Too Beautiful a Sight

Kahn and Zuko traded blows back and forth.

Zuko had learned his firebending thoroughly. Every move, every motion was so textbook-perfect that no one could find fault with it.

But against someone well versed in firebending, that textbook precision became rigidity.

Although Kahn's command of firebending fell short of Zuko's, he had already memorized all its movements. He knew each move's opening stance, how the movements linked together, and what effect each one produced.

Although his lack of understanding of the finer details kept him from executing them well, it did not stop him from predicting Zuko's moves.

Moreover, his talent for combat was genuinely quite good. Within the limits of his movements, his body and his reactions were almost perfectly in sync!

Even many movements that looked like acrobatics came easily to him, so long as they fell within his body's limits.

With all these advantages, Kahn, who had only just begun learning firebending, could anticipate Zuko's moves and fight him on equal terms, even faintly gaining the upper hand.

Zuko, on the other hand, was having a rough time.

No matter what move he used, Kahn always dodged or blocked in time, nullifying his attacks and leaving him feeling as though he were punching thin air.

What the hell!

Fortunately, although he could not hit Kahn, Kahn also seemed to lack any means of attack and could not threaten him.

If this stalemate continued, it would probably count as a draw. At least he would not lose too much face.

Zuko inwardly counted himself lucky.

Unfortunately...

Just then, Kahn seemed to abandon his close-quarters exchange with Zuko. After blocking another side kick, he used the momentum to hop backward out of the fight.

That exchange with Zuko had actually been Kahn's way of testing his fundamentals and physical gifts.

Judging by his performance, he was very satisfied.

His familiarity with the moves and perfect control of his body allowed him to comfortably fight people somewhat stronger than himself. This was an enormous advantage.

But in that case, besides firebending, there's earthbending, waterbending, and airbending. Would I have to learn about all of them?

Then create my own bending version of the "Dugu Nine Swords"?

Oh, that would be sweet!

Uh...

Kahn suddenly came back to his senses. He had not even fully learned firebending yet. Why was he thinking so far ahead?

Still, he filed the idea away. Just because he had no use for it now did not mean he would have no use for it later.

These thoughts flashed through his mind, and Kahn returned his attention to the fight.

Since the test had given him a satisfactory answer, he could now try out some of his other ideas.

Kahn kindly warned him, "You'd better be careful now."

Careful? Careful of what?

Before Zuko could react, Kahn charged forward again, leaving Zuko no choice but to keep fighting.

Yet things seemed no different from before. They still traded blows, neither able to inflict any meaningful damage on the other.

Zuko found it strange, but his hands kept moving, one motion flowing into the next. He stepped back half a pace to gather power, drew two arcs of fire in toward his chest with his palms from either side, then thrust his body forward and blasted both out together.

Now!

Previously, Kahn had either leaned his head back to dodge this move or retreated beyond its range, but this time was different!

Instead of retreating, Kahn advanced. Before the arcs of fire could converge, he ducked and lunged forward, slipping through the flames with the precision of countless calculations and rehearsals, like a performance arranged beforehand, until his entire body seemed pressed against Zuko.

Then he reached out with his right hand, missed the palms about to blast forward by a hair's breadth, seized Zuko's right shoulder, and yanked backward-

Scum Gale!

Their figures crossed. Kahn held his pulling pose, while Zuko's own momentum combined with Kahn's pull sent him flying low through the air to crash heavily onto the floor.

Kahn won!

"You all right?"

After finishing his pose, Kahn went over and pulled Zuko up from the floor. Zuko had protected himself fairly well on landing and had not used his face as a brake. He looked like he should be fine.

"I'm fine."

Zuko stood up and shook his head, looking a little dejected.

He had thought that, even if he could not defeat Kahn, he could at least hold his own. He had never expected to lose so decisively to someone about his age who knew only three firebending moves.

Could Father really be right?

Do I really have no talent? Am I so useless that I'm not even fit to be a prince?

Zuko's dejection was written all over his face for anyone to see. Kahn thought he really was a sensitive little kid, then patted his shoulder and said with a smile:

"So, what did you think of my secret technique?"

Huh!?

I'm already this miserable, and you're rubbing salt in my wounds? I was wrong about you!

"That last move? It was really impressive. There was no way to dodge it."

Though angry, Zuko still praised him with a pout.

"Exactly. I think it's pretty impressive too."

Kahn nodded in satisfaction.

Scum Gale was a move used by Iori Yagami, a character in the game The King of Fighters. It switched positions with the opponent and left them staggered, allowing a follow-up combo to deal heavy damage.

The knockoff Scum Gale he was using now merely looked similar, without any of the original's miraculous effects. All it could do was grab an opponent and throw them away, while looking rather cool.

It sounded very ordinary, but used in the right situation, it could still produce excellent results, just as it had now.

All those character moves he had cosplayed had not been for nothing!

In reality, though, the main reason he had beaten Zuko in this fight was his perfect control over his body, which allowed him to precisely execute any movement his body was capable of making.

To put it accurately, the moves and the physical capabilities were both indispensable.

At this thought, Kahn glanced again at the miserable-looking Zuko before him.

Their time together over the past few days, particularly the way Zuko had defended him against Azula just now, showed that this kid had a good character and was worth befriending.

So Kahn said with a smile:

"This move is called Scum Gale. Teach me firebending in a bit, and I'll teach you this. How about it?"

"Really?!"

Zuko looked up in delighted surprise, the dejection on his face instantly vanishing like smoke and clouds.

Kahn nodded again. Looking at Zuko's smile, he inexplicably thought of the dog he used to keep, just as goofy.

While the two were getting along so happily, Azula, who had been sitting nearby for a long time and had grown thoroughly impatient with waiting, stood up and stretched.

"Haah... Thanks for that boring performance. You successfully gave me a good nap."

As she spoke, she even yawned.

Azula stepped onto the platform, loosened up her limbs, and lazily beckoned Zuko over.

"A little exercise is just what I need after waking up. Zuzu, come up and get beaten... Oh, no, I mean, come up for some sparring practice."

Whether Azula was a natural genius or well trained, she clearly had a deep grasp of the art of barbed sarcasm.

Her faintly disdainful smile, her nonchalant gestures, and her deliberately misspoken taunt pushed the mockery to its limit.

Zuko obligingly lost all reason in an instant and charged forward furiously. Kahn could not even hold him back.

Then Azula mercilessly beat him black and blue.

"Ah! @#￥%...&*("

The sight was too beautiful. Kahn only dared cover his face with both hands and peek through his fingers.