I Can Copy And Evolve Talents

Chapter 1333: Against Impossible Odds

Northern had always known Roma was an amazing fighter. If she’d been born a Drifter, she would have become a devastating one.

It was quite sad that she wasn’t.

But the way she’d dismantled those four was astonishing nonetheless.

She moved through them like water finding gaps in stone. Every time one lunged, she was already rotating away, using their momentum against them. When two came at once, she didn’t retreat—she stepped *into* them, occupying the space between their attacks where neither could strike cleanly. Her elbow found a throat. Her knee found a stomach. A palm strike sent one staggering into another, tangling their limbs.

’This thing really is spicy.’

Northern’s mouth was genuinely burning after the third peppered muscovy. He’d underestimated the vendor’s warning. At this point, he wouldn’t mind if a thief came and stole the rest.

He watched Roma work through watering eyes.

Fighting wasn’t something you left to your legs and hands—it was calculation, pure and brutal. Where will they be? Where will *I* be? What happens when those two points collide? Roma understood this instinctively. It was the only reason she wasn’t already on the ground.

She finished the last of them with a sweeping kick that dropped him hard, then straightened and fixed the man who’d been barking orders with a neutral expression.

”Why not let us see if you’re as good as those orders you bark?”

The man stared at her blankly for three, four seconds. Then an eerie grin crawled up his cheeks.

”Are you stupid? You must be stupid. All I asked you to do is return the money, why do you have to go and beat up my men for nothing?”

Roma paused, her eyes narrowing.

’Huh?’

She was utterly confused.

’Why the hell is he speaking like the victim?’

”I think you have a mental illness. You followed me, attacked me, and expect me not to fight back?”

The man nodded slowly, as if explaining something to a child.

”See? Was that difficult to understand?”

Roma sighed.

”Good stars, I thought only a handful of crazy people exist...”

The man folded his arms over his chest. ”Now, because of what you did, I have to handle you myself. And it’s certainly going to be ugly. You’re going to start crying and begging me, and great stars, my mother warned me to always listen to the pleas of a lady for her sake...” He shook his head sadly. ”Thanks to you, I’m going to have to disobey her. Again.”

Roma blinked.

’That’s certainly a new one...’

Even Northern was amused. The man had concerning sentiments, but at least they were *interesting* concerning sentiments.

The man unfolded his arms and raised them like he was stretching, rolling his shoulders. Then he locked his gaze with Roma and closed the distance.

His speed was unexpected.

Roma was still expecting him when he appeared before her. She threw her guards up, bracing for a powerful blow—

But the blow didn’t come. The man stepped back twice instead.

Roma frowned behind her guard. What was he—

She lowered her arms to see what was happening.

In that instant, the man’s arm *stretched*.

It covered a distance a normal arm shouldn’t cover, elongating impossibly, and his fist smashed into Roma’s face before she could react. Her head snapped back. Blood sprayed from her nose.

[Talent, Extension (Class E) has been discovered]

[Do you want to copy talent for 200 talent fragments]

’Hell no. That’s trash. I have a taste now.’

Roma staggered back, disoriented, trying to right herself. The man saw it and pounced on the opportunity. He lunged forward and rolled in the air with a kick—his distance was off, his form sloppy—but it didn’t matter.

His leg stretched and delivered perfectly.

The blow caught Roma’s temple. Then her arm. She staggered sideways, vision swimming.

She tried to right herself again, but the man was already descending with a drop kick.

Even the lowest rank Drifter had physical prowess that surpassed an ordinary human. Roma was a fast learner—when dealing with monsters, she could study their patterns and adapt quickly.

But humans were different. They had minds. They weren’t universal in their patterns. They could read their opponents and adapt just as well as she could.

They had everything Roma had. And they had the one thing she didn’t.

Talent.

Because of this, she was at a severe disadvantage. And she knew it.

Northern exhaled after watching for a few more seconds and decided it was time to step in.

He walked out of the darkness casually. The man was mid-roll, another kick aimed at Roma’s guard. Northern caught the leg moments before it reached her while also gathering Roma gently in his other arm.

He pushed the leg away.

Not hard. Barely any effort at all.

The man flew. He tumbled across the ground, bones cracking against each other with each rotation, before he came to a stop at the entrance of the alley.

He didn’t get up.

”Are you okay?”

Northern looked down at Roma. She slowly separated her guard, breathing hard.

”Yeah... I’m...”

Northern studied her face. The blood from her nose was already slowing.

’She certainly wasn’t expecting that.’

But this was the sad reality of a non-Drifter. Their mundane nature laid bare the moment they stood next to even the lowest of Drifters.

It wasn’t like Roma would give up because of this.

Her expression hardened. Ignoring the blood still dripping from her nose, she said, ”Is it alright if I take him? I can take him.”

Northern tore his gaze away from Roma and toward the man who still wasn’t moving after a full minute.

”I think I might’ve accidentally broken him,” Northern said, his tone like a child reporting that they’d mishandled a fragile toy.

”Ah... I see...” Roma’s voice was heavy with disappointment.

Northern smiled and offered, hoping to lighten her mood, ”I’m sure you’ll get plenty of chances to deal with men like this in the coming war.”

Roma’s eyes lit up.

”Does that mean I’ll be joining?! Will you speak to my father on my behalf? If it’s you, I’m sure he’ll agree!”

Northern allowed a small, forced smile.

’Oh crap. I certainly didn’t think before I said that one.’

What had he gotten himself into?