Cronus' system: Against the gods
Chapter 52 Training dummies

"So... As I said, the crystal of a tier one common beast would offer almost no help to an advanced-level user," Miss Lyra spoke, her sharp gaze scanning the room as she continued the theory lesson with the textbook in hand. She was about to continue when her eyes caught sight of something that instantly soured her mood.....Rex, head bowed down, looking like he was dozing off.

She halted mid-sentence, her lips pressing together in a thin line. The classroom grew quieter, sensing the tension in the air. Magnus, sitting two seats away from Rex, smirked to himself, probably thanking the gods that it wasn't him this time catching Miss Lyra's ire. He had teased her enough during the lesson, and he knew she was already close to freezing him solid.

Miss Lyra clenched her fist momentarily, debating how to handle the situation. Her fingers twitched, and in a heartbeat, a small, gleaming blue mist swirled around her index finger, coalescing into a ball of ice. She flicked it towards Rex, aiming for a harmless but humiliating wake-up call.

The class stifled their laughs as they watched the ice ball zoom toward him, yet, to everyone's surprise, Rex's hand shot up before the ice could touch him. Without lifting his head, he caught the ice ball effortlessly between his middle and index fingers, his reflexes so quick that the room fell silent.

"Go on! I'm not sleeping," Rex said lazily, his head still bowed as if he hadn't just performed a minor miracle of speed and precision.

Miss Lyra let out a short gasp, startled at how deftly Rex had caught the projectile. His nonchalant posture was almost insulting, but she couldn't deny what she had just witnessed. She doubted even she could catch such a fast-moving object with such precision, and Rex had done it without even looking.

"Such reflex!" she murmured under her breath, impressed but unwilling to show it outright. She cleared her throat and quickly continued the lecture, although her thoughts lingered on Rex's untapped potential.

The theory session finally ended, and Miss Lyra led the students out to the training grounds, which buzzed as usual with energy and technology far beyond what any normal academy could offer. The sleek, metallic surfaces and holographic displays made the field look like a blend of an ancient battlefield and a futuristic arena.

Miss Lyra stood at the front, her posture rigid with authority as she addressed the group. "Now, remember, using abilities isn't always the best option in a fight. Sometimes, brute force and speed will be your greatest allies. Relying too much on your powers could leave you vulnerable in situations where those powers are ineffective."

With a flick of her wrist, she activated a large, humanoid training dummy that hummed to life. It shimmered slightly, indicating that it was set at the strength level of an intermediate-ability user. The class watched as it took a defensive stance, ready for combat.

Miss Lyra stepped forward, her long white robe rippling in the cool breeze, her eyes focused and sharp. The students watched in awe, their whispers hushed as they waited for her to make the first move.

The training dummy whirred to life, its metallic limbs adjusting into a perfect defensive stance. It was designed to mimic the reflexes and strength of a seasoned fighter, but Miss Lyra had no intention of holding back. She cracked her neck from side to side, rolling her shoulders before dropping into a low, fluid stance. Every part of her seemed coiled, ready to strike.

"Watch closely," she said, her voice calm but steely. "This isn't just about brute force. It's about understanding your opponent's rhythm, waiting for the right moment to break through."

Without warning, she shot forward, her movements a blur. The dummy responded instantly, its arm snapping up to block her punch. The impact echoed across the field like the crack of a whip, but Miss Lyra didn't falter. She pivoted on her heel, using the force of her blocked strike to spin into a roundhouse kick. The dummy's metallic arm shot up again, parrying the kick with a sharp clang.

"See?" Miss Lyra called out, not even out of breath. "It can block if you're predictable."

The dummy pressed forward, throwing punches and kicks. It moved with terrifying efficiency, each blow calculated to break through defenses. Miss Lyra ducked and weaved between the attacks, her movements fluid and controlled, almost like she was dancing. The students could barely keep up with her speed as her robe billowed with each dodge.

The dummy's arm swung down in a powerful chop, aiming for her shoulder. Miss Lyra dodged at the last second, her hand shooting out to grab the dummy's arm. With a sharp twist of her hips, she yanked the arm forward, using the dummy's momentum against it. The dummy stumbled but quickly regained its balance, sweeping out with a leg in retaliation.

Miss Lyra leaped backward, her feet skidding across the smooth surface of the training ground. She grinned, the fire in her eyes unmistakable now.

"Alright, time to stop playing around."

She dashed forward again, this time faster than before. Her fists were a blur of motion as she attacked from every angle, her strikes coming in at lightning speed. The dummy's arms moved in a frenzy, blocking and countering, but Miss Lyra was relentless. She pressed the advantage, her fists colliding with metal with rapid-fire precision.

Then, just as the dummy raised its arms to block another strike, Miss Lyra dropped low and swept her leg beneath it. The students gasped as the dummy's legs were knocked out from under it. Before it could even hit the ground, Miss Lyra was already above it, delivering a powerful downward punch that smashed into its chest with a deafening crash.

The ground trembled from the force of the impact, and the dummy's body dented under her fist. The students stood in stunned silence, eyes wide as the once-formidable dummy lay on the ground, sparking slightly, its defense shattered.

"This," she said, turning back to them, "is what I expect from you. Rely on your speed, your instincts, and your strength. Now, each of you will be assigned a dummy with the strength of a basic ability user. Show me what you've got."

The students were quickly paired with their respective dummies. Rex sized up his own, watching as it mirrored a basic defensive stance. His thoughts wandered for a moment, this wasn't exactly the kind of challenge he had hoped for, but he would play along.

With a casual leap forward, Rex exploded into motion. His strength and speed far exceeded the expectations of a basic ability user, and within mere seconds, his dummy was on the ground, its sensors flashing red to indicate a complete defeat. Rex barely even broke a sweat.

Magnus cracked his knuckles, a smirk spreading across his face as he squared off against the dummy. His usual instinct was to let his fire magic do the talking, but Miss Lyra's words echoed in his mind: "Brute force and speed can be your greatest allies." He clenched his fists, suppressing the familiar warmth of his flames, determined to rely on pure physical prowess this time.

The dummy shimmered to life in front of him, its mechanical joints whirring as it shifted into a combat stance. It mirrored Magnus' height and build, standing imposingly tall, ready to counter anything he threw at it.

"Alright, metal head," Magnus muttered under his breath, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet. "Let's see what you've got."

Without warning, the dummy launched the first strike, its fist darting out in a lightning-quick jab aimed at Magnus' ribs. Magnus barely had time to react, bringing his arm up in a hasty block. The impact reverberated through his arm, but he grinned through the pain, using the force to push the dummy's arm away.

"Not bad," Magnus said, his grin widening. "But I'm just getting warmed up."

He darted in, feinting with a left jab before swinging his right fist toward the dummy's head. The dummy's arm shot up, parrying the punch with a metallic clang. Magnus followed with a quick knee strike aimed at its midsection, but the dummy twisted, deflecting it with robotic precision.

Magnus stepped back, eyes narrowing as he reevaluated the situation. The dummy was fast—faster than he expected. He needed to go harder, faster. With a deep breath, Magnus charged forward, this time committing fully. His fists flew in a barrage of rapid punches, each blow coming from a different angle.

The dummy's arms moved with mechanical precision, blocking and countering every hit. It was a blur of movement, meeting Magnus punch for punch. But Magnus wasn't done. As the dummy raised its arm to block another punch, Magnus spun on his heel and brought his elbow crashing down on its exposed side. The metal dented under the force, a satisfying crunch filling the air.

But the dummy wasn't fazed. It retaliated instantly, its arm swinging in a vicious backhand aimed at Magnus' face. He ducked just in time, feeling the wind of the strike pass over his head. As he came back up, he drove his fist into the dummy's gut with all his strength.

The impact sent a shockwave through the training ground, but the dummy remained standing. Its red, glowing eyes flashed as it unleashed a brutal counterattack, its fists coming at Magnus in a relentless storm of blows.

Magnus gritted his teeth, barely managing to block the strikes as the dummy pushed him back. He could feel the bruises forming under his skin, the pain sharp with every hit. But instead of backing down, it only fueled him. The fire in his blood roared to life, but he suppressed it, channeling that heat into his muscles instead.

"I'm not losing to some tin can!" Magnus roared, driving forward with renewed energy.

He weaved between the dummy's strikes, moving faster than before, every muscle burning with exertion. With a loud grunt, he caught the dummy's next punch in his hand, gripping the metal fist tight. His other hand slammed into the dummy's chest in a devastating blow, sending it stumbling back.

Seizing the moment, Magnus threw himself forward, his body twisting as he delivered a powerful spinning kick to the side of the dummy's head. The sound of metal crunching under his boot was music to his ears as the dummy's head jerked violently to the side.

The dummy staggered but didn't fall. Its systems hummed, recalculating its approach as it shifted back into a defensive stance. Magnus panted heavily, sweat dripping down his face, but his eyes gleamed with determination.

"C'mon!" Magnus taunted, beckoning the dummy forward. "Is that all you've got?"

The dummy surged forward again, faster and more aggressive this time. Its fists became blurs of steel, aiming for Magnus' ribs, head, and legs in a flurry of strikes. Magnus barely dodged, his body moving on instinct. The sheer speed of the dummy's attacks pushed him to his limit, forcing him to dig deep.

Then, as the dummy overextended slightly with a punch, Magnus saw his opening.

He slipped inside the dummy's guard, his fist driving up in an uppercut that collided with its chin. The force of the blow lifted the dummy off its feet, and before it could recover, Magnus followed up with a brutal knee strike to its torso. The sound of metal denting filled the air again as the dummy crashed into the ground, sparks flying from its damaged body.

Magnus stood over it, chest heaving, adrenaline still pumping through his veins. His fists were bruised and raw, his arms trembling from exertion. But as he looked down at the defeated dummy, he couldn't help but grin.

"Now that," he said, wiping the sweat from his brow, "was a fight."

One by one, the other students began finishing their matches, some struggling more than others. It became clear that while most relied heavily on their abilities, they weren't as proficient in basic combat. Miss Lyra observed all of them carefully, making mental notes about each student's progress or lack thereof.

After a short while, she clapped her hands together, drawing everyone's attention. "Well done, everyone. Remember, this is just the beginning. Keep honing your instincts and your physical prowess. Dismissed."

As the students dispersed, Rex wiped his hands off on his uniform and began making his way toward General Silas' office. His mind buzzed with anticipation. "This dude better not waste my time, I also have a dodgeball session coming up

He walked through the academy halls, the bustling energy of students and faculty fading as he reached the more secluded part of the building where Silas' office was located. Taking a deep breath, Rex knocked on the door.

"Come in," Silas' deep voice called out from within.

Rex entered, replaceing Silas standing behind his desk, looking through a window that overlooked the academy grounds. The air in the room was thick with tension. Silas turned to face Rex, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his eyes that set Rex on edge.

"Rex," Silas began slowly, his voice almost unnervingly calm, "I've been waiting for this conversation."

Rex tensed, ready for anything. But before he could speak, Silas continued, his voice dropping into a more serious tone.

"There are things you need to know… about the academy… and yourself."

A/N: .....your opinions needed here? Should I make my chapters longer or shorter? Which do you guys prefer (Oh...please...let them say......)

And um..... Is the fight scene detailed enough?