Kaen stirred, sweat already damp on his brow. His chest rose and fell quickly, as if he had been running. Shadows of his dream clung to him—visions of standing alone against figures cloaked in elemental fury. A water whip snapping across his chest, a wall of earth crushing down, arrows of fire raining from above, and the sky itself tearing open with lightning. Four shapes, four Avatars, each bearing down on him like inevitable doom.
He jolted upright, heart pounding.
Before he could steady his breath, a soft chime rang in his mind.
[Dawn Cycle Detected]
[Daily Quest Available: Training Regimen]
He exhaled shakily, rubbing his face. "…What the hell was that dream?" Fighting all the Avatars? The thought alone made his body ache. But the System didn't answer. It never did. Instead, it pushed its cold reminder into his vision: training awaited.
Kaen slipped out of bed, folding the noble clothes carefully aside. He pulled on only a pair of simple pants, leaving his chest bare to the cool dawn air. Moving quietly through the corridors, he exited into Renjiro's walled garden—a space of manicured stone paths, bamboo groves, and still ponds reflecting the faint morning light.
He dropped to the stone tiles and began. Push-ups first. His arms strained but held longer this time, his breathing steadier. Sit-ups came next, each pull of his core tearing fire through him but not breaking him. Squats followed, legs burning, then the long run around the perimeter of the garden—lap after lap until sweat poured from him.
By the time he entered his final set—horse stance, thighs screaming under his own weight—the eastern horizon was gilded with the first light of day. His bare skin glistened with sweat, muscles trembling, teeth clenched.
It was then, from the corner of his eye, he noticed a movement in the house.
Renjiro stood by the open window of his study, watching in silence. His expression was unreadable at first, but his gaze lingered—sharp, measuring. After a moment, he left the window, sliding the frame shut behind him.
Kaen's focus didn't break until he heard the soft shuffle of wooden sandals on stone. Renjiro emerged into the garden, hands folded calmly behind his back, eyes fixed on the boy holding his stance like a soldier bracing against the world.
Kaen's legs trembled, sweat dripping into the earth. He wanted to collapse, but not now. Not in front of him.
Kaen's body screamed at him to stop, but he refused. His thighs shook violently, his arms were slick with sweat, his breath came out in ragged gasps. Seconds stretched into minutes, each heartbeat an echo in his ears.
Finally, when his legs buckled beneath him, he let the stance go and collapsed onto the stone floor, chest heaving, drenched in sweat. He lay there for a moment, staring up at the soft dawn sky as if it might reward him for enduring.
[Daily Training Completed]
+80 EXP
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
[EXP: 15/80]
[Level: 5]
[Stat Points Available: 6]
Rewards Available: (1) Energy Restore, (2) Random Power, (3) Random Item
The glowing screen hovered just above his vision. Kaen exhaled hard, muttering under his breath, 'Not now…' He blinked it away, choosing to ignore it for the moment.
That was when a shadow fell across him.
"You push yourself harder than most soldiers I've trained," Renjiro's voice came, calm but edged with intrigue.
Kaen jerked his head up, startled. Renjiro stood above him, hands folded behind his back, his crimson-and-gold robe flowing slightly in the morning breeze. His eyes were not unkind, but sharp—assessing, weighing Kaen in silence before speaking again.
"For a boy who came to me with nothing but rags," he said slowly, "you have the discipline of someone forged under fire. That… is not ordinary."
Kaen sat up, wiping sweat from his brow, trying to catch his breath. "…I don't like being weak."
Renjiro's gaze lingered on him for a long moment, before he gave a single nod, almost to himself. "Strength, discipline, endurance… qualities most nobles' sons lack, despite all their privilege." He paused, his tone dipping lower. "Tell me, Kaen. Who taught you this kind of resolve?"
Kaen lowered his gaze, fists tightening against his knees. "…Because I'm weak," he said quietly. "That's why my parents died. If I'd been stronger… I could've protected them. But I wasn't. The Earth Kingdom rebels in the colonies took everything. And I… I couldn't do a damn thing."
For a long moment, the only sound was the morning breeze stirring the garden leaves.
Renjiro's expression softened, though his eyes carried the weight of understanding. He exhaled slowly, folding his arms behind his back once more. "So that is the fire that drives you."
He looked down at Kaen, the stern lines of his face easing into something almost paternal. "Then listen well. Strength does not only come from fists and fire. There is strength in discipline, in patience, in mastering an art until it surpasses even the chaos of war." His lips tugged into the faintest of smiles. "Today, you will take your first step toward that."
Renjiro gestured to one of the servants standing at the edge of the garden. "Prepare him. Today will be his first day serving tea to the nobles."
The servant bowed deeply before hurrying off to make arrangements.
Renjiro looked back at Kaen. "Stand tall, Kaen. If you are to walk among nobles, you will not do so as a beggar—but as my chosen tea master."
The water steamed gently around him, carrying away the grime of today's training.
His reflection on the water's surface stared back at him—emerald eyes sharp, thoughtful.
Should I keep lying to him? Kaen thought, fingers curling against the rim of the bath. Renjiro… he's a good man. And here I am—pretending, using him. Taking advantage of his kindness.
The thought stung, almost worse than the scrubbing.
He exhaled, sinking until the water brushed his chin. No. I'll repay him someday. Somehow. I don't know how yet, but I will. That's a promise.
When he stepped out of the bath, toweling himself dry, the familiar pulse of the System echoed in his mind.
[Daily Quest Complete: Training Regimen]
[Rewards Available]
(1) Energy Restore
(2) Random Power
(3) Random Item
Kaen smirked faintly. "Right. Let's see what you've got for me today."
He accepted the rewards in sequence, a rush of vitality surging through his limbs as his body restored itself.
Then, closing his eyes, he began to chant in his mind, over and over. Gold, gold, gold, gold…
The System pulsed.
[Random Power Acquired: Primordial Witness (Gold-Tier)]
[Effect: When the host witnesses a skill, ability, or technique, he may permanently copy and integrate it into his own arsenal.]
Kaen froze, staring at the golden notification as his heart hammered. Copy… just by seeing it?
His breath shook with excitement. "That's… insane."
Another notification flared.
[Random Item Acquired: Dungeon Key – Low-Level]
[Effect: Grants entry to a D-Rank Dungeon. Single-use. Dungeon type: Undead Dungeon.]
A jagged iron key materialized in his palm, dark with faint blue veins of light running across it.
Kaen rolled it between his fingers, grinning. "Now we're talking."
"Inventory," Kaen muttered, half-testing, half-hoping.
The air rippled, and a translucent grid flared to life before him, neat squares stretching into rows. All of them empty.
A smile tugged at his lips. "Perfect."
He placed the jagged key onto the glowing surface, and at once, it sank into a slot and vanished. When he reached out again, his hand brushed only air. Safe. Secure. The System was far more than he'd imagined.
By the time he stepped out of the bath, steam clinging to his skin, a servant was already waiting. In her arms were deep crimson robes embroidered with golden threads, a sash tied neatly at the waist, and a darker overcoat bearing Renjiro's crest stitched onto the chest.
"Sir Kaen," she said softly, bowing her head, "your attire for the day."
He dressed with her assistance, fumbling at first with the folds and ties, until he stood before a mirror hardly recognizing himself.
The servant guided him outside, where a lacquered carriage waited, its body painted black with red trim. Renjiro sat within, back straight, hands folded over a cane despite the clear vitality in his frame.
"Come, Kaen," Renjiro beckoned.
The boy slid inside. The doors shut. Hooves clattered as the carriage rolled through the stone streets of the Fire Nation capital.
For a while, they rode in silence, until Renjiro spoke. "The world is… restless. The colonies grumble, and our Fire Lord's hand stretches further each year. Balance is tipping."
Kaen tilted his head. "And the Avatar? Have there been any signs?"
Renjiro's expression grew distant, shadowed. "The Avatar has been gone for nearly a hundred years. No sightings. No whispers. Many believe he is dead, and perhaps they are right. If he lives, he has abandoned this world."
Kaen thought to himself, Good. Aang still hasn't woken from the iceberg. That means I have time before the cannon events begin.
Aloud, he asked, "What about the siege on Ba Sing Se?"
Renjiro blinked, his eyes narrowing slightly. "That ended almost two years ago. General Iroh abandoned the campaign after his son died. Without him, the siege collapsed."
Kaen leaned back, hiding the flicker of relief in his chest. Alright… that means we're close. Zuko's banishment should be soon.
The carriage halted. Outside loomed the tea house, finer than most in the district—lacquered wood, banners rippling with stylized lotus designs, and a carved sign that gleamed in the early sun. Nobles filtered in already, their silks and laughter spilling onto the streets.
"Today," Renjiro said as the door opened, "you show them not who you were, but what you are now."
Kaen nodded, stepping out with his master.
Inside, he moved quickly to the back kitchen. Orders came fast—delicate jasmine teas, smoky oolongs, a rare imported white leaf blend. Kaen's hands flowed like he'd done this for years. Every kettle, every cup, every steeping leaf was measured, balanced, and timed to perfection.
Nobles received their cups and lingered longer than usual, savoring, surprised. Some even asked to meet the brewer, but the staff deflected with practiced courtesy. Kaen was a hidden weapon, and Renjiro wanted him unexposed—for now.
He carried trays through the room himself once, the weight steady in his hands. Heads turned. Murmurs rose. "So young…"
And when each cup touched a noble's lips, silence always followed for a heartbeat. Then came the sighs of pleasure.
Kaen smirked inwardly. I can get used to this