NOVEL WEB Chapter 27: Chapter 27
We looked up at the top of the hill, where a group of fire soldiers stood, their sweaty faces illuminated in the dim dawn light. They wore loose-fitting clothes, likely finishing their morning workout. Unfortunately, they had spotted us.
One of them raised his hand, summoning a flame that flickered above his palm, casting light over the shore.
"These are the prisoners."
"They've escaped."
"And they've taken one of us hostage."
"They're rebelling?"
They spoke among themselves as if it didn't matter that we could hear them.
I, on the other hand, felt both annoyed and offended. I knew it was dark, but to assume I was one of them just because I dressed like them? That was an insult. It was also racist. They saw my uniform but not my slightly darker skin. Not that I believed they were doing it on purpose—most earthbenders were naturally tanned—but still, it irritated me.
"You disgusting earthbenders," one of the firebenders sneered, stepping forward. He looked down at us, his gaze filled with disdain. "You've committed a grave sin by escaping prison and kidnapping one of our own. By law, we have every right to execute you here and now. But I'm willing to compromise. Surrender now—put your heads to the ground and your hands behind your backs. We'll take you back and only execute the one who planned this foolish escape attempt."
His voice was serious, his tone authoritative. We needed to silence him before he caused trouble. I was about to step forward and shoot a stream of water at him when I felt a pat on my back.
Haru was holding my shoulder. When I turned to look at him, he gave me a slight shake of his head and gestured toward the others.
I wasn't the only one who was offended.
The earthbenders were glaring at the firebenders with silent rage.
They exchanged glances and nodded.
Then, I remembered an important fact—one earthbender alone had limited power, but together, they could achieve feats beyond imagination.
Ten earthbenders stepped forward in perfect unison.
The ground beneath the fire soldiers suddenly softened, pulling them down like quicksand. Before they could react, another group of older earthbenders moved their arms in a synchronized motion, their fists rolling back in preparation. A massive earthen fist formed from the shifting dirt and launched the trapped soldiers into the air, sending them hurtling toward the sea.
But that wasn't the end.
A barrage of small yet fast-moving rocks shot up from the ground, striking the firebenders midair before they splashed into the ocean.
"You guys have perfect coordination," I said, genuinely impressed.
"Of course we do," one of them replied with a smirk. "For over ten years, we ate together, slept together, and suffered together. Most of us fought alongside each other against the Fire Nation before we were captured."
"That's a long time," I mused as I approached the shore where the firebenders had fallen.
Raising my hand, I pulled at the water, creating a wave that dragged the soldiers back onto the beach.
I was about to finish them off when the old woman—the one who had argued with me in prison—stepped forward.
She said, "I advise you not to kill them yet. We can use them as hostages in case things take a turn for the worse."
I considered her words. She had a point—hostages could be useful.
But taking them with us meant slowing our movement and constantly watching them. Not to mention the risk of one of them escaping.
"No. The risks are too high," I said. "If we take them, we lose the element of surprise. Besides, we can always capture more."
I placed my hand on each of the soaked firebenders, one by one.
They froze instantly. Their eyes darted in panic before their consciousness faded with the drop in temperature.
I had been thinking a lot about this world.
It wasn't the same as the one I had watched in the cartoon.
Being frozen didn't just mean being immobilized—it meant a high chance of death.
Getting hit by a rock wouldn't just knock you out or send you flying—it would crack your skull open.
A firebender's attack wouldn't just cause injuries—it would burn you alive.
[Freeze ++++]
[Freeze (10,000/60,000)]
A notification appeared before me. I realized just how much I had been relying on freezing techniques.
Well, even if I couldn't use bloodbending yet, mastering ice manipulation would put me in a league of my own. The colder I could make my ice, the deadlier I would become.
The earthbenders didn't show any emotion as they stared at the frozen soldiers.
Neither did I when the next notification rang in my head.
[+15,000 accumulated experience]
[+ Title: The Deadly Ice]
[Title Effect: -40% Chi consumption when using Freeze. +30% power boost to Icebending. +30% experience gain for Freeze Skill.]
[Do you wish to equip the title?]
I examined the newly acquired title. It suited my combat style perfectly. The only downside was that I could only equip one title at a time. But I wasn't hunting beasts right now, so I didn't need the Beast Hunter title.
'Yes.'
[Title has been equipped.]
"What do we do now?" Haru asked.
"You guys go to the village. Wait for sunrise, then occupy everything. Capture a few firebenders and announce a public execution," I said. "I'll go and freeze the warships' anchors. We can't have reinforcements escaping and bringing more troops."
"A public execution?" someone questioned.
"Not all of them," I clarified. "But we need to send a message to the Fire Nation soldiers who tried to execute one of our own."
-x-X-x-
The sun had begun to rise.
By this time, the higher-ups would be waking up, expecting their soldiers to greet them.
That was how life worked for Commander Shaw and the warden of the prison.
Shaw, who was in his ship, wasn't expecting anyone to barge in without permission—let alone without knocking on his cabin door.
The warden stood there, his eyes wide with panic, sweat dripping down his face.
"I believe someone like you knows the military code," Shaw scoffed.
"I believe someone like you understands what this means," the warden snapped back. "Most of my staff have been assassinated. The prisoners have escaped. And our soldiers are being prepared for public execution."
"What?!" Shaw screeched. "How the hell did this happen? A public execution—for our men? How did they even manage to escape?! Issue the order! Move the ships to the shore immediately!"
A soldier standing nearby rushed off.
Moments later, he returned, his face pale and covered in sweat.
"Commander… the anchors… they've been frozen solid. We can't move the ships until the ice is melted."
"What?!" Shaw roared. "That makes no damn sense! The water is salty! It's not even winter!"
A voice cut through the room.
"Makes you wonder, huh?"
A second later, the soldier who had just reported the frozen anchor turned into an ice statue and collapsed onto the floor.
A tanned man with tired blue eyes stepped into the room.
"Well, well," I said, smirking. "Didn't expect to find two high-ranking officers in one place."
I stepped forward.
"So… which one of you wants to be my hostage?"