I Can Copy And Evolve Talents

Chapter 1332: Street Smarts and Roasted Muscovy

Northern stood dumbfounded with ten sticks of roasted muscovy in his hands. Both of his hands, by the way.

Roma was doing the same, shamelessly devouring every one of them by the head.

Northern observed her for a minute as they walked down the street, then asked:

”Why are you doing that?”

Roma looked at him while chewing.

”You’re not even focusing on one. The rest can wait—why don’t you just finish one?”

Roma shook her head and finished chewing before she responded.

”You’re still a novice, Rian. This is the street. I’d be losing if someone just runs past me and grabs one, but since I’ve already eaten out of it, it’s not a total loss.”

Northern was silent for a moment.

”I see... what a petty way of thinking.”

”Say that to the thieves...”

Northern looked around.

”Speaking of thieves... some guys have been following us since we left the gambler man’s stall.”

Roma stopped and frowned.

”They have?”

”Yes.” Northern nodded. ”Don’t make them suspicious. Just keep walking—we’ll lead them to an alleyway where we’ll have some fun. You better not interrupt this time.”

Roma’s mind ran back to their first meeting and she released a shy chuckle.

”Who says only you get to have fun?”

Northern studied her for a while and smiled.

Roma looked at the smile with suspicious eyes.

”What? You just thought about something right now, didn’t you? What did you think about? Why are you smiling?”

Northern only smiled wider and held her arm, gently guiding her towards a corner. They walked into an alley where the sound of the street got muted and the lights did not reach.

Both of them continued deeper until Northern finally came to a stop in the darkness.

There was silence for a while—such that Roma could hear her own breath. And her breath was getting quite... breathy.

She was alone... in the dark with Northern.

’Goodness, girl, get a grip. We are here to beat a bunch of bad guys.’

’Indeed... or he could do more than that...’

Roma clenched her teeth. She wished she could bite her own brain for the way it worked.

’I hate you, brain. I swear I hate you!’

Oblivious to the nonsense going on inside the young lady’s head, Northern stood still beside her. Both of them rested against the wall.

Finally, they heard the sound of footsteps and some people whispering to each other.

”They couldn’t have gone far. Let’s split up!”

”Aiii! There’ll be no need for that!!” Roma shouted and revealed herself from the darkness.

She plunged one stick of muscovy into her mouth, wrenched the whole thing off with her teeth, and pointed the bare stick at the man.

”You? What’s your problem?!”

Northern observed Roma with a bit of confusion.

’Does muscovy make people drunk?’

Roma was acting very much besides herself.

The men stopped, slightly surprised. But they were five men and Roma was just... well, Roma.

They looked around but found no other person. Northern was perfectly embedded in the darkness.

”Where’s your friend? The white-haired one?”

Roma frowned, displeasure twisting her features.

”What is your business with him? You think I can’t handle you all because I’m not a Drifter?”

The men chuckled amongst themselves.

”Doesn’t matter if you’re a Drifter or not. You’re a girl.”

The one who spoke had short blonde hair and black eyes with an athletic build. He stepped forward.

”Anyways, forget about all of that. The gold pouch—give it to me. I saw you take so much gold away from that man... I need you to hand it over.”

Roma was first a bit dumbfounded.

”What?” Then she went silent for a moment and said again, ”Ha! How befitting of thieves!”

A wide grin spread across her face. She settled into a fighting stance and gestured her palm towards them.

”You want the bag? Come get the bag.”

”Tch.” The man snorted and waved forward, ordering his underlings. ”Teach her a lesson and get that pouch for me.”

They rushed towards Roma. She quickly ripped her dress up to her higher thighs and sidestepped the first attacker. As the guy glided past, she raised her knee and buried it into his guts.

The man doubled over, spit flying from his lips. Roma was already moving—one brutal elbow smash cracked against the back of his neck. He crumpled to the ground and did not get up.

The second attacker saw this and cautiously stopped, stepping back. So did the third and fourth. They looked sincerely careful now after watching their partner drop like that.

Roma made a face like she’d swallowed something disgusting.

”Eeww... men, are you scared?”

The leader frowned darkly.

”What are you bastards stepping back for? She’s just a girl—she’s even a powerless one at that!”

Roma leaned low, her gaze sharpening to slits, golden eyes locking onto the men with predatory focus.

”Didn’t you hear your master? Come on, baby girls.”

They lunged at her in quick succession, trying to overwhelm her with numbers.

Roma just stood there.

’She knows exactly what she’s doing. Cool.’

Northern observed from the embrace of darkness where he stood.

They ran at her in a zigzag pattern, surrounding her. Roma remained still. When the first blow came, she stepped back and twirled—one powerful kick slammed into the face of the next man, the one who’d been positioning to catch her from behind.

The 360 sent him flying backward and carried her back into position. Another reached out to grab her. She threw her hand backward and smashed it into his face, then pivoted and lunged forward with three consecutive punches—all landing on the same target.

Blood sprayed from his nose and mouth. He staggered back.

Roma didn’t have the time to care. Three more to deal with—the guy she’d kicked had already gotten back up.

One lunged a blow at her. She dropped low like a mantis and unleashed rapid strikes into his stomach and chest, fists pounding without pause. She ended the barrage with a vicious uppercut to his chin that snapped his head back. He went down completely.

Before he could hit the ground, she grabbed him, spun him around, and shoved him into the remaining two. They stumbled as their partner’s limp body collided with them, their momentum scattered.

Roma took the opening. She shot forward, leaped, and landed with a kick that snapped one’s head to the side. The last one hesitated.

Roma was grateful for that hesitation.

She lunged up and dealt him another 360 kick that sent him flying away. He hit the alley wall and slid down, motionless.

Northern watched from the shadows, bewildered.

’Amazing.’