Cronus' system: Against the gods

Chapter 25: "When will you stop being A Commentator?"

Rex carefully examined his opponent, its three heads releasing low, menacing growls. Each sound reverberated through the air like a warning, move an inch closer, and he'd be Cerberus's midnight snack.

"Alright, calm down," Rex whispered to himself, taking a deep breath to try and calm his nerves. 'This thing outclasses me in strength and endurance, but I outclass it in speed and brains.' I can work with that." He narrowed his eyes, studying the monster's actions, searching for any possible openings.

Without warning, Cerberus swung its claws at Rex and the young dragon was caught off guard. Its strike was different, wider and glowing with a reddish hue that made it look more dangerous than before. The huge claw swept through the air, ripping the earth as it went.

"Dammit!" Rex shouted and jumped to the side barely in time. The force with which the swipe was made caused debris to fly off in all directions. "I think it got bored of waiting," Rex said, shaking the dust off his shoulder before getting to his feet.

"Careful, Harbinger! You should not underestimate your opponent! Cronus's voice replayed in his mind, the man's voice always calm and infuriating.

Rex charged, running at the best of his ability to try and get closer to the target. "When the hell will you stop being a commentator!" He yelled as he swung his fist at the Cerberus's midsection, going for the middle head. But to his surprise the beast moved back with great speed avoiding the strike.

"Whoa, seriously? It dodged?" Rex exclaimed, blinking in disbelief. Although it was not as nimble as him, the real Cerberus was quick enough to dodge the attack.

Whoosh!

Before Rex could do anything, another swipe came at him, this time much quicker. He just barely made it under it, but not without getting hit.

"Ack!" Rex dropped to his knees, grabbing his side as if he had been shot. The claws had raked him, tearing his flesh from his ribs. Blood oozed out between his fingers and he flinched at the stinging sensation. "This ain't gonna be as easy as I thought," he grumbled, clenching his teeth.

The Cerberus loomed above him, each of its heads snarling in unison, jaws dripping with saliva. It lunged again, aiming to finish the fight quickly, but Rex pushed off the ground just in time, rolling to the side.

He sprang to his feet, panting, and scanned his surroundings. He needed a plan and fast. "Okay, Rex, think. You're faster, and smarter... play to your strengths," he whispered to himself, glancing at the Cerberus's massive paws, its glowing red claws.

The Cerberus lunged again, its heads snapping forward with terrifying speed. Rex dodged one, two strikes, feeling the rush of air as the massive jaws barely missed him. His feet skimmed the ground as he moved, narrowly avoiding each attack.

"This is getting ridiculous!" Rex growled as he flipped backward to avoid a swipe that could have taken his head off. "Cronus, any chance you could lend a hand? Or at least a paw?"

Cronus chuckled in his mind. "Thou art doing fine, Harbinger. Though I am entertained by thy struggle."

Rex rolled his eyes, sidestepping another deadly claw strike. "Glad to know my near-death experience is quality entertainment for you."

Another claw strike came from Cerberus's rightmost head, but this time Rex was ready. He ducked low and countered with a swift uppercut to its jaw, followed by a knee to its underbelly. The beast recoiled, stumbling back, but its endurance was overwhelming. It barely showed any signs of damage.

"Of course. This thing is built like a tank," Rex groaned, his arms already feeling heavy from the relentless dodging and countering.

Cerberus's left head snapped at him again, jaws wide open. Rex barely managed to twist away, but the beast's claws caught him in the leg, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"Ahh!" Rex cried out, feeling the sharp pain shoot through his leg. Blood pooled at his feet, staining the ground. The Cerberus growled, sensing weakness, and charged forward with all three heads aimed at his throat.

Rex scrambled to his feet, panting hard. He was slowing down, his movements becoming less fluid as fatigue set in. His Aether reserve was running low, and the constant evasion and quick counters were draining him fast. He glanced at the glowing Aether count in his system display, he still had his 20 Aether left.

"Great, just perfect," Rex muttered, half-laughing in disbelief. "No pressure or anything." He swiped at the blood trickling down his face and squared up with the Cerberus again. The beast was relentless, pacing in front of the gate, its eyes locked on him, ready for the final blow.

His breaths were shallow now, each one feeling heavier than the last. He knew this next part of the fight would push him to his absolute limit.

"Cronus," Rex grunted, keeping his eyes on the beast, "if you're done with the commentary, any tips for not getting eaten alive would be nice."

Cronus's chuckle echoed. "This is thy trial, Harbinger. Survive it, and the power thou seeketh shall be within thy grasp. But only through strength and cunning shall thou prevail."

Rex wiped the blood from his face, his eyes narrowing as he stared down the three-headed monster. Cerberus's heads snarled in unison, its glowing red claws digging into the earth. Rex knew he had to act fast, the beast was relentless, and his stamina was fading.

"Alright, if that's how it's going to be..." Rex muttered, his fists tightening. The familiar hum of Aether coursed through his body as he began to channel it into his arms. His fists glowed faintly, the energy crackling around them. "Let's see how you handle this!"

Without hesitation, Rex dashed forward, moving so quickly that even Cerberus had to react a split second slower. As he closed in, Rex swung a punch at the middle head, this time with his fist fully infused with Aether. The impact was powerful, a shockwave rippling through the air.

Boom!

The middle head jerked back violently from the force, teeth gnashing as it tried to regain its balance. Rex didn't stop there. With each movement, his fists glowed brighter as he unleashed a flurry of punches, each strike aimed at the beast's heads and body.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Punches rained down on Cerberus, and Rex could feel the force of his blows shaking the creature. It stumbled back, growling in frustration as it tried to dodge or block the hits, but Rex was relentless. His speed allowed him to move in and out of the Cerberus's range, landing hit after hit.

"Take this!" Rex roared, slamming an uppercut infused with even more Aether into Cerberus's rightmost head, sending it crashing into the dirt.

For a moment, Rex allowed himself a grin. His strategy seemed to be working. He was finally pushing Cerberus back.

"You feel that? I'm not so easy to chew up, huh?" Rex said, throwing another hard punch into the beast's side, causing one of its heads to let out a pained whimper.

But despite the onslaught, Cerberus refused to go down. Its endurance was beyond anything Rex had ever faced. With every hit Rex landed, the beast seemed to grow angrier, its eyes burning brighter with fury. The middle head, the one he had punched earlier, snapped back up, blood dripping from its mouth as it growled at Rex, baring its teeth.

Rex's breath came in ragged gasps now, and the glowing count in his vision ticked down. 14 Aether left.

He felt his muscles burn from the repeated strikes. Still, he had to keep going. "Just a little more...!" he panted, pushing his tired body further. Rex jumped forward, aiming another powerful blow at Cerberus's flank. The Aether surged into his fist, crackling as it made contact with the beast.

Wham!

The hit sent the monster reeling again, but still, it refused to fall. The leftmost head suddenly snapped at Rex, catching him off guard. Its jaws clamped down on his arm, sending waves of excruciating pain shooting through him. Rex howled in agony as the sharp teeth sank in.

"Arghh! Let go!" Rex yelled, smashing his glowing fist into the beast's snout, forcing it to release him. He stumbled back, cradling his injured arm as blood poured from the deep bite marks. Cerberus, despite the punishment it had taken, stood tall, shaking off the blows like a stubborn titan.

"Okay... clearly not a fan of punches," Rex grimaced, trying to catch his breath. His body ached all over, and he knew he was nearing his limit. The system display blinked again, 12 Aether left.

Cerberus charged once more, the ground shaking under its massive weight. Rex barely had time to dodge, rolling to the side as the claws slashed inches away from him. He struggled to his feet, his movements slower now as the exhaustion set in.

"Harbinger, beware!" Cronus's voice echoed, but Rex was already moving. He couldn't afford to stop. He infused his legs with the last remnants of his Aether, boosting his speed just enough to stay out of the creature's reach. Cerberus lunged again, its right head snapping at him, but Rex ducked and slid underneath its body.

"Gotcha!" Rex yelled, thrusting his fist upward into Cerberus's soft underbelly. The impact sent the beast stumbling forward, but its sheer endurance allowed it to stay on its feet. Blood trickled from its wounds, but it still stood, unfazed.

"Come on!" Rex groaned, his voice trembling from fatigue. His fists ached, his legs were burning, and his Aether reserves were dangerously low. Yet, Cerberus was still going, its three heads snarling with unwavering determination.

The massive beast circled him, its eyes glowing a deep crimson, its breaths heavy but determined. Rex staggered, barely keeping himself upright. The creature's resilience was beyond anything he had imagined. Every second that passed, Rex's chances of winning grew slimmer. He had thrown everything he had into his attacks, but Cerberus's endurance was unrelenting.

Rex grimaced, his fists still faintly glowing. He glanced at his system display, 10 Aether left.

"Just 10..." he whispered, his voice shaky.

"Okay, I think I got a plan," Rex said, shaking off the dust off his clothes and the drowsiness in his eyes. He glanced at the Cerberus, this time, his expression more focused and serious. He couldn't afford to delay any longer!

Cerberus lunged at him, sending a claw strike in mid-air. The claw strike descended rapidly upon Rex but he was prepared for this, "Time control!" He yelled out and then suddenly, the Cerberus seemed to slow down in mid-air, the claw-strike also slowed down by a large margin, giving Rex the opportunity he needed. 8 Aether Left

"I've never done this before but I'll try" Rex started trying to gather Aether in his hands. Within two seconds, a vortex of blue energy appeared on his hands. Meanwhile, the Cerberus was still descending slowly but steadily.

"Take this!" Rex yelled, driving the Aether deep into the Cerberus' mid-section, causing a small explosion that blasted the Cerberus into pieces. It's blood splattered on the gates. 0 Aether left

Rex instantly collapsed on the floor. He felt a sharp pain in his head and for some reason, his body felt completely numb. He couldn't even lift a finger anymore. "Damn it, it had an ability called poisonous bite right? Damn! I fucked up real bad!"

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