After hearing about Kahn's experiences over this period, Iroh's expression grew complicated, but in the end, with a sigh, he condensed all his feelings into a few short words:
"Thank you for all your hard work."
At Kahn's age, he should never have had to bear these things. And if Kahn had never become involved with him, perhaps his bending talent could have given him a brighter future, rather than leaving him mired in this swamp.
Iroh thought with some self-reproach.
But who could have known back then that things would turn out like this? Life was unpredictable, and the affairs of the world were hard to foresee.
"It really was exhausting! You know I'm not actually very good at all this scheming, and that Ozai guy isn't just black-hearted-there seems to be something wrong with his head, too..."
Kahn did not deny it. Following the thread of the conversation, he launched into a fierce round of complaints, dragging Ozai's name through the mud eighteen times over along the way, before finally sighing.
"All I can say is, people only find out what they're capable of when they're pushed!"
Though he complained, his attitude was far more positive and optimistic than Iroh's. He never questioned whether meeting Iroh had been a good thing. That question was downright idiotic.
Someone as powerful as Iroh was a pillar of support other people couldn't cling to even if they wanted to, and someone would actually turn their nose up at him?!
Even faced with the situation he had been in before, Kahn still felt it had been worth it.
Even if he had to start over ten million times, he would cling tightly to Iroh's leg every single time and shout:
Iroh was forever a god!
"It was hard, sure, but fortunately, the