Cronus' system: Against the gods

Rex wiped the sweat off his forehead as he ascended the winding staircase of the Central Tower, his footsteps echoing in the eerie silence. The air was thick with the smoke and tension of battle from the chaos outside, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something monumental was about to unfold. Ahead, Jefferson stood waiting by a large control panel surrounded by blinking screens and cables.

"Finally caught up?" Jefferson asked, sparing Rex a quick glance. "Took you long enough."

"Yeah, after that little 'warm-up' you left me with," Rex shot back, rolling his eyes, "I'm surprised I made it at all."

Jefferson's face softened with the faintest hint of a smirk before he turned back to the console. "Get ready. Things are about to get more… interesting."

He pressed his hand against a scanner embedded into the panel, and the entire tower hummed to life. Lights flickered on, illuminating the sleek walls and casting long shadows across the room as a low whirring sound filled the air. A series of green holographic symbols began to appear, wrapping around the walls in an intricate network of energy.

"What's that?" Rex asked, taking a step back as the lights intensified.

"Emergency defenses," Jefferson replied, his tone more serious than usual. "The Shadow Guild's attacks were anticipated, but we had hoped they wouldn't be so… coordinated."

Rex's mind flashed to the cloaked assassins and their bizarre, combined powers. "How did they even get in here?"

"Breach in the outer wards," Jefferson muttered. "They've been planning this for months, probably even longer. Now, stay sharp. This is going to get even uglier."

Just as Jefferson finished speaking, a blue portal shimmered into existence a few feet from where they stood, its edges crackling with electricity. A group of figures clad in sleek, military-grade armor began to emerge, each one armed with advanced weapons, their faces obscured by visors and helmets.

The leader stepped forward, his silver-plated armor more elaborate than the others, with insignias marking his rank. He removed his helmet, revealing a hard-set face and steely eyes that flicked between Jefferson and Rex with calculating scrutiny.

"Captain Arris, of the Third Battalion," he introduced himself briskly. "We received the distress signal from the academy."

"Perfect timing," Jefferson nodded, unfazed. "I'll make this brief. The academy's been infiltrated by assassins from the Shadow Guild. They're targeting both the central tower and key personnel, possibly aiming to take control of the city's resources."

"Where's General Silas? And why are you the only staff here?" Arris arched a brow

"I tried contacting the General but he is nowhere to be seen!" Jefferson replied

"Nowhere to be seen?" Rex mused worriedly. Could it be that he expected this to happen and he fled?

Captain Arris's jaw tightened. "Understood. We'll begin immediate defensive measures. Soldiers, disperse and engage."

The battalion members nodded sharply before moving in formation, each equipped with weapons brimming with energy and glistening armor that seemed designed to deflect most known forms of magic and attacks. Rex watched in awe as they marched out of the tower, vanishing into the chaos outside.

"Now," Jefferson turned to Rex, pressing another set of buttons on the control panel. "You'll notice something unusual in a moment. Stay still."

Rex had barely opened his mouth to question when a translucent barrier suddenly materialized around him, shimmering in a light blue aura. He instinctively reached out to touch it, feeling a faint hum of energy vibrating under his fingertips.

"What is this?" he asked, glancing at Jefferson.

"The academy's high-tech registration defense system," Jefferson explained as he activated a similar shield for himself. "It automatically recognizes registered students and personnel and shields them from harm. Assassins, on the other hand, don't have these barriers. Makes it easier to tell friend from foe."

"So… basically, all I have to do is stay put?" Rex frowned, feeling restless.

Jefferson looked at him for a long moment, his gaze assessing. "No. You're not just here to watch."

With a swift movement, he tapped a control on his wrist, and Rex's barrier flickered before vanishing entirely. The hum of energy faded, leaving Rex standing unshielded.

"Wait, what?" Rex stared at him in shock. "Isn't that kind of the opposite of what you just said?"

Captain Arris turned, his eyes narrowing. "This boy isn't military personnel. What do you think you're doing, Jefferson?" Explore more at empire

"Trust me on this, Captain," Jefferson replied coolly. "He can handle himself. In fact, he might be more valuable in the fight than half your battalion. Let him prove it to you."

Captain Arris shot Rex a skeptical look but held his tongue, nodding curtly. "Fine. But don't expect me to save him."

Rex grinned, tightening his fists. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Before anyone could say another word, a surge of screams and explosions erupted from the grounds below. The military forces had engaged the assassins, and the battle had begun in earnest. Rex could see the flashes of light and bursts of shadow energy even from the tower, and the smell of burning debris filled the air.

Jefferson looked at Rex, a rare expression of solemn pride on his face. "Stay alert. Don't take risks. And if things get out of control, fall back."

Rex nodded, his smirk fading as he stepped out of the tower, his mind steeled for the chaos ahead.

As he joined the fight, he felt the hum of his Aether coursing through his veins, and he could sense the presence of military forces all around him. But it was the dark figures moving in the shadows that caught his attention: assassins, each one marked by a lack of barrier protection, flitted through the battlefield, their movements swift and deadly.

He spotted a lone assassin, cloaked in shadow, darting toward a cluster of military soldiers. Rex's instincts took over as he sprinted toward them, his fists already glowing with Aether energy.

The assassin lunged, his blade gleaming with dark energy, but Rex intercepted him mid-strike, blocking the blade with an Aether shield that materialized just in time. The assassin's eyes widened in surprise, and Rex took advantage, delivering a quick, hard punch to his gut that sent him sprawling.

"Not today, buddy," Rex muttered, turning to face two more assassins that were converging on him.

They moved in unison, their knives slashing through the air with lethal precision. Rex ducked and weaved, narrowly avoiding their strikes, before activating his Time control to slow them down. The world around him seemed to shift into a strange, slow-motion dance as he maneuvered around the assassins, landing punches and kicks that left them dazed and off-balance.

"Still think I need that barrier, Captain?" Rex yelled back to Arris, who was watching with wide eyes from the steps of the tower.

The captain's lips twitched into a reluctant smirk. "Don't get cocky, kid."

A sudden flash of light caught Rex's attention, and he looked up to see Jefferson standing on the tower balcony, his hands raised as he activated a sequence of glowing runes on the tower's outer wall. In response, the ground around the academy began to tremble, and a high-tech grid of barriers erupted, encasing groups of students and faculty who had been left exposed in the chaos.

The assassins, now fully exposed without any barriers to protect them, became prime targets for the military. The soldiers moved in with precision, their weapons blazing as they engaged the now-visible enemies.

Rex fought alongside the soldiers, using every skill he had to keep up. He weaved between shadows, blocking strikes and retaliating with quick, calculated blows. One assassin managed to get a hit in, slicing across Rex's arm, but he barely felt the pain as his Aether-powered adrenaline kicked in.

Cronus's voice echoed in his head, a mixture of approval and excitement. "Thou art handling thyself well, Harbinger! Perhaps this chaotic battlefield suits thee."

"Glad you're entertained," Rex thought back, barely dodging another knife swipe. "Care to lend a hand?"

"Alas, my powers are for greater moments," Cronus replied, an almost taunting note in his voice. "But worry not, I shall lend thou wisdom."

"Thanks, that's… comforting," Rex replied sarcastically, sidestepping another assassin's blow.

As the battle raged on, Rex found himself back-to-back with Captain Arris, who was fending off two assassins with a pair of sleek, plasma-forged daggers.

"You're not half bad, kid," Arris grunted, deflecting an incoming strike. "Guess Jefferson wasn't exaggerating."

"Yeah, well, I have my moments," Rex replied, spinning around to knock an assassin off his feet. "Any clue how many of these guys are left?"

Arris parried another attack, then glanced around, his gaze sharp and calculating. "We're thinning them out, but they're well-trained. They've taken out a few of our men already."

A sudden, high-pitched alarm blared from the tower, and Jefferson's voice boomed across the battlefield through the academy's intercom system.

"Attention, all units! Reinforcements are arriving. Hold the line and stay vigilant. Do not let them reach the central tower."

Rex felt a surge of determination as he reactivated his Time Rewind, dodging a strike he hadn't seen coming the first time. He followed up with a quick jab to his attacker's jaw, feeling the crack of impact reverberate through his fist.

A moment later, a massive portal shimmered open at the edge of the academy grounds. A second wave of soldiers stepped through, each armed with more advanced weaponry and reinforced barriers. The sight of fresh forces bolstered Rex's confidence as he continued the fight, his focus razor-sharp.

Together with the military, Rex pushed forward, driving the assassins back with every strike. They fought relentlessly, side-by-side, their attacks coordinated and powerful. One by one, the assassins began to fall, their formations breaking under the relentless assault.

As the final few assassins scattered, desperately trying to retreat, Rex saw Jefferson watching from the tower's edge, his expression grim but approving. Rex held his ground, breathing hard, his body aching from the intensity of the fight.

But as the last assassin fell, a low rumble echoed across the battlefield. Rex's heart raced as he looked around, searching for the source. In the distance, a dark figure appeared, their silhouette towering and radiating a malevolent energy.

Jefferson's voice cut through the tension, calm but urgent. "Everyone, regroup! This isn't over yet. Suddenly, a large swirling portal appeared close to the Central Tower and from it, more than 50 men dressed in dark clothing appeared from it. Their bodies blazed with dark energy

Rex clenched his fists, the Aether crackling in his veins, his eyes fixed on the shadowy figures in the distance.

meanwhile, from the Central Tower

Jefferson was confused. This wasn't the way the shadow guild operated. They were assassins who killed sneakily not launching an all-out war. "What if they're just baiting us.....?" Jefferson thought. Could it be that this was just a distraction?

Jefferson then looked at one of the assassins that had appeared and his eyes flashed with an otherworldly glint. "Shit!" He yelled as he ran outside the control tower and slammed a button.

"uh? Where am I?" Rex asked as he noticed himself surrounded by other students. Just now, he was fighting assassins and the next second, he was here?

Suddenly, Seraphina's voice came from behind "This is the safe house.... we were all transported here a second ago. Where's Jefferson?"

Rex was confused "safe house?" He glanced around at the students all there too with worried looks on their faces. "Jefferson was in the Central tower"

"Then that means he was the one who transported us here!" Seraphina said.

Rex was startled "Why did he also transport me here?..... I thought he wanted me to fight...I would've gotten a few XP's that way" Rex thought and let out a frustrated sigh.

THIS CHAPTER UPLOAD FIRST AT NOVELBIN.COM