The journey from the Crossroads to Region Three took almost an entire day.
Unlike the organized traffic surrounding the trade hub, the deeper routes leading toward the Prime Territory felt increasingly controlled. Even before reaching the region itself, I noticed patrols moving through the surrounding space. Phantom squads traveled along predetermined routes while larger formations guarded important transit corridors.
Most of them consisted of Grandmaster-level souls led by powerful Transcendents, and every group carried communication artifacts linked directly to the Eternal administration.
Morrow had spent much of the trip explaining how the territory functioned.
"The region itself is governed by administrators," he had said while guiding me through a network of maintenance routes hidden beneath official transit channels. "But actual authority belongs to the Eternals. Every region has two Saint-rank Eternal Overseers. Most people never see them, but everyone knows they’re there."
"And if something happens?"
"Then they appear."
His answer had been immediate.
"The administration handles crime. The phantoms handle enforcement. The Overseers handle everything else."
That had told me enough. Power always flowed toward whoever could enforce it.
Before we separated, Morrow raised his hand and a massive projection unfolded between us showing the Prime territory.
Even after everything I had seen inside the Null Realm, the sight still surprised me.
I had expected a city. Perhaps a continent.
Instead I found an entire civilization spread across a section of the Soul Sea so large it resembled a miniature universe. Countless territories floated above the silver waters while enormous streams of soul force connected them together. Vast cities drifted through the air, anchored by colossal roots of crystallized soul matter that extended deep into the ocean below.
Region Three occupied a massive section of that civilization. Multiple cities floated within its boundaries. Each city was enormous. Not large enough to be called planets. But certainly large enough to qualify as nations. The smallest city I could see stretched beyond the horizon. The largest resembled an entire continent suspended in the sky.
What truly drew my attention, however, were the barriers.
Every city was enclosed.
Gigantic domes of yellow light covered them completely, extending from the highest towers all the way into the ocean below. Streams of soul force flowed continuously through the barriers while patrols moved along their outer surfaces.
At first glance they appeared defensive. After observing them for a few minutes, I realized they served a different purpose.
Morrow followed my gaze.
"You noticed."
"They aren’t keeping people out."
"No."
"They’re keeping people in."
The Minotaur nodded slowly.
"Most residents don’t think about it anymore."
That was somehow worse. I remained hidden until nightfall. Not because I needed darkness.
Simply because fewer patrols were active. The city I selected was located near the center of Region Three. According to Morrow, nearly 900 million human souls lived there.
The number still felt absurd. Once the patrol patterns became clear, I approached the barrier.
Up close, the structure was even more impressive.
Layer upon layer of soul force had been woven together into a living formation. Every section communicated with neighboring sections while streams of information flowed continuously through the structure.
Breaking through it directly would alert half the region. Fortunately, I wasn’t interested in breaking it.
I extended my hand and pressed it against the barrier.
Soul force flowed outward.
My Laws followed. The section beneath my palm immediately began changing.
A small opening appeared within the barrier’s structure, large enough for a single person to pass through. The surrounding formation never even realized anything had happened.
A moment later I stepped inside. Then the opening closed behind me.
The city spread out beneath my feet. For several moments I remained hovering above it while observing.
"Beautiful."
That was the first word that came to mind.
The city resembled a fusion between fantasy and modern civilization. Vast towers of silver crystal stretched toward the sky while bridges connected entire districts together. Rivers of glowing soul force flowed through the streets. Floating platforms carried travelers between different regions of the city.
Thousands of lights illuminated the night. Countless voices filled the air.
The sight felt strangely familiar.
It reminded me of home. A civilization filled with ordinary people simply trying to live their lives. Which made it all the more unsettling.
Because none of it was real freedom. Before descending, I activated my Law. Illusion spread across my body.
The silver-violet soul force naturally surrounding me slowly changed appearance. My living presence became hidden beneath layers of illusion while an ethereal glow similar to every other soul in the city appeared around me.
The transformation wasn’t perfect. But it was good enough to pass me as a soul instead of a living person. Unless a Saint looked directly at me, nobody would notice.
Satisfied, I descended into the city. The streets were crowded despite the late hour.
Families walked together. Friends laughed outside restaurants.
The longer I observed, the stranger it became. Nobody looked oppressed or miserable.
If anything, most people seemed happy. The city felt normal.
I walked through district after district while observing. The signs eventually became impossible to ignore. Every resident carried a mark. Not visible immediately. A small symbol embedded within their souls.
Some kind of identification system.
Travel checkpoints existed throughout the city.
Every movement was monitored. Every resident was recorded. Every district reported information somewhere.
The people barely noticed. Because they had grown up centuries living under it.
A realization slowly formed in my mind. The Eternals weren’t controlling these people through fear.
The majority of residents probably never considered leaving.
And for the few who did...
The barriers were waiting.
I eventually entered a public market occupying several city blocks.
The place was packed.
Thousands of people moved between stalls selling everything from memory crystals to crafted soul artifacts.
I paused near a small food stand. The owner immediately smiled.
"First time visiting?"
I looked at him.
"What makes you think that?"
"You keep staring at everything."
The man laughed.
"Don’t worry. Everyone does that the first time."
I purchased a small piece of soul fruit and continued walking. For several hours I simply observed.
Yet the more information I gathered, the more one fact became obvious. Finding my parents here would be almost impossible.
900 million humans in just this city.
Multiple cities.
Even if they were somewhere inside Region Three, locating them would require access to information I currently didn’t possess. As that thought crossed my mind, my gaze drifted upward.
Far above the city. Far beyond the barrier. Two enormous presences rested somewhere in the distance.
Saints.
The Eternal Overseers.