Chapter eight (APC)

I patiently meditate on the deck of my ship, waiting for June to reveal herself. I have confirmed the presence of the stowaway on the ship, now all I need is for her to come get him.

An hour later...

My ship suddenly jerks, I rise to see what the commotion is all about.

A large beast, June's shirshu, suddenly leaps onto the deck, June mounted on its back. My firebenders flee from the beast. June slows down the beast's progress.

"Look out! Argh!" One of soldiers says.

"Get back! We're after a stowaway!" She says, holding her whip. A whip she once tried to use to dominate me in the bedroom, which didn't end well for her.

"There are no stowaways on my ship." I say, as uncle arrives, knowing there is one.

Nyla, June's shirshu, tears off a chunk of the metal deck flooring and hurls it in my direction. I use a burst of electro-magnetism and catch it, I casually toss it aside. I look on in false frustration, while everyone assumes firebending
stances.

I look at the gaping hole present where the metal flooring once was. Nyla sticks his head inside and begins sniffing around. Nyla flushes the stowaway out and paralyzes him.

"Interesting, he's paralyzed." I say, with false surprise.

"Only temporarily." She says, as she lifts the man and slings him over her shoulder. "The toxins will wear off in about an hour. But by then, he'll be in jail and I'll have my money."

"But how did you find him on my ship?"

"My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away." She says, mounting her shirshu.

"Well, I'm impressed. Very impressed." Uncle says, already lusting after her.

"Bad uncle. No sex outside the confines of marriage." I say, jokingly, to his annoyance.

"Hush, Zuko."

"You need to set a good example for your young, impressionable, and innocent nephew." I say, continuing the teasing.

"You've had more sex than I have, nephew." Uncle says, now very annoyed. "And your certainly not innocent."

"That's true." I admit, deciding to quit annoying him. "Well, uncle. Let's go hire a sexy bounty hunter."

And we did, uncle promised his weight in gold. He wants to nail her, so bad. Unfortunately, he's spending my money to do it. I should give him advice; I've slept with strippers and barely spent any money on drinks.

We go first to the herbalist institute, where I make a mental note to use cute animals to pick up girls again.

We go to Makapu Village next, this time I don't anger Nyla.

We arrive at the Abbey next.

"We're getting close." June says, before she whips Nyla, who runs out of the abbey and into the woods.

Minutes later, Nyla jumps behind Sokka and Katara.

"So this is your girlfriend." June says, as jump down. "No wonder she left, she's way too pretty for you."

"I've had prettier. Ask me later and I'll show you why." I say, before winking at June. making her smirk and annoying uncle. "Where is he? Where is the Avatar?" I ask, Sokka and Katara.

"We split up. He's long gone." Sokka says.

"I actually believe you. Unfortunately, your life now has no value to me." I say, and they run. Nyla uses his tongue to paralyze them. "What are we supposed to do now?" I ask, already knowing.

"It's seeking a different scent. Perhaps something that the Avatar held." June says, as Nyla walks closer to Sokka and Katara. Nyla locks on the scent and I load them onto Nyla, we begin following the trail again.

"So, Sokka. Are you here to buy perfume to go with Kyoshi Warrior dress and make-up?" I ask mockingly, angering him. "If your going to try being a woman, at least try to be a role model for younger girls. Your really setting women's
rights back for those who aren't aware of your gender of birth. You keep getting beaten down, while pretending to be female." I say, making June and uncle laugh. I discreetly pocket the map to their father.

We arrive minutes later, at the Abbey; Nyla breaking down the gates. Nyla begins walking around in a circle.

"He's flying above." I say, before teleporting off Nyla. I quickly generate and direct a lightning bolt at Aang, which he evades. He seems to realize he can't fight me from the sky and lands. "I knew you would come for your useless fan
girls." I say, taunting Aang and angering Sokka and Katara. Aang remains silent, studying the situation. "You can't win, Aang. Not even with the Avatar State." I say, before quickly employing an elemental barrier that can only be broke by
earthbending.

Oh well, time to fight. I send a massive blast of fire at Aang, who evades. The blast hits the wall. I decide to mess with Aang, I unleash a wave of intense heat and saturate the air with it. I quickly bend the superheated air at Aang, knocking him into Appa. I can't help, but laugh.

"Enjoy that?" I ask, in amusement. Aang looks at me in shock and confusion. I begin bending more air at Aang who begins evading.

I eventually get bored and begin sending lightning bolts at him, forcing him to constantly dodge and rapidly tire.

"Isn't this fun?!" I ask, in amusement. The idiot stops to answer and gets hit, he falls to the ground stunned. By this time the Abbey is a wreck, with fires in several places.

Sadly, my actions seem to have sped up certain occurance's.

Sokka and the nuns pour the perfume pots onto the ground. Katara waterbends the perfume into the air and pours it on Nyla. My suspicion is confirmed, when Nyla paralyzes me. June follows soon after. I begin using energybending to burn up the toxins. Team Avatar quickly leaves. Oh well. I've went through the motions and achieved my goal. I still have Katara's necklace and the Map. I may give the map an admiral, so he can kill members of the Southern Tribe, though if I do; it will be traced back to me. That would hinder my future with Team Avatar.

"Come, uncle. We're going." I say, coldly. "I know you didn't get hit." I say, causing June to become angry. I use my energybending to heal her, to uncle's annoyance. She quickly rises and distances herself from uncle.

"I'm out of here, don't worry about paying me. I didn't catch my target." June says, walking away.

"Alright. Goodbye, nice meeting you." I say, before teleporting uncle and I back to the ship.

"Why did you do that?!" Uncle questions me, quite loudly and draws attention. I teleport us to my room.

"Do what?" I ask, in genuine confusion.

"Teleport us away."

"I didn't want her to change her mind about not wanting to be paid." I say, to his annoyance. "Your welcome to pursue her romantically; just don't throw around my money to do it. I have big plans for it and I need it all."

"Fine. What are your current plans?" Uncle asks, somewhat angrily.

"Mostly killing time until Zhao conscripts the crew for the invasion of the north." I say, unamused by his anger. "I may expand islands in the Fire Nation, with lavabending. Crescent Island has a lot of potential and I may work on Roku's old island. The name of which was sadly lost to history. I'd really like for my nation to have room for a massive population and industry boom."

"You really should have been doing that, Zuko."

"I know. It's just extremely draining on me. Though It's an opportunity to push my powers to their limits, by becoming exhausted and recovering; I may even get stronger. Though, I'll have to use my powers to regenerate my lungs and other damaged parts of my body." I say, verbalizing my thoughts. "I am going to go do that, right now." I say, to uncle's amusement.

"Be careful, Zuko." Uncle says, with a smile.

"I will." I say, before teleporting to my hideout.

When I arrive, I go to my room and grab my Shadow outfit and begin putting it on.

I finish a few minutes later and teleport to Crescent Island.

When I arrive near the old dock, I teleport closer to the lava flow.

When I arrive, I quickly focus on the heat in the lava and begin pulling it to the sea; while pushing the sea back with gravity. It quickly comes; though not fast enough. I push my power to a comet-enhanced level. I pull all the lava off the side of the volcano down to me and begin forming a first layer of molten rock. I quick repeat the process on the other lava coming down. Sadly, the rock is too thick for me to just bust open the magma chamber.

I spend four hours doing this and expand the island by fifty feet, which isn't enough for my tastes. I look at where I suspect the magma chamber is. About forty feet of rock defending it. I'm going do it, I'm going to bust it open. I get closer and turn the first ten feet of rock into lava, which I relocate in the area I marked for expansion. I repeat this two more times, then fly back a safe distance from the volcano.

I send a massive blast of white fire, which I keep going for a minute. I take a break and confirm I burnt through five feet of rock. I bend the liquified rock to where I'm expanding the island and set aside a few gems. I go back to a safe distance and send another blast of white fire, the final defense is gone moments later. Lava begins pouring from the hole and I begin bending it to where I want it.

I bend till after nightfall, having drained chi almost completely. I finally emptied the massive magma chamber and expanded the island considerably. The plans I have slowly formed in my mind are coming along, this island will be very
useful in the future. I quit restraining the sea with my gravity powers. It quickly tries reoccupying the space where lava now is and fails. I teleport back to my hideout to change clothes.

When I arrive, I quickly change clothes and teleport to the ship for sleep.

I fall asleep, as soon as I lie down.

I'm woken an unknown amount of time later, by uncle.

"What is it?" I ask, in annoyance.

"You have been asleep for two days, due to severe exhaustion." Uncle says, in concern.

"Huh?" I ask in confusion.

"You trained to hard." Uncle says, talking to me like I'm an idiot.

"Yeah." I say, waking up. "Let me check my chi right quick." I say, before quickly find my chi and inspecting it. "My power has grown, by a whopping half a percent. Which is a lot, considering how powerful I am." I say, excitedly.

Uncle doesn't look amused.

"I'll be more careful next time, uncle." I say, to his confusion.

"Next time?" He asks, in concern.

"Yes. If I find other volcanos, I may use them to create more territory. Only the ones in the ocean though." I say, in explanation.

"Just be careful, Zuko. And don't get caught." Uncle says, in concern.

"I'll try too. I'm using my Shadow alias to avoid trouble. He's feared and extremely powerful." I say, trying to ease his concern.

"What will you do if your work is opposed, though?" Well, good to know I eased his concern. Not.

"I'll send my other ten 'students', to aid 'Shadow'." I say, putting students and Shadow in air quotes.

"Interesting. I suppose the clones will be able to withstand an army?" Uncle asks, in both concern and interest.

"Yes. I'll have each clone specialize in something that I'm a master at. I just need to get much stronger to handle the cloning without strain." I say. I omit the fact, that I need to give those clones power greater than him, Ozai, and Azula combined. I want them to dominate all opposition, including armies and naval fleets. Which is very possible, I know this from experience.

"They sound like they will be near invincible." Uncle acknowledges.

"They will. They will be using never before seen; extremely powerful and destructive abilities."

"Okay, by the way. Where do we need to travel next?" Uncle asks, having just remembered.

I quickly get up and look at the map on my wall.

"Here." I say, pointing at the location where the assassination attempt took place.

"Excellent. I'll give the order to the helmsman and leave you to your thoughts." Uncle says, before exiting my room.

I suppose I'll go after the Rough Rhino's next. Though, I really need to target large numbers of benders. Which only leaves targeting Earth Kingdom bases.

The positives are: I hinder and damage the Earth Kingdom further, preparing it for my future plans. I gain immense power and life-force reserves and possibly immense wealth. I essentially make my dreams a reality by doing this.

The negatives: Eventually, I'll have to scrap the Shadow persona; most likely postwar. Though I can turn that to my favor. I could get my identity compromised, though it's highly unlikely. Well the positives outweighed the negatives. I don't consider all the death I'll cause a negative, the deaths are essential for my plans and therefore necessary.

I'll target the island bases on the islands near the southern and eastern Air Temples. I'll make it seem like I'm being hired to limit the Earth Kingdoms influence to the mainland, at least for now. I write a quick note to uncle and teleport to my hideout.

When I arrive, I quickly go get my Shadow persona's gear and begin putting it on. I teleport to the base nearest the eastern Air Temple, minutes later.

When I arrive, I quickly conceal myself with illusion and do recon. The base doesn't seem to be very big, mostly here to watch and report. I estimate a few hundred soldiers and a dozen scout ships to look for Fire Nation activity. Two towers with birds for messaging. All in all, this seems like a very easy target.

I quickly teleport into the first tower, kill the person there, send a massive blast of fire at the floor and teleport to the next. The other tower is empty, so I just light it on fire and teleport to the harbor.

When I arrive, I quickly attack four guards with blasts of blue fire. I focus on targeting vital organs and critical areas, succeeding in killing them with one hit each. I focus on the ships and lift them with gravitybending, then crush them. I teleport near the gate next.

When I arrive, I quickly strike the two guards with lethal attacks. I use lavabending and block the gate and turn the ground near it into lava. I already hear soldiers coming to my current location.

"That should contain them." I say, before employing my Full body elemental barriers; weak against air and going on the attack. I enhance my speed and run to the soldiers coming to apprehend me. When I reach them I grab two by their
throats and pull their chi and life-force into me, all while being barraged by rocks. I aim my hand, fingers outstretched at a group of twenty and send a burst of lightning; stunning them. I quickly grab two soldiers who are attacking me and pull their chi and life-force into me.

I move onto the group of twenty, all of which are benders.

It takes me a minute to absorb their chi and life-force, boosting my power considerably. I see large groups coming after me, having learned where I am. I estimate around a hundred and seventy soldiers. I see several with bare feet, suggesting they're earthbenders. I do what's natural when I'm faced with by an army: I attack. I use gravitybending and knock them back, with such force that most are knocked back dozens of feet. I check my barriers, confirming they are still at sufficient strength and teleport near the group.

I quickly grab and the pull the chi and life-force out of two earthbenders.

I manage to do this on ten more before I notice a dozen spearmen forming a phalanx. That's not nice, they could hurt me a little. I quickly send another burst of lightning from my palm and continue absorbing the chi and life-force from the near dead.

I really need a faster way to do this, even two at a time is too slow. Though, by now I've absorbed the chi and life-force of sixty benders. I have enough power to achieve my goals, but greed is a vice that I mostly enjoy. I see ten of the earthbenders getting up, I stun them all. I decide to try speeding up the absorption.

I'm interrupted ten minutes later, by all the non-combat personnel; all exiting the base with assorted weaponry. I estimate there is around a hundred of them.

"Surrender or die, firebender!" One of them says, boldly.

"We won't allow you to subjugate our nation!" Another says.

"We will fight to the last man!"

"We will never give up, so long as we have hope!" Are they trying to spew cliche lines?

By this time, I'm extremely annoyed. I generate lightning, then direct it across the group and succeed killing them all. I can't help, but laugh.

"Well, there went the last man." I say, before laughing even harder. "And their hope, too!" I'm suddenly knocked back by several large rocks.

"Kill him!" An earthbender bellows. Moments later ten earthbenders begin their attack, thankfully they're idiots and haven't restrained me. I teleport into the air, when I'm up there I catch myself with flight and cup my hands together.
I begin focusing on heating the air, moments later; I send a beam of superheated air at the earthbenders. Gotta love combustionbending! I watch the beam hit the ground in a grand explosion and knock the earthbenders back.

I quick check on them and verify their deaths. A shame, I really needed their power.

Oh well. No sense crying over spilt blood.

I spend the next hour absorbing the chi and life-force of the survivors. I briefly meditate on my new level of power.

"Oh yes, this will do nicely." I say, reveling in my power. I place the massive amounts of life-force behind seals; I can't have myself being sixteen years old for thousands of years. I decide to search the base, then see how my pet warlords are faring.

Time Skip one hour.

I've found base payroll, plans, sensitive information and several other useful pieces of information. I placed it all in my vault. I also looted the base of other objects that I deemed useful. I teleport to General Akio's base.

When I arrive, several soldiers move to attack.

"Hold!" Akio yells, the soldiers promptly obey. "This man is an ally, who tends to enter at the wrong places." He says, in amusement.

"Sorry about that, gentlemen." I say, politely, though my obscured voice intimidates them.

"What news do you bring?" Akio asks, in concern.

"I wiped out the Earth Kingdom base nearest the eastern air temple. I'll deal with the other two soon also. This will hinder their ability to attack you from the sea, somewhat." I say, to everyone's relief.

"Good. Our plans have been going well, recruitment is up in my army; as well as Daichi's. We have achieved several of your suggested goals." Akio informs me.

"Great." I say, happily. "If all goes well, then King Kuei should be removed from power; all within another two years." I say, causing cheers to break out. Even Akio looks pleased. "I'll be leaving to wipe out the other two bases, now."
I say, getting a nod of understanding from Akio. "Please inform Daichi of current events." I say, to him and teleport out.