Cronus' system: Against the gods

Rex collapsed on the ground, exhausted from the toll the battle had put on him. Truth be told, he was outclassed by every means but it seems Damocles's sword could fend off his opponent. He couldn't help but wonder just how strong Damocles really was

SYSTEM ALERT: (You have killed a tier two advanced telepathic ability user

Level Up

Level Up

Level Up

+ 35 Ability points

Rex let out a small laugh as he saw his level-up notifications. "So he was a tier two advanced ability user. This means I killed someone a class and a tier above me"

He had to accept it but he had killed someone. Not just anyone though but a noble. This would cause a ruckus in the city but it wasn't his fault, was it? This was a case of self-defense. What he had to worry about now was that stupid law of the shadows.

"Law of the shadows uh? I wonder who brought about such a law and why. What Austine said can't be the whole truth"

"Harbinger! Worry not about that...hast thou forgotten that your abilities are no longer a secret?"

Rex's eyes widened "Yeah! Yeah! That's right. If he had a video about me using my powers, then that means that video must've been published...."

Rex's mind raced as the weight of the situation settled in. If Austine's video of him using Aether powers had been published, it wasn't just the nobles or the Council he'd have to worry about, it was everyone. The shadows he had hoped to remain hidden in were no longer his refuge.

"I'll have to contact Jeff about this issue but for now, I really need to return to the academy" Rex groaned as he opened up the system. He needed to distribute the points he had earned.

Name: Rex Xander

Level: 28

XP to next level: 100,000/700,000

Race: Human

Class: Cerberus Slayer (Effect: gains 2x more XP from killing wolf-like creatures)

Strength: 124

Agility: 142

Endurance: 114

Intelligence: 114

Aether: 80/80

Available ability points: 35

Active Skills (cost 5 Aether Each)

Temporal rift (Level 2) XP to next level: 0/100XP

Time rewind(Level Max) XP

Passive Skills

Fate's eyes

Titan's will: Cooldown time left(25 hours)

Without wasting much of his time, he dumped 20 points in agility and the remaining 14 points in strength. "For now, I've decided to focus on these two until I get them to 200 each"

He then noticed that the time rewind skill had already maxed out. This meant he could rewind time by five seconds without the cost of Aether. Honestly speaking, in a video game, it wasn't this easy to max out an ability so he couldn't help but ask "Crony, are you sure you really had an idea of a video game when creating this system?"

Cronus's deep voice echoed in Rex's mind, tinged with faint amusement. "Thou art mistaken, Harbinger. My design is not bound by the simplicity of mortal games. These abilities were not granted for mere ease but as lessons. Hast thou truly believed thou hast mastered the flow of time?"

Rex raised an eyebrow, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Wait, what do you mean by 'lessons'? Time rewind's maxed out. I can rewind five seconds whenever I want. Isn't that mastery?"

"Mastery?" Cronus's laugh reverberated in Rex's head. "What thou hast achieved is but an imitation, a tool to guide thy mortal mind into grasping the concept of time's malleability. Rewinding a mere five seconds? Hah! That is akin to a child learning to walk. The real dominion over time lies beyond thy current comprehension."

Rex sat up, groaning in pain. "You mean... there's more? Bigger powers? Like slowing time for longer? Jumping through time?"

Cronus paused, as if considering how much to reveal. "Indeed, Harbinger. What thou wield now is the training wheel of thy destiny. True mastery will allow thee to perceive the infinite threads of time and to weave them as thou dost, please.

To halt an eternity, to split a moment into countless possibilities, to traverse ages as one walks across a room, these are but glimpses of thy potential."

Rex's heart raced from excitement "Wow, that sounds awesome. But what's stopping me from unlocking these abilities now? Can't you just... y'know, update the system or something?"

Cronus's voice darkened, "Thou art not yet ready. The flow of time is an unforgiving tide. It would consume you utterly if you attempted to control it without understanding its depths.

Rex frowned, "Well... as long as I don't end up in some time loop cliche where I'm stuck reliving the same Tuesday over and over, I think I'll manage."

Cronus sighed, amazed at how Rex still managed to sound humorous.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Now, how do I deal with this!" Rex pointed at Austine's corpse which was still on the floor. Lucky him, citizens weren't around due to the lingering fear of a hydra suddenly snapping one's head off.

*********back at HQ*******

The soldiers patrolled the surroundings with their guns strapped around their shoulders, they were ready for any incoming threats. Jefferson had given strict orders to them and they were determined to carry it out. Though their General had just died, as soldiers, they couldn't wait to mourn when the battle wasn't over yet.

"I hope Captain Arris is safe," A female soldier said. Her voice was barely a whisper.

Another soldier in his late twenties humphed "Claire! Do you really think Captain Arris, a peak advanced-level soldier will lose so easily? You shouldn't really worry about him"

"I hope so..." Claire sighed.

**** At the Academy****

The two fighters seemed to be on equal footing, none of them willing to back down. Shadows swirled around, muscles pumped up, each one a testament to the power of the two warriors. Hercules swung his club at Lucius with a might that could raze down a building.

Lucius deftly parried the club with a shadow sword of his, frustration evident on his face. "First! it's an annoying lightning soldier, He glanced at Arris who was on the ground with bruises all over his body. now it's....who are you though!"

Hercules dashed backward, making a dramatic pose with his club over his head "I am the handsome hero of the gods...Hercules!"

"You're also a god like me?" Lucius arched a brow.

"No, not like you as you're just a self-proclaimed god!"

Lucius smirked, his icy breath visible in the chilling aura emanating around him. "A self-proclaimed god, huh? Well, mortal hero, let's see if your title holds up against someone on the verge of true divinity."

Hercules's face lit up with a grin that didn't quite match the intensity of the situation. "Oh, trust me, shadow boy, I've wrestled lions, crushed hydras, and punched titans! A fake god like you? Easy work!"

Lucius's eyes narrowed, and with a flick of his wrist, shadows surged around him, forming jagged spikes. He hurled them toward Hercules, who roared as he swung his club in a wide arc, shattering the dark projectiles mid-air. The force of the collision sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, shaking nearby structures.

Hercules charged forward, his massive frame moving with surprising speed. He raised his club, which seemed to glow faintly as if infused with divine energy. He brought it down with a thunderous swing, aiming to flatten Lucius.

Lucius sidestepped just in time, the club smashing into the ground and leaving a massive crater. He retaliated with a sweep of his shadow blade, its edge crackling with icy energy. Hercules blocked the blow with his club, but frost spread across its surface, and he had to wrench it free with brute strength.

"Cold and shadowy! You're really trying hard to be scary, huh?" Hercules taunted, shaking off the frost. He lunged again, using his immense strength to slam the ground with his club. The impact sent chunks of earth flying, disrupting Lucius's footing. Hercules used the opening to deliver a swift uppercut with his free hand, catching Lucius square in the jaw.

Lucius skidded back, spitting out a bit of blood. "Not bad for a mortal... but you'll need more than brute strength to handle me." His form dissolved into shadows, reappearing behind Hercules in an instant. He thrust his shadow sword toward Hercules's back, only for the demigod to twist at the last second, his lion-skin cloak deflecting the blow.

"Nice try!" Hercules bellowed, spinning on his heel to deliver a spinning kick that sent Lucius flying. The shadow-wielding god slammed into a nearby pillar but stood up almost immediately, his icy aura intensifying.

Lucius wiped his mouth, his expression darkening. "You're stronger than you look... but this ends now." He raised his hands, and the shadows coalesced into a massive clawed beast, roaring as it lunged at Hercules.

Hercules stood firm, planting his feet and gripping his club tightly. "Let's see if your pet can handle this!" With a roar that matched the beast's, he swung his club, smashing into the shadow construct. The beast dissipated into black mist, but the force of the attack sent Hercules sliding backward.

Lucius didn't let up, following the assault with a barrage of icy projectiles and shadow tendrils. Hercules dodged and deflected, but the relentless attacks began to wear him down. "Alright, shadow boy," he muttered under his breath, "time to turn up the heat."

With a burst of divine energy, Hercules's body glowed faintly, and his movements became even faster. He closed the distance between himself and Lucius in a flash, landing a devastating blow to the latter's midsection. The sheer force sent Lucius crashing into a wall, which crumbled under the impact.

As Lucius staggered to his feet, his shadowy form flickered erratically. His icy blade reformed in his hand, and his cold eyes locked onto Hercules. "You, your persistence isn't gonna save you!"

Hercules laughed, his chest heaving. "Maybe not, but it's enough to kick your arrogant butt! C'mon, Lucius, is that the best a 'god' can do? If this was it, then I would've defeated Zeus a long time ago"