Cronus' system: Against the gods

Chapter 73 Lucius vs the Astral Army

"Hold it right there or we'll release fire!" A soldier shouted as he pointed his gun at Lucius. The gun was no ordinary gun with just some flimsy little metal in it. It was a high-tech gun that could release a dangerous type of bullet that was imbued with the power from different beast crystals.

Lucius turned around to face the soldiers whose guns were all pointed at him. Right now, he could feel the shadows in his body clamoring for blood. The shadows were relentlessly moving around his arms like a parasitic fluid.

"Put your hands up in the air!" Another soldier said as he dangled a handcuff in Lucius' view.

Lucius looked at all the soldiers, his eyes carefully examining them. From the glint in their eyes, the slight movement of their arms, and the unyielding expression on their faces. He could tell that they were all ready to die.

"Hmm....I see" Lucius sighed as he shook his head in pity.

"I said don't move!" Another soldier yelled out, his eyes blazing with fury.

Lucius ignored the soldier's yell and stretched forth his right hand which emitted an obsidian glow "I can see that you all are willing to die..... Why don't you just let me grant your wish as swiftly as I can. Don't worry, you won't feel any pain"

The soldier's stared at Lucius like they were looking at a retard. Just what the hell was he still saying when he was at their mercy? This maniac's balls were really hard. A soldier then walked towards Lucius standing just a few inches away from him attempting to handcuff his right hand.

"Oh... it seems you accepted my offer then...." Lucius smiled and suddenly, the darkness that had been coiling around his body formed into a large shadow axe behind Lucius' back. The soldier was taken aback by this but before he could even react, the axe was sent flying towards his neck, beheading him swiftly.

The soldier's headless body fell to the ground with a heavy thud, blood spurting onto the barracks floor. The other soldiers reacted instantly, their training taking over.

"Code Red! All units, open fire!" a commanding officer shouted into his comm device, his voice echoing through the halls. The soldiers didn't need a second command. They raised their weapons, high-tech rifles glowing with the infused energy of beast crystals, and pulled the triggers.

Gunfire erupted in a cacophony of roars, bullets imbued with elemental and kinetic energy cutting through the air toward Lucius. Fire-tipped rounds exploded on impact, ice bullets shattered on the ground, and concussive shockwaves sent ripples through the metal-plated walls. Smoke and sparks filled the air, but Lucius stood calmly in the center of the onslaught.

His shadow tendrils danced around him, forming a living shield that absorbed and deflected the bullets. The shadows twisted and weaved, each tendril moving with an eerie intelligence, protecting Lucius from every angle. The bullets that managed to get through his defense barely left a scratch, as his ice-infused aura thickened in response, forming crystalline barriers.

"Suppressive fire, move in from the flanks!" barked one of the squad leaders. "We need containment now! No one lets him out of this hallway!"

Two squads split off, moving in a textbook pincer formation. Their movements were crisp and disciplined, each soldier covering their squadmates. Lucius could hear the clink of metallic boots on the floor, the hum of power armor activating defensive measures, and the synchronized breathing of warriors ready to give their all.

"Switch to beast abilities!" commanded the officer, realizing that conventional firepower wasn't cutting it. The remaining soldiers dropped their weapons, and a variety of transformations took place. One soldier's skin turned a steely, metallic gray as he activated his hardening ability, his entire body becoming a fortress of iron. Another burst into flames, his whole figure wreathed in fire, the ground scorching beneath his feet. A third began to dissolve into a vaporous, toxic gas, his form shifting and undulating with the air currents. Others sprouted claws, grew scales, or summoned blasts of wind and lightning.

Lucius watched, mildly impressed by the display of powers. "Oh, you're all pulling out your party tricks," he mused, his voice cold but amused. "I suppose I should entertain you a little longer."

"Close the distance! Formation Alpha! Use containment maneuvers!" ordered a lieutenant, his voice unyielding. The soldiers advanced, coordinating their attacks with precision.

The fire-wielding soldier launched a torrent of flames at Lucius, the searing heat melting the metal floor tiles. Simultaneously, the iron-skinned warrior charged forward, fists swinging like wrecking balls, each blow carrying enough force to shatter concrete.

Lucius responded with a flick of his hand, and shadows pooled around him, forming jagged spears that shot forward to intercept the attacks. The fire was snuffed out as the shadows consumed the flames, and the iron-skinned soldier was pushed back, the impact of the shadow spears denting even his hardened body.

The soldier who had turned into gas tried to envelop Lucius, hoping to choke him or seep into his lungs. Lucius, however, was prepared. He commanded the shadows to form a protective barrier around his face, and then, with a twist of his wrist, he infused the air with freezing energy. The gaseous assailant found himself rapidly condensing, his form turning into liquid droplets that splattered uselessly on the floor.

"Hold your ground! Hit him from all sides!" the lieutenant yelled. Another soldier, one with control over the earth, slammed his hands into the ground, causing stone spikes to erupt beneath Lucius' feet. Lucius danced between the spikes with a grace that defied belief, his movements fluid and unhurried.

"Your efforts are valiant," Lucius said mockingly. "But this is nothing more than child's play."

He then stepped forward, and with a wave of his hand, a wave of shadows spread across the ground, snaking toward the soldiers. The shadows reached the fire soldier first, swallowing his flames and pulling him into darkness. The earth manipulator tried to shield himself with a wall of stone, but the shadows burrowed through it, seizing him and dragging him into the inky abyss.

The lieutenant's face paled as he realized the battle was quickly spiraling out of control. "Fall back! Regroup! We need..."

Before he could finish, Lucius appeared in front of him in a blur of shadow and ice. "Going somewhere?" Lucius asked with a smirk. The lieutenant swung his hardened combat knife, imbued with the power of a beast crystal, but Lucius caught the blade effortlessly between two fingers. His grip tightened, and frost spread from his hand, shattering the knife into icy shards.

The lieutenant gasped in horror as Lucius leaned in, his voice low and menacing. "You really thought you could stop a god in the making?"

Lucius thrust his hand forward, and shadows erupted from his palm, sending the officer flying across the room, crashing into a wall with bone-shattering force. The few remaining soldiers who still had the will to fight exchanged terrified glances, realizing that they were facing something far beyond their comprehension.

Lucius stood amidst the chaos, shadows swirling around him and a cruel smile on his lips. "Come on then," he taunted, spreading his arms wide. "Show me the might of Astral City's finest. Or kneel before your future god."

Lucius could hear the sound of metallic boots approaching him. He stood firm, his expression cold. "Well...it won't hurt to show off once in a while, guess I'll handle them all first. The soldiers of astral city are going down!"

The reinforcements stormed in, filling the corridor with the heavy, synchronized thud of armored boots. More soldiers, equipped with beast-tech gear and a variety of powers, assembled to take on the threat that was Lucius Noctis. Their visors flickered with data, feeding them combat stats and tactical overlays, but the tension in the air was palpable.

"Bravo team, engage the target from the west corridor! Charlie team, flank from the east and use pressure tactics!" The commanding officer barked out new orders, his voice amplified through a comm unit. "Delta, you're on suppression duty. We can't let this monster escape!"

The hallway exploded with action. Soldiers armed with energy shields advanced from one side, forming a barrier wall, while others launched elemental attacks, using beast crystal-enhanced abilities to unleash torrents of fire, blasts of ice, and whirling winds. Meanwhile, a squad of aerial combatants activated their jet thrusters, propelling themselves above the fray and firing down with sniper precision.

Lucius stood his ground, shadows twisting around him in a dance of power. "So, you've brought more toys," he murmured, an amused grin playing on his lips. His eyes darkened with a murderous gleam, and the shadows around him grew more feral, pulsing with anticipation.

"Suppress him now!" one of the lieutenants ordered, and a soldier with a hardened, metallic body charged at Lucius like a runaway train, fists aimed straight at his head. Lucius sidestepped with supernatural grace, his shadow forming a barrier that absorbed the impact. The ground cratered beneath the soldier's punch, but Lucius remained unfazed.

"Your metal isn't as tough as it looks," Lucius sneered. He retaliated by forming a serrated shadow blade and slashing upward, cutting a deep gash across the metal-coated soldier's chest. Sparks flew, and the metal warrior stumbled back, his form dented and cracked.

To his left, a fire manipulator summoned an inferno, sending a wave of scorching flames barreling toward Lucius. Heat distorted the air, and the walls glowed with molten metal, but Lucius raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. He extended his palm, and a barrier of absolute darkness formed, snuffing out the flames in an instant.

"Flame's out," Lucius taunted. He then flicked his wrist, sending a shadow spear hurtling toward the fire soldier. The spear impaled him, and the man let out a strangled scream before collapsing.

Another group of soldiers, adapting quickly, used the opening to coordinate an attack. "Deploy gas containment!" shouted a corporal. A soldier who could transform into a noxious vapor surged forward, his gaseous form enveloping Lucius, hoping to suffocate him. But Lucius was unfazed. With a simple snap of his fingers, frost spread through the air, freezing the gas into crystalline shards that shattered uselessly to the ground.

The aerial team took the opportunity to strike from above, targeting Lucius with electrified harpoons designed to disable even the strongest foes. They descended in a well-practiced formation, firing in tandem, but Lucius had anticipated their move. He leapt into the air, propelled by swirling shadows, and met them head-on.

"You think you can outmaneuver me in my own domain?" he said, his voice dripping with mockery. He conjured shadow wings that erupted from his back, carrying him upward. With a wave of his hand, tendrils of darkness shot forward, wrapping around the airborne soldiers and dragging them to the ground. Their thrusters sputtered as they crashed, leaving behind a pile of broken armor.

The remaining soldiers regrouped, desperation fueling their next coordinated strike. The earth manipulator raised a massive stone wall to try and trap Lucius, while wind users summoned a vortex to pin him in place. Lucius landed lightly on the ground, his wings dissipating into shadow as he observed their last-ditch effort.

"Admirable," he said softly. "But futile."

With a mere thought, the shadows beneath him expanded, engulfing the entire battlefield. A surge of obsidian energy erupted from his body, crushing the stone wall into dust and snuffing out the vortex like a candle flame. Lucius advanced, unrelenting, his shadows sweeping through the ranks like a tidal wave. Soldiers screamed as they were ensnared, some dragged into the darkness, never to be seen again.

"Fallback! We're losing control!" one of the remaining lieutenants screamed into his comm. But it was too late.

Lucius stood in the center of the devastation, shadows swirling triumphantly around him. The once-mighty defenders of Astral City were either incapacitated or fleeing in terror.

"Is that all?" Lucius taunted, his voice booming through the ruins of the hallway. "Your city's finest can't even make me break a sweat. You should know your place in the face of a god." He clenched his fist, and the shadows pulsed, ready for more.

The few who dared to keep standing, their faces pale with fear, realized they were now facing not a man but a monster, one that seemed unstoppable, cold, and drenched in the power of the abyss. Your journey continues at empire