Chapter 5: Spartan Training Arc – Lesson One: Don't Drown, Stupid
The morning after my absolute beatdown at the hands of Percy Jackson, my entire body felt like a sack of meat that had been tenderized by an angry god. Which, honestly, wasn't too far from the truth. Every movement sent a fresh wave of pain through my muscles, and I was pretty sure my ribs still hadn't forgiven me.
But pain was temporary. Defeat? Unacceptable.
I wasn't here to be just another random demigod. If I wanted to reach my goal—if I really wanted to become the Kratos of this world—I had to train. Harder, smarter, and with the kind of insanity that would make even Ares himself raise an eyebrow.
Which is why, at the crack of dawn, I was standing at the edge of Long Island Sound, stretching out my sore limbs while Percy stared at me like I had two heads.
"You wanna do what?" he asked, blinking.
"Train," I repeated. "Underwater. Spartan-style."
Percy looked at me. Then at the ocean. Then back at me. "You do realize you're a son of Ares, not Poseidon, right?"
"Yep."
"And that you can't breathe underwater?"
I grinned. "That's what makes it training."
Percy dragged a hand down his face. "Dude."
"Listen, man. You folded me so hard yesterday that I'm still emotionally processing it." I cracked my knuckles. "Which means I need to push myself beyond my limits."
He sighed. "And your first instinct was 'let me drown myself'?"
"Exactly."
Percy pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something about "why do I always attract the crazy ones?" before exhaling. "Fine. Whatever. How's this supposed to work?"
I smirked. "Simple. You're gonna use your water powers to hold me under."
Percy paused. "Uh. What."
I pointed at the ocean. "Just push me down, keep me there. My goal is to fight against the water pressure, build my strength, and most importantly—not die."
Percy just stared at me. "...Are you sure you're not a son of Zeus? Because that level of stupidity sounds exactly like something Thalia would try."
I waved him off. "Less talking, more drowning."
Percy groaned. "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this."
—
A minute later, I was waist-deep in the ocean, bouncing on my heels while Percy stood nearby, arms crossed.
"You say 'stop' if you start dying," he warned.
"Yeah, yeah." I rolled my shoulders. "Let's go."
Percy lifted a hand, and before I could brace myself—
WHAM.
The ocean swallowed me whole.
It was like being tackled by a tidal wave. One second, I was standing—next, I was dragged under, the pressure slamming into me from all sides.
The weight of the water pressed down on my chest like an iron grip, squeezing the air from my lungs. Instinct screamed at me to panic, to thrash, to shoot back up to the surface.
I ignored it.
Instead, I pushed.
My muscles burned, every fiber of my body resisting the force trying to keep me down. The water around me wasn't just heavy—it was alive, shifting, pressing, working against me.
Good. That's exactly what I wanted.
I clenched my fists, forcing my arms to move.
Punch. Kick. Block. Every movement was a fight, every strike like swinging through syrup. I could feel my lungs straining, my heartbeat pounding like a war drum.
[Berserker Gauge: 10% → 20%]
I grinned through the bubbles escaping my mouth.
This was perfect.
The resistance, the pressure—it was the ultimate training ground. If I could move freely down here, if I could fight at full strength while submerged, then above land? I'd be a monster.
I kept going, pushing my body beyond its limits. The water roared around me, shifting, slamming against me like it was testing me. Percy wasn't holding back—he was making sure I felt it.
Good.
I needed this.
[Berserker Gauge: 20% → 30%]
My muscles screamed, my lungs burned, but I refused to stop.
I threw another punch.
Another.
Another.
Then, just when I felt like I was this close to blacking out—
The water released me.
I exploded to the surface, sucking in air like my life depended on it. (Which, to be fair, it kinda did.)
Percy stood on the shore, arms crossed. "Three minutes," he called. "Not bad for a guy who doesn't have gills."
I grinned, shaking water from my hair. "Again."
Percy raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You looked pretty close to passing out."
I rolled my shoulders, already stepping forward. "Did I stutter?"
He sighed. "You're insane."
I smirked. "You're just figuring that out?"
—
We repeated the process. Again. And again. And again.
Each time, I lasted longer. Fought harder. Pushed myself past what I thought was possible.
And with every session—
[Berserker Gauge: 30% → 40%][Strength Stat +1][Endurance Stat +1]
I felt it.
The change.
The power.
My muscles adapted, moving sharper, reacting faster. My lungs learned to operate with less, my body enduring the crushing weight of the ocean with each dive.
I was getting stronger.
And I wasn't done yet.
—
By the time the sun started setting, I was exhausted. My limbs felt like lead, my body aching from the sheer abuse I'd put it through.
Percy, meanwhile, looked completely fine. Jerk.
He tossed me a water bottle as I flopped onto the sand, groaning. "I gotta admit," he said, "I thought this was a dumb idea."
I took a swig of water, wiping my face. "And now?"
He smirked. "Still a dumb idea. But a useful dumb idea."
I chuckled, cracking my neck. "That's me. Dumb but effective."
Percy sat down next to me, watching the waves. "You're really serious about this, huh?"
I exhaled. "Yeah."
He studied me for a second. "You ever think about why?"
I hesitated.
Why?
Because I had a mission. Because I wasn't just some guy.
Because if I didn't take this seriously, I'd end up just another casualty in this world of gods and monsters.
I clenched my fists.
"I just… I can't be weak," I muttered.
Percy nodded, like he understood.
"Then keep going," he said simply. "But don't get yourself killed, alright?"
I smirked. "No promises."
Percy sighed. "Of course."
As I stared out at the ocean, the weight of the day settling in, one thing became clear.
This was just the beginning.
Tomorrow?
We go again.