Cronus' system: Against the gods

Chapter 30: How to Fight

The training ground was a marvel to behold. Its massive structures were a beautiful combination of high technological products and the efforts of ability users. Holographic displays floated in the air, showcasing different training simulations.

The grounds could literally morph into various terrains like rocky mountains, dense forests, urban landscapes, or creating obstacles for combat drills. Energy barriers formed at different areas, protecting spectators while still giving them a clear view of what was going on within.

Above, drones hovered, monitoring the performance of the students. The entire training grounds radiated a sense of futuristic sophistication. Rex couldn't help but open his mouth in amazement "Wow, what the heck! This is unbelievable"

"This training grounds is what makes Wind City's Academy stand out among the Academies of other cities" Miss Lyra spoke as she saw the amazed looks of all the students. The building of the training grounds alone cost over 800 billion dollars. "Now, this is what I mean by stinking Rich" Magnus grinned in excitement.

Then Miss Lyra stepped forward "So... for the next one hour... I'll teach you all about the basics of fighting and using your abilities to their maximum potential during battles. Then after this, you'll all be having individual duels against each other, just a little spar for me to know if you understand my lessons"

"Oh man!" Another lesson" Rex facepalmed and then through the corner of his eyes, he saw Jefferson Andrews, the dodgeball coach staring at him from outside the training grounds with calculating eyes. "Yeah, he's one of the guys my god's eyes back then couldn't read, let me check it out now"

Name: Jefferson Andrews

Race: Human

Occupation: Dodgeball Coach

Hobby: Playing dodgeball, ???, ???, ???

Ability: ???

Class: ???

Status: ???

Strength: ???

Speed: ???

Intelligence: ???

Endurance: ???

"Dammit! Even with level 8 god's eyes, I can't still find any useful information?" Rex screamed internally. The only difference was that his hobby was now visible but that wasn't something important since it was only normal for a coach to love his job. Finding nothing, Rex turned his attention back to Miss Lyra

Miss Lyra stepped onto the central platform of the training grounds, her presence commanding immediate attention. The terrain beneath her shifted subtly, flattening out to provide the ideal space for her demonstration. The holographic displays around her began to flicker, showing various combat simulations, beasts charging at hunters, elemental clashes, and scenes of intense battle.

"Alright, everyone," she began, her voice firm yet approachable, "I know you've learned about your abilities in theory, but real combat is a completely different experience. It's not just about who has the strongest power, it's about how you use that power."

The ground rumbled as Miss Lyra waved her hand, summoning a training dummy from one of the nearby storage containers. The dummy was humanoid, standing tall, made from a dense, dark metal that shimmered in the artificial light of the training grounds. It had glowing markers on its body, representing vital points for students to aim at during their practice.

"First lesson: Strategy trumps raw power." She approached the dummy and raised her hand. "In battle, understanding your own abilities isn't enough. You must understand your opponent and the environment around you." As she spoke, the temperature around her began to drop. Frost crept across the ground, and shards of ice formed in her hand. She smiled slightly, her breath visible in the cold air. "Let's take my ability, for example, ice element."

With a swift motion, she hurled an ice shard at the dummy's chest. It shattered on impact, creating a jagged patch of frost on the surface, but it didn't penetrate deep. "Raw power alone might damage your opponent, but it may not be enough to end a fight. Sometimes, brute force isn't the solution."

She turned toward the class. "Instead, you need to think ahead. In a fight, ask yourself: What are my strengths? What are my opponent's weaknesses? The first thing you want to do is control the battlefield, use your abilities to manipulate the situation to your advantage."

She stepped back and raised both her hands, the temperature dropping even more drastically as icy mist surrounded her. This time, she didn't attack directly. Instead, a ring of ice formed around the dummy's legs, freezing it to the ground. Then, with a smooth motion, she summoned another shard of ice, this one razor-thin and sent it flying toward the dummy's neck. It sliced through the air with precision and struck the vital point, the glow on the dummy's neck flickering before fading.

"See the difference?" she asked, brushing off her hands. "It's not just about how hard you hit, but where and when you strike. In this case, I immobilized my target, controlled the field, and then delivered a precise strike to a weak point."

The students watched intently, some whispering amongst themselves as they absorbed her words. Rex, arms crossed, leaned against the energy barrier, watching with mild interest. "Well, at least this is better than the theory," he thought, though he still felt like much of what she said was basic compared to what he had learned from Cronus.

Lyra continued. "Next, adaptability. You won't always be fighting in ideal conditions, and your enemy won't play fair. Let's change things up." She clapped her hands, and the terrain around her shifted. Suddenly, the ground beneath the dummy became rocky and uneven, large boulders protruding from the surface. Trees sprouted from the ground, creating a dense, forest-like area.

She stepped into the makeshift forest, her voice echoing through the trees. "Here, you'll have obstacles, distractions. You need to learn how to use your environment, whether it's for cover, ambushes, or limiting your opponent's movements."

Without warning, she disappeared into the shadows, her figure blending into the surroundings. The students squinted, trying to spot her amidst the trees, but she was too quick. Then, in a blur of motion, she reappeared behind the dummy, her hand outstretched as a spear of ice erupted from the ground, striking the dummy from below and launching it into the air. It crashed down, the glowing markers flickering wildly.

"Always be one step ahead," she said as she walked back into view, "and never let your opponent dictate the terms of the battle. Use your surroundings to your advantage. If they can fly, bring them down. If they're stronger than you, wear them out. And if you can't overpower them directly, outthink them."

Rex's eyes flickered with a bit more interest now. He knew that she wasn't just talking about combat. She was teaching them to be hunters, to survive in a world filled with monsters and hostile humans alike. And for him, it was a reminder that raw power, Aether, Time control, and god's Eyes wouldn't always be enough. He would have to be smarter than his enemies, especially as he climbed higher in this dangerous world.

Miss Lyra smiled as she saw the students' reactions. "Finally, know your limits. Overconfidence is your enemy. Pushing your abilities beyond their natural capacity can backfire. For example..." She waved her hand again, and a second dummy appeared, this time glowing with energy. "Let's say this dummy represents an opponent who's stronger than me, higher-tier, faster, more powerful."

The dummy moved, charging at Lyra with incredible speed, energy crackling around its limbs. She sidestepped, narrowly avoiding its strike. Instead of trying to overpower it, she used minimal movement, dodging each blow with precision. "In cases like this, it's crucial to conserve your strength. Don't waste energy on attacks that won't land. Instead, bide your time, wait for an opening."

The dummy lunged again, and this time Lyra struck with a small shard of ice, aiming for its joints. The energy around the dummy flickered, and it stumbled, its movements becoming sluggish. "Exploiting weaknesses isn't always about raw damage. Sometimes, all it takes is disrupting your opponent's flow."

With one final burst of ice, she immobilized the dummy, freezing its limbs mid-motion. "The more you fight, the more you'll learn to read your opponent. Every enemy has a pattern, a rhythm. Find it, break it, and you'll have the upper hand."

Lyra stepped back, her demonstration complete. "That's enough for now. Remember these principles: strategy, adaptability, and knowing your limits. These are the basics, but they'll take you far if you apply them correctly even if your abilities aren't too useful now"

She clapped her hands, and the terrain reverted to its original form, the training dummies vanishing into the ground. "Now, it's your turn. Pair up, and let's see how well you can apply what I've taught you."

Rex stood up, cracking his knuckles. "Finally," he muttered under his breath. "Let's see if anyone can give me a decent challenge."