Cronus' system: Against the gods

Chapter 138 A True Sovereign

"ready for round two, iron sovereign?" rex taunted, his voice dripping with hot-blooded confidence.

wallen's iron armor was slowly crumbling away but instead of a depressed and defeated look on his face, rex could swear that there was still that maniacal, sadistic smile on his face. he was chuckling quietly and softly.

"dang! does he still have some tricks up his sleeves?!" rex clenched his fists tighter, the aether gauntlet of energy wrapped both of his hands. this time, it didn't stop there. a dazzling draconic-like helmet materialized around his head, gleaming with radiant energy.

its design was fierce, horns swept back like a dragon's crest, the visor shaped to resemble a roaring dragon's maw. energy rippled across its surface, and faint light streams trailed from the edges, giving the impression of living flame.

rex could feel the power surging through him, the helmet amplifying his senses, heightening his reflexes, and reinforcing his determination.

"wow, so cool! i just decided to copy this from a movie i watched years back" rex smiled as the helmet took shape.

"great, now i'm down to just 20, so much for trying to look cool!" rex facepalmed. "next time, cronus, warn me before i try a new thing out!"

"ah, harbinger, where would the fun be if i robbed you of these delightful moments of impending failure? a warrior must learn by blundering gloriously, after all."

"oh, wonderful. the almighty titan of time strikes again with another episode of 'mock the mortal'!" rex snapped. "careful, cronus. one more sarcastic remark, and i'll....well, i don't know what i'll do, but it'll probably involve me yelling a lot."

"indeed. how terrifying," cronus mused, with the audible equivalent of an eye-roll. "perhaps you should conserve your energy for your foe rather than engaging in your usual, tiresome verbal theatrics."

rex sighed. "gee, thanks for the pep talk. that really boosted my morale. i feel invincible now."

wallen, who had been quietly watching the one-sided conversation with mild confusion, finally spoke up. "are you... talking to yourself?"

"pfft, no!" rex scoffed. "i'm talking to an ancient, time-manipulating titan who loves to ruin my day. totally normal."

"ah, yes, do continue explaining our unique partnership aloud, rex. truly, nothing unnerves a mortal foe quite like madness."

"y'know what, cronus? you're really not helping." rex clenched his glowing fists again, ready to charge. "alright, iron sovereign! round two, and this time i...uh..."

"oh, come on!" rex groaned. "cronus, couldn't you, i don't know, rewind my energy bar or something?"

"ah, i would, but alas, i find your suffering far too amusing to intervene. onward, young fool!"

"young fool?!" rex growled.

before the aether helmet would deplete his energy further, he quickly deactivated it along with the gauntlets. doing that really made him feel vulnerable but well....."i've got no choice or else i'd run out of aether...i've really got to bring this to an end soon"

"show me more!" wallen shouted as he dashed toward rex. this time, he crossed his hands and slammed them together and from the impact, molten metal gushed out at rex at a terrifying speed.

rex skidded to the side with aether propelling him but it still wasn't enough. some of the liquid still touched his hands.

"ouch! hot! hot!!" rex yelled out as he slapped it with his other hand dramatically

rex's dramatic antics came to an abrupt halt as wallen closed the gap with ferocious speed, his molten aura radiating oppressive heat. wallen's molten fists came crashing down like twin meteors, shattering the ground where rex had been standing moments before.

"quit dancing, brat!" wallen roared, his voice echoing with a metallic resonance, his molten armor glowing like a forge on the brink of eruption.

rex flipped backward, landing lightly on his feet, his smirk never fading despite the fresh burns on his hands. he shook them out as if brushing off the sting, "dancing? nah...i suck at that!"

wallen didn't give him a moment to breathe. the molten metal surged forward, forming massive tendrils that lashed out like whips. rex leaped and rolled, dodging each strike with a mix of precision and sheer instinct. the air sizzled as molten streaks passed mere inches from his face.

"you can't dodge forever, rex!" wallen bellowed, the ground beneath him turning to glowing slag from his relentless heat.

"oh, i'm not planning to!" rex shouted back. aether burst from his fists, illuminating the battlefield with vibrant blue energy. he crouched low, his grin widening. "let's turn this into a proper brawl, shall we?"

in a flash, rex surged forward, his aether-coated fists striking out like lightning. wallen met him head-on, molten fists clashing with aether, each impact sending shockwaves rippling outward. sparks flew as their powers collided, a dance of fire and energy that lit up the night.

wallen growled as rex ducked under a molten punch and delivered a spinning kick infused with aether straight to wallen's side. the kick connected with a satisfying crack, sending wallen skidding backward.

wallen spat a glob of molten metal onto the ground and wiped his mouth, grinning darkly. "you've got some fight in you, kid. but let's see how you handle this!" he slammed his fists into the ground, and molten metal erupted in all directions, creating a devastating wave that raced toward rex.

rex planted his feet, the aether around him intensifying. he thrust both hands forward, forming a glowing barrier of pure energy. the molten wave crashed into it, hissing and steaming as the two forces fought for dominance. sweat beaded on rex's brow, but his smirk never wavered.

as the molten tide receded, wallen stood at the center of the scorched battlefield, his molten armor pulsating like a living furnace. rex dropped the barrier, his fists still glowing with aether, and his smirk transformed into a feral grin.

"you call that your big move? cute," rex taunted, his voice dripping with confidence. "but now it's my turn."

before wallen could respond, the ground trembled again, but this time, it wasn't from his power. a new energy filled the air, cold and sharp like a blade. wallen's aura flickered as he paused, his smile faltering.

"what's wrong?" rex asked, noticing the change. "don't tell me you're scared now."

wallen didn't answer. instead, his gaze shifted upward, his expression darkening. then, without warning, a shimmering, blue energy began to pour from his body, engulfing him in a blinding light. his jagged armor melted away, replaced by a sleek, radiant shell of pure aether.

rex froze, his smirk fading and replaced by a bewildered look. "ain't no fucking way..."

the light receded, revealing wallen standing taller than before, his entire body exuding a terrifyingly divine aura. his eyes burned with newfound intensity, and his voice rang out like thunder.

"now," wallen said, his lips curling into a grin. "let's see how you fare against a true sovereign."