I Can Copy And Evolve Talents

Chapter 1220: The Daemon of Form and The Arrow Sage

The two walked forward for several minutes before reaching a deep lake that flowed directly in front of the cave entrance. The water stretched far across their path—at a glance, impossible to gauge its true width.

Northern stared at the cave.

Sael did the same.

”Sir Northern.”

”Just Northern is fine...”

”It feels slightly uncomfortable.”

Northern exhaled slowly.

”I’ll be seventeen... in a way.”

Sael chuckled.

”Certainly feels more uncomfortable now.”

Northern sighed and gave him a helpless look.

Sael quickly threw his head toward the cave entrance, steering away from the awkward exchange.

”Either way, I think Lady Luck must’ve smiled upon us.”

Northern’s gaze remained forward, expression flat and somewhat displeased.

”Is something wrong, Lord Northern?”

’And he decides to worsen it?’

Northern glanced at Sael, but his focus returned to the cave entrance, sharpening with intensity.

”Lady Luck and I don’t happen to get along so much.”

Sael laughed—a genuine, easy sound.

”Oh no, it’s just a—”

He stopped halfway, catching the blank look on Northern’s face. The humor died in the air between them.

”It seems you are well aware...” Sael laughed shyly, scratching along his temple hairline.

Northern shook his head and walked forward toward the lake’s edge.

”See you on the other side.”

[You’re using Whispering Gale – Wind Embrace]

Northern floated along the surface of the water, drifting forward effortlessly. The lake rippled gently beneath him, concentric rings spreading where the tips of his boots skimmed across the glassy surface. The movement was light, almost weightless... like a stone skipping in slow motion.

Sael stood frozen, caught between awe and confusion. He’d seen Northern fly when the boy took off toward the air vessel, but witnessing it again this close was different. Humbling.

’Such strength...’

If he’d been feeling confident about his own abilities before, that thought evaporated now. And this was merely flight. Northern and a handful of others had dealt with an Origin and a Tyrant.

He gulped.

’I wonder if he’ll help me... I want to become stronger too...’

Sael wasn’t greedy—he understood he couldn’t match the boy’s strength, not at this point. But he wanted his own astronomical growth. And he wouldn’t mind claiming whatever scraps of knowledge Northern threw his way.

For now, though, the moment was wrong to ask.

He manifested his wood-crafted bow and shot an arrow forward. A string of light trailed the projectile as it flew across the water and bit into rock on the far shore. Sael gripped the luminous rope and pulled—the thing contracted like rubber, yanking him across the lake’s surface in one smooth motion.

By the time he landed, Northern was already walking inside the cave, having noted his ability with casual interest.

[New Talent Discovered – Celestial Warden, A-Class]

[Do you want to copy? Cost: 6,000 talent fragments]

Northern pressed his lips together silently.

’I’ll definitely take that.’

Both of them entered the cave—Northern casually strolling forward through the darkness, while Sael summoned an arrow of white light to chase away the shadows around him. The luminescence carved a small sphere of visibility, but beyond it, the blackness pressed in thick and absolute.

”This level of darkness... even though it’s daylight outside...” Sael’s voice dropped low. ”Isn’t that concerning?”

Northern took a moment before responding, his tone measured.

”Seems like whoever left the blood there found themselves in a difficult situation.”

He sighed and stopped walking.

Sael, trailing behind, also stopped. He looked at Northern with slight confusion, silently wondering why the sudden halt.

Northern breathed calmly, his eyes fixed ahead despite the absolute darkness.

”Well, the good news is... they’re alive. Three of them.”

He paused.

”The bad news is, they’re cornered by a Devilish Destroyer.”

Sael looked around, squinting into the shadows. He tried to focus, attempting to discern how exactly Northern could tell all that. The darkness revealed nothing to his senses.

”Ah, I see...”

He leaned slightly closer.

”If you don’t mind me asking, Lord Northern—just how many talents do you have? You can fly, and you also possess an amazing level of spatial awareness.”

Northern counted on his fingers with the methodical patience of someone performing inventory.

”Thirteen.”

’With yours, soon fourteen.’

Sael exhaled and laughed awkwardly, the sound strained.

”Thirteen, ah? Aha...”

He stepped forward, his arrow of white light pushing back the darkness around him.

”Is it alright if I deal with the Devilish Destroyer?”

Northern observed him carefully.

’He doesn’t believe me?’

It was actually somewhat surprising. Northern had reached the point where he felt there was no need to hide his special ability anymore. After all, knowing wouldn’t save anyone from whatever fate awaited them—not even Origins. He was strong enough to protect himself now.

So it was baffling, and slightly frustrating, when he stated the truth plainly and Sael didn’t believe him.

Then again, he couldn’t blame the man. Anyone who believed a Drifter possessed thirteen talents without proof... well, they’d either be foolish or remarkably trusting. There was no middle ground.

Northern studied the Arrow Sage with a slightly worried expression, practical concerns overtaking his brief annoyance.

”Are you in shape for that? If I recall correctly, it’s only been a few days since your battle at the Kageyama clan.”

Sael dismissed the arrow with a flick of his wrist and rolled his shoulders experimentally. The movement seemed smooth enough.

”Don’t worry about me, Sir Northern. You focus on securing the people...”

His jaw set with determination.

”I’ll figure out how to deal with the monster. I need this darkness training anyway.”

Northern still observed him, concerned and slightly skeptical.

”You do?”

”Yes.”

Sael’s answer came firm and immediate.

”The major reason I lost my battle with one of the Kageyama was purely because of darkness. I’m blind in it.”

Northern raised his chin slightly and nodded, understanding settling into place.

”Ah. I see...”

He paused thoughtfully for a moment, an idea forming. Then he opened his palm, shadows gathering there like smoke coalescing into substance.

[You’re using Eclipsing Dread – Supreme Shadow]

”You have a bow, don’t you?”

Sael responded, confused by the sudden shift.

”Yes, I do.”

”Summon it.”

Sael hesitantly manifested his bow—living wood grain visible even in the dim light—and handed it to Northern.

Northern examined it for several moments, turning it over with analytical focus.

[Analyzing entity...]

[Brown Moon Bow data complete]

[Form available for copying]

’Yeah... copy it.’

That was a bonus, honestly. The real reason Northern needed to examine the bow was to analyze and understand how the crafting worked—the structure, the essence flow, the balance points.

”Because we have limited time...”

Northern said, already working.

”I’ll give you a prototype.”

The supreme shadow in his palm swirled with sudden speed, shifting and sharpening as it expanded. The darkness itself seemed to fold, taking shape according to his will and understanding.

All Northern did was command the Supreme Shadow to assume the form of a bow based on his analysis.

And it obeyed.

The shadow formed into a bow that seemed to merge with the surrounding darkness—a weapon carved from absence itself. Sael couldn’t even see it properly, just the vague suggestion of a shape darker than the shadows around it.

Northern extended the shadow bow toward him.

”Here... feed it your essence.”

Sael looked at Northern, surprise and confusion warring across his features. But he did as asked, reaching out to grasp the weapon.

The moment his fingers closed around it and essence flowed into the form, his eyes widened. Then trembled.

Northern frowned slightly, noting the reaction.

”What?”

”This is...”

Sael’s voice shook.

”A Heroic Rank? Where did you get it?”

Northern’s gaze narrowed in genuine confusion.

”I never had it. I just created it...”

Sael looked like he’d just seen a ghost. Or something equally impossible.