I Can Copy And Evolve Talents

Chapter 1343: Imminent Attack

Admiral Yan was still lost in the strangeness of what had just happened. His body had crossed five hundred meters in a single second. He couldn’t process it. Couldn’t even begin to.

He barely managed to raise his head to meet Northern’s lingering smile.

”Uhm, ehm...” His speech fell apart on the first try. He paused, forced himself to breathe in, breathe out, and tried again.

”General Sethran has asked me to tell you that the soldiers have been rounded as you instructed. Right now, in the kingdom, we can account for seven thousand mundane army and three thousand Drifters.”

Northern considered this for a moment, then focused back on Admiral Yan.

”And the Drifters are mostly populated with what rank?”

Admiral Yan straightened, his posture becoming crisp and military.

”We have mostly Nomads and Drifters. The Masters are the Knights and Commanders of smaller squads, all hundred in total. The Drifters number nine hundred and fifty-four, while the Nomads are approximately two thousand eight hundred.”

Northern touched his jaw, rough with stubble, as he turned the numbers over in his mind.

’I guess it really is hard for people to become anything more than Masters, huh?’

But the thing was... this reality was difficult to accept. For the most of the past two years that he had been a Drifter, he wasn’t sure how many times he had come across Drifters that were lesser than Masters. He had met a lot of Masters, Savants and Sages... too many of them, in fact. It had looked like the world was populated by these caliber of people.

However, Northern was also aware that he had to sit back and re-examine everything from a different scope. One that was not that of an almost fifteen-year-old boy thrust into a gate where he had to survive alone, then emerge into a reality where killing monsters and growing stronger seemed to be the only reasonable thing to do. Not just for him, but for everyone around him.

’I did hold back on that though...’

Northern was not having a good time recollecting the past. It’s safe to say he had led a life he wasn’t proud of. If it wasn’t that his fate was inevitable, he would have long been dead.

But then again, the kind of life he led, his stupidity and heart, and bravery at times had led him here.

’It was inevitable really.’

Admiral Yan raised a confused brow as a smug grin crept across Northern’s expression.

’Good stars, who knows what he is imagining...’

He tried to puzzle it out but had not the faintest idea. Northern collected himself before he could ride that boat for too long.

”Seven thousand mundane army, huh. And three thousand Drifters.” He let the numbers sit for a moment. ”How trained are the mundane men?”

Admiral Yan’s gaze hardened into something serious.

”The best you can get. I’d say they’re as strong as a Drifter without talents. Out here, the mountain, the rear zones are great tools for training. Only the toughest ones are out there today.”

Northern nodded as the Admiral spoke, the man’s voice carrying unwavering faith in his fellow soldiers.

’Not that I expect you to do otherwise.’

Northern looked beyond the dark fog, into the depth of the forest, and rested against the iron railing of the tower roof where he stood.

”And does this ten thousand also account for the Aerial Armada?”

Admiral Yan paused. He seemed caught, and Northern didn’t need to look to know.

Northern chuckled.

”Is General Sethran playing with me?”

He leaned away from the railing.

”Your country is to face a leviathan of a country, and you’re not going to account for your strongest armed forces?”

Admiral Yan lowered his head, unable to speak.

Northern finally turned to him.

”What did he say?”

Admiral Yan hesitantly raised his head, peeking at Northern’s face.

”He... he said it should be enough for someone of your caliber...?”

Northern chuckled.

’These bastards.’

What was he to do? Humans would be humans nonetheless. The Aerial force was Ryugan’s specialty and their strongest arm of assault.

It was also their most precious. Because Northern had read so much in the library, he knew what the Aerial forces meant to Ryugan and why they always had more Drifters awaken talents that associated with aerial battles.

He had at least expected some level of transparency, even if they were not going to relegate that part of the army to him.

’I guess he still has some doubts about me.’

Northern clicked his tongue. It may be doubt, or it may be the old man refusing to give away the one thing that upheld his prowess and importance.

He shook his head.

”This is why I hate old men. Serious situation like this, and that’s all he’s thinking about.”

Admiral Yan looked up at Northern with confusion, clearly wondering what he was talking about.

Northern, however, stretched. Yawned.

He kept looking beyond the fog and the forest, which drew Admiral Yan’s attention. The Admiral had grown quite fond of studying Northern’s gaze and body movement, hoping to learn anything that might change his fate for a lifetime.

”What do you think we should do, Admiral Yan? An attack is imminent tonight.”

The Admiral froze in place. His eyes couldn’t stay still.

”Huh?”

Northern turned to him with a small smile. His expression was far too casual.

”Oh, I meant... you guys don’t know, but I can see them coming from hundreds of kilometers away. Besides, they’re using a stealth technique to move forward.” Northern paused for a moment and continued thoughtfully, ”Though something of that scale, I’m curious whose talent ability is working it out. Or is it an item? Moving over ten thousand men with stealth is really something.”

He focused on Admiral Yan again.

”Anyways, yes, your surveillance probably missed it because of that. So what do you think we should do? How should we protect ourselves against this... attack?”