49 Chapter-50

The silence was uncomfortable. When Naruto boarded the ship, the first thing he did was grab a canteen of water and splash it on Aang's face, waking him up in a startled manner.

"Hey! What's the idea?" The airbender sat up, alarmed by the serious and stern expression on the shinobi's face, something he hadn't seen until now.

"Where were you?"

"What's happening-"

"Where were you?" Naruto's tone grew louder, causing everyone to tense. Momo hid in a backpack, and the two brothers exchanged worried glances.

"I was on the beach, trying to ride the big monster to impress the girls in town," Aang finally admitted in a low tone, his eyes fixed on the ground.

"A Fire Nation ship arrived, looking specifically for you. Imagine what would have happened if they reached the town. The girls would have fought to defend their town, but there was no guarantee they could win without casualties. Homes and lives would have been lost..." Naruto explained with a sigh as he sat down. He could see the ship following them now, confirming what the old man had said.

"I'm sorry," Aang sincerely apologized.

"What are you going to do?"

"What?"

"What's your plan now?"

"I'm heading to the North Pole to learn waterbending, then I'll find an earthbender, and finally, a firebender. I have to master all four elements if I want to face the Fire Lord," Aang explained quickly, laying out his new plan.

"How long will that take?" Naruto asked again, still fixing the monk with a cold stare.

"I don't know... maybe years."

"Years..." Naruto whispered softly, realizing the magnitude of the task ahead. With a deep sigh, he stood up, turned his back on Aang, and gazed at the horizon. The sun was setting, and night would soon fall.

"I'll help you because I know I can't face the Fire Lord alone. He has thousands, maybe millions of soldiers at his disposal."

"Thank you-"

"But..." Naruto interrupted the Avatar, locking eyes with him once more, "...if you do something as reckless as this again, or if you waste your time, I won't accompany you any longer. I have a home to return to, and I can't wait indefinitely to see them. And if I can't return..." He fell into a somber silence for a few moments before continuing, "Maybe I'm not the Avatar, but if you don't stop this war, I will. I can't bear to see people suffer, or continue burying children."

...

Azula rarely felt tense or cornered; she always had a plan for everything. Her actions consistently had a purpose, and at the end of the day, things usually worked in her favor. That was until she encountered him.

Uzumaki Naruto.

He was a challenging child to manipulate, not because he possessed an unbreakable will or unwavering resolve, but rather because Azula lacked sufficient information about him. If she had known more about the child, it might have been easy to penetrate his surface and win him over to her side. After all, no one was truly unbreakable, and everyone could be influenced if you knew which strings to pull.

Had he been in her grasp for just a few more days, Azula might have had him obediently at her feet, whether as a warrior, an ally, or even as a pawn. It made no difference to her. But the fact that he had escaped and treated it all as a game left the Fire Princess feeling something she hadn't experienced in a long time.

Euphoria for the chase.

"Ty Lee, stop that," Azula scolded the circus girl, who had been eyeing an expensive vase in the corner of the room.

"But I'm just looking at it," Ty Lee replied with a pout, crossing her arms. She turned her attention to the window of the room they had been taken to. Two days ago, they had been sought out by a messenger from the Fire Nation, bearing an urgent message commanded by the Fire Lord himself.

"Why do you think he summoned us?" Mai, stressed since receiving the message, broke the silence. It wasn't every day that one had an audience with the Fire Lord, and there was no guarantee that this summons bode well for them. "Do you think the rumors...?"

"Everything is always known; it was only a matter of time," Azula remarked with a stern expression, effectively silencing her friend. She lowered her gaze, delicately running her fingers through the pendant hanging from her neck.

"I understand," Mai replied, choosing not to argue with Princess Azula. The mere mention of the name 'Naruto' was almost taboo between them, as no one wanted to incur the wrath of the Fire Nation's princess.

After a few minutes, the tense atmosphere in the room was disrupted when a soldier entered and guided them through the labyrinthine corridors of the Fire Lord's grand mansion. It was a vast structure with countless rooms and corridors where one could easily become disoriented.

During their journey, they passed by a picturesque garden adorned with trees, plants, and a pond of crystal-clear water, where several Koi fish gracefully swam. For a moment, Azula's gaze lingered on a bench situated beside the pond.

"Mom! Mom! Look how the flower I'm taking care of has grown!"

"She's a beautiful daughter; she will grow up to be as beautiful and strong as you..."

"Really?"

"Yes... when you nurture something with care and love, it will grow to be strong and beautiful..."

"I want to become strong and beautiful like your mother!"

"No, my girl, you will be much more..."

Azula's countenance darkened upon entering the throne room. With unwavering confidence, she strode forward, her face illuminated by the flames that encircled a grand throne where her father sat, wearing a crown adorned with the symbol of fire. He was the Fire Lord, the most powerful figure in the nation...

Or so they said.

"Good morning, Father," Azula greeted as she bowed alongside her two companions, who also lowered their heads in reverence. "It's good to see you after several months, and..." The teenager's words were abruptly halted when her father raised his hand.

Ty Lee and Mai tensed as the Fire Lord caused the flames at their feet to swell ominously.

"Eight days ago, one of the most secure bunkers in our nation, built by my father, the great Azulon, was infiltrated and destroyed. This resulted in the loss of a significant portion of my army and thousands of prisoners, among whom 13% were earthbenders..." The ruler's voice remained stoic, but his eyes gleamed with a different emotion. "Our government is hemorrhaging, and it's all because of a wretched 12-year-old brat…"

[ If you want to read advance Chapters then go to PAT REON and support me there as I have already uploaded till chapter 73.

PAT REON I'D:- Alzero ]