For any Carrier, receiving a new Pattern was a major milestone. It meant that a Catalyst had evolved, that a new ability had appeared, and that could only be good news.
Sure, finding the right Pattern was difficult. If a Carrier didn't have abilities like Menir, it was a long and laborious process, but with a worthy reward.
Ethan wanted to fill his Second Pattern with his Broken Circle, which was the most he could hope for.
And here he was.
The girl he was supposed to kill, who got the Pattern for herself, opened up the possibility of his power.
[First Circle Catalyst has fully developed the Second Pattern.]
Then, in Ethan's head, there was a click of moving gears.
[Triumvirate Path (First Circle Catalyst)
Pattern #1: Fully Assembled
Pattern #2: Fully Assembled
Pattern #3: Impossible without a complete circle. An unexpected outcome may occur under specific circumstances.]
Not wanting to wait, Ethan clenched his fist with a satisfied grin, forcing the gears inside the Construct to start turning.
A line of darkness ran down his arm as he decided to activate his Second Pattern.
There seemed to be almost no difference, but in abilities that appeared simple, one detail was enough to completely change the outcome.
"Oh, you got a Pattern too, that's unexpected..." Menir muttered, taken aback.
Ethan grinned.
"Hell yeah, look at that! Finally, something for me!"
Earlier, when the First Pattern was activated, the dark clot turned into a vertical line on Ethan's arm, but now the line was significantly longer and located on his forearm.
Menir tilted her head thoughtfully. "You know. Your Catalyst has barely changed compared to my Second Pattern."
"Well, it's the effect that matters, isn't it?"
Menir nodded.
"Sure. I guess there's no point in asking you to hold back, so show me what you can do."
She didn't need to repeat herself. As soon as the words left her lips, Ethan ran toward the nearest tree.
Previously, to inflict damage, he had to strike at close range, with a punch or a palm strike. Now, everything was slightly different.
"Watch closely!" Ethan took a deep breath as the dark cross trembled.
The line of darkness shot forward, connecting with the tree trunk like a harpoon. Then, Ethan's frame shook as he found himself right in front of the tree, delivering a precise palm hit.
The corrosive blast of darkness burst out, striking everything inside and behind the tree. At the same time, a smooth cut remained on the surface, as if made by a very sharp dagger.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Slow, unenthusiastic claps rang out from the side.
"Not bad, not bad at all. However, I wouldn't use this ability too often or against bigger opponents."
"Hmm? Why?" Ethan turned, standing among the destroyed tree.
Menir pointed to herself. "Each subsequent Pattern not only unlocks new abilities for your Catalyst but also requires more energy. During the battle against the spirit, I used my Second Pattern twice. You saw what that led to. Reckless use of abilities can cause a strong backlash.
"So... You mean if I use my Second Pattern on another tree, I'll end up with a mouth full of blood."
In response, Menir shook her head.
"No, I doubt it. Everyone has different abilities and different recoil. For me, two times is dangerous, but for you, it might be more."
"I see. By the way, you got the Third Pattern, right? Do you want to show me what it does?"
Menir turned around and headed toward the city.
"Not now. Let's go back home and decide what to do next. It seems like it's not a coincidence that we found each other."
At that moment, her voice became darker, as if there was something more behind her words than just luck.
"I have four patterns, you have three. You started with one, and I had two when you showed up. Our Circles fit together perfectly. Once I get the fourth pattern, you'll get the third, and we'll no longer be the Broken Carriers."
Ethan frowned. "How can you be so sure? What if something goes wrong?"
"It's just my best guess. That's it."
...
As much as Ethan wanted to continue, he knew they needed a break. Not only because they went through a battle, but also because they needed to master their new abilities.
Ethan trained in the backyard of his house, which was essentially a street that had long since turned into a junkyard, just like Roger's. Such was the fate of those who lived on the outskirts of the city at the Lower Expanse. However, it also meant that he could destroy anything he wanted without consequences.
At that moment, Menir sat on the roof of his small house, hugging her knees.
Before her lay the whole of Orsire, their city, that held both many opportunities and threats. Lights burned in hundreds of houses, as well as in the tall towers in the distance, showing their superiority over the poor neighborhoods.
Menir did not practice. She lied about it because her Third Pattern was so simple that everything depended on the right moment, not the execution.
'That day... when the Blind Voyager brought me to the Rotten Forest...'
She turned around, looking at Ethan who was training under the light of the blue moon.
'All I met were monsters and the Crooked Growon who turned out to be too strong. I didn't find what Black Horn was needed, but... Could there be anything more valuable to a Broken Carrier than a suitable donor?'
Menir realized this yesterday.
Sure, she was lucky that Ethan arrived in time and saved her by literally pulling her out of the Crooked Growon's gut, but it was the Blind Voyager who had led her there. Her ability knew that Ethan would show up.
Step.
Menir climbed down from the roof and approached Ethan.
"I'm going to sleep. Are you planning to keep training?"
"Nah, since when have you been living with me? Don't you have a home of your own?" Ethan snorted.
Menir shook her head.
"I don't have a home. If it's more convenient for you, I can sleep outside. I've done it before."
Rolling his eyes, Ethan threw his coat over himself.
"Don't be so dramatic."
Knock. Knock. Knock.
They barely entered the house when they heard a loud knock at the door.
Ethan and Menir looked at each other. She gulped, thinking it might be the Black Horn people.
Carefully, Ethan approached the door and opened it as a shadow fell over him.
Standing in front of him was a man in a black uniform with red lines along the edges of his powerful frame. It looked like the uniform of the Exalted Claws, but... it was missing the official emblem, which immediately caused suspicion.
"Sorry to bother you at this late hour. Hahaha."
The man chuckled, scratching his thick mustache.
"But I just couldn't ignore the two rising stars that caught my attention."
Before Ethan and Menir could understand anything, the man strode inside.
"Who are you?" Ethan frowned.
The man stood at the table with his back straight.
"It's not who I am that matters, but why I'm here."
His eyes scanned them.
"How about joining the army, you two Broken Carriers. Or... Will I soon have to address you as the True Carriers?"
He knew.
Ethan and Menir became wary.
Nothing but threats emanated from this fake military figure standing before them.