Just for a moment, but Ardur saw it. Fast-moving blue lines intertwining in spirals that appeared and disappeared in their endless journey of never-ending evolution.
It was a Gene, the foundation of this world, no less important than water and the main source of energy and all forces.
It didn't matter if a person was preparing to become an Origin for a long time or if everything happened in a spontaneous series of events, as in Ardur's case. Everyone needed the Genes to become stronger.
The first thing was to reveal the Spark of the Catalyst, basically to obtain the first ability.
Well, Ardur already understood this, as well as the fact that he now had more important things to do.
"Who the hell are you?" Barna frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.
Ardur chuckled. "I have the same question. Do you know that it's rude to interfere in someone else's fight?"
"Hah, you mean you'd have won?" She smirked.
Ardur didn't answer, instead his gaze fell on Barna's hands. She had a weapon just like him, but it wasn't a sword or a spear, but two iron gauntlets reaching up to her elbows, full of thunderous power.
"Is that your Catalyst?"
"Hm? Yeah, is this your first time seeing the Garon Type Catalyst?"
He was caught off guard. There was too much information.
"I see... You're a beginner. But then, where did you come from, and where did the fallen monster come from?"
At moments like this, Ardur's brain was working at full capacity. He could tell the truth and say that he fell from the sky from another continent or even another world, which he himself was not sure about, or he could lie.
"Hahaha, so you came for this? Sorry, but I got here first!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Ardur noticed a forest in the distance as he pointed there.
"I'm a hunter. Far beyond this forest, I have a hut, and now I'm traveling in search of unusual beasts. But, to be honest, I prefer not to interact with people. As soon as I saw the falling star, I immediately ran here."
Barna raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah? And who are you hunting?"
Strangely enough, he had an answer.
"Apart from the need for food, only rare and, you could say, perfect beasts. Those that have reached their absolute peak or interested me with their unique features."
"I see..." Barna nodded. "Well, that sucks. I don't know when we'll have another opportunity like this. I thought Ren could become an Origin. Shit!"
She kicked a pebble.
Ardur's lie worked, and he decided that it was the best solution at the moment.
What would he do if Barna continued to ask questions, not believing the story he made up in a couple of seconds?
Well, he didn't need any problems right at the start. He didn't mind covering his sword in blood if it was necessary.
'So she wanted this guy to do the same thing I did? No, after all the shit I've been through, I deserve this power. But... It's time to move on, isn't it?'
"Hey, you're right, I'm a newbie. Maybe you can tell me why your Catalyst is different from mine?"
Barna shrugged.
"Relax, I'm not a great warrior either. Every Origin has its own Catalyst, but they are divided into Types. Yours, the Arx Type, is a weapon in any form. Mine is the Garon Type."
She raised her hands to show the gauntlets.
"Something like combat armor. To some extent, it's similar to your type, but the differences are obvious, and other types have significant distinctions as well."
There was no optimism in Barna's eyes. She was clearly upset that they got nothing out of this mission.
It was time to take advantage of that.
"This," Ardur pointed to the floating island in the distance. "What the hell is this thing?"
Barna blinked several times in disbelief.
"Hell, you're not actually from here? Look, my situation is bad, but I don't want to drag anyone else into it. Better to go around the Chain Island and not look back."
Her reaction, the hatred hidden deep in her eyes, was enough for Ardur to make his decision.
His sword broke into pieces as he turned and headed toward the island. Confused, Barna stared at him as he looked back over his shoulder:
"I'm tired from traveling. Maybe you could at least offer me a cup of coffee?"
…
Step. Step. Step.
Soon, they left the Winding Plain and stopped at the top of a slope where Ardur's gaze fell upon a view.
Five villages or settlements were located on the edge of a deep abyss, plunged into darkness, and only purple fumes came out with a dim light from the cracks.
From each village proceeded a great chain, moving from the central square to the edge of the island, hovering above the abyss. Unlike the villages, which even to a stranger like Ardur looked depleted and in decline, the island shone brightly and was full of power.
"Agh..." Ren sighed heavily as he pointed to the village ahead. "That's our village, the Iron Chain Village!"
"Iron, right?" Ardur raised an eyebrow.
The village before him was no different from the slums on his continent. The houses were not made of concrete or wood, but of metal scraps, practically garbage, and whatever else was at hand. The lighting ran on whatever fuel was available, even if it was dirty, viscous oil.
Barna nodded.
"Every village has a chain, and its name depends on the metal. Ours is iron."
"Is there a hierarchy among the villages?"
"I wouldn't say so."
Ardur touched his chin thoughtfully before looking up.
"And this island, the Chain Island, is the root of all the problems?"
As soon as he said it, Barna's face twisted into a grimace.
"The Heaven Dwellers, those bastards, take our resources once a month. Everything we collect, whether it's materials from monsters killed in the area or extracted from mines. No, not even that. They force us to do it, otherwise..."
Darkness covered her face.
"They kill people demonstratively and do it as vividly as possible. They try to maintain control by any means necessary."
Unfortunately for Barna, she saw no sympathy or desire for justice in Ardur's gaze.
For him, it was a practical way to maintain power, nothing more.
"I see, the Heaven Dwellers? Is that what they call themselves?"
Barna shook her head.
"That's what we call them. The faction is called the Golden Light, they rule on the Chain Island, and their leader..."
She bit her lip almost to the point of bleeding.
"Luras Ashtein, he is the worst man, no... creature I have ever known. Never, in anyone's eyes, have I seen such arrogance, such pride towards others. He looks at us as if we are subhumans, as if he is a representative of another, higher race."
Her voice was trembling, but Barna decided to say the following:
"He considers himself the strongest, the perfect being..."
She did not expect compassion from Ardur, but she raised her head only to freeze in shock.
Ardur stared at the island as his eyes were wide open in wild bliss.
"Perfect being, you say?"
He looked like a wanderer in the desert who finally found a lake full of water, but his true desire was not to quench his thirst but his hunger, he wanted to drown in this lake those who believed they had achieved perfection.
"Barna." His deep voice rang out.
"Y-Yes?" She gulped.
Ardur pointed to the Chain Island.
"We will dump this island into that fucking abyss and Luras... he is mine."