"You are a cursed monster"

"You are a demon!"

"How can a brat be so strong?!"

"We must kill him! Now!"

The enraged soldiers who remained standing, their fury and anger visible, surrounded the young boy who had inflicted so much damage in a matter of minutes. Determined to continue the fight, they closed in, hoping to land a hit.

"It appears the rumors about you aren't unfounded," said a voice that silenced the soldiers. The admiral's voice drew everyone's attention. Naruto raised an eyebrow as another figure arrived, more decorated and distinguished than the rest. This individual seemed to be in command of the fleet, escorted by several soldiers.

"Getting older, aren't you?" Among those present, Naruto could only recognize the elderly man who had been with the scarred prince on Kyoshi Island.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, young warrior. You've certainly grown and become stronger," Iroh greeted the boy with a smile. He had to stifle a chuckle as the ship trembled from the engine explosion. "You're like a hurricane personified. It's quite impressive how much damage you can inflict in such a short time."

"Thank you," Naruto replied, appreciating the old man's cordiality.

"General Iroh, this is not the time to commend our enemy, although I must admit... you are quite the surprise," Zhao remarked. He took the opportunity to observe that a third of his fleet was sinking into the sea. "Tell me, young man, why are you fighting on the 'wrong side'? I give you my word that if you join the Fire Nation, you can have whatever you desire."

"And how much is the word of a man like you worth?" The boy's words carried a sharp tone as he fixed an intense gaze on the firebender, who raised an eyebrow at the question.

"A man like me?" Zhao inquired with curiosity.

"One who hides behind his soldiers. Where I come from, our leaders fight alongside their comrades," Naruto's voice carried a hint of disdain. In the invasion of the Village of Sound and Sand, even Orochimaru had the courage to fight head-on, just as Jiji fought to defend his home, even if it meant losing their lives. No one from his village backed down; they defended their home. "You, on the other hand, hide within your machines and soldiers. Why won't you face me in battle yourself? If you're the supposed captain of this ship, show some courage and fight!"

An uncomfortable silence enveloped the ship, finally shattered by Zhao's laughter, which drew the evil glares of Iroh and his soldiers. The boy's question seemed to hit home.

Wasn't it a general's duty to fight alongside their comrades in battle?

"Such an outdated and honorable ideology for such a naive child." Zhao raised his hand, launching a fireball high into the sky.

"What?" Confusion gripped Naruto. His clones began to disappear, and a splitting headache erupted.

"Honor? Camaraderie? All of that means nothing in a war," the firebender continued. "In the end, it doesn't matter how many soldiers you have, how loyal they are to you, or even how strong they might be. The only thing that truly matters is the weaponry." With those words, the admiral took a step back.

Naruto remained on high alert as several soldiers emerged behind Zhao, each carrying strange objects that left him puzzled. They held elongated metal tubes with wooden handles on the edges, topped with what resembled a lighter.

Naruto gripped two kunai tightly, poised for an attack when the opportunity arose.

"The Fire Nation has always strived to be one step ahead of our adversaries," Zhao began, a smirk on his face. He raised his hand and continued, "We developed machinery, armored ships, and other innovations to conquer the Water Tribes, breach the Earth Kingdom's defenses, and even contend with the Air Nomads during the Sozin's Comet."

Naruto's thoughts were cut short by an explosive noise. In an instant, he felt fiery spikes penetrate his body, sending him sprawling and skidding several meters.

Stunned and in pain, Naruto struggled to stand but was knocked down once more as searing agony coursed through him. It was like being showered with burning embers, every inch of his body aflame.

"Reload!"

With great effort, he rose, frantically opening his jacket in an attempt to alleviate the smothering heat. But when he exposed his chest and torso, he was met with a chilling sight: blood oozed from multiple punctures in his body. Blood pooled in his throat, his eyes widened in horror as more of his clones vanished from these weapons.

"Admiral Zhao!" Before the soldiers could deliver a final blow, their actions were halted by Iroh's unexpected shout. He pointed skyward, exclaiming, "It's the Avatar!"

"His fate isn't important now!" Zhao snapped, his sole desire was to see the child dead. However, those precious seconds of distraction allowed Aang to plummet from the sky onto the bow, shielding his fallen comrade with a strong rush of air that sent armed soldiers flying. "Don't harm the Avatar! If he dies, the cycle begins anew!"

"Admiral, someone is approaching!" One of the soldiers observed a small boat racing toward them, but before he could convey the warning, a water blast struck him down. A massive water vortex engulfed the boat, and under the full moon's light, Niisa initiated her assault against the soldiers.

The troops unleashed musket fire and flames, but the waterbender anticipated their moves, erecting a massive ice wall for protection.

"Naruto!" Amid the ongoing battle, Aang knelt beside the wounded shinobi. His eyes widened in fear as he witnessed the blood seeping from Naruto's injuries. "Naruto!" His fear escalated when Naruto didn't respond.

"We have to get him out of here!" Nissa clapped her hands loudly, channeling her full concentration to escape.

Firebenders clung to whatever they could to avoid being thrown off as the ship quaked violently. To their astonishment, the moon was obscured by a colossal wave of water that split the vessel in two.

"Ahhhhh!" Niisa screamed with all her might as she forced the boat to slide away, a massive tsunami sweeping them back toward the ice fortress.

Leaving behind the fleet, which, now freed from the shinobi threat, began the process of recovery and reorganization.

"Should we pursue them, sir?" Admiral Zhao's crew had already begun boarding another boat, waiting for their captain who continued to gaze in the direction the Avatar group had escaped.

"No," he shook his head and crossed his arms before calmly boarding the other boat. The boy had been shot more than twenty times at close range. It seemed impossible for him to have survived.

"This... is something monstrous." Iroh remained serious, observing the weapons carried by the soldiers.

"It's a recent project, put on hold for a while. It wasn't versatile enough to be used against water and earth benders who can create shields and cover, in addition to its 30-second charge time and a weight of ten kilograms. It's more of a nuisance than a weapon," he explained calmly, taking one of the weapons from a soldier, smiling as he pointed it to fire a test shot.

"It's impressive, Admiral Zhao. Impressive and terrifying. A weapon like this could be used against us," he added with a hint of fear, contemplating the idea of this weapon now being in the hands of his younger brother. It was the worst-case scenario for the enemies of the Fire Nation.

Unaware of what was going through Iroh's mind, Zhao gazed proudly at the weapon in his hands. "Only a firebender can use it."

"Prepare the fleet; tomorrow, we will launch our attack at noon." With that order, the admiral retired to his new cabin, eager to execute the plan that would finally secure victory over the Northern Water Tribe.

Iroh remained outside, watching the boat in which their attackers had fled, and heaved a sigh before heading to rest.

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PAT REON I'D:- Alzero ]