N/A: Hello everyone, JkAlex wishes you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year... overdue. I hope you had a good time with your friends, family, partners or lovers. I don't judge, especially since I celebrated the holidays totally drunk and woke up on New Year's drunk on the couch with a girl I didn't know while we discussed medicine.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

And without further ado... Let's go!

Chapter 7

The Candidates

Percy

When he learned that his father, the most famous swordsman in the history of the Fire Nation (and he was not exaggerating, because he had done his research), would be in charge of training a group of elite swordsmen, Percy knew that many people would be interested in joining. After all, he had seen people from all over the Fire Nation travel to the village of Shu Jin with the intention of becoming a student of the famous Piandao.

What he had not expected was to find so many people at the door of his new home. There were more than a hundred people! His father would have a busy day testing them all.

Percy pushed through the sea of people and made his way to the doors. It was difficult, considering they were all teenagers between 15 and 16 years old, while he was just a small boy of 12.

"Excuse me... Excuse me... Oh, sorry to step on you, buddy... Excuse me... Hey, nice sword... Excuse me..."

When Percy got to the door, he couldn't get through because there was a small group of people blocking it.

"Hey, kid, back off," one of them growled, grabbing him by the shoulder. "Don't think you're going to be the first to see Master Piandao."

Percy looked at him. He was a teenager who looked to be about Zuko's age, only much stronger. His beefy arms looked like they could split wooden beams in half. Judging by the sleeveless, elegant clothes he was wearing, he was definitely of the upper class. No one in their right mind would wear that much gold unless they wanted to show off their social status.

"Don't be too hard on him, Qiang," another boy said, trying to calm him down. "He's just a kid. He must be excited."

"Stay out of this, Ming," Qiang spat and turned to look at him sternly. "If he's here, he knows what that means."

"Yes, he's probably excited because he thinks he can become the master's disciple," someone else said, this time it was a girl. "Look, he even has his own sword. How cute."

Qiang narrowed his eyes at the sight of Percy's sheathed sword.

"Get lost, brat," Qiang spat, placing his hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword. "Unless you want me to make you. This is not a park for kids like you to play in."

"And this is not a zoo for animals like you," Percy replied.

Percy looked at his sheathed sword, then at him. Qiang was two heads taller and much stockier. However, he was not intimidated by the imposing figure he tried to project. Perhaps he would have intimidated the other candidates with his size and confidence, but not Percy. In his eyes, he was just another spoiled upper-class kid demanding to be heard.

Qiang looked indignant at Percy's words. He gritted his teeth in anger and stepped forward threateningly, but someone stopped him.

"What's going on here?"

They all turned to see Zuko approaching them with a stern expression on his face. Percy saw that it was the same expression he had when talking to the Royal Palace guards or servants. Haughty, proud and imposing. The image of an honorable royal.

Qiang opened his eyes in obvious surprise and quickly bowed his head in submission.

"Your... Your Highness! It is an honor to see you here," he murmured, looking at the dao swords sheathed on Zuko's back. "I assume... you also came here to learn from the master."

"Yes, that's right," Zuko nodded.

"Then allow us to accompany you," Qiang said, pointing proudly at himself. "My name is Qiang. These are my friends, Ming and Xiuying. Each of us is a relative of a prominent commander serving in the Fire Nation army. As you can see, we are more than worthy to accompany you, Your Highness."

Zuko looked at the three carefully, as if considering their words.

Ming was thin and tall, but it was obvious that he kept in shape. He had very short, almost shaved black hair and hard golden eyes. Like Qiang, he wielded a jian sword strapped to his waist. He had a calm and controlled expression on his face, as if nothing could upset him.

Xiuying, the girl, was only slightly taller than Percy. Her black hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. Unlike her friends Qiang and Ming, she carried a pair of dao swords. Perhaps that was why she looked up and down at Zuko with interest, since they both used the same type of sword.

"I appreciate the offer," Zuko said. "I can see that you have come to represent your families with honor. But I already have someone to accompany me."

He looked at Percy, and they all turned to look at him. In turn, Percy looked behind him, searching for the escort Zuko was referring to.

"Are you serious?" Qiang asked incredulously, "What is so special about this kid that he is worthy of accompanying a royal like you?"

"He is Piandao's son."

Zuko's statement was met with stony silence as everyone turned to look at him with varying degrees of surprise, intrigue, and caution. Percy cursed Zuko under his breath. He hated being the center of attention. They all looked at him curiously and expectantly, as if they expected him to do tricks with his sword.

Just then, the doors of the mansion opened. Percy expected to see his father there, ready to greet them. But it wasn't him, it was someone he hadn't seen in a few days.

"Fat!"

Excitement rose in his chest when he saw the man, and he couldn't help but hug him tightly. He could not put his arms around him because of his belly, but that prominent belly was just a sign that he was indeed his family's old butler.

"Young Master, it's a pleasure to see you again," Fat said as he returned the hug.

"When did you get back?" Percy asked, breaking the embrace.

"This morning. I was surprised when your father told me you went to the Royal Palace to escort Prince Ozai's son. I assume he is the young man accompanying you."

Zuko approached them, the other suitors opening like a wave to let him pass.

"It is an honor, Your Highness," Fat bowed to Zuko with a curtsy. "The master told me about you. He told me that you were interested in learning the art of the sword and that Master Percy taught you the basics."

"Yes, his... guidance has been very helpful," Zuko said, looking sideways at Percy. "He made me realize the basics of being a swordsman. Now I hope to be accepted by Master Piandao and trained under his tutelage."

"The master is currently in a meeting with your father. You may wait for him in the guest lounge, where Miss Azula and her companions are."

A sour expression graced Zuko's features, perhaps at the thought of waiting in the same room as his sister. Percy couldn't blame him. Even though they had only interacted once in person, he could see that Azula was a difficult person to deal with.

While Fat led all the candidates to the courtyard where they would be tested, Percy led Zuko to the same guest room where he had met Piandao a few days ago. Only this time it was occupied by Azula and her friends, Mai and Ty Lee, who were drinking tea and eating cookies.

Percy looked at the cookies with annoyance. They were the last ones he had brought from Shu Jin. But since Fat was here, and he was the one who baked them, he let it go.

"Oh, you're finally here. I was wondering when you would arrive, considering how close we are to the Royal Palace," Azula commented sardonically, sipping from her teacup in royal fashion. "Tell me, brother, have you seen all the candidates who have come to become Piandao's disciples? It must be difficult for you to know that you must compete with them all to prove yourself worthy."

Percy could see the doubt on Zuko's face. And he couldn't blame him. There were over a hundred people out there waiting to become Piandao's disciples, and only twelve of them would make it.

But Zuko was not one of those twelve. He did not have to compete with the other candidates, he only had to prove that he was worthy to be taught by Piandao by showing the qualities of a swordsman. Qualities he had already demonstrated in the duel they had.

"Zuko will be able to do it," Percy said confidently.

Zuko turned to look at him in surprise, not expecting Percy to support him.

"I... I think Zuko can do it too," Mai muttered, but when they all turned to look at her, she lowered her head in embarrassment.

"Do you really think so?" Azula asked, looking at Percy skeptically.

"Yes," he replied without hesitation. "Zuko has proven that he has the qualities of a swordsman. As long as he sticks to that, I know my dad will accept him as his student."

Azula snorted mockingly.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you. Zuko has never lived up to our father's expectations of him. He does not excel at firebending, nor does he possess the keen mind of a leader, let alone the qualities of a ruler. So far, he has been nothing but a failure and a great disappointment to the Royal Family."

Out of the corner of his eye, Percy saw Zuko slump his shoulders and clench his fists until his knuckles were white. His brow furrowed in annoyance, but he saw only frustration and embarrassment in his eyes. He did not deny his sister's words, for perhaps he believed them to be true.

"Azula..." Ty Lee muttered, looking somewhat sad and annoyed at her friend's attitude.

Even Mai frowned slightly as she watched her out of the corner of her eye, but remained silent.

"You're his sister," Percy said to Azula in an accusing tone. "Shouldn't you have more trust in him?"

"Trust is for fools," she declared, setting the teacup down on the table and giving Percy a cold, hard stare. "You're just a commoner from the outer islands. You know nothing of how this great nation is run... Or what it's like to live as a royal. The responsibilities, the expectations, the weight that comes with it."

Percy didn't understand. He didn't understand why these people acted the way they did toward their own family. The suspicion, the jealousy, the contempt... He never thought a family could be like that.

"You're right, I don't know" Percy looked at Zuko before looking at Azula and holding her gaze. "But I do know that a family is supposed to support each other, like my father did with me" he looked at Zuko. "And as your mother does with you."

The only person who seemed to be the exception in this dysfunctional family was Ursa, Zuko and Azula's mother, who seemed to be someone caring and loving, as Percy had always imagined a mother should be.

Zuko blinked, looking slightly confused. His expression softened, and a smile tantalizingly curled his lips. Azula, on the other hand, frowned and her lips tightened into a bitter expression, while wrinkling her nose in disgust, as if she smelled something unpleasant.

"I... I think Zuko can do it too," Mai muttered almost imperceptibly, once again showing her support for Zuko.

It wasn't deep enough though, as everyone turned to look at her in slight confusion, especially Zuko. Realizing she had been overheard, Mai looked down with a heavy blush on her face and shifted uncomfortably.

"You see it," Percy said, patting Zuko's shoulder in a friendly way. "Your mother and I aren't the only ones who think you can do this. So have more confidence, Hotman."

"W-What did you call me?" Zuko mumbled indignantly.

Before Zuko could reprimand him for what he considered disrespectful to a member of royalty, Percy quickly left the room and headed for what had become his bedroom.

Despite living in a castle in the village of Shu Jin, Percy did not consider himself a person of ostentatious and luxurious tastes. Perhaps it was because his father had always instilled in him the importance of living a humble and simple life. That there were more important things in life than earthly possessions. And he agreed with that. But when he saw how luxurious his room in the mansion was, Percy admitted that he wouldn't mind living in a place like this for the rest of his life.

The room was spacious, but not overly so. The floor was wooden, covered with a thin carpet. There was a canopied wooden bed large enough for three people, with silk sheets and fluffy pillows. The curtained window on the right side of the room let in warm light and a cool summer breeze that was characteristic of the Fire Nation. To the left of the room was an elegant wooden cabinet, along with an ornate mahogany desk and an overstuffed chair.

It was a simple yet elegant room, and Percy liked it.

As he looked through his closet, he saw the wide variety of fancy dresses and clothes he had bought in town. His father had insisted. If they were going to live there for several years, they would have to dress like them.

After looking at the many outfits, he finally settled on a simple red short-sleeved vest with black trim. He closed the vest in the front and held it in place with a simple black cloth sash around his waist. Despite the simple design, Percy could tell the quality of the soft silk. It felt more comfortable than any garment he had ever worn in his life.

Looking in the mirror, Percy nodded to himself. He liked the short-sleeved vest better than his father's previous qi pao attire, which he felt was elegant but somewhat restrictive in his movements when it came to using the sword.

Besides, he had to admit, he looked cool.

When Percy returned to the hall, he found it empty, so he went to the courtyard, where he saw that everyone had already gathered. His father and Prince Ozai were also there, and the prince was standing in front of all the candidates. Young teenagers around the age of fifteen who had come with the intention of becoming part of a select group of swordsmen.

However, they had to prove themselves worthy.

Among them, in the front row, Percy could see Zuko, who had a serious expression on his face, though it wavered slightly, giving a glimpse of his underlying nervousness.

If Ozai was impressed or intrigued to see his son among the candidates, he certainly did not show it. His expression seemed to be set in stone as he stepped forward and all the candidates stood at attention, recognizing the prince of their nation.

"You have all come here today to seek glory and bring honor to your families by serving our great nation," he said, his voice stern and commanding. "Glory, however, is reserved only for those who prove themselves superior, those who prevail over others. And that is what you will do today. Of the 107 people who have come today, only 12 will be accepted to be trained by our nation's greatest swordsman."

There were murmurs of growing concern among the crowd as they learned that only twelve of them would be accepted. Many looked uncertain and anxious as they listened to the prince's statement as he continued his speech.

"This team of swordsmen will be made up of only the elite, the best of the best. So prove that you have what it takes to be a part of it. Prove that you are worthy to serve your nation with pride and honor."

With those last words, Ozai turned and walked away, making way for Piandao to stand in front of all the candidates. With his hands behind his back and his head held high, he had the bearing of a seasoned soldier and the presence of a respected warrior. His gaze alone was enough to make all who watched him tense.

"Good afternoon, young people," Piandao said in a calm but firm voice. "A warm greeting to all of you who have come from afar. My name is Piandao. As Prince Ozai said, only 12 of you will be able to be part of this swordplay team. In order to select these twelve, you will be put through three different tests to see if you have the qualities I look for in a disciple."

'Here we go again with those damned tests,' Percy said quietly, although Fat could hear him from the small smile that formed on his lips.

"I will personally evaluate these tests," Piandao continued, walking among the candidates. "Considering the number of you, I will be assisted by my steward, Fat. And my son, Perseus."

Percy stiffened in his seat. He had not expected his father to tell him that he would be helping him evaluate all the candidates. The looks they all gave him ranged from skepticism, doubt, and even some disdain. It was clear that they did not trust a child to evaluate them correctly.

"Let's begin the tests," Piandao announced. "Please take your seats."

The courtyard had already been prepared by Fat and Piandao for the tests, as many small wooden tables with brushes, inks, and a sheet of paper were neatly arranged along the entire length of the courtyard. Rather than a test to assess their swordsmanship skills, it looked more like a college entrance exam.

Once everyone was seated, Piandao stood in front of them with his hands behind his back.

"The first test will be calligraphy. You will use the brush to write your name in ink on the paper. Begin."

All the contestants looked at each other in confusion. The only one who didn't seem upset was Zuko, since he already knew what the test was.

In the distance, Percy could see Prince Ozai, who had a confused expression on his face. Next to him, Azula watched the test curiously, as if trying to solve a puzzle.

Then one of the candidates hesitantly raised his hand.

"Uh... Master... What is the purpose of this test?"

"I already told you," Piandao replied patiently. "You will write your names on the paper. Now, if you want a deeper and more philosophical explanation as to why such an action was taken, my son will be more than willing to answer you."

Percy turned to his father in shock. He was not the master here. Sure, he had taught Zuko the three tests, along with a vague explanation of their purpose. But now, more than a hundred people were looking at him for a clear and concise answer.

Hesitantly, he stepped forward and stood beside his father.

"Why do you want me to say it?" he asked in a whisper.

"To see if you've mastered the basics, of course," Piandao replied with a small, innocent smile.

Percy didn't believe him for a second. His eyebrow twitched when he saw the amused gleam in his eyes, and he tried hard not to say it out loud.

He sighed and looked at all the candidates, more than a hundred pairs of eyes looking at him expectantly for an explanation. He felt a cold sweat run down his neck and his mouth went dry. He had never spoken in front of so many people before. He racked his brain, trying to remember what his father had told him when he started his lessons, but it was a futile attempt. In the end, he just said the first thing that came to mind.

"Well... If you write your name on the paper... it won't help to know who you are," he said.

Immediately after saying that, he wanted to slap himself in the face. Everyone looked at him like he was an idiot. Sitting across from him, he could see Zuko slapping his face at his crude attempt at an explanation. He could almost swear he called him an idiot under his breath.

Percy cleared his throat before trying again.

"What I mean is... when you write your name on the paper, you're going to stamp your own identity on it. You will use ink to write it, and once you do, it will be impossible to erase. The same thing happens when you use your sword in battle. Every move you make will reflect who you are, and you will not be able to change it... whether you did it right or wrong."

His explanation seemed to please his father, who nodded in agreement. All the candidates looked at him thoughtfully, thinking deeply about what he had said. Some even looked impressed.

After his explanation, the candidates began to write on the paper under the watchful eye of Piandao, who watched them like a hawk watching its prey.

When all had finished writing, Piandao walked between the rows of candidates, examining each one's work with a critical eye. Percy could see many of them shift uneasily in their seats as Piandao picked up their sheet of paper and analyzed their work. He couldn't blame them, his father was quite strict when it came to teaching swordsmanship. After evaluating the paper for a few seconds, he kept some of them, while leaving others on the table.

Piandao repeated this process for almost 20 minutes, keeping some sheet and discarding others until he was done. When he returned in front of all the candidates, more than half of them still had their sheets of paper.

"The first test is over," Piandao announced. "In my hands, I have the sheets with the names of the people I deem suitable for the second test."

Percy noticed that Zuko had passed the first test, since he did not have a sheet of paper on his desk. There were also others he recognized, such as Qiang and his friends.

"For those of you who still have your sheet, I regret to say that you have not passed the test."

Those who still had the paper lowered their heads in sadness and disappointment.

Some looked resigned, others frustrated and angry.

"For those who failed the first test, don't be discouraged," Piandao comforted them. "Even if you did not display the qualities I look for in a disciple today, it does not mean you are unfit to be a swordsman. The art of the sword is a discipline that requires time, dedication, and above all, will. The will to be better. You may have stumbled today, but it is up to you to decide if you want to continue on this path. The only limits are the ones you set for yourself."

Piandao's words of comfort not only seemed to renew the spirits of those who had failed the test, but also boosted the morale of those who had passed it.

Percy smiled as he listened to his father. Not for the first time, he was proud to be his son. Proud that he had chosen to follow his path.

He knew that in a few years, with enough training, he could match his father's swordsmanship, but... Would he ever be half the man he was?

The second test took a little longer. Even though the candidates were less than half of what they had been at the beginning, they had to be divided into groups of four for Piandao's next test: landscaping.

Percy could understand his father's reasoning for insisting on the second test. A swordsman must always have an image of the battlefield in his mind in order to use the terrain to his advantage.

For some reason, Percy had always been good at that. Not at landscaping, no, he had always sucked at it. He was incapable of putting down on paper the image he had in his head, even though he had it down pat.

His father had told him that he had a great instinct for fighting. Unconsciously, he was always looking around him, always on the alert. This allowed him to see the details around him after only a few seconds of observation. It was a great advantage when it came to battle, but it was also a great annoyance when he had nothing to do, like now.

It was quite boring for him to watch a group of teenagers, go to the backyard, and paint them after watching them for a few seconds. At least this time, he didn't have to explain why the candidates had to do such a thing, because Percy wouldn't know what to tell them. All he had to do was make sure that none of them turned to look at the garden again.

Surprisingly, almost all the candidates passed the second test. Percy figured that if they were good at calligraphy, painting would not be difficult for them.

After 30 minutes, more than thirty, teenagers stood in the courtyard in front of Piandao, ready for the final test. Percy was pleased to see Zuko among them, looking tall and proud. His eyes reflected a fierce determination, the same one he had shown during their duel.

"Young people, I congratulate you for making it this far," Piandao praised. "Each of you has demonstrated the qualities I look for in a disciple. And now, in the final test, we will see if you are capable of exercising those qualities in battle."

Standing to his father's right, Percy guessed what his role would be in this final test. That was why he had brought his sword.

As he looked at all the candidates who would take the final test, he could recognize some of them besides Zuko. There was Qiang with his friends, Ming and Xiuying. Percy was not surprised, considering that they were from noble families, so their skills in calligraphy and landscaping could be due to the education they had received. What did surprise him was to see a small group of five teenagers who stood out because of their disheveled appearance, their old and tattered clothes. They undoubtedly belonged to the lower class. Everyone turned away from them as if they had a highly contagious disease.

"The final test will be a sword duel," Piandao announced. "I will judge for myself if you are capable of using the qualities for which I have chosen you. Now prepare yourselves. I will call you by name, and you will step forward. If you do not have a sword, you will be given one."

Piandao took a rolled up piece of paper from the pile on a small table and read aloud.

"Qiang."

'You've got to be kidding me,' Percy thought as he watched the teenager step forward and strut in front of everyone.

"I'm ready, Master Piandao," he declared confidently, drawing his sword. "Who is my opponent?"

"The person you will face in this final test is my son, Perseus," Piandao declared to the surprise of everyone present.

'Ah, I knew it...' Percy thought with resignation. He suspected that this had been his father's plan all along.

Piandao would want him to use this opportunity to face swordsmen to gain experience to master his fire stance. But looking at all the people he would face, even if they were only Piandao's aspiring disciples, he couldn't help but feel a little insecure. He had never fought so many people before.

"Perseus will fight them all?!" he heard Ty Lee exclaim in disbelief, "There's no way he'll win!"

"Well... he doesn't have to win," Mai pointed out. "It's a test for the contestants, not for Perseus. It's enough that he can survive all the duels."

"But there are more than thirty people, can he do it?"

Even the members of the Royal Family present, seated on elegant cushions on a luxurious carpet in the shade of a tree, were not indifferent.

"Tell me, Azula," Ozai spoke to get his daughter's attention, "Have you approached Piandao's son yet?"

'Huh? Why would Ozai want Azula to approach me?' thought Percy as he listened to their conversation, 'Was he the one who told her to challenge me to a duel?'

Unfortunately, he couldn't hear Azula's answer because Piandao spoke up:

"Well, let's start with the final test. Son, go ahead."

Percy nodded at his father's request and stepped in front of Qiang, who was waiting impatiently.

"So you really are Master Piandao's son," Qiang said, looking at Percy with curiosity. "Tell me, how many years have you been training under him?"

Percy raised an eyebrow, confused by the teenager's interest. Nevertheless, he replied:

"One year. Why do you care?"

Qiang looked incredulous for a second before frowning in annoyance.

"You are the son of the best swordsman in the Fire Nation. And you've only trained for one year?" Qiang snorted disdainfully. "You decided to take your chance too late. You're way behind compared to someone like me, who's been training since I could pick up a sword. I have far more experience and training than you."

"More ego, too," Percy pointed out, drawing a few laughs from those present.

Qiang gritted his teeth in irritation and adopted a basic swordsman stance, ready to face him as he wielded his jian sword with one hand.

Percy also unsheathed his sword and adopted his Fire Stance, causing many to raise an eyebrow at his unusual stance, as it was not the conventional stance of a swordsman.

"What the hell is that stance?" Qiang asked. "It doesn't even look like a swordsman's stance."

"You tell me," Percy replied mockingly. "Haven't you trained for years?"

A snarl of irritation escaped Qiang's mouth as they both stared at each other. The tension between the two swordsmen grew as they strengthened their own stances and carefully evaluated the other. Percy saw that although Qiang had a basic swordsman stance, he could tell that it was quite solid.

"Begin!"

At Piandao's signal, Qiang and Percy charged at each other, and in a single second, their swords clashed with a loud clang of metal on metal. Qiang looked surprised that Percy was not only able to withstand the blow, but was also able to push him back. The teenager quickly changed his strategy, letting the young swordsman's sword slide to knock him off balance and then attacking with a slash aimed at the abdomen.

Reacting quickly, Percy showed surprising reflexes by parrying the attack aimed at his previously exposed area, then forcefully deflecting his opponent's sword and attacking with a slash to the shoulder. Qiang reacted in time by raising his sword, but the force behind the blow caused his knees to buckle, and he almost fell. He used two arms to parry the attack from Percy, who had only used one arm to wield his sword.

Taking advantage of Qiang's slightly unbalanced stance, Percy attacked again. Using the aggressive movements of his fire stance, he pushed his opponent back as he defended himself or dodged his relentless attacks. Since he was wielding a blunt sword, Percy had no qualms about targeting vital points, knowing that he would not inflict a fatal wound, but rather a painful blow.

Surprisingly, Qiang was able to defend himself well, even though all his focus was on defending himself as he dodged. A particularly strong blow from Percy caused the teenage swordsman to stagger backwards, leaving him vulnerable to a sidekick from Percy that landed hard in his stomach, sending him reeling backwards.

Gritting his teeth as he clutched his stomach in pain, Qiang quickly pulled himself together, took another stance, and attacked with greater ferocity. He ran towards Percy, dragging the edge of his sword along the ground, and when he was within a few feet of him, he threw a handful of dirt in his face. Percy covered his face, but a few grains of sand got into his eyes, and he had to squint from the irritation, but he could still see Qiang attack with a descending blow. Percy managed to raise his sword to defend himself, but gritted his teeth against the force of the attack. Qiang had surprising strength, and he used it with every attack. Percy struggled to keep up with his attacks with his vision mostly limited due to the sand in his eyes, but he managed to stop them all by giving ground and playing defense, though this was starting to irritate him.

With his limited vision, he was barely able to dodge Qiang's stab at his shoulder, but he did not see him kick his legs and fall to the ground, leaving him at the mercy of his sword. Again, his quick reflexes kicked in and he rolled to avoid the stab. When he got some distance, Percy quickly stood up, but it wasn't necessary as Qiang didn't attack, just stood there with a smug smile on his face.

"Is this all the son of the best swordsman in the Fire Nation has to offer?" He scoffed. "I must say, I'm disappointed. I guess blood isn't everything."

Percy took the moment to wipe the grains of sand from his eyes, then looked with growing irritation at the condescending teenager, someone who believed he was superior only because he trained for more years.

When he left Shu Jin, he did so with the mindset of overcoming any obstacle that stood in his way of becoming a great swordsman like his father. And facing all these candidates who wanted to be his disciples was a step towards achieving that. That's why he wouldn't let someone with delusions of grandeur like Qiang stop him.

In his eyes, Qiang and all the candidates who had come today were just that; obstacles to be overcome.

With that in mind, Percy decided that he was done playing defense. Screw the defense, he would attack in such a way that he wouldn't have to defend himself.

The stance he had created, the Fire Stance, was a purely offensive style, where he would attack his opponent fiercely and aggressively with the intention of overwhelming them, like a Firebender. However, the stance was not without its flaws. First, it was an offensive style, so he had no way to defend himself other than to intercept or evade his opponent's attacks. Second, he was not very used to using it in battle, so he had not yet mastered it. And third, he only knew the moves he had created based on the basic firebending stances he had practiced with Lee, a beginner. He had not yet extrapolated the more complex and true master moves like those of... Azula.

Percy opened his eyes and turned slightly to see where the Royal Family was standing. Ozai had an impassive expression on his face. Zuko, on the other hand, looked a little uncomfortable as he looked at him. But it was Azula's expression that caught his attention. She looked expectant and slightly annoyed, impatient, he would say.

A small, amused smile formed on Percy's lips. It seemed as if Azula was dissatisfied with his performance so far and was impatiently waiting for him to demonstrate the same skills he had shown in their duel.

'This could go well, and I'll win the duel quickly... Or it could go horribly wrong, and I'll break my neck,' he thought, a plan forming in his mind. 'Oh, well, whichever comes first.'

With a deep breath, Percy relaxed his posture under everyone's puzzled gaze. Then he slowly assumed a new stance. It was similar to his fire stance, but slightly modified. The blade of his sword was no longer perpendicular to the ground, but diagonal, with the tip of the blade pointing to the ground. Similarly, the position of his legs also changed slightly, with the right leg remaining bent, but the left leg, mimicking the position of his sword, was fully extended at an angle.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Azula abruptly rise from her seat with a clear expression of shock and surprise on her face. Obviously, she had recognized the new posture. It was to be expected, after all, it was the same one she had used in their duel just a few hours ago.

"What... stance is that?" Qiang asked in confusion.

"The stance of a prodigy," Percy replied.

Like Azula, he wasted no time and attacked without the slightest hesitation. He jumped and somersaulted in the air before making a powerful downward slash with his sword, mimicking the moves Azula had made against him.

Qiang raised his sword with both hands to parry, but the force behind the blow caused him to fall to his knees. Nevertheless, the dull blade of Percy's sword struck Qiang's shoulder, causing him to grunt in pain. Without missing a beat, Percy spun 360 degrees and swung his sword upward. If he were a Firebender, this move would amount to creating a wall of flames, identical to what Azula had done to him. Percy's sword collided with Qiang's sword with such force that it was knocked out of his hands, and it was sent several feet away. The confrontation came to an abrupt end when Percy plunged his sword into the neck of Qiang, who was unarmed and still on his knees.

"Enough," Piandao said in an authoritative voice. "The duel is over."

Percy stared into Qiang's eyes, which reflected utter shock. All conceit and arrogance vanished from the teenager's face, replaced by disbelief and astonishment. Clearly, he had not expected to be outmatched by a twelve-year-old.

Pulling his sword from his opponent's neck, Percy turned to look at the dueling spectators, who were impressed by his skills. He assumed that with this demonstration, he had erased any thoughts of doubt they might have had about him.

Personally, he didn't care. Of all of them, there was only one person he wanted to impress. And that person watched him proudly as he nodded in his direction and then announced his next opponent.

As Qiang left the place where the duel was taking place and was replaced by the next candidate, Percy turned to observe the members of the Royal Family. Ozai looked fascinated as he watched. Zuko looked more relaxed, his earlier expression of discomfort replaced by a small grin. Azula, on the other hand, looked at him with an indecipherable expression as her amber eyes pierced him coldly with their gaze. She had recognized her own moves.

Percy couldn't think much about it because his father had announced his next opponent, this time one of the boys who wore the tattered and faded clothes, even barefoot. His sword looked old and somewhat rusty, but his eyes burned as brightly as the flames Percy had seen in a firebender, and he knew the duel would not be easy.

He took up his Fire Stance again, ready to face his opponent.

It was going to be a long afternoon.

...

..

.

And that's all for now, dear readers!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

As you can see, even though Percy is an unparalleled prodigy with the sword, he still finds obstacles in his way to get better. Just because he's a prodigy doesn't mean he doesn't have to strive to improve, as you may have seen in today's chapter. Percy is good, yes, but as he encounters obstacles along the way, he will be forced to try harder and improve. The stumbles are part of the journey. And he will continue to learn.

For those expecting deeper interaction with the characters, especially Zuko and Azula, I can only say be patient. The impact that Percy will have on them will be significant, but it won't happen from one chapter to the next. That kind of development has to take time to be realistic and relatable. So far, we've seen Percy question the relationships that members of the royal family have, because the way he grew up with Piandao, it seems inconceivable to him that a family would act the way the royal family does. And this has an impact on both Zuko and Azula, as it is the first time they have met someone who challenges their beliefs and attitudes.

Also, expect more interactions with Mai and Ty Lee, two characters I think are great and have potential.

Now, time to answer some reviews of the previous chapter:

Imheretolive08: The romance route will be revealed later in the story, they are just kids now. I will take my time to develop a good romance. Thanks for the support. And believe me, Percy is going to kick a lot of asses in this story. No one will be safe from him XD.

Guest 1: Thanks for the support. I have something special in mind for the relationship Percy and Azula will have, whether it's friendly or romantic or something else will be revealed later.

Artorias78: Why do everyone ship PercyxAzula (Perzula?), considering that there are other great female characters? Like Suki, Toph and Ty Lee, even June. Also, although I don't like them very much, but I recognize that they are good characters, Katara and Mai.

Darth-Cerdac: I think I answered one of your questions in this chapter. As for the other, I can only say that Percy will continue to learn.

DRH: Thank you. As for the duel between Percy and Azula, we all knew that Percy would win. And the point of the duel was not that it would be close, but that Percy would beat Azula in a landslide, given the huge difference in their abilities. As I said in the last chapter, Azula is talented, a true prodigy, no one denies that. But Percy is on a different level. As for Zuko's banishment, of course it will happen. That is inevitable. Now, what differences will there be because of Percy? That's something we'll see later in the story.

ultima-owner: Mt. Azula just erupted a little bit in this chapter. XD. That's a good one, I'll use it later in the story, with your permission.

Guest 2: Finally, someone who understands it. You're right on both counts. Percy and Azula have great potential as a couple, but also has it with other girls such as Ty Lee, Suki or Toph.

JoJo 'Perlia' Jesus: Yeah, bro, that was a pretty silly idea XD. I knew there was going to be that ship when I posted that story. As for Percy's superhuman abilities, even he doesn't really know what they are, so that will be an interesting point to explore in the next few chapters.

chaosmaker55: There will be more of Azula's POVs later on, and they will be quite entertaining to write, onsidering the personality and Machiavellian mind that she has.

Alexis: Azula and Percy's encounters will basically be of that nature, with Azula acting proud and haughty and Percy being his classic Persassy self. And I'm not disagreeing with any of your thoughts because I agree with some of them.

surya25addanki: Tell me, Percy is Percy when he's not sassy? Percy is the king of sass! He is Persassy!

Stormzy: Well, technically each fic has its own portion of OCC, but I try to stay as true to the characters as possible. I'm glad you think I do a good job with Percy.

ENDDRAGON369: The question is, will Percy and Yue meet in this story? It would be interesting if they did, and given their respective circumstances, it wouldn't be surprising if many in the Avatar world consider Percy to be someone "blessed" by the spirits, given the qualities he possesses.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.

And as a point of discussion, I've re-watched the first few seasons of The Legend of Korra and I have to say, it has great potential. I have considered adding some characters (like Korra, Mako, Bolin and Asami) and maybe some arcs to this story to make it more interesting and with much more content, let me know what you think in the reviews.

And with nothing more to say... A psychological hug and until next time, beautiful people!