44 Edge Lord in the Making
We come to a clear area, kinda like the one she fought Zuko. This place is pretty nice actually, I would buy one too if Megumin's divine realm wasn't better.
I look around to check for any audience. None, perfect.
How do I know it? I learned how to heat sense just yesterday. It's pretty neat and convenient.
Thankfully she doesn't want to humiliate me in front of an audience and even more thankfully, she doesn't have spies hanging around her. I'm kinda surprised at that, but I guess it makes sense. She's strong enough that even if somebody she can't handle attacks her (which is almost impossible), she can survive long enough for help to come. We're at the royal capital for fucks sake.
''Whenever you're ready, princess.'' I taunt her cockily. I can't help it. She shouldn't have annoyed me.
She doesn't break her composure but I can see her eye twitch silently.
''You can start first, that will be your only chance of attacking'' she taunts back.
''No, I don't think I will.'' I cut her short and wait for her to attack.
At the corner of my eye, I can see Megumin giving me a silent thumb-up while eating popcorn.
'It won't be that exciting, you're wasting the popcorn.'
It's clear I would win anyway. I'm not being arrogant this time, these are simple facts.
''I. Insist.'' she forces out a few words and keeps her body casual, but she's pissed at my clear lack of respect for her. She can't wait to trample on my pride and possibly body, can't she?
''Alright, if the princess orders me to do so, I shall obey.'' I say playfully and send a casual fireball. Not a blue one of course.
''TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY!'' she screams after dispersing my weak attack.
'Ah, she snapped.'
I kinda feel bad now. It's like toying with a kid. I almost feel like I'm bullying her.
And she's calm again.
I gotta admit, it's pretty impressive how easily she controls her anger. It's almost like she has multiple personalities and that little angry gremlin takes over her body from time to time.
She takes a perfect stance. Her hands balled into fists but her forefinger and middle finger are pointed forward. Her arms go through a circular motion and meet in her chest, only to shoot forward a large and hot blue ball of fire.
I smack it to the side with a hand and send a similar fireball towards her with my other hand.
Instead of blocking it, she simply sways to the side and dodges it while sending a sharp fire blade towards me.
I dodge it with a side step and send a fire stream that engulfed the entire arena on her side, only for her to block it.
'Is this enough? She won't cry if I end it this fast right? She's not desperate yet though. She hasn't even tried lightning bending.'
I realized how much I look down on her. Is this some kind of resentment? I'm acting childish like this because I was scared of her just a few months ago and now I want revenge for some reason, even though she didn't even know of my existence, aren't I?.. Wow. I won't do any more self analyses, I don't like what I see. I'm so fucking petty. Another thing to fix in the future.
While I was thinking to myself, Azula jumped and sent a huge wave of fire towards me by slamming her foot down with an axe kick.
'I was thinking of acting like we were equals and then win by luck, but whatever.'
I spread my arms apart and all the flame that was coming towards me disperses quietly under her shocked eyes.
''Take out the kiddie gloves.'' I say simply to her.
Anger flashes through her eyes but her face remains calm as she makes a split-second decision.
Almost right after I say those words, she starts going through the same old motions that generates lightning.
Blue lightning crackles around her body and she thrust her left arm forward with 2 fingers sticking out, sending lightning through them.
'Heh.' I was waiting for this. I want to see her face.
To her shocked eyes (aww, you actually didn't want to kill me), I absorb the lightning with my body, and a second later I send the lightning she sent me right beneath her feet.
Dust fills her eyes but she doesn't even close them. Her mouth was slightly open as if she couldn't comprehend what just happened.
'I didn't break her did I?'
----
'What?'
Azula couldn't understand what just happened.
Lightningbending was a sacred art taught only to royals, and even then only the most talented could learn it. Her father, the strongest firebender alive, had assured her that Lightningbending was the supreme among all bending arts.
How? How could somebody just casually redirect it to her?
'I-I-I I must have seen it wrong.' she muttered in her mind as if trying to convince herself.
She shook her head and continued the battle, it wasn't over yet.
She took a deep breath and sent a ring of fire to distract him so she could attack him with lightning bending unobstructed afterwards.
''Voltage Nova.'' she heard a silent but strong voice.
Her fire was extinguished immediately by an unseen power.
She almost rubbed her eyes from what she saw.
'Is... is he glowing?'
''Well, it was fun playing with you. But a man has his places to be.''
He suddenly disapperead from her vision.
''Normally, I would introduce you to the glory of explosions, but it would be too messy. Curse your luck.''
She shivered as she heard a deep voice coming from behind, right next to her ear.
*Snap*
She fell down.
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[Quest Complete]
[NEW QUEST!]
[Quest: Teach the golden child some humility.]
[Objective: Beat Azula in a fair firebending battle]
[Side Objective 1: Beat her without getting any injuries.]
[Side Objective 2: Beat her without giving her any serious injuries (physical injuries, pride doesn't count)]
[Reward: Wa Shi Tong's Library's location marked on the map, Random Stat Rank Upx1]
[Side Reward 1: Increased respect and affection from Azula, Random Stat Rank Upx1]
[Side Reward 2: Decreased respect and affection from Azula, Random Stat Rank Upx1]
I smile as a bright red X appears on my map as if marking a treasure on an old pirate map.
Name: Kunyo
Title: Fire Nation Mid-class Noble, Second Coming of Combustion God, Dragon Slayer
Class: Firebender
Rank:S+
HP: 100%
MP:35000
STR: S-
AGI:A+
VIT:S-
INT:S
WIS:S-
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Playing edgy like this is kinda fun.
Who am I kidding with, it was actually really fun. Acting all mysterious and shit was surprisingly fresh.
''How did I do?'' I ask Megumin as we leave the courtyard.
''10/10 Almost believed you were an edgy overpowered hero for a second.'' Megumin gave a thumbs up.
''What do you mean? I AM an edgy overpowered hero. I'm even unnaturally talented, I even have a goddess companion. What else do I need?''
''You lack a tragic backstory.''
Defeated, I change the subject.
''Did you like that last move? Knocked her out with a small combustion near her ear.''
''9/10 I liked the finger snap. Don't overuse it.'' she said seriously.
''Yes sensei!'' I answered over seriously with a salute.
''It's nice to see you learning though. You even said your moves name out loud for once!''
'Oh fuck. She won't stop pestering me about it, won't she?'
''Yeah, Voltage Nova is actually something I found in the library like 30 minutes ago. I wanted to see if she would react to it. Too bad though, it seems she didn't know anything about it.''
''You can cha-''
''No. I'm not chanting my attacks unless they're necessary.''
I'm sorry Megumin, no matter how much you pout, that's not a line I'm willing to cross. I did it once for you when we first met, and that's hopefully the end of it.
If I actually chant for my attacks, I might become an actual edge lord.
I shivered involuntarily.
After a few minutes of silent walk, she finally asks something.
''Are you sure this won't create any troubles?''
''Chances are; she will either think this was a fever dream, or she will never tell anybody about this. Her deep daddy issues kinda broke her so she isn't as calm and collected as you think she is.''
''Hmmm. I understand. She wouldn't tell anybody because of her pride. But what about her... 'daddy'?''
''Deep rejection issues, and a desperate need for validation along with a few other stuff. She wouldn't tell her dad because she fears of his disappointment. Worst case scenario, we just delay our travel plans for a while. You know, since I would have to take care of this nation and stuff.''
''Mhm, she's really messed up, isn't she?''
''Yeah, kind of pitiful. We could cure her later though, I can't be bothered by it right now.''
I have better issues like finding a legendary library or saving a certain celestial spirit.
1.6k
(iirc Azula snapped not only at betrayel, but also at unexpected things. Some random noble disrespecting her and even looking down on her? Even if she didnt go full crazy, it still touched some nerves. It was shockingly unexpected for her. Dont forget she strives for perfection and is slightly a control maniac too. Thats why she snapped and quickly took back the control from time to time. Wrote on mobile sorry for grammar.)
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Have a nice day.