Percy Jackson: the Winter Gamer

Over the next weeks, he entered the dungeon three more times, each time getting one skill uprank and twice he got maths. Sure, it would help him in school but he wanted something more practical. He was a demigod, not some ordinary middle schooler. He was a lot more happy about the third up rank, archery. Luke praised him a lot for his Swordsmanship but his archery now wasn't bad either. He could hit the targets reliably now, not bullseye every time but it was an improvement to how he shot in the beginning. What he enjoyed most though was the smithing lessons. He improved his craft skill to C-, whilst also practicing his cryokinesis by cooling down his metal works with his powers instead of water. It reduced the chance of the blades fracturing. As he was standing in the forge, hammering away under the guidance of Charles Beckendorf, he had an idea. He channeled his mist manipulating through the blade. With every swing of the hammer, a bit more of magic was engraved upon it. When he cooled the blade down with his powers, it stopped glowing red hot. He held the sword to the light, it had white spider web markings all around it, glowing an eerie blue color. He channeled some energy into it and the sword shrunk down, just as riptide would do, slowly growing smaller and rounder until it was a bronze bracelet.

"I didn't even teach you how to do that yet", Beckendorf whispered, "are you sure you aren't one of my brothers?"

"Pretty sure", he shrugged, turning the bracelet in his hand.

"We will have to engrave it", Beckendorf laughed, "such a fine weapon deserves some engravings and a name too!"

They moved into another part of the forge, where, under Beckendorf's guidance, he carved a conch shell and snowflakes into the bracelet. Alexander put it on and channeled some energy into it, transforming it into a blade, the carvings had carried on, now showing as white lines on the blade, the spider webs were no longer there, "do you have a name for it?" Beckendorf asked. The quality was great, especially for someone of Alexander's skill level.

"Chionothyella", he whispered as his fingers traced over the blade, "snowstorm"

"A good name", Beckendorf nodded approvingly, "let's sharpen it now"

Later that day, he was browsing the system shop, looking for nothing in particular, when he found a section of the shop he had never seen before. It had been unlocked when he had drunk Ares' ichor.

{skills}

Healing: 20 drachma/200$

Enhance strength: 20 drachma/200$

…

Hydrokinesis: 50 drachma/500$

Pyrokinesis: 50 drachma/500$

Lightning generation: 50 drachma/500$

…

There were many more in there but he could only afford one of the lower cost ones, of which the one who spoke to him the most was healing. Being able to heal himself without ambrosia or nectar was invaluable, so, bought it and immediately, there was a rush of energy throughout his body and knowledge flooded into his mind. He nicked himself with Snowstorm, causing 1 hp damage and channeled energy towards it. There was a golden glow and the small wound was gone. It really worked! This opened up so many opportunities! For now, healing was just D rank but in time, he could become unstoppable, healing injuries as soon as they appeared.

He couldn't help but cackle in glee.

Luke walked over, his sword in hand, "there you are, Alexander, we have been searching for you, we have swordfighting lessons right now. You got yourself a new sword, don't you want to test it out?"

"Hell yeah", He jumped up from the ground and walked behind Luke, to the arena.

"Okay, now that we are full, I want you all to partner up and practice your disarming strikes, you can spar with me", he looked at Alexander, who only groaned. Being paired up with Luke meant getting your butt kicked, sure, Alexander was now physically stronger but his skill was nowhere near Luke's, who had an SS+ rank swordfighting skill. Sure, Alex was better than most but Luke was just a few steps beyond. It was unfair, total bullshit. A sentiment that was proven right when Luke disarmed him over and over again. He was frustrated, so frustrated. With a sigh, he lowered his sword, "this doesn't work"

"What are you talking about, you almost got me that last time", Luke's carefree and lazy smile infuriated Alex, how could he be laughing like that, was he a sadist? Enjoying his suffering? He turned his sword back into a bracelet and huffed, "I think that's enough training for today"

"If you say so, go rest on the bench", he turned around and quickly spotted his next victim.

As Alex observed the demigods fighting, he shook his head, he needed something to relax and this wasn't it, with the constant clashing of metal on metal and the playful banter of a few dozen kids fighting. It wasn't just the Hermes kids, the Ares cabin was also there. Ares… he had been manipulated by Kronos… who else could fall under his charm? Was anyone safe? Could he trust anyone?

These thoughts played in his head as he walked away, over to the pier. He sat down and let his feet dangle into the water below.

Suddenly, there was a could wind, colder than any he had felt before and he could feel his presence before he could see him, that presence of cold and calmness. Looking to his right, he saw his father, he didn't even have to read the words above his head to know that this was Boreas. He had a suit made out of snow, a pair of purple wings and long beard and hair, all of which was covered in ice, "dad?"

"Indeed", where his feet touched the water's surface, it froze to ice, "you made quite the splash, the Aurae, your sisters, they won't stop talking about how your friend brought Zeus his lightning bulb, apparently, Poseidon's Brad praised you a lot in front of the gods. You won't have a quiet life anymore. Now that the gods have taken notice of you, you will have a lot more monsters coming after you"

"I wouldn't have it any other way, normal school life is way too boring anyways", Alexander chuckled, "so… thank you for supporting my mother"

"Of course I do, she is a queen amongst woman. I couldn't resist her allure. It broke my heart when she moved to America, away from me… I don't have much time left, I need to get back nut- I wanted you to have this", he handed him a breastplate seemingly made out of pure ice, though it wasn't cold, "just speak the word anemos"

As soon as the word left his mouth, wings made out of snow materialized at the back of the breastplate. He had given the shoes back to Luke, so this was an awesome gift, "thank you so much-"

"I wasn't done yet… put it on"

He did as he was told and, immediately as he put it on, it morphed into a normal looking t shirt, with but a thought, it changed from pristine white to an orange camp Half blood shirt, then to a jacket and back into a white shirt, "it responds to your thoughts, never gets dirty and is sturdier than most celestial bronze"

"Thank you", he hugged his father before he became wind and sailed past, "thank you…"