Chapter 25: The Architect

I couldn’t help but notice how skillfully the Fire Nation had adapted their attacks to the local terrain. To avoid getting close to the city where they might get their heads kicked in, to steer clear of traps that even I had a hard time sensing, and to prevent being surrounded by the enemy, the bastards were using catapults. And they weren't just firing blindly; their tamed hawks acted as spotters, hovering over targets to allow for swift and relatively precise strikes.

"We need to find their position and drive them out of here," I muttered with a scowl, continuing to apply ointment to the mount's neck once the toad-lizard and his girlfriend had been brought to my home. The creature tensed under my piercing, disgruntled gaze, trying its best to avoid eye contact. The reason for my foul mood was their absolutely wretched way of waging war. Yes, it was my first time being on the receiving end of a catapult, and I’ll be blunt, it’s unpleasant.

"Forget it. They’ll be chased off as soon as the new outpost is built." The girl, having slid off the creature’s back, adjusted a stray lock of hair and gave my handiwork a silent, grateful look. "Better you tell me why you brought us here instead of Shen Guan. And by the way, I don't recall seeing you among the new architects..."

She leaned in, her inquisitive face close enough for me to scrutinize her features. Her upturned nose and serious expression gave her the air of a pretentious know-it-all or a total killjoy. But thanks to her voluminous hair and smooth skin, which set her apart from the typical Earth Kingdom folk, it was all hidden behind the image of a cute girl.

"I didn't bring you there because they don't let me in. They’d have chased me off faster than I could treat his burn." I focused on the large mark, finally covering it completely with the medicinal salve, and checked for any other injuries. Looking at my dwindling supply of ointment, I was forced to catch my breath. "This is very bad..."

"Did something happen?" the girl asked, tensing at my look of sheer dismay.

"I had to use most of it on such a large beast. What if I get hurt today and have to suffer through second-degree burns? How short-sighted of me. I should have made several batches at once." I slapped my forehead. Regardless, the lesson was learned, and I wouldn’t make that mistake again. Glancing at a nearby hill, I pressed my feet into the earth and opened a passage, quickly climbing inside. Startled, the girl rubbed her eyes, peered into my burrow, and slowly followed me in.

Before her lay a spacious room filled with numerous tables, training equipment, and a handful of essentials: a small fire, a tiny iron bowl, and a heap of useful ingredients I had managed to gather back in the beetle cave. Standing to the side, she watched in silence as sand tentacles swirled around me, fetching supplies and stoking the fire while I, muttering the recipe under my breath, watched the simmering liquid.

"So this is your lair? I see... you're just a simple traveler who wasn't let into Shen Guan because you lacked the skills!" At that, I looked up at her. The girl was inspecting her surroundings with a very skeptical eye. "Typical. Without bending, you probably can't manage even the most obvious things."

"I know first aid and how to fight. Do you expect me to be omniscient in every field?" This was the first time such a beautiful girl had been in my home. But I wouldn't go so far as to say I was happy about it.

"Perhaps, but you don't understand basic geometry. This house would crumble from a single catapult volley, no matter how many layers of earth are over your head. To make, say, sturdy stone armor, you can't get anywhere without those skills."

I gave the boasting non-bender a meaningful, reproachful look as she smirked at every corner of my home. I was certain that if I showed her how I build a stone house, there would be even more criticism. However, if someone was acting high and mighty with nothing to back it up, they’d be the one getting laughed at.

"And who exactly are you?"

"Liu. I'm an architect, training as a draftsman. I may not have bending, but all the miracles happen right here," she said, tapping her head. And there it is, the fifth element: ego. "So far, I've designed comfortable and sturdy animal pens so they don't get caught in the crossfire at our outposts. But I was caught just as I left the camp..."

Liu lowered her head in frustration and resentment, clenching her fists.

"I have to go. I need to report the enemy's appearance so we can prepare more thoroughly." Turning halfway toward me, she reached into her bag and pulled something out. "Was the ointment for my Guzzler expensive?"

"Priceless..." I said with a hollow gaze.

"Right... I hope this covers at least some of it." Pulling out a couple of round gold coins and placing them on a nearby table, Liu exited the hole, mounted Guzzler, and rode off toward her impregnable castle. Just as I thought, no "big break" here.

The rest of the day was spent crafting ointments. I couldn't limit myself to a single jar anymore; I spent a significant amount of precious ingredients just to build a reserve that could be used on more than just myself. As for the girl's words regarding my home, I took them quite personally. The next morning, rising early, I focused my efforts on creating sturdier armor.

From what I understood, it was precisely the right defensive composition that allowed Bumi to tank every hit. Perhaps if he took a full kick from a catapult, his defense wouldn't hold, but in close combat, he was incredibly difficult to handle; it would take a whole squad of soldiers. For me, this skill was even more vital; I still dreamed of the massive armor Guru Huu created from swamp plants.

"Like this, right? Oh, it seems this corner is easier to break through now. How did the smiths teach me again?" I applied knowledge of armor crafting to my bending. Something was actually working, but standard armor has many gaps that are easy to exploit. I had no idea how to protect them properly, so I spent a long time practicing. On the third day, I headed out, and after scouting the forest, I found some Fire Nation soldiers.

"A bender outside the fortress?" the soldiers exclaimed in surprise as I stepped out right in front of them.

"Attack!" They quickly fanned out and unleashed a powerful volley of fire. I evaded it by simply falling backward onto the ground. The earth swallowed me, causing the squad to tense up and begin scanning their surroundings. A second later, I lunged out from a spot nearby, fully encased in a rigid, heavy stone armor.

My legs could barely move, jumping and dodging were impossible, so I had to propel myself forward with bending. Taking several fire blasts to the body and barely weathering the impact, I used my bulk to plow through part of the squad, knocking men into the trees. It quickly dawned on me that I hadn't yet created anything better than a simple sand shield. But creating something more advanced... that was now a matter of principle.

Scattering one squad made it clear that improvements were needed. This was a test of both bending and brains, which even required me to climb a tree and track a certain someone down.

A few days later, I felt I was ready.

"There they are." Narrowing my predatory gaze, I propelled myself with a compressed wave of sand, leaping through the trees. Soon, I caught the eye of the red-feathered hawks circling the area. A loud, unmistakable avian shriek rang out, and the bloodthirsty birds began circling angrily above me at a great height. And then...

Boom!

A meteor shower rained down on the walls I pulled from the earth. She was right, they were like cardboard. Doubting they’d stop throwing rocks, I began moving toward the source of the strikes. The hawk circling overhead telegraphed my rapid pace, and the sheer number of projectiles falling on my head suggested they were panicking. After all, the soldiers who had fled, or rather, the ones I had simply let go, had already spread the word that the Sandbender was coming for their souls.

"It’s him!" I appeared on the sandy shore. Seeing three iron Fire Nation ships before me, I frowned slightly. The enemies were comfortably positioned, with all their catapults aimed my way. I had to churn up heaps of sand and use that for defense.

"Kill the Sandbender!" A volley of a dozen stone projectiles left practically no chance to dodge while on the ground. As for the sand barriers... they didn't last long.

Boom-boom-boom!

The shore was torn apart by a cascade of strikes; the shields barely absorbed the impact, crumbling like a fallen stronghold. But they had protected me... after a few hours of innovation, trial, and error, I had succeeded in creating significantly stronger walls. I survived the volley from the ships and stood on the shore, shielding my face with my hands. On the horizon, the benders stood in shock. Was this... fun?

[Thanks to the first chakra, you have rapidly reached your limit.]

[Choose:]

[1 — Stop. (You have put in enough effort to raise your defensive capabilities. Through practice alone, you can achieve no more with only one active chakra. You will set out on your journey; your defenses will improve as you open new chakras. You can only further your mastery through book knowledge.)]

[2 — Return home and study. (True mastery in defense cannot be attained through practical training alone. You can deepen your knowledge of geometry and learn architectural skills. An encounter with Liu is predestined.)]

[3 — The Sandbender’s Oppression. (You can continue to terrorize the Fire Nation soldiers, deepening the image of an invincible bender. You will spend significantly more time developing your reputation than on training, but this may pay off in the future.)]

"Liu?" I didn't think I’d ever see her again, nor was I looking for the meeting. But I was more enticed by this feeling, the reaction of others to a skill I had improved. A sense of growth that could be enhanced not just by simple drills or raw power, but by knowledge. This is... cool? "I want to become sturdier."

I blinked rapidly. Seeing the ships prepare for another volley, I deftly snagged a couple of the birds with whips, spun them into a whirlwind, and sent them "home," right back at the ships. I quickly vanished, maneuvering between the trees on my sand scooter.

"As soon as Afka returns, I’ll send her for new books." I wanted to build a wall that those annoying stone boulders couldn't break.

But when I returned to my home, I found an unexpected guest. I didn't think she would come this soon.

"Oh, there you are." Leaning against my hill, Liu yawned with a bored expression. She still had that same backpack on her shoulder, but now even more various rolled-up papers were sticking out of it. "Where were you?"

"...What’s it to you?"

"Hmph. My Guzzler is feeling better and can croak with his throat sac again. I decided I should repay you for saving my pet..." Adjusting her backpack strap, she gave a quiet cough. "Well then, are you going to let me into your house?"