Chapter 24
"What's in your mind?" Chen asked when Hiroshi lifted his head. It seems that the old man was struck by an idea.
"I do remember. After the revelation, we planned to show our power at the end of the tournament. That team, Wolfbats, always abuses their power and bribe. People always cheer up for them even when it is obvious. Amon was planning to make an example of him."
"And how did you manage to discuss that with him with a straight face," Chen said. If Hiroshi knew that Amon was a bloodbender, then he shouldn't be calm when being next to him.
"Laugh, but not much." Hiroshi poured himself another glass of wine. "When I was poor, I used to suck the boots of my bosses. Do you think I did like them?"
"Fair enough," Chen said. Somehow, he started having respect for Hiroshi for being a sly fox.
However, it meant that Chen couldn't trust the old man either. If Hiroshi thought of using Chen temporarily, then he would leave him a pregnant daughter.
In his previous life, he'd learnt that when it came to doing under-table business, betrayals were expected from everyone. The only one you can trust is yourself.
"But I don't think that you may be able to expose him," Hiroshi muttered. "Unless, somehow, he fell to the water and you cornered him."
"He may let himself caught." Chen rubbed his chin.
"That's not possible," Hiroshi said. "If his life was threatened, he would waterbender. Plus, if he let himself get caught, the fake scar on his face will be revealed."
"You know about the fake scar."
"I do. I'm his business partner. When he approached me, he said that he'd been attacked by a firebender who'd killed his family. Amon then showed me his scar. When I saw how his past resembled mine, I decided to join him. My wife died to the Agni Kai members." Hiroshi put his hands on his face. He started sobbing, tears falling. "I was so stupid. He used my love for my dead wife, and my fear for the safety of my daughter, so that I can help another bender to rule over the world.
Chen inhaled some smoke and turned his head to the window.
Chen was the type of person who won't bother others unless they bothered him first. Amon had made that mistake. Besides, Hiroshi was going to be Chen's father-in-law and future provider. Hiroshi would make Chen's dreams come true.
Patting Hiroshi on the shoulder, Chen made him lift his head. He smiled at the old man. He said. "Don't worry, you were just stupid. Everyone makes that mistake often."
"I was just emotional." Hiroshi pouted.
"Doesn't matter," Chen replied and took his hand back. "So tell me, how far you gave Amon."
"I gave him very advanced technology. I created robots, electric gloves that would make a trained non-bender as deadly as a pro-bender."
"You know what you can do to that technology," Chen smirked.
Hiroshi opened his eyes in realisation. "Mess up with the equipment, so it would stop working." Hiroshi stood up and put his hands behind his back. "If I created an electrical field with a certain frequency, it should send a signal that would stop the equipment from working."
"You use electricity."
"Yes. The main idea was to electrocute the benders so they won't have a chance to fight back."
"I see," Chen said. "I guess this is a good plan."
"Chen, should I say." Hiroshi joined his hands and lowered his head.
Chen knew the expression on Hiroshi's face. He was familiar with it.
"I won't tell the cops," Chen said. "Provided that you don't try to mess up with me."
Hiroshi smiled and lifted his head. "You're really smart. No wonders Asami likes you."
'Try to use your daughter to make me stick to your side.' Chen pretended to be obvious of the old fox's intent. He smiled and said. "Please, anything for her. We have a date, and I was planning to take her around the park."
"Don't do anything to her, besides sitting." Hiroshi's tone slightly changed. "Please." He said when he realised that he may have gotten a bit rude.
"No trouble."
-x-X-x
When Hiroshi left, Chen was left alone in his room. He'd thought about the skills he would upgrade. Obviously, Firebending and lightningbending were on the top of the lists.
Getting them to the next level had cost him 42.000 accumulated experience out of 130.000. It left him with 88.000 accumulated exp. When he heard the notifications, he felt that he became more skilled.
[Firebending up to level 16 - High Grand Master (0/100.000)]
[Upgrading Associated Skills]
[+ Associated Skills:
-Weaponizing: Compress the fire into forms of weapons
-Fire Sense: Sense the heat in the living and non-living forms from distance. The distance increases with the level up.]
[Lightningbending up to level 16 - Full Grand Master (/0/100.000)]
[Upgrading Associated Skills]
[+ Associated Skill:
-Electrical sense: using the electrical charges in the air to sense and hear.
-Fall from Heaven: summon the lightning in the clouds and drop it. ]
Surely, it was rewarding to become a Full Grand Master in bending.
For now, Chen had gained two senses.
He could sense the heat without looking. When he closed his eyes, a 360-degree image appeared in his head.
It was a thermal vision.
He could sense the heat of the neighbours. He could see them like that monster in Predator movies. The higher the heat in an object, the redder it was.
He turned his focus to the neighbours above. They were unleashing a high heat. Chen clearly saw it in thermal vision.
They were having sex.
Quickly, he turned off his sense and focused only on himself. Opening his eyes, he breathed heavily.
"Fuck. I have physical needs too." Chen clicked his tongue. Usually, in his previous life, he would call some slut and have a bang. But here, other than Hina who workout her ass to attract a rich man, he didn't know any.
Shaking his head, he decided to distract himself. He decided to test his other skill. Weaponizing.
Stretching his index, he imagined his Chi taking a shape of a whip. A string of fire lit up, before growing bigger and taking a form of a solid whip. Chen held it with his hand, and he moved it around. It moved and reacted like a weapon, producing a whipping sound. It also was super hot. Before damaging his room, he turned it off.
Opening his hand again, he created a yellow fire, and it took the form of a Jian sword. He waved it around many times. Getting overexcited, he waved it on the table, cutting it in half. The fire spread to the two parts. Chen quickly turned off the fire and dispelled the sword. Biting his nails, he muttered.
"I got too excited. Nothing matter. I have money to buy more tables. Still, I always loved this one." He muttered to himself.
As for the rest of the experience points, he would use them once the alcohol effect is over. He'd drunk with Hiroshi. And he'd never trusted himself when being drunk.
Turning his head to the left, he noticed that it was getting late. He needed to sleep. Tomorrow would be a very important day as he has a date.
-x-X-x-
Chen spent the remaining of his accumulated experience when the morning arrived. When he'd taken a shower, he thought clearly.
[Flame Generation up to level 15 (0/50.000)]
(Green Healing Flame - level 14)
(Black Flame - level 15)
It cost him 40 thousand points, leaving him with 44 thousand accumulated experience. The price is worth it. He had earned a type of fire that was black, and he didn't know how hot it was. But he knew that it would be beyond what any firebender can handle. Just creating that flame made him feel the heat that it hurt him. Not to mention that it consumed a lot of chi. It even scarred Chen.
Other than that, there was the other time of Fire. Green Flames.
The fire was used to heal people in old times, and Chen gained a specific flame that healed people. He would have tested it on himself if he had been injured. When he generated it, a green warm fire appeared. It didn't burn anything. Not even a paper. It also cost a lot of Chi, but not as the black flame he had earned.
As for the remaining points, he spent them on the most essential skill. Levelling it up would make him consume less Chi and make it more efficient.
[Chi Control up to level 15]
(Chi Quality has increased)
(Chi consumption decreased)
(Chi can be released from hands)
(Power boost has increased)
(Smoothness and swiftness of bending have increased)
It passed two levels in a row, leaving him with a few thousand of accumulated experience.
Chen opened his hands, deciding to test the effect. A red aura danced around his hand. It acted like a calm fire, but it wasn't a fire. It was his Chi, pure energy. Aiming his hands at the table, he controlled his Chi, making it flow and pushing it. It hit the sofa, creating a hole. The Chi had done physical damage, as if was a punch.
'Alright, if trained enough, Chi can do physical damage'
'Also, I need to buy some land. I can't just destroy my house.'
Shaking his head, he put the sofa in storage, and he thought of buying another one later.
He thought of his plans for today. Tomorrow would be the start of the tournament, and today he's a date with Asami.
'I'll date Asami then, and see if there is an available underground bending match. Still, the police chief may spy on me, so I need to be careful when getting out.' He exhaled a sigh, remembering Lin. That woman surely was hard to deal with.
So it was decided. He would simply date Asami. He thought of sending notes to his teammates saying that he won't attend the training. Since he was too lazy to do it personally, he'd written a letter to deliver through the mail.
-x-X-x-
In the middle of a high-class restaurant, Asami and Chen were sitting facing each other. Asami supported her head with her hand, and elbow on the table. Her other hand held a fruit that looked like a strawberry. She put it next to Chen's mouth. When he tried to bite it, she pulled back, before extending her hand toward his mouth.
As Chen stared at her eyes, she giggled and said. "Come on, I won't tease you this time."
Chen pretended to stare behind her and focus. Seeing that, Asami felt curious and turned her head. Chen opened his mouth, taking the fruit and Asami's fingers in. He then slowly pulled back while gently sucking.
"You tricked me, very well." She turned back to Chen. Seeing how he was sucking her fingers, she exhaled heavily, her body shivering. A blush filled her cheeks. "You surely have your way."
"It's only fair for me to take what you teased me for."
"I did it for the fruit."
"Oh, pardon me, I've seen something more delicious."
She chuckled.
"So, I've heard that my father came to visit you last night." Asami changed the topic.
"Yeah," Chen said. "He came to me with the mobster style, and he said, 'If you do something to my daughter, I swear I'm gonna…' do you want to hear the threats."
Asami shook her head, and she apologised. "Sorry, pardon him. He's been overprotective toward me ever since my mother died."
"Sorry for that," Chen said.
"Don't be," Asami said. "I've moved along. So, our last date. It has taken an interesting drift."
"I don't remember." Chen scratched his chin.
Asami narrowed her eyebrow. "You kissed me, and you were very good. I want to ask how you became this good."
"I guess I'm just natural." He shrugged.
Chen noticed that Asami was throwing him signals, and he decided to play along.
"I don't know."
"If you don't believe it, try kissing me again."
Since they ate nothing but fruits on this date, both of them were good to go for a kiss. Chen and Asami leaned, their lips clashing. Asami was the first one to insert her tongue, and Chen opened it. After they were done kissing, they pulled back.
Chen smiled broadly. "You said you wanted to test me. I think I should be the one to question you."
Rolling her eyes, she said. "I would like to remind you that you were the one who said, 'if you don't believe it, try kissing me,'."
"Fair point," Chen said.
Feeling a bit curious when he saw how blushing her cheeks were, he decided to test his latest skills. Sensing the heat. A thermal vision appeared in front of him, and he could see 360 degrees around him. Asami's heat signals were increasing, and her crotch appeared to be the reddest part in this thermal image — besides the kitchen.
"Asami, I have a question." Chen leaned.
"Yes."
"Have you done that before?"
"What do you mean?" seeing that she was flushing, Chen was sure that she knew what he had meant.
"Are you a virgin?"
She nodded. "You?"
"Yes, but I've read some book about relationships, and I have been a bit curious."
Lifting her eyebrows, she asked. "And what exactly does it talk about."
"The angles. How one should aim." He opened his hand, and Asami looked at it. "How one should tease." He lifted his index and middle finger as if he was pressing some bottom. "Though, I don't know if it was true. What do you think."
After looking at his fingers for some time, she faked a cough and looked at his eyes. "I think one should try it first to confirm whether is it true or not."
"You know, they say there are good oral techniques."
She shivered for a moment, but soon faked a smile and said. "That sounds interesting."
She put her head on her hands, and elbows on the table. "I don't know honestly. My father's mansion is full, and although we can try it here, I'm still a virgin and blood would spread. You should know that."
"I'm aware of it." Smiling, he grabbed her cheek gently. "But I know, where there is a will, there is a way."
"How can you be certain?" she tightened her gaze at him. It was as if she was questioning that he was a playboy.
"Believe it," Chen said, still playing with her cheek.
Pulling a lock behind her ear, she took a deep breath. "You live alone in your apartment, right?"
Chen nodded. "Here's a way."
"Well, I can find a day where my father is busy, and pass by you." She said. "Though, I don't think I'm ready yet. I'm still a virgin."
Chen smiled. "You are believing it now."
Asami exhaled. Given her heat signals, she was horny. "Make sure to read the chapters about tongue's uses. That if there are any."
"You are more into kissing."
"Yeah, but not on those lips." She pointed to her mouth.
Leaning backwards on his chair, Chen felt happy. Although he was focusing on Amon and his group, he was still a man with needs, physical and economical needs. Asami was the one who could wilful them. Also, he was a lone man, and having neighbours having sex next to him, made things lonelier to deal with.
"So, next day."
"Mm… I need some time. How about the weekend? You shouldn't have matches, and you should be at full energy." Asami said, her face getting redder and redder.
"Yes. Full energy."
"By the way, tomorrow you have a match. Shouldn't you be practising by now?"
"Don't worry about that."
"I'll be there to cheer up for you."
"I'll be looking forward to it."
"Let's go behind the building and play a bit."