Cronus' system: Against the gods

Chapter 11: The school life of an Harbinger

Rex was standing in the courtyard and he could feel the rising tension as he relived the experience that he had gone through once. His fingers were clenched at his side and General Silas glared at him, waiting for something to occur. The awakening stone had once again turned its back on him, just as it had done before he died or whatever that was supposed to have been. Rex was still not quite certain whether he had really died or Cronus had pulled him back from the dead.

"Okay, time to get this day started," Rex grumbled to himself. His thoughts were racing with ideas, but he was certain of one thing, there was a giant monster coming, and he had to find out how to prevent it. Kaiju fights were not something that was taught in school, of course. But this time, things would be different. He was not going to die. Probably.

When Miss Layla and General Silas looked at each other, Rex felt the increasing pressure of the repetition of the scene. The students' whispers went through the crowd once more, and he was well aware of what they were saying about him, the kid who had failed his awakening. But Rex was not the same powerless student that he used to be. He had powers now. The power to manipulate Aether, a system, and, you know, a Titan of Time living in his head.

Rex massaged his temples and let out a sigh. "Alright, so first things first," he said to himself. "Survive the day without going out of your mind. And don't get eaten by a kaiju while in the middle of dodgeball class."

He looked at the sky once more, half-expecting to see something sinister, be it dark clouds forming or a kaiju's silhouette on the horizon. But no, the sky was clear blue with white clouds floating in the sky as if they were sailing on a sea. It almost annoyed him how much things were back to normal

"Rex," Cronus' deep, calm voice echoed in his mind. "Thou art overthinking again. Focus on the task at hand."

Rex grimaced. He still wasn't used to Cronus reading his thoughts, even after the brief mental conversation earlier. It felt like sharing his brain with a bossy parent.

"I'm not overthinking, I'm just... planning," Rex replied in his mind, trying to sound convincing. "What do you suggest? Should I run straight at the kaiju when it shows up, or maybe take notes on how not to get squashed?"

"Mockery will serve thee no purpose. Thou must utilize thy new abilities wisely. Stay vigilant, Harbinger."

"Yeah, yeah, 'stay vigilant.' Got it," Rex grumbled aloud, drawing a confused look from one of the students next to him.

The morning ceremony continued like clockwork, with Miss Layla calling names and the students lining up for their awakening attempts. Rex remembered exactly how it went down the first time, but now, every detail felt more surreal. It was like watching a bad movie he couldn't skip through.

As the last few students placed their hands on the awakening stone, Rex's mind wandered to his impending showdown with the kaiju. I can't just wing this, can I? he thought. I need a plan. Something better than "don't die."

He glanced at the students, wondering if any of them would be helpful in a fight against a gigantic monster. But after pulling up a few stats with God's Eyes, he wasn't feeling too hopeful.

Name: Sarah

Occupation: Complainer

Strength: 16

Agility: 25

Endurance: 13

Intelligence: 7

Status: Thinking about lunch.

Name: Darren

Occupation: Unwilling Participant in Physical Activity

Strength: 18

Agility: 20

Endurance: 14

Intelligence: 8

Status: Daydreaming about getting out of dodgeball.

Rex sighed. Yeah, I'm on my own for this one.

Finally, the ceremony wrapped up, and General Silas, still grumbling under his breath about Rex's supposed failure, stomped off with the awakening stone in tow. Miss Layla smiled at Rex as the students dispersed to their classes, her expression a mix of sympathy and curiosity.

"Don't worry about it, Rex," she said gently. "Everyone has their own time. You'll awaken your ability when you're ready."

"Yeah, thanks, Miss Layla," Rex replied, giving her a quick nod before heading off to his homeroom.

Inside the school, things felt even more bizarre. Rex knew he wasn't just dealing with an ordinary day anymore. The clock was ticking, and a kaiju was coming but he just didn't know when. Or where. Or how in the world he was supposed to stop it.

As Rex slid into his seat, his classmates were buzzing with idle chatter. He stared out the window, his mind racing. Maybe he could try using Aether during dodgeball. It wasn't the best plan, but at least it'd give him a chance to test his abilities in a controlled environment. Better to accidentally blast a dodgeball than a building, right?

The bell rang, signaling the start of class, and Rex's teacher droned on about something he was too distracted to focus on. His foot tapped nervously under the desk. He knew Cronus wasn't going to give him any more specific information. Titans and their cryptic ways, great, just what he needed. Rex could feel the weight of the hours passing by, every minute bringing him closer to the looming disaster he had to prevent.

When lunch rolled around, Rex decided to slip out of the cafeteria early. The courtyard was practically empty, just a few students scattered around. He needed some time to think without all the noise.

Standing near a tree at the far end of the courtyard, Rex closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. He focused on the flow of Aether in his body, something he had only barely begun to understand. He could feel it like a current running beneath his skin, waiting to be controlled.

"Alright, let's see what I can do," he muttered, raising his hand and focusing on the air around him. He tried to picture the way Cronus had described time manipulation. Slowly, he exhaled, imagining time slowing down around him.

At first, nothing happened. Rex squinted, focusing harder. C'mon, I can bend time, right?

Suddenly, a faint shimmer appeared in the air around him. The world seemed to blur slightly, the movements of the few students in the distance becoming sluggish, like they were wading through molasses. Rex's eyes widened in surprise.

"Holy crap, it's working," he whispered, amazed by the sight.

But just as quickly as the sensation appeared, it flickered and vanished, the world snapping back to normal speed. Rex felt a sharp headache pound behind his eyes.

"Okay, maybe don't overdo it," he muttered, rubbing his temple. "Baby steps, Rex. Baby steps."

Cronus's voice chimed in, his tone calm as ever. "Thou hast made progress. But be wary, manipulating time requires immense focus. Thou art not yet ready for prolonged usage."

Rex groaned. "Yeah, no kidding. I feel like my brain just tried to bench-press a boulder."

Despite the headache, Rex couldn't help but feel a tiny surge of pride. He'd actually done it, he'd slowed time, even if only for a few seconds. It wasn't much, but it was a start. And in a fight against a kaiju, even a few seconds could mean the difference between life and death.

The afternoon classes dragged on, but Rex's mind was elsewhere. He couldn't stop thinking about the kaiju, about his new powers, and about what Cronus had said earlier. He needed to train, but with the day already repeating, he wasn't sure how much time he had left before everything went to hell again.

Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Rex grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, heading toward the gym where dodgeball practice was about to begin. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach like he was walking straight into a trap.

As he entered the gym, the familiar smell of rubber dodgeballs and sweaty students filled the air. His classmates were already picking up the balls and practicing their throws. Rex swallowed nervously. He had faced this scenario before, but this time, things were different. He had powers. He had Cronus.

But he also had a giant monster waiting somewhere out there, ready to destroy everything.

"Alright, Rex," he muttered to himself as he joined his classmates on the court. "Let's hope this kaiju doesn't show up mid-game. I'd really hate to be remembered as the kid who got squashed during gym class."

As the dodgeball game began, Rex couldn't help but glance around the gym, half-expecting the walls to crumble at any moment. His senses were on high alert, every muscle in his body tensing as he prepared for the worst.

Because this time, the day wasn't just about surviving dodgeball, it was about surviving everything.

"Of all fools I've seen on this earth, thou art a greater fool than them all" Cronus' voice suddenly came up

"What?!!! Why insultest thou me?" Rex replied in the same tone as Cronus

"Thy mates are more powerful than thou art and yet, thou thinkest ye can contend against the kaiju that is far more powerful than these?"

"Wait, really?"

"It is time for thou to enter the domain of Tartarus"

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