Chapter 50.2- And so the Dragons Danced

He flushed, sputtered, and complained but Baki left his face blank and eventually the man caved.

“We don’t want a Fire Lord. The Noble families pay exhorbitant amounts in axes to the throne year after year only for it to get squandered in a useless war with no clear benefit for anyone other than the Fire Lord. Natsu Wu is the only one with a chance of holding this Kingdom together and when he’s gone, we can finally return to living as our ancestors did— every man being a Lord within his own lands” He said, a gleam in his eyes. We? How interesting. Baki hummed.

“He says he’ll do it for two million gold pieces and that he wants half before the deed.” He smiled. He definitely hadn’t added that last bit, but it was good to see Mako taking some initiative at the very least.

When the man was gone, Mako turned to him with a bright smile.

“We’re going to be rich” He said. Baki did not point out how they were already far richer than they had ever been, and richer than anyone would have expected people with their backgrounds to be. Instead he just grunted.

“But how are you going to do it, though? Assassinate Natsu Wu. Can’t be easy to sneak into the palace, and we’ve seen his escort when he moves through town.”

Baki just took the poster he’d ripped off their door this morning and set it on the table. There was only one reason he’d taken this deal. Usually, it was suicide, assassinating someone as well protected as a Fire Lord, but this one was stupid enough to declare that he would face against anyone who had objections to his ascension in an Agni Kai. Baki saw the opportunity for what it was. He would make a killing in one deal and no one would ever be able to come after him for it because it would all be legal. A perfect plan. Nothing could go wrong. Natsu Wu thought fighting in a war and killing some earthbenders made him scary, but he had no idea what Baki could do.

XXXXX- JUN WENJUN

“And let me get this straight. You want me to kill the new Fire Lord for only two million gold pieces? She asked

“That’s more money than most nobles see in a year.” The man across from her replied.

“What does that have to do with me? You want me to kill someone like Natsu Wu, then you better move your offer up” She replied.

“We could just as easily have you arrested for the role you played in the previous Fire Lord’s death, you know?” She scoffed at the threat.

“Everyone knows Prince Zuko killed his father. You’d struggle to find anyone willing to listen to tall tales about poisons and the likes.”

“We paid you one million for that. This is double!” He snarled.

“Yeah, Ozai was a different beast. He was a soft man who spent all his time on the throne and never even saw the Battlefield. Add on that the fact that my only role was in creating a poison that his tasters would never detect, but here you want me to do the deed myself. Against a far scarier foe. Natsu Wu fought the world and won. You want me to kill him, you’ll pay something appropriate” She said.

“Five million.”

“Now you’re speaking my language, but I’ll need you to move up on that a bit more” She said with a wide smirk, tossing her long black locks to the side.