Cronus' system: Against the gods

Chapter 93 Arriving at the Central Tower

"We need to hurry to the central tower right away! It's our only hope of leaving this academy!!"

They successfully sneaked out of the soldiers' gazes. Now all they had to do was run away from this academy.

Brenda's swift feet carried her through the Academy halls, her eyes blazing with intense fury and determination. She glanced backward to see if Seraphina could keep up with her speed and, to her shock, Seraphina was right beside her, her expression serene as though she wasn't exerting any effort.

"Dammit! How can she keep up? Her ability isn't even super speed!" Brenda gasped internally.

As a proud speedster, Brenda prided herself on her ability to outpace nearly anyone. She increased her speed, pushing herself closer to her limit—80 km/hour, nearly as fast as a speeding car. Yet Seraphina still matched her pace effortlessly, her movements fluid and precise.

Curiosity gnawed at Brenda. Just what was Seraphina's ability? Rumors had swirled around the Valenbrook family for years, whispering of forbidden powers and dark experiments, but Brenda had dismissed them as noble gossip. Now, watching Seraphina's inhuman grace, she wasn't so sure anymore.

Meanwhile, Seraphina's mind was a storm of conflicting emotions.

Her heart thudded painfully as images of Rex and Jefferson flickered through her thoughts. Jefferson had always been there, like a solid pillar she could lean on. For years, he had been the only person to treat her as a normal human being rather than a weapon in a noble family's arsenal. He had taught her everything she knew, guiding her like an older brother, stoic on the outside but warm within, his care reminding her of the one person she had loved most. Her mother.

As she ran, Seraphina's mind drifted back to her childhood, a time when love and anguish were intertwined. From the moment she could walk, her father, Lord Valenbrook, had subjected her to brutal training regimens designed to awaken and hone her latent abilities. At just three years old, she had been forced to endure grueling physical and mental exercises. Fainting from exhaustion or crying in pain never deterred him. "Power must be bred into the Valenbrook lineage, no matter how young," he had declared, his voice as cold as the winter winds.

Her mother, Lady Valenbrook, had been the only one to stand against him. "She's just a child, not a tool!" her mother would plead, her voice filled with desperation. "If you strip away her childhood, what will she become? A hollow shell?"

But her father had dismissed those pleas with scorn. To him, Seraphina wasn't a daughter; she was an heir to his ambitions, a means to cement the Valenbrook household as the most powerful noble family in Astral City.

Then came the war between humans and monsters. The sky had been painted red with fire and blood as the city stood on the brink of annihilation. Seraphina, barely seven at the time, had been locked in the family's underground sanctuary, listening to the chaos above. When the battle ended, she learned the truth: her mother had perished, sacrificing herself to protect the family.

Her father didn't grieve. "Her death is a lesson," he told Seraphina coldly. "Weakness has no place in our family. Never forget that."

But Seraphina couldn't forget her mother's warmth, her soft hands brushing away tears after a long day of training, her lullabies that still lingered in Seraphina's dreams. Her mother had been her protector, the only one to stand against the abyss that was her father. And now she was gone.

The memories burned in Seraphina's chest as she ran. It had been Jefferson who had offered her solace after her mother's death. She had resisted him at first, mistrusting anyone who dared to step into her broken world. But Jefferson's quiet persistence had melted her defenses. Beneath his stoic demeanor was a warmth akin to her mother's, a kindness that didn't seek to control her but to guide her.

He became her anchor, her mentor, and, eventually, the brother she had always wished for.

Yet even with all the training, all the power she had gained, Seraphina now felt the same helplessness she had as a child. Rex had been reckless enough to charge into danger. Jefferson, ever stoic, had stayed behind to face Lucius. And what had she done?

"Once again, I'm the one being protected," she thought bitterly. The realization clawed at her heart. Rex had saved her twice in just a week, despite barely knowing her. And Jefferson? He had always placed himself in harm's way for her. What right did she have to stand idly by while others fought her battles?

Her fists clenched tightly as her emotions surged. Anger. Grief. Helplessness. They boiled within her, a storm threatening to break free.

"Why am I always being protected?! Why can't I ever be strong enough to protect those I care about?!" The tears she had been holding back began to blur her vision.

Brenda glanced at her, noticing the turmoil in her expression. "Seraphina? Are you okay?"

Seraphina didn't answer. Her mind was focused on one thought: I have to change. I have to stop being a burden. For Rex. For Jefferson. For my mother.

Her steps quickened, and an eerie calm settled over her. If I must face the shadows of my past to stand tall, then so be it.

"Seraphina, are you okay?!" Brenda's movements halted to a stop as she stared at Seraphina, her eyes filled with concern.

"Yes, I'm fine... Let's move on, we're almost there!" Seraphina replied as she resumed running, her speed even more faster than before.

"Okay! Great," Rex said as he arrived at the safehouse. Now, two more steps were left, take Seraphina and Brenda and dive out pf this place. Now, the only problem left was "How can I enter this Place?"

There was a code on the door of the central Tower. Lat time, Jefferson didn't type in any coe so why now?! Why was there a code?

Suddenly, Rex could feel a burning aura approaching him and his survival instincts kicked in. He quickly slid sideways with Aether on his legs.

Boom

A fireball of about 10cm struck the door, leaving scorch marks on it but surprisingly, the scorch marks cleared off on its own, leaving the door unscathed.

"That was close!" Rex frowned as he regained his footing. That was surely the work of a fire ability user but who the hell was it?!

Rex turned around, half-expecting another fireball to fly towards his face, but instead, it was just his red-haired, money-minded friend.

"Mag...Magnus? What are you doing here?"

Magnus on the other hand was just as shocked as Rex "Rex.... what are you.....doing here too?"

Rex's stance relaxed slightly, though his mind was still racing. Magnus was one of his allies, but this wasn't the time or place for unexpected reunions. Especially not when fireballs were involved. "You nearly roasted me alive back there," Rex muttered, crossing his arms.

Rex's stance relaxed slightly, though his mind was still racing. Magnus was one of his closest allies, but this wasn't the time or place for unexpected reunions. Especially not when fireballs were involved. "You nearly roasted me alive back there," Rex muttered, crossing his arms.

Magnus sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "That... uh, wasn't meant for you. I thought you were someone else. Enemy soldier, maybe." His eyes flicked to the scorch-free door. "Guess this place isn't going down that easily."

"Someone else?" Rex frowned. "Why are you even here, Magnus? Shouldn't you be with the other students...?"

"The safehouse was made available only for students who live in the dorms. All other students were sent home during the incident"

Rex arched a brow "So why're you here?"

"I'm here for Brenda," Magnus interrupted firmly, his tone uncharacteristically serious. His crimson eyes locked onto Rex's with a rare intensity. "When the soldiers dragged her off to the Academy, I couldn't just sit around. They should've let her escape to our household, where she'd be safe. Instead, they kept her trapped here, surrounded by enemies." His fists clenched tightly, flames flickering faintly around them. "I had to make sure she's okay."

Rex paused for a while, clearly in deep thought "Yeah... this feels weird"

"What?" Magnus asked

"The safest place for those two nobles is in their respective noble households who of course might not know of the current situation but clearly... all other non-dormitory students were teleported to their houses so why are the two important figures still in the school?" Rex said, his brows furrowing.

Just then, the faint sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway. Both Rex and Magnus snapped to attention, their instincts kicking in. The steps were light but fast, almost rhythmic. Moments later, two figures emerged: Brenda, her hair windswept and face flushed with effort, and Seraphina, calm yet visibly determined.

"We need to hurry to the central tower right away!" Brenda exclaimed, her voice urgent. "It's our only hope of leaving this Academy!"

Rex and Magnus exchanged a glance before stepping toward the girls. "Brenda!" Magnus called, relief washing over his features. "You're okay."

Brenda's eyes widened in surprise. "Magnus? What are you doing here?"

Magnus grinned, his confident demeanor returning. "Came to rescue you, of course. Someone had to make sure you didn't get yourself killed."

Brenda scoffed, though a faint smile tugged at her lips. "I was doing just fine without you, thank you very much."

"Sure you were," Magnus teased, stepping closer. His gaze softened as he looked her over, ensuring she was unharmed. "I was worried about you."

Brenda's expression faltered for a moment, vulnerability flickering across her face. "Well... thanks," she muttered, glancing away.

"Aww!" Rex facepalmed "Now they're getting all lovey-dovey!!"

Meanwhile, Seraphina approached Rex. Her emerald eyes met his, a mixture of relief and guilt swirling within them. "Rex," she began hesitantly. "You're here... for us?"

"Yeah... Jefferson sent me here to take care of you both... Hope you're safe"

Seraphina's gaze dropped to the floor. "Yes... I am... I'm so sorry I'm a burden to you, I couldn't-

"Enough with the self-doubt, Seraphina," Brenda interrupted gently but firmly. "You're not a burden. You're part of this team, and I'm not letting anyone break it apart."

For a moment, Seraphina's lips quivered, but she quickly masked her emotions with a nod. "Thank you," she whispered.

Rex cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "Alright, heartfelt reunions aside, we've got a tower to reach and soldiers to dodge. Shall we?"

Magnus nodded. "Let's move. The central tower's our ticket out of here, but it won't be easy. Stick together, and don't let your guard down."

As if on cue, a large dark beam shot forward at Magnus' chest, sending him flying backward, bloodstained.

"You were saying?...." A dark sinister voice spoke from the shadows.