Chapter 8

"And who are you!? Speak quickly before I kill you." Asked a large man beyond two meters tall. He stepped, and the ground started shaking.

Haru took a step to the side, avoiding a spike that appeared in his original spot. The Earthbender in front of him was skilled enough to reshape the ground beneath Haru with a step.

Haru walked forward. "Me. I'm just a wanderer. I'm sharpening my skills, looking for a worthy opponent, and worthy followers."

The man rubbed his chin. "You are young and talented as a bender. Someone like you should be in the army of the Earth Kingdom. But you are here fighting your nation's soldiers. I guess I will have to take you back to the Earth Kingdom."

Haru lifted his hands. "Listen to my offer. I will let you guys live if you become my followers."

Haru needed them.

"On my dead body, you will take the lead." The large man yelled. "Otherwise, my name won't be Kong."

"Humph." Haru harrumphed as he extended his hand. In no time, a spear appeared from the earth and shot at him.

Kong's eyelids shook. He looked to be surprised. He stomped on the ground and raised both hands, a wall appearing and blocking the spear.

He then jumped and double kicked the earth wall, sending it flying at Haru, who squatted, extended his hands, and spun, making the wall take a turn in the air and head back at Kong.

Kong kicked forward, splitting the wall in two, and he seemed to take some damage. Haru noticed that Kong was the type of the men who uses their feet to bend. Compressing average-sized rocks into little ones, Haru sent them flying at the man's ankles.

Kong noticed the rocks and how small they are, and he sneered. But once they made a contact with his ankles, he fell to the ground, his feet broken.

"What the fuck are you doing! Help me beat him!" Kong yelled.

The sidemen and the ones who had got out of the cave answered his call. The benders took their stances. Even though they didn't look as strong as Kong, they had some power in them. They created some boulders and made them fly at Haru, who lifted his hand.

5 spinning long swords appeared and formed a ring around him. They were spinning so fast. Once the boulders approached, the swords cut them in half. Haru squatted, before he charged at them, moving his hands and bending a bunch of rocks to attack the man.

They tried to attack him back, but the swords were very good in defence.

Haru's attacks on the other hand was hard to dodge.

The rocks he used shrunk in size but kept their mass, and they got the bandits down.

[Level 7]

Haru turned his head. There were a bunch of soldiers who didn't seem to be benders. They raised their hands, giving up already.

But Haru couldn't simply accept that. It wasn't for righteous reasons, but because they were free to experience points.

Showing mercy, he bent some rocks and made them hit them on the back of their head.

[Ding, the quest completed]

[You levelled up]

[Level 8]

[Storage: +Random Gift]

Haru decided to check on his gift later. His storage at the beginning of his journey was full. But because of levelling up, it became larger. Now, it seems almost empty, even with all of the stuff in.

Haru walked to the one who seemed to be the leader, the man with broken feet. Surrounding him were his men, who were crying in pain.

Kong lifted his head and said. "Who are you?"

"Are you the leader?" Haru asked. "The leader of the bandits."

"No. I'm a mercenary of the Earth Kingdom. Not a bandit." He replied sternly. "Did you really believe those villagers when they said I'm a bandit?"

Haru believed in the system more than the villagers. The system can't lie. It has no reason to lie in the first place.

"I'm here on a mission to execute you," Haru smirked.

Kong's eyelids shook. He seemed to be afraid.

The others started begging, thinking that they will be next.

"Please, he forced us."

"He isn't mercenary. He is our captain, and he is a soldier. We couldn't disobey him"

"If we did, he would have the right to declare us as traitors and execute us."

Haru lifted his hand and made a chair from the ground appear. He sat down, put a leg above another, and stared down. Haru was planning to make use of these guys.

But Kong didn't seem like a usable person, so he decided to get rid of him. A man who is no good to his kingdom is no good to Haru.

Creating a bolder from the ground, Haru used it to squash the bones of Kong, he then turned his head, to the rest defeated people.

He compressed some boulders above them and asked them if they are loyal to Kong. They said they weren't, and that they are willing to do what Haru asks for.

Haru then offered them to join him, to serve under him. The soldiers and the earthbenders accepted.

After all, he was a man who defeated them alone.

Haru later gave each one a bottle of water and made them drink, in celebration of switching the leadership.

The bandits, AKA soldiers of the Earth Kingdom who used the war for their benefit, accepted that water.

Once Haru made sure that everyone drank it, he made his announcement.

"Attention everyone. Since I'm your new leader, and since your loyalty isn't guaranteed, I made you drink poisoned water…. No… don't give me that face… the poison will take three months to kill you."

Once Haru said that he saw how everyone's face turned pale.

"But worry not. I have the antidote, it's not with me now, and only I know where it is." Haru said. "Now, if you prove your loyalty to well, I will give you the antidote."

It was fun to see their shocked faces losing water.

Haru's imaginary story about the poison had tricked them.

A tall lean man, who was the vice of the previous leader, said. His face was pale, but he didn't seem to dare to voice his opinion. "How are we going to prove that? You have a task for us."

"Good question Kin. How to prove you are loyal." Haru put one leg above another. "You will prove that you are loyal to the Earth kingdom, and you are going to help me take one of our villages back. Also, you are going to take all the taxes you stole from the villagers down back to them. And give them their food back. Also, if someone caused trouble again, then forget about the antidotes, you are going to die by my hands."

Haru smiled and talked with confidence.

It was one of the bullshitting principles he had learnt as Mike.

If you say something with confidence, people will believe you, as long as you don't leave them plot holes to use.

"Alight." Kin turned his head. "You heard him, pack the money and give it back to the villagers."

No one seemed to be against Haru's command.

Everyone was free to think that the poison story was a lie.

But it seems that no one had enough guts to take the risk.

-x-X-x-

Haru had gotten what he needed. He has a full map of the Earth Kingdom with him, and he threw it back into his storage.

Now, he was going to do his first task.

He had to go back to his village and free everyone. Also, he needed to go back, before someone who is related to the dead Fire Nation soldiers decided to take vengeance. His mother or father will be targeted.

Now, it hadn't been a day since he had killed those fire Nation soldiers and buried them.

But it won't take a long time before they dig them out.

If Haru went to Kyoshi's island now, his family may be as good as dead.

Haru had been planning to escape at first because he had believed that he can't do a thing at his current level.

But that was before he did level up after his fight against the fire soldiers.

Now, his Metalbending reached a high level, and now, he had gotten some good level-ups.

This is the best time to take a risk and go back to his village.

But before that, he has to make use of his points.

[Level 8 (2000/8000)]

[Wisdom:16

Physique:8

Agility:3]

He had 12 Affinity points and 6 Skill Points.

It's time to put them to use.

Since he was going to metalbend, he put all of the skill points in Metalbending. The first 2 points made him reach level 10. After that level, each level required him to use 2 points.

His Metalbending ended up reaching level 12.

His Earthbending was at 8th level, and he was very good at it. Using that as a standard point, level 12 Metalbending should be superior to his Earthbending.

Haru was currently inside of the cave, and he was standing at some metal armours. With his hand, he started bending it, lifting it in the air. Making some moves, he split that armour in two, before reshaping it.

<<Spears Rush>>

The metal changed its shape and became a spear that headed to the cave's wall and pierced it.

Other than that, he decided to split his Affinity Points between Wisdom and Physique.

Putting six points on Wisdom, his Chi increased by 3000, making him have 9500 Chi Points.

As for his Health, it became 400.

Haru had a feeling that increasing his Wisdom will help him connect with the spirit world, possibly, it may help him bend his Chi.

Haru now knew that he was ready to go.

The best time to move would be tomorrow, at dawn, so he would reach his village by the night, which would be the best time to attack.