Useless Brother

"Here you go sir," said a young woman as she handed the coating oil to Genji.

Smiling at the woman as he received the coating oil, Genji thanked her.

The woman blushed and walked away with a red face.

'Such an innocent woman,' thought Genji as he rubbed his chin and watched the woman walk away.

After waiting for a couple of more seconds, Genji noticed the personal assistant of the merchant finally came back. This time, the personal assistant was carrying three long pieces of wood.

All three are optimal for making staffs.

The assistant stopped in front of Genji and left the wood before him before smiling and waving goodbye.

Genji nodded and appraised the wood.

[Spirit Wood (Uncommon)]

[ - Originally from a Spirit Tree that was once a normal tree before being constantly bathed in the energy of the spirits. Makes it a bit more tough and more mysterious compared to other average wood.]

Surprised, Genji thought that the merchant must have wanted to compensate him for the troubles and to pay him. Maybe even an advanced payment for protection and to protect them in the meantime.

Genji didn't care much right now about money, but he knew that the pirate loot would get the merchant some more money and even help him trade some stuff he couldn't trade before.

He already got something much better than money however.

Genji smirked and looked at the new skill he got, Waterbending.

Heading into his room that was already cleaned and had the sheets replaced, Genji carried a small bucket of seawater he got earlier from the side of the boat.

Closing the door and making sure it won't be opened suddenly, Genji stood tall with a bucket of seawater in front of him.

Smiling, Genji moved his body in a slow motion and felt himself connect with the seawater on the buck.

Shh…

The water in the bucket moved slowly and Genji quickly felt himself get familiarized with Waterbending. Although the style to bend it was different, the connection and moving of an element was similar to firebending, allowing him to quickly familiarize himself.

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[Ding! Skill level up!]

….

[<Novice Waterbender> (Lvl. 8)]

Thanks to prior experience in bending an element, Genji breeze through some levels quickly.

Feeling a little more comfortable controlling the seawater in the bucket, Genji began to practice some more complicated moves.

These weren't any particular moves pertaining to Waterbending but more like juggling with water and splitting his control.

'It's similar to what people do to train their concentration, splitting their attention, control, etc.

Like for instance…'

Genji Waterbended all the seawater into the air and into one huge ball of water. He spun it around using Waterbending and once he felt comfortable with this, Genji split the water ball into two.

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[<Novice Waterbender> (Lvl. 9)]

Feeling like he was on the correct path, Genji went on ahead to continue this form of training.

Seconds passed…

Minutes passed…

And soon four hours passed.

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[<Novice Waterbender> (Lvl. 18)]

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[<Calm Mind > (Lvl. 22)]

The Calm Mind skill helped provide a lot of help in training his Waterbending.

Bending an element, or using Martial arts and fighting in general, requires a Calm Mind. Having one would help one to focus better and keep the mind clear from emotions like doubt or other emotions like excitement.

This was especially true with bending elements.

After four hours of training his skill, Genji felt like he was finally getting bored and hungry. After using the effects of his Calm Mind skill of having energy consumption cut in half, using the Resting skill and the meditation skill, Genji will never stop feeling bored or hungry.

His meditation was only at level three and it didn't affect his metabolism much at these levels.

Guiding the seawater back into the bucket, Genji stretched and sent the tool pouch, whetstone, spear head, and Spirit Wood into his Storage.

Just as he was about to head out, Genji heard a knock on the door and he curiously opened it.

"Ha-have you eaten?"

After opening the door, Genji saw the cute assistant woman from earlier and smiled.

"I was just heading out to eat," said Genji after shaking his head lightly.

The young woman chirped up and asked, "Would you like t-to join me?"

The young woman lifted the basket in her hands and showed it to Genji with a blush on her face.

Raising his eyebrows a little, Genji unconsciously nodded and said, "Gladly. I would never reject the invitation of a charming woman like you."

With an embarrassed smile, the young woman entered Genji's room after he let her.

Closing the door, Genji and the woman remained in the room eating and having fun…

Two hours later, the door to Genji's room finally opened once more and a young woman with disheveled hair exited with a flushed face and trembling legs.

"Go-goodbye," sweetly said the young woman as she left Genji's room.

Genji smiled and closed the door before stretching and finally focusing on other matters.

Taking out the tool pouch and a single spirit wood, Genji began his staff making process.

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[<Novice Crafter> (Lvl. 2)]

Genji had just started and he had already gained a level. Feeling better about this process of making a staff, Genji continued with a smile to produce a staff.

…

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[<Novice Crafter> (Lvl. 7)]

With the staff finally complete, Genji decided to take it a step further and brought out the spearhead from earlier.

Fixing it onto the staff, Genji swung the spear around and found it nice. However, he wasn't done just yet.

The two nails that came with the spear head was hammered into the small holes of the spearhead to make sure it's properly fixed onto the staff.

After hammering them in, Genji exhaled and checked the door to make sure it was properly closed.

Taking a deep breath, Genji shook his hands a little before suddenly making a small but powerful blue fire come out of the tip of his index finger.

Using this fire, Genji started to melt the nail to fuse it together with the spearhead to permanently affix it onto the staff.

Seconds into the melting process and Genji began to feel the scorching heat on his hand.

"Ah…"

Shaking his hand a little, Genji winced at the heat before continuing the melting process.

Usually firebenders shoot bursts of fire from their bodies, allowing them to hardly feel any of the heat from their own flames. If used in lengthy times like this melting metal, firebenders could feel the heat from their own Fire and can end up burning themselves.

[Ding! Learned new skill!]

[<Fire Resistance> (Lvl. 1)]

[ - System Remark: If you ask for the description, your a disappointment of a host.

(ಠ ∩ಠ) ]

Suddenly, Genji felt like the heat had reduced by a tiny bit and felt better.

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[<Fire Resistance> (Lvl. 2)]

…

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[<Fire Resistance> (Lvl. 5)]

Finally finishing the spear, Genji smiled and tossed it into his Storage space before taking out another spirit wood and making it into a staff. After making the staff, Genji took out the last spirit wood and cut it down into several small pieces of wood the size of a fist.

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[<Novice Crafter> (Lvl. 13)]

Finally, everything was complete and night had finally approached.

Throwing the small pieces of wood into the storage and keeping the newly made staff outside with him. Genji went onto his bed and meditated all night until the sun finally came up.

…

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[Ding! Skill level up!]

[<Adept Martial Artist> (Lvl. 21)]

[<Appraisal> (Lvl. 22)]

[<Acting> (Lvl. 18)]

[<Adept Cook > (Lvl. 20)]

[Ding! Congratulations on <Cook> leveling up to skill level (20), skill advanced to <Adept>!]

[Rewarding Host a random stat point for advancing skill, <Cook>, to the next rank, <Adept>!]

[+1 Energy]

Looking at the blue screens in front of him, Genji craned his neck and stretched. He turned to look around the room before sighing and standing up. He grabbed the newly made spirit staff and headed out of his room and looked up at the bright blue sky before looking at the port in the distance.

"You came out at the perfect time, sir," said the merchant as he approached Genji from behind.

Genji turned to look at the man and nodded at him.

"Just a couple more minutes and we will dock," said the merchant as he walked away after greeting Genji.

Genji stretched a little once more before fixing his clothes and looking at the Fire Nation flags at the port.

In the distance, Genji saw a large statue of Fire Lord Ozai.

'Ugh… looks like I'm finally here… the land with the giant statue of a stupid ruler.

Fire Fountain City…'

***

Fire Nation, Fire Nation Capital, Royal Palace

Showed walking through the halls, an old eunuch walked rapidly with a fearful expression on his face.

Soon, he approached a large bedroom and he knocked on the door before entering after a couple of seconds of waiting.

"Crown Princess! The Fire Lord requests your presence…" the old eunuch said, nervous.

The young woman, about 17 years old, sitting down on a chair and having her hair combed turned to look at the old eunuch with sharp eyes.

Usually she would say something, but this time was different since her father had called for her. With a mischievous smile on her face, Azula stood up after having her hair combed and having her hair done up in a top knot.

Waving away the attendants, Azula walked over gracefully past the messenger with a scoff before heading over to the Fire Lord.

"I heard you were calling for me, father…" Azula said the moment she entered the throne room and found her father where he always sat.

He was sitting down on an elevated platform surrounded by a wall of fire.

"Azula…"

Ozai ignored Azula's question and instead began speaking with her. With a sinister look on his face, Ozai smiled and spoke to Azula.

"It's time you head out to look for your own guards."

Azula furrowed her eyebrows a little and remained quiet.

"You need your own loyal guards. You can't be relying on the palace guards, now can you?"

Ozai looked down on Azula and smirked as he watched Azula's smile slowly disappear.

"Now go. I'd recommend you head to Fire Fountain City… there's a lot of 'notable' warriors there. You might find someone of good use there," Ozai said as he narrowed his eyes. "There will be a Combat Tournament there tomorrow where a lot of fighters will be. I suggest you hurry."

"Yes… father," said Azula as she bowed her head a little at her father before slowly taking a peak at him and his smirk. "I'll make you proud and get a valuable slave from there."

Once she said that, Azula smiled and felt like she recovered a little from her father's mind games before leaving.

It has become a sort of routine for them in these little mind games. Her father, Ozai, always tried to make her submit to his rule and recognize him as the Fire Lord.

She, however, just wished to rule by her father.

With a nefarious smirk, Azula left the Royal Palace and headed straight towards Fire Fountain City. Just as Azula was going to leave, another messenger appeared and he handed her a note before leaving.

"Father sent me a note?"

Curious, Azula opened the note and read what was on it before smiling and feeling better about herself.

Tossing away the piece of paper and burning Azula left the Fire Nation Capital as she remembered the words on the piece of paper.

'Show to me how much of a better heir to the throne you are compared to your useless brother.'