Avatar: Mage of All Elements

We made it back with a breeze. We played a kind of catch-up game. Whoever I caught up with would be sparred with in full contact. And we ran with the help of the ground stroke. Everyone was quickly exhausted, but the pace was not slow.

My understanding of Earth Magic has grown even more in these two years, and manipulating it has become much easier. So it's good to not only gain active experience, but also passive experience. Yes, and teaching someone is quite useful, because you can see mistakes that I would never have noticed on my own.

And it's nice to see people grow and develop under you. Maybe one day I will open my own school and teach everyone.

But now we're approaching another base, because the place where the last one was has been overrun. The Army of Fire is not sleeping. But this is not my war anymore. I've paid my debt to what I was trained to do. And I've paid my debt in full.

We soon arrived at the camp and walked quietly to the local command post. There was a huge tent in the center of the camp, which was unusual, but we went to it anyway. Or rather, we tried to, because we were wrapped up right at the beginning. It was... strange and unusual.

«Students, listen to my command», they turned to listen, because I didn't say that very often. «Now, remember your behavior before we met and show everyone what arrogant scum you are and make your way to the command. Is that clear?» I looked at the bulging eyes of the students and almost laughed out loud.

«But why?» asked Poppy, as she had the most experience with me.

« Because we can spend more than one week until the time command accept us.»

«I see», I said a little later and I had those arrogant kids in front of me again. I'm not much older than them, of course, but I think I'm much older because of my years in the other world, so I'm allowed.

So our progress to the headquarters was several orders of magnitude faster and we got there in just a few hours. It was a hell of a lot, even for me, and the students remembered the old days and were seething with anger, not in public, but for real. But it was only flowers compared to the berries that were waiting for us at the bosses. And to understand the whole situation, it is necessary to describe the room where the bosses were sitting.

The room where the head of all the bosses sat was spacious and bright. On one wall there was a map of the world, on the second wall there were many paintings, and near the third wall, further away from the door, there was a chair that looked more like a throne, with a pig sitting on it. If they had told me, I would not have believed it, but at first glance there were three hundred kilograms in there.

All dressed in expensive clothes and with a lot of medals on his chest. From the throne there was a good oval table where no less «Representative» persons sat. The funny thing was that the closer they came to the door, the less fat they were.

«What business have you come here for?» the pig asked. Lee didn't have time to answer as I stepped forward.

«Mission accomplished report», and I tossed the stapled sheets that had fallen on the table. It was a nice desk.

He took the folder leisurely, as if to savor the moment, and began to study it, showing with his whole demeanor how dissatisfied he was with my manners. He sat there for about ten minutes. What can you read there for so long? It says everything in its essence.

«And was it worth the rush?» the pig asked me arrogantly.

«Today is the last day of the mission, and I'd like to finish it on time.»

«I'm not interested in what you wanted», he said, but he stamped it done and put the folder in his desk. «You can pick up the next mission at the clerk's office.»

«I can't take it. Lee will take it», I pointed at him.

«Why is that?» he asked with an evil grin.

«My contract is up», I replied calmly.

«That's for me to decide if it's over or not», he replied with an even nastier grin.

«Students, wait outside», they went out silently. «Tell me, do you know who I am?»

«Of course I know. You're a commoner from the outskirts of the land empire who was taken under your wing by a mighty army and taught everything. And now you're telling me and the entire land empire that you don't give a damn.»

«It seems you don't. But I'm going to make an exception for you and explain where you're wrong. First of all, I was in the 15th Reconnaissance Regiment, and through the efforts of our unit, the advance of the Fire Army was almost stopped. Do you understand? Only by our unit. All the information we gathered and passed on to the Earth Kingdom was invaluable. And as a result, we were given apprentices to train to the highest standards. Do you understand now?»

«Such a unit no longer exists. During those two years, everyone was either killed or disappeared, including the disciples. You were just as presumed dead as your students», muttered the slightly overweight man sitting closest to the door.

«What, how is that possible?» I couldn't believe it. We weren't too friendly with them, of course, but I knew them all well enough and understood their powers enough to realize that they wouldn't have been killed just like that. Oh, and given their training, there was only one way they could have been killed.

« Like I said, it's possible.», the pig on the throne muttered with his vile smile.

«I see», I thought. Basically, I've completed the mission, even though I'm now considered dead, but that can always be rectified. So you can consider my training debt repaid. «Then I won't keep you.»

And quickly left the tent. I don't like this. I've got to get out of here. If I'm right, staying here will be the death of me. I met my students on the way out.

«Follow me», judging by the way they stand up, I didn't have the best expression. And when we were outside the camp, I told them what had happened in the tent and my conclusions. «What's the plan now?»

«We have to get out of here», Lee said. «Each of us is a member of a family of some influence, so we'll be safe at home.»

«Any objections?» my head was shown in denial. «Shall I accompany you?»

«We have no idea what might await us or where the attack will come from. So it's best if we go together, Master.»

«Alright.»

And after prioritizing, we moved towards Omashu. On the way, there will be three small towns near Omashu. There I sensed something wrong and discovered the surveillance. I didn't know who it was, but after I sent Kirito back to his clan, we made our way to Poppy's house without delay in Omashu.

We could have reached our destination in a day, but I wondered who had been sent after us. So I ignored Poppy's surprised look and took a normal step in the right direction.