Cronus' system: Against the gods
Chapter 55 The Attack

Coach Jefferson walked in front of Rex and Seraphina, his expression as cold and unreadable as ever. "First of all, I'd like to see just how much you can control Aether," he said, pointing directly at Rex.

Rex, still reeling from the intensity of everything that had been revealed, took a deep breath. His heart raced, but he managed to focus. He raised his hand, and slowly, the familiar crackling energy of Aether began to gather at his fingertips. The bluish glow swirled in his palm, and within moments, Rex had formed a ball of Aether, its energy humming with raw power.

Jefferson's eyebrows raised ever so slightly, impressed. "Not bad," he said, his voice cool. "For someone who's barely scratched the surface of Aether, you've already managed to stabilize its basic form."

Rex, feeling a surge of pride, looked at the ball of energy in his hand. "So... can you use it?" he asked, his curiosity piqued. Jefferson had spoken so much about Aether, but he had never demonstrated it himself.

"If I want to, I can use it," Jefferson said, his eyes glinting slightly. "But not now."

Rex frowned slightly, not understanding why Jefferson would hold back. Before he could ask more, Jefferson stepped forward, his tone shifting to one of instruction. "But forming an Aether ball is only the beginning. Now, I want you to take it further. Shape it into something useful, a weapon, a tool. Focus on controlling the Aether, not just letting it exist.

Control is everything."

Rex nodded, letting the ball of energy hover in front of him as he concentrated. He visualized a spear, a weapon he was familiar with. His mind latched onto the image, and slowly, the Aether began to shift. The ball elongated, stretching out into the shape of a spear, glowing with an intense blue light. Rex's eyes widened in surprise, he had actually done it.

Jefferson watched intently, his expression unreadable. "Good. You're starting to understand how to shape Aether to your will."

But just as Rex was beginning to feel a sense of accomplishment, the spear flickered. The energy became unstable, and the weapon started to lose its form. The spear crackled, the shape falling apart as the Aether dispersed into the air.

Rex cursed under his breath. "It won't hold!"

"You're still inexperienced," Jefferson said, his tone sharp but not unkind. "It takes time to master Aether. Keep practicing, and the shape will last longer."

Rex nodded, feeling a bit frustrated but determined. He looked over at Seraphina, curious to see how she was doing. She had been watching him closely, her brow furrowed in concentration. Now, it was her turn.

Seraphina raised her hand, her silver hair glowing faintly as Aether began to pool around her fingers. But instead of forming a controlled ball like Rex, the energy spiraled wildly. A vast, almost overwhelming amount of Aether suddenly erupted from her body, swirling around her in an uncontrollable torrent.

"Seraphina!" Rex shouted, taking a step back as the raw energy threatened to overwhelm the room.

Her eyes widened in shock as the Aether engulfed her, covering her entire body in a blinding blue light. The power she was radiating was immense, far more than anything Rex had ever felt. It was like the very air around them was charged with energy, crackling with intensity. But Seraphina's face twisted in panic. She had lost control.

"Shit! What sort of vast amount of Aether is that" Rex's eyes widened in shock.

Jefferson moved instantly, dashing forward faster than Rex's eyes could follow. With a single, fluid motion, he placed his hand gently on Seraphina's head. A soft glow radiated from his touch, and almost immediately, the raging Aether began to calm. The swirling energy around Seraphina dissipated, fading into nothingness as her breathing slowed and the tension in her body relaxed.

Seraphina blinked, her face flushed with embarrassment. "I... I'm sorry. I couldn't control it," she whispered, her voice shaking.

"That's because you're still fighting it," Jefferson said calmly, removing his hand from her head. "Aether is powerful, but if you don't learn to control your emotions and focus, it will control you instead. Don't let fear or frustration guide you."

Rex watched in stunned silence, still feeling the aftershocks of the immense energy Seraphina had unleashed. He had barely managed to form a spear, but she had wielded a vast amount of Aether—far more than he had expected.

Jefferson turned back to face them both, his gaze serious. "Aether is not something to be taken lightly. Both of you have potential, but potential means nothing without mastery. Seraphina, your power is vast, but you let it consume you. Rex, you're learning quickly, but you're still hesitant. If either of you wants to survive what's coming, you'll need to do better."

Rex nodded, still processing everything. He knew Jefferson was right, he wasn't ready, not yet. But seeing what Seraphina had unleashed, the sheer magnitude of her power, filled him with a sense of urgency. There was so much more to Aether than he had realized, and if he didn't learn to control it soon, he'd be in serious danger.

"Again," Jefferson commanded, his voice calm but firm. "This time, focus. Don't let the Aether control you. Control it."

"Cronus, what's wrong? You've been too quiet for a parasite" Rex thought.

Cronus's voice then boomed in his head, louder than ever "Dost thou want me to interrupt thy training sessions!!!"

"Ack! No, please sleep on Titan" Rex replied, clutching his head tightly.

"Anything the matter, Rex?" Seraphina asked worriedly as she noticed him clutching his head...

"Uh...no, it's nothing!" Rex replied, rubbing his hair nervously.

Suddenly, Jefferson's expression turned cold as he looked up, squinting his eyes slightly "It seems we got company"

In a quiet, deserted part of the academy

In the quiet, secluded part of the academy, far from the bustling hallways and watchful eyes, Brenda's breath came in sharp, heated bursts. She stood just inches from Magnus, her heart pounding in her chest as she stared at him, strong, confident, and completely unaware of the wildfire raging inside her.

She couldn't take it anymore. The tension between them had been building for too long, and she was tired of pretending she could ignore it. With a frustrated growl, she grabbed Magnus by the collar of his shirt, yanking him closer.

Magnus raised an eyebrow, startled but amused. "Brenda?"

"Shut up," she snapped, her voice breathless with a mixture of anger and lust. She wasn't in the mood for teasing, not anymore. Her grip tightened on his shirt, and before he could respond, she crashed her lips against his, the force of the kiss catching him off guard.

Brenda kissed him fiercely, madly, as if she had been holding back for far too long. Her hands gripped the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer still, wanting to feel every inch of him against her. She poured all her pent-up frustration, desire, and need into the kiss, her lips moving hungrily against his.

Magnus, surprised at first, quickly responded, his hands replaceing their way to her waist, steadying her as she pressed against him. But it was Brenda who was in control, her lips dominating his, her body demanding every bit of attention she'd craved for so long.

She pulled back for a second, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her eyes burning with desire. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do that?" she whispered, her voice shaking with intensity.

Magnus smirked, his hands moving to her hips, but before he could say anything, Brenda silenced him with another kiss, deeper, more passionate than before. She kissed him like she needed him to breathe, her fingers tangling in his hair as she lost herself in the overwhelming heat of the moment.

Magnus let out a soft groan, his hands tightening on her waist, but Brenda didn't care. She wanted more, needed more, and nothing was going to stop her now.

"I've had enough of your smug looks and cocky attitude," she whispered between kisses, her lips brushing his. "Now, you're mine."

"I'm afraid you two love birds are gonna have to wait for another day" A cold, mysterious voice spoke from a corner.

Brenda froze, her lips just inches from Magnus's, her heart racing for a different reason now. Her senses sharpened as she glanced around, scanning the quiet, dimly lit courtyard of the academy. The voice had come from nowhere, yet it was as clear as if the speaker were standing right next to them.

Magnus's body tensed immediately, his fiery aura flickering to life, warming the air around them. "Who's there?" he demanded, his voice low and menacing, his hands still on Brenda's waist but now ready for a fight.

"Funny, you'd think I'd introduce myself like this?" The voice chuckled mockingly. Suddenly, a cold gust of wind brushed past them, and before Brenda could react, a dagger appeared out of thin air, slicing through the air with deadly precision toward her.

With lightning reflexes, Brenda blurred out of the way, her super speed saving her by mere inches. She landed a few feet away, her breath ragged. "Magnus... we've got company."

Magnus's flames flared brighter, his eyes scanning the area, but all he could see was empty space. "Show yourself, coward!"

"Such bold words, Magnus. But I don't need to be seen to win." The voice echoed once again, this time from another direction.

Before Magnus could respond, another dagger flew, this time aiming for his neck. He barely deflected it with a sudden burst of fire, the blade disintegrating in the heat. Brenda darted forward at inhuman speed, hoping to catch the assassin off guard. But her fist collided with nothing but air.

"Too slow," the voice teased, followed by another cruel laugh. The assassin was playing with them.

"Enough of this!" Magnus roared, unleashing a wall of flame in all directions, hoping to reveal their invisible attacker. For a moment, the courtyard was illuminated by a brilliant blaze, the heat scorching the ground. But when the flames receded, there was still nothing—just the cold, mocking laugh of their unseen foe.

Brenda darted around the courtyard at blinding speeds, trying to catch any hint of movement. "He's invisible! How are we supposed to hit him if we can't even see him?"

The assassin's voice drifted lazily through the air. "Oh, don't worry. You'll feel me soon enough."

A sudden force slammed into Brenda's side, knocking her off balance and sending her crashing into the wall. She coughed, winded, her super speed useless against an opponent she couldn't locate. Magnus's fists erupted into flames as he rushed to her side.

The voice grew closer, colder. "For someone so fast, you sure are slow on the uptake, Brenda." There was a flicker of movement, and suddenly, the assassin materialized for just a moment, his form cloaked in shadows, his face obscured by a dark hood as he knocked Magnus backward with a swift kick.

Magnus hit the ground hard but quickly rolled to his feet, flames dancing around his fists. "I'll burn you to ashes!"

"Really?" the assassin taunted. "It seems like you're the ones burning out." Another flick of his wrist sent a flurry of knives at both of them. Brenda, recovering quickly, dodged again, moving with superhuman grace, but no matter how fast she moved, it felt like the assassin was always one step ahead.

Magnus roared again, releasing a massive blast of fire toward the spot where the assassin had last appeared. But the flames hit nothing but empty air.

"You two are fun," the assassin mused, now clearly enjoying himself. "But playtime's over. I'm here for Brenda."

Magnus's eyes narrowed. "You'll have to get through me first." He unleashed another wave of fire, the flames roaring higher this time, surrounding him and Brenda in a protective wall.

Brenda's breath came in quick gasps, her mind racing. "Magnus, we can't just keep swinging blindly. He's toying with us."

"I know," Magnus growled. "But we need to draw him out."

"Draw me out? That's rich," the assassin laughed. "I think I'll keep toying with you both. It's far more entertaining."

Brenda clenched her fists, frustration bubbling up inside her. She was fast, but her speed was useless against someone she couldn't see. Magnus was powerful, but the flames weren't enough. They were cornered, outmatched by someone who seemed to anticipate their every move.

Then the assassin's voice came again, closer this time, whispering in Brenda's ear. "Do you really think you can outrun me, Brenda? I can see your every move before you make it. You're predictable."

Brenda spun around, but again, there was no one there. Her heart pounded in her chest, not just from fear, but from sheer anger. "Stop hiding and fight us, coward!"

"Oh, but I am fighting," he replied smoothly, and suddenly, a sharp blade grazed Brenda's cheek, so fast she didn't even see it coming. Blood trickled down, and the assassin's laughter echoed through the courtyard. "But this is just too much fun to stop."

Magnus's flames flared up in fury. "Come out and fight us like a man!"

The assassin's voice grew darker, colder. "No. I'll fight you how I choose."