Grinning like a loon, Percy hunched over his tray, using his broad shoulders to create a wall between his food and the rest of the cafeteria. To anyone casually glancing over, it just looked like a growing teenager guarding his hoard. In reality, he was conducting a high-stakes heist.
He worked with mechanical efficiency. Grab. Hover. Store.
Stack after stack of pancakes vanished into the ether. He managed to stash away twenty fully loaded flapjacks before anyone blinked. He even snagged a handful of maple syrup packets and plastic cutlery, shoving them into the invisible inventory grid. He grabbed two final pancakes for his "official" breakfast, placed them innocently on his plate, and closed the interface.
Feeling like a master criminal, he sauntered over to a secluded bench in the corner of the room to enjoy the spoils of war.
"Morning, twerp."
Percy's good mood evaporated instantly. He didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. The nasal, grating voice belonged to Nancy Bobofit. The red-headed kleptomaniac sneered down at him, her freckled face twisted into its permanent expression of disdain.
"I thought you and your boyfriend were up all night bumping bones," she taunted, loud enough for the nearby tables to hear. "Where is ol' Goat Brains, anyway?"
Percy tightened his grip on his fork. He tried to let it slide—Gamer's Mind was supposed to help with this stuff, right?—but Nancy had a special talent for bypassing his logic and stabbing straight into his temper.
"He's with your mom, Nancy," Percy shot back, his voice cool. "Turns out she has a thing for goats."
Nancy's face went blotchy. "What did you say?!"
"I said your mom is a goat fucker, Nancy!" Percy raised his voice, matching her volume. "Are you deaf or just stupid?"
"Don't you talk about my mom, Jackson!" she shrieked.
"Then don't talk about my friend," Percy countered, standing up. He wasn't tall, but he was angry, and for a second, Nancy looked like she might actually back down.
Instead, she sneered again, going for the low blow she knew always landed. "At least I have a dad, Jackson."
She spun on her heel and marched away before he could respond.
The words hit him like a physical slap. It shouldn't have hurt. He was used to it. He was used to the whispers, the 'bastard' comments, the pitying looks teachers gave him when he mentioned his mom was single. He should have been numb to it by now.
But he wasn't. especially not now that he knew who his father actually was.
He glared at Nancy's back as she flopped down a few tables away. She was laughing with her ugly friends, seemingly forgetting he existed. She pulled a bottle of water out of her bag and set it on the table.
Percy's mind started to spin.
It was petty. It was childish. But it was also a challenge. Isn't that what this new life was about? Finding his limits? Breaking them?
He focused. He ignored the noise of the cafeteria, the smell of stale eggs, and the chatter of students. He narrowed his eyes at that plastic bottle. He reached out with his mind, searching for that familiar, tugging connection he had felt at the fountain.
Water control, he whispered.
He felt the liquid inside the bottle respond. It was sluggish, heavy. He tried to jerk it upward, but his mental grip slipped. Instead of shooting out, the water sloshed violently against the plastic. The bottle wobbled, tipped, and fell over with a clatter.
Shit, Percy thought, wincing. Not enough force.
The noise drew Nancy's attention. She looked at the fallen bottle, confused, then shrugged and set it upright again, unscrewing the cap to take a sip.
Percy took a breath. A lucky second chance.
He didn't try to be gentle this time. He visualized the water as a compressed spring, coiled and ready to snap. He reached out, grabbed the liquid with his mind, and pushed upward with everything he had.
Boom.
The water didn't just spill; it erupted. It shot out of the bottle like a geyser, blasting Nancy squarely in the chest and face.
"YAAH!" Nancy shrieked, jumping up as cold water soaked her shirt and hair. The cafeteria fell silent, then erupted into laughter.
Nancy stood there, dripping and humiliated, looking around wildly for the culprit, but Percy was already looking down at his plate, aggressively cutting a pancake to hide his grin. She shrieked again and ran for the exit to change, leaving Percy to enjoy his meal in peace.
He took a large bite of the syrup-soaked pancake, savoring the victory. Out of curiosity, he pulled up his HUD.
[HP: 200/200]
[MP: 66/100]
He chewed and swallowed.
[MP: 77/100]
Percy froze, his fork hovering halfway to his mouth. He quickly focused on the remaining pancake.
[Observe]
[Pancakes]
[Type: Food]
[Effect: Restores 30 HP, 10 MP upon consumption.]
His eyes widened. He quickly shoveled the rest of the pancake into his mouth.
[MP: 87/100]
It was amazing. Food wasn't just for hunger; it was fuel. It affected his Mana. If pancakes gave him 10 MP, there had to be high-level food out there—Ambrosia or something—that could restore him to 100% instantly. This changed everything. He wasn't just hoarding breakfast; he was stocking up on mana potions.
He finished his meal with renewed purpose. He had time before class, and he needed to grind.
He spent the next twenty minutes walking through the cafeteria and hallways, spamming [Observe] on absolutely everything. He Observed the lunch lady (Level 5 Cook), he Observed the janitor (Level 2 Custodian), he even Observed a potted plant (Level 1 Fern).
'Ding!'
[Through constant use, a skill has leveled up!]
[Observe - LVL 2 (40%):]
[By observing a target, you will obtain detailed information.]
[Unlock: Now displays Max HP, MP, Stats, and Biography.]
Sweet, Percy thought. Now I can see what people are actually made of.
He headed to the library for some quiet grinding. He walked down the aisles, staring at books until his eyes watered, Observing every spine he could. It was tedious, boring work, but seeing the skill bar creep up made it addictive. By the time the bell rang, [Observe] had ticked up two more levels.
He made it to his first class just as the bell stopped ringing, sliding into the seat next to Grover. His friend looked tired, probably from the detention the night before, but he offered Percy a weak smile.
Percy focused on him. 'Observe.'
The new window popped up, and this time, it was full of data.
[Grover Underwood - Satyr Protector]
[LVL: 20]
[HP: 1500/1500]
[MP: 2000/2000]
[Race: Satyr]
[Stats:]
[STR: 15]
[VIT: 15]
[DEX: 10]
[INT: 20]
[WIS: 20]
[LUC: 10]
[Bio: Grover Underwood is the Satyr protector assigned to Percy Jackson. Along with Chiron, his duty is to safeguard Percy from monster attacks. He was assigned this task by the Council of Cloven Elders and will remain until ordered otherwise. He is currently in a romantic relationship with a tree spirit named Juniper.]
Percy blinked once, then twice. The numbers were staggering compared to the average students he had scanned earlier, who barely scratched Level 3. Grover might look like a scrawny guy on crutches, but statistically, he was a tank. He was strong enough to throw Nancy Bobofit across the room if he wanted to. Percy smiled at Grover, a newfound respect settling in his chest.
Suddenly, the chatter in the room died. It wasn't a gradual silence; it was instant, like someone had sucked the air out of the room.
A woman walked in. She was wearing a black leather jacket that looked too big for her and a severe, tight hair bun that pulled her face back into a permanent scowl. She looked like she had stepped out of a bad 80s biker movie, or maybe a funeral.
She turned to the class, her eyes sweeping over them like searchlights. "Good morning, class. I am your new substitute teacher, Mrs. Dodds. I will be teaching you pre-algebra and will stay with you for the rest of the year."
Her voice was dry and paper-thin. She picked up the attendance sheet and began reading names. When she reached Percy's, she didn't just say it. She stopped. The silence stretched for a second, two seconds.
Then she growled it. "Percy Jackson."
A cold chill ran down Percy's spine, sharper than anything he had felt before. The hairs on his arms stood up. It wasn't just fear; it was a biological warning.
"H-here, ma'am," he managed to choke out through a suddenly dry throat.
What was that feeling? It felt like he was standing in front of a hungry wolf.
'Ding!'
[New Skill Created!]
[Detect Bloodlust - LVL 1 (20%):]
[This instinctive skill allows the user to sense when killing intent is directed toward them.]
[Range: 20 feet.]
[Current Detection: High.]
[Origin of Bloodlust: Mrs. Dodds wants to kill you.]