Something Was Off

After confirming his victory, Kahn immediately lay down on the sparring platform without a care for appearances, panting heavily. Meanwhile, the defeated Azula looked far better off than he did.

Although Azula had been attacking the entire time and had burned through a good deal of stamina, she still had far more left than Kahn.

Or rather, if Kahn had not possessed perfect control over his body, allowing him to avoid wasting any extra energy with each movement, he probably would have reached his limit before Azula even exposed an opening.

After all, although they were about the same age, Azula was a prodigy who had received the best training since childhood. Whether in physical fitness or combat technique, he could not possibly compare to her as he was now.

This victory had been the combined result of his exploitation of the rules, his inexplicable cheat ability-namely, perfect control over his body-and Azula's mistakes and loss of composure.

If Azula had not chosen to relentlessly press her attack, if she had not grown impatient, he could never have won.

Unfortunately, there were no ifs. Whatever the process, he had won in the end.

Zuko rushed to his side and exclaimed in delighted surprise:

"You actually beat Azula! That was amazing!"

Even Azula had lost to Kahn, so his own defeat suddenly seemed less terrible. It was not that he was too weak, but that Kahn was too strong!

"I wouldn't quite put it that way."

Kahn scratched his head at that. He had won, but his skin was not thick enough to claim he had "beaten her in a fight."

This kid really didn't know how to talk!

Couldn't you just say I won? Now you've made it awkward for me to answer.

Meanwhile, Azula remained where she was, her head lowered in silence, hiding her expression. Only her faint panting could be heard.

Kahn sat up. Just as he was wondering whether he had made the girl shut herself away, Azula suddenly raised her head and burst out laughing:

"Ha, haha, hahahahaha!"

Azula clutched her stomach, laughing until she could hardly breathe. When she had laughed enough, she looked Kahn up and down and said:

"Are you really Zuzu's friend? You're pretty interesting, and you're not bad in a fight. The way you do things doesn't seem like someone who would play with Zuzu, either. Or do you actually like childish games of make-believe? Like raising turtle ducks or something?"

"Azula, don't push it!"

Zuko protested angrily, but Azula continued to ignore him. She simply stared at Kahn and went on:

"I think you and I might get along better than you and Zuzu. What do you think?"

[Ding!]

[Friend request received!]

If Kahn had a system, a notification like that probably would have popped up in his mind. Unfortunately, he did not, so he could only imagine it himself.

What he had not expected was that, after saying all that, Azula actually wanted to be friends with him.

Was this girl really that awkward?

Come to think of it, I seem to be inexplicably popular here, whether with my classmates, Zuko, or Azula... People talk about being dog magnets or cat magnets. Am I a kid magnet?

Damn it, I refuse to accept this turn of events!

For no particular reason, Kahn's thoughts began wandering, commonly known as spacing out.

Because Kahn's thoughts had inexplicably wandered elsewhere, he did not answer Azula's question. To an onlooker, however, he looked rather as though he were seriously considering it.

Zuko immediately grew a little anxious, but he still feigned composure and said loudly:

"Kahn, ignore her. Come on, I'll teach you Firebending!"

As he spoke, he came over and tugged at Kahn's clothes, trying to pull him away from Azula.

Azula gave a laugh:

"Heh. I know Firebending too, and I've learned more than you. I'm better at it, too."

"Kahn wouldn't learn Firebending from you! The teacher said your Firebending isn't proper at all! Your movements aren't solid, either!"

"But I can beat you to a pulp."

"You!"

Their argument pulled Kahn's wandering thoughts back.

Listening to what they were arguing about, Kahn looked utterly bewildered, torn between exasperation and amusement, and said:

"Are friend slots that scarce for you two? Can each of you only have one?"

Both froze. What did he mean?

Then Kahn said to Azula:

"Zuko and I are friends. There's no question about that. But you're more than welcome to join us, and we can be friends too."

Those words clearly rejected Azula's request, but offered an invitation of his own.

Although Zuko did not want to play with Azula, he was very satisfied with Kahn's declaration in the first half. To him, it amounted to a proclamation of his victory, so he looked at Azula smugly.

Azula, of course, immediately darkened. How dare he fail to appreciate her kindness and reject her invitation? If it had been anyone else, she would have taught them a harsh lesson. But this Kahn before her...

"Tch!"

Azula clicked her tongue disdainfully, her face sour, but ultimately did not attack.

Zuko received different treatment. Seeing how smug he was, Azula vented all her anger on him, setting his backside alight with a burst of Firebending without another word.

Watching Zuko cry out in panic as he sat on the ground and frantically rubbed his backside against it, Azula felt a little better. But after glancing at Kahn, her expression darkened again.

That was all she did, though. Azula did not seem to have any intention of leaving, evidently tacitly accepting Kahn's words.

Did this count as being a tsundere?

Kahn thought so, but something felt a little off. Thinking back to Azula's earlier behavior, he felt she probably counted as a yandere instead.

Whatever the case, aside from Zuko rolling on the ground to put out the fire, the ending was more or less a happy one for everyone.

Zuko extinguished the fire on his backside, stood up, and glared angrily at Azula again. But Azula paid him no attention whatsoever, leaving him to rage helplessly where he stood.

Still, the thought of Kahn rejecting Azula immediately improved his mood considerably. Deliberately avoiding looking at her, he said to Kahn:

"I'll teach you Firebending."

Normally, Kahn would have agreed with delight, but right now...

Kahn lay back down on the ground like a puddle of sludge. "Let me rest a bit first."

Having sweated a great deal earlier, Kahn suddenly felt thirsty and asked:

"Zuko, where can I get some drinking water in your house?"

Zuko had used the least stamina, but he felt a little thirsty too. Saying, "Wait a moment," he ran out and soon returned with a maid.

Oh, it was actually the maid bringing over a pitcher of water and three cups.

Gave me a fright.

Although Zuko's relationship with Azula was terrible, and she had just bullied him, he had still remembered to get a serving for her.

Kahn accepted a cup of water. It was warm. He took a small sip first and inwardly marveled once again, What a good kid!

Azula did not stand on ceremony. She came over, picked up a cup, and gulped it all down in one go.

Kahn kindly reminded her:

"Gulping water right after exercise is bad for you."

"Tch!"

Azula gave him another haughty glance without responding, set down her cup, and sat down beside him as she did so.

Hmm?

Kahn gave her a puzzled look, unable to figure out what was going on with this girl.

Kahn and Azula rested where they were, while Zuko sat on the other side. With nothing to do, he felt a little bored.

Suddenly, he remembered something and said expectantly:

"Kahn, how about continuing that story from last time?"

"Last time? Oh, that one."

After a moment's consideration, recognition dawned on Kahn.

"Sure."

"Oh my goodness, Zuzu wants to hear a story! Heh. Childish. Boring."

Azula scoffed at the idea, lying on the ground with her legs crossed and her eyes closed to rest.

Ignoring Azula's mockery, Kahn sat up and began:

"Last time, we left off with Subhuti scolding Sun Wukong in front of everyone and knocking him on the head three times..."