Cronus' system: Against the gods
Chapter 63 Lucius vs Jefferson(1)

Lucius dashed forward, his eyes gleaming with malicious intent as he threw a right jab at Jefferson. The air around his fist shimmered with dark energy, leaving a streak of icy vapor in its wake. Jefferson managed to sidestep, but Lucius was relentless, pivoting and launching a second strike, this time laced with his shadow-ice energy. It connected with Jefferson's shoulder, an icy burn radiating from the impact.

"Is that all you've got?" Lucius taunted, his lips curling into a mocking grin as Jefferson staggered back.

Jefferson clenched his jaw, feeling the sting of the blow reverberate through his arm. He took a step back, eyes narrowing. He'd seen Lucius's predicted moves before, but his speed and the chilling aura of his attacks added an unexpected bite. Jefferson barely had a moment to recover as Lucius advanced again, his movements a blur of shadow and frost.

"Come on, Jefferson!" Lucius sneered, lunging with a Shadow Strike feint, aiming a low sweep at Jefferson's leg. "You should be better than this!"

Jefferson read the feint, but he wasn't quick enough to fully evade the low kick. It swept his leg from under him, sending him momentarily off balance. Lucius capitalized immediately, his Dark Frost Uppercut streaking upwards with deadly precision. Jefferson raised an arm to block, but the force still sent him skidding backward, his feet scraping against the ground.

"Let's see you keep up with this!" Lucius growled as he activated his Shadow Spear Barrage. From his outstretched palm, dozens of shadow-laced spears shot toward Jefferson in rapid succession. Each spear gleamed with a deadly, icy edge, the air crackling as they cut through it.

Jefferson dodged and deflected, his movements efficient, though the sheer number of spears was overwhelming. One spear grazed his cheek, leaving a shallow cut, while another struck his side, a shock of cold spreading from the impact. He grimaced, realizing he couldn't keep taking hits like this.

"You're going to have to try harder, Jefferson!" Lucius called, a dark glint in his eye.

Jefferson took a deep breath, forcing his mind to calm. His omnipotent eyes began analyzing every movement Lucius made, every flicker of shadow energy, every muscle shift. Lucius's next moves flashed in his mind: a sharp left step, an Eclipse Armor activation, then a lunge with Frost Lunge aimed at his ribs.

"Predictable…" Jefferson murmured, tightening his stance. His eyes gleamed with an otherworldly silver glow as he shifted his posture, finally prepared.

Lucius noticed Jefferson's eyes narrow, a faint smirk crossing his face. "What's the matter? Realizing you're outclassed?"

"Not exactly." Jefferson's voice was calm as he took a measured step forward, his silver eyes glinting with cold focus. "I just wanted to understand how little power you actually wield."

This only fueled Lucius's anger. He activated Eclipse Armor, his body surrounded by a glistening shell of ice-reinforced shadows, and darted forward with the Frost Lunge. His fist streaked toward Jefferson's ribs, blazing with dark energy, intent on delivering a crippling blow.

But Jefferson was ready. At the last moment, he twisted to the side, narrowly dodging the punch. Lucius's eyes widened in surprise as Jefferson countered with a rapid, Aether-infused punch to his side, landing with a resounding thud. The hit shattered a portion of Lucius's armor, sending cracks spiraling through the icy shell.

"You're right," Jefferson said, a smirk tugging at his lips. "This fight is starting to get interesting."

Lucius snarled, the cracks in his armor shimmering as they began to repair. He quickly retreated, muttering a curse under his breath, as his Eclipse Armor mended itself. But Jefferson didn't give him a moment's rest. He charged forward, fists glowing with Aether as he unleashed a flurry of attacks, each one faster and more precise than the last.

Lucius struggled to keep up, blocking and parrying where he could, but Jefferson's speed and intensity were increasing with every second. It was as if Jefferson had unlocked a deeper level of focus, his moves flowing with a relentless, practiced rhythm.

"Enough!" Lucius roared, slamming his fists into the ground. In an instant, the air around them grew icy, a dense, dark mist enveloping the area as Lucius activated Frozen Abyss. A chill seeped into Jefferson's bones, and he felt his movements slow, the draining cold weakening him with every passing moment.

"Let's see you fight with your strength sapped," Lucius sneered, stalking through the mist, his shadowy form barely visible in the gloom.

Jefferson braced himself, the cold biting at his skin, his muscles feeling heavier. His silver eyes tracked Lucius's approach, predicting his next strike even before it came. Lucius lunged from the shadows, aiming a vicious kick at Jefferson's head, but Jefferson ducked, retaliating with an uppercut that connected with Lucius's jaw.

Lucius stumbled back, blood trickling from his mouth. He wiped it away, a dangerous glint in his eye. "You're resilient, I'll give you that."

Jefferson smirked. "And you're underwhelming, I'll give you that."

Lucius's face twisted in fury, and he raised his hands, gathering dark energy. Icy tendrils shot from his palms, wrapping around Jefferson's limbs, freezing him in place. Jefferson gritted his teeth, feeling the numbing cold spread up his arms and legs, but he remained focused, his mind racing as he calculated his next move.

Lucius laughed, tightening his grip. "Struggling already? I thought you'd be more of a challenge."

But as he spoke, Jefferson's eyes gleamed, and with a burst of Aether energy, he shattered the icy bonds, breaking free. He wasted no time, launching himself at Lucius with a newfound intensity, his fists crackling with power.

He aimed a punch at Lucius's face, which Lucius barely managed to deflect, but Jefferson was already pivoting, bringing his leg around in a swift kick that struck Lucius's side, sending him sprawling.

"Not so easy when your opponent can keep up, is it?" Jefferson taunted, his silver eyes glinting.

Lucius staggered to his feet, breathing heavily. His gaze hardened, and with a low growl, he activated Iceborne Regeneration, the cuts and bruises on his body slowly mending as he stood.

"You're persistent," Lucius admitted, his voice cold. "But I'm just getting started."

Without warning, he unleashed Frozen Shadow Assault, a chaotic barrage of shadow-ice energy, each strike unpredictable and deadly. Jefferson's eyes narrowed, his mind racing as he dodged and blocked, deflecting the attacks with skill. One shard grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood, but he ignored the pain, focusing on closing the distance.

"You're done for!" Lucius shouted, his face twisted in rage.

"Not quite," Jefferson replied, his voice steady. With a burst of speed, he dodged the last shard and closed the gap, delivering a crushing punch to Lucius's chest. Lucius gasped as the blow connected, shattering his Eclipse Armor and leaving him vulnerable.

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Jefferson didn't let up. He moved in, landing punch after punch, each one charged with Aether, each one breaking down Lucius's defenses. Lucius stumbled back, desperation flickering in his eyes as he struggled to defend himself.

"Give it up," Jefferson said, his voice cold. "You're out of tricks."

But Lucius wasn't done yet. With a final, desperate move, he channeled all his remaining energy into one last attack, the air around him growing frigid as he gathered his strength.

Jefferson braced himself, his silver eyes blazing with determination. "Bring it."

Lucius lunged forward, his fists wreathed in a deadly mix of shadow and ice. Jefferson met him head-on, their fists colliding in an explosion of energy, the force of their clash shaking the ground beneath them.

For a moment, they were locked in a stalemate, their powers pushing against each other, but Jefferson's focus and precision began to overwhelm Lucius's chaotic energy. With one final push, Jefferson broke through, his fist connecting with Lucius's chest, sending him flying backward.

Lucius hit the ground hard, his body trembling as his energy faded. He tried to stand, but his strength was gone, his vision blurring as Jefferson approached.

"It's over," Jefferson said, his voice low but firm. "You were never a match for me."

Lucius glared up at him, defiance in his eyes even as he lay defeated. "This… isn't the end… I'll come back… stronger…"

Jefferson shook his head, his silver eyes cold and unyielding. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

With one final, decisive strike, he ended the battle, leaving Lucius defeated on the ground, his shadowy aura fading as the life drained from his body.

Suddenly, A blinding light of dark energy shot out from Lucius' body. The darkness swirled around him, bathing his body in its light. His arms started giving off a shelly-coated vibe as the darkness wrapped around it. In an instant, his body was covered in a dark shelly armor.

"You'd regret ever pushing me this far!" Lucius screamed out as a dark spear materialized at his side. As his eyes glinted, the spear lunged forward at Jefferson but the latter was not left undone as a spear made of Aether also materialized by his side and met with the incoming spear, causing a large explosion.

{Target's current threat level: A+}

"Hmm...not bad to be able to unlock your full potential upon defeat" Jefferson smirked and then cracked his knuckles "Too bad for you...I was also holding back!"