Note: This Chapter is cliche at best.

***

"What are they doing?"

Yue looked at Nik curiously, a beautiful glow on her face as she kept on smiling giddily for no reason at all.

Then maybe, there was a reason after all.

To be able to chat with someone for hours, not to mention, a spirit, Yue only counted her lucky stars and asked everything she could think of.

And Pavāka being Pavāka, answered everything with her own pace and excitement, her influence easily growing over Yue.

"Well, if I am not wrong, this is Agni Kai. Two participants— the Challenger and the person challenged— fight against each other using fire bending."

"Heh~ Then that ugly guy is one of the fighters?"

Yue pointed at a rugged man with his body and face covered spots of mangled skin, his hair patchy and his eyes bloodshot. Some of the soldiers were actually massaging his body while lubricating the surface of his body with oil.

The scene was disgusted at best, at least, to Nik's experienced eyes.

"I am destined..."

Zhao muttered eerily, the soldiers around him shuddered once again, cold sweat leaking through their forehead as they quickly continued the massage. By now, the soldiers had already concluded that their commander had taken something suspicious, making him act against the Princess and they had no wish to stay near him longer than necessary.

"Say..." Yue looked at Nik and then looked back a Zhao, "Who's the other fighter?"

Nik pointed at himself and grinned.

"This handsome guy right here!"

Yue's eyes widened as she immediately looked back at Zhao's maniacal eyes while turning her gaze at Nik's foolish grin.

"Oh god... out of Karna and I... I'll die a virgin's death, isn't that right?"

Her curious expression faded as a blank look appeared in her eyes. Hearing her soft mutters, Nik was definitely startled for a moment, but still, confirmed that he would be enlightening another person tonight.

Grinning at his luck turning for the better— not that is was worse— except for the time when he slipped off a banana peel and fell down a cliff, Nik gazed at Zhao before looking at the sky.

"Hehe, I think that Yue has quite a bright future ahead."

A fluffy body jumped over his head, the miniature Pavāka, then looked at the sky and softly whispered.

"I can feel Raava's presence... the Avatar is near."

Nik nodded at his words before Yue suddenly recalled something and immediately patted Nik's head with her tiny hands.

"You know... you'll have to work hard tonight."

"What do you mean? I always work hard!"

Nik's voice entered within Pavāka's consciousness as she chuckled.

"Well... you'll understand when the night comes. Meanwhile, you have a hard day ahead." She spoke while floating to the side of Nik's face and pointing at Zhao.

"Him?" Nik flashed a smiled and waved at Zhao while communicating with Pavāka, "He doesn't hold a chance. A punch or two, and he is down."

With a quizzical expression, Pavāka looked back at Nik and frowned.

"A punch or two? Last time—"

"Last time I lost my cool. Those bastards—"

Nik took a deep breath and calmed his sudden bout of agitation.

"They deserved the brutal departure for what they did to Inferno. Either way, when it comes to Zhao, I only need to keep an eye on his movements and predict the direction of his bending before landing a punch at his vitals.

That's it."

When it came to bending, Nik was just a bit proficient at best. His amazing control actually came from the fact that he wasn't a conventional bender and the use of his energy would make his control over the element way stronger than ordinary bender's.

"It's easier said than done."

Pavāka shrugged.

"Nah. When it comes to crazy, it's always easy to do both."

***

The deck of the destroyer was emptied with only a few spectators overlooking the match. Azula stood with her back straight and hands crossed around her breastplate.

Her golden eyes regarded the dual fighters calmly. Unlike the oiled up Zhao, Nik looked extremely 'dry and dull', despite his amazing cuts and muscular body. Though tanned enough to attract anyone's attention, he simply didn't look the fighting type warrior.

In fact, if Nik had to be compared to someone, he could be called a trophy husband, an equivalent of a trophy wife. And in reality, that's what Nik was known as in the destroyer.

The audience was silent, the fighters were silent, too, except for Zhao's occasional growls and soft mutters with an unnerving amount of a single word— destined.

Sighing, Nik simply didn't have enough patience to deal with this inconvenience. Taking a step forward, his body made the first move. Zhao immediately tensed up, the crazy within him receded while a somber expression took over his expression.

Crouching, Zhao immediately kicked his feet, creating a slash of fire rushing straight towards Nik only to gave him side-step with astonishing speed.

"Stop running! You coward! Face me! Show me why the Princess value you more! 

Prove to us that you are not a filthy toy just to be used and thrown!"

Zhao immediately roared hysterically. Seeing his visage, Nik couldn't help but frown.

'This guy... he loved his position too much...'

Nik simply prayed for the poor soul for a moment before he stopped next to the long line of fire and then looked at the spectators, their eyes, too, focused on him, maybe, expecting some sort of retort.

Alas, Nik simply wasn't the kind to fight verbally when the situation had reached physical.

"You coward! Coward! Coward! COWARD!"

Zhao roared. By now, even the others were sure that Zhao wasn't in his right mind. His burly body shot towards Nik, his ankles covered in hot red flames while his fist immediately extended ruthlessly, swiping down while creating a swirl of fire hurling towards Nik.

'You know what...'

"... I don't give a shit."

Nik muttered, his body brightening at a visible pace due to the light of fire while his violet eyes reflecting the single swipe of flame falling towards him.

Crack

Nik was no longer in his position, instead, seven paces forward, his right leg had impacted against Zhao's neck, his mouth open with drool leaking out, his angry, astonished eyes matching against Nik's impassive ones as he sickening bone crunch finally awakened the rest of the audience.

Zhao's body fell, his neck twisted in a grotesque manner while a shimmering white medallion slowly formed above his body.

A treasure medallion.

Pocketing it, Nik gazed at Zhao's body for a good moment before sighing.

He wasn't that interested in killing. The fact that the four beastmasters and Bhiman were still alive proved his personality.

But Zhao was medically crazy. A— cuckoo— if you may.

An angry one at that. Angry at Nik. So instead of showing him a gentle approach, which Zhao may never appreciate in a short time, Nik decided to dispose of one uncertainty.

While the elements themselves would be a dangerous element against Nik, his physical body's advantage was too overpowered. At least, in this world.

Issuing a short prayer, Nik went back to pick up his tunic and dressed back up quickly. Swiping his hair back, Nik looked back at Azula and smiled.

"Let's make the preparations to greet the Avatar."

***

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