Chapter 519: The Old Joker
Northern and Shin, from inside the enclosed cart, peeped out through the window, watching as Alystren dealt with the bandits.
Fascinatingly, he didn't seem to put any significant effort into it. His hands were crossed behind his back as he nimbly kicked them around.
His movements were fluid, like a well-practiced dance. His feet barely touched the ground, yet the force of each kick sent a bandit sprawling through the air.
The way he moved
almost as if the very air bent to his will-made it hard to believe the bandits stood any chance at all.
One of the braver ones charged Alystren from behind, a deadly blade drawn, but Alystren didn't even bother to turn around.
With a sharp pivot, he lifted his foot and kicked the bandit squarely in the chest, sending him flying back into a tree with a dull thud.
"Wow, he makes fighting look so easy..." Northern commented.
"It's probably his combat style," Shin replied.
"How so...?"
Northern paused for a moment, recalling that Shin was supposed to be a well-versed drifter with extensive combat experience.
Not to mention, he was a scion of the Kageyama clan, though whatever that meant to Shin in the present was unclear.
Recently, Northern's desire to grow stronger and develop his own combat style had been rekindled, thanks to Jeci and Black Mamba.
If he needed a teacher-and he felt he did-his father could be the one. After all, he was a deadly warrior, or could be...
'Since I haven't seen the extent of his combat abilities.'
But in the past, Shin had vehemently refused to teach him anything regarding combat, especially the Kageyama style.
As Alystren effortlessly dispatched the last of the bandits, both Northern and Shin settled back inside the cart.
Northern studied Shin for a few moments before speaking. "Father," he called softly. Shin turned to Northern, slightly surprised.
He almost felt as if Northern had been trying to avoid calling him "father" since they returned.
But then again, he wasn't too surprised. He knew his son had always been a complex individual.
"Yes, my son..." Shin responded with a warm smile spreading across his lips.
Northern looked down, hesitating as if he were waiting for something.
Then, as Alystren re-entered the cart, Northern continued, "I would like to learn martial arts from you."
"Oh?"
The old joker couldn't help but be awed by the first words he heard upon joining them.
Even Ryan seemed to have slightly opened his eyes, though no one noticed.
Shin stared blankly for a moment, blinking before recovering. "But you're strong. What would you need that for?"
Northern chuckled faintly, looking down with darkened eyes, memories surfacing. "When I first held a weapon, it was to defend myself against a horror I knew I was powerless against. Do you know what saved me?"
Though his tone was questioning, Northern didn't seem to expect an answer.
He continued after a short pause. "The drills we had while growing up. And saying they 'saved' me is an overstatement. They were useless anyway. Things wouldn't have been any different even if I could wield a sword at the time. But maybe, down the line, I could've prevented the crude injury I sustained."
He chuckled, dispelling the tension that had begun to settle in the air.
"There were people my age who could already fend for themselves, defend and fight monsters because their family lineage taught them how. I had to learn by facing the ugly side of war. Every battle I fought was an intense struggle to survive, to live just a second longer."
Northern let out a pale smile as memories of the wars in the Kingdom of Red Mine filled his mind.
He took a moment to reflect before getting to his point. "In those situations, the sword became an ally-something I grew accustomed to."
His eyes glinted with renewed resolve. "I won't deny that I'm strong, but when it comes to close combat, I'm weak to some extent. I only compensate for that weakness with the versatility of my skills. But what I want is to grow without any weaknesses. I don't want my talent's versatility to patch over my flaws; I want it to conform to the peak of my potential, creating a non-stereotypical, ever-changing combat style."
As Northern fell silent, he heard someone sniffing. He blinked.
"Uhm... Alystren?"
The situation was quite embarrassing for Northern, having shared a fragment of his past- something he rarely did.
Of course, there was a reason for this gesture, though he hadn't expected it to have this much impact on Alystren.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry for sobbing," Alystren said, wiping his eyes. "Hearing about the cruel past you endured-my heart couldn't help but wane for you. You're so young, and you've already faced so much in life. I wish my son could learn from you."
Northern was so taken aback that his jaw dropped. "How does an irresponsible man like you even have a son?!"
Alystren immediately glared daggers at him. Even Shin's expression folded into a frown, silently conveying, 'That was rude.'
Northern quickly realized his mistake. "Oh crap, did I say that out loud? I'm sorry, I didn't
mean to."
Alystren scoffed and then giggled. "It's understandable. At my age, people think I should be more serious about life. But what's life without a little fun?"
'As long as it's just a little...' Northern made sure to keep his mouth sealed this time. But Northern was more inclined to think that Alystren's definition of 'little' could be unreasonable.
Since the beginning of their journey, Alystren had been cracking one joke after another. His casual way of speaking was always laced with humor. Northern didn't find his jokes particularly funny, but sometimes Shin did.
The two seemed to get along strangely well.
Shin knew how to stroke the old joker's ego in a way that made him want to keep being
himself.
They even seemed somewhat alike when Northern compared the past shin to Alystren.
The only difference was, while Shin was jovial and lighthearted, he was also truly honest-in
both words and deeds.
But Alystren?
'He's full of shadiness.'