Playing Waterbending (Avatar: Last Aibender SI)

I smiled warmly at the prisoners who had gathered around me. The smile I wore, however, wasn't genuine. I was simply trying to earn their trust. At any rate, if they wanted to be free, they had no choice but to trust me.

And if they didn't? Well, in the worst case, I would have to do everything on my own.

"I've gathered everyone as you asked," Haru said.

I looked around. There were only a few young earthbenders here—most of them were past their forties.

Man, the Fire Nation was truly ruthless. But judging by their physique, they seemed well-fed. At least their caloric needs were met.

"Alright, guys. Are you ready to escape this prison?" I asked.

"Why do you want us to escape?" a bald man with hair growing on the sides asked.

"Father, he's a friend I made on the road," Haru replied.

"How long have you known him?" Haru's father asked.

"For two weeks," Haru answered.

"People who have only known you for two weeks don't risk their lives to save you," his father said.

He wasn't entirely wrong. If I hadn't gained power in the forest of monsters, I wouldn't have attempted this. No, if I hadn't acquired the Stealth skill, I wouldn't have even considered it.

"There's something in it for me as well," I admitted. "And I need all of you."

"What's in it for you?" an old woman asked skeptically.

"A rebellion," I said. "With all of you gathered here, the Fire Nation soldiers won't stand a chance."

From the beginning, my goal was to attract attention.

Seeing the three warships outside, I figured that someone of high rank was here. I didn't believe they had all gathered just to witness the execution of a mere earthbender.

They were likely preparing to head to the South Pole.

And if my gut feeling was right, the punitive army would leave right after the execution.

I figured it would be difficult to deal with all of them at once.

So, leading a small rebellion would not only provide me with manpower, but also attract attention.

Moreover, if a waterbender became known for leading a rebellion against the Fire Nation in the Earth Kingdom, I would become a major distraction. By creating enough chaos here, I could help keep the South Pole safe.

"Sounds like a good plan," an old woman deadpanned. "But in case you haven't noticed, we can't bend metal, and the nearest land is far from that metal bridge. Even if we miraculously escape, reinforcements will arrive. Without earth to bend, we're nothing but ants against firebenders. My bones are already creaky, and I'd rather not have my skin burned."

The other prisoners nodded in agreement.

"Why not jump into the water?" I suggested, tilting my head toward the sea.

"Do my bones look like they're made of metal?" she shot back.

I smirked. "So, you're afraid of the impact?"

"It's certain death. Besides, even if we survived the fall, the splashing sound would alert the ships," she pointed out.

"Easy peasy," I chuckled, walking to the edge.

The earthbenders followed me.

Taking my stance, I waved my arms, pulling water from the sea and freezing it into a smooth, curving slide. The ice wasn't as cold as I could make it—just stable enough for them to glide down safely.

"A slide?"

"From this angle, you won't hurt your backs," I explained. "Just slide down. Once you're all in the water, I'll use my waterbending to create a current that will carry you to shore."

The prisoners exchanged hesitant glances, murmuring among themselves.

They kept glancing at the ice slide but seemed unable to make up their minds.

I understood.

I had once raised a bird in my past life. When I first opened its cage, it refused to leave. But eventually, it learned to fly and always came back home. How did I get it to leave? I simply made staying inside scarier than leaving.

I thought about giving these prisoners a small push—something to convince them that staying here was the greater risk. I didn't like resorting to underhanded methods, but I needed the earthbenders on my side.

"Well, guys. I won't force you," I said, walking over to Haru and placing an arm around his shoulder. "Life is short. I guess it's not worth living if you're just waiting for your turn. The Fire Nation is unpredictable these days."

The message was clear: Haru was set for execution first, and who knew whose turn would come next?

The old woman who had been the most stubborn was the first to step forward. She slid down.

Then, a second person followed.

"Let's go, son," Haru's father said. "Better to die fighting than die like chickens, waiting."

One by one, they followed suit. There were more of them than I had realized. But I didn't have time to count.

However, if these people fought on land with their earthbending, the Fire Nation soldiers wouldn't stand a chance in a direct battle—not without tanks and war machines. And even then, earthbenders would still be formidable opponents.

Once everyone had gone down, I slid after them, melting the ice behind me.

I landed in the water behind the earthbenders and said, "Okay, guys. You know the basics of swimming, so go on."

I then thrust my hands forward, creating a strong current that carried the earthbenders across the sea at the speed of a boat.

It didn't take long to reach the other side, where land awaited them.

"I never thought I'd be free after so long."

"Is it finally over?"

"I'm happy… I can finally see my grandson again."

I clapped my hands, silencing their cheers.

"It's not over yet, guys."

They turned to face me.

I continued, "By now, most of the Fire Nation forces are asleep, but once they realize you've escaped, they'll rally their troops. I'm sure wise folks like you already know what that means. No offense to the younger ones here. If you don't want to be struck, you have to strike first. So, when the sun rises, I need you to attack every post and guard nearby."

"What about you?" Haru asked.

"I'll handle the extra ships," I said, turning to glance at the warships in the distance. There were three in total—most likely the punitive force meant for the South Pole.

Thinking about the South Pole, I still hadn't found the survivor I was looking for, despite infiltrating their massive base. That bastard was lucky.

"Are you certain, young man?" Haru's father asked. "Even if you're talented, and even though you have an advantage in a sea battle, Fire Nation soldiers have ways to deal with waterbenders. . Alone, you can't take them on."

"I know. Just do your part," I replied, not wanting to argue. After all, my goal was simple—to create chaos.

Suddenly, we all stopped and turned our heads.

A group of soldiers, who had apparently been out for a nighttime exercise, stood atop a cliff, staring straight at us.