Cronus' system: Against the gods

Chapter 164 A Test

"So let me get this straight," Jefferson said, his tone even, unreadable. "You somehow inherited the powers of Cronus, the Titan god of time from a little shiny rock passed down by your parents?"

His sharp gaze bore into Rex, scrutinizing every flicker of his expression. There was no immediate judgment in Jefferson's eyes, but there was something else, a tension coiled beneath his words, a quiet intensity that made Rex's stomach twist.

Rex chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "Uh... yeah, pretty much."

Jefferson took a slow, deliberate step forward, closing the distance between them. The air around him seemed heavier, like the calm before a storm.

"And how exactly does this power work?" His voice was level, but there was an edge to it, one that made Rex feel as if he were being dissected under a microscope.

Rex blinked. "How does it work? What do you mean?"

Jefferson exhaled through his nose, crossing his arms. "I mean, you don't just wake up one day with the ability to manipulate time and immediately understand it. A power like that requires focus, years of training, discipline, mastery."

His words hung in the air, thick with implication.

"And?" Rex tilted his head, feigning nonchalance, but there was an uneasy prickle at the back of his neck.

Jefferson's gaze sharpened. "And we both know you're not exactly the focused type."

Rex recoiled as if struck. "Ouch."

Jefferson ignored his reaction, his eyes narrowing. "Mastering something that complex in just a few weeks or months? No way you did that alone. Someone or something is guiding you."

A silence stretched between them. The wind whistled faintly through the cracks in the building, and for the first time, Rex hesitated.@@@@

Finally, he sighed, rubbing his temple. "Yeah, well... you're not wrong."

He lifted his hand, and with a flick of his fingers, a shimmering interface materialized in the air before him. Glowing letters pulsed softly, bathing his face in a faint golden light.

"I've got a system," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "It helps me train. Helps me learn. Basically fast-tracks my progress."

Name: Rex Xander

Level: 39

XP to Next Level: 1,700,540/2,000,000 XP

Race: Human (Hero of Time)

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

Strength: 260

Agility: 289

Endurance: 196

Intelligence: 236

Aether: 185/185

Available Ability Points: 0

Active Skills:

"Twice as fast... no, three times!" Rex's mind raced. He clenched his teeth, feeling the heat of the incoming projectiles against his skin.

Desperation flooded him as he threw up the Aegis of Eternity. The blue bubble shimmered to life around him, its surface rippling like liquid sunlight. The spears struck the barrier with a deafening crack, their energy sending shockwaves across the shield.

The Aegis trembled, fractures spiderwebbing across its surface. Rex's breath hitched as he felt the strain. "It's going to break!"

Then, with a flicker of light, the spears dissipated, their power vanishing into thin air. Rex staggered, beads of sweat rolling down his face.

Jefferson stood motionless, watching with a calm that bordered on unsettling. His lips curved slightly, not quite a smile but close enough to make Rex's skin crawl. "Hmm," he muttered, arching an eyebrow.

Before Rex could catch his breath, another spear materialized in front of Jefferson. This one was different, its color a deep, unnatural purple that seemed to drink in the light around it. The air itself grew heavy, crackling with the sheer density of its Aether.

"Slowing down time won't help you here," Jefferson said, his tone low but unyielding. "This one will kill you."

Rex's heart pounded in his chest. His fists clenched, nails biting into his palms. The weight of the purple spear's energy pressed against him like a tidal wave, suffocating and relentless.

"Yeah, right!" he snapped, anger rising to mask his fear. He wasn't stupid; he knew exactly what Jefferson was doing now. This wasn't an attack. This was a test—a ruthless, no-holds-barred trial of his limits.

But the purple spear was unlike anything he'd ever faced. Its power was incomprehensible, a swirling mass of pure, raw energy that made his own Aether feel like a flickering candle beside a roaring inferno.

"One hundred times stronger," Rex thought, his stomach sinking. "How the hell do I dodge that?"

Cronus' voice slipped into his mind like a shadow. "You can't dodge it. Not with what you have now. But perhaps... there's another way."

Rex's breath quickened as the purple spear began to move, its trajectory aimed squarely at his chest. The sheer force of its presence felt like standing before a hurricane.

"Dammit, Jefferson," Rex muttered under his breath, his hands glowing faintly as he prepared for the fight of his life. "If you wanted to test me, you could've just asked."

The spear inched closer, its energy tearing at the fabric of reality. Desperation gripped Rex. He knew time manipulation wouldn't help, but instinct took over. He slowed time anyway, his surroundings shifting into a distorted crawl.

Even in the slowed moment, the spear still moved, imperceptibly faster than it should.

"Just a little more time," he thought, raising his hands. Energy crackled around him, erratic and wild, as an Aether spear formed in his grasp. Its blue glow felt comforting at first, familiar. But as he channeled more power, that comfort was ripped away.

"RAAAAAARGHHHH!" Rex roared, his voice tearing through the stillness of the slowed world. Agony surged through him, white-hot and relentless. It was as if his body were being torn apart from the inside out. His muscles trembled, his veins felt like they were ablaze, and the spear in his hands began to shift.

The blue hue faded, replaced by green, then yellow. The spear pulsed violently, its energy too unstable to contain. "Grraagh!" he bellowed again, his eyes wide and hollow, glowing faintly with a dangerous light. The spear turned red, then purple—a deep, majestic purple that mirrored Jefferson's attack.

No. It wasn't done yet.

The spear's color continued to transform, its glow intensifying to a radiant brilliance that seemed almost divine. But Rex couldn't take it anymore. His grip faltered, his breath hitched, and his vision blurred. He screamed one last time, throwing the spear with every ounce of strength he had left.

As the spear left his hands, his body collapsed, limp and motionless, hitting the floor with a dull thud.

The two purple spears collided mid-air, and for a moment, time itself seemed to hold its breath.

The clash was breathtaking. Aether erupted in a dazzling display of light and shadow, a storm of energy that painted the night sky in hues of violet, gold, and crimson. The two spears vied for dominance, surging and crackling, each refusing to yield. The raw power was deafening, a hum that vibrated through the air and into the ground.

But the contest was short-lived. Jefferson's spear, more refined and stable, pierced through Rex's creation, shattering it with a final, thunderous burst. The remnants of Rex's attack dissolved into sparks, and Jefferson's spear continued its path, now dimmed, weakened, but still lethal.

Jefferson flicked his wrist, and the spear vanished into nothingness, dissipating harmlessly before it could reach Rex.

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He stood there, hands in his pockets, looking down at Rex's unconscious body. A faint smile played on his lips, more impressed than amused.

"Congratulations, kid," he said softly, his voice carrying a rare warmth. "Welcome to God Tower, try not to die"