"…And then you ran to me?"
Inside the Eastern Air Temple, Guru Pathik asked this after listening to Kahn recount everything that had happened.
"Yes," Kahn said with a bitter smile.
"My mind was blank at the time, and by the time I came back to my senses, I had already run out."
Too many unexpected events had unfolded in the palace that day:
Azula's premature move ruined the plan, the preparations he, Iroh, and the White Lotus made went to waste, the struggle for the throne erupted, and finally—Azula's last kiss…
Even now, his mind was still a mess.
On one hand, he didn't know how to explain himself to Iroh and the White Lotus, nor how to make sense of Azula's actions.
Azula might consider the White Lotus expendable, treating them as enemies and obstacles—but he couldn't treat the people who came to help him the way she did.
Nor was he willing to help Azula get rid of them.
On the other hand, he never intended to get involved in Azula and Zuko's struggle for the throne.
Azula was intelligent, cunning, perceptive, ruthless, ambitious, and suspicious.
Under her rule, the Fire Nation might truly unify the entire world and forge an unprecedented path.
But it might also fall into tyranny, lose the people's support, and eventually crumble under rebellion and revolt.
Zuko, on the other hand, was kind, righteous, mindful of the common people, willing to correct his mistakes, stubborn, and single-minded.
If Zuko became Fire Lord, he might bring peace, turn swords into plowshares, care for the people, and continue the Fire Nation's prosperity.
But he might also be misled, fall into naive idealism, or make more wrong decisions than right ones—leading the Fire Nation into decline or even overthrow.
As for who was more suitable to sit on the throne?
Kahn could only say he didn't know.
His original plan was simple: after dealing with Ozai, he wanted to travel the world, learn its cultures, broaden his horizons, and accumulate knowledge—a long-held wish.
As for the conflict between Azula and Zuko, he planned to avoid it as much as possible, only stepping in if it escalated beyond control.
But just as Azula said, the appearance of the White Lotus complicated everything.
Iroh absolutely supported Zuko. And since Iroh was a White Lotus elder, it was impossible to ignore how the organization might respond to that.
He didn't doubt that Iroh and the senior masters were selfless—but to believe that everyone in such a large, widespread organization across multiple nations and social classes was selfless?
That was bullshit.
And if such a large organization decided to achieve a certain goal at all costs…
That thought alone was chilling.
Thinking of this, Kahn narrowed his eyes.
In the future, he would have to keep a close eye on the White Lotus.
Not as an enemy—but he'd be a fool not to be prepared.
But even with all these headaches, they were still manageable.
The most troublesome problem right now was—
Azula's kiss.
The soft touch lingered on his lips, refusing to fade.
Azula's face flashed through his mind again and again, making his expression more complicated by the second.
His understanding of their relationship had been shattered in an instant.
It transformed into something entirely different—something he had never imagined.
Simply put:
"I treated you like a brother, but you wanted me!"
And because it happened at such a critical moment, he couldn't help but wonder whether Azula's confession had other motives behind it.
Plus, Azula's identity added weight to everything—as she herself said:
"Help me rule this nation."
Also, Azula's age…
This was still a bit early, wasn't it?
Well—Zuko already had an early romance, so…
After listening to all of Kahn's tangled concerns and doubts, Guru Pathik stroked his beard and asked:
"You seem to have forgotten one point. The most important question is: Do you like her?"
"I…"
Kahn froze, but after a long silence, he slowly shook his head.
"I don't know."
Like her?
Before that kiss, he had never thought of Azula that way. He even joked about which poor bastard she would take interest in.
Turns out, the poor bastard was him.
Dislike her?
For some reason, he couldn't say that either.
From their first meeting until now, thinking back carefully—Azula's presence had unknowingly become a major part of his life.
Moments of them together flashed before his eyes, and he suddenly realized that Azula's attitude toward him had been different for a long time.
But what was she to him?
Guru Pathik sighed softly.
"Indeed… emotions are the most troublesome. I see that your previously unblocked chakra points have become blocked again, haven't they?"
"As I see it, your journey to open the Seven Chakras is going to take quite a while."
"Yes… but honestly, I don't have the mindset to deal with that right now."
Kahn gave a bitter smile—then suddenly brightened.
"Master, wait! Can you use Spiritbending to see my deepest desires? Can you tell me what my heart truly thinks?"
"Hahaha! Spiritbending isn't that powerful," Guru Pathik said, shaking his head with a teasing smile.
"But I can clearly see that your heart is troubled."
Kahn's disappointment was obvious.
Guru Pathik chuckled, then changed the subject.
"However… regarding the ability you're talking about, I do know a place that might be able to achieve something similar."
"Where?!"
Kahn shot up so fast he nearly flipped the mat.
Guru Pathik motioned for him to sit back down, then slowly explained:
"In a part of the Earth Kingdom, there is a mystical swamp. In fact, the entire swamp is formed from a single giant banyan tree and its branches."
"It is a living banyan tree connected deeply with the land—like an antenna that extends from the world itself. Within it, you can merge with the world, hear the breath of all life, and feel the growth of all things."
"It is said to connect the world and all living beings… to link time and space, to guide those who are lost, to summon reflections of the dead, and to mirror the deepest desires of the heart."
As Guru Pathik spoke, Kahn's eyes became brighter and brighter.
He suddenly knew where he needed to go next.
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Avatar: Rebirth of the Strongest Firebender — Part 1 (ATLA) is now available on Patreon!
Part 2 — Arc 1, set in The Legend of Korra era, has also been completed and continues the story into the next generation with stronger enemies, expanded worldbuilding, and major character developments ahead.
One complete 18+ novel has been uploaded on Patreon, guaranteed to give you an intense and thrilling experience.
Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
Warning: This chapter contains EXTREMELY explicit adult content.
In this merged Avatar world with zero inhibitions, all your favorite benders drown in raw, filthy, non-stop lust — gangbangs, elemental bending sex, incest, breeding, and extreme kinks.
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🔥 I also have additional **18+ fanfics** available for readers who enjoy exclusive mature stories. 😉
1. Dragon Ball: Oolong's Sex Adventure
2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
3. Doraemon: Filtering with Nobi Tamako
4. The Naive Me Who Became Someone's Everyday Secret
5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
6. Versatile Mage: Awakening the Succubus System
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