Cronus' system: Against the gods

The cold mist swirled as the wreckage groaned, metal sheets collapsing where the old man had crashed. A thick cloud of frost and dust billowed outward, obscuring everything in a dense haze. For a long moment, there was silence—then a sharp crack echoed through the air.

From the twisted steel, a figure emerged.The old man stepped forward, slow and deliberate, his once-pristine icy armor now fractured, jagged shards missing from his chest where Zed's burning fist had landed. A thin trail of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, stark against the pale blue glow of his frost-forged skin.

He lifted a hand, touching his cheek where the heat had seared into him—a dark burn mark now marred the once-impenetrable ice. His fingers trembled for just a fraction of a second before curling into a fist.

His lips pressed into a thin, furious line. "Impressive." His voice, though calm, carried an undercurrent of simmering rage.

His piercing blue eyes flicked from Zed to Jax. "I don't know what that thing is, but you should have aimed for my head."

Jax smirked, crossing his arms as his cybernetic eye flared brighter. "Oh, don't worry. I rarely miss twice."

Zed took a step forward. The ground beneath him trembled, steel plating on the road buckling from the sheer weight of his frame. Unlike ordinary machines, Zed didn't move with the rigid stiffness of automation, his motion was smooth, fluid, almost...human.

His glowing orange circuits pulsed rhythmically, like a heartbeat. His fists, still radiating intense heat, flexed open and closed with calculated precision.

Jax blinked once, and in that instant—Zed moved.A burst of steam hissed from the machine's joints as it rocketed forward, its massive frame cutting through the fog like a cannonball.

The old man barely had time to react before a metallic fist came crashing toward his skull.

BOOM!

A sonic boom erupted as the old man twisted his body just in time, narrowly avoiding the full brunt of the attack. Even so, the sheer force of Zed's strike shattered the air, sending razor-sharp wind currents slicing through the surroundings.

The steel wall behind them didn't just dent—it exploded outward, crumpling like paper.

But Zed wasn't done.

Before the old man could recover, the machine followed up with a brutal knee strike, aiming to cave in his ribcage.

CRACK!

The old man brought his arms up, forming a thick layer of ice just in time to absorb the impact. But the moment Zed's knee connected, the barrier shattered instantly, sending shockwaves rippling through his body. The force lifted him off his feet, launching him backward like a ragdoll.

His body slammed through another container, ice and steel bursting apart on impact.

Jax let out a low whistle, tapping the side of his cybernetic eye. "Zed, diagnostics?"

A mechanical voice buzzed in his earpiece.

"Target's defensive capabilities compromised. Probability of further structural fractures upon next impact: 79%.

"Jax's grin widened. "Good. Let's make it 100%."Without hesitation, Zed raised his right arm. The orange circuits along his shoulder and forearm pulsed violently before—

WHOOOSH!

A searing plasma blade erupted from his wrist, extending three feet in length. The weapon glowed an eerie molten white, heatwaves distorting the air around it.Jax's cyber-eye zoomed in, tracking movement within the wreckage.

He saw the old man struggling to rise, shaking his head to clear the dizziness.

"Zed. Ankle strike."

The machine complied immediately. With blinding speed, Zed vanished, his thrusters propelling him forward at an unnatural velocity. The moment he reached the old man, his blade sliced down like a guillotine—

SCHRRRIIING!

The ice-armored warrior barely managed to roll away, but he wasn't fast enough. The plasma blade grazed his leg, carving a deep molten wound into his shin.He gritted his teeth, a rare flash of pain crossing his face

Jax's smirk deepened.

Got you."

Zed. turn up the heat.

"Zed's circuits flared brighter, his entire body pulsing with an ominous orange glow. Then—

FOOM!

A massive burst of superheated energy exploded from his frame, turning the immediate surroundings into a scorching hellscape. The road melted, turning into molten slag, while nearby metal structures twisted and warped under the sudden rise in temperature.

The old man grunted, forced to leap backward, ice rapidly forming around his body to combat the suffocating heat. His breath came out in ragged puffs, frost clashing violently against the furnace-like environment.He was slowing down.

Jax saw it through his cybernetic lens. The cracks in his ice armor were widening. His movements, while still formidable, had lost their once-effortless fluidity.

"Zed," Jax called out, his voice laced with anticipation. "Let's finish this

."Zed's eyes flashed.

"Understood."

Then the machine launched forward one final time.

The old man braced himself, forming a massive wall of thick ice between them, layers upon layers condensing into an impenetrable frozen barrier.

Jax raised an eyebrow. "A shield? That's cute.

"Zed didn't stop.

The plasma blade in his hand suddenly shifted, retracting back into his arm—only for a new weapon to emerge in its place. A massive, spiked gauntlet, its knuckles crackling with pure concussive force.

Zed reeled back his arm.

And then—

BOOOOOOM!!!

The instant his fist connected with the ice, a cataclysmic shockwave erupted, obliterating the barrier rather than simply cracking it. Massive shards were launched in every direction, slicing through the battlefield like artillery shells. The concussive force sent the old man hurtling backward, his body spinning uncontrollably before slamming into the pavement and skidding nearly fifty feet. Silence fell over the battlefield.

Steam curled from Zed's knuckles as he stood tall, his glowing circuits still pulsing with energy. He stared at the downed warrior, waiting. Jax exhaled slowly, his ever-present grin unfazed as he tapped the side of his cybernetic eye. "Vitals?"

Zed's system processed the data. "Target conscious. Severe structural damage detected. Mobility reduced by 42%."

Jax clicked his tongue. "Still kicking, huh?"

Slowly, painfully, the old man stirred. His ice armor was nearly gone, reduced to shattered fragments clinging weakly to his frame. A deep cut ran down his cheek, his breath labored, his once-unshakable confidence now cracked—just like his body. And yet, he laughed. Low. Hoarse. But undeniably amused.

"Interesting…" he murmured, wiping blood from his mouth. His glowing blue eyes flickered as he glanced at Zed, then Jax. "You… are full of surprises."

Jax raised an eyebrow. "What can I say? I plan ahead."

The old man exhaled, steam curling from his lips. Then, with slow, deliberate movements, he pushed himself to his feet.

Jax's grin faltered slightly. Even now—after all of that—he was still standing.

"Zed," Jax muttered under his breath, his cyber-eye running fresh scans. "Prep for round two."

Zed's circuits pulsed again, his massive frame shifting into a new combat stance. But before the fight could continue, a sharp whistle cut through the battlefield. Jax stiffened. Zed's sensors immediately registered a new presence.

The old man smirked, lifting his gaze toward the rooftops. "Looks like I won't be dying today."

Jax's cyber-eye zoomed in, tracking the new arrival—a figure shrouded in darkness atop the highest building.

Something about them… felt dangerous.

Zed's system flashed red. [THREAT LEVEL: UNKNOWN.]

Jax exhaled sharply. "Well, shit."

[ANALYSIS INCOMPLETE. THREAT LEVEL: EXTREME.]

Jax clicked his tongue. "Oh, come on. I hate surprises."

The old man coughed, blood speckling the ground as a smirk tugged at his lips. "You should learn to appreciate them."

Then, the figure moved.

No wasted motion. No grand theatrics. Just instant, terrifying acceleration.

One moment, they stood on the rooftop. The next—BOOM.

They were in front of Zed.

Before Jax could react, Zed's massive form was sent flying. A single, devastating palm strike had accomplished what the old man's entire fight had failed to do—launch Zed off his feet. The machine's armored body crashed into the ground, tearing through layers of metal and concrete like a missile. Sparks erupted as his circuits flickered, momentarily destabilized from the sheer force of impact.

Jax's mind raced. What the hell just happened?

Zed had withstood explosions, frost-forged strikes, high-temperature combat—but this? This was different.

The figure straightened, their posture eerily calm. Their presence wasn't overwhelming like a god's wrath, nor crushing like a leviathan's fury. It was precise. Controlled. Like the sharp edge of a knife resting against your throat, waiting for the final push.

Jax tensed, his cybernetic enhancements sharpening his reflexes. His eye locked onto every detail. The figure wore a sleek, high-tech combat suit, dark and unmarked, with no exposed flesh or identifying markers. Their helmet was smooth and unbroken, concealing any trace of emotion.

Zed recovered quickly, steam hissing from his body as he recalibrated. His glowing circuits pulsed brighter, adjusting for the new threat.

Jax muttered, "Zed, status?"

Zed's voice buzzed in his earpiece. "Structural damage minimal. Combat capabilities at 93%. Engaging."

"Good."

Zed launched forward.

He moved like a force of nature, closing the gap instantly. His fist blurred—a strike meant to pulverize.

CLANG.

The figure caught it.

With one hand.

Jax's stomach dropped. That's not possible.

Zed's strikes could crush reinforced titanium, bend war machines like scrap metal. And yet—this person held his fist effortlessly, fingers gripping the scorching metal like it was weightless.

Then, they spoke, their voice distorted through the helmet. Smooth. Mechanical. "Interesting."

Zed reacted instantly. His free hand lashed out, transforming mid-strike into a plasma blade aimed at the figure's neck.

No hesitation. No wasted motion.

The figure leaned one inch to the left.

Zed's strike missed.

Before Jax could process it—BANG.

A palm strike to Zed's chestplate.

BOOOOM.

The impact sent Zed skidding backward, his feet carving trenches into the battlefield. His circuits flickered dangerously, struggling to stabilize.

The old man chuckled hoarsely, wiping blood from his mouth. "Looks like you met your match."

Jax wasn't convinced. His fingers twitched as he sent an override command. "Zed, full-power mode. No holding back."

Zed's circuits flared violently.

[LIMITERS DISENGAGED.][POWER OUTPUT: 200%.][INITIATING TERMINATION PROTOCOL.]

His glowing form became an incandescent inferno of energy.

The figure tilted their head slightly. "Fascinating."

Then, the real fight began.

Zed's speed was impossible. In his fully unleashed state, he blurred across the battlefield like a living storm. The ground shattered beneath each step, molten heat trailing behind him. His fists became a barrage of unstoppable force, each strike capable of reducing buildings to rubble.

And yet—

The figure dodged.

Every attack. Every devastating, calculated blow.

Zed was fast. But they were faster.

Jax watched in disbelief. His cyber-eye tracked the movements, but his mind struggled to process the inhuman precision. The figure wasn't reacting to Zed's strikes.

They were predicting them.

Zed adjusted. His plasma blade extended, burning with unstoppable destruction.

He swung—

The figure caught it.

Bare-handed.

Silence.

Zed's blade, capable of melting through reinforced battleships, had been stopped by fingers alone.

Then—CRACK.

The figure snapped the blade in half.

Jax felt his pulse spike. "Zed—"

But before he could issue a command—WHAM.

One strike to Zed's core.

BOOOOOM.

Zed crashed into the battlefield, circuits flickering. For the first time, he struggled to rise.

Jax cursed under his breath. Zed was designed to win. To adapt. To overcome.

Yet here he was—struggling. Losing.

The figure exhaled, still relaxed. "Your machine is remarkable," they mused. "But not perfect."

Jax's grip tightened. "You sure about that?"

Before the figure could react, Zed moved. A final, desperate gambit.

Jax's cyber-interface flickered.

[EXECUTE FINAL STRIKE SEQUENCE.]

Zed combusted with energy, circuits burning at maximum output. This wasn't an attack. It was annihilation.

The figure didn't move.

Not because they couldn't—but because they didn't need to.

As Zed lunged forward, unstoppable—

The figure raised a single hand.

And then—

Everything stopped.

Zed—frozen mid-strike. Not by force. But by something beyond understanding.

Jax's HUD flooded with errors. His enhanced mind struggled to comprehend.

Then, the figure spoke.

Calm. Unbothered.

"Shutdown."

Zed's circuits died.

His massive form collapsed.

Jax's breath caught. No.

His perfect machine—brought down by a single word.

The old man exhaled. "Took you long enough."

The figure glanced at Jax. "Is he important?"

The old man shrugged. "No."

The figure nodded. "Then he dies."

Jax clenched his fists. Powerless. Outmatched.

For now.

Then, quietly, he whispered.

"Zed, activate self-destruct."

And in the broken silence—

Zed's eyes flickered back to life.