Cronus' system: Against the gods

Beep. Beep.

Rex turned his gaze to his right wrist, where his rank had once displayed 200. Now, the numbers shifted as more data scrolled into view. The holographic display flickered in front of him

Mecha-Dragons killed: 2

Time: 3 minutes

Overall ranking based on your fight:

Strength: 260

Agility: 290

Class: Tier one advanced level

Rank: 149

Assignable missions: D-C rank

Rex exhaled sharply.

"Wow," he muttered under his breath.

His eyes scanned the numbers, taking in the drastic jump in rank. From 200 to 149. A ridiculous leap, But what really caught his attention were the stats.

His system had always tracked his attributes, but this… this was eerily precise. Too precise. Strength, agility, each perfectly calculated, matching his system's readings down to the last digit. Well, almost.

"Agility... 290?" His brows furrowed. "Wait, no, my system said 289."

One point. Just one point. Was this just a rounding error?

Still, a slow smirk spread across his face.

"Okay, great!" he mused, tilting his head back. "I'm now ranked 149 among all the trainees present in—" he paused, correcting himself with a mockingly grand voice, "Gold Tower… ahem, God Tower."

His voice dripped with sarcasm, but deep down, a thrill stirred in his chest.

He turned to Jefferson, who had finally stepped inside the dome.

The demi-god's posture was as composed as ever, hands clasped behind his back, radiating that infuriating aura of someone who knew far more than he let on. But there was something else this time

A faint glint in his eyes.

Amusement.

Rex's smirk widened.

"Do I get some gold as a reward?" His eyes shimmered with a mix of mischief and greed, visions of treasure vaults and golden riches flashing through his mind.

Jefferson's reply was immediate

"No."

Rex's face fell flat.

"Tch," he clicked his tongue, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Figures."

With a snap of Jefferson's fingers, the golden dome vanished, erased from existence like a mirage dissipating in the wind. No flicker, no remnants, just gone.

"There." Jefferson's voice was calm as he gestured toward a nearby table. Resting on its polished surface was the gravity belt, the one Rex had earned after the Hydra attack.

"You won't be needing that anymore," Jefferson said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Rex blinked. "Wait… what?" His stomach dropped. That belt wasn't just a piece of gear, it was proof of what he had accomplished. A reward for standing his ground in a battle he shouldn't have survived. And now, just like the dome, it was being dismissed as if it meant nothing.

Jefferson remained unfazed, nodding toward Rex's battle armor. "This was supposed to be your real reward. But that sneaky General swapped it out, claiming it was too much for you."

Rex's breath hitched as realization set in. His fingers clenched into a fist before he ran a hand down his face, exhaling sharply. "Of course he did! That guy's been screwing me over since day one." He couldn't forget the way he'd tried to use him as some kind of experiment.

That thought lingered like a shadow at the edge of his mind.

"…Speaking of the General," Rex said, narrowing his eyes, "what kind of experiment do you think he wanted to run on me?"

Jefferson met his gaze with the same unreadable expression he always wore, but something was different this time. A pause. A hesitation so slight, most wouldn't have noticed.

"That's a topic for another day," he finally said. His voice was quieter now, weightier. "For now, you'll be under my close watch."

Rex frowned. That wasn't the answer he wanted. That wasn't reassuring.

If anything, it only made him more uneasy.

"sigh...." Rex let out a heavy sigh. "Well.....let's check out this baby's functions, shouldn't we?"

Jefferson nodded and then clicked his hands again. Instantly, another golden dome formed above Rex. No! It wasn't like they formed, they just appeared out of thin air. "Go ahead! Test your battle suit" Jefferson added

Rex flexed his fingers, feeling the snug fit of the battle armor against his body. It wasn't just a suit—it molded to him, sleek yet powerful, as if it had been made specifically for his frame. The material pulsed faintly with energy, humming like a living thing.

A slow grin crept across his face.

"Alright," he muttered, rolling his shoulders. "Let's see what this baby can do."

With a thought, his system interface flickered open, listing out the armor's functions. His eyes skimmed over the words:

Flight Systems – Jet propulsion for short bursts or sustained flight.

Deployable Energy Barriers – Absorbs damage.

Plasma Blades – Retractable energy-based melee weapons.

Energy-based Firearms – Integrated into the suit.

Gravity Manipulation – Enables wall-walking and fall reduction.

Drone Deployment – Autonomous support units.

Oh, this is gonna be fun.

He focused on the Flight Systems first. As soon as he engaged the function, a soft whirr came from his back, and before he could react...

BOOM!

A sudden blast of force launched him upward, his boots flaring with bright blue jets of energy. His body shot toward the golden dome's ceiling like a human missile.

"OH, SHI—!"

At the last second, his instincts kicked in, and he twisted midair, cutting the thrusters. He flipped once before landing hard on the ground, his knees bending to absorb the impact.

Jefferson watched with an unimpressed look. "Too much power?"

Rex coughed, standing up straight like nothing happened. "Pfft. Please. That was a test run."

Without waiting, he activated the Plasma Blades next. From the wrists of his suit, two glowing blades of searing red energy emerged with a crackling hiss. The moment they fully extended, he could feel their power vibrating in his hands—like condensed lightning, deadly and alive.

"Now this is what I'm talking about," he breathed. He spun the blades experimentally, feeling their weight or lack of it. They moved as naturally as an extension of his own body.

Jefferson raised an eyebrow. "Try them on something real."

Without hesitation, Rex turned toward a combat dummy that had materialized in the dome, its frame reinforced with advanced alloys. He lunged, slashing in a single, fluid motion.

SHING!

The dummy split clean in half, the edges glowing molten red before cooling instantly. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire

Rex let out a low whistle. "Damn."

Next, he switched to the Energy Firearms. From his palms, sleek barrels shifted into place, and with a slight squeeze of his fingers.....

VWOOM! VWOOM!

Twin bolts of violet energy shot out, slamming into the far wall. The impact created a shimmering ripple across the dome's golden surface, absorbing the damage.

So that's what the barriers are for, Rex realized.

He activated the Gravity Manipulation next, testing its effect by sprinting toward the wall. As soon as his foot made contact with the vertical surface, he didn't fall. His body adjusted effortlessly, his balance shifting as if gravity had realigned itself just for him.

He took a few steps, then broke into a sprint, running straight up the wall like it was nothing.

Then, with a push, he flipped off, landing back onto the ground with ease.

"Hah!" He grinned, exhilarated. "I need to do that in front of someone. That was sick, who needs that damn energy belt?

Jefferson remained silent, arms crossed, but there was something in his gaze that almost—almost—looked like approval.

Finally, Rex activated Drone Deployment.

A soft beep emitted from his shoulder as two sleek, hovering drones materialized, their metallic bodies gleaming with embedded weapons and scanning lenses. They circled around him like loyal sentries, awaiting his command.

Oh, I'm never taking this thing off.

Rex turned back to Jefferson, cocky and self-satisfied. "Alright, Coach. Be honest—you're impressed, aren't you?"

Jefferson simply blinked. "No."

Rex facepalmed

"Alright, you've had your fun," Jefferson said, "Time for a proper tour."

Rex blinked.

Gold Tower or as he sarcastically called it, God Tower was unlike anything he'd ever seen.

Towering glass walls stretched high into the heavens, with floating platforms moving seamlessly between levels. The entire structure pulsed with energy, a living testament to the sheer technological advancement that ruled this place.

People moved in controlled streams, their uniforms crisp and identical, except for the clear ranking symbols on their chests. Some wore sleek, combat-ready suits while others had long, flowing coats that marked them as high-ranking officials.

And unlike the trainee, these people exuded a different aura. Stronger. More refined. Like they had already proved their worth.

And yet, as he and Jefferson walked through the main corridor, the entire flow of the Tower seemed to stutter.

Heads turned. Conversations stopped.

Rex felt the weight of dozens of eyes locking onto him.

Whispers spread like wildfire.

"Wait, is that… a trainee?"

"No way. What the hell is a kid like him doing with Jefferson?"

"Did he—did he actually just walk out of Jefferson's private training dome?"

"No one but high-ranking officers are allowed in there… who the hell is this guy?"

Rex tried and failed to hide his grin. Oh, this was beautiful. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, keeping his expression neutral, but inside, he was thriving off the attention.

Jefferson, of course, remained completely unfazed. He didn't even acknowledge the stares as he strode forward with his usual commanding presence.

One particularly bold officer in a silver-rimmed uniform stepped forward, his brows furrowed. "Sir," he addressed Jefferson, his voice laced with confusion. "Forgive me, but… what's a trainee doing here? And why is he wearing that?"

His gaze flicked toward Rex's battle suit, the same suit that should've been reserved for elite operatives.

Jefferson didn't even slow his stride. "That's classified."

The officer stiffened immediately, nodding as he stepped back. "Understood, sir."

Rex nearly laughed. Oh, that was way too good.