Cronus' system: Against the gods

Chapter 29: Boring Lessons

Rex walked behind Magnus, carefully observing the school environment. They passed through various Halls until they arrived at their destination. A large hall where most of the students who awakened with Rex were present. "Group Epsilon uh? What a weird name?" Rex muttered.

That was the name of this group. Each halls were divided into various groups. His own was Group Epsilon, headed by Miss Lyra.

"Uh? Rex?" Miss Lyra walked forward to welcome Rex. She didn't expect to see him since he had failed the awakening. Did something miraculous happen? Or he didn't want to become a hunter anymore and just take regular courses" She wondered.

"god's eyes! Show me everything about her! Useful ones though!" Rex thought as he stared at Miss Lyra with a "Hey, there, didn't expect to see me huh?" Expression on his face.

Name: Layla Brooks

Race: Human

Occupation: High School Teacher

Class: Tier one intermediate ability user(Skill: Passive Charm Aura, completely unnoticed by her, Expert in Giving "I'm Fine" Smiles)

Status: Single and Pretending She Doesn't Care

Strength: 50 (But can lift your spirits)

Agility: 45 (Only when dodging awkward dates)

Latest worries: She has been concerned about a boy named Rex, scared he won't commit suicide

Endurance: 50 (Especially during parent-teacher conferences)

Intelligence: 60 (Reads romance novels like they're war strategies)

Ability: (Awakened) Ice element

PHONE NO. ...

"Okay, stop! That's enough" Rex thought and then all the information stopped appearing. He had confirmed that she wasn't aware of the assassination so all that was left was to use god's eyes on General Silas

"Surprised to see me uh?" Rex smiled at Lyra, and then suddenly, he applied Aether to his legs and dashed toward the end of the hall at a breathtaking speed.

Rex dashed across the large hall, his legs infused with Aether, leaving a blur in his wake. The speed startled the students seated at their desks, many of whom were still adjusting to their newly awakened abilities. Murmurs filled the room as Rex casually halted at the other end, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Miss Lyra raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed but trying to maintain her professional demeanor. "Well, Rex, I see you've managed to awaken something after all."

Rex shrugged nonchalantly, walking back to join the group. "Guess I was just a late bloomer," he replied with an easy grin, but internally, he knew that it was more than just an awakening. His powers, thanks to Cronus, were in a league of their own.

Lyra, still slightly taken aback, gestured toward an empty seat. "Go ahead and take your seat, Rex. We're just about to begin the lesson."

Rex slid into his assigned seat near the back of the hall, slouching comfortably. He scanned the room quickly with his God's Eyes, but the flood of trivial details was already giving him a mild headache, so he turned it off for now. His mind began to wander, as he had little interest in the lesson that was about to start.

Lyra stepped to the front of the hall, gathering the attention of all the students. "Today, we'll be discussing something vital for all of you. Beasts and the crystals they leave behind."

She waved her hand, and a holographic image of a menacing beast materialized in the air behind her. The beast was a massive, reptilian creature with glowing eyes and sharp claws, snarling as though ready to pounce.

The class collectively leaned forward, eyes wide with interest. Rex, however, leaned back, twiddling his fingers as if this were just a rerun of a show he'd already seen a hundred times.

"Beasts, as you all know, come in many forms," Lyra began, pacing the room. "They are our greatest threat in this world, but they also provide humanity with an incredible opportunity for evolution. After a beast is slain, they leave behind crystals, unique, highly potent energy sources that we can absorb."

Rex half-listened as she continued explaining, already familiar with the details. He knew about the crystals; they were the lifeblood of this world's power structure.

By consuming the crystals left behind by dead beasts, humans could evolve their abilities, grow stronger, and in rare cases, even unlock new powers. It was the basic system upon which this world operated, and Rex had learned about it long before his awakening.

"These crystals," Lyra continued, "contain concentrated energy from the beast's core. When absorbed, they can enhance various physical attributes or even boost your affinity with your element. However, the amount of power you gain depends on the beast's grade."

She gestured, and the holographic display shifted to show the grading system of beasts, ranging from minor threats like Tier 1 beasts to the terrifyingly powerful Tier 3 and above.

"Tier 1 beasts are often what first-year students will encounter," she said. "But as you grow stronger, you'll face more dangerous beasts. The real challenge comes with Tier 3 and above, where their crystals can lead to significant power boosts. But beware, it comes with risks. Some crystals can be unstable, and absorbing them recklessly could harm you rather than help you."

Rex's gaze drifted lazily out the window as she spoke. He knew this already. Absorbing crystals from beasts had been the backbone of human evolution for centuries. It was all straightforward: kill beasts, absorb their crystals, get stronger. But for Rex, who had access to abilities like Aether control and God's Eyes, it all felt too basic. He wasn't concerned about the mechanics of crystal absorption, his growth was tied directly to Cronus and the system he had been given, something far more powerful and mysterious than anything these crystals could offer.

Lyra's voice cut through his drifting thoughts, "As you progress in your training, you'll learn to identify which crystals suit your abilities best. For instance, fire users will benefit from crystals of beasts that wield fire, while ice users, like myself, will gravitate toward beasts with cold attributes. But even at that, consuming any crystal still boost one's physique and can still help one evolve"

Rex tuned back out. He could still feel Cronus lurking in his mind, half-listening to Lyra's words. "All this talk of crystals," Cronus rumbled, "such fleeting power compared to what thou shalt one day wield."

Rex smirked inwardly. "Yeah, yeah, I know. They're playing with pebbles while I've got a whole mountain."

Miss Lyra, now speaking about specific types of beasts found in their region, noticed Rex's distant look but didn't address it. She returned to explaining the dangerous nature of higher-tier beasts, stressing caution and preparation.

"...and that's why teamwork is essential when taking down anything above Tier 2 beasts," Lyra concluded. "You may think your abilities make you powerful individually, but even the strongest awakeners can fall if they underestimate their foes."

Rex barely heard the final note, his mind already racing ahead. He wasn't interested in teamwork or playing by the academy's rules.

His goal was singular, grow strong enough to face whatever Cronus had warned him about, change his fate, and maybe, just maybe, unravel the mysteries of the real power players behind the scenes, like Silas and Ralph.

Miss Lyra's voice boomed again "But for now, the academy will supply you all with beast crystals until you break through to the tier three basic level where you'll be permitted to leave the city so you can hunt monsters on your own. You'll still attend lessons here but your life would no longer be in our hands"

"Wait! That's a good idea!" Rex suddenly thought.

"What is?" Cronus asked

"If I become a hunter now, I can also level up in the real world before facing the trials in the underworld"

Cronus laughed "Thou shall not gain good experience from killing mere mortal animals"

"Oh.....C'mon... And here I was thinking I found a glitch" Rex facepalmed. "Well... it doesn't matter though, I'll still gain the XP's although slowly, and then I'll sell these crystals so I can earn money.

Aha! Talk about killing two beds with one stone!" Rex grinned. "The only problem now was how he'd join a hunter guild"

Ring Ring Ring

Hours passed until the bell rang, signifying the close of the theory session. Now it was time for some Practical.

The sessions were divided into two. The first spanned from 9 am to 12 pm. In this session, they were taught about monsters and the world at large. Also, some basic things like Maths, and English as they were compulsory.

Only those who didn't want to become hunters opted to learn more basic subjects. But in this world, only a few would opt for something like that. There was no one like that in Rex's hall

The second session spanned from 12 pm to 2: 30 pm. In this session, they were taught about utilizing their abilities regardless of what it was to combat against monsters. Duels could also be arranged.

"Everyone to the training grounds for the next session," Lyra said before leaving the hall.

"Well...what a boring lesson," Rex yawned "I got two major things on my today's list "A dodgeball session and a freaking date!!!" He hit his head hard, cursing his bad luck! "Damn it! If only I didn't try to look cool, I'd have one less thing to worry about"

"Hey! C'mon let's go!" Magnus gestured to Rex

"Coming!" Rex replied. "Hmm, let's just hope the practical is worth it!"