14 Chapter 14

The morning came, and Haru rubbed his forehead. His ride was behind him, shaking, as he reached the end of the valley.

"Guess my Chi is almost out… what a long night." He sighed in relief.

Behind him, there was a long trail of dead beasts.

The last thing behind him was a group of giant cockroach-like creatures, and they all had their centres pierced by his earthbending.

Haru checked his system as he walked forward, leaving his ring to regenerate his Chi. Because of his performance last night, he was just an inch away from reaching a new level.

Other than that, Haru's agility increased by a point, from jumping and moving around.

'I fought a battle in the dark, that's epic…'

He thought as he jumped on his animal and ride it. He was quite tired from fighting in the dark, without seeing. He would be honest if he said that his eyes almost hurt him when the sunlight hit them and they needed some time to adapt.

Haru stared at the sky, in the sun's direction. He closed his eyes and recalled the maps he had been reading. Now, the layout of this area became clear in his head. He knew in which direction he should go.

"Okay, once we cross this valley, we will find some quest to do. Maybe, hunting some beasts, or engaging in a fight with a giant beast."

Haru sounded excited as he clenched his fists and lifted them high.

He had found out that beasts give high experience points. Last night, he met with a mutant cockroach, and it gained Haru 2000 experience points. Unlucky for him, it was a unique creature and the leader of its group.

Haru's animal started shaking. Haru noticed its action and patted it. His ride was more obedient to him ever since the last night. It seems to realise the power that its owner has and who is the leader.

"Now, let's continue."

Very soon, Haru left the valley and entered another forest, meeting another mountain range. One of the fucked up things was how large the Earth Kingdom is. His journey continued for two days, and Haru passed by a couple of villages.

Haru encountered few beasts, and he finally broke through the 14th level to the 15th. He kept the points and didn't use them for now.

-x-X-x-

"Time for a quest," Haru muttered once he saw a town. Unlike most of the villages he had been into, this town seemed to be very lively. Before entering, Haru went to the corner and changed his clothes to blue ones, before tying up his long hair into a lock. He then entered from the gates.

The first thing he noticed about this town was its people and children. Many of them were wearing red clothes. It meant that it was under the Fire Nation.

You know how Fire Nation can conquer towns while keeping its army focused on the important places. Simple. They attack, defeat the benders, and then, bring citizens from the Fire Nation, who will take the homes of the original citizens, and they will breed. As for the original citizens, they will be treated as lesser human beings. They will live in the corner and work. The Fire Nation allows them to live in these towns for one reason. They can work and make money. And thus, they can fund the Fire Nation army.

It's a wise move, Haru had to admit. If the Fire Nation used its own money, then the people will become poor, and they may rebel against the Fire Lord.

Haru looked around as entered. He wasn't intending to make a fight here. He doesn't have an army in the first place to conquer this city. And if conquered alone, it would be pointless since the Fire Nation can claim it again.

He decided to stay low and just continue his journey later. He may book a hotel room, maybe trigger a quest, and then, leave by the morning.

Haru asked some girl in the street about a near motel. She, with a little blush, pointed in some direction and told him where. She then revealed a little piece of information.

"By the way, did you come to see the circus?" The girl put her hands behind her back and stared at his face. She had black hair, yellow eyes, and an average-looking body of 16 years old. She seemed to be from the Fire Nation.

"No, I'm just a wanderer," Haru replied with a small smile. "So, there is a circus here?"

Since he had been travelling for some days, he thought it won't harm to have some entertainment before continuing with his journey later.

"If you are interested, it will start two hours later." She said. "Please, be sure to be on the eastern side."

Haru just nodded. "And why is that?"

"It has the best view."

"Thank you, you are a nice girl," Haru said. "I may get there."

She smiled and said. "You don't want to miss it."

"Right."

'I'll be on the western side then…' Haru sighed, turned, and walked with his ride in the motel's direction.

-x-X-x-

"Thank you…" Haru took some keys after he placed the money on the counter.

In front of him was an old-looking smiling woman. She was the motel owner, and Haru just booked the room for the night.

"If you want to relax, or eat, I can suggest to you a near hot spring… It belongs to my sister."

A real smile appeared on Haru's face.

'As Iroh said, a man should know when to relax…'

This town is getting better and better.

"Thank you, old lady."

"Old! Excuse me!"

"I meant young lady." Haru laughed.

"Sure…" she smiled back.

After that, Haru picked up a towel and left the motel to the rear springs. He took off his clothes and sank in the hot water, relaxing and enjoying as the hot sensation invaded his body. He closed his eyes and let a long moaning sigh. It's good to forget that he's ambitious sometimes.

He cursed himself. 'Why do I have to be a slacker in my previous life…'

He opened his eyes and stared at the steam.

His thought process went back to lava bending. He had managed to make the rock hot, just by imagining its smallest parts moving faster.

While staring at the water, Haru started to gain more understanding of how the matter works.

When the water is hot, it boils, and its atoms move faster. When the atoms reach a certain speed, the water turns into steam that moves around the air.

'Just re-imagine the same thing with the earth.'

Haru opened his hand, and rock appeared. He started thinking of it as if it was boiling water, the hotter, the faster it boils.

Haru threw it from his hand. The rock glowed, red. But it didn't become liquid.

Haru clenched his fist, glad that he is getting this right. When he stared at his stats, he found that his Chi was slightly reduced.

'And I forgot to relax.'

Haru let a sigh, opened his hand, and made the glowing rock float.

Now, he started visualising the reverse process of making it hotter.

The rock lost its glow. Haru didn't stop, instead, it was getting colder.

Haru held it in his hand and imagine the little components of the rock becoming slower.

"It got colder. So it's possible to manipulate the physical state, so the heat…" Haru thought.

It seems that understanding the principle behind shifting the physical states in bending has so much potential.

"Shit. I forgot to relax…" Haru stretched his back and lay his back, taking some deep breaths. Even when he had been in the spring, he was training.

Whoever said that great ideas visit you in bed and bath wasn't wrong.

-x-X-x-

Haru wore some traditional robes as he went to the circus. He was holding some sweets while walking. People were cheered. They were with their partners, children, and families. All were heading to the circus to see some show.

In a world that lacks entertainment means, anything can be satisfying.

Haru paid a small fee as he entered the circus. Luckily, he was with the few lucky who could sit forward as he had arrived early. He sat down, and he noticed something.

Few helmeted soldiers were sitting in the line behind him. He narrowed his eyebrows and resisted the urge to beat them.

Maybe, it would be good to listen to them. They may reveal something important to him.

Some firebenders appeared on the stage. They didn't seem to be warriors, but their bending was good. While dancing, they created a fire that took the shape of a dragon that danced above the audience. People started clapping, except for Haru who was having his focused on the soldiers behind him.

"And for the next show… let's introduce Ty Lee."

A girl standing on her hands and walking on them appeared on the stage. But Haru's eyes were turned left.

"By the way, we can't stay here for too long."

"Yeah. I know. We have to meet the scouting group."

"The Western North village was conquered by a young Earthbender. A mini army will be heading there…"

Haru knew that they were talking about him.

"It really pisses me off. The farmers and merchants are saying that the prison rig was broken. If that's the truth, we will burn their village by night."

"But would it be a wise move? They said that a young man, alone, managed to defeat them while leading a small group. Besides, 40 earthbenders, and more ten ones…"

"No need to remind me. I know the rumours." The one in the middle said. "But they are true, or part of them. All we know is the Prison Rig didn't send any hawk during the last three weeks. That's why we must burn them."

It seems that the rumours about Haru reached this far.

"Worry not. We have more than 100 soldiers. We have our tanks. Besides, once we attack in the night, their village will burn."

"Right. I forgot. Fire can spread and burn everything."

"I'll be going, for now, I'm tired since I've been working the whole day." One of them stood up and said. "Make sure to welcome our soldiers when they arrive. We will be helping them once we reach the prison rig."

"Wait… I'll just check this hottie and leave."

"Yeah, she is the reason why we came."

"I heard she had 6 twin sisters. I wish I could have all of them."

Haru clenched his teeth, killing intent rising within him. He didn't care about how degenerate they are — less than him anyway. He wanted to turn and kill them.

But he had learnt his lesson from the time he had punched Chin. Haru will hold the grudge when getting angry, and just pay it back later.

And he needs them to reveal more information. It's a waste if they died before they reveal more.