บท 6: Chapter 6
Kizer was walking through a colossal library, observing each section as he searched for the category he wanted to start with. Although the library was enormous, it had somehow been kept clean, at least to a bare minimum—no dust or spider webs, at least.
One of the most interesting things was that the library was quiet, and not because people weren't allowed to make noise, but because there was no one inside except Kizer. This was due to the fact that the library was currently shut down, with no one allowed to enter.
Bao had convinced the current king to close the library for a day, using the excuse of needing to search for something suspicious inside. Naturally, the king trusted Bao's decisions, so the library was closed, and no one was permitted to enter—except Bao. Well, that rule didn't apply to Kizer.
As Kizer continued walking, he finally found the section he was looking for: the history section, specifically the history of Omashu. While Kizer had some basic knowledge of Omashu, he wanted to gain a deeper understanding since it wasn't fully explained in the series. And... with nothing else to do, he figured he might as well maximize his perfect memory and infinite storage. After all, where better than this library?
He approached a shelf filled with books that had unique designs yet still looked ancient. Each one had intricate patterns and appeared to be well-maintained, indicating that the books on this shelf were highly valuable compared to the others in the section.
He picked one titled Omashu, written by a legendary scholar, which explained why it had been so well preserved. Kizer began flipping through the pages and went straight to the table of contents. His eyes scanned the text at an astonishing speed.
But it wasn't enough for Kizer to simply read each page instantly. Despite his reading speed, it still wouldn't take long for him to go through the entire section of the library.
Meanwhile, as he continued reading, he sensed a presence underground rapidly ascending toward the surface. Even though he was on the third floor of the library and the presence was deep underground, Kizer could clearly feel it. He could sense its entire form and how it moved.
Suddenly, the ground in the center of the library began to shake. A pillar shot up rapidly, and a cloaked figure leaped from it, landing close to Kizer. The brown-cloaked figure's face was completely concealed by a white mask, and it wore an ancient green hat. This unknown presence would have certainly intimidated anyone—if it weren't kneeling before Kizer.
This man was the leader of an elite group of earthbenders, working in the shadows for Kizer. The group's sole purpose was to protect Kizer's family in the future, but for now, they primarily handled assassinations, acted as messengers, and sometimes incited rebellions.
A deep voice emanated from the elite leader, muffled slightly by his mask, making it sound even more toned and restrained.
"I've come, Master."
Without looking back, Kizer continued flipping through the book as he replied.
"How's their advancement?"
"The Fire Nation's progress is slow. They've managed to establish colonies in smaller cities but keep getting blocked by the major ones. Some of their colonies were even defeated, causing setbacks in their expansion. For now, they're stabilizing their position in the West before pushing further."
Kizer wasn't surprised by the development. In fact, he had expected it. While the Fire Nation had quality on its side, the Earth Kingdom far outweighed them in terms of quantity.
Not only was the Earth Kingdom the largest in the world, but its population was also something no other nation could compare to.
As the Fire Nation advanced, they might conquer smaller cities, but with the entire Earth Kingdom backing the frontlines, reinforcements would continue pouring in. It was like a swarm of ants fighting a single cockroach: the latter may have strength, but it wouldn't be able to hold out for long unless it quickly flew away.
To Kizer, starting a war with all the nations was the Fire Nation's biggest mistake. Spreading their forces too thin was a grave error, prolonging the war for a hundred years.
Kizer was already doing the Fire Nation a favor by weakening the western side of the Earth Kingdom through the rebel army, now under the new leadership of Lian. However, at the current pace of development, it could still take decades before the plan fully unfolded.
As he thought about this, Kizer replaced his current book with another, having finished reading it. His thoughts weren't interrupted as he continued absorbing new knowledge from the book, making his process incredibly efficient.
"Tell Huan to accelerate the Fire Nation's advancement."
"I understand, Master."
After receiving the command, the elite leader made a downward gesture with both hands. In an instant, the ground opened up beneath him, and he allowed himself to fall into the hole. Moments later, the ground sealed itself as if nothing had happened.
____________________
The tall doors of the library swung open as a man entered, wearing a wide, unwavering smile. From a distance, one might mistake it for a mask, as the smile never seemed to leave his face. He walked gracefully with his hands behind his back, and slowly, he began to ascend—not by his own movement, but because the ground was lifting him upwards.
The floor continued to rise until it reached the third level, where Kizer was busy reading. Though he had already sensed Bao's arrival, he chose to ignore him.
"I didn't expect you to be such a fast reader, Kizer... a really, really fast one."
Kizer glanced at Bao upon hearing this.
"That smile... does it ever leave your face?"
Bao let out a long sigh, somehow still managing to maintain his smile as he responded.
"Eh? Well, sometimes the role of the King doesn't fall on the King, but on me."
Kizer closed the book and smiled.
He had been considering this since... just now. But with Bao already firmly establishing himself in Omashu, supported by most of the upper echelons and ministers, there would be no complaints if he decided to take the throne as the King of Omashu. Of course, many of those upper echelons were under the influence of the Ten Pillars and backed their grand vision.
Kizer had also heard that the King's only son was... defective. He was special one and unable to earthbend, earning little to no support from the upper echelons. The only ones backing him were those who obviously intended to manipulate him until the end.
Kizer would never allow someone unworthy to rule.
"Then, do you really want to become king?"
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