Cronus' system: Against the gods
Chapter 37 I only Came to ask if You called Your Mum

The four of them kept on talking, their mood lightening up as time went by but Seraphina's mind wasn't at ease yet. She didn't know it was gonna be a double date and worst of all, one of them was a member of a rival noble family. Could it be that she was followed? She remembered Chairman Voss telling her father to watch his back... could they have been monitoring her?

"What's wrong, Sera?" Rex asked with genuine concern as he noticed her Pale expression. She had zoned out on them and didn't even react when he cracked a joke.

"Oh... It's nothing" She quickly composed herself, keeping her emotions in check.

"She is troubled!" Cronus, who had been silent for a while spoke up.

Rex nodded slightly, almost unnoticeably "Yeah, I know that!" He thought but he didn't know what was troubling her. "Feel free to tell us anything" Magnus added

Seraphina forced a smile, trying to shake off the unease that was starting to creep up her spine. She was usually good at keeping her emotions in check, but something felt off tonight, like a lingering shadow in the corner of her mind. Maybe it was just nerves from being around a rival family member, or perhaps there was more to this.

"Are you sure everything's alright?" Rex asked again, his tone light but tinged with genuine concern.

She opened her mouth to reply when suddenly, her body tensed. That was it—the unmistakable feeling of eyes on her. It wasn't just paranoia. She had been trained to recognize the subtle changes in the air, the quiet shift of energy when danger was near. Her senses sharpened as she scanned the restaurant with quick, subtle glances.

Before Rex or the others could even notice her change in demeanor, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye, a flicker in the air, almost invisible, like a ripple in the wind.

Without thinking, Seraphina's instincts took over. She bolted up from her seat, her hand moving with lightning speed as she turned and grabbed at the air. Her fingers closed around the shaft of an arrow, just inches away from her face. The high-tech arrow, cloaked in an almost perfect camouflage, had been aimed directly at her head.

The entire table froze in stunned silence. Rex's eyes widened, his usual laid-back expression replaced with sheer confusion. Brenda gasped, while Magnus let out a string of curses under his breath.

"What the..." Rex stammered, his gaze flicking between the arrow in Seraphina's hand and her calm but fierce expression.

Seraphina, however, was already moving. Her heart raced as her mind processed the situation, but her face remained composed. She knew better than to panic. This was no random attack. Whoever had sent this arrow had targeted her specifically.

"I need to go," she said abruptly, dropping the arrow to the ground and standing up, her voice steely.

Rex jumped to his feet. "Wait, what's going on? Who the hell is trying to shoot you?"

Before Seraphina could answer, a man suddenly appeared beside her, moving with blinding speed. He grabbed her by the arm, his grip firm but not painful. His presence was authoritative, and his sharp, vigilant eyes swept the area.

"Miss Valenbrook, you're under attack," he said in a low, urgent voice. He didn't wait for a reply. "We need to leave. Now."

Seraphina recognized him immediately, it was one of her father's elite bodyguards. His name was Victor, a Tier Two Intermediate ability user known for his exceptional combat and protection skills. She didn't resist as he began to pull her away from the table, but she did glance back at Rex and the others.

"Stay here," she said quickly, her voice firm but laced with worry. "This has nothing to do with you."

Rex frowned, clearly not satisfied with her sudden departure. "Wait a minute, Seraphina! What's happening? You can't just....."

"Rex, trust me," she interrupted, her eyes softening for a brief moment. "I'll explain later. But right now, I need to go."

Before he could protest further, Victor tugged her toward the exit, moving with practiced efficiency. They moved so fast that it felt like a blur. Within moments, they were outside the restaurant and heading toward a sleek, high-tech car parked a little way down the street.

Seraphina's mind raced as they reached the car, the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had been too complacent, too relaxed. But who would dare target her so boldly in public? Was it Voss's doing?

As they sped away in the car, Victor remained focused on the road, his expression unreadable. "Miss Valenbrook, I don't know who sent that arrow, but we're not safe yet. Hold on."

The car's engine roared as Victor pushed it to its limits, weaving through the city streets at breakneck speed. Seraphina's gaze flicked to the side mirrors, scanning for any signs of pursuit. She knew that if someone wanted her dead, they wouldn't stop at a single failed shot.

The car raced through a narrow alley when suddenly, without warning, the air around them shimmered. Victor's eyes widened as the world around them seemed to distort.

"An illusion!" he shouted, slamming the brakes. But it was too late.

The car screeched to a halt as the shimmering illusion faded, revealing a figure standing in the middle of the alley. He was tall and cloaked in dark, flowing robes. His face was partially obscured by a mask, but his eyes gleamed with malicious intent.

Victor cursed under his breath and quickly got out of the car, positioning himself between Seraphina and the masked figure. "Stay inside, Miss Valenbrook. I'll handle this."

Seraphina watched with bated breath as Victor charged toward the assassin, his body glowing with energy. But as he closed the distance, the masked figure raised a hand, and the air around him twisted and bent.

Victor's movements slowed, his attacks becoming sluggish as if he were moving through thick mud. Seraphina's eyes widened, this assassin wasn't just skilled in illusions, he was distorting space or was it just still an illusion?

Before she could finish the thought, Victor was thrown back with a wave of the assassin's hand. He crashed into the side of the car, his body limp. Seraphina's heart pounded in her chest. Victor was one of the strongest ability users under her father's employ, and yet, this man had defeated him with ease.

"Agh! Honestly, I get so tired of this at times! They're always giving me missions to eliminate Kids, it's annoying" The man snorted and continued "First it was a boy without abilities and now it's a girl just caught up in Family Feud... Voss family better pay me well"

The assassin stepped forward, his gaze fixed on her now. "You should've stayed home, little princess," he sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "But don't worry, your family won't miss you for long."

He reached for her, his hand outstretched to grab her arm but before he could make contact, a blur of movement intercepted him.

The assassin was sent flying backward, crashing into the side of a nearby building with a forceful punch.

"Looks like we meet again, Ralph Zipper!" a familiar voice said with a confident grin.

Rex stood there, his fist still raised from the punch, his usual laid-back smirk plastered across his face. "Man, you really don't know when to quit, do you?"

Ralph Zipper, the assassin, groaned as he slowly picked himself up from the rubble. His eyes, once filled with smug confidence, now burned with fury. "You…" he hissed, his voice laced with venom. "I should've known you'd get involved."

Rex stretched his arms nonchalantly as if the whole situation was just another day for him. "Oh, don't act so surprised. I only wanted to know if you called your mum back. And besides, I got some beef jerky for you" Rex said, throwing a small slab of beef at Ralph.

Seraphina, still reeling from the sudden turn of events, stared at Rex in disbelief. "Rex… how did you…?"

A/N: I'm just a newbie so please tell me if you want fast-paced or slow-paced scenes