I Can Copy And Evolve Talents

Chapter 1312: Gentleman of Ash and Flame

Northern paused for a moment... and blinked. He wasn’t sure exactly what the man had meant by wanting to feel the weight of his sword.

Actually, he did.

’He really could mean something else...’

Northern glanced at the King, who had a stern look on his face—the look of a man caught in a maze trap of his own making. That was when Northern became quite sure it had to be what he was thinking.

’That’s reckless...’

The man shifted with a small smile.

”Don’t be too quick to judge your enemies, young sir. I have a strong nose and an unbelievably sharp ear. I can even hear that you have a very noisy soul.” He tilted his head, amusement playing at the corners of his lips. ”If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were building something in there.”

Northern shivered.

His eyes went wide, the casual mask he’d been wearing stripped away in an instant, replaced by a sharp and cold wariness.

’What?’

The man tilted his head and chuckled.

”What’s with the reaction, young sir? Don’t tell me...” His chuckle deepened, genuinely delighted. ”No way.”

He chuckled at the thought itself and chuckled at Northern.

Meanwhile, Northern’s expression had hardened into a skeptical scowl.

One moment this man had possessed no presence at all—a blind eccentric clutching a sword like a comfort object. The next, he was towering across the whole room with that unique voice, filling every corner of the war room with something that demanded attention.

And the commentary he had uttered about Northern’s soul... it stood out too well not to be concerning.

’How? How could he possibly—’

If not because he knew better, Northern would have already filed the man for certain destruction.

Who was to say he hadn’t, in fact.

”Do not take this personally, young sir.” The Gentleman of Ash and Flame’s voice softened, though his smile remained. ”You speak with the gravitas of great power. I’m a man born to follow, never to lead, yet cursed with the burden of strength. This has driven me to the edges of madness and solitude...” He paused, letting the weight of the words settle. ”I merely wish to bond with you and accept your talk about your offer in my own way.”

He slowly stood up, still hugging his sword to his chest like something precious.

”It is also my wish for this talk to be private.” He turned toward the King as he said it—or turned in the King’s direction, at least. The blind man’s accuracy was unsettling.

Northern remained seated, observing. He glanced at the King, who offered only a helpless shrug of ”I have no idea what’s happening either.”

Exhaling a sigh, Northern let his cautious mind settle. The man had caught him off guard with his exceptional evaluation of Northern’s soul. That was all.

He had never met someone who could hear the noise in his soul. Granted, that noise was the activity of a construction—something that should have been imperceptible to anyone.

The Gentleman of Ash and Flame was perceptive. Too perceptive. It made Northern slightly uncomfortable.

He stood and addressed the man directly.

”Alright... lead the way.”

”What a mean thing to say to a blind man.”

Northern raised a brow.

”Don’t pout like that. You were the one boasting of your excellent hearing.”

”Joking, joking...” The Gentleman was already circling back, passing behind the chairs toward the door. Northern followed, watching the man’s movements—graceful despite the apparent blindness, each step placed with quiet certainty.

The Gentleman stopped as he reached the door and turned to the person seated at the very end of the table, closest to the exit.

”Why don’t you come watch us, Yan. Perhaps you could learn a thing or two.”

Northern looked at Admiral Yan, who had gone rigid with surprise. The Admiral belatedly rose from his seat, trembling slightly.

”Yes, yes, sir. Th—thank you, sir.”

The entire war room had gone dead silent. Even as the large doors groaned open and the three of them departed, not a soul spoke. You could have heard a pin drop.

They left the war room and headed down the hall, turned a corner, and descended the stairs that led directly to the yard.

As they reached the open space, soldiers snapped rigidly with respect. Admiral Yan walked up to them and whispered something—an order, apparently, because a moment later the soldiers were filing out one after another until only the three of them remained.

Northern stood at one end of the yard. Duke Amene stood at the other, still cradling his sword against his chest.

Silence settled between them. The only sound was the howling of cold wind as it picked up sand and let it fall again.

Northern scratched his sideburns.

”How do you wish this to go? I have an unbelievably wide repertoire of skills. This could end in an instant or take a while, depending on what you choose.”

The Gentleman was silent for a moment. Then he sighed.

”I did hear of how you dealt with the crown prince. It would be sad to not be able to cross swords with you simply because you explained to me how my loss would unfold.” His voice carried something that might have been wistfulness. ”If you can be benevolent enough, all I want is to feel the weight of your sword.”

Northern contemplated, studying the man with a cautious look.

As if he could see it—which he couldn’t, and yet somehow seemed to—the Gentleman raised his brow slightly.

”Please, young sir. This is not a challenge. I merely want to witness it. An iota of your strength, no matter how little.”

Northern sighed and looked at the man.

Really looked at him.

Name: [Amene Kaien]

True Name: [Gentleman of Ash and Flame]

Attribute: [Eyes of The Evil Sky]

Soul Rank: [Sage]

Talent: [The Evil Sky]

Talent Class: [EX]

Talent Abilities: [The sky can hear], [The sky can smell], [The sky can get stronger], [The sky can get faster], [The sky can wield weapons]

’Ah... certainly a strange talent...’

The Evil Sky. A talent that had apparently given a blind man senses sharp enough to hear construction happening inside someone’s soul. Northern filed that away for later consideration.

An EX-class talent at Sage rank, begging for a glimpse of Northern’s power.

’What an odd world this has become.’