**Ba Sing Se. Capital of the Earth Kingdom.**
The flickering light of a candle cast a steady glow across the table, allowing me to comfortably read the dry, ambiguous lines of the reports.
"Only Old Man Jian is worth something," I muttered, setting the papers aside and slumping back in my chair, exhausted.
For nights now, I've been poring over the reports handed to me by Old Man Jian and Piandao. The deeper I delve, the less I want to continue reading…
The faction Azulon "gifted" to me turned out to be a collection of sycophants and failures. They were experts only at sensing which way the wind blew, which is why they'd managed to stay afloat for so long. Just empty shells.
"Should've seen it coming…" I grumbled, massaging my temples. "During Azulon's reign, there was barely any progress in conquering new lands. Under him, the promising industrial growth stalled. They were coasting on what Sozin had already built."
Old Man Jian didn't want to upset me, so he only revealed the full truth recently. Now I understand why he often speaks with disdain about the other members of our small group…
Over the years, Piandao has accumulated enough debts and connections to gather the freshest information for me. Still, I think this is just the tip of the iceberg.
"I'll have to replan everything," I concluded grimly. "Soon, I'll need to involve Yo and Dria. They're the ones who can gather primary information and eliminate those who stand in my way…"
My thoughts drifted to Fire Lord Ozai. His actions stir a storm of conflicting emotions within me. In the show, he's portrayed as the main antagonist—a villain so obvious they shove him in your face.
But just recently, he masterfully exposed a large number of corrupt military officers and officials who had been robbing their own nation for years. The schemes were so intricate, there was no way to uncover them. It's a shame they didn't realize who now sits on the throne…
Humans are inherently selfish and self-centered. Their own well-being comes first, no matter what the sanctimonious claim. Maybe they just enjoy the reverence they receive for their good deeds…
Ozai, so fiercely driven by power, is a perfect example that there are no purely good or bad people. Everyone has their own perspective, their own life experiences…
But his power isn't just about his personal might. If I understand correctly, the stronger his people are, the stronger he becomes. He stands at the pinnacle of a pyramid, with the common people as its foundation.
He wisely distributed a small stream of funds across various sectors, with innovation receiving the largest share. I think even without a mechanist, they could eventually reach tanks and airships—it's just a matter of time.
"Right," I snapped my fingers. I'd completely forgotten about the mechanist. Roku needs to find him as soon as possible, before his village is destroyed by floods. I can't leave his fate to chance. The world can't afford to lose such a genius.
My golden eyes fixed on the map of the world hanging on the wall, where all the Fire Nation colonies were already marked.
"Where are you rushing, Ozai?" I murmured. "The comet should last at least two more years, and with your iron will, you'll make it through all four…"
After arriving in the capital and sending Hama home, I became a silent observer of a whirlwind of events centered around the Fire Lord.
His actions prompted me to reevaluate his character and more consciously engage with my involuntary allies.
My eyes drifted across the map as if my subconscious wanted to tell me something. Statistical data flashed through my mind—the approximate population of the Earth Kingdom, their troops, and their strengths. Comparing them with those of the Fire Nation, I realized something…
"Ah, I see now," I admitted, ashamed I hadn't looked at it so globally and strategically before…
The Earth Kingdom's army outnumbers the Fire Nation's, and many simply dodge service. Meanwhile, on the islands, everyone fit is mobilized. In case of a major defeat, there'd be no one left to replace the fallen soldiers…
The Earth Kingdom is fragmented, with each province defending itself differently. On the other hand, the Dai Li's leader even encourages this, isolating the central region from the others.
Suppose there are several mechanists across the Earth Kingdom, and they could create something to counter the Fire Nation. And the Fire Nation can't keep their shipbuilding secrets forever—human error is inevitable. Maybe in a year, five, or ten, but someday the Earth Kingdom would develop its own ships, tanks, and other military technology.
Take Lao, with his immense wealth. Building ten factories would be child's play for him.
Ozai doesn't want to give the Earth Kingdom a chance to rise while the Fire Nation still has the upper hand. They need to conquer all territories as quickly as possible. If the Fire Nation is pushed back to the islands, severe famine will ensue, as most of their food comes from the colonies.
Ozai wants to accomplish much in the time he has, things that will help his people in the long run. I'd like to call someone like him a friend, but… our views are too different.
"Too many thoughts for one day," I concluded, extinguishing the candle.
*
Gently massaging Azula's sprained ankle, I gave in to somber thoughts…
I'm no expert in politics, so I had almost no chance of immediately noticing something wrong with my allies. But when it comes to chi and conquest, I consider myself knowledgeable.
Only Azula's blue fire brought me back down to earth.
During our very first training session, I thoroughly checked the sources of the Fire Lord's children, finding nothing exceptional. Azula's blue fire, in terms of temperature and other properties, was no different from ordinary flames. So, I simply dropped the matter—there were other concerns at the time.
Only today, at the edge of my consciousness, did I notice a small detail that prompted me to conduct another, more detailed check of Azula's chi.
Every bender expends a certain amount of energy to activate a technique. Masters, however, use the bare minimum for ordinary techniques. After all, their chi density is greater, and they don't allow themselves to waste it.
Azula is undoubtedly a gifted firebender, but… she still has to learn how much energy to spend on each technique. Many never figure this out, pouring as much chi as possible into every strike.
The catch was that Azula was expending chi at master levels—levels achieved by those who've spent most of their lives perfecting their control over their element. That's what intrigued me. There had to be something special about this unusual fire.
And I was right. Azula had one and a half sources!
There's a full firebending source and a small appendage in the form of a semi-functional airbending source!
Why didn't I see this the first time? Because it doesn't even emit energy. I "see" through my sensitivity, so for me, it simply didn't exist. Only when Azula actively used her element did a minuscule response appear, which allowed me to detect this "invisible" source.
Wan Shi Tong had no records of such a flame. Most likely, there were others like Azula in the past, but it wasn't documented.
My opinion is that Azula had a predisposition to two elements, but a human body—unless you're the Avatar or some mysterious soul from beyond—would simply tear apart from the conflicting energies. Diluted blood from the former Avatar Roku lost out to the blood of the Fire Lords. Though, if Ursa had been an airbender, the situation might have been entirely different…
Then a mutation occurred, with the fire source acting as the planet and the air source as its moon, amplifying Azula's flames and helping her expend less chi. I don't think that's the only advantage. Most likely, once she reaches a certain level of mastery, the temperature of her flames and the range of her attacks will skyrocket.
"Azula, are you okay?" Ty Lee asked worriedly.
"It's nothing, I'll be good as new soon," the princess replied confidently. She knew firsthand how effective my massages were.
Life energy is definitely a great force that people have abandoned in favor of mastering the elements.
"Next time, I'll definitely win!" Azula promised.
"I'll try my best too!" Ty Lee said with a bright smile, happy to show off her skills.
Today, I decided to demonstrate the danger of neglecting martial arts. Azula probably doesn't even realize that she'll have no chi left for bending when her body becomes her last weapon. Zuko wasn't involved this time, as he's already been training with swords for a while.
Ty Lee surprised me. Or rather, her honed movements did. It was clear they were part of a complete system that a teenage girl couldn't have created on her own. That means she has someone teaching her all this.
"All done," I said with a smile, noticing Ursa relax out of the corner of my eye.
There's progress, even if Ursa doesn't show it. She's been paying more attention to Azula.
"Thank you, teacher!" Azula said, quickly running off to her friends.
This was their last meeting at the Palace. Next time, they'd meet only at the Academy, in two weeks. The last days of vacation, by tradition, are reserved for family time, which always takes place on Ember Island.
While the children were busy, Ursa and I sipped tea, discussing various news. I kept catching her pensive gaze, which was hesitant at first but grew firmer as our conversation progressed.
"I'll bring more tea leaves," she suddenly stood up, then winced, clutching her back.
I quickly moved to help her sit comfortably.
"I think I stood up too abruptly," she said, smiling shyly. "This spot," she touched her lower back, "has been bothering me for a long time. I'm starting to understand the situation…"
"Maybe my massage could help solve this problem?" she asked hesitantly, biting her lip slightly.
In an instant, I engaged all my senses, trying to detect any surveillance. Looking at Ursa, I didn't know what to think—was this luck or a calculated move? There was no one watching us, which isn't very common.
"We won't know unless we try," I smiled. "But it's unlikely we'll fix it in one session. We'll probably need a whole course," I added. For a moment, triumph flashed in Ursa's eyes.
"Let's start by seeing how serious it is," I said, warming my palms slightly. "May I?" I asked, gesturing to her back, receiving a nervous nod in response.
Taking it as consent, I gently ran my hands over her tense back, which soon relaxed.
"Does it hurt here?" I whispered directly into her ear, standing behind her.
"A little lower," Ursa said, her voice trembling with excitement.
The lightweight fabric of her robe felt like silk, as if I were touching her skin directly. Sliding my hands lower, I began shamelessly caressing the start of her hips, just as she'd asked.
Engaging my life energy, I began a real massage. My visits to that female monastery hadn't been in vain—I'd remembered something.
I kept an eye on the children to make sure they didn't see this impropriety while my hands glided over her back. Tomorrow morning, she'd feel much better, as if she'd shed a few years. I set my energy to comprehensively heal her body with a delayed effect.
"What's happening here?" I hadn't even moved away when Ursa's back tensed, and the scent of female satisfaction hit my sensitive nose.
First June, now Ursa. It's as if this world doesn't need an Avatar but a man who can bring happiness to women…
"Roku, thank you so much!" Ursa said quickly, her face flushing. "I completely forgot about one urgent matter. I need to go," she continued in one breath, hurrying away.
"I just touched your back," I thought, bewildered.
Looking away from Ursa's retreating back, I noticed Mai quickly turning her head, avoiding my gaze.
"Please don't tell me she saw something?" Her natural stealth played a cruel trick on me.
Managing to catch her eye, I pressed my index finger to my lips, receiving several quick nods in response. I hope Mai is smart enough to keep her mouth shut.