Chapter 2

After leaving the bar, Chen made his way down Republic City. He was heading to one of the secret places the police didn't know about. He walked between narrow streets. Not many seemed to hang out around this area as gang members would kick them. 

He stopped at a four stories building. It wasn't high, but it was wide. At the entrance, there was a sign that said "Underground Gym". 

He opened the door. The space was wide for a gym. There was a man at the counter, and there was training equipment. Chen stared at the people who were working out. He knew they were just a cover. The real deal is on the floor below. 

As he was about to go through one door, the man at the counter stopped him. 

"That floor is only for VIP members. We only open in the morning. Come back then." He said as he grabbed his shoulder.

Turning to him, he smiled. "I'm not here to watch. I'm here to ask to fight." 

"You, fight?" he put his hand under his chin. "Can you bend?" 

Chen opened his hand. From thin air, a yellow flame appeared above his palm.

[Flame Generation +10 exp] 

He heard the notification. It surprised him. He immediately turned off the fire and lit it again. 

[Flame Generation +15 exp] 

It seems that he can level it up by using it. 

"Decent, but nothing much." The man thought for a bit and said. "And why do you want to fight?" 

Chen could understand the reason behind the questions. The man on the counter wanted to make sure that he isn't an undercover cop. In that case, Chen had to give his real background. 

"I owe the Agni Kai Triad. I don't want to do gang raids. That's why I want to fight." Chen said, being honest. 

The man put his hands behind his back. He walked to the counter and brought a large book. He then said. "What's your name?" 

"Chen Fu." He said. 

The man flipped through some pages. Soon, his name settled on a marked one. "I see, you are indeed in debt to them. Tall, blue eyes and black hair." 

It seems that Chen was in their book. These guys surely keep descriptions for potential fighters. 

Chen was a tall lean man with blue eyes and black hair. He was 183 cm tall (6ft). His skin was white. He was racially mixed. He'd doubted that his parents were from the Fire Nation and Kyoshi island. He gained their features and Firebending. 

The man then gave him a ticket, saying. "Your match is by 1 am, two days later. Make sure to come with this ticket. Don't miss, or else." 

"By the way, what's down by now?" he wondered.  

"Some people who will kill you if you know." The man replied, laughing. 

Chen rolled his eyes. This isn't the only sale that hosts illegal matches. Why is this man is acting as if he owned the whole underground fighting business? At any rate, it was none of his business. He is here to make living. 

After taking his ticket, he looked around the gym. He said. "Can I workout here?" 

"As long as you don't have a criminal record, you are welcomed." He said. 

"Alright." Chen turned and left this place, making his way to his department. 

He shoved the ticket into his pocket and entered his building. 

Chen lived on a poor street. The buildings didn't look fancy at all. Compared to Republic City, which is as beautiful as a modern city on Earth, its street looked to belong to the previous era. He didn't care. Anyway, he is going to change his life eventually. 

Entering his building, he went to his apartment. It was a small one with one bedroom. He exhaled a sigh as he lay on the bed. 

His body and soul were both tired. 

Sleeping was the best way to adapt to a new place. People who had been in jails had told him that, in his previous life. 

-x-X-x- 

Waking up in the morning, Chen dressed up. He had only a few sets of clothes and many gambling bills. The previous owner was a total loser. The current one won't gamble. And if he took a gamble, it's guaranteed to win.

He reached his pocket, and he has around 2000 Yuan. It was enough for him to live for a couple of days. He sighed. 

Thinking that he has a match two days later, Chen decided not to waste time and train. However, he wouldn't do that in his apartment. He is a firebender, and he couldn't risk losing his place. 

Making his way outside the street, he headed to the edge of the city. It should be facing the sea. He would train there. 

While walking, he examined the city around him. People were driving cars called Satomobile. It looked like the cars on Earth before Ford came. 

People were working and selling their stuff. 

He stopped by a stall that sold barbecue. After eating some meat, he continued to his destination and reached the sea. Luckily, he was early and no one seemed to be here yet. He would have enough space to train. Sitting at the cliff above the sea, he opened his hand.

Thinking of what to train first, he decided to start with Flame Generation skill. 

Taking a deep breath, he activated the skill. 

[+16 exp][+16 exp][+10 exp][+10 exp]….

It didn't take him long before he heard the notification. 

[Flame Generation up to level 4 (0/400)] 

Once he heard it, a bunch of information invaded his mind. He knew exactly how to use the new level. He opened his hand. This time, a hotter flame appeared. It was still yellow. But it was brighter than the previous level's flame. 

Firebenders generate fire. However, not all of them are to the same degree. Some are hotter, faster, and more destructive. 

If memory served him well, Azula had been able to create a blue-coloured fire, which had been considered superior to other fires. Only Zuko was able to rival her after he learnt firebending from dragons. 

Training this skill would allow him to generate strong fire. But that wouldn't work if his bending can't keep up with his flames level. 

"One at time." 

He then started practising again his flame generation. The fire got brighter and bigger. 

After an hour, he was exhausted, and he heard a satisfactory sound. 

[Flame Generation up to level 5 (0/500)]

Seeing that his Chi was nearing zero, he lay on the ground and took a few deep breaths. He found that his energy was recharging when he stared at the system screen. At this rate, it will take him around 30 minutes to have his Chi back to its peak. 

When he was full again, he practised Flame Generation for another half hour. 

[Flame Generation up to level 6 (0/1000)]

The required experience to level up has doubled. He rubbed his chin. When he opened his palm to summon fire, he was almost surprised. 

He could generate more flame in one go since he could burn more Chi. Not only he could increase the quantity, but the quality of the fire. 

It was yellow with a slight purple shade, and it generated a stronger light. It also felt heavier than the usual fire. 

Motivated that he has a duel tomorrow, he decided to practise his firebending. He aimed at the air and bent his fire, unleashing it in a straight line. 

[Firebending +5 exp] 

He paused. If 5 experience points were what he gained, then it would take forever to level up his Firebending. 

There must be another way. Maybe unleashing fire in a straight line won't gain him much experience. 

"Experience isn't gained by doing easy things, but hard things." 

After he muttered, he jumped and turned in the air, kicking. The fire formed in front of his shoe, creating a fire act that flew a meter before vanishing. 

[Firebending +30 exp]

The amateur firebender started to understand the principle behind gaining experience for skills. 

Chen started doing hard movements.  

[Firebending up to level 4 (Pre-professional bender) (0/400) ]

[+ associated skills levelled up]

[+ Spinning Arc (a skill that creates an arc of flames, which attacks a group in front of you) 

+Flame control]

Chen jumped and kicked in the air. From his leg, a fire arc appeared and flew. This time, it crossed 2 meters. Previously, it only crossed one meter. Maybe the boost happened since it became a skill. Or it may happen because he'd levelled up. 

Sitting down again, he lied and thought of his next training. It seems that he'd spent a considerable amount of time, and he was hungry. He started training again, and he learned a new thing. When practising a skill, the harder the thing you practise, the higher the reward. 

If he hit the air, the exp he would get would be less than when he hits water, or tree, or a human. 

Currently, his best option was water. He also noticed that when he level up, the same practice would give him less experience. 

For the next two days, Chen trained restless. 

His money was only spent on fast food and high calories food.

Although it was unhealthy, it was cheap and full of energy, which was all that his body need.