Ba Sing Se was in utter chaos as three locations in the Upper Ring were ablaze, the royal earthbenders and Dai Li trying their best to put out the flames while the nobles were panicking in their attempts to get away from the chaos.
With the death of the three remaining members of the Council of Five, all forms of stability amongst the public military was hanging at a thread as the Grand Secretariat was trying to keep the city together.
In the chaos, Toji hid his smile as he was pulled along by his steward Malia, who looked concerned as they made their way back home before ordering the few guards Toji had to guard the entrances.
Toji tried his best to show the image of a child trying their best to stay calm while looking panicked at the same time as he walked up to his study, Malia following after him along with ordering the maids back to their rooms.
"M-Master Toji, you must stay in your room as it is the furthest away from the danger and make sure that you do not answer or open anything for anyone but me, understood?"
"W-Will you be okay, Malia?", He asked, acting out a concerned look that made Malia smile as she nodded and patted his shoulders.
"I will. I just need to make sure everything is okay."
"O-Okay, I…I think I can," Toji nodded and the woman smiled as she escorted him into the room, closing the door behind her before Toji locked the second and third lock in his side.
The moment he did, a grin of exhilaration shone on his face as he stifled his chuckles, enjoying the sound of chaos that he had created by carrying out those assassinations.
Turning around, the boy walked over and sat at his desk, his eyes glimmering with a mixture of satisfaction and anticipation as a symphony of crackling flames, desperate cries and the distant rumbling of earthbenders trying to snuff out the flames echoed in the distant.
'With the death of the remaining Council of Five members in a series of accidents, Long Feng is now going to try his best to scrape together what pieces he can control,' Toji thought with a smirk as he leaned back in his chair with a chuckle.
However, with the Council's death, there would be cracks in the city's power structures wide enough for him to now slip through and move about as he pleased.
Toji knew it was only a matter of time before Long Feng's scramble for political control made him crack under the pressure as the Grand Secretariat could only do so much and the Dai Li was not everywhere.
Soon, they would all be distracted by the growing chaos to notice the one young noble quietly placing himself in the shadows and being ready to seize control of what was left up for grabs.
'However, with Long Feng this busy, I'm not going to get close enough to take him out. That's not mentioning that the man has an iron grip on the Dai Li no matter how thinly they are about to be stretched in the coming chaos.'
"Master Toji," Toji looked up while fixing his nervous smile back onto the face as Malia spoke from the other side. "Everything is secure and I have placed two guards at your door. For the time being, please remain inside and tomorrow, I shall do our secret knock to show that everything is okay."
"O-Okay, Malia. See you tomorrow."
"Sleep peacefully, Master Toji," Malia spoke through the door before her footsteps faded away, Toji holding his ear just a few centimeters from the door to hear the guards' footsteps before he nodded and walked back to his bed.
'The plan is almost done. Long Feng might place the city under lockdown to make sure he doesn't get targeted, which means that I can't strike now. It's a good thing I'm a calm person, then,' Toji thought with a smile as he laid back, looking up at the ceiling as plans for the future began to grow.
For now, he'll bide his time and play the role of the innocent noble boy, but when the time comes, Toji will make sure he'll complete his mission to the best of his capabilities.
It's all for the money, after all.
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With the days after the chaos that was Toji's triple execution, his hunch was correct as Long Feng had locked down the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se under the assumption of 'dissidents trying to destabilize the Earth Kingdom'.
Curfews were set, most were told to stay inside their homes at certain times unless it was an important day, in which case everything was stopped for the day.
Unlike the rest of the citizens that were on edge, Toji was living out his innocent and gifted noble house as he decided to focus on that more, excelling in every subject that they were given.
It was an unfortunate thing that these kids were up against someone whose mind absorbed knowledge like a sponge thanks to his enhanced thinking, though he was not learning for the sake of learning.
No, the Academy was also his training ground and a means to an end. Every point was focused towards gaining the power to topple Long Feng and destroy Ba Sing Se's political structure from the inside.
Spending hours in the library to study the power dynamics of the nobles in the Earth Kingdom, learning the political structure of Ba Sing Se and its intricate details and all Toji had to do was play the part of the reserved child who outperformed his classmates.
"Another perfect score for your geography exam, Toji," Professor Haung spoke with a smile as he handed the test back to Toji, who just nodded as he took it with a smile. "I'm beginning to suspect you've memorized the entire map of the Earth Kingdom."
"I simply find it fascinating, Professor. The history of the Earth Kingdom is key to understand its people and I believe knowing its geography helps us understand the land better."
"Hmm, perhaps you are right, Toji, but one can also say that you are quite remarkable," The man spoke and Toji nodded despite the fact that he felt no satisfaction from it.
After all, he was here not to impress others but to manipulate those around him into believe that he was simply a boy with a bright future. After all, he has only see Long Feng once in the time that he had started the Academy and that was just for when he had to come give a speech about the lockdown.
After that, his informants had told him that no one has seen a hair of the man, which probably meant that the man was still hiding away just in case the one that took out the Council of Five is still there.
"Hey, Toji. You wanna hang out after school?", One of his classmates asked and Toji shook his head with an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, but I have some important meeting that I have to go to according to my steward."
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The estate was quiet when he returned from his day, the guards patrolling the outskirts while Malia was already awaiting him at the front door with a smile.
"Master Toji, I assume it was perfect as usual?"
"Like usual, yeah. I'm guessing the economics instructor is waiting in the library?", He asked, smirking as Malia smiled and nodded.
"Yes, she believes to have quite the lesson for you today."
"Then I'll be there for most of today. You can take some time off for now, Malia. I don't like it when you overwork yourself."
"As your steward, I must decline, but since I know how persistent you are, I will take it into consideration," Malia spoke with a sigh and Toji grinned as he nodded, walking through the front entrance before making his way towards the library wing.
As he entered it, he smirked at the figure lounging on one of the soft chairs in the room, her legs up on the table while she sat back and read a book.
"Do you have to act like that? You're supposed to be an instructor, you know?", Toji spoke with a raised eyebrow and June snorted as she snapped her book shut, adjusting the black dress she had on along with her glasses as she shrugged.
"Hey, you pay me to teach you how to twist numbers around a noble's throat, not to be a late."
"Still, a little decorum wouldn't hurt. If Malia walked in, you'd be stuck in etiquette training until you were an old lady," Toji said as he sat down, dropping his satchel on the table as June took her legs from the table before sitting up straight.
"She's too busy doting over her prodigy to notice me."
"Uh-huh. I'm guessing your journey into Ba Sing Se went smoothly?"
"Yep, they didn't suspect a thing with the papers you gave me."
"Good. Now, what do you have for me to today?", Toji asked and June smirked as she reached into her punch and took out a scroll before handing it over.
"Grain distribution records and not the ones form the Lower or Middle Rings like last time. No, these are from the royal stockpiles that go directly to the noble houses."
"…How the hell did you get your hands on them?", Toji asked with a sligthly impressed smirk as he took the scroll and unrolled it.
"One of the Dai Li officers owed me a favour. As it turns out, loyalty can only bend so far when you know someone's secret vice they don't want anyone to find out."
"This doesn't make sense. House Leifan is Long Feng's biggest opposition and yet they get triple what they should compared to their annual taxes. However, House Zhu, who is his biggest supporter, have gotten almost no grain for…two weeks?"
"Oh, that's where it gets juice. Turns out House Leifan been funnelling grain into a stockpile somewhere off-record. I've already confirmed two shipments that never got to their destination."
"For leverage. And House Zhu?"
"They're protesting away from the public eye, but my bet is that Long Feng is starving them to make sure they are loyal to only him when he gives them back double of what they didn't have," June answered with a shrug and Toji's eyes narrowed as his fingers drummed against the table.
'If the nobles start to fight over food instead of titles or power, the Upper Ring crumbles faster and since I've been playing the model student and noble son, my opinion would gain more weight if I were to offer a…suggestion to the youth policy assembly.'
"Perhaps it would be time to make a subtle suggestion about 'fair distribution'."
"Playing the righteous child of the people?", June asked and smirked as Toji just gave an amused smile.
"It fits the image and if it gets me on Long Feng's radar and closer to him, I'll take it."
"The closer you get, the more dangerous he becomes. You sure you want that?"
"I'm not afraid of danger. It just means I'm getting closer to finishing this damn mission," Toji spoke with a scoff and June stared at him before shrugging.
"Well, as long as I get paid, I don't really care. Speaking of which…"
"Same location, triple the amount as a thank you," Toji said as he stood up, to which June gave a pleased smile as the two walked out before Toji's guards escorted her back out.
"I assume the lesson was successful?", Malia asked as she walked down the stairs and Toji smiled as he gripped the scroll in his hand and nodded.
"Very successful indeed. Hey, Malia. May I ask if you have ink, a brush and parchment? I have a message I need to get out to a few friends in the Lower Ring."
"Are these the more…rough friends you are referring to, Master Toji?", Malia asked even as she walked back, Toji snickering as he followed after her while nodding.
"Kind of. I need to have a few people chase some shadows while I start on building my own little trading empire."
"…Of course, I'll bring them to your office."
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"Master Long Feng would like to speak with you," Toji blinked at the abrupt appearance of a Dai Li agent in front of his house let alone the three waiting near the entrance along with a palanquin with four men in Earth Kingdom garb standing next to it.
"…Could you say that again?"
"Master Long Feng would like to speak with you immediately."
"Do I get a chance to prepare or…?"
"Immediately," That single response from the Dai Li agent made Toji sigh as he simply nodded before looking back to see Malia walking towards them with her brows furrowed in concern.
"Master Toji, should I…?"
"No, Malia. I'll be fine," Toji spoke with a calm smile that surprised the woman before she gave a small shaky smile back as he climbed into the palanquin.
He didn't say anything as the bearers lifted the transport with swift coordination and began to follow the Dai Li agent who walked ahead of him with the eerie silence their organization shared.
As always, the street of the Upper Ring were quite thanks to the lockdown as everything was shut and every light was dimmed, but that didnt mean the city was asleep as Toji could feel the tension shimmering beneath that quiet surface.
To his surprise, the journey was shorter than he expected, but as the palanquin was placed down and a Dai Li agent opened the door, Toji realized why it was so short when he found himself staring at the Grand Secretariat Hall and not the Earth King's palace.
"Please, follow me."
'So, he wants to keep this off the record in case something happens? Clever,' Toji thougth as he nodded to the agent, following him into the ancient stone building and its hallways echoed with the soft clacks of their footsteps.
It took them only a few minutes before they stopped in front of an engraved wooden door, Toji walking into the dimly lit office chamber as the Dai Li agent opened the door and focusing his gaze upon the man standing besides a table covered in maps and reports.
"Toji Gojo. Please take a seat," Long Feng was tall and composed as he was draped in rich green robes, his hawk-like eyes focused intently on Toji and his voice pleasant despite the commanding undertone.
"I must say that I've received quite the few reports from the Academy about the young prodigy everyone keeps praising," Long Feng began as he walked to the other side of the table, pouring himself a cup of tea before smirking as Toji declined his cup.
"I simply enjoy my studies, sir."
"Yes, I've heard and you've made a few rather insightful proposals during the youth policy assembly, partically regarding the grain redistribution," Long Feng's tone shifted as he sat down, Toji simply nodding and making the man narrow his eyes. "That's quite the unusual concern for a boy of your age and status."
"It seemed wrong for nobles to hoard what others needed, sir. A strong kingdom must be balaced across all its pillar. After all, the chain is only as strong as its weakest link."
"Hmm, there aren't many students that think that way. You truly are something, Toji Gojo," The man spoke, Toji hiding his disgruntled frown at being called a Gojo before he blinked as Long Feng paused.
"Tell me, Toji. Have you ever considered serving the Earth King directly?"
"I have, but such a role would require someone older and more experienced, would it not sir?"
"Experience is only useful when paired with talent and I believe you may be more valuable than most of the bloated fools that infest the courts."
"If…If his Majesty wills it, then I would serve him to the best of my ability."
"Good. Then from this day forth, you will report directly to me. Your presence beside the Earth King will be an observer at first, but in time you will learn. Simply watch and listen."
'…Wait, is he being serious?'
"Thank you for this opportunity, sir," Toji spoke despite his shock at his new job and Long Feng stepped around the table with a smile before placing a firm hand on his shoulder.
"You may smile and play the part of the brilliant child, but I know ambition when I see it, Toji. Do not lie to me and we will get along fine."
"I understand sir," Toji nodded as he looked at the man, faking a wince as Long Feng's grip tightened before the man let him go with a smile.
"Very good. You begin tomorrow. Dismissed," The man spoke and Toji stood up without a word, following the Dai Li back to the palanquin before a shit-eating grin spread across his face the moment the door closed.
'Oh, this is going to be far easier than I expected. Huh, I wonder if I get extra for killing the Earth King too?'
A/N: And with this, we are entering the final chapter/ chapters for Ba Sing Se and on to the next arc. How the two are going to meld, I have a bit of an idea.
Anyway, next chapter: Meeting a King and Chaos is a Ladder.
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As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one...
Ba-Bye~!