I Can Copy And Evolve Talents

Chapter 1219: Subtle Clues

The vessel surrounded by tenebrous clouds drifted forward at a peaceful speed, gliding across the bright sky like a ship cutting through calm waters.

Northern stood at the edge of the ship’s bow, looking down. He wasn’t merely inspecting the ground below with his enhanced vision—at the same time, he used Eyes of the Shadow to survey the terrain, searching for whatever clues might lead him to his mother. Or anyone.

Sael cautiously approached. He stood there, hesitating for a moment, clearly unsure how to address Northern.

“Sir, you’ve been standing there for a while… you should get some rest.”

Northern answered without shifting his attention, eyes fixed downward as the airship drifted along.

“I don’t need it.”

His answer left no room for conversation. Still, Sael seemed desperate.

Northern had been standing at the bow for hours, and apparently, it bothered the man. Understandable. From his perspective, after standing for so long, one should be exhausted. Of course, Sael couldn’t understand that such a thing wouldn’t tire Northern out—he judged and empathized from a purely human perspective.

The limitations of normalcy.

Sael stepped a little closer.

“I was seven when I lost my parents.”

Northern frowned slightly and glanced back at him.

Sael wore a soft smile.

“I had gone out with my father on a hunt. I should’ve stayed back, but I refused. I snuck out and followed him.”

His voice grew quieter.

“We killed a massive monster that day… a Hazardous Hellion. I remember it well. Would’ve been a feast for my small clan.”

He paused.

“My father and I came back home to find a flood of bodies.”

His smile turned wistful, bitter.

“I can still remember it. The smell of blood. The morbid sight of their clothes soaked through, eyes wide and glassy, staring at nothing. Staring at me, almost. Like they were cursing me.”

His jaw tightened.

“I dreamt of them for years.”

Northern raised a brow.

’How… familiar. Except no one died in my case. But it was a close call for Shin, wait, now that I think about it, was it a close call for me or for Shin?’

He returned his attention to Sael.

“But your father survived?”

Sael’s smile brightened slightly, though it didn’t reach his eyes.

“He died that day too. He was overcome by rage and desperation. Already exhausted, but he sought to avenge his family at any cost.”

Sael’s voice dropped.

“He died to a mere environmental hazard. A Master, for that matter. It was raining, the mountain was slippery. He slipped and tumbled down. I never found his body.”

Northern’s mouth opened slightly.

“Ah. I see.”

He offered a small smile.

“Thank you for the moral support, but I’m not exhausted. I feel rather refreshed, actually.”

Sael gave Northern a long look. At this point, he’d tried his best. He nodded and was about to step back when Northern’s voice stopped him.

“I’m sorry about your loss. Did you ever find them? The ones who killed your clan?”

Sael laughed—a dark, satisfied sound.

“They earned me the title Sael of the White Strings.”

His expression hardened.

“Though their organization runs deeper than I realized at the time.”

Northern nodded slowly.

“I see. Well, if I’m—”

He suddenly froze and turned away. Then he leapt off the airship.

Sael frowned and immediately followed, manifesting his bow and shooting arrows of light. The arrows flattened and formed glowing platforms beneath his feet, creating steps as he descended. He landed behind Northern moments later.

“Sir, are you…?”

Northern looked straight ahead.

They stood in a dense forest now. The trees were long and thick-trunked but barren, their leaves scarce. The forest floor was more pebbles than grass, though patches of green struggled through in places. The air felt still. It felt… dead.

Around them, deep scratches and gouges marked the tree trunks, suggesting a struggle. It was obvious as Northern examined the area, and even Sael could see it.

’But could he see this from the sky?’

Sael found himself wondering about that. Actually, he’d been thinking about it for more than a moment now. It should be damn near impossible to spot such minute details from those heights. Even with enhanced vision, catching something this specific while the airship was moving…

Inconceivable.

Northern touched the gouges on the trees, running his fingers over the cracks where bark had been peeled away, revealing pale wood beneath.

He continued walking—gently but forward. Then he stopped and looked down.

At the base of a particular tree, a dried puddle of crimson stained the ground.

Northern squinted at it.

’Blood. Old, but not that old.’

At that moment, Sael called his attention to something he’d found nearby.

“Sir, I think this—”

He hurried over to Northern.

“It’s a broken chakram.”

Northern gave the semi-circular blade a long look. He took it from Sael, examining the dried blood along its edge. A broken chakram on one end of the scene, a thrashed tree and a puddle of blood on the other.

’A fight. Someone got hurt.’

“I think…”

Northern paused, turning the weapon over in his hands.

“I have a suspicion this could belong to my mother. She used to be very proficient with hula hoops.”

Sael looked at him, slightly confused.

“Hula… hoop?”

“Ah, it’s a kind of fitness activity where you twirl a plastic hoop around your waist.”

Northern’s expression softened.

“My mother loved it. I introduced it to her, but she beat me at it within seconds.”

He laughed a little, remembering.

’Those were good times.’

Sael nodded, despite not fully understanding. He studied Northern’s face.

“This game sounds interesting. Perhaps I’ll ask your mother to show it to me after we find her.”

Northern laughed.

’After we find her. Not if.’

Sael’s words were so encouraging, so full of optimism. It helped, lifting the subtle weight of fear from his chest—fear he hadn’t quite acknowledged until now.

“I like you already.” Northern smiled. “You can call me Northern. Only people close to me know me by that name.”

Sael nodded, looking genuinely pleased.

“Thank you, Sir Northern.”

He glanced at the broken chakram, then back at Northern.

“So what do you suggest we do from here?”

Northern looked straight ahead into the forest depths.

“The blood doesn’t look old. I think from here, we should just continue forward on foot.”

His grip tightened on the chakram.

“We’ll find whoever lost this. Hopefully, they’re still alive when we do.”

Sael nodded obediently.

“They will be.”

He glanced up at the sky.

“What about your warship?”

Northern pointed upward. “Oh, that?” He waved dismissively. “I can just have the ship relay my message to the crew.”

Sael stared at him, comically shocked.

“You can do that?”

“Of course.” Northern laughed and started forward through the trees.

Sael stood there, caught between confusion and disbelief.

Northern had to call back to him.

“What are you doing? Hurry up!”

“Ah, yes. Coming…”

He followed.