Cronus' system: Against the gods

Chapter 13: Round Two!

Rex stood frozen for a moment, staring at the three snarling Cerberus beasts that had just rushed out from the shadows. Nine heads, each dripping with fury, glared at him with glowing red eyes. Their growls echoed through the canyon, making the ground beneath Rex tremble. Dust and small rocks skittered across the cracked earth as the monsters closed in on him, their heavy paws pounding the ground with every step.

His heart raced. "Okay, this is worse. So much worse," he muttered under his breath, backing up slowly.

Cronus's voice rumbled in his head, almost amused. "Thou didst conquer one. Surely, three should not pose such a challenge?"

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Rex shot back, his eyes darting between the three beasts. "But you didn't say there'd be more!"

Rex's mind whirled. He had barely made it out alive fighting one Cerberus, and now he had to face three? His hands clenched into fists, feeling the faint pulse of Aether running through his veins. He couldn't panic. He had to think.

The monsters circled him, their massive bodies blotting out the little light that managed to filter through the red-black sky of Tartarus. Each head snapped at the air, their snarls growing louder as they prepared to attack.

"Alright, Rex," he whispered to himself, trying to calm his breathing. "Remember what worked last time."

He darted to the side, narrowly avoiding one of the Cerberus's jaws that snapped where he had just been standing. The ground shook from the force of the bite, dust flying everywhere. Rex tumbled and rolled to his feet, his heart hammering in his chest.

"Focus, slow them down!" he muttered.

He stretched out his hand, focusing on the time distortion. Aether surged through him, and the world shimmered for a moment as time bent around the three creatures. Their movements slowed, just like before. But something was different this time. The strain hit him harder, a wave of dizziness threatening to knock him off balance.

Rex winced, pushing through the pain. The Cerberus trio was moving slower, but they were still coming for him. He needed a plan and fast.

Without hesitation, Rex dashed toward a large boulder on the side of the canyon. One of the Cerberus heads lunged toward him, but he dodged just in time, the creature's jaws clamping down on empty air. The sheer force of the bite sent cracks splintering through the earth.

Rex leapt onto the boulder, trying to catch his breath. He quickly surveyed his surroundings, looking for anything he could use to his advantage. His eyes fell on a narrow gap between two jagged cliffs just behind the beasts. It was a tight space, barely wide enough for a human to slip through, but definitely too small for a creature the size of Cerberus.

A plan started to form in his mind. "Okay," he whispered, "I need to separate them."

Taking a deep breath, he jumped off the boulder, landing in a crouch before sprinting toward the gap. He could hear the pounding of Cerberus's paws behind him, but he didn't look back. He ran, the ground shaking beneath him as the three-headed monsters gave chase.

Just as he reached the gap, he slid between the cliffs, the sharp rocks scraping his arms and legs. The Cerberus closest to him lunged forward, trying to follow, but it slammed into the narrow walls with a deafening crash. The monster roared in frustration, clawing at the rocks, but it was too big to fit through.

"Gotcha!" Rex grinned, his heart still pounding.

But his victory was short-lived. The other two Cerberus beasts were still free, and they were already rounding the corner, their eyes locked onto him with deadly intent. He didn't have much time.

Rex quickly focused on the first trapped Cerberus. It was stuck, but only for a moment. He couldn't waste the opportunity. Gathering the last bit of Aether he had, Rex raised his fist and charged at the creature. Time slowed around him again as he sprinted toward it, his Aether-enhanced fist glowing faintly in the dim light of Tartarus.

With all his strength, Rex slammed his fist into the side of the trapped Cerberus's ribcage. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, and the monster howled in pain. Its entire body shuddered as the force of the blow reverberated through it.

But it wasn't enough to bring the beast down. Cerberus growled, its nine heads snapping wildly as it tried to claw its way free.

"Not done yet!" Rex shouted, gritting his teeth.

Before the other two Cerberus could close in, Rex leapt onto the creature's back, grabbing onto its thick fur to steady himself. He summoned the last dregs of Aether, focusing on its middle head. His vision blurred, but he forced himself to stay focused. He had to end this.

With a final burst of energy, Rex drove his fist down into the base of the creature's skull. Aether exploded from his fist, and the world seemed to freeze for a moment. Cerberus let out a final, agonized roar before collapsing under its own weight, its massive body slamming into the ground.

Rex rolled off the creature, panting heavily as he hit the ground. His arms and legs ached, and his head was spinning, but he couldn't rest yet. The remaining two Cerberus were still advancing.

"Come on, Rex," he muttered through clenched teeth. "You've got this. Just two more."

But the Aether in him was nearly drained. He could feel it, like an empty well deep inside him. He needed to finish this without relying too much on his powers.

As the first of the remaining Cerberus lunged at him, Rex ducked low, narrowly avoiding its jaws. The monster's massive claws raked the ground behind him as it missed. Rex dove toward the cliffside, using the jagged rocks for cover.

"Okay, new plan," Rex muttered, trying to catch his breath.

He quickly scrambled up the side of the cliff, using the rocks as footholds. The Cerberus lunged again, but this time Rex was ready. He kicked a loose boulder from the cliff, sending it crashing down onto the creature's head. The Cerberus yelped, momentarily stunned.

Rex didn't hesitate. He leapt off the cliff, his fists glowing with the faint remnants of Aether as he drove them into the stunned Cerberus's side. The impact sent the beast tumbling, its legs collapsing under it.

One down.

But there was still one more. Rex barely had time to react as the last Cerberus lunged at him, its nine heads snapping wildly. He ducked and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the beast's massive paws.

"Come on, think!" Rex shouted at himself, desperately searching for a way to end this.

Then he saw it. Another loose boulder, perched precariously on the edge of the cliff above him.

Without thinking, Rex dashed toward the cliff, the Cerberus hot on his heels. He grabbed the boulder with both hands and heaved with all his might. Time seemed to slow as the massive rock tipped over the edge, crashing down onto the Cerberus below.

The creature let out one final, pitiful growl before collapsing under the weight of the boulder. Dust and debris filled the air as the ground shook from the impact.

Rex collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily. His entire body ached, his limbs felt like lead, and his vision swam with exhaustion. But he had done it.

"Thou hast passed the second trial," Cronus's voice echoed in his mind, filled with approval. "And yet, more trials await thee."

Before Rex could respond, a familiar golden light shimmered above the fallen Cerberus beasts. Three glowing orbs hovered in the air, slowly rotating as they floated toward him.

"Three ability points," Cronus said, his voice solemn. "Use them wisely, Harbinger."

Rex watched the glowing orbs, his mind racing. The last time he had gained points, he had put them into Strength, Agility, and Endurance. It had helped, but now he had to decide again. His body was screaming for more endurance—he could barely move. But he also needed more strength and intelligence to survive these increasingly brutal fights.

"Alright," he muttered, "let's think about this."

His current stats flashed before his eyes:

Name: Rex Xander

Level: 1

XP to next level: 400/1000

Race: Human

Class: ???

Strength: 11

Agility: 13

Endurance: 13

Intelligence: 10

Aether: 1/10

"Okay," Rex said aloud, thinking it through. "Strength is good for damage, and I'm gonna need that. But I was out of breath the whole time. I need more endurance. Intelligence, too. Cronus said I'd need it for Aether control, and I'm going to need that if I keep running out of juice like this."

After a moment's thought, he made his choice.

Strength +1

Endurance +1

Intelligence +1

The glowing orbs sank into his body, each one filling him with a surge of energy. He felt his muscles tighten, his breathing ease, and his mind sharpen as the points took effect.

Rex stood up slowly, rolling his shoulders and stretching his arms. He felt stronger, faster, and more focused than before. But he knew this was only the beginning. Tartarus was far from done with him.

"Alright," he said, glancing up at the crimson sky. "What's next?"

A low rumble echoed in the distance, and Rex's heart sank as he saw something massive stirring in the shadows ahead.

"Seriously?" he muttered, already bracing himself for whatever was coming next.

"Thou must now face the real Cerberus!" Cronus's voice echoed again with a slight chuckle

"Wait, a real Cerberus? What have I been fighting all this time?" Rex yelled holding his head tightly in a bid to maybe... strangle Cronus out of it.

"Haha! Thou mockest the might of a Cerberus! Thou shouldest check their might with thy eyes" Cronus replied

"Oh, right! I haven't done that since, my bad!" Rex sighed and then steeled himself preparing for the new threat, hopefully, it won't be too hard or would it?

A/N: Hey everyone, I'm sorry I haven't been updating so... I was busy with some things but I'll start now. Thanks for your um......Patience???

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