Cronus' system: Against the gods

"Shit!" Jefferson cursed inwardly as he swiftly dashed in and slammed the button. It was designed to transfer the students to a safe house located underground. A high-tech barrier was also constructed around the safe house, preventing all unauthorized personnel from entering it.

"Arris! Fall back!!" Jefferson yelled from the top of the central tower. Captain Arris immediately issued the retreat order to all his men via a holographic watch on his left hand. Within a second, all the soldiers had assembled and gathered behind Captain Arris, their expressions serious yet confused as to why they were called back.

"What's wrong, Jeff" Arris arched a brow.

Jefferson jumped down from the top of the central tower and landed with a punch to the ground, his eyes gleaming with intensity as he looked forward. "I sense a powerful force approaching this place and based on what I sense, Neither you nor your soldiers can handle it"

"What do you mean? My men are all at the advanced level tier-one" Arris boasted, tilting his head to the left slightly.

"Go now or you'll all die!" Jefferson retorted, his brows furrowing as sweat beaded his forehead.

"Hmm," Arris sighed... "You never change, do you? Always ordering me around even when I became a captain in the Military..." Arris let out a small chuckle "Too bad, my friend.... school days are behind us, this is the real world! You can't expect me to abandon my duty and run away from a fight,"

Jefferson sighed "You have a point but..."

"No matter what you say, won't back down!" Arris interrupted

Jefferson smirked as he stood upright "Even if that person is just like..... me?" He stressed on "me" for emphasis, looking at Arris, trying to notice a change in his expression but there was none. He was still determined.

"Even if a god appears, I won't back out!" Arris replied.

"Tch! Stubborn as always!" Jefferson remarked as he reminisced about the past days.

Arris had always been the underdog at the academy, the kind of student others overlooked or underestimated. Smaller than the others and lacking Jefferson's raw, effortless talent, he often found himself the target of cruel pranks and harsh training regimens. No matter how hard he trained or how determined he seemed, the stronger students would pick on him, testing their skills at his expense.

But Jefferson, the aloof prodigy, had a reputation for always stepping in at just the right time. He would dispatch the bullies with a swift, practiced strike or a sharp glare and send them running. Though he always acted like it was no big deal, his cold expression never betrayed any hint of compassion, he never waited for a thank-you.

He would disappear before Arris even had a chance to express his gratitude, leaving Arris even more in awe of his enigmatic savior.

Still, Arris never gave up trying to thank him. He went out of his way to seek Jefferson out, finding him in remote corners of the academy grounds or during late-night training sessions.

Each time, Jefferson would roll his eyes, brushing off Arris's gratitude and scolding him for "wasting time" or being "too soft-hearted." Yet, Jefferson never turned him away completely, and Arris grew more determined, seeing Jefferson not only as his protector but as a friend he was grateful for, even if Jefferson didn't show it back.

They grew up and became really close to each other. Jefferson started opening up to Arris after the latter's continuous stubborn approach.

The two of them had gone through training sessions together, growing from mere academy students into men who trusted each other with their lives. Despite Jefferson's cold demeanor, Arris had managed to find a crack in the armor, and Jefferson began to let him in, bit by bit. They'd spend quiet moments after training, sharing drinks or talking about their dreams.

Jefferson rarely spoke about his past, and he kept most of his emotions well-guarded, but with Arris, he'd occasionally let his guard down.

Then, one night, after an intense training session, Jefferson revealed his secret: he wasn't just a talented student. He was a demi-god, born with powers that far surpassed any normal human's. Arris was speechless, but his loyalty only grew. Jefferson expected fear or awe, but Arris surprised him with unwavering loyalty.

"You saved my life more times than I can count, demi-god or not," Arris said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "You're still the same Jefferson to me."

After that, their bond only deepened. Jefferson trusted Arris like no one else, and Arris was fiercely loyal to him, refusing to back down in the face of any threat. Even now, as Jefferson urged him to retreat, Arris wouldn't abandon him. It wasn't about duty or orders, it was about standing beside the friend who had always stood up for him.

Jefferson bit his lips softly as he watched Arris and the soldiers getting ready for battle. The soldiers must have no idea what was coming. Only he and Arris knew how powerful their enemy was.

Suddenly, a large dark portal appeared in front of the soldiers, its appearance ghastly with loud screeches like souls were crying to be rescued from it. A man walked out of the portal with a dark grin on his face. His whole body was shimmering with dark energy as he then looked up at the soldiers, standing in front of him.

"Hi, everyone, did I miss something?" The man let out a dry chuckle.

Jefferson gasped "Lucius Noctis!"

Arris was also taken aback but quickly composed himself "Lucius Noctis, the leader of the shadow guild..." Then he turned to Jefferson "Did you say he is just like you?"

Jefferson swallowed hard "I didn't know until now!" He had only sensed a massive divine energy approaching the academy. He had thought it was one of the less gods or demi-gods sent to Earth to kill him but to his surprise, it was Lucius Noctis!

"You! You're also a demi-god?" Jefferson asked as he pointed at Lucius whose grin kept on widening too. Lucius also had a similar look of surprise on his face "Hmm, I was wondering who was making such a scene! Never did I think I would meet a fellow divine being here!" Lucius smiled

"What do you want?!" Jefferson growled.

"What do I want? Hehe..." Lucius chuckled. He raised his hands up and then flicked his wrists.

"Shit!" Jefferson instantly sensed something wrong. He dragged Arris away from the remaining soldiers and dashed further from them with lightning-like speed.

boom

The soldiers all exploded into bits, their blood spraying everywhere. Arris was shocked at the sight but his shock was replaced by a burning anger. These were his loyal men, people who had fought with him even in the hardest conditions. Yet they had just died?

He couldn't accept this! Lightning coiled around his fists as he charged forward, his eyes blazing with fury. He threw a powerful punch, sending a bolt of lightning directly at Lucius, who merely smirked and sidestepped, the electricity crackling harmlessly off a dark, icy barrier that shimmered around him.

Lucius chuckled. "Is that all you've got, Captain Arris? A little lightning?"

Arris growled, his fists clenching tighter as he released another barrage of strikes. "They were my men, Lucius! You'll pay for this!"

Lucius scoffed, his fingers dancing in the air as dark ice shards formed in an instant, sharper and colder than any natural ice. "Emotions will get you nowhere." He flicked his fingers, and the shards shot forward like bullets. Arris dodged, feeling the icy edges graze past him, narrowly missing his skin.

He knew these weren't just any ice projectiles, they radiated a dark magic, each shard carrying a deadly chill that could freeze his veins if they so much as nicked him.

As Arris struggled to fend off the onslaught, Jefferson finally joined the fray, stepping up beside his friend. "I told you to fall back, Arris!" he shouted, eyes fixed on Lucius. "This guy isn't just powerful, he's out for blood."

Arris spat on the ground, his gaze unwavering. "We've come too far to run. This ends here."

Jefferson smirked a faint glint of pride in his eyes. "Then let's take him down together but first... He turned to Lucius "What do you want with Rex?" He asked

Lucius ran his hand through his dark hair, clearly confused "Rex..... Rex.... Rex......who the hell is Rex?!"

"Don't play the fool with me, Lucius!" Jefferson yelled as he steadied himself.

Lucius clicked his fingers "Oh! Rex! I remember him! The guy who killed one of my favorite subordinates, Ralph Zipper!!...... I noticed something unique about him, hence, I think he'd be a valuable asset to my experiments"

"Experiments?" Jefferson asked, his eyes widening

"That's enough talk, Jeff, I came here to get something and I don't plan on taking much time.....time is precious,"

"Fighting won't be of any benefit, Lucius.... I've seen your next ten moves and the possible outcomes of each of them, hence you'd only die! How about you just hand over yourself?"

"Predicted my next ten moves and their possible outcomes? What an outrageous bluff!" Lucius laughed.

Suddenly, Jefferson's eyes shone with an otherworldly silver light that sent chills down Lucius' spine. He was frozen to the spot out of fear.

"Arris! Please, stay out of this!" Jefferson spoke, his voice almost concerned but still devoid of emotions.