I can't explain how frustrating this was.
The bald kid that came with us somehow managed to convince his sister to come to the Fire Nation ship and triggered the signal for the Fire Nation to come to them.
'I knew it! He was really a spy of the Fire Nation!'
I should have not brought him here! Now we are done for if the Fire Nation comes here.
I'll definitely kick that spy out of this camp for this.
As for Katara...
Despite us always fighting over simple things, I know deep down that my sister is more mature than me... Barely.
There's no way that she would go with the spy, knowing that it's forbidden to enter that ship.
As I was waiting for the two troublemakers to return, a flash of small lightning appeared in front, surprising me.
Gran-Gran, noticing I was surprised, spoke to me.
"Is something wrong, Sokka?"
I looked at Gran-Gran and pointed at the glowing screen in front of me.
"Gran-Gran... Can't you see this?"
"That's Mako..."
The snotty kid looked at me, confused.
"No, not him. This... The square light in front of me."
Gran-Gran frowned at me, seemingly concerned. She stepped closer and checked my forehead with the back of her palm, then my neck.
"You seem to be alright. What's the problem?"
It does seem that I am the only one who can see this...
I don't want to make Gran-Gran worry, so I just shook my head and said.
"Nothing, Gran-Gran. I must be hallucinating due to lack of sleep."
"Alright, you should sleep quickly after we find your sister."
"Yes."
I turned toward the screen and read the text on it.
Do you wish to learn about the system functions?
Clicking Yes to this means that you allow the transfer of information directly to your brain, and clicking No means the opposite, thus forever shutting this system off.
What power? What system?
This strange screen gave me the option of either gaining information about this power called System or shutting it down forever, leaving me the way I was without it.
Simple choices that would probably make anyone choose Yes immediately. But I refrained from clicking Yes for now since I don't know where this came from. It just appeared in front of me, saying that it was my power.
Is this God's work? Have they finally seen what's happening in this world?
There's little chance that it was the work of a human for one reason.
One. I am the only one who can see it.
I know myself since I was a kid, I'm not that special compared to my sister, who does her magic Water Bending that never fails to make me jealous.
I'm happy for her, but I wished that I also had the same ability. I could have helped Father fight the Fire Nation if I had.
'Screw it. I don't want to stay powerless forever, and this is my only chance.'
My hand slowly approached the Yes button, and I clicked it.
Someone might see me touching air, but for me, it felt like I touched a hard and clean surface.
Immediately after clicking it, the screen vanished, and it hit me.
The information hit me instantly.
There was no pain.
Just like that, I learned about this new power of mine.
It felt weird, but I remembered everything about this system of mine perfectly—how to use it and how each function worked.
'Menu.'
I mentally commanded it, and it instantly appeared the way it used to.
Name: Sokka
Skills: [0]
Points: 5
It was a fairly simple display, but what I can do with this is a lot.
The information in my mind says that every day, I could create any skill once, and I could only level it up using points. Even if I trained for thousands of years, I would not improve without points.
1 point is equal to +1 skill level.
And 5 points will be awarded to me every day. Every single day...
I would have jumped around right now if it weren't for the fact that I would be seen as crazy, and Gran-Gran would worry about me, which I wouldn't want.
Without further waiting, I immediately created my first skill.
Skill: Weapon Mastery Lv. 1
Description: You can pick up and expertly use any weapon, instantly understanding its handling and best techniques. You adapt quickly to different weapons and can switch between them smoothly, even combining multiple weapons in combat. This skill also sharpens reflexes and focus, allowing the user to fight skillfully in any situation.
Immediately, information struck my brain again. All moves, techniques, and how to handle all weapons like a master came to me. It's like a master of weapons just merged with me, becoming me instantly.
Clenching my fist, I closed my eyes.
Ignoring all the looks directed at me, I walked to the back.
After receiving the weapon mastery, I felt the need to do this.
'This feeling...'
It felt like a man who trained with his sword for his entire life, like he was connected to it, then was suddenly forced to not use any weapon again.
The lust to hold a weapon and train with it built up within me.
I grabbed a wooden stick on the ground and closed my eyes.
Swoosh.
And then I danced.
I slashed and slashed with precision.
This footwork that would normally throw me off balance didn't make me do so. I was using it like I was the one who created it and used it for many years.
The icy ground was being slashed. Despite me using only a wooden stick, it didn't break upon impact with the ice, it just sliced through the ice ground like it was nothing.
Even with my eyes closed, I danced with my sword elegantly, without any mistakes.
For the first time in my life, I felt free and invincible.
Whooo~
After a moment, I stopped.
Clap.
One clap broke the silence.
Clap, clap, clap!!!
Followed by loud cheers.
I hadn't noticed it at first, but the whole time, I had particularly ignored everything around me, even my family. I cut them all, my connections, while dancing. Only now do I remember where I am.
"Sokka, look at you. I don't know how you did it, but I'm proud of what you've shown today."
Gran-Gran approached me with nostalgia and teary eyes.
And I noticed.
Everyone was the same...
This is the first time it happened to me.
All of them were looking at me with proud eyes, so I didn't know what to say.
"Gran... I- I don't know how."
"You don't have to tell me anything. The only thing you have to know is that I'm proud of you and relieved that you've now shown you're able to be a warrior who can protect the people you care about."
As I'm comforting Gran-Gran, I finally saw my sister walking toward us with the spy at her side.
"Gran... Katara is finally here."
After saying that, all of them looked where I'm looking.
"What's happening here?"
I shook my head at them.
"I'm the one who should be asking here."
I pointed at the bald kid.
"Why did you go to the Fire Nation ship and signal them?"
Aang frowned and said.
"We just wanted to have fun, so we went inside the warship to look around, but there was a booby trap that was accidentally activated..."
"Accidentally or intentionally?"
Seeing the tension, Katara intervened.
"What's wrong with you, Sokka? It was really just an accident. We didn't know that the Fire Nation would set up a trap there!"
I looked at her with a saddened face.
I couldn't understand why she was protecting him.
"There's no point in arguing. Aang, you need to leave."
"No, why can't you understand, Sokka, that it was really an accident!"
Gran-Gran stepped up and spoke.
"Katara, come here. You shouldn't argue with your brother over a stranger."
Aang turned around and tapped Katara's shoulder with a saddened face.
I could see that he was sincere as he looked at my sister, but I don't want to trust him, especially after what he did.
"It's alright, Katara. Sokka and Gran-Gran are right. I'll leave now, and I'm sorry."