Goal Completed

{Extinguisher} (Passive/Active)

LV 0

EXP: 0/10

A martial art said to be able to extinguish. It encompasses many styles of fighting for any situation.

Actively increases STR, VIT, DEX, and STA by 0% when using {Extinguisher}

Passively increases damage with the entire body by 0%

Passively increases damage with any weapon by 0%

Passively increases skill with hand-to-hand combat

"... Okay?" It didn't really explain what it did? Letting out a sigh in frustration, I decided to go into the woods and get into the stance that appeared in my mind for {Extinguisher}.

Another day, and another afternoon spent punching trees. I don't think this was healthy.

[{Extinguisher} has leveled up!}]

"A one percent increase huh? That isn't so bad since it's split between four different stats. With {Unarmed Combat} and when {Extinguisher} is active I'd be... up three hundred percent in stamina and strength once both are maxed out," I murmured to myself.

At least I wasn't weak without a sword. In fact, at this point I was probably stronger without one. There wasn't any point in wandering around the village, as we'd be leaving the same day. And it's not like I could spend time with anyone either. Katara was busy getting supplies, Sokka was learning from Suki, and Aang was trying to impress people.

"Wait." I paused for a second.

'It... doesn't say I have to be unarmed when using {Extinguisher} actively. Could this mean...?' I hurriedly checked {Sword Mastery}.

"Nope. Well, actually... maybe?" I ruminated for a bit, before pulling out my sword.

Then, while using {Extinguisher}, I swung my sword a few times.

[Due to specific actions, the skill, {Extinguishing Sword}, has been created!]

"YES! Holy shit! I'm a genius!" I damn near shouted in absolute elation. Birds flew out from their trees, startled by my cry.

I swung the sword a few more times with Extinguisher activated, and it then leveled up.

I checked {Extinguishing Sword} as quickly as possible.

{Extinguishing Sword} (Passive)

LV 1 (-1% EXP Gained)

EXP: 0/10

A sword that extinguishes.

Passively increases DEX, STR, and STA with a sword by 2%

Passively increases damage with a sword by 2%

"Oh my God. I have {Sword Mastery}, {Extinguisher}, and {Extinguishing Sword}... if all three are maxed out and activated at the same time... three hundred, four hundred, five hundred, six hundred percent increase in dexterity?! Three hundred percent for both strength and stamina! YES! Haha!" But then, as I realized something, I soon deflated.

'I have too many combat skills. {Unarmed Combat}, {Sword Mastery}, {Extinguisher}, {Extinguishing Sword}, {Regeneration}, {Pain Resistance}, {Physical Endurance}, {Airbending}, {Physical Conditioning}, {Chi Manipulation}, and finally... {Meditation}. How the hell am I going to find the time in the world to max all of them before we face off against Ozai?!' I couldn't believe for the life of me that I thought I had too little combat skills before I entered the Southern Air Temple.

It took me two months, mind you, maybe less if you remove all the time I worked, to get {Sword Mastery} to a hundred.

I had a lot of work cut out for me, didn't I?

'I guess I should focus on sword Mastery first,' I decided.

...

The air gradually darked as the sun began setting. It was time to head back to the village and face off against Zuko and his fire nation grunts. When I arrived back at town, it seems that they hadn't appeared yet.

'What should I do?' I didn't really feel like doing anything, I was too nervous to be able to relax.

[New Quest!]

I didn't even get time to think as I jumped back, a spear piercing through the air right where I was standing.

"Tell me, where is the Avatar hiding?" A teen with a scarred face demanded.

'He obviously knows I'm traveling with the Avatar, otherwise he wouldn't single me out,' I thought to myself.

Six people, atop some dangerous looking rhinos. Zuko, level 49, the fire soldiers were all around level thirty.

Leaping into the air, I landed on top of a building. Fire flew out from an agitated Zuko's fist towards me, not liking that I didn't respond. I shoved my palm out, dispersing the fire as it hit a gust of wind.

And then... the Kyoshi Warriors arrived, with Sokka in tow. They made a really... extra entrance, jumping from the building rooftops and then hitting the masked grunts off the rhinos.

Getting off the roof, I ran towards Zuko. Fire flew towards me, but I easily dodged, it wasn't too fast after all. I jumped, and then...

He pulled on the rhinos reins, making it suddenly turn, trying hit me with it's tail. I smirked.

I twised my body, air shot from my palm, hitting the ground and boosting me. The tail missed, and spinning like a torpedo due to the air burst, and I slammed into Zuko. It wasn't the best plan, I'll admit. But it's not like I shied away from pain.

We fell to the ground, he tried to get away and stand up but I wouldn't let him as I latched onto his ankle. I pulled, making him fall again. He shot fire repeatedly out from his fists, and I then pinned them to the ground, above his head. His mouth opened, a breath of fire preparing itself, but I...

Slammed my head into his chin. I bashed my forehead into his. As I was about to continue, I felt someone shake my shoulder.

"We need to go," Sokka said urgently. I barely managed to notice the blush on his face due to the make-up it was caked in. Suki probably kissed him.

"Right, got it," I made sure Zuko was out cold before I stood up. Me and Sokka then got onto Appa.

"Appa, yip, yip!" As Appa flew away from the village, Katara comforted Aang. This though, only made him determined. He jumped off Appa, plunging into the sea, before rising atop the carnivore Eel Unagi, holding onto it's barbels. Water spewed from it's mouth, raining upon the fires raging on the buildings.

So ended my, or rather, our short time on Kyoshi Island.

[Defend Kyoshi]

Objective 1: Help Kyoshi fend off the fire nation - Complete

Objective 2: Defeat Zuko - Complete

Reward: 10,000 EXP

...

An hour passed. The time I spent on Kyoshi short, but memorable. I was ambushed, beat Suki, tied up, treated like a king, got refused, trained, and fended off the fire nation.

Yet, despite all that... I can't say I was particularly happy with how it turned out. The only two things that made me profusely happy was leveling up five times, and getting a sword skill.

'I'm part of the group, but...' But it didn't feel like I was a part of the group. It isn't their fault for the lack of trying, it was mine. Was this what I wanted when I decided I was going to join the group?

'What did I expect? I'm just here to make sure Ozai's taken care of, successfully.' I was more of a certified babysitter now that I thought about it.

Though I knew that I wanted to be more than that. It's just some part of me didn't want that.

...

"Ha! Ha!" I was back to my roots, punching trees at night. As I was training, I heard a twig snap. My head jolted towards the direction in which I heard it, there stood Aang, watching me.

"Are you... okay?" he asked me hesitantly.

"What do- oh." Right, my bruised and bleeding fists. I shook my hands, some more blood splattering onto the already stained tree.

"Yeah. I'm fine," I replied tersely.

"..." We stood there in silence for a short while. I didn't know what to say, and Aang seemed to be thinking.

"Isn't it tiring? Training all the time?" he said softly.

'So he noticed. I guess it's kind of hard not too if you think about it,' I inwardly commented. Plus, Airbenders were more sensitive to the movements of Air. I think. Probably.

"Uh, it is, sometimes," I agreed.

"You know... the Air Nomads probably wouldn't want you to work yourself into the ground," Aang stated softly.

I suddenly felt like a dick. 'Right. I lied to them, and Aang, he... I guess he feels some sort of... kinship with me? Seeing me hurt myself while training probably worries him...' I let out a loud sigh.

"You're right," I simply said. His face lit up.

"You know, you're always welcome join or talk to any of us!" Aang explained.

"Actually..." he began with furrowed brows. "Now that I think about it, we don't really know what you like doing... you obviously don't like animals, else you would've..."

I blinked. 'What I... like?' I hadn't thought about that in a while.

"I... I like to read," I suddenly said.

"That's great!" he exclaimed excitedly. "We're actually headed towards Omashu, you can buy some books while in the city!"

"Yeah, I guess I'll do that."

...

After Aang left, telling me to get some sleep, I stood there for a while.

'I haven't read once since I came here... I haven't read in... six months? Six months! Have I really been here for half a year already? No, I got here some time spring so at the very least it's been six months! Jesus...' I let out another weighty sigh, it reverberated throughout my being, as if my soul itself was shaking.

'Maybe I'll join them in riding the mail system,' I thought. Maybe.

...

My Airbending was finally over level ninty. With a grunt, I stood up from the ground. It was finally time, I could feel it. Flight would be within my grasp. It had to be.

Doing the katas, starting out slowly, getting faster and faster. Until it all became one continuous flow.

My fists struck out, my chi expended. Low stances, middle stances, high stances, I practiced everything I knew. Before, finally...

I started levitating. Only a few feet off the ground at first, but in ten seconds intervals, I raised myself a few more feet off the ground. All the way until I was above even the trees.

I was flying.

...

So, flying cost 100 chi, per minute. Meaning I could fly for five minutes. Unless I had some extra weight on me, like a person. Then it'd be plus one chi, per pound, per minute.

'I remember it said that Guru Laghima flied for forty years. Maybe if I have a higher level of Airbending the cost will go down?' Then level ninty was just the bare minimum to fly.

Yeah. I could fly now. Even the huge cost couldn't bring down my excitement. Though I decided I wouldn't tell Aang and the rest just yet.

'It's time to practice swordsmanship,' I thought, bringing out my sword.

I stayed up the entire night, swinging my sword in a fervor. It wasn't my fault that I was so riled up after completing such a huge goal. One I've had since the first few weeks that I ended up here.

+0.3

+0.3

+0.3

The only sad thing was that it would require twenty-eight thousand more swings before it leveled up.

Yeah. I'll be swinging the sword for a while.

[Minor Edit on Tuesday April 18th 2023 at 3:40 P.M.]