Today on the central square near the Chief's Palace, the entire city had gathered, creating a strong hum of many voices in the air — every resident wanted to give their undoubtedly important commentary on this event. The people sat on a recently created ice tribune, excitedly watching the improvised arena where the Chief's son and a student chosen by the respected water masters would soon battle. After all, events rarely happen here that the entire city can participate in, and watching benders fight has always been interesting.
"I see! I see who the water masters chose!" shouted one of the most sharp-eyed people in the tribune, pointing to one side of the arena's beginning.
"That's Gozu! I heard his bending is especially strong... even a master needs to be serious when fighting him," said a tanned man with rough facial features thoughtfully.
"Yeah, looks like the masters decided not to spare the Chief's son, though he's the one who started this mess... but hopefully he won't lose the drive to move forward after his defeat," commented a gray-haired old man with the aura of someone wise from life experience.
While people discussed one of the opponents, Gozu himself walked to the arena's center with a relaxed gait and struck what he considered a heroic pose. Involuntarily creating the impression that he wasn't facing a twelve-year-old boy half his age, but an entire Fire Nation fleet led by the Dragon of the West Iroh himself. Some people noticed that someone really quickly grew to love being the center of attention.
Most people sitting here didn't really believe in the Chief's son's victory. Though he looked fourteen at his full twelve years due to his somewhat "doll-like" appearance, he made everyone want to hug and protect him. Human memory is short, so it's not strange that they began forgetting what a big commotion he made at his birth. What miracle he performed for his younger sister's birth... and what rumors circulate among those who witnessed his almost masterful water bending. It's hard to believe just wandering rumors if you haven't seen it with your own eyes...
A couple minutes later, a beautiful white-haired teenager appeared on the other half of the arena. The tribunes fell silent. Most townspeople began craning their necks, trying to get a better look at that very Yuki — after all, most of the people were seeing the Chief's son for the first time.
"Uh, did the Chief have two daughters?! Why do I see a little girl?" — the silence was broken by a loud exclamation from a particularly loud-mouthed guy.
Hearing such a "flattering" comment, our main hero's eye twitched or... perhaps it just seemed that way to us.
As soon as the first whispers sounded, chatter began in the tribunes, making it impossible to make out anything separate and coherent.
At the same time, Yuki approached his opponent in the arena with a bored expression.
The elder who was supposed to monitor the fight's progress, seeing the participants' readiness, stepped onto the arena himself.
"Dear tribesmen, I ask for a minute of attention!" his bass voice carried over the entire arena. As soon as he finished his phrase, the people began gradually calming down. "Ahem, thank you for the silence. On this momentous day, two outstanding water benders will fight in this arena, defending their interests," he finished his speech quite vaguely.
"The rules are simple! Only waterbending is allowed! The winner will be whoever remains conscious! Critical injuries to one participant that inevitably threaten death — that's an automatic loss! Yuki and Gozu can surrender at any moment! Participants should respect their opponent and show us all your mastery," the judge said, approaching closer to the arena's center.
"Are the rules clear to you?" the judge asked the water benders. Seeing their synchronous nods, he continued. "Then as soon as the water sphere I launch explodes in the sky — you can begin!"
While the judge stepped away, Gozu decided to chat a bit, or show off...
"Hey, kid, I apologize in advance for my victory — the masters told me to finish you quickly. Apparently, you really angered them," Gozu said with a small smirk. "Don't worry, I won't hit too hard. Maybe you'll surrender after all? Waterbending isn't a toy for you, you know..."
Yuki, crossing his arms on his chest, raised an eyebrow and gave him a contemptuous look, which set Gozu off.
"Heh, so you don't want to do this the easy way. Fine, just don't cry later," he said with malicious glee.
As soon as the water sphere exploded in the sky, time flew by. Gozu had just begun moving to take one of the stances for better water manipulation when... ten ice needles whistled dangerously close to his face. One of them just grazed his temple, leaving a small bleeding line there, while the others flew past just centimeters away. [ image ]

Only after a couple seconds did Gozu realize he had been a hair's breadth from death... if the needles had passed even slightly closer, he would have inevitably bled out. His entire back instantly broke out in sweat, and his legs stopped obeying him. Plopping to the ground, he continued sitting with a stupid expression, touching the places where the ice needles had recently whistled past.
The spectators in the tribunes didn't really have time to understand what exactly happened. All they saw was Gozu falling to the icy arena floor almost immediately after the duel began. The crowd's bewilderment is understandable — the needles flew at considerable speed, only experienced warriors and benders had enough reaction time to catch the flash of light that occurred on the battlefield.
The judge, who was closest, managed to see Yuki's attack, and now he looked with mute shock at the one who had conducted such a masterful attack, only deliberately changing the flying needles' trajectory.
The water masters sitting closest to the tribunes had gloomy faces, though some of them even began genuinely rejoicing at such a talented student who would undoubtedly be learning from them.
After the judge's quick account of the sequence of events, people in the tribunes also began looking at the Chief's son with shock and even some fear. It's one thing when water benders show energy-consuming and spectacular techniques in battle, but quite another to use such inconspicuous attacks aimed precisely at human weak points.
Only the chief's family looked at their son with pride and firm faith in their eyes, as if they already knew the outcome of the fight.
Soon people arrived who helped Gozu stand and leave the arena. Still in prostration, he meekly followed them. Yuki had an unconditional victory and everyone understood this perfectly.
However, he wasn't hurrying to leave the arena, still standing with arms crossed on his chest. An ice senbon created who knows when lazily rolled between his snow-white teeth. People, not understanding what was happening, also weren't hurrying to leave.
"Come on, big brother! Now beat those old master geezers!" came a young voice from the front rows.
Some were about to reproach the child for expressing such disrespect to the respected water masters, but seeing her on Chief Jun's wife's lap, they immediately pretended nothing serious had happened. Just being the chief's daughter was good reason to turn a blind eye to her sharp words. Such a young age also played in her favor, plus you shouldn't offend the daughter of a water bender from the Healing Huts who treat all the injured... in short, find other fools.
"Two years ago I promised I would fight and win against a water master!" rang out a clear and melodious voice from the arena's center. Yuki, who had stood motionless until then, made a shallow bow toward the masters, saying:
"I request battle with water master Izamu!"
After his words, the people present simply exploded with a wave of new shouts and conversations.
"Don't be so arrogant, boy! We all here recognize your great talent, and the bet that was made between us — you've already won. Don't try to jump higher than your head!" said water master Izamu almost calmly. He wasn't the weakest in strength, but didn't stand out among the other masters either.
"I'm not going to take back my words, let our bending speak for us," Yuki said just as impassively.
"I think I should still teach you a lesson," he began saying, rising to the arena, "and show you what we get our master title for." [ image ]
The judge, inconspicuously glancing at the Chief, asked a silent question: "is everything alright?" Seeing Arnook's barely noticeable nod, he had to become judge again.
Seeing no point in empty dialogues — both benders took ready positions. The judge wiped sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and launched a water ball into the air. After which he began quickly leaving the epicenter of unfolding events, afraid of being caught by their techniques.
As soon as water exploded above the benders' heads, master Izamu began surrounding himself with a huge water whirlpool that served as good circular protection from all attacks. This was done quite timely, because as soon as the master's entire body was under the protection of the moving element, two water needles and one ice needle immediately struck it, unable to pierce the defense and getting stuck in it.
Seeing no more point in fighting defensively, the master raised himself with water to the very top of the whirlpool and, being on it, began sending heavily compressed water clots at the Chief's son with movements of his legs. [ image ]
Yuki, apparently not wanting to waste his energy reserves unnecessarily, created ice skates on his feet. He began maneuvering around the entire arena, dodging master Izamu's attacks while simultaneously and inconspicuously saturating the icy surface in the arena with his energy. Continuing to dodge an ever-increasing number of dangerous projectiles that the master began sending with all four limbs, Yuki finally finished saturating the ice. The next second he sharply converted the arena floor to steam, shrouding the entire arena for several seconds that stretched like hours.
The master, not expecting such a sharp move, didn't falter, falling back into the whirlpool's center. When the steam that obscured the arena's visibility finally dissipated — everyone saw the shocking picture of more than a hundred different ice weapons hovering in the air with points aimed at Izamu.
The water master's face took on a grayish tint. If the attack weren't so large-scale — he might still be able to fight, but if all the weapons hanging in the air rushed at him in a single impulse, no defense would hold.
Izamu remembered those needles sent at him at the very beginning — he couldn't help but be amazed at how much energy such small attacks took. One thing was clear: Yuki's element seemed to have greater density even compared to his own. Roughly speaking, each of Yuki's needles contained the same power as a full attack from his side, which he had to spend time and large amounts of energy on.
Seeing no point in resisting further, Izamu dispersed his control over the water.
"I surrender," his voice rang over the arena. Looking at Yuki with a complex gaze, he still solemnly pronounced: "Our water tribe can be proud that we have such a strong water bender. I think your name will be known by all nations in time... I, as one of the masters, give my recommendation for awarding you the master title," he finished his speech to thunderous applause from the people, who rejoiced at the appearance of a new and so young water master.
Arnook and Jun looked at their son with somewhat contradictory expressions, knowing that the water tribe was too small for him, and in time the icy walls would only limit his potential. However, even knowing this, they hoped the moment of parting would come as late as possible.
Yui, who had been fidgeting throughout the entire battle, couldn't stand it and ran to her beloved big brother. Though she managed to stick her tongue out at the masters sitting nearby first. Arnook could only send an apologetic smile toward the old masters for his daughter's behavior.
Yuki, catching his joyful sister in his arms, walked toward the seats with the masters.
"There's no place for enmity and grudges in one tribe, let today's duel be an act of beginning something new. I'll always be glad to exchange experience with you," Yuki said calmly to the masters.
"The kid's good — two years ago he was happy about training, now it's just exchanging experience... In a couple years you'll be teaching us yourself, right?" said one of the most ancient and respected old men with a chuckle. "Alright then, you have the right — we'll also be glad to have additions to our ranks," all the masters agreed with this statement. They too, having lived so many years, learned to accept their mistakes and make compromises.
On such a joyful note ended the confrontation between the twelve-year-old Chief's son and the group of masters. This event was talked about for another whole month, reaching even the most distant tribes of the north pole.
The people, who had been living by inertia, seemed to begin shaking off stagnant snow with this event. Members of the Northern Water Tribe saw in the strong Yuki a future Chief who would confidently lead their people to prosperity. The old folks still remember times before the war, when the capital was filled with life... when there was never enough space in the ports for arriving ships, and you could find any goods from every corner of the world on store shelves.
Thus began the formation of the Legend of Elemental Sovereign
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