Cronus' system: Against the gods

Hercules staggered, his massive frame heaving with each labored breath. Sweat glistened on his bronzed skin, and his lion-skin cloak, once a symbol of indomitable strength, now hung tattered and singed. Yet, even as fatigue gnawed at his body, his ever-defiant grin remained firmly etched on his face.

"I've wrestled lions," he muttered through clenched teeth, his voice a low rumble of defiance. "I've slain hydras. Faced giants. If I fall now, then what were all my labors for?"

Lucius hovered above, his dark form a stark contrast against the swirling, ominous skies. His shadows twisted and coiled around him like vipers, responding to his every whim. His glowing red eyes locked onto Hercules, narrowing with irritation.

"Still standing?" Lucius sneered, his voice a chilling blend of disdain and amusement. "You're more stubborn than I thought. But it won't save you."

Raising his hands high, Lucius began to summon his ultimate attack. The air crackled and hummed with raw energy as a massive sphere of darkness materialized above him, pulsating with malevolent power. Its surface shimmered with streaks of crimson, like veins pumping life into a heart of chaos. The sheer magnitude of the energy warped the space around it, causing the ground to tremble and the sky to darken further.

Hercules leaned heavily on his oversized club, its dense weight the only thing keeping him upright. He glanced up at Lucius, his bloodshot eyes narrowing against the swirling chaos. His lion-hood cloak, resting atop his head, seemed almost alive, its frayed edges fluttering like a mane in the wind.

A sharp buzz interrupted his thoughts. His communicator, strapped clumsily to his belt, emitted an irritating static.

"What in Zeus' beard is wrong with this pesky thing?" Hercules bellowed, slamming a calloused hand down on the device. It sparked pitifully before falling silent. "I'm in the middle of a fight to save the world, and you're making noise? Useless!"

Lucius, still suspended in midair, barked a cruel laugh. "Fitting. Even your tools recognize your defeat."

The dark energy above him grew larger, the pulsating orb now casting a sickly glow over the battlefield. The oppressive weight of it pressed down on Hercules, yet he forced himself to straighten, gripping his club tightly.

This chaotic energy, this abyssal force, it stirred something deep within him, a faint, nagging familiarity. He furrowed his brow, the lines on his weathered face deepening.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"I know this power," he muttered, his voice low and reflective. "It reeks of desperation... of someone trying to grasp at godhood without earning it."

Shaking the thought away, Hercules grinned once more, though it was tinged with exhaustion. "Familiar or not, it doesn't matter. A foe's a foe, and you're one to be squashed!"

He lifted his massive club, the golden engravings along its surface catching the dim light. For a fleeting moment, it seemed to glow with divine energy, but the illusion faded as the sun's rays reflected off its battered surface.

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Lucius sneered, his face twisted with contempt. "Me? Disposed of? You're delusional, you relic. Do you even understand the situation you're in?" His voice carried an edge of triumph as the shadow orb above him swelled to its final size, now large enough to eclipse the battle-scarred earth beneath it.

The oppressive darkness spilled outward, devouring the light and leaving Hercules standing alone in its suffocating shadow. The weight of the moment pressed down on him, but he merely adjusted his grip on the club and planted his feet firmly on the cracked ground.

"I've faced worse than you, shadow boy," Hercules growled, his grin turning feral. "Throw your worst at me, and I'll show you why gods fear my name."

Lucius' grin widened. The orb pulsed one last time before descending like the wrath of the abyss itself, its massive form roaring through the air with the force of an apocalyptic storm. The ground quaked as the orb plummeted, splitting the earth beneath its trajectory.

But Hercules didn't flinch.

As the dark energy rushed toward him, he raised his club high above his head. Every muscle in his body tensed, veins bulging like cords as he summoned the last vestiges of his divine strength. The lion-skin cloak whipped wildly in the torrent of wind as his voice boomed across the battlefield.

"FOR THE GODS!"

He swung the club downward with all his might, the impact creating a shockwave that rippled outward in a deafening roar. The clash of divine strength against abyssal energy sent sparks of golden light and shadowy tendrils spiraling in every direction. The orb shuddered, resisting Hercules' force for a brief moment before splintering into shards of shadow that dissipated into the air.

Lucius snarled, his confidence faltering for the first time. "Impossible!"

Hercules, battered but still standing, rested his club on his shoulder and flashed a cocky grin.

Lucius' snarl twisted into an expression of pure malice. He descended to the ground with a force that cracked the earth beneath his boots, his crimson eyes glowing brighter as shadows writhed around him like a living storm.

Lucius hissed, his voice dripping with venom. "Enough of this charade.

Hercules shifted his weight, still grinning but with a flicker of exhaustion behind his bravado. He planted his massive club into the ground and rolled his shoulders. "A god, huh? Let me tell you something, kid, I've tangled with plenty of gods, and you? You're just another wannabe with too much shadow and not enough guts."

Lucius' expression darkened, his patience snapping. With a blur of motion, he launched himself at Hercules, shadowy tendrils streaking forward like serpents. Hercules barely had time to react, ducking and weaving with surprising agility for his size. He countered with a sweeping arc of his club, forcing Lucius to leap back.

The battle ignited into a brutal exchange of blows. Lucius moved with inhuman speed, his fists cloaked in shadow and ice as he unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes. Each punch created shockwaves, tearing through the battlefield. Hercules met him blow for blow, his sheer strength and experience compensating for the difference in speed. His punches carried the weight of a thousand battles, each one shaking the ground and sending cracks spidering outward.

Lucius swept low, his leg a blur as he aimed for Hercules' knees. The demigod anticipated the move, leaping into the air and bringing his club down like a meteor. Lucius sidestepped, the ground shattering beneath the impact, and retaliated with a blast of shadow energy. Hercules spun his club, deflecting the attack, but the force sent him skidding back.

"Not bad for a shadow boy," Hercules grunted, shaking the dust from his mane-like cloak. "But you're gonna need more than cheap tricks to take me down."

Lucius surged forward, his hands wreathed in frost as he aimed for Hercules' chest. This time, Hercules caught the blow, his massive hands clamping around Lucius' wrists. The two strained against each other, their raw power shaking the air. Lucius growled, his shadows surging in an attempt to overwhelm the demigod.

"You're strong," Lucius admitted through gritted teeth, "but strength without speed is nothing!"

He twisted free, pivoting with fluid precision and driving a knee into Hercules' ribs. The demigod staggered, coughing as the wind was knocked from his lungs. Lucius followed up with a spinning kick that sent Hercules crashing into a nearby boulder, splitting it in half.

Hercules rose to his feet, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "Not bad, kid," he admitted, his voice tinged with genuine respect. "But you're forgetting one thing."

"And what's that?" Lucius sneered.

Hercules charged forward, faster than Lucius expected, and tackled him to the ground. The two rolled across the battlefield in a flurry of punches and grapples, each strike more ferocious than the last. Hercules pinned Lucius momentarily, his hands gripping the younger fighter's shoulders like iron clamps.

"I don't give up!" Hercules roared, headbutting Lucius with enough force to crack the ground beneath them. Lucius snarled, shadows erupting around him in a wave that sent Hercules flying backward.

As Hercules struggled to rise, his knees buckling under the strain, Lucius approached, his expression cold and unrelenting. He raised his hand, a blade of shadow forming in his grip. "You're finished, old man."

The blade descended, but before it could strike, a distortion rippled through the air. Time itself seemed to freeze as the shadows stopped mid-motion. Hercules, still defiant, locked eyes with Lucius in the frozen moment.

Then, from the corner of the battlefield, Rex appeared, dragging Jefferson by the collar. "Three seconds," he muttered, his voice calm but urgent. "Come on, old man."

As Rex moved, Lucius' eyes flicked toward him, narrowing in shock. Even in the suspended time, he could sense the anomaly, his gaze following Rex's movements.

Time resumed, and Lucius' blade slashed through empty air. He turned sharply, his eyes locking onto Rex, who stood several paces away, casually flipping him the middle finger.

"You..." Lucius began, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Time manipulation...?"

Rex gasped "Uh? He saw that?"

Within Rex's mind, Cronus spoke with a hint of urgency. Rex, this isn't mere strength. His connection to the void transcends mortal comprehension. He exists between moments, and you're stepping into his domain."

Of all the people Rex had fought, they only reacted with shock when he paused time. This was the first time someone noticed it.