Monster? No, I'm a Cultivator! (Percy Jackson): Chapter 4

Ocean Song had studied the book on Magic night and day since receiving it. Likewise, he had not heard anything from the Goddess of Magic since her….departure.

He didn't know if to count that as a blessing or not, only a strange longing in his heart when he thought about her.

However, he tried his best not to have those thoughts.

Having a woman in his heart would slow his sword drawing speed!

The Book though was rather convenient for studying. He was a proper Cultivator, thus he didn't pursue their 'Magic' but it did give insights into…..things. He would admit freely that he was making a lot of shit up as he went along. The Book though seemed to touch on many key points that made sense to him for him to properly advance.

The Mist, it's like a gas, formless and existing everywhere. The Goddess stated that it's like a Medium for Casting Magic rather than the means to do so.

Qi Condensation Realm – Qi derived from Heaven and Earth was also like a gaseous substance.

It made sense, similarly that Qi was merely the bridge to true Cultivation.

He knew the basics of the next Realm – Foundation Establishment, but now he had a idea of how to proceed. It was to turn the gaseous Qi into Liquid form inside of himself.

But that was still a bit away, he was merely at the Sixth Level of Qi Condensation at this point and still hadn't touched the threshold of the Seventh Level.

Just as well, his ability in Drawing Talismans had progressed as well. Now, he could draw the same Talisman with a tenth of the effort and no longer exhaust all of his Spiritual Qi in doing so.

As the book said, the Mist was a Medium. Therefore, he used the Talisman to pull on the Mist to handle part of the burden.

It seems silly that he made such an amateurish mistake as to ignore the Mist completely.

Already, the effort into gaining the favor of the Goddess of Magic had paid off in spades.

Ocean Song finished up his cultivation of the day and looked out upon the setting sun across the sea.

He longed for the human world, the yearning for it was born not just from loneliness, but the memories he retained from his first life.

But he refused to leave his island.

He was scared, he didn't care if others knew.

Particularly, he was scared of the Fates. Technically he was Immortal, but it was the wrong kind of Immortal and didn't count. However, it wasn't something go ignore unless you were a Fate.

They could simple decide you were an annoyance and poof, you have an accident and no more respawn in Tartarus.

He didn't know if he actually showed as a outlier to them, an outsider that shouldn't belong. At the very least, even if he did, by secluding himself so far away from everything, he would fly below the proverbial radar.

That was until he reached Golden Core Realm.

There was a saying he recalled.

As long as I have a Golden Core within me, my Fate exists in my hands, not the Heavens.

Once he formed his Golden Care, he would step out of the Fates' whims.

He knew that the Fates could not cut divine strings so simply, he concluded that it was similar for those in the Golden Core realm because that was also considered the realm at which one was no longer 'Mortal' by fellow Cultivators.

Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Then Golden Core.

He was still far away and there were even Realms beyond those.

Nascent Soul Realm felt like a fleeting dream. Next would be Dao Seeking. Then lastly, that would be Immortal.

He wasn't going to dwell on the horizons he couldn't even peek at thus yet, but it was good to have a goal to strive towards.

But….how long would that take?

Cultivation was a slow and arduous process, even for a one in a million year genius like him, it would probably take them atleast a decade to make significant progress. He had no idea about the state of the world right now and the Fates weren't the only thing to be wary about, simply the most immediate concern.

There was a true reason he sealed his sword in preparation.

There was still so much for him to do. With a sigh, he got up and realized before anything else, he needed to make better 'clothes' because he didn't lie about what he told the Goddess.

Monster Growth spurs were apparently very abrupt and quick....especially in certain areas.

@***@

Goddess Hecate watched the strange Cyclops behind a veil of Magic.

She had been watching him nearly nonstop for days, even while he slept, while he ate and….well, she looked away when he was doing certain things.

Though fortunately, he was finally tending to his….clothing problem. She was by no means a prude, she had seen more naked bodies than there were grains of sand on the beach by happenstance of her status as a Goddess of Magic and owner of the Mist.

However, that didn't mean she wanted to constantly see the Cyclops dangling out of his obviously-too-small grass skirt.

….no matter how impressive it was.

Day in and day out, he did the same activities, barely deviating. He would do his…..'cultivating' as he called it. He would take the Magic of the world into himself, crushing its fluidness and asserting his dominion over it.

I watched in horror, awe, and bewilderment as I saw the true process in action, not even knowing a thing was possible.

Godly Domains were just a higher form of Magic if you got down to it, and he was mimicking it with his bastardized and idiotic actions to a very lessened degree.

That by itself was worthy of acknowledgement.

And when he wasn't doing that, he was practicing with his sword which was wrapped up for some reason. He never once took it out of its sheath even when he swung it thousands of times, straining himself every day to finish those repetitions.

She had honestly never seen such a hard working person before. She thought him a simple idiot that stumbled on something far beyond him but…..no there was something in his gaze that let her know that he somewhat had an idea of what he was doing.

It became clear, even ignoring her first interaction, that this Cyclops was no ordinary monster. The fact that it reached out to her was one such indication as the amount of Monsters who utilize Magic beyond instinctive applications could be counted on two hands.

But also because he didn't show that same….ruthlessness and animalistic undertone that nearly all Monsters possessed.

Even the Monsters that many of her fellow Deities like to parade around, the 'Tamed' ones, they're merely chained, their natures unchanging, only coerced under threat.

Rare was it for a Monster to be so…..genuine and sincere.

He had a certain refinement that was nearly nonexistent among their kind. She noticed the peculiarities even when he dined on a simple meal of fish and berries. Even preparing the fish, he acted like some sort of chef.

Where his brethren would simply scarf them down, perhaps biting them into piece or entirely whole, he would carefully prepare them, even finding basic herbs on the island to add to the preparations.

Not to mention he also sacrificed a portion to both his Father and apparently the eldest spawn of the Earthshaker.

It was…miniscule, but perhaps the gesture was the most important.

And maybe, the Goddess of Magic had the faintest hint of a smile as the Cyclops created a small alter to her with intent to give her an offering, then bashfully destroy it in a huff.

Though her annoyance overshadowed everything right now.

She was thoroughly annoyed at the Cyclops. And her annoyance was usually accompanied by abrupt displays of her Magical prowess, usually to the detriment of those that earned her current ire.

But it was difficult in this position because he hadn't technically…..done anything wrong.

Other than harm her pride, that is.

This…..Talisman of his, the Goddess decided to acknowledge the term. She sent out feelers around and it returned an interesting bit of information that it's a type of Magic far into the East out of her part of the world.

A different Pantheon, different Gods. Something she usually didn't concern herself about because often times Magic from other Pantheons wasn't accessible to outside Gods.

She would have paid a hefty price if it were possible to utilize the Runes of the Norse, but unfortunately, it went against her Nature as a Greek Goddess.

That was of course ignoring the Ancient Rules around such things.

But it seems the Cyclops somehow stumbled upon concepts from the country of Japan and their ideology.

Was his mother a Japanese Nymph? It would explain a lot if that were the case. It's not as if Nymphs only live within Greek waters.

But all of that was besides the point.

Hecate was annoyed because she owed a debt to the Cyclops. Technically, she was teaching him, thus the acquirement of his 'Talisman' wasn't something she should care about, but the value seemingly increased after testing.

As the Goddess of the Crossroad, she has a certain claim over deals made and a particular annoying need to make sure each deal is 'fair'. More than often, that usually falls into her favor because she is Hecate, and not many can get one over on her.

But in this case, it's simply a matter of evening the scales due to unforeseen consequences.

She had some newly established Witches in a coven she watches over create a few of these Talismans with her 'help'. The results were, well, they were abysmal in comparison to a Magical Item or a true cast spell. But that wasn't where they shined, no it was in their ease of use and production.

Using Magic for Demi-Gods was draining, both spiritually and physical as they existed in both the spiritual domain and the physical as being Half-Gods. The act of preparing the spell beforehand is nothing new, but in such an accessible and basic way….

It was already annoying giving as much support to her own children in the past without running afoul the 'Laws'. Giving one of her children a basic book on Magic, maybe a Magical Item, that was pushing the extent of her allowed interference. Learning Magic wasn't easy for many, even her children had to overcome many hurdles to become competent. But an easy and accessible means to reproduce spells and able to keep them stored for ready use in an emergency?

She could see how valuable that was.

She wanted to observe him for several day to make sure her initial assumptions about him proved correct. And since then, he simply continued to train and practice without pause. Even his sleep time was…miniscule, and that was taking into consideration his nature as a Monster.

It was captivating in a way, to watch someone so single mindedly dedicated.

It was hard to find a moment to appear amongst this. And she found herself not wanting to interfere as the sight was pleasant.

She always favored those who genuinely worked hard even if they were not as talent as their peers. If any of the Witches she taught were half as devoted as he was….she would not be without her own champion or blessed.

She was also rather curious as to the reason he was putting so much effort into his actions. That expression he made, the continuous stressing of his mind and body, that was not something one did without a goal.

Yet when she sought his deepest desires to test him…..

The thought nearly made her huff in annoyance and throw a random spell at the cyclops from behind the veil she obscured herself with.

Perhaps it was easy to verify that he had no hidden agenda or ulterior motives. Being able to observe him for so long, she had long taken his measure to that degree atleast. No, it was clear he was simply an idiot.

Finally have the days – weeks of his constant devotion to his training, he seemed to set his sword down, and no longer utilized his 'farming'. Nor did he prepare himself a meal or seek the solace of Hypnos's domain.

He went to the edge of the island into the sands that touched upon the waves and sat down, silently staring out at the sea.

She allowed her presence to be felt as she 'appeared' within his vicinity.

The Cyclops was startled, quickly going to his feet then down on his knees as he respectfully bowed to her.

The Goddess did find the gesture pleasing at the very least. Despite the…..oddities of his, he did show her the proper respect every time.

"This lowly Cyclops greets the Great Goddess of Magic."

Hecate pursed her lips, the way he said it was sincere, but for some reason, it made her want to sigh in annoyance. "Have you memorized and understood the book I bestowed upon you?" She cut right to the chase.

"This lowly Cyclops did his best to understand the profound texts you bestowed, Great Goddess. However, I can only claim mediocrity infront of your wisdom."

Hecate could feel like he wasn't lying in that he had some measure of understanding even if he used his strange vernacular.

"Very well, keep studying. I will appear before you some time in the future and I will allow you to ask me questions about things you don't understand." The Goddess replied. At this point, she was becoming invested in him, nothing else if not for her interest in how he's eventually going to make himself explode through his strange actions. "Your…Talisman. It held an unforeseen value, so I will grant you a boon. Ask of me a reward and I shall grant it."

The Cyclops looked at her and Hecate's nose scrunched, barely holding back a scowl.

"I suggest you choose something I won't smite you for." She quickly added realizing that he was visibly controlling himself.

The Cyclops noticeably blushed ever so slightly, and Hecate caught his gaze lower to her behind for the briefest of moments.

Oddly, she didn't find it in herself to chide him after watching him for so many days. His earnestness perhaps moved her to some small degree that she favored him slightly despite being a monster.

She even felt like the threat to smite him was….without fang. No, she would simply try to answer the question previous if a son of Poseidon could be drowned if he dared to ask something of her that she deemed inappropriate.

"This lowly one has a request, but I dare not assume it is something I am allowed." He finally spoke looking unsure.

Hecate knew he wasn't talking about something that would earn him a drowning, so she was a tad more understanding. "I will not fault you for asking for something. If it's too much or beyond my purview, I will simply tell you."

He was intelligent enough to seek leeway when asking for a boon due to his own lack of experience.

There had been many Mortals that had received a God's grace, receiving rewards in similar regard, and instead suffering punishment for their hubris and overreach.

"Please allow me to collect my thoughts for a moment Great Goddess so I can request this properly." The Cyclops stood up, turning around, as if inspecting something invisible. After several moments his single eyes returned back to Hecate. "Great Goddess, would it be improper to request that you alter the flow of time around the island to make it move faster inside than outside?"

The Goddess Hecate was taken aback.

Out of all the things she expect, that was most certainly not one of them, nor something she had ever had someone ask her for.

"You wish for me to….alter the flow of time around the island to make it flow faster for you?" She repeated as if she needed to hear it said again.

"That is correct, Great Goddess." The Cyclops bowed his head. "If that is unattainable, I apologize, I am but a young cyclops who doesn't know much of the world and I do not know what is proper or not."

"Your request is not….impossible." Once more, Hecate was intrigued by this Monster. "If you want a permanent fixture, that would be….unattainable by you. If it's a matter of a temporary one...it's within the realm of possibility."

"This young Cyclops is not very intelligent, Great Goddess. Please correct me if I'm wrong, I repeat this for my own understanding. It's beyond the allowance I'm receiving to permanently remove my island from the normal flow of time. However, a temporary, perhaps suspended moment is permissible?"

"That is correct." The Goddess nodded, pleased with his understanding. In fact, she decided to turn it into a lesson. "Tell me, you have read the book, do you know the most basic Magic Applications."

"Does that involve Demi-Gods utilizing their Divine Domain, Lady Goddess?"

Hecate once more had a faint smile as he asked that question as it was a somewhat two sided answer. "Ignore Divine Domains, Little Monster." As technically, any Demi-God would have a nearly perfect affinity for the Domain of their Godly Parent.

"Elemental Manipulation is the suggested beginner application of Magic, Lady Goddess." The Cyclops answered.

Hecate nodded. "Do you know why?"

It wasn't explicitly said in the book, she was curious to see his understanding.

The Cyclops seemed to ponder for several moments. "Because it aligns with the natural world."

Hecate raised an eyebrow. "Is Life not a natural phenomenon? Why is resurrecting the Dead not treated the same."

The Cyclops considered that, quickly answering again. "Because it's backed by the collective unconscious of Humanity, the dominant species of the world. Gods are altered by the perception of Humanity, faith and belief. Humanity looks at Elemental phenomena as 'natural', thus they require less Magical understanding and power to facilitate. They are also perceivable, recognized as something mimicable through time and effort by non-magical means. I can make a fire with some sticks just as a Witch can throw a ball of fire. Therefore, to alter the 'reality' of the recognized world – as is the definition of Magic – it requires less effort."

Hecate stood there, motionless as she heard every word he spoke.

She didn't know what to say because he touched on much higher level concepts than anything he could have come into contact with. None of what he said was wrong, perhaps touching on a more philosophical explanation, but it was still exception to someone who was….only a few months old….

Of course, Ocean Song was oblivious to this, only happy with himself that he recalled random media from his previous life that he could say to make himself sound smarter.

"Time is a much harder concept to utilize, but not impossible." The Goddess of Magic started. "It's something that will earn the ire of many if used without caution. Altering time in a limited area for a short duration is….permissible, however there would be limitations."

"Can you make it so that one day outside is 100 years inside?" The Cyclops asked.

Hecate furrowed her brow, considering his request. "Too much, lower it. Twenty years at a maximum."

She studied the Cyclops to see his response, but he still seemed elated.

"Thank you, Great Goddess!" He bowed once more.

Hecate found herself smiling faintly this time. "This will only be a one time gesture. Even if you perform a service or render your aid to me that qualifies for a reward, I will not be doing something like this again."

Time is something she doesn't touch lightly, nor do most other Deities as they can quite easily run afoul things they very much don't wish to draw the ire of.

Though, a small location that will have no adverse effects on the world and with a random monster only a few months old? Well, she didn't perceive any significant backlash for doing such a thing.

"During this twenty year period, you will be alone. Your prayers will not go answered, nor will they be able to hear you." Hecate gave him a small warning. "You will be cut off from the world until the time period is up. And in order to not to run afoul anyone else….you will be unable to leave until the time variable returns to normalcy."

"I understand, Great Goddess. I never intended to leave my island until I was sufficiently prepared anyways." The Cyclops answered.

Hecate was confused as to why he was going so far but opted not to ask. He seemed resolute in his desire and she was curious to see his growth after these twenty years and to see what he was planning.

It was rare for her to be….entertained in such a way.

Ocean Song was undaunted by her warnings.

He waited until he was alone again before throwing a fist up into the air.

It was time for his training arc!