Chapter 10

Chen entered the headquarter of one of the most known triads in republic city. Was he sure that he can win? No. But he knew that he has one chance to gain his freedom.

the lightning he had unleashed earlier, which had taken two guards down, had attracted the rest of the mobs on the first floor.

From every door, entered someone. Chen pointed his finger in each direction. Because his lightningbending had reached a high level, he could charge it and release it faster than any usual bender would, and his precision was high.

Two sparks of lightning flashed and knocked out two guys. He kept releasing lightning. When it pierced the gangster's bodies, it continued heading to the guys behind them. They fell. The ones in front released a burning flesh smell. As the first wave fell, more of them entered.

Agni Kai Triad was known to hire firebenders. Chen knew what to expect. One of them jumped from the back door and unleashed a seam of fire at Chen, who rolled to the side, turned, and aimed a lightning bolt at him, taking him down in an instant.

*Spsh* *Spsh*

Chen saw his shadow reflected. When he turned, he saw a man lifting both of his fingers and moving, charging lighting. Compared to Chen, this guy's lighting release was slow while he was giving his Chi negative attribute.

Chen opened his arms, welcoming the lightning bolt. A large portion of his Chi had been used, and it would be wise to charge it again.

"Die!" screamed the Agni Kai member as he aimed the lightning bolt;

At that moment, he changed his Chi's attribute. It took a positive attribute. It created an imbalance which absorbed the lightning.

The gangster took his hand back, and he stared at Chen with wide-open eyes.

Chen didn't fall. He absorbed the lightning, and blue sparks were dancing around him.

"That was tasty. Let me repay you the favour."

Chen aimed two fingers at him, knocking the man with a lightning bolt.

[Ding, you levelled up - level 13]

Chen ignored the notification. He felt that his Chi was back to its peak after it increased.

*Footsteps*

Hearing steps coming from the stairs above, Chen lifted his head. He squatted and aimed both of his hands up, three fingers pointing up. What he was about to use was one of the most exhausting techniques. However, it was a technique he'd gotten when he became a Novice Grand Master at lightningbending.

When people started appearing, from each finger, strong lightning was released. Chen's Chi Control skill allowed him to make the negative Chi purer and thus have more power. The lightning bolts pushed people backwards, taking them down.

Three guys, who happened to be behind their comrades, jumped and started running on the wall. They seemed to be agile and fast. While running, they shot fire streams at Chen, who stopped aiming at lightning. He jumped and kicked, sending an arc of dark purple flame. It annihilated the attacks of the yellow flame.

Chen, not showing mercy to a criminal, kicked many times, sending arcs of fire. Two of the three managed to dodge, but one of them was unlucky and fell to the ground. Chen joined his fists together, and he unleashed a large fire stream that burned the man. The dark purple flame didn't vanquish. Instead, it spread, eating the floor. The heat raised to a very high degree, which only firebenders can resist.

The two gangsters surrounded Chen, taking their bending stances. The one on the right squatted and span, kicking a fire arc to Chen's leg, forcing him to jump up. Chen backflipped and kicked a fireball at him. The man tried to dodge, but the fire got his leg.

Just as he'd done that, the one behind him joined his hands together, and he unleashed a fireball as big as Chen.

It hit Chen and pushed him flying. He fell and his clothes were on fire. As he stood up, he clenched his fists, bending the fire on his back and turning it off.

It was painful. But Chen didn't seem to show any expression other than anger, which was directed at the one who'd hurt him. Chen joined his hands together, and he generated a larger fire than his foe's. It devoured him. There was no doubt that it would burn him into ashes.

"I'll treat my back later, with their money."

Chen reached for his silk shirt and took it off his body, revealing his lean, yet muscled, body.

Feeling that the heat was raising too much, even for a bender like him, he looked around.

The dark purple flame was spreading very fast, eating everything quickly. Two people had turned into ashes already. It seemed the fire would burn the whole building if he doesn't do anything quickly.

It worked against what Chen hoped. If he burnt the building, he may achieve his goal of taking out the Agni Kai. But he won't have their money.

He raised his hands and lowered them. As a novice grand-master, he could control the flow of the fire. The flame turned off.

Seeing that a part of the stairs was gone, Chen needed to make a huge leap. He stopped and opened the system. It gave him a sum of the gained experience by the end of notifications history.

[+ 20.000 exp

[23.000 accumulated exp]

[Lightningbending (24.000/25.000)]

He stared at the 3 meters gap on the stairs.

He thought of a solution, and it was to use his Chi control.

As it seemed, everyone had the skill to control their energy. However, not many cultivate it or know how to do it. Chen had the system to teach him the higher levels, and it was his first time using it.

He knew that it could be used to increase the power of his body and even move the flow of his blood. Who knew what this skill can do in the future? He may be able to control his Chi outside of his body.

Channelling the Chi to his muscles, they tensed up unnaturally. His heart beat so fast, and the blood flowed. His muscles hardened and grew up.

Chen ran, and he felt that he was almost twice faster as before. He leapt, crossing the stairs all of the way to the upper floor. His muscles then stopped tensing. Boosting his power consumed more energy than firebending. Well, he can always control the degree to which he can get stronger.

He stopped the power boost, and he found himself surrounded by 10 people. They were all taking the stance of lightningbending, blue sparks dancing around the fingers that were aimed at him.

Rike stood up, angry. With a calm voice, he said, "Well, well. Chen, The mystical flame. There is no point in hiding your face. You are famed for your unique fire. And I must say, you made us sweat."

Chen reached for the mask on the lower half of his face, and he took it down.

"Now, explain to me what's going on," Rike demanded.

Seeing that the mobster was demanding an explanation from someone whom he blackmailed, Chen couldn't help but reply with sarcasm.

"Would you believe me if I said I was pulling a prank on you, and all of this is just a joke?"

Chen looked left and right at the lightning benders getting nearer to him. Although they weren't as expert as he is, probably their skill level was like him when he'd been at levels 1-2. They already charged their Chi, and they can release it at any moment.

Chen was quickly thinking of his options. He can always use Lightning Grip, an associated skill that allowed him to hold lightning in the air by using the positive Chi. However, he doubted that he could do that with many bolts aimed at him. He could try to absorb and annihilate lightning.

But there seems to be a better option.

"Excuse me!?" Rike was trying to progress Chen's words. "You did all of this just as a prank."

Chen's better option was to use his latest associated skill. Lightning Armour. It surrounds his body with lightning for one second, at the current level. In the future, it will level up. This skill was meant for an offence to near opponents. However, it could be used to reflect lightning.

Have you ever wondered why lightning strike on earth? Simply, earth has a positive charge while lightning has a negative one. Negative and positive attract. Negative and negative has the opposite effect.

"Any last words," Rike said.

Chen smirked as he put his hands in his pocket. "Rules of Nature!"

"Kill him!" the mob's boss yelled.

From each finger from the mobs, a lightning bolt was released.

At the same time, Chen's body glowed up in blue colour. He uniquely balanced his energy that created lightning armour around his body, giving him a blue aura.

Just as the lightning was about to hit him, it reflected. Naturally, it hit the nearest object with the most positive charge. In that case, almost 11 firebenders were shot by their lightning and knocked down. Not only so, but after that second, Chen's lightning armour spread and hit another two. Quickly placing his hand on the ground, Chen stood on it. Lighting spread on the floor, from his hand. It hit the remaining conscious mobs, and they fell.

Chen flipped, standing on his feet and taking a few heavy breathes.

[Lightningbending up to level 14 Low Grand Master (12.000/25.000)]

[Associated Skills has upgraded]

[+40.000 accumulated exp]

[35.000 exp]

[You levelled up - level 14]

Taking on so many fighters was surely rewarding. It helped him jump levels which would take him a month to cross.

"Impossible!" Rike muttered in shock when Chen stood up.

Chen was nearly exhausted from using so much energy.

"Tell me, where is your closet." Chen aimed his hand at Rike. The latter was a lightning-bender and the leader of a group of criminal firebender. Chen didn't expect him to be weak. He wouldn't let his guard down.

"Hold on young man. We can come to a deal."

"The only deal I'm offering you is to tell me where you keep your money." Chen aimed his hand at the side. A dark purple fire started spreading so fast, and it would cover the building in a minute or so. "If you don't hurry, everyone here will die."

"You have no idea who you are against. We wash money, other people's money —"

"Shut the hell up." Blue sparks appeared on Chen's fingers.

Rike, defeated, pointed his hand at the wall, to a painting. Chen understood that the closet was behind that painting.

"Now, would you like to let me go?" Rike said. "No hard feelings between us."

"I wonder how a stupid person like you would lead a gang. I can't believe the level the mob bosses declined. In case you didn't notice, just because you are the villain, I'm not the good guy."

"Hold on, you said that If I showed you where's the money, you won't kill everyone."

"I don't remember saying that."

Chen electrocuted the mob boss until his flesh produced a burning scent.

Chen pointed his hands down, and the fire was turned off. He surely wouldn't burn the building here.

Looking at the painting, he walked toward it. It's time to put his storage, which is as big as a small room, to use.

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