Chapter 985: Judgment
The man shifted his sword with deliberate precision.
"Over the past few months, I’ve carefully gathered intel about you. And I must say, you’re one lucky bastard. Awakening with a talent that can copy other people’s abilities—hell, it can even gift others whatever it steals. That’s one devastating talent. If not the strongest to ever exist."
His eyes blazed fierce, dark fire burning within.
"But there are certain conditions to its usage, aren’t there? That’s why you can’t just waltz around copying talents. Also, giving people your abilities seems to drain you dry, so you don’t do it often."
Northern’s expression turned stone-cold. He wondered how exactly he had discovered this—which of the Star Chasers had spilled his secrets. But he didn’t want to ask.
The man could have used other means to uncover the truth. Though everything he was spouting was built on misconceptions.
He sighed.
’I guess no one can really understand me and how I work...’
It made sense. Northern was simply an impossible existence to their minds. None of them could picture a body without a soul core possessing talents—it was inconceivable, a living paradox wrapped in flesh.
Northern met his gaze with lazy indifference.
"Alright, big man. Entertain me."
The Dark Elf grinned and surged forward like a black tide. He struck Northern with crushing force that should have flattened him—only Northern stood far beyond such power.
The ominous blade sliced through air and stopped inches from Northern’s face. A heartbeat later, Northern rose slightly, lifting his head above the man’s, then crashed down with a bone-shattering headbutt that thundered across the clouds.
Twilight was creeping through the horizon, and the clouds slowly gained a pale cantaloupe glow.
Stevein slammed into the metallic deck, dropping to one knee. He groaned and spat blood, watching as Northern landed with a wince.
"Huh. You’re strong, no doubt."
Northern touched his forehead.
"What the hell is your skull made of?"
From below, Stevein carved an upward arc, slashing at Northern, but he tilted his head back, letting the blade whistle past his face.
Northern clenched his fist. His hand shot forward before Stevein could retract or even see it coming. All he knew was something crushed his stomach and ruptured his organs, sending crimson spraying from his mouth.
Northern’s hand flashed out, seizing his hair—instantly, his knee crashed into Stevein’s jaw. Another blow hammered his stomach again.
All strikes landed before the Dark Elf could even track them. Northern was fast. Too fast.
Stevein groaned in agony, his hair still trapped in Northern’s iron grip. He tried to slash at Northern, but the strike froze midway—as if the wind itself had seized him.
Northern released his hair and stepped back, then swept his hand forward. The wind roared to life, hurling Stevein away in a howling gale.
He crashed into the metal wall of the sliced pagoda and crumpled down. Silent for a moment.
Northern waited with his hands clasped behind his back. After a dozen seconds passed, he frowned.
"Don’t tell me that’s all you have to offer."
Instantly, a darkish red beam shot out from where he’d fallen. Northern casually extended one hand, and the wind sliced the beam apart, sending fragments flying past his sides to destroy the ship’s bow on both ends.
Stevein was already upon Northern, flying in a blur—but to Northern, he crawled like molasses.
With a bored sigh, Northern vanished completely while Stevein was airborne, leaving the Dark Elf confused for a heartbeat.
"Here, doofus."
As the Dark Elf, already carried by his momentum, turned his head, Northern’s fist crashed into his face and sent him tearing through the metallic vessel’s deck.
The entire airship groaned like a wounded beast.
Northern hovered in the air, gazing down into the hole the instructor had carved with his body.
His face held distant disinterest. Then he slowly descended.
Stevein’s hand burst from the hole. With raw strength, he tore through the twisted metal and emerged, fury blazing in his eyes.
"If this is all you have for me, it’ll be disappointing. Because I haven’t even started trying to fight you. You said you studied me, right? So were you able to devise a way to defeat me? Or is this your best?"
Stevein smiled, blood trickling through his teeth.
"That, we’ve surely done. But it’s not my job."
Northern fell silent for a moment. Then he frowned and spoke evenly.
"We, huh. Of course there are more of you. But you’re contradicting yourself right now. Didn’t you say you’d stop me from putting a wrench in your plans?"
The instructor grinned.
"That’ll work out if I stall you long enough."
Northern’s eyes widened.
’The academy! Crap! I was enjoying myself too much!’
His expression shifted in that instant, and he went silent. Stevein didn’t waste the opening. He lunged forward, gripping his sword with both hands and hurling a strike that streaked down from above.
Northern frowned and moved forward casually, widening his palm. As he moved it, vicious flames engulfed his hand while ice spread across the floor, trapping the instructor’s feet.
In one fluid motion, Northern’s flaming palm slapped Instructor Stevein’s face. Fire consumed his head.
"You shouldn’t have reminded me, fool."
Northern stepped back and watched the man dance about, trying to escape the flames.
Then he raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
The flames exploded with crushing force, the blast thundering across the entire cloud and rippling outward.
Casting a cold glance at the Dark Elf’s falling body, Northern soared into the air and landed on his airship. Immediately, the vessel groaned into movement, slowly turning away.
As it shoved the metallic ship aside, that one began spiraling downward.
However, the falling vessel suddenly stopped mid-plummet.
Northern had landed and was already at the helm. The others had rounded up the students and were tending to them.
Northern frowned as his airship pulled away. A chill of dread crept up his spine.
The metallic vessel slowly rose back up, pulsing in an eerie rhythm. The metallic beast was groaning again.
And this time... it wasn’t a metaphor.
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