SWNOVELXO Chapter 3: The Ripple Effect
Percy winced as more system messages pulsed behind his eyelids. He rubbed the side of his face, still seated cross-legged on the floor of his cramped bedroom. His heart was racing. Water had obeyed him. The air had pulsed when he yelled. Earth had trembled at his footstep. He wasn't dreaming.
He had power now.
He clenched his fists, trying to steady his breath.
"…Hey, Voice?" he whispered. "Can you explain all my new skills? The ones I got after unlocking my Title?"
[Request registered.]
[Displaying all unlocked skills granted by: Title – Son of Poseidon.]
[Skill Name]: Hydrokinesis
[Type]: Active
[Rank]: C+
[Description]: Allows the user to control and manipulate water in all its liquid forms. Capabilities include shaping, propelling, redirecting, and condensing water. More advanced techniques unlock with higher mastery.
• Can pull water from surroundings or generate from MP.
• Can attack, defend, and manipulate environment using water.
[Cost]: 10 MP/sec (scales with usage intensity)
[Note]: Damage scales with INT and Water Affinity.
[Skill Name]: Summon Storm
[Type]: Active
[Rank]: C
[Description]: Calls down a localized thunderstorm. Causes heavy rain, gale-force winds, thunderclaps, and lightning strikes. Radius and duration increase with level and INT.
• At this rank, the storm lasts 1 minute and covers a 20-meter radius.
• Deals wind and lightning amage based on INT and Divinity.
[Cost]: 100 MP
[Note]: No cooldown.
[Skill Name]: Earthquake Creation
[Type]: Active
[Rank]: C
[Description]: Creates a tremor in the ground, disrupting footing, collapsing terrain, and destabilizing buildings. Radius increases with INT and level.
• At this rank, causes a localized 3-meter shockwave.
• Enemies caught within have a chance to be knocked down or staggered.
[Cost]: 50 MP
[Skill Name]: Beast Tongue: Equine & Sea Life
[Type]: Passive
[Rank]: B-
[Description]: As the son of Poseidon, you can communicate with horses, hippocampi, dolphins, and other sea creatures. They will recognize you as kin and treat you with loyalty or awe.
• Speak freely with any equine or aquatic creature.
• Passive loyalty effect: sea creatures and horses may assist without being asked.
[Cost]: 0 MP
[Note]: Fully passive.
[Skill Name]: Instinct
[Type]: Passive
[Rank]: E
[Description]: The ability to instantly identify "the best personal course of action" during combat. Grants momentary flashes of danger, predicting attacks or deception.
• Improves dodge timing and battle awareness.
• Rarely gives glimpses of an enemy's intent.
[Cost]: 0 MP
[Skill Name]: Divinity
[Type]: Passive
[Rank]: D+
[Description]: You possess divine blood. Your body and soul are resistant to mortal diseases.
• Increases resistance to curses, corruption, and soul attacks.
• Boosts physical, and magical attributes.
• May influence divine artifacts, seals, and NPCs.
[Skill Name]: Sea's Favor
[Type]: Passive
[Rank]: B-
[Description]: The sea recognizes you. While submerged or surrounded by oceanic water, your body is enhanced.
• Immunity to underwater pressure, fatigue, and suffocation.
• Sea creatures will not attack unless provoked.
[Skill Name]: Water Affinity
[Type]: Passive
[Rank]: C+
[Description]: Your magic and being are attuned to the element of water.
• Grants the temporary buff: Blessing of the Tides
[Effect Name]: Blessing of the Tides
Effect:
• While touching water:
• +100% MP Regeneration
• +100% SP Regeneration
• +25% Cooldown Reduction
• +30% Water Spell Power
• While submerged in water:
• +50% Movement Speed
• +35% Attack Speed
[Skill Name]: Thermal Immunity
[Type]: Passive
[Rank]: B+
[Description]: As a true child of the ocean, you are unaffected by changes in temperature.
• Grants near-total resistance to extreme heat and cold.
• Can swim in boiling or glacial waters without penalty.
Percy read through the entire list once… then again.
He slowly mouthed the last line:
"Create water constructs. Summon storms. Cause actual earthquakes. Talk to dolphins. What the hell…?"
His voice caught halfway between awe and panic.
A slow grin crept across his face.
"Okay… that's actually so cool."
He stood up and raised a hand toward the plastic cup of tap water on his desk. It wobbled slightly. Percy narrowed his eyes.
[Hydrokinesis] activated.
The surface of the water trembled—then rose upward in a twisting ribbon. Percy gasped, instinctively rotating his wrist. The stream swirled with the motion, slithering in the air like a liquid snake.
"Whoa… Whoa! I'm doing it—!"
He shaped the water into a crude disc, then a whip, then compressed it into a tight sphere that hovered in front of his palm. Sweat beaded on his forehead. The water sphere exploded in a mist, splashing down.
He was panting, but laughing.
"That… was awesome!"
He darted to the window, cracked it open, and peered outside. The fire escape was clear.
Time to try something bigger.
————————————————————
The stale scent of garbage, city smog, and rotting fish hit him as he eased the window open. The metal frame screeched softly, and Percy winced, glancing back to make sure no one heard. No footsteps. No yelling.
He stepped onto the fire escape.
It groaned under his weight, but held. The sky was cloudy—typical New York weather—and the alley between buildings echoed faint honks and voices. Nothing too crazy.
"Okay," Percy muttered, stretching out his arms. "Let's try that… storm thing."
He raised a hand skyward and whispered, "Summon Storm."
[Summon Storm] Activated.
There was no warning. The wind surged—sharp, biting. A burst of thunder cracked through the sky, shaking the windows beside him. Clouds churned. Then came the downpour—sheets of rain pounding like fists on the roof above, drenching the street below in seconds.
"Whoa!" Percy ducked back under the awning. "That… was me?"
Lightning flashed—then again—striking a nearby lamp post with a pop and a flicker of sparks. He stared wide-eyed.
"Okay, maybe don't do that one right above the house next time," he muttered. "Sorry, neighbors."
Still—his heart was racing in a good way now. He felt alive.
Another ping chimed in his mind.
[Blessing of the Tides] Activated.
[MP Regeneration: +100%. SP Regeneration: +100%. Cooldown Reduction: +25%. Spell Power: +30%.]
He felt it instantly. The world breathed with him. The raindrops were dancing over his skin like whispers, like greeting an old friend. His hands trembled—not from fear, but from the sheer pressure of power rushing through his veins.
But then, a familiar voice cut through the storm.
"Percy!" his mother called from the apartment. "Lunch is ready!"
Percy nearly fell off the fire escape. "Coming!"
He rushed back inside, sealed the window, and dismissed the storm—watching as the winds instantly died, and the clouds slowly parted. The downpour stopped like someone had flipped a switch.
His MP bar ticked down, but not by much.
Downstairs, the apartment smelled like heaven—or at least, as close as heaven could get when living in Hell's Kitchen. Grilled cheese and tomato soup. His stomach growled.
His mom was already seated, smiling gently, still in her work clothes, her hair tied back. "Eat fast, sweetie. I have to head back to the candy shop soon."
The bathroom mirror was slightly fogged when Percy reentered the apartment, barefoot and half-dried, hair still clinging to his forehead. His hoodie was damp from where the summoned wave had clapped him, but his grin hadn't left since he'd walked away from the East River.
Power. Real power. Not the kind that made you popular or helped with grades—but the kind that moved the world.
And yet, as soon as he opened the door to the apartment, the feeling evaporated.
The smell of cheap beer. Stale cigarettes. Sweat and grease layered over each other like a thick, invisible film. Gabe had left his mark.
"Percy?" His mom's voice floated in from the kitchen, soft and warm. "You're back?"
"Yeah," he called, dropping his soaked hoodie on the chair. "Went for a walk."
She appeared a moment later, wiping her hands on a faded dish towel. Sally Jackson looked tired—but always smiled for him. Her eyes flickered down to his wet shirt, but she didn't comment.
She rarely did when something about him didn't make sense.
"I heated up some blue grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch," she said. "Thought you might want some before Gabe gets home."
Percy's stomach growled at the mention. "You're the best."
They sat together at the tiny kitchen table. The overhead light flickered, casting soft shadows over the stained wallpaper. Sally set a plate of slightly-overcooked blue grilled cheese sandwich, in front of him, doused in love.
They ate in quiet for a moment. Percy's fingers tapped the edge of the table.
"Mom," he said, voice dropping. "Do we have to keep putting up with him?"
She froze. Just for a moment. Then resumed chewing and swallowed slowly.
"You know the answer."
"But I can—" he stopped himself. She didn't know. And the system didn't exactly give him a tutorial for stepfathers.
She looked at him, really looked. "You know what happens if we push too hard, Percy. The rent. The groceries. That job at the candy shop only pays so much."
"I hate him," Percy muttered.
She didn't scold him. Just looked down at her plate.
"I know."
The silence stretched again. Percy stuffed the last bite into his mouth and pushed the plate aside.
"Thanks for lunch. I'm gonna… go lie down for a bit."
"Alright, honey."
He turned to go but stopped at the doorframe, glancing back. "Hey. I love you."
Sally smiled, and for once, it didn't look tired.
As if summoned by spite, the apartment door creaked. The unmistakable snort of Gabe Ugliano echoed from the hall. Smelly Gabe.
"Where's my beer?" came the gruff voice.
Percy stiffened. His jaw clenched.
Sally put a hand on his. "Don't. Not now. Just eat."
Percy swallowed his anger. He hated the way Gabe treated her—like she was furniture. Like Percy was trash. Gabe was loud, fat, mean, and stunk like moldy onions and cigarettes. And worst of all… Sally always put him first to protect Percy.
"You know," Percy muttered between bites, "one day I'm gonna be strong enough to punch that guy into a dumpster."
She gave a tired smile. "Let's not talk about dumpsters at the table."
Percy nodded.
But inside?
He was already imagining it.
The blue pancakes had settled like warm bricks in Percy's stomach, but sleep was the last thing on his mind.
He shut the bedroom door, flopped onto the mattress, and stared up at the ceiling.
"…System?" he asked aloud.
[Yes?]
The Voice answered immediately, a faint hum of presence in the back of his mind.
"I need a plan," Percy said slowly. "I'm Level 2 now, but I've got no XP left. So how am I supposed to get stronger? How do I level up?"
There was a pause. Then—
[Experience is primarily earned by completing quests, defeating enemies, surviving life-threatening events, and growing as a person.]
"Life-threatening events?" he muttered.
"Great."
Still, he sat up, thinking. Quests. That meant objectives, right? Something trackable. Something he could do.
"Can I get a list of available quests?" Percy asked.
[You currently have 1 active quest.]
[Quest: Beginner's Trial – Master the Current]
Description: You've awakened to your divine heritage, but strength without control is dangerous. Learn to command your element.
Requirements:
• Use [Hydrokinesis] 10 times
• Successfully land 3 direct hits with it
• Discover one new application of water manipulation.
[Rewards]:
• +100 XP
• +1 Hydrokinesis technique
Percy read through the objectives carefully, his brow furrowing in concentration.
"So… use it, land a few hits, and figure out something new. Got it."
It was doable. He didn't have any enemies to fight—not unless he counted Gabe. But the public pool wasn't far, and Central Park had fountains, ponds, maybe even enough open space to try some real testing.
He cracked his knuckles.
"Time to master the current."
————————————————————
The floor creaked softly under his feet as Percy crept down the hallway, his heart racing—not from fear, but anticipation. He paused at the bathroom door, glanced behind him, and slipped inside.
Lock.
Click.
The dim, yellowish light flickered on. A rusted faucet dripped rhythmically into the stained sink, and the old tile was cold beneath his bare feet. It wasn't glamorous, but it would do.
"Alright," he muttered, rolling his shoulders. "Let's see what I can really do."
He reached out, fingers extended toward the sink. His will sharpened like a blade.
[Hydrokinesis Activated.]
Water bent unnaturally mid-fall. The droplets hovering in midair shimmered, trembling like they were waiting for permission.
Percy exhaled slowly. He pushed forward.
The entire stream of water arced up—sliding out of the faucet, spiraling midair like a silver serpent. It coiled above his hand as he moved it left and right, forming loops, spikes, even a spinning disc. The system responded instantly:
[Hydrokinesis Use: 1/10]
[Hydrokinesis Use: 2/10]
He grinned.
"You're mine now."
He made it lash out toward the shower curtain. The stream whipped forward—smack!—cutting through the vinyl like a knife
[Direct Hit Registered: 1/3]
[Hydrokinesis Use: 3/10]
Percy kept going. He compressed the water into a fist-sized orb and launched it at the toilet. It exploded with a splash against the lid.
[Direct Hit Registered: 2/3]
[Hydrokinesis Use: 4/10]
A few more waves, spirals, and lashes followed. He was getting faster. More confident.
[Hydrokinesis Use: 5/10]
[Hydrokinesis Use: 6/10]
[Hydrokinesis Use: 7/10]
Then, curiosity sparked. Percy stared at the hovering stream and thought: What if I held it? Shaped it?
He focused harder.
The water twisted, condensed—not into a whip or orb—but something solid.
A vaguely sword shape formed. A crude imitation of an actual knife, but perfectly still and balanced in midair.
Percy stared at the fluid shape he'd formed, its edge too dull—too unstable. It shimmered in the air, threatening to collapse back into a puddle.
Too messy, he thought. Not useful.
He narrowed his eyes, the memory of Gabe's ugly voice barking in the back of his head.
"Useless brat—go do something for once in your life!"
Percy's fingers curled tighter.
Fine. I'll make something useful.
He focused.
The sloshing blob of water twitched—twisted. The rounded edges pulled inward, hardening. Liquid thinned, narrowed. Droplets compressed so tightly the shape grew sharp, lean, and dangerous.
A dagger.
Thin as bone, elegant as ice. The translucent blade hovered in the air, edge gleaming faintly in the dim bathroom light. Ripples flickered across its surface like muscle memory. It floated above his palm.
[Hydrokinesis Milestone Reached.]
[New Technique Unlocked: Create Water Construct]
[Technique Unlocked: Create Water Construct]
[Type]: Active (Sub-Skill of Hydrokinesis)
[Description]: Allows the user to shape stable water-based constructs. These can be used for utility, combat, or defense. Size and durability scale with INT and MP invested.
• Current Use: Water Knife
• Current Limit: 1 construct, up to 1 feet long
• Constructs last up to 1 minute unless destroyed
[Cost]: 25 MP per summon + 3 MP/sec to maintain.
————————————————————
He took a breath.
The knife didn't waver.
Percy flicked his fingers—and the weapon shot forward like a dart. It struck the tiled wall with a crack, water splashing outward.
[Direct Hit Registered: 3/3]
[Hydrokinesis Use: 8/10]
He wasn't done.
Grinning, he summoned more water from the sink, forming a tendril and whipping it across the room.
[Hydrokinesis Use: 9/10]
Then again, launching it like a spear.
[Hydrokinesis Use: 10/10]
[Quest Completed: Beginner's Trial – Master the Current]
[Rewards Gained]:
• +100 XP
• +1 Hydrokinesis Technique (Claimed: [Create Water Construct])
A soft chime echoed in his head. For a second, he just stood there, the fading dagger melting into a puddle at his feet.
"I did it," Percy said softly. Then louder, laughing: "I actually did it."