Chapter 62

I was quite surprised by the details I didn't know—or should I say, I wasn't sure if I knew them or not.

I didn't have a very solid memory of my previous life—nor a solid memory in this one.

"So, the Fire Nation can already predict the date of Sozin's Comet… makes sense," I sighed.

That would make dealing with them harder.

Even if the Earth Kingdom managed to push the Fire Nation back, they would still need to form an alliance with the Northern Water Tribe to prevent them from advancing through the sea.

But even then, I doubted it would be enough. If you think about it, the Fire Nation had far more advanced technology compared to the rest of the world. Not only that, but they also had immense manufacturing power. If pressed, they could invent planes or other flying devices. Or, they could simply hide their forces, pretend to retreat, and strike during the comet's arrival.

'If I'm not wrong, firebenders could create massive fire beams during the comet,' I thought, trying hard to remember.

"So?" Bumi asked, staring deeply at me.

"So what?" I asked, staring back blankly.

"What's your reply? Will you join us?" Bumi asked.

"Is that even negotiable? Of course, I'm joining," I replied.

Joining them wouldn't just benefit me with information. Even after the war, I'd have political power. I could secure a lot of land and money once the Fire Nation was defeated.

"Hehehe… I knew you were a wise man," Bumi laughed. "Do we celebrate now?"

"Not really," I replied. "What we do now is exchange secret codes, hints, and signs to distinguish each other."

"Hold on," Bumi narrowed his eyes. "You seem to know a lot already. I haven't told you about that, have I?"

"Seriously, you're asking me how I knew about the existence of secret codes?" I asked back.

"Yes," Bumi replied, seeming both curious and concerned. If I, whom he'd never met, knew, then what about the Fire Nation? They might have been dancing in the Fire Lord's palm without realizing it all along.

"It's obvious," I shrugged. "If you read any fiction, secret organizations, codes, and hints are mentioned a lot."

Bumi put his hand under his chin. "I remember now. When we formed this organization, what you're talking about was an inspiration. For a second, I thought you already knew…"

"Don't worry. I know there may be other secret organizations that use the same methods you do."

"Makes sense. Anyway…" Bumi walked to the corner and grabbed a book with a white cover. He handed it to me and said, "Burn it when you're done reading it."

I opened the book.

It was titled, The Order of White Lotus for Dummies.

I looked at Bumi, wondering how he even came up with that name.

After skimming through it, I exited the secret chamber. I asked Bumi to summon my teammates, and he did.

Now, I was in the main hall with Sokka, Katara, and Toph.

"Apparently, the metalbending method has been leaked, and they already know about it," I said.

The three of them widened their eyes.

"How is that possible? Does this mean we've wasted our time?" Sokka grimaced.

"Not really," I replied. "We haven't wasted it entirely."

"Although they have the method," Toph said, staring blankly into space, "they barely have the talent, and not all of them will learn it. At best, only a few hundred will grasp it soon. Others may join them, but it will take at least three months for most."

I shrugged. "A hundred here, a hundred there… a few hundred from somewhere else. They'll become a formidable force. What matters is dustbending, which anyone can grasp."

"Yeah, but it'll take months of work," Toph disagreed.

"So, what's the plan now?" Katara asked.

The plan.

I had already thought of it.

Bumi had given me an important hint: there was a year or less before Comet Day. No more.

So, I would travel to the desert and take Toph with me.

Katara would join us as well.

As for how, I had my means now that my waterbending had leveled up.

"We'll go to the desert," I said. "Toph can sense through the ground, so I'll take her with me."

"To where?" Katara narrowed her gaze at me.

"To Wan Shi Tong's Library," I said. "There, I'll find the library that holds knowledge from the dawn of mankind. I'll use it to calculate the date of Sozin's Comet."

"What's Sozin's Comet?" Katara asked.

I briefly explained. "It's a comet that passes once every hundred years. To firebenders, it's like having dozens of moons in the sky."

"Oh…"

"That's so bad."

"If that happens, they'll take over the continent, and we'll lose the war."

I shook my finger. "That's why we should go to the desert. Sokka, I know you're weak."

Sokka bit his bottom lip. "But I can help."

"Sure, you can," I said, reaching into my pocket and pulling out a book I had written. I handed it to Sokka, who caught it and read the title.

"The Art of Chi Bending?" he asked.

"It's a martial arts book," I said. I had created a book that mixed martial arts and chi bending. It didn't contain all my secrets, but since I was supposed to be a grandmaster, I could at least teach Sokka how to use his energy to fight. He wouldn't gain a huge power boost, but he'd be able to punch four to five times harder.

The book was based on a simple technique: make the chi flow to your fist as you strike. It also included martial arts techniques.

"Cool," Sokka said, reading the premise. "One can break iron with their fist. Whoa." His eyes lit up.

"Better to practice while the information is still fresh," I advised.

Sokka wasted no time asking a nearby guard about a training ground.

Teaching Sokka wasn't just for one purpose.

I had calculated everything from the moment I decided to leave him in Omashu. I hadn't taught him until now for a reason.

I would have taken Katara with me to the desert, but I knew if I said so, Sokka would insist on coming.

Besides, there was no way Katara would let me go alone with Toph.

I could then make the excuse that we hadn't abandoned him, but we were tight on schedule, and he'd be too tired after training—which I knew would happen since practicing chi bending isn't easy.

"I'm tagging along," Katara said, giving me a playful glare while looking at Toph, who just smirked.

"For tonight, you can rest. We'll leave tomorrow," I said.

"But just one question. Isn't the desert really far? Even if we travel with rides, it'll take months to get there," Toph said. As a noble girl from the Earth Kingdom, she was well-educated and well-informed, despite being spoiled and sheltered by her parents.

I smirked as I put my hands behind my back and looked at Katara.

Katara's eyes widened momentarily.

I felt a little sorry for what I was about to show her.

She was a very intelligent and talented bender, but because of me, she had developed some inferiority complexes.

"Look," I said, bending my own blood and floating into the air.

Toph blinked twice. Since she could only see through the earth, her mind interpreted my floating as a jump that never ended.

"Ryuk, didn't you vanish?" Toph asked.

Katara, on the other hand, looked like her jaw was about to hit the ground.

I was now floating in the air.

I could say I was quite uncomfortable, even though I could sustain this for as long as I wanted.

But damn, I had a paranoia that I shouldn't mess with my own blood for too long. It's not healthy.

"Ryuk… you can fly!!!" Katara exclaimed.

"Yeah… I've mastered a new trick," I said, flicking my finger. Water from a nearby fountain flew next to me, forming a disk that soon froze. I stopped bloodbending myself and felt comfortable again. Sitting on the disk, I controlled it to float and moved around the room.

Toph had a drop of sweat on her forehead, while Katara and a few nearby guards stared at me in shock.

"But isn't that too cold for Toph?" Katara asked, her voice tinged with concern.

"Actually, I have a better idea," I said.