Ocean Song's Divine Sense spread out before him, pushed to its limit. He flew faster than he had ever before, becoming a shooting star in the air.
He followed the direction of the Lightning Storm, the proverbial Eye of it.
He was beyond worried, panicked even.
Was it his fault? The time line was completely wrong, did his actions cause deviations enough that calamity found his younger brother earlier than expected?
He wanted time to help his junior brother, to give him aid and direction so his early years would not be so painful.
Yet, everything had turned to chaos without warning.
It was his instincts as a Cultivator, he knew that Percy was the center of the Divine turmoil he perceived high up in the sky.
The Lord of Heaven was angry, and the world was feeling his wrath.
It wasn't just the Skies, he could feel it as well, the source of his own Divine Bloodline. His Father's power also manifested, as if to content with the sky, the two forces clashed, invisibly to most the world, revealed only in the form of a chaotic storm.
Madam Jackson and his Junior Brother should have been on the coast, enjoying a small reprieve from the world, yet the storm was centered more towards the camp.
It didn't take a genius to know what was going on and where he should head.
His Cultivation base rotated at extreme speeds, and he covered the distance of miles in the blink of an eye, his Divine Sense finding his target.
As he got closer, he began to notice lightning dropping from the sky indiscriminately.
Ocean Song didn't know the reason for this wonton display of power, but it was a move by the Lord of Heaven to sidestep some restrictions. His direct moves were limited if he wanted to strike down someone he wanted to. He had yet to make a direct strike against them yet, and the Ancient Laws and Rules prohibited too many direct moves even against a mortal, however a random Lightning Storm had nothing to do with him if it just so happened to turn his intended target to ash.
No, Ocean Song had no time to contemplate any deep meanings as he flew through the sky at his fastest speed.
His Divine Sense narrowed in and finally found them. He vaguely recognized the car, albeit the side of it was scorched from an assumingly recent lightning strike and it had come to a stop.
It wasn't just the Lightning either.
His Divine Sense picked them out from far away, but getting closer, he could smell them too. There was a plethora of other monsters around, a handful were particularly powerful. Sweeping his Divine Sense over Percy who was awkwardly huddled in the car, he noticed that his protective Talisman was nowhere to be seen.
The sky above them rumbled and another bolt of Lightning dropped. Ocean Song's eyes lit up with anger and from a distance away, he slashed through the air. Dozens of sword slashes tore through the air, monster body parts were severed from all over the place.
With grace, Ocean Song landed on the top of the car before the Lightning landed, and he gripped his sword with both hands and swung upwards. Despite it being a random Lightning bolt, it still carried with it a weight that was hard to describe.
It took Ocean Song releasing his Qi in earnest to deflect it away from the car.
Despite the sky still rumbling, and various lightning falling in other places, there seemed to be a strange silence that overcame the surroundings. The ministrations of the monsters ceased abruptly, atleast the ones still alive. The majority who had just been killed and turned to dust were but cannon fodder not worth mentioning.
"It seems that my words were taken for wind." Ocean Song's voice carried, reaching the ears of every Monster in the vicinity. "I will be sure to do a thorough cleaning once tonight's matters are settled."
The car doors were forced opened, ignoring any sense of delicateness to the vehicle as both mother and child nearly fell out.
"Pimp bro!?" Percy called out to him.
"Junior Brother, Madam." Ocean song greeted them. Despite him feeling pleased at their safety, there was a strange forboding feeling that tingled down his spine. There were eyes on him, and Percy. Eyes that he couldn't shake, thus he could only summarize that they were Divine in Nature. Other than the two forces colliding mid-air at the moment.
He wasn't obtuse to not realize he wouldn't enter the eyes of the Lord of Heaven the moment he made his arrival known.
He felt lucky that his presence previously – when he was flying through the Domain of the Sky – was treated as nothing more than an insect not worth noticing.
"What happened?" Ocean Song looked at them both, confused at how this sequence of events came to pass. It was earlier than he remembered Percy's escape to Camp Half Blood should have occurred.
And realization dawned on him, that Satyr friend of his was nowhere to be seen either.
Things had changed drastically.
"Some biker dude saw me playing with the water and grabbed the paper you gave me!" Percy threw his hands up wildly, still clearly trembling and his adrenaline running high. "Then a little bit later, a bunch of monsters came after us!"
"….I grabbed him and quickly tried to drive to the Camp." Madam Jackson finished, shivering herself, less 'excitedly' than Percy, like she was forcing herself not to freak out.
Ocean Song could fill in the blanks there.
He knew one 'person' who could be described as a 'biker dude' as Percy said. However, the coincidence was staggering, enough to make Ocean Song guess that it wasn't merely Coincidence, perhaps certain forces moved to try and force events on a certain track.
If the God of War ran into Percy, an undisclosed Son of Poseidon, there's no way he could just let him be. Finding the Talisman, he would certainly take that away to watch Percy scramble to 'protect himself'. Maybe he found out that the Monsters in the area refused to make a move, and resorted to other means….
And undoubtedly, it seemed he informed the Lord of Heaven if the sky was anything to go by.
Suffice to say, it turned into a complete mess.
Ocean Song's thoughts on the matter were disrupted as a roar shook the surroundings. Trees nearby trembled and were knocked down in the forestry. A big figure pushed through the foliage, two horns on its head and the body of a bipedal bull combined with a man.
"The Minotaur?" Ocean Song's gaze landed on the creature.
"Let's run!" Madam Jackson quickly blurted out, recognizing the creature of Myth and Legends as well.
"That's a buff cow!" Percy helpfully added. "Come on, Pimp Bro. Don't mess with a guy wearing Tidy Whities, they got nothing to lose." Percy reached up to grab the corner of Ocean Song's robes while his own mother grabbed at him to pull him in the opposite direction.
Ocean Song found the gesture warming.
And what Percy said was true, why was the Minotaur wearing a pair of white underpants and nothing else?
"Do you remember what I said, Madam Jackson?" Ocean Song Lifted his blade, casting a disdainful look towards the Minotaur who was kicking the ground like he wanted to charge. "As long as I'm here, no danger will befall you." He accentuated it with a swing of his blade.
A single flash of light shot out, cleaving the ground and through the forest.
The Minotaur who commanded a certain presence, it halted in its movement, and slowly its two sides slid apart, each falling to opposite sides, hitting the ground briefly before turning to dust.
Ocean Song gracefully stepped off the top of the car to the gob smacked looks of his younger brother and his mother.
"Holy shit, you're like an anime character." Percy blinked.
Foolish younger brother, the only thing more powerful than Anime is Xianxia!
Truly, he had much to teach his younger brother.
Ocean Song's smile faltered as his eyes widened, instincts screaming at him. Without even a second to speak a word, he grasped at the air around both of them and threw it to the side abruptly. It was rough, they hit the ground hard and rolled several times, scrapes and bruises inevitable, but Ocean Song couldn't worry about that.
He grabbed his sword, and his Qi exploded, the sky above turned into pure white as a large bolt of Lightning came crashing down, carrying with it the weight of authority and the Sky.
Ocean Song's Cultivation Base rotated at its fastest speeds, utilizing all the Qi he could muster in this brief moment, he swung his sword up.
"Ocean Sword, Third Form – Calm Waters!" The most aggressively gentle of his sword moves was released.
The First form – Crashing Waves, was a means to put as much power possible into a singular attack. The Second Form – Chaotic Tides, was a means of speed, attacking plentifully and quickly, but less 'powerful' in each strike.
The Third Move, it carried neither of those two principles, and it was the most difficult of the three grouped sword moves.
The Third move, its purpose was to render all attacks ineffectual. It wasn't a means of attack, but of defense!
To forcibly turn the rampaging sea back to calmness!
To anyone watching, it looked like a single and casual horizontal slash by Ocean Song, but the world seemed to be split in two. An area around him turned to complete harmony and peace, and the desire for destruction coming from the sky crashed headlong into it.
The Sword collided with the Divine Lightning and a cataclysmic thunderclap resounded. Percy and Sally had to shield their eyes and brace themselves, not clearing seeing what occurred.
However, many more eyes had been attracted to the Lord of Heaven's overt move. They had witnessed who he attempted to smite, and who stood in his path, and they witnessed the sword move as well.
Once the dust settled, all eyes fell on the Cyclops.
Ocean Song stood in a crater, breathing heavily, the edges of his robes were charred and burnt, with some of the same across his arms and skin. He threw up a mouthful of blood, and his legs trembled slightly, but he stood tall.
Ocean Song was gratefully to Thor for letting him experience the Divine might of a god's Divine Lightning. He feared if he never went to Asgard, he would have been in much worse shape.
However, he avoided the vast majority of the attack through his Sword Move, proving its power to anyone who watched.
Thunder boomed overhead, and there seemed to be a hint of surprise and confusion coming from it.
Likewise, Poseidon who was watching, while utterly furious, also seemed to pause in surprise at the power of his son.
Oh, he was most certainly surprised at his sudden appearance, but he had no time to question it and simply felt grateful to his weirdest son for protecting his younger brother and his mother.
Despite what was happening, just as Zeus was limited in the aggression he could dish out, Poseidon was possibly more limited in the 'help' he was allowed to give.
"Pimp bro!" Percy tried to run at Ocean Song, but the Cyclops held a hand up, and Percy felt like he hit an invisible wall before his mom grabbed him.
She looked at him with clear worry and helplessness, but it was obvious where her priority laid at.
"Take him." He gave her a good-natured smile despite the situation. "I have a plan, don't worry. As long as I draw breath, you will come to no harm." He took a deep breath and swung his sword again, a path through the forest was opened up, hundreds of trees felled and any monster still lurking nearby had been killed or scared off.
She couldn't relay her thanks verbally, her concern was getting Percy to safety, and she basically dragged him away, the camp being nearby.
Though, realistically, the Lord of Heaven could just smite them at any time.
But Ocean Song was being truthful when he said he had a plan.
Only….it was a bad plan.
Ocean Song wasn't the source of Zeus's ire, simply an annoyance at the moment, and he would focus his attention on Percy. Therefore, the only course of action was to draw Zeus's attention away from them.
How does one do that?
By challenging their pride.
Ocean Song's face hardened. "Lord of Heaven, dare you strike at me again!?" His voice rang out, loud enough thateveryonecould hear.
It was a challenge towards Zeus's authority.
The rumbling skies, and the gaze he had locked onto Percy was abruptly torn away and it landed back on Ocean Song.
Ocean Song couldfeel it.
The Intense Gaze of a powerful God was drilling into him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he felt death approaching quickly.
Far from the fight with Thor, this was a genuine desire to destroy him.
Zeus couldn't ignore the 'challenge'. Everyone was watching, and his pride wouldn't allow him to look weak to the other gods.
Poseidon knew what he was doing and said nothing, even letting up on his own release of power against Zeus's.
"I have long heard the name of the Lord of Heaven. This lowly Cyclops has withstood your strike, has this one has earned the right to make a request?" Ocean Song spoke full of confidence despite speaking complete bullshit.
Half of his nonsense was just to keep Zeus's attention and buy time, but to his surprise, he heard the voice of Zeus.
"And what do you want to say, monster?" Zeus's voice boomed, yet it was restrained. Sure, the other deities could hear him, but he wasn't projecting himself to every set of ears like Ocean Song did.
Despite Zeus's anger and his own pride being ruffled, he contemplated Ocean Song's words and found himself curious about the Cyclops.
"My brother is but a child, and his mother but a mortal. I know not what righteous anger they have earned from the Lord of Heaven, but I will take their punishment in their place. This lowly Cyclops is ignorant about the world, the Ancient Rules and Laws are fantastical concepts that I know little of. However, gods are limited in their actions. I openly invite the Lord of Heaven to strike me in their place." He held up two fingers. "Two strikes, one for each, one has been used. Thus, I will take one more strike and let all karma be reaped and all debts settled, regardless of the outcome."
There was a strange silence overhead.
Zeus was surprised by this Monster.
And Ocean Song chose his words carefully, making sure not to paint Zeus as a bully, but someone seeking righteous punishment, giving him face and an out despite challenging his pride.
The fact that so many eyes were now watching did make Zeus reluctant to literally strike down a child and mortal for petty reasons. Sure, his Masterbolt had been stolen, but genuinely, it was hard to prove that this young demigod was responsible. The situation escalated because Poseidon matched his anger and as the King of Gods, Zeus couldn't back down.
And if Ocean Song so blatantly challenged Zeus, that means Poseidon couldn't interfere at all.
And lastly, Zeus was wary of a Cyclops suddenly popping up that could withstand a casual 'smiting' of his.
If he could remove possibly one of Poseidon's carefully trained and raised children, wouldn't that still be beneficial if they ended up going to war over his stolen Masterbolt?
There was no reason to refuse as the younger demigod could be killed at his leisure when no one else was watching.
Zeus considered his proposal, but Ocean Song was wrong about one thing. "One strike for each of them, but you forgot your own strike, for your impudence." It was the punishment for challenging him.
Three strikes in total would be allowed in accordance with the Ancient Laws, one had been delivered, so two more remained.
Ocean Song didn't argue, this was already the best outcome he could hope for.
He made a promise, he intended to keep it.
"Then this lowly Cyclops requests pointers from the Lord of Heaven." Ocean Song lifted his sword up, inviting him.
Zeus, despite having the desire to turn him into a pile of ash, did admire the monster. He could recognize the eloquence in which he spoke, and the courage to face his lightning head on even if it angered the god.
If the Cyclops had happened to be born a son of Zeus, the Sky God would have treated him very well and lovingly.
The sky above rumbled, and from one horizon to another, dark clouds gathered and condensed.
"You have strayed too far from the Sea." Zeus's voice boomed outwards.
Ocean Song smiled wryly, he spoke confidently before, but he didn't have much confidence. Just the feeling along, he could tell it was about as strong as the blow that Thor used to utterly defeat him.
But he was stronger this time around. He had increased his Cultivation Base by a whole small realm.
And Ocean Song had his own tricks. The Three Ocean Swords weren't his only Sword moves. He still had a handful of others that were created separately.
Ocean Song ran two fingers down the edge of his blade, his Qi swirling at his movements as he pointed the tip of his blade up at the accompanying thunderclaps high above. The swirling Qi took form, and a Dragon's roar shook the world.
It started from his blade and coiled around him almost protectively, the faint image and outline of an Eastern Dragon, and it looked up to the sky in anticipation.
"Even the smallest carp can become a dragon and ascend to the Heavens." Ocean Song looked up along with his manifestation.
Intertwining his Water Qi and Sword Intent, it created the phantom of a Dragon!
The sky illuminated with lightning and it encompassed Ocean Song's entire vision, but he met it head on.
"Flood Dragon Soars to the Skies!" He swung his sword up to meet it head on and the Dragon let out a roar, meeting the Lightning Bolt in the sky.
The Flood Dragon created from his Water Qi and Sword Move collided with the Divine Lightning of Zeus, creating another cataclysmic impact in the sky.
Despite the grandeur and power of his Sword Move, Ocean Song could see right away that he had lost the exchange.
It only held on for a few breaths before the lightning tore through the attack and cascaded downwards onto him.
He didn't panic though.
His Third Eye opened, and power filled his body. His Physical body's strength increased by several degrees, and a baleful Demonic Qi enveloped him before he swung his sword again with a roar of his own. The Bolt of Lightning landed upon him and created a pillar that connected Heaven and Earth, consuming everything around it and Ocean Song did his best to protect himself.
His Flood Dragon Soars to the Skies, and even opening his Third Eye to make his Physical body stronger, it was merely enough to keep himself from dying.
Once the lightning cleared again, Ocean Song was forced to the ground.
More blood was thrown up, and his robes had been torn to tatters. His body was cracked and scared, charred and blackened in various places. Blood flowed down his body and his vision became blurry.
Despite this, Ocean Song pushed himself up to his feet, wobbling and nearly falling over, using his sword to support himself.
The 'full' attack from the Lord of Heaven, yet the Cyclops in the eyes of all the Gods remained alive and 'standing'.
Not even Zeus's fellow gods would want to be struck by that attack, let alone a mere monster.
Zeus had the intention to immediately throw another bolt of lightning, destroying this…monsterand nipping a potential worry in the bud. However, a strange feeling rose up inside of him and stayed his hand.
Admiration?
He admired the courage of the monster before, but this was on another level.
"Your name." Zeus's voice reached out again.
Ocean Song was breathing heavily, but he forced himself to stand straight under the cries of his body. "Ocean Song, son of Poseidon."
"I will remember it." The skies crackled and boomed again.
Zeus decided not to give him another chance. He put in a significant amount of his power into this Lightning Bolt, going far beyond the last one, and the last one could be compared to the strike from Thor by his hammer that completely took out Ocean Song in their fight.
Ocean Song slapped his storage bag and produced the remaining bits of the Golden Apple Piece and swallowed them without hesitation. The Qi inside of him exploded again, the new surge did a bit to start mending his body, and his Golden Core began to refine everything it could, but it was far too much and extremely dangerous.
Unfortunately, he had no other choice.
The Qi inside him Rampaged and he couldn't refine it properly, so all he could do was direct it.
He had a trump card still.
He could unseal his sword, but he rejected that notion for now. Rather, he had a Sword technique he had yet to utilize.
He created it during a moment of enlightenment and inspiration, and totally not something he stole from somewhere else. But he couldn't practice it properly because it was a move far beyond what his current Cultivation could support.
Barely, he managed to get the basic outline of the Sword Skill solidified and kept it as a forbidden technique.
With the surge of Qi flowing through him, he looked up at the gathering Lightning that reached a precipice and fell down.
It was many times larger and more powerful than the previous one.
With the confrontation imminent, and all eyes locked on the Cyclops and Zeus, no one noticed the Mists around Ocean Song acting….oddly.
Ocean Song put every bit of Qi he had and pushed forward into his blade and ground beneath him trembled violently and quaked in response.
He swung his sword up and the world shattered.
"Breaking the Sky!"
(Line break)
A/N
Ocean Song finally gets his Lightning Tribulation!
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