella, sensing the change, narrowed her eyes, recalled her sword. All three of her swords hovered in front of her, forming a protective barrier. But Madison was already in motion. She fired an arrow that curved mid-air, heading toward Bella’s left side. The golden sword moved to intercept it, but at the last moment, Madison teleported the arrow to Bella’s right, forcing her icy blade to deflect it instead.

Before Bella could react, Madison fired another arrow, this one arcing high above before splitting into multiple projectiles. Bella gritted her teeth as her swords whirled around her, deflecting the arrows with incredible speed. Still, one managed to slip through, grazing her cheek and leaving a faint mark of blue smoke.

"You’re not bad," Bella admitted, her breathing slightly labored. "But you’re not winning this."

With a flick of her wrist, all three swords flew toward Madison simultaneously. Madison teleported to avoid them, but Bella anticipated her move, sending the icy sword after her. It struck the ground inches from Madison’s feet, sending a spray of frost that froze the earth around her.

Madison leaped back, her teleportation saving her from being trapped, but Bella’s golden sword was already closing in. Madison ducked just in time, the blade slicing through the air above her. She retaliated with an arrow, teleporting it mid-flight to strike Bella from behind. Bella’s dark sword intercepted it at the last second, the impact sending a burst of light that momentarily blinded the spectators.

The duel was reaching its peak, with neither side willing to back down. Bella’s swords moved with deadly precision, while Madison’s teleportation and arrow skills kept her one step ahead. The crowd watched in awe as the two combatants pushed each other to their limits.

As the clash continued, Madison teleported to Bella’s left, her bow drawn and ready to fire. Bella turned to face her, her swords circling defensively. But Madison’s arrow didn’t fly toward Bella. Instead, she aimed it at the ground beneath her feet, the glowing projectile detonating on impact and sending a cloud of dust into the air.

When the dust settled, Bella was standing in the center of the ring, her swords hovering protectively around her. Madison was nowhere to be seen.

"Where are you?" Bella muttered, scanning the arena.

Suddenly, Madison reappeared directly behind her, her bow aimed at Bella’s back. Bella spun around, her golden sword moving to block the shot.

But Madison was faster.

The glowing arrow soared through the air, heading straight for Bella’s forehead. The crowd gasped collectively, their eyes fixed on the duel’s critical moment.

But Bella wasn’t done yet.

With a fierce look of concentration, she summoned her telekinetic strength, and the dark sword shot forward, intercepting the arrow just inches before it reached her. The collision sent sparks flying, the force of the impact pushing Bella back a few steps. Madison gritted her teeth and teleported again, reappearing to Bella’s side, her bow already drawn.

"You’re persistent," Bella said, spinning to face her opponent.

"And you’re too slow," Madison retorted, firing another arrow.

Bella’s icy sword moved to deflect it, but at the last moment, the arrow veered off course, curving sharply toward Bella’s other side. Madison had teleported it mid-flight. Bella’s golden sword darted to block it, but the arrow shattered into smaller fragments, each heading in a different direction.

Bella gasped as one of the fragments slipped through her defenses, striking her shoulder. A puff of blue smoke erupted on impact, leaving a faint mark that trailed down her arm.

"Impressive," Bella admitted, her voice steady despite the mounting pressure. "But you haven’t won yet."

She raised her hand, and all three swords shot forward in unison, converging on Madison from different angles. Madison’s eyes widened as she teleported to dodge the first sword, only to find the second and third closing in. She twisted her body mid-air, narrowly avoiding the icy blade, but the dark sword grazed her leg, leaving a faint mark of red paint.

The crowd erupted in cheers and shouts, the tension electrifying.

Madison landed gracefully, her glowing bow still shimmering in her hand. Her leg throbbed from the graze, but she ignored the pain, her focus entirely on Bella.

"You’re good," Madison admitted, circling Bella cautiously. "But I’m better."

Bella smirked. "We’ll see."

Madison teleported again, this time reappearing directly above Bella. She fired an arrow downward, but Bella’s swords moved as one, forming a protective shield above her head. The arrow shattered on impact, the fragments raining down harmlessly.

Bella countered immediately, sending her golden sword upward. Madison teleported just in time, reappearing across the arena. But Bella anticipated her move, and her icy sword was already there, slashing toward Madison’s side.

Madison gasped as she teleported again, narrowly avoiding the blade. She reappeared at Bella’s back, her bow glowing brighter than ever. She loosed three arrows in quick succession, each one curving mid-air to attack Bella from different angles.

Bella’s swords sprang into action, deflecting the first two arrows with ease. But the third arrow slipped through, striking Bella’s forehead.

Blue smoke erupted, marking Bella’s head with a glowing symbol.

The crowd fell silent, the realization dawning on everyone at once.

"I win," Madison said with a triumphant smile, lowering her bow.

Bella stood frozen for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, to everyone’s surprise, she started laughing.

"Not so fast," Bella said, pointing to Madison’s stomach.

Madison looked down and gasped. A faint red mark was painted across her abdomen.

"When…?" she stammered, her eyes wide with shock.

Bella smirked. "You were so focused on dodging my swords that you didn’t notice the golden one grazing you earlier. Guess that makes it a tie."

The crowd erupted into cheers and laughter, the tension dissolving into excitement. Ryder stepped forward, clapping his hands to grab everyone’s attention.

"Well, that was a hell of a show," he said, grinning. "But next time, let’s make sure someone actually wins."

Madison and Bella exchanged a smile, both of them breathing heavily but clearly enjoying the match.

"You’re good," Madison admitted, extending her hand.

"You’re not bad yourself," Bella replied, shaking it.

As the crowd dispersed, Madison and Bella walked off the field, their friendly rivalry intact. The duel may have ended in a draw, but both fighters had earned each other’s respect. They have been training rigorously for two months now and they didn’t disappoint.