Chapter 61

After offering to take over the Dai Li, the agents didn't seem to accept.

Haru realised that he may not be as scary as Azula, who had made them her bitches in the other timeline.

"You can't be our head. You have to prove yourself." Said one of the agents. "We will decide who will be the next head, by ourselves."

"Fair enough. Might control everything, and you know it." Haru took a deep breath and he extended his hands at the Dai Li.

He could kill them. He was very fast compared to them thanks to his agility. Making a bunch of swords spin around him and run in their middle was enough for Haru to kill them all.

But it would be a waste to leave the most talented earthbenders.

It's the job of the earth-forces bender like Haru to enlighten them.

"I shall enlighten you," Haru said with a mighty voice as he lifted his hands.

The Dai Li's didn't seem willing to give him a chance to dance. They took their bending stances, faster than any other earthbender would.

Haru jumped and flipped in the air, raising his hands like a bird. When he landed on his knees, he slammed the ground with his palms. A bending wave transcended through the ground toward them. It was one of the common techniques that earthbenders use to bend things far from their reach. They would use shockwaves waves, which would create the thing they have in mind.

The Dai Li agents raised their hands.

A great wall rose, easily reaching 10 meters high in front of the agents.

Haru smirked. The bending wave continued moving through the wall. That was no Active skill. It was just a pure bending.

The gravity increased twice under them. The Dai Li agents suddenly fell to their knees.

[Gravitybending levelled up.]

Haru put his hands in his pockets, reached the wall, and gave it a slight kick. The wall went back to the ground, and Haru was staring at the struggling Dai Li's agents.

"So, what do you think?" Haru started sitting down. A chair appeared from the earth, and Haru's butt found its comfort. "Am I not strong enough to be your head?"

The Dai Li agents didn't have even the ability to talk. Gravity didn't just make their bodies heavier. It applied high pressure on their throat and lungs. Just talking a simple word would take a monstrous amount of willpower.

They went on their knees, and it seemed to hurt them. It was a fast fall.

"I admit you as our head from now on."

"I too admit it."

"The Prince of Omashu had proven his power, to be our head… we pledge loyalty to you."

Haru stared at them. These agents had been trained carefully from their youngest age. Their sole purpose in life is to serve the king, under the leadership of his head. Haru could control the corrupt Dai Li now.

"To make a strong impression on you, let me dance for you." Haru wanted to try brainwashing them.

He turned to Suki, who understood and turned to stare at Kyoshi, who was sitting by the boulder above Fong's body.

"Suki. Learn his movement. It will help you bend the people."

"Aren't you affected by such a thing," Suki asked. "You know, you may be hypnotised too."

"I'm a spirit." She said. "I don't need the help of a brain to remember things. I can't be disillusioned. Besides, it's not brainwashing, it's hypnosis. You are a very agile and good martial artist. You can copy his movement."

"Oh, right, I can leave my body with meditation."

"Forget it. Just look at his shadow and do as him." Suki stood up and looked at Haru's shadow, dancing exactly like it.

"Move as fast as him. When he slows down, you slow down, and when he moves faster, you will." Kyoshi advised.

Haru was aware of the conversation that happened behind him. Seeing that Suki was learning from him, he repeated the dance over and over. It seemed that each time he do so, the Dai Li agent's brain would go blank.

Haru had another purpose than teaching Suki. It was to level up his skill. That's why he was repeating his movement.

After getting done, it reached a new level. [Hypnosis Dance up to level 7]

"You guys now admit me as the leader in your hearts." Haru walked to Dai Li agents. They didn't seem to be aware of what was going on. "Your sole purpose in life is to serve me. Each time you do as I say, you will feel peace and serge of pleasure. My smile makes you feel good." Haru then clapped his hand. The soldiers were awakened from their illusion.

Somehow, their glance changed when staring at Haru.

They seemed to have emotion.

"I will serve you with my life, the prince of Omashu."

"I will die for you."

They got on their knees and bowed their head.

Haru felt that there is more to learn with this skill.

Just to test how strong the effect, he said. "Raise your head."

Without disobeying, they lifted their heads. When Haru smiled at them, they stared at him with a stun. It was as if that smile meant the whole world to them. They weren't aware of why. But Haru knew the reason. Their subconscious is making them feel good.

'The effect my get weaker after a long time. It means that I need to level it up to have a stronger effect.' He thought as he tilted his head to the left.

"By the way Haru, did you learn that in Wan Shi Tong library." Suki, who was repeating his movements, asked.

"Yeah," Haru said as he looked at Suki. Seeing her dance, he noticed how graceful her dance was. It was elegant. He couldn't think of anything else.

'Pink Elephant Pink Elephant taking a shit in the toilet.' Haru pinched his finger that it pained him. It made him awake from the illusion. Haru put his hand on his heart. It seems this skill works better on opposite genders. Luckily, Suki didn't have a level-up option.

Kyoshi chuckled when she stared at Haru, who was breathing heavily.

"As expected from my smart boy who discovered gravity," Kyoshi said.

"Enough Suki. You are good." Haru clapped his hand. "Let's visit the king now." He then turned to the Dai Li agents. He didn't smile and said. "You toss Feng's body somewhere else."

Suki smiled. She sat on the ground and nodded, seeming happy that Haru praised her. "I learnt something more powerful than bending."

"Be careful," Kyoshi warned. "Keep such technique a secret, and use it when your opponent is off guard."

The Dai Li agents kept looking at Haru's face, waiting for that smile without realising why. They then went to do as Haru told them. Somehow, who did it had a small smirk on his face.

-x-X-x

Having thought of the best way to finish his task — becoming the king — it was essential for Haru to wait after dinner.

Once night arrived and the king of Ba Sing Si had his dinner, one of the Dai Li agents entered the room of the King and bowed.

"The Prince of Omashu arrived your majesty, and he is waiting for you."

The king, a young thin man with rounded glass, nodded. He was wearing royal clothes with a hat that stated he was the king.

"Oh, the prince of Omashu. I never heard from them ever since I was young. It would be nice to have him here. But I already finished dinner, so it won't be proper to invite him. Just tell him to come on the breakfast."

"No need for that king." Haru entered from the door. "I'm full, and I only need to talk to you."

"About what?" the king raised his eyebrows.

"About what you really desire," Haru said. "You don't really want to be a king. It's really boring for you. Shouldn't you join the circus?"

The king asked. His guards were about to move forward, but he lifted his hand and stopped them.

"Well, you are really audacious, although you have a point." The king sighed. "I don't want this life, it's boring." He sighed.

Haru stopped talking; he was a bit surprised. He knew that the king was easy to control since Feng had been playing him. But Haru didn't expect the king to be easy talking.

"Unfortunately, my people need me, and I can't leave them."

"You can" Haru lifted his hand.

Dai Li agents entered. They bent the earth and created shackles around the king and his guards.

Thinking of the best way to finish things up, Haru lifted his hand. A group of needles appeared.

The king looked at the needles, and he said. "What are you doing?"

"Using a permanent way to change your mind," Haru said. He had learnt this trick from the books in Wan Shi Tongue. It can make a person forget things, and implant new memories, and it's hard to break. Haru will make the king think he is just a minister, and he will then use his hypnosis dance to make him do a speech to Omashu to make Haru the king.

The King resisted at first and yelled 'Guards' Haru knocked him out, put him on the bed, and used the needles. After specific Chi Points, the king looked blandly at the wall.

Haru did his deed. When the King stood up, Haru decided it was time to plant new suggestions for him. He danced for the king, who was trying to figure out who was he.

The king won't forget his dreams or his childhood. The only thing that changed was that he wasn't the king.

-x-X-x-

"King, I'll make an announcement to the people of Omashu." Not knowing who really he is, the king of Omashu bowed to Haru.

Feeling sorry for such a man, Haru decided to leave him later to go to the circus. At least this way, he would achieve his dream and leave the leadership.

The King then made a royal decree, saying that he passed the throne to Haru, and he stomped it. Many ministers and nobles saw it.

The decree then spread to the whole Ba Sing Se that they have a new Earth King.

After everything was done, Haru was alone with the previous king. He told him. "You want to live in a circus, don't you."

"Yes, your majesty." The king smiled and joined his hands together. It seems that his mindset didn't change.

"Go then, take some money from the vault, and follow your dream."

"I and my bear friend won't forget your generosity."

'It's your money initially' Haru thought and hid his chuckle. He waved his hand, and the previous king left. Haru decided to announce himself later.

"Well, I can't surely say that I agree with your method," Kyoshi said. "But it's less bloodshed and more peaceful. Besides, that man doesn't deserve to be a king. No wonder the war lasted 100 years." She pouted.

"As much as I respect you, I can't blame Haru's method. Seriously, that king didn't even know there was a war." Suki cleared her throat and said, defending her boyfriend. "Haru could use force to become the king and shed blood. At least, he looked at the bigger picture, which I only realised."

"That's why I'm agreeing with this," Kyoshi said. "Haru, Just don't turn all of the people into puppets."

Haru smirked and said. "Oh don't worry. After everything is over, I'm planning to take a long vacation." Like Genghis Khan, making love and making sure that his genes will keep the peace.

"Now, it's time to give the Earth Kingdom my speech, I have a dream."

"Oh, that. I heard about it in Omashu. They say it's blood boiling." Suki said, excited.

"What speech?" Kyoshi narrowed her eyebrows.