Chapter 6 I Can Copy Talents
Ul'Tra-el was a world that operated on a little bit of difference when it came to the laws that govern universes.
When it came to the notice of the gods that this particular world had spiraled out of control, the seed of destruction had been planted causing it to link with dimensions beyond their reach and beings with powers that could even rival theirs were beginning to emerge in such a place.
The universal gods decided to cast the gateway to this side, sending it to the lowest level of the reincarnation pathway. No soul should have been able to acess it.
Northern did not know it yet the most dreadful thing that could ever happen to him was being born again in the world. However, the most amazing thing was receiving something from that god before the old lady goddess interrupted.
Talent awakening was the unique sequence of Ul'Tra-el, it wasn't like that in other worlds. Another thing that other worlds did not have was the voice of the world.
Ever since the beginning Ul'Tra-el has always had a voice unlike other worlds, most universal world believed it to be the first world, it was quite untouchable by them.
It was a beautiful place to live until a seed of destruction was sown. This seed caused an anomaly in the space sequence of Ul'Tra-el, other dimensions started leaking into this one, pouring out monstrosities that even the gods feared.
Every being unfortunate enough to find themselves in this world was always blessed with a talent at a certain age, there were early bloomers, also late bloomers.
There were several categories of trigger for talent awakening. Sometimes it could be a trauma, other times a new death experience, usually it's when one legally becomes fifteen.
And in rare cases, it could come as a result of a magnifying encounter with knowledge.
But those were extremely rare cases.
The beast soared through the air towards Northern, wicked claws outstretched. Then with a crack like thunder, another Shin appeared overhead, his sword lancing out in a vicious thrust.
Steel pierced the creature's hide and ripped free in a spray of violet ichor. The beast staggered with a strangled roar, foul blood raining down to puddle stickily amid the leaf litter.
Shin alighted in front of it, flanked by his two clones. Their blades glistened wetly in the dappled light, leveled unwaveringly at their wounded foe.
The beast's baleful eyes were wide, tentacles writhing more warily now.
It was cornered, surrounded on three sides by Shin's unrelenting copies.
Those glinting swords formed a razor-sharp perimeter, promising swift death should the creature try to force through.
Still, cunning glimmered in the beast's gaze as it watched Northern struggle to rise. The boy was vulnerable, oblivious to the danger as he sought to understand what was happening inside him.
Shin tracked the monster's focus, stance coiling even tighter. "You're done here," he stated, no trace of his usual humor in that deadly tone.
The clones echoed his movements, weapons poised to mete out lethal punishment should the beast attempt to close on Northern again.
Their swords wove patterns in the air - an intricate, threatening language that allowed no doubt of Shin's words. The beast wavered, then gathered itself with rippling muscles.
Shin's expression went flat, cold purpose emanating from those hardened features. "You are getting nowhere near my son!"
In eerie synchrony, he and his duplicates exploded forward. Their blades carved ruthless lines aimed to sever limbs and open arteries. The beast whipped its tentacles wildly, fending off strikes from all angles.
The young boy was still vulnerable, he didn't even know what was going on. He was holed up in his own problem. The flood of pain had washed away, leaving him with the aftermath – a sore muscle.
He just wanted to stay in that position and rest the hell out of himself. But it wasn't like he could.
He had failed to manifest a talent.
This was something he had looked forward to and it wasn't going to work out? What now would happen to his dream of becoming a drifter?
His soul core wasn't forming...
But there was something else awakening inside of him.
'What is happening to me?' he questioned.
After his father had mentioned him awakening a high rank talent, he had honestly thought about it too and considered that it wouldn't be bad. But all what was happening now was an anomaly he didn't even know how to deal with.
He couldn't form a soul core and to simply put, he was talentless... but there was something else inside of him... awakening an ability...
What was he to make of this... amidst all of that, Northern felt so much fury welling up inside of him.
Damn. He had to get up!!
Northern's head screamed at him. He was torn in a cruel contrast between what he should do and the horror that enslaved his mind in that moment.
Seeing his father desperately battling to protect him, Northern felt something stir deep within. He could no longer remain a vulnerable child lying prone as Shin shed blood in his defense. Gripping the ground, he hauled himself upright with newfound determination.
The beast seized an opening as one of Shin's clones slowed a fraction. Crashing its thick tail into his chest, Shin was sent rocketing backwards, blood spraying from his lips.
Even as the other plunged his sword deep into its haunch, the creature's thick tentacles whipped out, catching and wriggling around the other Shin till it withered to dust.
The remaining clone desperately tried to check the frenzied assault, but soon fell beneath ruthless claws, shredded to wisps.
The original Shin struggled to rise, but the creature had already fixed its rapacious gaze upon Northern.
Gathering itself, muscles bunching, it sailed through the air towards this new prey.
Time seemed to slow, the beast descending as Shin poured his fading strength into a last ditch sprint.
But deep down he knew - it wasn't enough. Then an idea sped across his mind. Shin clenched the blade tightly and shouted:
"NORTHERN!!!"
The steel flashed as Shin hurled his sword with the last of his might.
Somehow Northern's hands closed around the hurtling hilt.
He braced as the creature fell upon him, buried the sword deep into soft muscle.
Hide parted around unyielding steel, the force of impact driving the blade completely through.
The beast landed awkwardly, impaled.
Blood sheeted the ground as Northern retreated warily. Shin placed himself once more between his son and the creature, though it seemed finally at death's door.
Yet still it clung to life, eyes burning with feral defiance. The standoff stretched taut, seconds crawling by, until finally, slowly, the light in its gaze dimmed. With a shudder the beast toppled sideways, the battle won.
Shin stood numb, stunned, as crashing relief swept in. They survived!
This was nothing short of a miracle!
He turned with a joyful expression, only to see Northern frozen. An unbelievable grin formed on his son's face as he scanned the amount of things that poured before his eyes.
[System Notice]
[You have slain a calamity beast: Black Rogue]
[Your soul have absorbed the talent of the beast]
[You have gained +6 talent fragments]
Due to awakening, all [Nexus Blessings] will be converted to talent fragment
[Converting…]
[You have gained +944 talent fragments]
[Talent fragments: 950/1000]
[Talent fragments can be used to copy talent]
[Do you want to copy talent. Advanced Cloning(A-class)?]
Northern didn't even know if that was a question. Copy talents?
His head went blank for a second. He didn't know what was going on but he was just going to do it whatever way.
Besides, there was an even overwhelming feeling he was caught in right now.
With his own two hands he killed a monster! Of course, his father did most of the work but the system counted it as his kill and said something about his soul absorbing the talent of the beast.
What exactly was that?
'I didn't think beast could have talents too…'
Basically, in Ul'Tra-el, everything that had a soul, had a soul core and everything that had a soul core had a talent.
But the composition of human and monsters talents were vastly different and opposite of each other. It should be impossible for talent to be absorbed from a monster... only soul essence could be absorbed and that was strictly possible in a rift.
Killing monsters outside a rift was just like killing an animal. They are beings that have left the structure of their world and become a part of Ul'Tra-el's. Killing them was just like killing a normal animal.
Of course, their soul cores could be harvested and manually absorbed using different cultivation methods.
However, the system could not be wrong. It said his soul absorbed the beast's talent. This gave way for another explanation.
The talents could have been broken and became talent fragments. Which could now be used to copy actual talents. Just like he was about to do right now.
Northern had completely forgotten the bitter feeling in his mouth after he discovered a few seconds ago that he was talentless.
He tried to think about what could have brought this change… 'that handsome man after my death probably had something to do with it... could he be the one that is referred to as Nexus?'
Northern didn't feel too good thinking that he might be playing in someone else's plan but he would tackle these things one at a time.
First, he had to do this.
'Yes'
He passed a mental command, granting the permission to copy the talent.
[System Notice]
[You have used 300 talent fragments]
Northern's mouth fell.
'So expensive…?'
He was already making plan for all those talent fragments that were there. First he had to go and copy his mother healing magic and then he wanted to strategically copy other talents that would imbue him with enough strength to fight another beast.
If killing them is the only way to get talent fragments, he figured he'll be doing that a lot. In order to become the world's strongest.
[System Notice]
[You have copied talent [Advanced Cloning(A-class)]]
Northern saw the panel and a wide grin parted his lips.
"Northern, are you okay…"
His father's breathing was rugged and the poor man looked a lot of mess. He was sweating, blood on his lower lip and jaw. His shirt was torn savagely. Crude claw marks plastered to his skin, dripping crimson.
Just when Shin asked Northern, he saw something that made his entire pain disappear for a second. His eyes widened in shock.
"Northern…" His voice shook, he wasn't sure what exactly to say.
Northern smiled as he turned to himself. This was not a mirror image, it was a physical him which he could see and touch.
Snow white hair, blue eyes, pale and smooth skin… flawless in appearance, he looked like he had been supernaturally moulded with the celestial sea, something about his eyes reflected the endless serenity of the sea… at the same time a strange and unreadable spark.
Northern looked proudly at his clone. This was the first talent he copied, he already had so much plan for it.
"Oh bless Eldech! …Northern! …You!"
Shin was appalled, so much thoughts ran in his head, confusion shone on his face.
"You awakened?!! You awakened! My boy North has… cuh… cuh" He coughed out more blood.
Northern ran towards him, his clone turning to a dust.
"Father… you should rest and I'll tend to your wounds."
Shin looked at his son as the young boy lowered him to the ground.
"Look at you acting all mature… do you even know what herb to pick?"
"Carum Opulifolius which has a light orange shape, I can find them beside waters, Chionanthus, the blood leave plant to stop your bleeding while I used Carum Opulifolius and if I can find lemon tooth it will both be good as first aid but since lemon tooth is a very rare plant, Carum Opulifolius is enough."
A smug expression showed on his face as he completed.
"Why am I even asking, you remember it all anyways…" Shin murmured inaudibly.
He looked at Northern and smiled.
"You awakened your talent… I'm so glad North. now all tat is left is the call..." His face went dim.
Northern shook his head indifferently.
"Don't get your hopes up."
The man scoffed and looked at the dead monster.
"Don't forget to remove all its cores. I'm guessing three…"
Northern looked at the beast, aloof for a second or two.
'A three core beast?'
Monsters both inside and outside the rifts had more than just one soul cores and were ranked in order of power according to the number of soul cores they had:
Fiend
Savage
Beast
Hellion
Maelstrom
Destroyer
Behemoth
Belial
Leviathan
Titan
Infernal
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Of course, soul cores were not the only determinant of a monster's might, there was also classification based on their danger level.
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Hazard
Disaster
Calamity
Catastrophe
Devil
Abysmal
Apex
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"Hazard" represented a relatively minor monster that poses limited danger. While "disaster" is a more dangerous monster but still natural to the habitat.
"Calamity" connotes a monster that brings grave misfortune, often terrorizing entire villages. "Catastrophe" and "devil" suggest unimaginably destructive monsters capable of massive ruin.
"Abysmal" indicates a creature so horrifically evil its mere presence induces despair. And "apex" signifies the ultimate monster - the peak predator against which no other can stand.
This danger levels are flexible and not stereotypic. It's not impossible for a fiend to become an apex level monster, this is what makes these creatures really unpredictable.
Northern and his father had fought and killed a calamity beast, this level of monster was enough to reign chaos on villages. Hundreds of soldiers would die trying to subdue this thing.
And they had just survived an encounter with something like that.
"Wow…" He whispered inaudibly and turned away.
He looked at his resting father again before heading towards a direction to get the herbs.
They had really survived an impossible monstrosity. This was the beginning of Northern's life.
He was super excited… something had awakened inside of him. He didn't know what it was but there was so much spark.