Chapter 11: Friends & Foes

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson

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Emerald Library: It is so big you can Google it

Writer's Block: wttJDs62Dy

LAST TIME:

Yet none of that mattered as soon as I looked into her eyes. At that moment, I instantly recognized that sparkling gaze—the same greedy gaze constantly seeking the highest profits for the most minimal cost. Every merchant has a gaze like that, but hers was unique—one that seemed to promise whatever she touched would turn a profit.

"I was wondering if you could make a flag for our group; all our artists are… poorly skilled. Of course, I would be willing to pay you." I asked her with an awkward laugh. She raised an eyebrow in surprise, clearly not expecting that request from me.

"I… suppose that can be arranged. Go back and tell your group first and make arrangements. Once you do, we will all take the oath, and then trade can begin." She said as I happily nodded. With that, we turned our backs on one another and went to our groups. The instant I was facing away, my lips twitched and slowly formed the insane grin that gave me my signature nickname. A moment later, I hid it behind my hand and chuckled in delight.

'It's good to see you again, Hazel. There is so much to talk about.'

NOW:

THIRD PERSON POV:

"That should handle the oath; the trading can begin now." A taller male elf spoke to the people before him, all carrying large duffle bags. The small group consisted of Trista, Jake, Fallon, Tristy, and other commanders. Yet in the rear was Gretta, with a substantial wooden box on her shoulder. She towered over everyone with her nearly 8-foot-tall stature and was getting several looks from all of the elves.

"Are any of you Whistler Elves down to trade some monster meat for some materials? I have 400 lbs right here if you're interested." Gretta said in a questioning while jostling the giant box on her shoulder before the male elf turned to her with a surprised look. Surprisingly, everyone in her group also turned to her, surprised as she raised an eyebrow at them.

"What? Have you all never heard of Whistler Elves before? They originate from the Viss, the land of the sand. There used to be a forest in Viss, but it fell to the blistering sand and winds. It turned their entire species into a nomadic one, and soon after, they became one of the largest trading caravans around Turf. If you need it, they likely have it. Some say they are one of the richest species around. I met a few in my younger days; they were good folks, but they are a bit greedy." She told everyone with a slight shrug at the end while everyone stared at her, stunned. The male elf, on the other hand, couldn't help but grin a bit.

"It seems you are well educated on our species, which is such a rare find these days. Also, we would be interested in the meat you have. If you follow me, I will help get everything handled …however I can." He said with a slick smile as Gretta grinned before suddenly shooting him a wink that he quickly returned.

"Flattery will get you everywhere; you Whistler Elves are all the same. Love of gold, gems, good-tasting food, and tall, muscular women and men. Lead the way… handsome." Gretta finished with a lavish smile before stepping away with the grinning man in tow as they continued talking. 

'Damn! Gretta got game!' Shouted a very surprised World Spirit, who was supervising the group as she floated above them. Yet her words were not heard by anyone other than herself, yet the group below seemed to share her astonishment. Everyone was at a complete loss of words and had slack jaws as their eyes followed the flirting duo.

Simply put, too much had happened far too fast, and none of them could process what had just happened. Thankfully, another group of Whistler Elves came over and started leading them towards the trading area. Yet, on another side of the camp, in a large tent, sat Percy and the female elf he had spoken to earlier, where they spoke with one another.

"So, do you have a design in mind, or is there something you want to add?" she asked in a business-mode voice as Percy reached to his side, pulled out an emblem of a 5-eyed raven, and put it before her. She took the piece of cloth and looked it over.

"A Devil's Raven, quite a unique choice for an emblem," she said as her eyes flickered. Ideas seemed to pile up in her mind as Percy chuckled.

"It was the emblem of my parents' mercenary group. Before the Apocolypse, we were one of the most feared groups in Turf. I hoped to incorporate it into the new design, maybe as a corner piece. I was also thinking about including a willow tree in the new design, but I'm unsure how to proceed." Percy said before she nodded. She quickly pulled out a small wooden board and charcoal pencil and jotted down some stuff.

"There are a few things that I can suggest. Is there anything else you want to include?" She asked him before he gave a thoughtful look and slowly nodded after a bit.

"If you could include a few more corner pieces, one must be a lion with a mane made of fire, while the other should be a vicious sea serpent." Percy listed a few things while she noted down more things, even going so far as to draw a few small designs. Even limited to her wooden board and charcoal pencil, her drawings were excellent by Percy's standards.

"Hmm… I can make this work. I do have a few questions about the entire layout, though. Do you want each piece to take up a corner of a shield or circle-like design, or do you want a main design in the middle with the four of these taking up the corners?" With a barrage of questions, Percy couldn't help but smile inwardly while putting on a thoughtful face as the girl continued to draw small designs.

"The first one sounds best; I believe it has all the qualities I am looking for. It would be perfect if you could put it on a blue backing and make the shield extra elegant and fierce." Percy finally said after a minute of actually giving the idea some consideration. Once he did, the girl revealed a small smile before marking down a few things and then turning back towards him. Yet this time, that same greedy glimmer was revealed as she tapped her makeshift pencil a few times and then looked up at him.

"So… Percival, how do you want to go about paying for this? Making such a design takes a bit, especially the blue fabric you suggested. We don't have many blue dyes left after the system descended." She politely asked him before listing out a few things to make his request seem even more challenging to make possible. Percy didn't even need to look at her to see that she was trying to make a substantial commission on this.

"Hmmm… do you take drachma?" A casual question was all he asked as her eyes lit up, and a grin appeared on her face. "I do indeed! You are looking at about 150 drach…" Her words suddenly stopped as her whole body froze in place. Panic took hold of every nerve and fiber of her being. Ever so slowly, she turned her eyes toward the pair of stormy green eyes that faced her.

In a single moment, she suddenly found herself in a different place. Nothing but infinite darkness surrounded her. It was like the void itself had descended and entrapped her. Besides herself, in the endless darkness were two massive stormy green eyes that stared down at her like she was nothing but a mere ant. Each swirled like oceans of pure madness as they viciously tore away every layer of her being. Fear encased her heart as those eyes tore into her very core until she felt so bare that she was nothing. She suddenly had a memory pop into her head, one of a time she had experienced a similar event just like this. 

Yet, in a single blink of those peering eyes, everything snapped back to normal, and she found herself again in the room. Not thinking, she tried to move, but before she could even get a few inches, Percy snorted and started to laugh, causing her to jump at his actions. She stared in awe as Percy continued to let out a loud laugh and even wiped a few tears from his eyes. In turn, Hazel was stunned into silence upon seeing his reaction and even forgot to run. Eventually, he calmed down and started talking to her again.

"Don't worry, Hazel, I don't mean you any harm. If I had, I would have made my move before I took the oath for us not to harm one another during trade. Also, I apologize. I simply thought I would quickly test you with my killing intent; you reacted the same way you had before, haha." Percy said with a grin plastered on his face as Hazel stared at him with a slightly fearful expression. Even Percy could hear her heart racing several feet away as he continued sitting quietly on the ground with his legs crossed.

"I… I don't know what you're talking about. My name is Nini Victoria Elki, not H- Hazel." She barely managed to say anything in a shaky tone. Percy couldn't help but scoff a bit before chuckling as she flinched more from his actions.

"Hazel, I know it's you. The flag you used was a dead giveaway. Shimmering Stones was your main company's name, and you used the same logo. Also… your money-hungry gaze never changed. Several times after the war with Olympus, when we walked around the destroyed Olympus, I remember you looked at the vacant land like that—almost like a tiger ready to pounce on injured prey. If Annabeth hadn't stopped you, I am 100% sure you would have put in several shops you ran."

"Or worse, you would have bought and rented the land to whoever. God forbid Leo got his hand on one and opened a mechanic/bakery shop with Calypso. Also, the slip-up on drachmas was a dead giveaway unless there is such a currency here, which I don't think there is." 

"..." As Percy pointed out her flaws and shared embarrassing stories, Hazel or Nini couldn't find words to say while staring at Percy. His words threw her mind through several loops as he continued to speak for a moment about several events from her past and her habits. In the end, she still couldn't find the words to say; all she could do was slowly open her mouth and close it again as she tried to figure out who Percy was.

His face didn't remind her of anyone from her past life; he was pretty… handsome, even if she didn't want to admit it. His looks could only be described as an attractive European teenager who looked like a wild beast that had taken the form of a human, from his wavy obsidian black hair, which kind of looked like a rat's nest in its unkept state, to his wild grin that never seemed to leave his face. 

He even had a small scar on his eyebrow, adding even more to his wild or delinquent-like image. Everything about him screamed that he was a bad boy who was a wink away from performing a wall slam on you and then tipping up your chin a moment later. A playboy is precisely what he looked like.

"Still trying to figure out who I am?" Percy asked after a while, lifting his eyebrow a bit. Hazel stared at him for a bit longer before softly laughing. It took a moment before she started to relax a bit more, and then she started staring at Percy with a soft expression. Her sapphire eyes twinkled ever so gently as she took in his features a bit longer, and her mind deciphered everything for a bit.

"I had considered several times that others reincarnated with memories like mine. Other times, I thought I was alone, and my status as Pluto's daughter made me a special case. But hearing you talk reaffirmed my suspicions about this reincarnation we experienced. But to think… the first one I would run into would be you, Percy." Hazel finally said as Percy couldn't help but reveal an excited smile on his lips as she guessed it right.

"It seems your mind is still sharp as ever. It's good to see you again, Hazel." He said in a happy tone, causing Hazel to chuckle momentarily. His happy tone was slightly infectious, and her worries dissipated slowly. Yet her mind was still trying to figure out everything that had happened. She couldn't help but sit there and stare at him for a bit. Soon, astonishment invaded her expression, and then it morphed into sadness as memories flooded her mind.

"It's good to see you again, alive and well this time. When your soul didn't show up in hell, Nico and I searched for years without end. In the end, we were never able to find you." She said in a sad tone as Percy frowned at her words a bit; just the thoughts of his death made him furious, but he managed to hold back his anger for the most part.

"It seems we have much to talk about," Percy said as Hazel gave a soft nod.

"What do you want to discuss first?" She asked as Percy gave it some thought before talking again. "I think I should start by explaining the reincarnation we are experiencing so we are both on the same page. But I have to warn you, though. Unfortunately, I can't share some information because of the Akashic system. If you do want to know… that is a different discussion to be had."

"Hmm… I am very curious about such information. I can only assume our reincarnation was caused by something or someone very powerful. Once I hear what I can from you without the system interfering, I will decide if I need to have that other discussion." Hazel quickly spoke, and a fierce and calculative look took over her sapphire eyes as Percy smiled.

He could tell Hazel was still digesting the information that they weren't the only ones who had reincarnated. Yet even through all that, those greedy eyes of hers locked onto him as if wanting to dig up every ounce of knowledge he possessed. This was the woman he knew, the fiercest business women in America. After only a short 20 years, the number of businesses she owned hit four digits, and her net worth just hit a billion. This earned her the fantastical nickname that she hated, The Goddess of Diamonds and Greed.

LINEBREAK:

Like this, the two started talking to one another as time passed; unknown to them, an invisible figure quietly watched them talk as she floated above them. Yet, most of the time, her jade eyes landed on Hazel, and she couldn't help but purse her lips together for a few moments before sighing. The past was the past, and nothing could change what happened between her and the girl before her. Like she had told Percy before, this was a new life, and she wanted to be better, even if that meant making up with the very girl who thwarted her twice.

She watched as the two chatted for hours, stories exchanged with stories as Percy told her everything she wanted to know about the reincarnation that he could. While Hazel told him about everything that had happened on Earth after his death that she could remember. Surprisingly, Hazel had decided not to become immortal and managed to live for 120 years as a mere mortal. According to her, powerful demigods could live for a long time, which surprised Percy a little since he expected them to live a simple mortal life. 

Still, when Hazel heard that Percy had fallen into Tartarus's clutches, she cried for a long time. Yet he managed to calm her down quickly by lying and saying most of it was spent in the void, not going into detail about his tortures in the slightest. Then he surprised her by saying he had met Piper already and that she was on a different planet, which blew Haze's mind. They had been talking for close to two hours at this point. Percy had run out of things to discuss as Hazel went over their last great adventure.

"So Leo built a new door to Tartarus after Nyx nearly destroyed the last? What the hell did you guys do to make her so angry?" Percy asked in astonishment as Hazel put on a sour expression from the memory and sighed.

"It started with some souls from Elysium going missing; nobody could figure out what was happening. Even Father was at a loss. We thought it might have been some leftover gods from the Pantheon wars, and we were right. It turned out to be Hel from the Nordic pantheon and a bunch of other gods that betrayed us with Zeus, the very same ones that were constantly harassing us all by taking your image. But Hel had been taking the souls of warriors and turning them into sacrifices to Nyx to turn the world into one of darkness."

"She had managed to snag many heroic souls and escaped to Tartarus. With each sacrifice, Nyx grew more powerful and even more berserk. Soon, the days began to shorten, and darkness began to rule the world. Ultimately, we descended into the pit to fight against Hel before Nyx became too powerful. We were barely able to stop either of them before the doors broke. Unfortunately, all the souls she sacrificed never returned, so many heroes lost forever." She said with a long sigh. Percy couldn't help but frown at her words. 

"Did anybody…" Hearing his words, Hazel shook her head as she continued, "Nobody you knew personally was taken and sacrificed by her. Hopefully, they passed the cutoff you mentioned and reincarnated; it would be nice to meet them again." 

Her words softened at the end, as both Percy and Gaia noticed a longing gaze on her face before Hazel let out a deep sigh. Just mentioning meeting old friends brought up memories she wished to forget. Seeing such a sad expression on his friend's face, Percy felt his heart tingle as he sympathized with her negative emotions. Not wanting to tear away entirely from the topic and instead make it easier to talk about, he found the perfect thing to talk about.

"That reminds me… how many kids did you and Frank have?" Percy suddenly asked with a grin as Hazel blushed at his question. Even Gaia raised an eyebrow at his question, but seeing his lips twitch as he kept his lips from not grinning, she instantly knew he had ulterior motives.

"I don't see how that is important to know." Hazel stammered as Percy finally gave in and grinned at her.

"Oh, come on, I have a bet with Thalia about how many you guys had. I need to know if I owe her some cash when we meet." He said that as Hazel's eyebrow twitched several times at his words. She never knew why, but her relationship with Frank was always a betting topic for everyone. Still, she couldn't help but smile a tiny amount as she remembered a brighter side of her past.

"We ended up having four children, if you must know," Hazel finally said with a blush as Percy suddenly reached up, grabbed his head, and groaned. Seeing his reaction, Hazel pursed her lips together in discontent upon recognizing his response.

"My bet was for more than five kids. I owe her so much freaking money…" Percy groaned into his hands as Hazel couldn't help but start laughing at his antic. On the other hand, Gaia was shaking her head at his antics. She couldn't believe… actually, she could absolutely believe that he made bets like that; who was she kidding? Percy finally glanced up from his hands and looked at the laughing girls as he smiled.

Eventually, he couldn't help but smile as she put on a dazzling laughing face. Small tears ran down her face as she enjoyed her first good laugh in a long time. At that moment, he suddenly felt a soft presence above him. He glanced up to see a transparent Gaia staring down at the two of them. Yet her eyes darted to him before she gave a soft nod; understanding the topic, he took a soft breath and focused on Hazel as she caught her breath.

"Hazel, are you interested in learning the truth behind everything? The reason why we all reincarnated and why only I know?" Percy asked as Hazel focused her full attention on him. Her face grew grave, and her eyebrows furrowed as her thoughts grew complicated.

"What… do I have to do to learn such information?" She asked him as Percy straightened his back.

"You will have to become contracted to me through the system. I am not sure what a contract through the system is, though. I am unsure if we can make the terms or if the system would have to. I haven't ever contracted someone before, so I'm not very sure." Percy said as Hazel pursed her lips and started to think as she tried to figure out all the possibilities.

"… Can I have some time to think about it?" she asked. Percy sighed inwardly but didn't get angry; he had expected there might be people who didn't want to join him and simply enjoy their lives. But he knew he could not force them to help him. Perhaps they might help him in the future or if they got to Tier 4, but that didn't matter right now.

"Take all the time you need. It is your decision, after all," Percy said, and Hazel gave him a soft smile as if thanking him for understanding.

"But while you are deciding, I do have a suggestion for you," Percy said as Hazel raised an eyebrow at him, not quite getting what he was trying to say.

"What do you have in mind?" She questioned in a slightly worried tone as Percy gave her one of his signature business-ready grins.

"My idea is to have you and your people come with us to Bross, the city of steel. It is a week's walk away from here inside the Dragon Spine Mountains. From what I have heard from my parents, it is a completely self-sufficient city on all fronts and is the place I plan to use as my headquarters here shortly. My parents said that there are no trading companies that currently visit that place… it might be a boon for you to visit such a place and open one up. Of course, I have no problem letting you open a few branch stores for a small price." 

His words did not fall on deaf ears as Hazel's mind screamed at her to jump onto this opportunity as quickly as possible. Her sapphire eyes twirled in excitement and greed, and her face remained thoughtful and stoic as if considering the options. Such a find was a dream for any merchant. If she could set up a shop, she would be more than sure she would make more than just a huge profit. Since it was a city in the mountains, she was sure it had an abundance of rare minerals and gems. Who knows what the system did to improve such precious materials?

"Hmm… your offer is very tempting. As you said, such a place must have many opportunities for me to grow my business. I also know that I can trust your word and let me open a few branch stores. But that is all based on conjecture. I hate to say this, but you do not know if Bross stands anymore after the Akashic System awakened. I am sorry to point out such a cruel thing, but you know I might be right." Hazel said as her serious gaze locked onto Percy. He held her gaze briefly before chuckling as Hazel's expression quickly turned to one of surprise.

"You might be surprised, but I think Bross will still be standing through everything this new world throws at it," Percy said with complete confidence as Hazel grew confused by his confidence.

"How can you be so sure?" she asked him, but in doing so, it caused Percy's grin to grow wider and stretch across his face.

"You can call it the Jackson intuition. Besides, I feel that my parents' home is far more than meets the eye. They say their history goes back hundreds if not thousands of years. A place like that doesn't just disappear overnight." Percy said with such confidence that Hazel suddenly found herself doubting the words that she had just spoken. Quickly dispersing her inner turmoil, she pursed her lips a bit as she faced down Percy.

"If you believe such a thing is possible, then there is an increased possibility that Bross is still intact. But if it has such a deep history, how do you plan to capture the city and make it yours? Maybe your current group is about 150 strong, but that isn't enough to take a city, especially now with everyone growing through the system." Hazel countered yet again as Percy raised an eyebrow at her words. He could tell Hazel was trying to cover her own ass as well as make sure he knew what he was getting into. 

'Silly girl, does she not even realize that since it is you, then that is enough?' a voice echoed in Percy's head. He couldn't help but notice a transparent Gaia floating behind Hazel. The funny thing was that her lips were pursed together as if she were frustrated. But hearing the beautiful world spirit defend and compliment him only made him grin more. He reached into his bag and started rummaging for something as Hazel grew slightly confused by his actions.

'Remember, she doesn't know what I have done in this world yet, Gaia. She is just looking out for me and herself, and I just need to show her that she will be in good hands.' Percy thought back to Gaia before finally finding what he wanted. He then pulled out a red gem the size of a baseball with a single glowing point in the middle. Upon seeing the gem, Hazel froze, and her eyes widened immensely.

"Is that a T-Tier 1 soul gem?" she asked as Percy played with the gem before gripping it firmly. His eyes then locked onto Hazel's as surprise wholly dominated her mind. Her wide eyes eventually turned away from the gem and found his.

"It is indeed. I even managed to kill the creature myself before reaching the maximum level for Tier 0. I am currently at level 25, the maximum level for Tier 0, and halfway through my job change. Tell me, Hazel… do you think I won't be able to take the city?" He asked in a calm and collected tone, like the commander he once was that she was used to. 

Old memories quickly floated to the surface as she remembered the War Master Percy used to be. Seeing that image overlap with the current Percy before her; she suddenly realized she had made an error in her judgment. If there was one thing she didn't need to worry about, it was Percy and his ability to fight and lead others. The fact that he took down a Tier 1 beast and was already max level after one month was proof of her error.

"So… when do we depart?" After several long moments, she suddenly asked with an awkward smile as a crazy grin grew on Percy's face. Yet just as he was about to say something, a horn suddenly sounded outside. This caused both Hazel and Percy to furrow their brows as they turned toward the origin of the sound.

"What is that?" Percy asked as he turned to Hazel, seeing her face now full of seriousness as she stood up and began walking toward the tent's entrance. 

"That is our alarm. Something dangerous is on its way here." Hazel said worriedly as Percy quickly stood up and followed her outside.

SMALL LINEBREAK: (This is for the Plot later in the story; I promise it will make sense later)

"Master Lorelei, here are the items you requested. Are you sure you need such low-tier items?" Mell carefully asked as she handed over a small stack of lightly decorated boxes that made a small mound on the table before her. 

Her gaze was full of questions as she looked at Lorelei, who was now wearing a plain-looking purple Hanfu instead of her standard armor. Such a sight was a welcomed rarity. Once every hundred years or so, she dressed in something else besides her armor. Yet she knew this either meant she wanted to relax or destress. Clearly, the latter was her true motive after the meeting with Victor. Helping the other maids learn the void step did not lighten her mood.

"They are not for me, so there is no need to worry," she said, extending her hand. With a single flick of her wrist, the items fell into a small ripple in space below them. She then returned to the vibrant glass in her hand, which held a multi-colored liquid that flowed like mercury. Taking a sip of the glass, she sighed as a hint of blush covered her face. 

"You have outdone yourself, Mell. Your brewing skills have grown yet again. This is truly delicious, such a sweet flavor." Lorelei said with a small smile, and a larger smile blossomed on Mell's face.

"I am glad you enjoyed it. I tried for a sweeter taste this time and even used a Tier 6 fruit. It is one of my best works yet." Mell said as Lorelie focused on the rainbow liquid inside the glass, admiring its colors as it gently swirled around with each shake.

"Is that so? Truly magnificent. I hope you can procure another bottle for me before I leave," she said as Mell nodded. 

The room soon grew silent as Lorelie continued to drink from her glass, and Mell continued to fill it up while performing her duties as a maid. After her third glass, Lorelei released a mighty sigh and set down her glass as she looked up at the ceiling. Even though she looked at a roof, her eyes did not stop there. Her gaze bypassed all material in front of it before it finally landed in space in the direction Percy was.

"Mell… do you think what I did was wrong?" She suddenly asked as Mell glanced at her before closing her eyes and thinking.

"You will have to be more specific. I have counted at least 100 transgressions since you arrived," Mell said, causing Lorelie to laugh momentarily at her words before sighing in contentment and staring deep into space. Yet after a bit, a slight clinking sound drew her attention to Mell as she noticed her head maid and friend pulling out two bottles of booze. One was the same rainbow liquor she was drinking, while the other was filled with amber-colored liquor.

"These are for your trip back. Please store the bottles properly so they do not spoil." Mell politely asked as Lorelie eyed the bottles for a bit. She clearly requested one, but the other… was new.

"What is the amber one?" She couldn't help but ask as Mell opened her eyes slightly.

"This is a special liquor that I brewed when I found out you were pregnant. I was so delighted to find out that I put my everything into making it. At the same time, a miracle happened, and I was able to create the first and only Tier 7 alcohol I have ever made. In turn, I decided to call it First Hello. You should share with your son the day he reaches Tier 4. I hope you two can enjoy it well when the time comes." Mell's soft words filled the room as she handed the bottle to Lorelei. 

She couldn't help but softly caress the bottle as she gazed at the liquid that seemed to burn with the same passion as a sunrise. As she watched the liquid, she couldn't help but feel her emotions rise as tears threatened to spill over her eyes. Maybe it was because of the booze or the extremely emotional sentiment behind the gift. Lorelie was at a loss for words as she looked up at Mell to find her giving her the softest smiles and care-filled gazes.

"I am but a simple maid, so I cannot hope to provide you the answer you seek to your question. But I do hope this gift helps you find it." She said as Lorelei couldn't help but shed a few thankful tears as Mell reached over and dabbed them up with a handkerchief. The two women smiled softly at one another as they basked in the friendship they shared. Mell also began to get misty-eyed as she carefully dried Lorelei's tears before dabbing her eyes. Lorelei then carefully put away both bottles in her space storage.

"Thank you, Mell. You always know what to say when I get all emotional," Lorelei said with a smile, and Mell couldn't help but smirk a little.

"I have been with you since our planet was introduced to the Akashic system over fifty thousand years ago. I know how your mind works better than yourself sometimes. Now, let's prepare you for your departure. I no longer wish to see you in such a saddened state. Besides, Percival's birthday just passed, and he will turn 18 next year. You need to go and observe so you know what to talk about when you two finally meet." Mell confidently spoke before she began to nag Lorelei as she stood up and ushered Lorelei to do the same. 

"You are right. Also, don't nag me so much. You sound like my mother. This is why you can't get a man," Lorelei joked with her as Mell rolled her eyes at her master's words and continued pushing and ushering her giggling master to the area where her armor was.

"I can find a man whenever I wish, but I am far too busy dealing with everything in your courtyard to try. The politics in this place are only getting worse as Victor pulls more women into his Harem, and each time he does, the hierarchy between them changes. Even if you have pulled yourself away from it all, they still see a need to mess with you. When you were gone, I found I disposed of nearly 30 spies. Those bitches never learn." Mell said in a distasteful voice as she and Lorelei finally arrived in front of Lorelei's armor.

"... Is that so?" Lorelei asked with an angry glint in her eyes as Mell nodded before sighing.

"It is true, but I handle internal affairs here, so you don't need to worry. Just make sure everything is well with your son. Once he reaches Tier 4, have your drink together, and then bring him to come and say hello," Mell told Lorelei. She nodded in agreement before reaching forward and touching her armor, causing a bright purple flash to fill the room.

LINEBREAK END:

"Humans?" Percy asked while peering into the distance as he noticed another group of people walking their way. From what he could tell, it had to be about 30 people, each wearing armor from loot boxes and wielding system-provided weapons. In Percy's eyes, they looked like a ragtag group of bandits. They didn't even have an emblem to say who they were.

"Yes, they call themselves the Desert Wolves. They are mercenaries like yourselves, but they center themselves out of Viss. Their relationship with our trading group is harsh at best. They constantly raid our caravans and have a nasty habit of scalping Whistler Evles. This group must have followed us here. We didn't even realize they were on our trail." Hazel said in an angry tone as she glared at the approaching people.

"Hmm… I don't see how that is very dangerous. You outnumber them 100 to 30; you shouldn't even need our help." Percy commented as Hazel shook her head and turned to a male and female scouting pair that seemed very panicked.

"These are Ellie and George. Both are our best scouts and have an interesting skill called threat detection. They can see a marker above a being's head that shows their current Tier and a color code to identify the severity of danger. Their skills are why our travels have been so smooth. Apparently, they both saw not one but two red Tier 1 beings in the group," Hazle said in a severe tone as both elves nodded rapidly at her words, causing Percy to frown.

'They both saw correctly; two Tier 1 beings are in that group.' Gaia affirmed Hazel's words as Percy stared out at the group as they continued to walk their way.

'You don't sound stressed or panicked this time. When the phrase Tier 1 enemy comes up, you get all worried. Is there something I should know?' Percy suddenly replied as Gaia paused momentarily before inwardly sighing a little. She somehow couldn't believe he managed to come to such a spot-on conclusion based on her emotions alone. What was more frustrating was that she was embarrassed and impressed with his observation skills.

'They are weak for their Tier. From their presence alone, I can tell they must have picked the easiest job from their selection and completed it as fast as possible. Normally, beings are considered the cannon fodder of the Teir they rise to.'

'Not only does reaching such a Tier limit your future prospects, but it also makes rising to the next Tier even more difficult. I would be surprised to see them reach Tier 2, even if they can. That would be the last Tier they reach unless a miracle happens.' Her calm words surprised Percy. To say the least, he couldn't help but suddenly feel relieved that he had chosen his class. Even if it meant he had to face nearly impossible feats, he didn't care. Accomplishing such things was his Monday at work. 

"Percy?" A voice suddenly snapped him out of his internal musings. He turned to see Hazel giving him a semi-worried look. He just gave her a confident smirk before turning to Trista and everyone.

"Gather everyone and go back to the group. I want them in a defensive formation around them as soon as possible. Be prepared for ambushes from the trees, and send the ten strongest fighters over here to help clear out the bandits. I will remain on the frontline and deal with those Tier 1 fools. The fighters from both groups can take care of the rest. Let's show these fools what real mercenaries can do."

Percy quickly listed off commands as Trista and Jake both gave their son a worried look; however, they felt relief upon remembering the Tier 1 pangolin he had killed. From what they could tell, that beast was far more scary than these two Tier 1 mercenaries. The two nodded before rushing back with their small group, planning to return and assisting in not leaving Percy on his own. This left him alone with Hazel as he turned to her and spoke again.

"Hazel—I mean Nini… I suggest you send your noncombatants to my group and have them join in the defensive ring. You can keep half of your defensive force here to help and send the other half to the group. " Hazel couldn't help but stare at Percy, who stared back at her as he sensed her growing tension.

"Can I guarantee my people's safety if they go to your group?" she asked in a severe tone, and in turn, Percy gave her a firm nod.

"You agreed to travel with my group already and become our trading partner, which means you are now under my protection if you choose. You know how tight I run my ship as well; anyone caught messing with your people will have to answer to me." Percy said in a fierce tone as Hazel finally nodded in agreement. Just like in the past and now, Percy led his people or armies in such an outstanding and efficient way that even she couldn't quite understand it in its entirety.

"Very well, I will do as you say. Also, just call me Hazel. It just happens to be the nickname my mother gave me." She said as Percy raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"How did that happen?" he couldn't help but ask her, but Hazel's cheeks suddenly turned a bit red from his question. She quickly turned away from Percy and started to command her people, who promptly started their march towards his group. By his side, the scouts Ellie and George stayed put as they kept their eyes on the Desert Wolves group. Yet Ellie couldn't help but turn to Percy. She motioned for Percy to lean in a bit, and he raised an eyebrow. He wasn't one to turn down gossip.

"She got the nickname Hazel because she once argued about their skin tone with her mother. She said her skin was Hazel colored, and her mother claimed it was dark Amber. It escalated to the point where the whole tribe was brought into the conversation, and eventually, it was decided that dark amber was the correct color. In the end, her nickname became Hazel." She whispered as Percy held in his laughter but still snorted a few times before calming himself and taking a deep breath.

"That's hilarious. Also, I think it's more of a dark caramel color, but that doesn't matter. You two should go with the others to ensure no detached forces are lingering in the forest. I can handle the rest here." Percy said as they exchanged worried glances.

"But… there are two Tier 1 beings. You will be ripped to shreds if you are alone," George couldn't help but say as Percy waved his hand at him, a grin growing on his face that made the Whister Elf feel a shiver run down his spine.

"Don't worry about me. I can handle myself far better than anyone here. Now go tell Hazel that I am going to go ahead first," Percy said with his spine-chilling crazy grin as his hand gripped the pommel of his war sword with excitement. 

"Wait!" Yet Ellie tried to stop him by grabbing one of his arms but stopped moving as her hand met his skin. Her threat detection skill was unconsciously activated as the world around her shifted. All she saw were two stormy green eyes and a shimmer Tier 0 sober Percy's head that was not the standard Green, yellow, or red she was used to. This dark black mark glowed in a deadly red light, and even the mark seemed to flicker as if her skill wasn't sure Tier 0 was correct. 

Such a sight made Ellie's heart swell with fear, and cold sweat poured down her back. As she stood there in silence, Percy raised an eyebrow before lightly tugging his arm away. Ellie snapped out of her frozen state and nearly fell backward while backing up from Percy as fast as she could. Seeing the fear-stricken elf staring at him while George tried to figure out what was wrong with her, Percy quickly connected the dots in his mind and chuckled.

"I told you I can handle myself. Now go away before you become in the way." Percy casually said while waving back at them as he walked away. 

"Ellie, what is wrong with you? Did something happen?" George asked as Ellie calmed down a bit and cleared her mind. Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, she quickly steadied herself and started to walk away with George. Her pace quicked even more as George grew even more confused by her actions until she spoke.

"George, don't ever become that man's enemy. He is a monster in human skin, and if he wanted to, he could kill us all without any effort." She managed to say. George grew tense at her words as he glanced back at grinning Percy, who had started to run forward to meet the Desert Wolves.

LINEBREAK:

"Hello, fellow mercenary dudes. How is your day going so far?" Percy yelled as he approached the Desert Wolves group with a crazy grin. The group quickly stopped and drew their weapon, and Percy snorted at their response, gently pulling out his sword and giving it a soft spin. He stopped and simply observed the group; it only took a moment for the two Tier 1 humans to walk closer to him.

One was wearing system-provided leather armor and a cloak. The man had a turban and covered his face with a cloth that revealed two brown eyes. In his hand, he wielded a scimitar that appeared on the same level as Percy's war sword. Like the others, the other wore a half-metal, half-leather armor with a turban around his head. Yet in his hand was a longsword and shield covered with blood. Percy couldn't help but somewhat feel underarmored as he glanced at his chest plate and boots.

"We are the Desert Wolves group. We are here for the Whistler elves and nothing more. Take your men and return to your troop, and you may live! You have three minutes to decide!" A man wearing a turban and face mask yelled at Percy. Yet his intimidation had zero effect on Percy, who pursed his lips together.

"You see, that doesn't work for me. Those little elves just agreed to help us out quite a bit. Having them die would put a huge hole in my plan. Is there any way you guys can just go back home?" Percy asked them in a curious tone, yet he didn't get an answer from the man as the one with the sword and shield shot toward Percy like a cannon. The other mercenaries used this opportunity to circle around him and head for the group as Percy clashed swords with the man.

DING!

BANG!

"I was hoping you would do this!" Percy yelled in delight as the two swords created a shower of sparks before Percy was thrown backward. Percy flipped through the air for nearly 30 feet using the force behind the strike while a perfect sheet of blue mana covered his body and blade. Seeing this, the man with the shield summoned his own mana that flooded from him like a broken faucet. Seeing such a poor display of mana usage, Percy snorted as he moved.

Kicking off the air with his boots and active skill, Percy caught the man by surprise as he shot forward at an extreme speed. Yet Percy did not aim for him; instead, he aimed for the masked man. Catching the other Tier 1, who had tried to go forward with the others, off guard, a sharp blue light raced towards his face.

"FUCK!" He yelled in surprise. The orange mana barely covered his scimitar in time before it met Percy's blade before his strike nearly took off his head. With his Tier 1 speed, he was still fast enough to react. He quickly pushed back and sent Percy flying yet again. Percy couldn't help but laugh like a maniac as he spun his body midair just in time to see the man with the shield only a few feet away from him, ready to cut him down.

Sword Techniques:

Swift River (Tier 0): Increase speed and damage by 10% during technique usage

"Swift River!" Percy shouted happily as his sword shimmered in a deadly light before cutting through the air with increased speed and slamming into the incoming sword. Yet Percy's strike still managed to come out on the weaker end, and in turn, he was thrown to the ground. The moment his feet hit the ground, it cracked apart and exploded into a shower of debris that formed a mushroom cloud. A moment later, Percy leaned back while taking a huge breath and let out a terrifying scream that filled the air with a wave of blue mana that started to have tinges of red dye.

WHHAAAA!

The dust was blown away from the sonic boom the scream caused, revealing both angry Tier 1 beings racing toward him. The two didn't have time to shield their ears as the scream rattled their minds. It was only for a second, but both felt intense fear overcome them as their mana fluctuated harshly. Percy used that second perfectly as he stomped on the ground, making a person-sized bolder jump up before he kicked it toward the masked man. Overcome with fear, the man couldn't defend himself as he crashed backward and rolled across the ground.

"Nord!" The man with the shield yelled but didn't have time to focus entirely on his brother-in-arms as the crazy young appeared in front of him, almost like a snake in the grass. More unsettling was that the boy's mana was now ⅕ red and ⅘ blue, and he had several spiral designs on his skin simultaneously. He wasn't sure what the spiral designs meant, but the red mana made the boy stronger every second. As he poured his mana into his blade, it exploded with force.

"Too fucking slow, you dumbass!" Percy shouted as his blade shined in a brilliant light and met his blade. Yet this time, Percy was not thrown back like last time as he revealed a sickening grin while the ground around them shattered even more. Their mana created tiny explosions where their blades met as the two of them poured their strength into the strike. Yet the ground finally gave way as the two were forced to slide past one another as the built-up energy from their strikes blew apart the ground in 100-foot-long trenches.

"WEAK!" Percy yelled as he turned around, yet he was slower than the man as a shield covered in an erratic layer of mana was about to slam into Percy's side. Seeing the round shield coming his way, Percy braced his arm against his side and threw his whole body at the shield while gathering his mana on one side of his body. The spiral marks and the mana density intensified until half of Percy's body shined in a brilliant blue light.

DING!!!

SNAP!!!

RUMBLE!

"Bell!" 

A voice yelled as the man with the mask, or Nord, watched in awe as his friend Bell's shield was crushed into bits and pieces while his arm snapped in several spots as it bent in unnatural angles. Bell didn't even have a moment to feel the pain as an arm shot forward from a dense fog where his opponent once was that grabbed his broken arm. The skin of the arm was not a standard color but a light blue color, while the top half of the arm and hand were covered with blue scales with small golden edges.

With a jerk, Bell suddenly found himself flying through the air and slammed into the ground. Nearly every bone in his body cracked all at once, while several broke instantly from the impact as he was buried 2 feet into the ground. His brain couldn't even process all of the pain filling his body as he was suddenly yanked from the ground and flung forward. His mangled arm was not able to take the stress of motion as it tore in two, causing him to sail through the air right towards Nord.

The man's body hit the ground hard as it spun rapidly before slamming into Nord's waiting arms as blood poured out from under Bell's armor. Coughing several mouthfuls of blood, Bell tried to speak, but several garbling grunts were all he could manage. Upon seeing his friend in such a state, Nord's face turned into one of pure rage as he looked at the dense fog dispersing as the blue-scaled arm dropped Bell's severed arm to the ground.

Out from the dense fog came one large blue-scaled leg after the other. Sharp talon-like nails were on each foot, cutting through the debris below them with each step. Torn pants and a simple chest plate hid the main body, but the stretched-out fabric did little to conceal the powerful muscles beneath them. Each muscular arm also had similar talon-like nails that seemed ready to tear through flesh with a simple strike. Yet one hand held a sword tightly as a mixture of blue and red mana tightly swirled over it, giving it a deadly look.

"Damn, I didn't expect the transformation to be so instantaneous. Still an unexpected treat for sure." Percy spoke to nobody in a much deeper tone than before as he reached up with his free hand and slowly ran his scaled hand through his hair. Due to the transformation, the once semi-long obsidian black hair was long enough to touch his shoulders. Pushing his hair out of his face revealed his new features.

His once handsome appearance was now even more devilishly handsome. He even had a feral hint to his appearance, like an alpha predator had taken human form. His new blue skin faded away right as it touched his jawline, and his intense blue eyes now had vertical irises. Each eye had blue scales around their outward edges that merged with the ones that ran around his ears and the back of his neck, completing his appearance. Yet the maniacal grin on his lips made it even more intense as it revealed his terrifying sharp teeth that looked ready to bite into anything.

Percy's demi-leviathan form was majestic and awe-inspiring as if nothing could come close to it. The red and blue mana storm around him only added to his image as the mana storm began to lift debris from the ground due to its intensity. Such a sight was too much for Nord and Bell. Both couldn't help but tremble in fear as Percy continued to walk their way. His grin widened even more as he relished the power this transformation provided.

'Percy, your mana won't last at this rate. Finish this fight and then help the others.' Suddenly, a sharp voice echoed in his mind as Percy snapped out of his ecstasy and quickly grounded himself. 

In the distance, Gaia floated above a treeline as she watched the fight unfold. The small amount of worry she hid inside dissipated upon seeing Percy in his new form. Even she couldn't help but admire it a little, as his new form radiated pure power like an ancient beast. Combined with Asura's Rage, which was only at 35% boost, Percy could easily stand against Tier 1 beings, yet such things had a cost to them.

'You're right again, my beautiful fairy. My mana is being sucked dry by this form. If I don't hurry up, I won't have any mana for you later.' Percy thought back to her with a wink as Gaia rolled her eyes and shook her head at his response. It seemed that he was even more confident than usual in this form. This was bound to be bothersome in the future.

While he flirted with Gaia, he quickly realized his mana would not last a full minute at this rate, even if he had only used Levithan's 50% boosted state. He needed to end this fast. Focusing his eyes on the men before him, he gave a quick twirl of his sword and licked his lips in excitement.

"So, which of you two wants to be split in half first? Wait… that sounded wrong. Fuck! You get the idea, now DIE!"

A/N: Good evening to all! I hope you enjoyed the little treat I saved for you all at the end—a quick reveal of Percy's new form! But be warned, it is simply a quick reveal. More stuff will be revealed once we reach Bross! Also, how do you all enjoy our girl Hazel? Side note: She is not in the harem, lol. Regardless, I think I did well. Let me know what you think, and leave a review!

E/N: What's up, Lads and Lasses! I'm Bored, Nuts' new editor for this story, though SOL still holds dominion over TCOC. Any errors are on me, and as always, your thoughts are encouraged! Until next time!

Name: (Percy) Percival Jacob Jackson

Title: Cultivation Genius, Obsessed Soul

Age: 17

Race: Human/????

Constitution: Primordial Emperor body (Tier 7) Level 1

Tier: 0

Level: 25

Health: 90(+90) / Mana: 200 (+60) / Strength: 125 (+80) / Stamina: 90(+60) / Agility: 75(+75) / Luck: 68(+60)

Stat points: 0

[Conditions to unlock the True Path Seeker job]

Raise any 3 skills to Tier 2 (1/3)

Raise any 2 skills to Tier 3 (1/2)

Raise any 1 skill to Tier 4 (0/1)

Have a total of 3 Titles (⅔)