Cronus' system: Against the gods

Chapter 15: Dodgeball Time

"Okay, everyone!" A manly voice called out from the Stadium's entrance and everyone turned in the direction of the voice. It was a man, dressed in traditional Coach attire, a green T-shirt and blue trousers. He wore a blue cap which covered some part of his face. He had a mysterious air surrounding him

"All Freshers who are interested in joining my team should come closer" The man spoke as he signaled to a spot close to himself.

Name: Jefferson Andrews

Race: Human

Occupation: Dodgeball Coach

Hobby: ???

Ability: ???

Class: ???

Status: ???

Strength: ???

Speed: ???

Intelligence: ???

Endurance: ???

"Damn! Even with level 2 god's eyes, I can't see his stats?! How strong is he? Isn't he supposed to be just your average coach" Rex thought as we walked toward the spot where the man had pointed to.

"Looks can be deceiving, harbinger" Cronus responded to Rex's thoughts.

As Rex approached the spot, a few murmurs rippled through the group. Some were already sizing up their potential teammates, while others kept to themselves, nervous about the upcoming trial.

The coach, Jefferson Andrews, stood tall, his aura practically radiating authority despite the casual attire. With a wave of his hand, he signaled for the twelve freshers to gather closer. Rex quickly glanced at his fellow competitors, analyzing them.

"They don't seem too fast," he noted. His god's Eyes ability gave him some insight, even though his power level was low. He couldn't gauge their exact abilities, but he could see that most had a much lower agility compared to him.

"Alright, listen up!" Jefferson's voice boomed across the stadium. "Only six of you will make it onto my team, so we'll be doing a little test today. We're playing dodgeball. The rules are simple, dodge the ball, eliminate the other team, and stay on your feet. We'll see if you've got what it takes."

Rex smirked. "Dodgeball, huh? Agility and quick thinking will be key here. This is my chance."

Cronus's voice echoed in his mind. "You seem confident, harbinger. Do not forget, intelligence must guide your actions."

Jefferson continued, "I'll split you into two teams of six. We'll do two rounds. The winning team will move on to the next stage. Everyone ready?"

Rex nodded, observing his teammates and the other side. As the whistle blew, he instantly sprang into action, weaving between the players, making sure he stayed out of the ball's path. He saw the slow reaction times of the others and knew he could outmaneuver them easily. "Speed and strategy. Let's do this."

As the whistle blew, Rex darted to the side, his feet light and his mind already racing. He scanned the field, watching as the ball whizzed past him. His team wasn't faring too well. They lacked coordination, and two of his teammates were eliminated within the first minute, hit squarely by fast throws from the other team. Now it was four against six, and the odds weren't in their favor.

"Focus, harbinger," Cronus's voice resonated in his mind. "Numbers don't determine the victor. You have the speed, but do you have the wit?"

Rex grinned. "Watch me."

The ball was in play again, and this time one of his teammates caught it, turning the tables momentarily. But Rex wasn't satisfied with just catching and throwing; he needed a plan. He had to exploit the gap between his agility and the enemy's weaknesses.

His eyes locked onto one of the opponents, a burly guy whose slow movements made him an easy target. Rex sidestepped another throw, quick on his feet, and when the ball came to him, he feigned a throw to the left before launching a fast, accurate strike toward the slow opponent.

Thud!

The ball hit the guy square in the chest, and he was out. But no time to celebrate as another throw was aimed at Rex, this time from an unexpected angle. He barely managed to dive out of the way, rolling to his feet and keeping his focus sharp. Now it was four against five.

Rex noticed his remaining teammates weren't much help. One of them hesitated too long with the ball and got hit. Another froze under pressure, making it two against six. The crowd was murmuring, thinking the game was over.

But Rex saw this as an opportunity. With just one other teammate left, an average girl who looked exhausted. He realized it was on him to take control. His agility was unmatched, and his intelligence was his secret weapon.

"They're underestimating me," Rex muttered to himself, a sly grin forming. He quickly huddled with his remaining teammate. "Listen," he said, "I need you to be a decoy. Don't try to throw; just dodge and distract them. I'll take care of the rest."

She nodded, her eyes wide with fear but trusting Rex's confidence.

The ball came into play again, and as expected, the opposing team focused on Rex's partner, thinking she was an easy target. Meanwhile, Rex used this distraction to weave between the opposing players, using his agility to dodge incoming throws with ease.

When one of the players wound up for a strong throw, Rex anticipated it, sprinting forward just as the ball left the opponent's hand. In a flash, he was there, catching the ball mid-air. The sudden move stunned the crowd. Rex's grip was firm as he whipped it back with a sharp throw, knocking another opponent out.

Four left.

Rex's teammate was doing her best to keep dodging, barely managing to stay in the game, which gave Rex the opening he needed. He sprinted to the sidelines, taking advantage of the scattered positioning of the remaining four players. His sharp intellect allowed him to predict their movements with precision. He faked a throw, causing two of them to duck prematurely, and then delivered a real throw, eliminating another opponent.

Three left.

The other team was starting to panic, their confidence shaken as they saw Rex moving like a blur across the court. One of the remaining players tried to rush Rex, throwing the ball with all their might, but Rex sidestepped it with ease. The ball bounced back into his hands, and in one fluid motion, he launched it at the unsuspecting opponent, catching them off guard.

Two left.

The remaining two opponents were now visibly nervous. They hesitated, unsure of what to do. Rex slowed down, taking deep breaths. He was in control now. He could see the fear in their eyes.

Cronus's voice broke through his concentration. "Finish it, harbinger."

Rex's eyes narrowed. He charged forward, baiting the opponents into throwing too quickly. One of them threw the ball, but Rex ducked under it, using the momentum to slide across the floor, grabbing the ball mid-slide. He popped up and hurled it straight at one of the players.

One left.

The last opponent, a tall girl with quick reflexes, was the only real challenge. She seemed more alert than the others, keeping her eyes locked on Rex. But Rex wasn't fazed.

"Let's end this," he muttered.

He faked another throw, causing her to flinch. She tried to recover, but Rex had already anticipated her next move. With a perfectly timed throw, the ball slammed into her side.

Game over.

{System alert: +2 Stat points to agility and intelligence}

The whistle blew, signaling the end. The crowd erupted into cheers, and Jefferson's expression remained unreadable beneath his cap, though his eyes seemed to glimmer with approval.

"Not bad, freshers. Not bad at all." His gaze lingered on Rex. "You, in particular. Impressive agility. But remember, this was only a test against rookies like you, we'll see how well you fare in the real test.

After everything, Coach Jefferson picked Rex and the girl on his team, along with four other students from the opposing team. "I can work with these" Jefferson mused and then started walking away "We meet at the main stadium after classes by 3 pm"

"Wow, I didn't expect to receive rewards," Rex thought after seeing the stat points he gained.

"You get rewards for minor things that naturally boost your abilities so it ain't a big deal" Cronus replied.

"Yeah," Rex said as he looked up at a clock. It was 3:30 pm, just 10 minutes before he died the previous day or today.....was it? Damn this timeline

"Okay, now it's time to kick some Kaiju ass" Rex cracked his knuckles and walked out of the stadium.

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