Cronus' system: Against the gods
Chapter 35 A Titan's Story

Rex lay sprawled on his bed, gazing up at the ceiling, his thoughts swirling like an endless whirlwind. The events of the day danced through his mind, the intense volleyball game, the practical test, and Seraphina. Her name lingered in his thoughts longer than he anticipated.

His lips twitched into a small grin as he recalled how the nobles had looked in disbelief when she accepted his date invitation.

He chuckled softly, running a hand through his hair. "What dost thou think, Crony? Dost thou will me to go out with her?" Rex mimicked Cronus's Shakespearean tone, amused at how naturally it came to him after all this time.

There was a long pause before Cronus spoke, his voice deep and ancient, resonating in Rex's mind. "Thou doth mock me again, Rex. It seems thou replaceest joy in mirth even during contemplation."

Rex laughed a bit louder this time, his body relaxing further into the bed. "Come on, Crony, you know me by now. If I didn't laugh, I'd probably go mad with everything that's happened."

The god's voice hummed with something akin to amusement. "Aye, thou speaketh true. But I also know thou seeketh more than jest."

Rex fell silent, the smile fading from his face as he stared at the ceiling. Cronus had hit the mark, as he always did. "Yeah, I guess I do. You've listened to all my ramblings since the beginning, huh? I bet you get tired of it."

"There is no weariness in listening to thee," Cronus replied, his tone more serious now. "But I sense thou art troubled. Speak plainly."

Rex exhaled, feeling a strange weight in his chest, something he hadn't fully addressed before. "I… I guess I'm just not used to having someone listen. I talk so much to you because… I've never really been free to talk to anyone, not really. I didn't have friends or family who cared enough to listen."

There was a pause, a deep silence hanging between them. Rex wondered if Cronus was processing his words, but when the god spoke again, his voice was gentle, almost empathetic.

"Thou art not alone in this," Cronus said, the deep cadence of his voice carrying an unexpected sorrow. "Thy story, though unique in its own way, echoes parts of mine."

Rex blinked in surprise. Cronus, the Titan of Time, had always seemed like this untouchable figure, beyond human emotions or understanding. Hearing the hint of melancholy in his voice struck Rex in a way he hadn't anticipated.

"My story," Cronus began, "is one of destiny… and of regret."

Rex's surroundings began to shift, his vision blurring as the air thickened around him. Suddenly, he wasn't in his room anymore. Instead, he stood on the edge of a vast battlefield, watching a colossal figure, a titan, his body massive and radiant, wielding a scythe larger than any weapon Rex had ever seen.

Cronus's voice echoed through the scene, narrating the events as if Rex were watching history unfold. "From the day I was born, my fate was sealed. My father, Uranus, in his madness, feared his own children. He sought to devour us, fearing the power we would one day wield."

Rex's heart pounded as he watched the giant, baby-like forms of the titans, helpless and defenseless, being swallowed whole by their father. But one baby, Cronus was saved. Rex could feel the tension in the air, the betrayal, the fear. He saw Cronus grow in strength and cunning, biding his time until the day he would face his father.

"I severed him," Cronus continued, his voice heavy with emotion. "With this very scythe, I overpowered my father. The one who sought to consume me, I struck down."

Rex's gaze followed the giant form of Cronus on the battlefield, his mighty scythe cleaving through Uranus in a blinding flash of light. There was no triumph in the scene, only grim determination. The titan lord had freed himself, but at a cost.

"I thought myself free," Cronus said, his voice carrying the weight of centuries. "But freedom… is a cruel illusion."

The battlefield dissolved around Rex, and he found himself standing in a dark, cold throne room. Cronus, now a king, sat upon his throne with a distant expression, surrounded by immense wealth and power but also by loneliness.

"I grew to rule over my siblings, the Titans. But in my heart, there was always the shadow of prophecy. The same fate that befell my father loomed over me."

Rex's stomach twisted as he saw the next scene, Cronus, once again playing the role of the devourer. His children, his sons were taken from their mother and swallowed whole, just as his father had done before him. The pattern repeated itself in a grotesque cycle of fear and power.

"I became my father," Cronus whispered, his voice breaking for the first time. "I consumed my own children to prevent the prophecy that one of them would overthrow me. But prophecies cannot be escaped, Rex. Zeus, the one who would rise against me, escaped my grasp. And in the end, he overpowered me."

The scene shifted once more, and Rex found himself standing in the depths of Tartarus, the prison of the gods. Cronus's form, now older and broken, was chained in darkness, his once-mighty presence reduced to a mere shadow.

"Zeus did to me what I had done to my father," Cronus continued, his voice echoing through the prison. "He locked me away, condemned me to eternity. It was here, in this forsaken place, that I realized the bitter truth."

Rex felt the weight of Cronus's sorrow in his chest, a deep ache that mirrored his own feelings of isolation. He had never imagined Cronus had experienced something so tragic, so human.

"I should not have been like my father," Cronus said softly. "I should have learned, grown, and embraced what I feared. But fear… fear drives even gods to madness. It is the same for humanity. When they perceive an enemy, they will stop at nothing to eliminate the threat."

Rex's mind whirled as he processed the revelation. He had always thought of Cronus as this distant, ancient being beyond the reach of human emotions. But now, seeing him as a father, a ruler, and a victim of his own choices, it changed everything.

Cronus continued, his voice tinged with both regret and resolve. "I had hoped Zeus would be better than me, that he would rule with wisdom and kindness. But I watched from my prison as he committed atrocities, using his power not to protect but to control, to entertain himself and the other gods. He even once almost ate up one of his children again!"

Rex's breath caught in his throat. "What… what are you saying?"

Cronus's voice deepened, becoming more serious. "The monsters you fight, the abilities that have awakened in humans, they are not the will of nature. They are Zeus's doing. His entertainment. The gods watch from above, enjoying the spectacle of humans fighting for survival, while they remain untouched."

Rex's heart sank, the revelation hitting him like a ton of bricks. He had always thought his powers, his journey, were part of some grand destiny, some divine plan. But now he realized it was all a game to the gods, his life, the lives of everyone, were mere amusement.

"The wars between monsters and humans," Cronus said, his voice heavy, "will never end as long as the gods remain in control. Zeus ensures that there will always be chaos, always conflict, because it amuses them."

Rex clenched his fists, anger rising within him. "Then why… why did you give me this power? Why help me?"

Cronus's voice softened. "Because I see in thee what I could not be. A chance to do what I could not, to rise, not from fear, but from strength and resolve. To stop this madness, to become a force that even the gods must reckon with."

Rex's mind raced, the weight of Cronus's words settling deep into his core. He had thought he was growing stronger to protect those he cared about, but now he saw the bigger picture. He wasn't just fighting for his friends or himself, he was fighting against the very gods who toyed with human lives.

Cronus spoke again, his voice filled with quiet conviction. "Thou hast the power to stand against Zeus, Rex. I gave thee this gift so thou might grow strong enough to knock sense into that foolish god and put an end to this endless cycle."

Rex's anger simmered into determination. He wouldn't be a pawn in their games. He would grow stronger, not for the gods' amusement, but to stop them from treating human lives like playthings.

Rex stood tall, his heart burning with newfound resolve. "I won't let them get away with it. I'll get stronger. I'll fight back."

Cronus's voice, deep and ancient, resonated with approval. "Aye, Rex. Grow stronger. For thyself, for those thou carest about, and for humanity. The battle ahead is long and difficult, but thou art not alone."

Rex nodded, feeling a surge of strength course through him. He knew now what he had to do. No matter how many battles lay ahead, no matter how insurmountable the odds seemed, he would fight and now... taking things seriously!

A/N: Dear readers, if you've enjoyed watching Rex struggle through battles, romantic problems and future battles that'll um....(be more epic). Then just imagine how powerful Rex will be with your help! Power stones are like Aether for authors, ahem... I mean Rex... he'll level up real fast with them and become even more powerful than.....(Oh.....no spoilers pls).

So, if you want to see more epic moments, hit that power stone button. If you don't, Rex will just keep blaming you when things go horribly wrong.