Cronus' system: Against the gods

"Okay, okay! Great!" Rex exclaimed, licking his lips as he crunched down the last morsel of the cookie. It melted in his mouth, the layers of rich, velvety chocolate and crisp, buttery dough. For a brief moment, it felt as though he had been seated at a grand banquet, the kind reserved for kings and gods. He let out a satisfied sigh, patting his stomach.

"I swear, I'm gonna buy a truckload of these," Rex muttered to himself, the grin on his face as wide as the sky.

"Harbinger! Remember thy promise!" Cronus' voice boomed in his mind like thunder rolling over distant mountains. The tone was harsh, his reprimand slicing through the moment of euphoria like a cold gust of wind.

Rex groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "What promise?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

Cronus' sigh reverberated in his chest, irritated and heavy, like a parent scolding a wayward child. "You vowed—"

"Oh, that!" Rex cut him off, waving a dismissive hand. His voice brimmed with vitality as he pushed himself up from the chair. "Yeah, yeah, I'm on it! You don't have to remind me every five seconds, geez." He brushed a crumb off the tip of his nose with a swift flick of his hand.

Cronus was unimpressed. "Thou ought to be hasty!" he intoned, his words laced with impatience.

"Yeah, yeah, hasty," Rex muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes. He extended his hands, and a soft, radiant glow of Aether began to shimmer across his fingertips, pulsing like the heartbeat of a sleeping dragon. "But before I go rushing headfirst into doom, I've gotta test something out. Y'know, just being cautious."

With a sharp gesture, he summoned his stat window. It materialized before him in a swirl of light, a floating slate filled with glowing characters that seemed to hum with latent power:

Name: Rex Xander

Level: 38

XP to next level: 0/1,900,000 XP

Race: Human (Hero of Time)

Class: Cerberus Slayer (Effect: Gains 2x XP from killing wolf-like creatures)

Attributes:

Strength: 258

Agility: 282n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Endurance: 194

Intelligence: 174

Aether: 180/180

Available Ability Points: 0

Active Skills:

Aegis of Eternity (Level 1): XP to next level 0/300 XP

Cost: 5 Aether per second

Harbinger can create a timeless bubble that isolates them from time's flow. Inside the bubble, they are immune to damage, healing rapidly or freezing in place until it's safe to emerge.

Passive Skills:

Fate's Eyes

Titan's Will (Cooldown: 15 hours left)

Rex's eyes lingered on the details of his new skill. "Aegis of Eternity, huh? Five Aether per second… so I can only use it for thirty-six seconds before I'm completely drained." He crossed his arms, his brow furrowed in thought.

The glow of Aether in his palms intensified, tiny arcs of blue and gold energy dancing along his fingers. The room around him seemed to dim slightly, the air thickening as the power began to ripple outward. "Alright," Rex said, cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders. "Let's see what this baby can do."

Rex inhaled deeply, his chest rising as he steadied his focus. The room seemed to hum in response, as though the very fabric of space was holding its breath. With a flourish, he raised his hands, channeling the energy toward activating the Aegis of Eternity.

"Here we go!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with anticipation. The arcs of blue and gold energy coalesced in his palms, forming a pulsating orb that flickered with an almost sentient vibrancy. The light expanded outward, unfurling in shimmering waves that wrapped around him like a cocoon of liquid starlight.

As the energy condensed, it began to take form, a translucent, golden sphere etched with faint, shifting runes that seemed to pulse in harmony with Rex's heartbeat. The barrier shimmered like the surface of a calm lake. From within, it exuded an aura of timeless stillness, as though the very flow of existence had bent to its presence.

But just as the barrier began to solidify, the delicate weave of energy faltered. The glowing runes flickered chaotically, the golden surface dimming until the entire construct collapsed with a sharp pop. Sparks of dispersed Aether rained harmlessly to the ground, the room's natural light rushing back in to fill the void.

"Whoa!" Rex stumbled backward, waving his arms to steady himself. "What the...?" He looked at his hands, the faint remnants of Aether flickering like dying embers on his skin.

Cronus' voice returned, laced with exasperation. "Thy focus is akin to a leaf in a tempest. Concentrate, Harbinger!"

Rex scowled, clenching his fists. "Hey, I was concentrating!

Cronus ignored the quip. "The Aegis demands precision and resolve. Half-hearted attempts will yield naught but failure."

"Yeah, yeah, precision and resolve," Rex muttered, shaking his hands as though warming them up. He glanced at his dwindling Aether reserves. "Okay, second try. No pressure or anything."

He squared his shoulders, planting his feet firmly on the ground. This time, he took a moment to visualize the barrier, a timeless shield standing between him and the chaos of the world. Closing his eyes, he reached deep within himself, summoning the full extent of his focus and willpower.

The Aether in his body surged, roaring like a torrent breaking through a dam. The air around him grew heavy, shimmering with the faint distortion of a mirage. Slowly, the golden glow returned, brighter and steadier this time. The protective sphere enveloped him once again, its surface gleaming with celestial patterns. The runes etched into the barrier glowed steadily now, flowing and shifting like the hands of an eternal clock.

The Aegis of Eternity activated fully, and Rex opened his eyes to see the world outside the barrier moving in slow motion, as though caught in a dream. Inside, he felt an overwhelming sense of calm and clarity, the aches and fatigue of the day melting away as if washed clean by the golden light. The sphere pulsed faintly, echoing the rhythm of eternity itself.

"Ha!" Rex exclaimed, grinning as he examined his handiwork. "Would you look at that? Nailed it!" He reached out and poked the edge of the barrier, watching the golden surface ripple like water, each wave carrying a subtle brilliance that faded into infinity.

"Finally," Cronus muttered, his tone begrudgingly approving. "Perhaps there is hope for thee yet."

Rex smirked, crossing his arms as he basked in his success. "Oh, come on, admit it. You're impressed."

Cronus was silent for a moment, then let out a grudging sigh. "A satisfactory attempt… for now."

Rex chuckled, the barrier dissolving into a cascade of faint golden motes as he released the skill. His Aether reserves had dropped significantly, leaving him slightly lightheaded, but the triumph was worth it. "Alright, Aegis of Eternity is officially in the toolbox. Now, time to head to Tartarus!"

Just as the words left his lips, a glowing notification appeared in his vision, floating like an ethereal command from the heavens:

<Dost thou want time to flow while thou art in the Depths of Tartarus?>

Rex furrowed his brows, the memory of Cronus' explanation flashing through his mind. The ancient god had once told him that he could manipulate the flow of time in the real world while traversing Tartarus. A wicked grin spread across Rex's face as he muttered, "I have no idea how long I'll be stuck in there, so... yeah. Pause time."

As soon as he gave the command, a rush of sensation enveloped him. It felt as though his entire body was being pulled through a whirlpool of stars, the world around him blurring and twisting into an unrecognizable tapestry of light and darkness. His stomach lurched, and for a fleeting moment, it felt like he was floating weightlessly through eternity. Then, with a sudden jolt, the world snapped back into focus.

Before him stretched the familiar yet haunting sight of the River Styx, its dark, viscous waters undulating with an unnatural stillness. Tendrils of mist coiled and swirled over its surface, and the faint scent of decay lingered in the air. A weathered boat rested by the bank, its skeletal frame creaking gently as if it had been waiting for him for centuries.

"It's just the same as last time," Rex murmured, his voice tinged with both awe and apprehension.

Beyond the river loomed the Gates of Thanatos, their ominous presence sending a shiver down his spine. The massive iron gates towered high into the shadowy sky, their surfaces etched with ancient runes that seemed to writhe and twist when looked at directly. Chains as thick as tree trunks coiled around the gates like serpents, their pulsating green glow casting eerie shadows on the surrounding landscape. Each pulse of light felt like a heartbeat, slow and deliberate, as if the gates themselves were alive and waiting.

A notification flickered into view:

Name: Gates of Hypnos and Thanatos

Rank: Harbinger Level

Level Required to Pass for Harbinger: 30

Weakest Monsters Within:

Shades

Rank: Common Beasts, Tier Three

Description: Shadowy figures that appear as humanoid silhouettes with glowing eyes, these are souls that failed to cross into the afterlife and are now bound to the temple.

Abilities: Soul Drain: Slowly saps the life force of any living creature nearby.

Intangibility: Can phase through walls and attacks.

Rex smirked, his confidence shining through despite the chilling atmosphere.

"I'm past level 30 now so surely, this should be a piece of cake right?" Rex smirked but of Course, Cronus would always want to bruise his ego

"Thou should not underestimate your enemy no matter how weak they seem" Cronus replied

"Yeah, yeah," Rex muttered, rolling his eyes. Then he grinned, unable to resist poking back. "But at least you admitted they're weak!"

Cronus let out a weary sigh, his tone laced with mild irritation. "Mockery will lead thee to ruin, Harbinger. Proceed with caution."

Rex shrugged, his nonchalance undeterred. He made his way toward the boat, his boots crunching against the brittle, ash-like soil of the riverbank. The ancient vessel groaned under his weight as he jumped in, the oar resting across its bench already coated in a thin layer of frost. Rex grabbed it, settling himself into the boat as he cast one last glance at the foreboding gates ahead.

"Alright, big spooky death gates," he muttered under his breath, gripping the oar tightly. "Let's see what you've got."