Chapter 9: Training

~Susa Shrine, Shimane Prefecture. 1 Year since Percy's Arrival~

3rd Person POV

Percy sat on the roof of the temple in lotus position and meditated as the sun rose in the Sunrise Kingdom. He was more at peace than he had ever been in his young life at 15. He had grown over his year in Japan and now stood at 5 foot 11 inches, well muscled yet lean, like a combination of a swimmer and a hunter.

His raven black hair had grown to his shoulders and was tied back in a messy bun and his eyes remained the swirling sea-green with silver flecks with the thundercloud gray ring around the iris. But now, the sea-green pulsated with power and the thundercloud gray crackled like electricity. He had the look of serenity etched on his face in his sky blue kimono, but if one were to look into his eyes, they wouldn't miss the mirth and mischievous twinkle that seemed to reside permanently within them.

He had mediatated a lot over the past year and the roof of the temple was his favorite place to do it. He inhaled deeply and held it for a count of four before exhaling, as he looked back to his training.

~Flashback: 1st Month of Training~

Percy POV

"Chakra?" I questioned and looked at my father incredulously. "Yes, chakra. It is an internal energy that resides in all beings. In Shinto culture of old, warriors were able to harness their internal energy to amplify their strength, speed, and senses," Father told me and I nodded without fully understanding.

"With your demigod abilities, you can take it a step further and supplement your chakra with your powers and vice versa. Given that you are my son and have Poseidon's powers as well, you will be able to enhance your physical abilities with those powers," he said.

"But how will that be different than how I manipulate the water or winds currently?" I asked and Susano'o sighed. "Currently, you manipulate them with your heritage alone. It is like you have an untapped power reserve. It is not as potent as it should be; your chakra reserves are still well above an average mortal's, yet they are not quite equal to other full blooded Shinto or Shinto demigod's of the past, likely because of your Greek side," Father said.

"So, with my chakra, I would get a boost in physical and demigod abilities. How much?" I asked and he scrunched his face in thought. "It's hard to say, your chakra reserves are smaller than if you had solely my… DNA within you. Either way it will be rigorous training, but you will likely have an affinity for water, lightning, and wind chakra natures with a little use for earth given Poseidon's domain of Earthquakes," Father finished and I contemplated his words.

"Okay. How do we start?" I asked and Father grimaced. "Your chakra is untapped currently, like I said, so I will have to...jumpstart your chakra nodes, so to speak," he said as he placed a hand on my forehead. "What do you me-" I began before a searing pain entered my head through his palm. I screamed until the pain subsided and panted heavily.

"Sorry about that," he said and I grunted in response before I felt it. The strange energy I felt when I came to the homeland was all around me and I felt more connected to it. It was like sensing auras, but sharper and easier to sense. "Whoa," I said and my father chuckled. "Come. Let's begin," he said and we vanished to the Yaegaki Shrine in Matsue.

3rd Person POV

For the entire first month of his training, Percy alternated between meditating and honing his chakra control at different temples (Susa Shrine, Yaegaki Shrine, Suga Shrine, and Kumano Taisha) so that he could channel it into his hand-to-hand combat, formerly called taijutsu. His father refused to let him try any shape or nature manipulation or jutsu. It was increasingly frustrating for the demigod.

He also spent time with his taijutsu and weapons training. He had the same routine nearly everyday for the first month: wake up, strength and endurance training, breakfast, chakra control training, lunch, taijutsu training, dinner, weapons training, bed.

It was tedious and bitter work and he was often scolded by his father and Kushinadahime-sama for his slow progress and impatience, but he just grit his teeth and continued forward.

~4 Months into Training~

Percy had been allowed to implement his chakra control into his taijutsu when he was sparring for the last two months [AN: two months of just training control and two months of implementing it into his fighting.] and it did make his attacks sharper and more powerful.

He continued to meditate every morning in hopes to perfect his control and trained with his weapons every evening. Susano'o was reluctant to allow him to train with Anaklusmos, but Percy told him the story of his sister, Zoe, and he agreed. Kushinadahime-sama came around to observe his training more as time went by, but hardly spoke to the demigod.

Percy was just glad that she wasn't audibly berating him or trying to kill him.

~7 Months into Training~

The next step of his training was to start infusing chakra with nature and shape. He was forbidden from using his demigod abilities except for after training to heal and recover during that portion of it so he could learn the limits of his chakra reserves and control.

Kushinadahime-sama came around frequently to help him with the hand signs that were required to infuse his chakra. She was slowly warming up to the boy, but hardly spoke to him other than to correct his mistakes. She also taught him more of the history behind the hand signs so Percy wouldn't think that it was all ridiculous.

The jutsu he could use were of water, lightning, wind, and earth natures, but they were neither traditionally powerful nor unique, not that he cared. Percy made them powerful with solely his chakra reserves and control and they would only be more powerful once he was allowed to infuse his demigod abilities with them.

From Water Release he could use Suiton: Teppoudama (Water Release: Bullet. Hand signs: Tiger) and Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Dragon Technique. Hand signs: Ox, Monkey, Hare, Rat, Boar, Bird, Ox, Horse, Bird, Rat, Tiger, Dog, Tiger, Snake, Ox, Ram, Snake, Boar, Ram, Rat, Yang Water, Monkey, Bird, Dragon, Bird, Ox, Horse, Ram, Tiger, Snake, Rat, Monkey, Hare, Boar, Dragon, Ram, Rat, Monkey, Bird, Yang Water, Rat, Boar, Bird), the latter being his most powerful standing at about 30 feet.

From Lightning Release he would really only use Raiton: Chidori (Lightning Release: Lightning Blade. Hand signs: Ox, Hare, Monkey) which coated his fist or weapons in lightning. From Wind Release he could use Fuuton: Reppushou (Wind Release: Gale Palm. Hand signs: Snake, Ram, Boar, Horse, Bird, *clap hands together*) and Fuuton: Kazekiri no Jutsu (Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique. Hand signs: Tiger, Hare, Dog, Ram, Dragon), the latter stronger than the prior, but not his strongest technique yet the Wind Release was stronger than any other besides Water.

The only technique he learned to use from Earth Release was Doton: Doryuuheki (Earth Release: Mud Wall. Hand signs: Tiger, Hare, Boar, Dog) for defensive purposes; otherwise he would call on his earthshaker abilities and boost them with chakra without the control of a technique. By that point in his training, he could only use Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu once before he was completely spent and his other techniques five to eight times at moderate strength before he couldn't infuse any more chakra.

That was how his training changed at that point. He would wake up, meditate and train his chakra control, breakfast, spar with Yama-no-Kami (God of Wolves) using his techniques and taijutsu, lunch, weapons training with Hachiman (God of War, Battler, Bravery, and Honor), dinner, then he had free time to train on his own or explore the country.

~10 Months into Training~

The final step in his training was learning to infuse his chakra into his demigod abilities. A lot of the training was meditation, working to blend his auras of Shinto and Greek into his chakra reserves. It was by far the hardest part of his training and taxed him the greatest both physically and mentally.

The rewards were worth it. His demigod abilities saw substantial growth with the use of his chakra as both the strength and duration he could use them was tripled until he emptied his chakra reserves. Once he did, he could use his demigod abilities only at half strength for nearly an hour afterward. With both demigod abilities and chakra, his Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu topped out at around 80 feet (on a full tank) and his wind powers increased nearly to the same degree. He was as fast as he used to be with just wind manipulation with solely his chakra, and if he infused them together, he neared the sound barrier yet couldn't quite break it.

He became rather close with Yama-no-Kami-sama and Hachiman-sama during said training and they treated him as a younger brother and his relationship with Kushinadahime-sama finally bloomed. They would share meals together and talk about their pasts and what they had hoped for the future. She became another motherly figure in the young demigod's life and he was eternally grateful for it.

Some of the other deities were aware of his presence and simply observed him from afar while he developed and polished his skills, but the two that loathed him and saw him as a freak were Yamata-no-Orochi-sama and Amaterasu-sama. They frequently sent monsters after the boy whenever he ventured into the country to explore and envelope himself in the culture that he had come to love.

Kushinadahime-sama taught him a great deal about several traditions and how respect to his elders was a pillar of Shinto and Japanese culture. Percy showed respect, but he still had his rebellious attitude when it came to those who he hadn't deemed worthy of his respect; namely Yamata-no-Orochi-sama and Amaterasu-sama (he still added the honorifics to avoid scolding from Kushinadahime-sama).

~Flashback End~

Percy POV

I finished my meditation for the morning and headed back to the shrine for breakfast with Kushinadahime-sama. Today was to be the last day of my training; my final test, and I was excited, but incredibly nervous.

"Ohayo, Kushinadahime-sama," I said as I walked into the shrine. She greeted me with a smile and I sat down on the mat for breakfast. "Itadakimasu," I said with a smile and dug into the meal. "Are you ready for today?" Kushinadahime-sama asked me and I nodded with a mouthful of rice and egg before swallowing. "As ready as I'll ever be," I replied and she nodded. "You will fight both Yama-no-Kami-sama and Hachiman-sama 1v1 today for your final test," she said and I gulped before steeling my nerves and nodding.

"Are you ready, Koinu (Pup)?" Yama-no-Kami-sama asked me and I nodded and got into my stance. On an unspoken cue, I threw three of my kunai toward him and rushed forward. He easily dodged all three and met my charge in the middle where we began taijutsu. We were both a flurry of punches and kicks that were blocked and returned by the two of us at a blinding speed.

He threw a feint and I bit and lunged forward to be met with a palm to the chin and a spinning kick that sent me flying back several meters. He was on me again, preventing me from charging, but I leapt backward 10 meters and performed hand signs. "Suiton: Teppoudama!" I yelled and sent six water bullets from my mouth toward him. He dodged all six, but I had anticipated he would. I used the vapor that resulted from the strikes to vapor travel behind him and threw a punch that he blocked, but I followed it immediately with a kick to his body.

He gasped at the force of the kick and was launched several meters to my left, but before he hit the ground, he shifted into his wolf form (silver and stood at five feet tall) and charged again to meet my own. I had been fighting against his wolf form for some time and knew that he was a lot faster in it. Knowing this, I relied more on my senses than my eyes and realized that he was going to strike from my 8'oclock.

"Doton: Doryuuheki!" and a wall of earth erupted between the two of us. I knew he would easily leap over it, so I timed my jump and caught him by his lupine midsection before he could react and squeezed with chakra control, cracking a few ribs. I then leaned back in a suplex motion and we both fell to the ground. Since he was longer, I knew he would hit first and he landed on his head.

I leapt away quickly to create space and heard him growl through the resulting dust cloud. In mere moments, we were both charging again, though this time he was back in his human form and the exchange began again. I hadn't realized how long we had been fighting because the adrenaline made it feel like an eternity.

I thought of an idea and executed it. "Fuuton: Reppushou!" I said as I ducked a punch into his guard and delivered a palm to his chin, sending him flying 50 feet into the air. I infused my demigod abilities with my chakra and faltered his recovery in midair long enough for me to use the winds to propel me above him as he reached the apex of the blow.

I brought my foot down hard with an ax kick and sent him crashing back down to the ground. I then vapor traveled down to the ground and rushed him before he could recover. "Raiton: Chidori!" I yelled and brought my open hand toward his chest in a thrusting motion, but stopped just short. "Dead," I said with a grin through panting breaths.

He looked up at me and chuckled. "Well done, Koinu. You've come a long way," he said as I helped him up, still breathing heavily. "Thanks, but we both know you held back a bit," I said in mock annoyance and he laughed again. "True, but that mud wall trick was well done. Not many people would be able to get out of that," he told me and I smiled again.

I heard a soft applause and saw Kushinadahime-sama and Father with pride oozing from their faces, making me smile again. "Take five minutes to prepare yourself," Hachiman-sama said and I nodded gratefully. I munched down some ambrosia and slugged some nectar that I had brought with me before my bout with the Shinto God of War, hoping the soreness and bruises would subside enough. "Let's go," he said and I nodded before approaching the sparring ground.

Hachiman-sama summoned his katana and I did the same with Kurouzu. "Come," he said and I used the winds to increase the speed of my chakra controlled charge. Hachiman-sama was by far the best swordsman I had ever faced and I believed he would wipe the floor with Ares and Athena without breaking a sweat.

His strikes were sharper than his blade and easily twice as powerful as mine. Speed would have been a better option against him, but he was fast too. I had to manipulate the winds with infused chakra just to match his speed. We slashed, parried, dodged, blocked, and rolled around each other's strikes as we stalemated. Then I realized that he had not moved from his spot and I growled

I used that frustration to increase my speed further and complimented my sword strikes with sharp icicles to further test his defenses. The icicles bounced off of his armor uselessly, but allowed enough of a distraction for me to land a few slashes on his legs, causing him to hiss in pain, before I retreated from a downward strike aimed for my head.

I was already tired, so the fight felt even longer than the previous one, but my drive to win and my adrenaline kept me moving. He then rushed me and caught me in the ribs with his fist, purging the air from my already burning lungs. I gasped and summoned winds to blast him back and push myself further from him so I could recover.

He didn't give me much time as he was on me again a moment later and the exchange began again. I was losing stamina and needed to come up with a plan and fast. I decided the winds would likely be my best shot, so I infused my demigod abilities with my chakra and launched three separate slashes from my sword, causing blades of wind to surge toward him. 'Like a shortcut for Fuuton: Kazekiri no Jutsu since I channel it through Kurouzu,' I mused.

He blocked all three, but before he could counter, I sprinted forward with the chakra infused winds at my back and sent one last wind blade toward his sword hand. It looked like I was aiming to disarm him with my katana and had come up short, but the winds came forward from it and disarmed him for me, using them like an extension to Kurouzu. His eyes went wide at the turn of events and I kicked him hard in the chest.

He stumbled back and I continued my rush and ended with Kurouzu at his throat. At the same time however, his blade flew back into his hand and he was poised for a downward strike to my head, stopping just short. I was panting, trying to fill my lungs with air as fast as I could as we stared at one another.

Then a smile cracked his stoic features. "Well done, Otouto-chan," he teased me and I rolled my eyes. "Whatever you say, Ojiisan," I cheekily replied and he clasped me on the shoulder and I took a step back and bowed.

3rd Person POV

"Very well done," Susano'o said to his son with pride as Kushinadahime-sama gave him a hug. Percy hugged her back and smiled. "You have been taught everything we can teach you. Now, you must continue training on your own," Susano'o said and Percy nodded. "Is it time then?" he asked and his father nodded. "Yes, but something for you to work on is chakra control with two natures called Kekkei Genkai. Simply apply two different chakra natures, one in each hand, and I will let you figure out the rest," Susano'o said with a wink.

"Not without a few gifts," Hachiman-sama said. "Hand me Kurouzu, Otouto-chan," he said and Percy did so with a mock scowl. While Hachiman-sama took his blade, Yama-no-Kami-sama turned to him. "I am impressed and proud of you, Koinu," he said and placed a hand on Percy's forehead, causing him to glow briefly.

"I have given you the ability to shift into one of my own, Koinu. I know you will bring me and your family honor," Yama-no-Kami-sama said and Percy grinned widely and gave him a hug after he bowed. "Here, Otouto-chan," Hachiman-sama said as he passed Kurouzu back to the boy. "I have blessed your blade to weaken your opponent's blade a small fraction with every strike that connects. I too know you will bring us honor," he said and Percy bowed again and smiled.

"We will transport you back to the States, somewhere on the West Coast," Susano'o said and Percy's things appeared next to him. He gave his final goodbyes to his mentors with a bow and turned to his father and his father's wife. "I cannot thank you enough, Kushinadahime-sama," Percy said in a bow and she slapped the back of his head.

"For you, it is 'Kushina-sama'. Stay safe and fight well," she said and hugged the demigod. He then turned to his father and bowed again. "Thank you, Father," he said and Susano'o pulled him into a hug. "You will do great things, my son. Live well and fight well, and when you want to return, bring that Daughter of Zeus with you," he said and added with a wink.

Percy's face turned beet red in embarrassment and made everyone else laugh. He chuckled after a bit too though the blood was still in his cheeks. He bid them one final farewell and disappeared in a storm cloud, only to reappear on the beach in California, near San Francisco.

'Man it's been awhile,' he thought as he shifted into his newly acquired lupine form and sprinted toward the forest, finally headed home.

Thalia POV

It had been a year since the death of Zoe and Percy left for Japan. I found myself thinking about him more than I thought was possible. 'He was a mess after Mount Othrys… I'm worried about him. I don't even know if he's alive… No, he has to be. He's been through hell already. Damn bastard didn't even say goodbye,' I mused as I exited my tent.

Life with the Hunt had been less than stellar. There have been no movements from the Titans that we were aware of, but more and more demigods were defecting each day and it's worrisome. I had only seen the campers twice and each time they had no news of Percy. Lady Artemis seemed distraught, but she masked it fairly well for the rest of us. Annabeth wasn't very happy with my joining the Hunt, but she got over it soon enough which I was glad for.

Phoebe and I have been competing for the position of lieutenant after Zoe's passing and I thought she was entirely deserving. She had been there just as long as Zoe had and I knew she would do fine. However, she insisted that I should be the lieutenant and finally after several months of back and forth, I accepted.

Admittedly, I was slightly afraid of what was to come, with Steven of all people being the child of prophecy, but I pushed it aside just as quickly. I could only keep going along with what was to come and take it a day at a time, but without any movement from the Titans and no quests, I had a terrible sense of doom looming overhead. I sighed and stepped into the dining tent to eat breakfast. 'I hope you're okay Percy,' I thought as I took my seat.

Artemis POV

I missed my son. He had been gone for a year and I have had no contact with him. I even missed his birthday! I was terribly worried, but I needed to remain strong for my hunters. I couldn't show weakness in a time like this. The Titans had made no such movements to our knowledge and my father was more paranoid that usual. 'I suppose it's acceptable to be paranoid this time,' I thought bitterly as the Hunt and I had just packed up camp.

We had an assignment to track down a pack of hellhounds in the Midwest. We hoped to cut them off before they could rally with any of the Titans' forces that we had to assume were in hiding. I was grateful for the assignments to keep my mind off of Perseus, but I couldn't shake the feeling that doom was coming.

'Be safe, my baby boy,' I thought as the Hunt moved out.

3rd Person POV

Percy was headed to rendezvous with the Hunt when he sensed a gathering of auras nearby. 'That's a lot of demigods in one place… the Titans?' he thought as he shifted his course and headed toward it. He was running for 15 minutes when he sensed other presences trailing him. 'Other wolves? Maybe they think I'm from a rival pack.

One of them stuck out among the rest of them and was stationary nearby. 'A God? Who's the Greek God/Goddess of Wolves?' he mused as he headed for the deity. In 20 minutes, he had arrived at a clearing where a lone and rather run down house stood; the source of the aura.

A dark brown wolf with silvery gray patches stepped out of the house and stared directly at the young lupine. She was nearly five feet tall on all fours almost as tall as Yama-no-Kami-sama but had a glare that was just as intense. Percy's wolf form was raven black like his hair with a silver streak in his hair from holding the sky a year ago and he stood at four feet tall.

'Who are you, Pup?' the wolf spoke in his head. Okay, definitely a Goddess Percy mused before he answered. 'Perseus' he replied as the pack moved to surround the wolf in the clearing. He thought against revealing his heritage and attempted to just pass as an omega. Percy was tense, but he knew better than to show any fear or submission.

'Where is your pack?' she asked and Percy took a step forward, causing growls from the pack. 'I was headed to rendezvous with them when I smelt another in the area and my curiosity got the best of me,' he answered.

'Not very wise, Pup. This is our territory,' she said and Percy tensed his muscles again in case he had to fight, though he wasn't sure how to do it well, being in that form for the first time. 'Indeed, it seems it wasn't… you're a goddess aren't you?' he asked and the wolf blinked. 'Yes. I am Lupa, Roman Goddess of Wolves and Mother of Rome,' she said and it was Percy's turn to go wide eyed.

The Romans are still around too. That must be their demigod camp I sensed then Percy mused as she approached closer. 'I wasn't aware the Romans were still around these days,' Percy said cautiously. 'Would that mean that you are not Roman?' she asked and the pack growled again. 'I suppose that you could call me a bit of a special case,' Percy replied as she began to circle the young wolf.

'That is not your real form, is it?' she asked and Percy shook his head no. 'Reveal yourself,' she demanded and Percy growled. 'Only if you swear on the Styx that I won't be attacked,' he replied back. 'A bit of a cheeky pup aren't you?' she said and Percy growled again. 'Very well. I swear on the Styx that we will not attack you when you reveal yourself,' she said and Percy nodded.

As he shifted back to his human form, the wolves went wide-eyed. They were not expecting to see a 15-year-old boy with shoulder length raven black hair dressed in black combat trousers and a t-shirt with a cloak over it. The cloak had been upgraded after his training; while still black, it now had silver and sky blue trimmings with a thundercloud gray and electric yellow dragon adorning the space over his heart.

"I am Perseus Jackson, Son of Artemis," he said and Lupa went wide-eyed before narrowing them and glaring again. 'You lie. Diana is a maiden goddess,' she said and the pack closed in. "Adopted," he added and she backed off slightly. 'That's not the full truth,' she snapped. "It is not, but I will make you a deal," he said and she nodded for him to continue.

"I swear on my father and the River Styx that I will tell you my entire story, if you swear to not divulge it to anyone without my permission and to train me how to hunt and fight like a wolf," he said and the thunder rumbled. Lupa was mildly interested in the young boy so she shot down any protests of the pack then and there.

'I, Lupa, Goddess of Wolves and Mother of Rome swear on the Styx to your terms,' she said and the thunder rumbled again.

"I was born as a Son of Poseidon and Susano'o, Shinto God of Storms, due to a bastard plan Poseidon carried out to drive my father away from my birth mother and replace him. My mother was pregnant with Susano'o's child when Poseidon got to her, resulting in my… problematic heritage. I accidentally killed my birth mother in a fit of rage because my step-father abused her in front of me and my powers developed before Artemis found me and adopted me. I have been training in Japan for the last year and as a parting gift, Yama-no-Kami-sama, Shinto God of Wolves gifted me with the ability to shift into one of his one. I just returned mere hours ago," Percy said and Lupa was silent for a while.

'That is why you require training,' she stated and he nodded. She was silent for a time again before speaking. 'Come. I will train you and teach you of the Roman Pantheon, but you must swear on the Styx not to reveal this to any of the Greeks except Artemis until the time is right,' she said and Percy swore the oath.

'Shift into your wolf form. You will be living in it until your training is complete. You may shift to your human form to train on your own during your downtime. We begin at first light tomorrow,' Lupa told him and he shifted back and followed her into Wolf House.

'More training,' Percy chuckled internally.

AN: To clarify, not all of his attacks are techniques (the wind blades against Hachiman-sama were NOT his techniques, but only his demigod abilities with the added strength of his chakra) and I will clarify when he uses a technique as he will say the name and perform the hand signs. If I don't write him saying a technique it is simply an extension of his demigod abilities and I will try to denote when they are chakra infused or not. What do you think so far? Let me knowwww. Until next time!