Samir's body came with an unusually high amount of mind and slowly increasing it over time brought a host of benefits like clearer thought, increased perception, and mental speed.

Armed with his new skill, hypnosis, Samir spent an entire week hypnotizing and charming his way across camp, startled at how busted the right combination of skills made him.

The bit about his used-up Rare skill slot miffed him, but he had no real reason to complain.

Hypnosis was a truly broken skill. It made gaming the Avatar world almost too easy.

In the coming weeks, hypnotizing people less powerful than him became child's play. He dominated captains, entire boats, and research teams and sent off a group of elite soldiers to capture the Mechanic from the Northern air temple, the man whose genius was the true secret to winning the war.

From there, it was a simple matter to capture travelling people and embed them with directions. Capturing Aang during the solstice had been a gamble, but he'd walked away with a greater price than he anticipated.

Knowledge of his real enemies, and how powerful they truly were.

Samir spent over a month gathering 20 of the most powerful benders in the world to storm the Northern Water Pole and conquer the world once and for all. There would be no waiting till the Phantoms were ready. All he needed was the damn fish, and he could bargain his way to his real target and leave this world behind.

Behind him, Samir heard somebody approach.

"A fleet of ships is approaching from our flank, Sir, and two Airbenders just shattered through our first defensive line.

"They're here then," Samir said. "Gather my squad. I think it's time we go greet them."

In less than 2 minutes, 19 of the strongest men and women in the Fire Nation assembled in full armour, their faces resolute as they waited on the last member of their team. Not all of them would follow him into battle. Ten would fly ahead and pave the way for him.

"If your plan is to turn your most powerful ally into an enemy moments before we fight the most powerful benders in the world, it's working," a silky voice said. The person it belonged to was draped head to toe in armour befitting her position as Princess of the Fire Nation.

"It's completely unreasonable that you expect me to come to see you in person when I need you to do the smallest thing," Samir said. He was dressed for war too, in the finest armours the Fire Nation could provide. As for weapons, he didn't need them. His fire and mind were powerful enough. "I simply don't have the time for it."

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"Is that fear I smell? Don't tell me you're trying to back out of our agreement. You might have charmed half of the capital, but Father would flay you if you dare try to double-cross him."

Veins in Samir's forehead bulged as he tried to rein in his anger. He was at the end of his rope with this woman. He was beginning to regret not hypnotizing her. It wasn't that she had more Chi than he did. He cared very little for Azula. Ozai, on the other hand, was a scary motherfucker.

One of his puppets relayed a conversation to him when he was in the capital. Although the man didn't know the first thing about Chi, he had more Chi than Samir thought was humanly possible.

Ozai was completely oblivious to events outside the close circle and advisors, or at least he liked to pretend he was. Samir intended to maintain that facade until he was powerful enough to face him.

'And it won't be long now.'

So, if it meant enduring this brat a little longer, he would. But that didn't mean he'd willingly suffer disrespect.

"I am about to give you everything you've ever wanted. The Avatar, the Northern water pole, and the admiration of your father. I should be able to send a message to you to invade the Pirate King's ships without you having a fucking meltdown."

Azula's eyes went a bit wide like she'd been slapped.

"All of this, none of it matters in the face of infinity. I will leave when my matter with my other is settled. I can either leave you the queen of paradise on earth or burn it all down if you choose to test me," Samir said. "So, think of your next words and actions carefully, Princess. I know I've thought of mine."

Azula set her jaw as he glared at him before she suddenly pulled out her signature smirk. "There's no reason why we can't be friends, Avatar of Fire. It's a new feeling talking to a true equal."

Samir burst out with a laugh, which soured the smile on her face. "Equal! Whatever you say, Princess. The Phantoms are waiting for us, let's go greet them."

---

Yara tore through the deck of another Fire Nation Vessel with a ruthlessness unmatched. Her daggers made quick work of every soldier that approached. Waves of Stingers, stabs, kicks and slashes rendered even the most experienced bloody wrecks in seconds, and her squad of ghosts that floated behind her mopped up the stragglers.

The orders from Father had been clear.

Weaken and delay the invading force and capture Samir alive but ravaged. Yara knew it was some belated attempt to placate her rage that'd been threatening to bubble over for weeks now.

Twice she'd begged to be the one to confront Samir, and twice she'd been denied. Now, he'd given her free reign, and she was determined not to just stop at just incapacitating Samir. She wanted her pound of flesh and her daughter, and after she'd gotten both, she'd ask about Wang and take another pound of flesh and then another.

Mark could have whatever was left.

At the edge of her senses, she encountered something that gave her pause.

"Something the matter, my lady," her second in command asked.

"I'm not entirely sure. Either the Fire Nation has come up with another strange flying contraption, or somebody in the enemy fleet has a… dragon."

Her second in command blanched. "But they're extinct."

Narrowing her eyes, she saw a smirking boy flying in their direction with a proud red dragon, and she sniffed. A few war balloons hovered behind him.

"Apparently not," she said dismissively. "But it won't make a difference. Lesser benders have killed dragons before. I, Yara of the water tribe and Phantom master, will be no different."

She ripped off her cloaks to reveal a wingsuit underneath and with a simple thought, unfurled it with wind control. The fight would be tough. but Phantoms were never one to avoid pain.

She hoped the boy would put up a fight. Otherwise, it would be no fun.