Cronus' system: Against the gods

Chapter 170: Expert Strength

The old man’s breath came in ragged gasps as he wiped the blood trickling from his lips. His fingers trembled against his ice blade, the once-pristine weapon now riddled with cracks. His body screamed in protest, but his mind refused to accept what had just happened.

"She’s supposed to be only at the Tier One Advanced level, while I’m at the Tier Two Expert level.....four levels above her! How could she be so powerful?!"

His thoughts roared in disbelief. He had known the young lady to be formidable, rumors had spread among the inner circles of Valenbrook about her unnatural power. They whispered about an energy unlike any seen before, a force unique only to her and Jefferson of the God Tower.

But rumors were one thing. This was reality.

And reality was terrifying.

Seraphina stood before him, her silver hair flowing like a spectral flame, her glowing sword humming with restrained fury. She wasn’t even breathing heavily. If anything, her expression remained eerily calm, indifferent, as if she hadn’t just shattered his ribs with a single strike.

The old man gritted his teeth, forcing his battered body upright. His knees threatened to buckle, but he steadied himself, planting his feet firmly against the cold, broken floor.

No. He wouldn’t fall.

Not yet.

"Young Lady, please—" he spat out, his voice laced with pain and desperation. "This is madness! Do you even realize what you’re doing? Betraying your own family? Siding with a Voss of all people?!"

Seraphina remained silent, her cold silver eyes regarding him as if he were nothing more than an insect struggling against the inevitable.

The old man’s grip on his ice blade tightened. "You don’t understand, girl. You may be strong, but raw strength isn’t enough! You can’t oppose the Valenbrook family! Not your father! Not me!"

With a furious growl, he lunged.

Frost exploded around him as he unleashed his full power, the temperature in the room plummeting to near-arctic levels. Razor-sharp icicles materialized in midair, spiraling like deadly projectiles before launching at Seraphina with bone-chilling speed.

Seraphina moved.

A single, fluid motion.

She twisted her blade, sweeping it in an arc that sent a pulse of shimmering blue energy surging forward. The moment the energy met the frozen barrage, a shockwave erupted, obliterating the icicles into nothing but harmless snowflakes.

The old man’s eyes widened. Impossible!

But he didn’t stop. He wouldn’t stop.

Pivoting mid-stride, he shifted his weight and swung his blade with all the strength his battered body could muster. His ice-forged sword streaked toward Seraphina’s neck, a clean and precise kill strike honed over decades of battle.

For a moment, he thought he had her.

Then....

CLANG!

Seraphina’s glowing gauntlet intercepted his blade with ease. Sparks flew as ice met energy, the collision sending a violent ripple through the battlefield. The sheer force of the impact sent a tremor up the old man’s arm, nearly dislocating his shoulder.

Before he could react, Seraphina struck.

A burst of movement—so fast his eyes could barely follow.

Her foot slammed into his chest like a battering ram.

"URGH—!"@@@@

His body catapulted backward, crashing into the remnants of a shattered table. He gasped, coughing up blood, his mind reeling from the sheer absurdity of her strength.

This wasn’t possible. This wasn’t right.

She should have been beneath him.

She should have been struggling against him.

But instead, she was toying with him.

Seraphina slowly advanced, the air around her shimmering with raw, undulating power. "Yield," she said simply, her voice calm, almost disappointed.

The old man’s vision blurred. His ribs were cracked, his body barely holding together but surrender?

Never.

With a roar, he raised his ice blade once more. "You don’t know what you’re doing, girl!" He bellowed, forcing his aura to surge to its limit. Ice crystals danced around him like a winter storm, coalescing into jagged spears that hovered in the air, glowing with lethal intent. "Do you think power alone makes you invincible?! Do you think defying your father will end well for you?!"

Seraphina remained impassive, watching him with those piercing silver eyes.

"I don’t care."

The words struck him harder than any physical blow.

She didn’t care.

Not about the family. Not about her father.

Not even about the consequences.

His throat went dry. "You’re insane..."

Seraphina tilted her head. "No. I’m just done playing by their rules."

"Impressive." He exhaled, watching her struggle. "But it’s over now."

Seraphina growled under her breath.

No.

Not yet.

She forced herself up, dragging air into her lungs despite the piercing cold. Her energy flared, melting the frost creeping up her skin. Her sword hummed in her grasp, its glow intensifying.

The old man scowled. "Still resisting? You truly are a stubborn girl."

Seraphina’s silver eyes burned with defiance.

"You talk too much."

She vanished.

A blink.

The old man barely saw her move, a blur of silver and energy streaking toward him.

He raised his arms to defend

Too late.

Seraphina slammed her shoulder into his chest, cracking his armor again. Her knee drove into his gut, a thunderous impact that sent ice shards flying.

Then she struck

A rapid flurry of punches—each one bursting with concussive force.

Her movements were too fast, too precise.

Each blow shattered more of his armor, revealing the flesh beneath. The old man coughed, blood splattering the ice at his feet.

He staggered.

Seraphina spun—a roundhouse kick colliding with the side of his skull.

His vision blurred.

She wasn’t holding back anymore.

His instincts screamed. MOVE.

He threw up both hands. "ENOUGH!"

A pulse of frost energy erupted outward, blasting Seraphina off her feet. The entire room became a winter wasteland, jagged spikes of ice jutting from the ground.

Seraphina crashed into the frozen debris, groaning as the cold bit into her skin.

The old man staggered back, his breath ragged. His armor was half-destroyed, his body aching from the relentless assault.

But he was still standing.

He spat out blood, his patience snapping.

"You brat...!" His voice came out hoarse, filled with raw fury. "Enough playing around!"

With an animalistic snarl, he threw himself forward.

Seraphina barely managed to deflect his next attack—but the old man pressed the assault.

His punches became relentless, each one backed by centuries of honed combat experience. His movements were no longer slow—he was adapting.

A fist to the ribs. A knee to her stomach.

A backhand across her face..

Seraphina gasped as she staggered, blood trailing from her lips.

Then—

His palm slammed into her chest.

An explosion of ice.

Seraphina’s body was flung across the battlefield, her back slamming against a frozen pillar.

Her vision swam. Her limbs refused to move.

The old man loomed over her, his ice armor crackling with energy. His eyes gleamed with triumph.

"You’re strong, girl." He exhaled, shaking his head. "But you’re not strong enough."

He lifted his hand. A jagged spear of ice materialized in his grip, the tip aimed directly at her throat.

"Now..." His breath curled in the frozen air. "Let’s end this."