Chapter 3: Berserker Mode? More Like "Try Not to Die" Mode
The moment I locked eyes with Percy again, I knew one thing for sure—this dude wasn't playing around any more.
Before, he had that casual, this-guy's-about-to-eat-dirt attitude. Now? His grip on Riptide tightened, his stance shifted ever so slightly, and the faintest ripple of water curled around his feet, ready to react.
Good. That's what I wanted.
I grinned, rolling my shoulders as the air between us grew tense. The crowd had gone almost completely silent, everyone watching, waiting for the next move.
[Berserker Gauge: 20% → 25%]
Alright, system. Time to put you to work.
I pushed forward, testing my speed again. My muscles responded instantly, smoother, faster than before. Percy moved to counter, but I was already adapting—ducking under his sword, twisting to the side, throwing a sharp jab toward his ribs.
He blocked—barely. His eyes flickered with surprise.
I smirked. "What's wrong, Seaweed Brain? Thought this would be easy?"
Percy exhaled. "Oh, Nice hit."
Then he moved.
Fast.
Like really fast.
Before I could react, he was inside my guard, Riptide flashing in a controlled arc. I barely twisted in time, feeling the air shift as the celestial bronze blade whizzed past my shoulder. He was holding back—he had to be. If he wanted, he could've cut straight through me.
Instead, he used the flat of his blade to slam against my forearm, knocking my balance off just enough for him to kick my legs out from under me.
Crap.
I flipped midair, landing hard but regaining my footing fast. I wasn't going down that easily.
[Adaptive Combat: Processing… Adjusting movement efficiency.]
I didn't have time to process that message before Percy came at me again. This time, I saw everything—the shift in his weight, the tightening of his grip, the way his left foot pivoted just a fraction of a second before he swung.
I moved before my brain even caught up.
Instead of dodging backward like last time, I stepped into his attack, catching him off guard. My forearm absorbed the hit, redirecting the force, and I countered with a palm strike to his chest.
It connected.
Percy stumbled back a step, eyes widening. "Huh."
I exhaled. My entire body felt different—like I wasn't just reacting anymore. I was reading him. Learning.
[Berserker Gauge: 25% → 30%]
I grinned. "Come on, Jackson. I know you can hit harder than that."
Percy smirked. "Alright. You asked for it."
The air shifted.
I barely had time to brace before the entire ground beneath me exploded into water.
A geyser erupted, slamming into me like a freight train. One second, I was on solid ground—the next, I was airborne, completely at the mercy of Percy's water control.
Okay. That was definitely cheating.
I twisted midair, forcing myself to regain control, but the second I landed, Percy was already there, swinging Riptide in a downward strike. I barely managed to roll away, his sword cracking into the ground like a lightning bolt.
I pushed myself up, breathing hard. Percy stood a few feet away, shaking water off his arms. "Not bad, La Rue. You're actually keeping up."
I spat out a mouthful of dirt. "Oh, don't worry. I'm just warming up."
[Berserker Gauge: 30% → 40%]
My blood felt like it was on fire now, my muscles thrumming with energy. I had no idea what would happen when that gauge hit 100%, but I was starting to feel something.
Something dangerous.
Percy noticed it too. His sea-green eyes narrowed, his stance shifting again. "Alright, Kratos-wannabe. Let's see what else you got."
I grinned. "Oh, you're so gonna regret saying that."
I lunged.
This time, I didn't just go for speed—I mixed it up. My punches came in fast, unpredictable, switching between styles I didn't even realize I knew until I was throwing them. Spartan strikes, boxing jabs, even some street brawler instincts kicking in.
Percy countered, dodging and weaving like the experienced fighter he was, but even he wasn't blocking everything.
I landed a solid hit to his ribs, making him grunt. Another to his shoulder. I tried for a leg sweep, but he jumped, twisting midair and—
Oh, come on.
He summoned a wave mid-spin, slamming it down like a hammer.
I had exactly half a second to think this is gonna suck before it hit me.
I skidded back, completely drenched, coughing up seawater. "Bro," I wheezed. "Seriously?"
Percy grinned. "You said no holding back."
I groaned, shaking the water from my hair. "Alright. Fine. You wanna play dirty?"
I cracked my knuckles.
[Berserker Gauge: 40% → 50%]
"Let's play."
I rushed him again, this time faster. My system-fed instincts screamed at me to mix up my movements, to stop being predictable, to pressure him.
I feinted left—he took the bait. I pivoted right, slipping under his guard and slamming my fist into his gut.
Percy coughed, stumbling back. "Ow."
I didn't let up. I pressed forward, throwing a rapid barrage of strikes. He blocked, but barely. I was learning too fast.
[Berserker Gauge: 50% → 60%]
My vision sharpened. My heartbeat pounded like war drums.
Percy tried to counter, swinging Riptide—but this time, I caught his wrist.
He blinked. "Wait, what—"
I yanked him forward and drove my knee into his ribs.
The impact sent him flying.
The crowd collectively gasped.
Percy hit the dirt, rolling to a stop. He groaned, pushing himself up on his elbows, shaking his head like he couldn't believe what just happened.
I exhaled, shaking out my hands. "You good, Jackson?"
He coughed. "Yeah. Just… wasn't expecting that."
Clarisse, from the sidelines, whistled. "Well, damn."
Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."
Percy stood, rolling his shoulders. His eyes locked onto mine, and something shifted.
The amusement was gone.
Now, he was serious.
"Well," he muttered, gripping Riptide. "Guess I should stop holding back, huh?"
The air changed.
The water at his feet rose.
The skies above rumbled.
I swallowed.
[Berserker Gauge: 60% → 70%]
Oh.
This was about to get real.