I Can Copy And Evolve Talents

Chapter 1205: Where Are My Parents?

A group of Knights in large jagged armor and tattered capes that flowed like shadows even in the clear afternoon walked toward them, making Northern’s escort stop in their tracks.

”What do you have with you?” one of the approaching Knights asked, his voice sounding as if from a metallic chamber.

The lead Knight escorting Northern bowed.

”Claims to be Shin’s son.”

The air shifted. The approaching Knight’s gaze snapped to Northern, then back to the Knight who’d brought him.

”We’ll take him directly to the Patriarch.”

The new knights’ armor bore different markings—probably indicating higher ranks than those at the entrance.

The lead Knight who’d brought Northern stepped closer to the other Knight and whispered. The recipient’s eyes widened behind his helmet, then narrowed the next moment. His posture stiffened as he studied Northern.

He approached Northern.

”We will take you directly to the Patriarch.”

Northern exhaled, then nodded.

He switched teams immediately, and they entered a shadow-draped cavern with winding stairs that curled around the mountain’s interior.

After a while, they emerged onto the castle’s balcony. Northern glanced down at half the mountain expanse stretching below.

As they reached an entrance, a boy with tousled black hair and a scar slashing across one cheek waited for them. His weathered face bore a stern expression that cracked into a wry smile as Northern drew closer.

The Knight bowed and stepped back.

Northern regarded the young man, chin slightly raised. The young man returned the inspection, his smile practiced.

”You look nothing like your father.”

Northern’s tone remained level. ”Sometimes the apple falls very far from the tree.”

The young man sighed and opened the door, walking into the vast expanse wreathed in darkness.

Northern entered behind him. He glanced left, then right. Darkness blanketed the entire space, perfectly concealing the presence of others. But with Eyes of the Shadow, Northern’s sight was far sharper in darkness than in light.

They didn’t need the dramatics—he could already see them from miles away.

He stood for a few moments, then exhaled.

”Okay, I think we’ve come far enough, right? So at least before you begin, can you tell me what you all did with Shin and my mother?”

Another sigh escaped the young man.

”I told Father this was a pointless charade. If you walked here through the canyon, then you’re undoubtedly among the most skilled of us. Perhaps you have a darkness ability too. It’s simply a nightmare to pass through that place unless one has an ability that renders them nonexistent in darkness.”

Northern remained silent, studying the young man. Recognition flickered across his face.

”Oh! Ah... wait. No, no, you have it wrong.”

The Kageyama scion’s eyes widened slightly. The others emerged from the shadows—a tall guy with a massive physique, another with a lithe build, a girl in a black dress and lady’s hat as if preparing for a ball with the undead, and another woman who looked rough-edged, with short black hair reaching just to her shoulders.

”What do you mean?”

Northern swept his gaze over all of them before locking eyes with the boy directly before him.

”I didn’t sneak through the canyon.” He scoffed incredulously. ”Dear stars, the thought of sneaking at this stage of my life sounds so preposterous. What would the point of all the struggle before now be?”

The absurdity of it pulled a laugh from him. He let it fade before meeting the Kageyama scions’ stares.

”I destroyed it. Killed the monsters. Destroyed the Maw’Thoraxis or whatever it’s called.”

The guy’s eyes widened, then narrowed. The next second, laughter burst from him—wild, disbelieving. His brothers and sisters chuckled quietly, all except one.

The lady in the dress glanced at the tall, lithe young man with black hair cascading to his upper back—the one who wasn’t laughing.

”What is it, First Brother? Don’t tell me you’re still displeased about that?”

The young man exhaled, crossing to his brother standing before Northern. His hand found his brother’s shoulder.

”Jiang... he’s not lying.”

Jiang’s head turned slightly. ”You shouldn’t be doing this, Elder Brother...”

He exhaled again. ”Jiang... spread your shadow awareness. The canyon feels different.”

Jiang froze. His eyes closed. The canyon was something they’d lived with all their lives—it felt as familiar as a house they’d lived in for twenty years.

While the change was easy to miss through carelessness, it was equally easy to sense once you looked.

Jiang’s eyes flew open.

”What?!”

Another voice murmured from behind.

”It’s vague... but certainly different.”

This ”different” they spoke of could be considered ”normal.” After all, the canyon had been abnormal their entire lives.

Every gaze lifted to Northern, who stood with his hands clasped behind his back. As their stunned expressions locked on him, he flashed a smile.

”So... where are my parents?”

The tall, lithe man stepped forward, closing the distance. He appeared to be in his late twenties, with a depth in his eyes that was almost unsettling—the kind that spoke of unwavering kindness.

”My name is Kai. I’m the firstborn of—”

”Brother! Don’t you dare!” Jiang’s scream tore through the space.

His teeth ground together, eyes crinkling with anguish.

”What the hell do you think you’re doing? These people killed Yeon!”

Kai stopped. His fist clenched.

”It has nothing to do with Uncle Shin.”

”Don’t be naive! It has everything to do with him! The sudden instability, the monster invasion, the intruders claiming to search for their own while besieging our castle—my brother is dead because of them!”

Jiang advanced, his glare burning into Northern. A dagger materialized in his grip, its point stabbing toward Northern’s face.

”And then this one conveniently walks in. You think some cheap trick with canyon monsters will make me wary? I don’t believe you. Those monsters—especially from the third layer down—can never be defeated. Every patriarch tried until the nineteenth, and it always meant their death. People who became Paragons. Luminaries.

”And here you come, claiming to have slaughtered them all. You don’t even look like a Sage.”

Northern’s gaze swept over them, bored. He exhaled.

”Oh well... where are my parents?”