Chapter-41

"You…!" Hanzuke's hatred reached its breaking point. How was it possible for these soldiers to surrender? All because of the simple words of a brat?! "They will pay for this!" Great flames of fire erupted from his hands. Without hesitation, he launched himself towards the boy responsible for all of this. Stepping forcefully and extending his hands, he unleashed a massive fireball.

Naruto covered himself with his arms, lacking the energy to dodge such an attack.

To his surprise, a wall of coal formed in front of him. "Child..." Turning his head, he found the old earthbender, who wore a determined expression. He walked forward, followed by hundreds and hundreds of other prisoners. "Thank you..."

The soldiers who hadn't given up and wanted to continue the fight felt fear as they watched all the slaves march towards the Shinobi, ready to fight. The numbers were no longer in their favor. That boy had defeated three-quarters of their army, and a good number had surrendered.

The odds were clear now – for every soldier, there were a hundred slaves determined to win.

"That?" Dazed and stunned, Hanzuke watched as the rest of the army surrendered. "No, no, no, no, no!" Panic and fear clouded his judgment. Without thinking, he tried to get up and run. He had to escape and inform the Fire Lord... "Ahg!" The old man collapsed when a kunai pierced his armor and lodged itself in his back. In agonizing pain, he attempted to rise again, only to have his efforts crushed underfoot.

Looking up, he saw the Shinobi standing over him. "Are you going to kill me?" he grunted in pain.

"No..." Naruto stopped, no longer stepping on the firebender who sighed in relief. But his relief turned to dismay when he was removed from his armor and tossed roughly, landing at the prisoners' feet. "They decide..."

The prisoners surrounded the firebender, who struggled to get up. However, the wound on his back hindered him. He had considered using his firebending to defend himself, but his hands were covered in coal and pinned to the ground. Hanzuke was overshadowed by the silhouette of the old earthbender.

With a swift motion, the earthbender raised a substantial amount of coal, compressing it into a denser form. "This is for my son." Without hesitation, the old master crushed the commander's head, leaving only a bloody stain.

"..." Frowning, Naruto remained silent. There was little to say. They had suffered for years because of that man, and if his death meant their peace, then so be it. "What will you do with the others?" Naruto asked calmly, referring to the other soldiers who had surrendered.

"..." As he looked into the shinobi's eyes, the old man understood that this was not a moment of enjoyment. Naruto was still just a 13-year-old boy, after all. "There are only them left?"

"No, outside the walls, there are many more I've already defeated, but…"

"I understand." The boy's distaste for killing was evident. He was still just a child. "…"

Having placed the last rock, Yui and Yuei completed the burial of their father's remains. They had laid him to rest on the clan grounds, next to their mother's grave. It was the least they could do.

"..." Both sisters stood quietly by the two graves, their eyes meeting.

"We never need to talk to know what the other thinks, right?" Yui smiled softly, taking her sister's hand firmly. Yuei returned a weaker smile.

"Yes... Let's go for our little student." They hoped to reach the boy before he risked his life by attacking that fortress. And if he was captured, they would either set him free or die trying. After all, what did they have left?

"..." The elder sister frowned when she thought she heard something. "Do you hear that?"

"...?" Yui halted, listening carefully to what seemed to be...

"Yui-sensei! Yuei-nee!" The two warriors dashed into the forest when they recognized the voice of the blonde boy. Climbing a hill, they heard his shouts growing louder. Finally, they reached the hill's summit. "Girls, I made it!"

"..." Both warriors felt their hearts skip a beat when they saw the state of their student, who was severely injured but still smiling.

"And I brought company!" Behind the Shinobi came thousands of people – all the slaves who had been in the fortress were following him. Behind them were hundreds of soldiers who had discarded their armor, and others who were in chains.

A great battle had been fought, and its outcome held far-reaching significance, more than many could have imagined.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The Southern Air Temple is one of the four original temples belonging to the Air Nomads, situated in the remote Patola Mountains. It's one of two temples that exclusively housed male Air Nomads, the other being the Northern Air Temple.

Located amidst the towering mountains, access to this temple was challenging without a flying bison, which, unfortunately, became extinct during the genocide against the Air Nomads. Now, only rubble remained of what was once a vast sanctuary for these renowned nomads.

Whistling a cheerful melody, a person walked through the steep mountains as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. Several days had passed since Naruto left the fortress, and many events had unfolded before his departure.

Most of the prisoners were individuals who had nowhere else to go, their homes having been reduced to ashes. A significant number of them chose to remain in Zeo City, near the Yata clan complex. Together, the earthbenders and civilians collaborated in the process of reconstruction.

As for the Fire Nation soldiers, Naruto genuinely believed that the prisoners would demand their heads on a silver platter. After all, they had been the ones guarding the hellish prison where the inmates had been held captive for years.

To Naruto's surprise, the prisoners held him in great respect, seeking his guidance on what to do. Naruto simply imparted the wisdom of what Ero-sennin used to say.

"The cycle of hate is a long path of meaningless fights where we kill each other. Sometimes, the first step to break that cycle and reach peace is to forgive those who caused us so much harm," the wisdom of the old pervert's teachings was evident. However, not everyone would embrace it. That's why Naruto added his own words, "If they still choose to continue this cycle, we will be compelled to end it."

Naruto wasn't naive; he understood that the slaves needed to defend themselves and prevent further harm from their enemies. Yet, sinking to the level of their oppressors wouldn't serve any purpose. Would it truly help to eliminate all the soldiers? Or, if he set them free, would they turn against them once more?

It was a complex situation, but everyone deserved a second chance. Thus, a decision was reached.

All the soldiers would be released, allowing them to return to their homes and families. However, if they persisted in aggression, there would be no more mercy.

The Fire Nation soldiers couldn't help but respect and admire the seemingly wiser and more restrained boy before them. They were given a second chance, and they knew well the consequences if they squandered it. As they departed, many pledged not to waste this opportunity.

At the end of the second day, Naruto, now somewhat recovered, bid farewell to the sisters who had chosen to rebuild their clan. It would be challenging, but they were determined to succeed. Yet, his teacher's parting words were somewhat perplexing.

"You know, Naruto... we need to usher in a new generation, and in my eyes, you are more than qualified to be the progenitor."

Naruto could still recall Yuei's embarrassed reactions, although he didn't fully comprehend terms like 'progenitor' or 'new generation.' Perhaps she meant training new recruits for the clan, especially since only the two sisters remained. Regardless, Yui's genuine and cheerful smile was heartwarming.

With a smile, Naruto finally reached the summit of the mountain.

"Wow..." he couldn't contain his astonishment at the sight before him, akin to a city in the clouds. However, this image was marred by the burn marks and rubble on many of the grand structures.