Akashi was looking through a large map that marked the lands and the islands around Republic City.
As someone with a life similar to a game, the way to thrive was to level up.
No matter how hard he trained, only through leveling up would he gain enough power.
Even at a hard mode, by doing side quests and gaining experience points, one could turn the main quest into easy mode.
"But easy said than done." Akashi held a marker.
As he couldn't turn into a serial killer, killing every human in sight to gain level ups, he had decided to hunt.
This world didn't lack its share of dangerous beasts.
Matter of fact, in this world, bending was given to humans to be able to defend themselves and live in a world with dangerous beasts.
There were giant earthworms in the desert. Flood-like dragons in the ocean. And giant insects even in the desert.
These animals were highly dangerous, even to someone like Aang and the other benders, who had no choice but escape.
Some were too powerful.
But Akashi could accumulate experience by hunting the ones that were less dangerous.
As a rule of thumb, if the beast is as big or bigger than a truck, run away.
"Okay… the outside mountain has animals. But the dangerous ones had been already dealt with. I guess I'll have to travel through the deserted islands…" Akashi sighed in frustration.
It seems that Tarrlok escaping earlier than expected wasn't very bad.
It served as a wake-up call to him, to remind him that some people could end his life easier.
'I'll go through the ocean and pick a one with a forest.'
Akashi had a rest of a few hours, before leaving at dawn. He went to the shores with nothing but a compass. There were some high-calorie snacks with him. But that's all. He'd hunt and eat where he'd find danger.
He decided to give his stats one more look.
[Name: Akashi.
Level: 19
Class: Airbender.
Skill Points: 1
Attributes Points: 11
***Skill Trees***
Airbending — level 18
Wavesbending — Level 3]
Martial Arts — level 5
***Skills***
Poison Resistance — level 4.
Driving — level 5
***Attributes***
Wisdom. 10
Strength. 6
Vitality. 10
Agility. 15
Stamina. 7
*******
HP: 500/500
Chi: 250/250
Stamina: 300/300]
He jumped slightly, an air sphere appearing between him and the ground. And that sphere moved through the beach, heading to the water, and pushing it backward as he traveled.
-x-X-x-
For two days, Akashi hadn't appeared. After that day in the pro-bending arena, Akashi seemed to vanish from the surface of the earth and not appear again. Korra, who had been occasionally coming to his office, made her way to his office as usual.
Only to find someone else sitting in his place. A slim short woman in her mid-thirties or something. She didn't know who she was, but knowing Akashi, he's not the type to turn older women.
Korra found herself curious. "Who are you?"
"Oh. The Avatar." Said the woman, "I'm currently acting sergeant. Sergeant Akashi had taken a few days off. He should be back by today."
"Hm… where can I find him." Korra asked.
"You can try going to his coffee shop on the opposite building. Or you may find him with the chief." Smiled the woman.
"Thanks…" Korra sighed.
She was here to boast about her advancement in airbending, maybe get to learn one more thing or two. After all, Akashi was someone better at teaching, and was creative.
She left the office, having a very good idea where he may be at.
'He must be with that old witch. But I hope not. What kind of friend has that age difference…. No, what kind of friends that get jealous of a younger man being with a woman… Well, I'm the Avatar, so it's normal for her to be jealous.'
Korra still hadn't forgotten about the day she was called a whore and a man thief.
He was not in his shop, that's for sure.
So, he must be with that old bitch.
Korra made her way through the station, with no one standing in her way, as they have already known that she's the Avatar. A figure like hers was allowed to even go to the mayor's office without much restraint.
She was a symbol after all.
As she made her way to the chief's office, she found the secretary, who told her that the chief is leading a meeting for now. Korra said that she'd wait.
And after a couple of hours of waiting, Lin Beifong appeared, walking through the hall.
Korra and her exchanged glances for a second, which turned into glares in less than a second.
"What brings you here?" asked Lin Beifong, her tone wasn't so friendly.
"Yeah. I'm not going to waste your time." Korra stood up. "I'm looking for Akashi, for something that concerns my training."
Lin crossed her arms and said, "If you find him, tell him to come to work. His days off are over, and he still hasn't come back."
"Where's he?" asked Korra.
Lin smirked. "Hiding somewhere."
"Akashi, hiding. From what? He didn't do a felony or a crime, did he?" Korra asked. And if you wonder why the native South Pole girl knew that, it's because she spent some days in this police station that she learned up a few things.
Lin suggested for Korra to get in her private office.
Korra followed.
"Do you know Tarrlok, the previous Councilman." Asked Lin.
"Yeah. I've heard about him. You guys arrested him, and he was a bloodbender If I recall correctly." Said Korra.
"Not all the details, I see," Lin scoffed and asked, "Do you know who arrested him?"
"It's you guys… oh, I see. Akashi was a part of it. So, he shouldn't be hiding from that bloodbender, right. Why would he be the only one who get targeted." Asked Korra, sounding confused and jumping to conclusions.
Lin looked at the roof, then looked at Korra. "Akashi was the one to lead that operation. And in order to subdue the bloodbender, he put laxatives in his coffee…"
"Lex what?"
"A medicine that a drop makes you have diarrhea." Lin smiled, "He put more than that in Tarrlok's drink. The latter couldn't use his bloodbending. And Akashi humiliated him in a battle, where he forced him to shit himself… That."
"Gosh… I understand." Korra cringed, seeming to understand. "I didn't take him as the kind to play dirty. If he wanted to arrest him, he could do it in a better way. I expected him to be better."
"Well, to Akashi's defense, Tarrlok had kidnapped him before and was about to sell him." Said Lin.
"Oh…" Korra said. "So, Akashi is hiding somewhere…"
"Knowing him, I bet he has a plan for this. But he won't reveal it until it ends." Lin looked at Korra suspiciously. For a second, Lin could understand why Akashi invested his time in Korra. 'That fucker… knowing that he's using her as a shield…'
Lin opened her eyes widely.
If Akashi brought Korra as a protection layer, it means that not only he had predicted that Tarrlok would escape.
As for why and how, she couldn't bring herself to understand that yet.
The important detail that Korra, who was supposed to protect him from a bloodbender, was now clueless about him.
If Akashi was certain of her protecting him, he wouldn't have any reason to hide.
It meant one thing.
"Chief… your face is worrying me." Korra commented.
"Damn it! Let's head to Akashi's house!" Lin yelled.
"What happened?" Korra asked.
"He's been kidnapped." Lin slammed her table, and she grabbed her talkie walkie. "Everyone, attention. Initiate a search for sergeant Akashi…!"
"Kidnapped!" Korra put her hands on her mouth. 'I thought he was avoiding me because I went to the ring behind his back! But it seems that things got worse.'
"I'm going to his residence!" Lin Beifong said, storming out of the office.
"Wait! I'm coming with you." Korra ran after her.
Soon, they arrived at the coffee shop.
Lin made her way to the back room. Some employee young man tried to stop her, but she put him to the side.
"He seems not to be here." Said Korra as she entered and looked around the room.
The police chief started looking for signs. She opened the fridge, picked up things, and started reading through the dates.
Akashi had come here two days ago, just a few hours after no one had heard about him.
"This makes me more confused." Lin said, "he was here two days ago."
"Chief, Korra…"
A sound came from the window.
A man who looked almost homeless with torn clothes appeared.
"This is a private domicile." He said. "You still need permission to enter."
Looking at the man, there were wounds and battle marks on his body.
"What the hell did happen to you?" asked Lin.