After their overwhelming victory against Jeong Jeong, not only did Devon and the other rebels fall into despair, but Kahn and Azula's reputation within the Royal Guards soared to its peak.
Their power during the previous mission had already shocked many, but this time, they had defeated a Firebending Master — and even forced him to flee in disarray.
To the Royal Guards, it was nothing short of unbelievable.
The Fire Nation inherently revered strength.
For Azula and Kahn to display such overwhelming power at such a young age naturally earned the admiration and respect of everyone around them.
More importantly, Azula possessed not only power, but terrifying talent, sharp cunning, a commanding temperament, and unmatched status.
With all of these traits gathered in one person, everyone could clearly see her future would be extraordinary.
Seeing this golden opportunity, many soldiers began to subtly shift their loyalty.
Azula noticed the change immediately.
She responded by genuinely acknowledging and respecting her subordinates — a calculated move that swiftly won her the unwavering loyalty of an entire squad of elite Royal Guards.
Every Royal Guard was an elite Firebender. Gaining a loyal team like this was undoubtedly one of the greatest rewards of their mission.
And these guards were permanently stationed within the palace — the Emperor's personal protectors.
If even Ozai's own guards started shifting loyalties, it was equivalent to him unknowingly walking barefoot across a blade. A blade he didn't even know existed.
As for Kahn, this battle made him truly aware of his status as the Phantom God of Internal Conflict.
Though he and Azula defeated Jeong Jeong together, he felt that even alone he wouldn't necessarily lose to the seasoned Firebending Master.
And they hadn't even revealed their full strength — Lightningbending remained unused.
He wasn't sure of Ozai's exact level of power, but it was unlikely Ozai surpassed Jeong Jeong by much.
And Ozai's Lightningbending was naturally countered by Kahn's Reverse Lightning Fire. So in theory, Kahn might already be stronger.
But the pressure Ozai created didn't come from strength alone — it came from the power, status, military, and entire system he represented.
Even if Kahn surpassed Ozai in bending, killing him outright would mean facing the wrath of the entire Fire Nation.
They needed something else.
To remove him properly, they had to return to their original plan:
Find Ursa.
Uncover the truth behind Ozai's usurpation.
Destroy his legitimacy.
Only then would their crusade cease to be treason and instead become a righteous overthrow — restoring the rightful order, protecting the people, and defending legitimacy.
They would be celebrated, not condemned.
Now, back to the immediate matter.
Jeong Jeong's defeat had shattered Devon's last hope.
So when Azula interrogated him again a few days later, he confessed everything in a panic before she even began questioning.
He had chosen the wrong side back then.
Though he eventually "woke up" in time to save his life, he suffered brutal retaliation from Yudan afterward, and every day he lived in misery.
Seeing no chance of rising through normal means, he built a secret identity as an "Iroh supporter," hoping for future political shifts.
Even if no change came, he could always report those Iroh supporters later and enjoy riches. He saw it as a win-win situation.
Luckily for him — change did come.
Not long ago, he heard rumors about an organization called the White Lotus, a vast group secretly resisting the Fire Nation's aggression.
Their influence spread across nations. And the former Army General Jeong Jeong — the same man who defected years ago — was said to be an elder of the White Lotus.
Shocked, Devon also saw opportunity. He defected immediately, hoping to join Jeong Jeong and earn a place within the White Lotus.
And then Azula and Kahn arrived.
"I must say, you've given me quite the surprise. I may have underestimated you," Azula admitted. A rare statement.
Kahn was equally astonished. Devon had gathered far more information than expected, and his plan had almost succeeded.
Jeong Jeong really was a White Lotus member — and like Iroh, he was also one of their elders.
But thinking about it, Kahn couldn't help but marvel at how the Fire Nation managed to become so powerful despite having both a former General and a former Admiral secretly working against it for years.
Devon continued desperately.
"I-I also know many other traitors dissatisfied with His Majesty Ozai! Please, Princess Azula, just give me one more chance!"
Clinging to hope, he crawled forward pathetically, ignoring the pain of his wounds.
But Azula only looked at him with disdain.
"If you had any foresight, you wouldn't have ended up like this. You do have some capability, but your stupidity is undeniable."
"Your Highness…?"
His face paled instantly.
Azula's next words froze him completely.
"I never promised anything. Why would you assume that telling the truth would let you live? If anything, if you had spoken less, you might've had a chance."
She shook her head.
"A shame, really."
"No—please—!"
Boom!
A flash of Lightningbending.
A painless, instant death.
Devon collapsed, eyes still filled with confusion.
Even in death, he didn't understand what he said wrong.
Azula lowered her hand calmly. Killing him without pain was the final courtesy for the information he provided.
A strange gentleness.
It was Kahn's first time watching a life disappear right before him. He felt uneasy, but he didn't object.
With the secrets Devon held, they couldn't afford to let him live. Even Kahn would've killed him if Azula hadn't.
Still, he asked.
"Will this cause a problem? What if Ozai asks?"
Azula smirked.
"He's a small fry. Compared to our achievements, he's irrelevant. Father will be too pleased to care."
Then she shrugged.
"And if he does ask, I'll simply 'confess truthfully.'"
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Avatar: Rebirth of the Strongest Firebender — Part 1 (ATLA) is now available on Patreon!
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