I carefully planned our travel route.
Looking at Afka perched on the boat’s railing, I unfolded the map, holding it steady so the sand tornado wouldn’t snatch it into the endless dunes we were racing across.
Taking anything from the library wasn’t exactly allowed.
Wan Shi Tong didn’t hand out library cards or subscriptions.
Steal something, and he’d show up at night and eat your eyes.
At least, that’s how I pictured the terrifying bird’s revenge.
However, if the knowledge wasn’t unique like a modern map, which I’d even had in my parents’ house that was a different matter.
“We need to visit the nations where I can learn something useful.
If we go this way, we can reach Omashu, which interests me the most.
The books on minerals say they learned to extract and use abrasives.
Ground into sand, it’s an incredibly hard mineral used for polishing, cutting, and all kinds of things.”
I whispered the last part into the fox’s ear.
She was studying the map intently.
“Af!”
“Of course, we’ll add its production technique to the library.”
For me, this was interesting from the perspective of a new controllable material.
In short, it was highly advanced sand.
Its particles were extremely sharp.
Good for both defense and offense.
Most importantly, I wanted to understand Earthbender culture and principles.
Guru Pathik wrote that the first chakra, the Earth Chakra, was firmly tied to their worldview.
It governed survival but was blocked by fear.
I wanted to unlock it.
“But since I’m not the Avatar, opening this chakra will be difficult.”
My first stop was several dozen kilometers from my hometown.
Not far from Misty Oasis, there was a dry, flat region with a village.
At some point, the sand on the path started thinning, replaced by barren earth.
The boat could no longer maintain its previous speed.
Bumps and frequent rocks made the vehicle shake violently.
One bad hit and the runner cracked.
The boat spun on the spot.
The crack spread further, splitting the mast in two.
The sail tore under its own weight.
We couldn’t go any further.
“Ugh…”
“Damn.
I was hoping to make it to the settlement and sell it.
So much money wasted.” Inspecting the completely irreparable vehicle, I slung my bag over my shoulder.
I summoned a sand scooter beneath my feet and rode onward with Afka toward the settlement on the horizon.
The distance between villages seemed small.
But this was a new world.
At least the population was just as poor.
Riding into the outskirts, I stepped into a city where sand didn’t crunch beneath my feet.
Buildings lined the road, and there were already dozens more than in any desert settlement.
You’d think Earthbenders would build everything from stone, but no.
Through the peeling plaster and cracks, you could see imported bricks.
The roofs and supports were made of wood.
A true rarity in my eyes.
“Unfamiliar.
No one’s trying to strip you with their gaze.
No one cares about the stranger’s presence.” Was this the difference in character I needed to understand?
Intrigued, I found the nearest merchant standing at a typical crumbling stall.
I met his gaze.
I had a bad feeling…
which shattered when a shadow fell over his face.
“I just gave you my profit yesterday.
Why are you back again?” He flinched, aggression creeping into his voice.
But just as he clenched his fists, a fox jumped onto the counter, startling the merchant.
I nodded knowingly.
“Bandits giving you trouble?
In the desert, they’re an endless problem.”
“Oh…” The man looked at my outfit.
Realization dawned.
“You’re a desert traveler?
Not a bandit?” He squinted suspiciously.
“Phew.
The way you approached, I thought you were going to clear out my whole stock.
I was ready to part with my last coins.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Don’t worry.
You nomads have it even harder out there than I do.
So, are you a trader, or did you finally decide to leave the desert?” His voice trembled slightly.
An ordinary, timid man.
Just like everywhere.
He avoided eye contact.
Only the fox seemed to calm him with her well-groomed appearance.
“I’m heading out to wander other places.”
“Heh, then I’m happy to tell you that there’s a war on here first and foremost.
You probably can’t feel it from the desert, but even we get problems sometimes.” He pointed toward a couple of destroyed houses.
Large stone discs were scattered around.
Earthbenders used them as projectiles.
Their smoothness helped them accelerate.
“These projectiles…
are there Earthbenders in this village?” Turning back to the man, I saw fear.
He paled, instantly lowering his voice.
“Better not talk about them.
They take all the Earthbenders for the army.
One squad handles the recruitment.
They’re basically bandits who prey on people’s misery.” I stared at him intently.
“There’s an Earthbender among them.”
“Thanks.” The man looked at me hopefully for a coin.
But living in the desert teaches you to be thrifty, so I left him disappointed.
As for finding my goal, Afka took charge.
I only had time to glance at her before the fox vanished like a mirage.
She thoroughly scouted the city, then reappeared around a corner.
Her open mouth, emitting a soft pant, beckoned me to follow.
Peeking around the corner of a dilapidated building, I saw a group of men.
Ripped, muscular guys.
Among them was a beast of a man a mountain of muscle pinning someone against the wall.
I recognized the scene.
A shakedown, performed by army members.
At least, that’s what the merchant had implied.
“Hey guys.” Seeing the smirks and the bullying directed at some civilian, I stepped into the alley.
My gaze locked onto the muscular one, probably the Earthbender.
His bare feet gave him away.
Shoes interfered with feeling his element.
They all stared back.
“What do you want, snoop?
Mind your own business.” He took a few heavy steps toward me, blocking the terrified boy behind him.
“We’re carrying out Earth Kingdom army orders.
Rooting out spies.”
“I see.
So you’re not robbing them, just collecting taxes.”
“You’re…
asking for trouble.” He frowned, staring into the gap where my eyes were visible.
He flinched for a second.
His feet dug deeper into the ground.
Vibrations spread.
He stomped, pulling a stone rod from the earth along with a chunk of rock.
He made a hammer.
“Simple movements, but the result isn’t bad.
Earthbenders are strong.” I spoke honestly.
Even though I’d learned some tricks in the library, such feats could give me real trouble.
But right now, I had to focus on behavior.
The Earthbender was grim and unyielding.
Maybe this was exactly what I needed to unlock the Earth Chakra.
I gathered a small amount of sand from the ground and surrounded myself with it like a shield.
“…Hah, so you really are a desert nomad!” The soldiers’ faces lit up with amusement.
“Sand, that’s just dust.
Can’t do any real damage.
“I want to learn the full path of Earthbending.
Every nuance.
Sand is just the most convenient and adaptable structure.” The sand swirling around me compressed into a similar mace.
Perhaps not as durable, but still usable for attack.
The bender and his friends tensed.
“Yeah?
Then why aren’t you in the army, if you’re so confident?
Let me call someone.
They’ll send you to the front lines.
You can show off your sand tricks to the Firebenders.” My words had stung his pride.
He raised his mace and struck the ground near my feet.
Trying to break my weapon.
Yes.
A heavy mace moving at that speed would definitely crush anyone.
But it was so slow.
And he had to put in so much extra effort.
My mace instantly dissolved into a sand tentacle and wrapped around the haft of his stone weapon.
With a click of the tip against his fingers, I made him drop it.
“Ah!” He winced in pain and nearly stomped his foot.
But as I flipped him upside down, his power vanished.
Without direct contact with the earth, most Earthbenders were useless.
Only in the fairy tales I’d read in Wan Shi Tong’s library could benders control boulders while airborne.
But would such a stubborn Earthbender give up so easily?
They were supposed to cling to life and endure blows stoically.
For victory, I swung his pale body and used it to knock down the other bandits.
A couple of times, the soldier’s head hit the walls.
“Please, let me go!” The suspended-by-his-ankle bender suddenly screamed, clutching his bleeding head, crying.
“I won’t do anything to you.
Don’t kill me!”
“…”
“Keep this up, and the Earth Kingdom army won’t let this slide!” Survival blocked by fear.
This wasn’t worthy behavior for a resilient Earthbender.
And it wasn’t about public morality.
He wasn’t just blocking his first chakra.
He was crippling his own bending.
Hoping I was interpreting the Guru’s teachings correctly, I decided to work backward.
“Whoa…” I dug my feet into the ground.
Bending should flow with the body, used with the muscles.
“Hey, what are you planning?”
The sand rising from the ground followed the solid movements of my legs and arms.
It hardened and encased the bender and his cronies in a tomb.
My own muscles stretched like cables.
For the first time since the cave, I felt my physical strength was needed.
It allowed me to make the sand harder than ever before.
“Such a combination is difficult.
But that’s why Earthbenders are such willful people, right?” Coming to understand the nature itself, I looked at the trembling civilian.
The captured bandits could be handed over to the village.
They’d decide the fate of these worthless men.
But he was so scared he’d soiled himself.
And when he met my eyes…
“Ah!” He bolted like a coyote, on all fours.
My intimidating appearance, combined with my bending, had the opposite effect.
“Choose:”
1: Turn it to your advantage (Less honorable option.
Claim the civilian was a bandit.
You can extort travel funds from the villagers).
2: Let him go (You won’t be lucky.
The misunderstanding escalates.
Face the consequences.
Your relationship with the villagers worsens, leading to long-term conflict).
3: Stop him and try to explain (You’re too scary, but if you beat him up, you can mitigate the misunderstanding and avoid responsibility.
You’ll cause serious harm.
Your relationship with the villagers won’t drop).