She stood up from her chair and slowly walked toward the window overlooking the settlement. It looked so peaceful that it was easy to forget this entire place existed in hiding.
Without turning around, she asked quietly,
"Tell me honestly. If you clear those trials... If you stand before the Twelfth Soul Current...What makes you believe it will listen to you?"
I remained silent. Because I didn’t know. The All-Knowing Eyes had shown me the gate.
Nothing more.
Whether the current could be controlled... Whether it even wanted to be controlled...
I had absolutely no idea.
"I don’t," I admitted honestly.
"And that worries me."
She slowly returned to her seat.
"Overconfidence has buried more heroes than weakness ever has."
For several moments she remained deep in thought before finally speaking again.
"The only question that truly matters now isn’t whether your plan works. It’s whether you can even reach the point where it becomes possible."
"You mean the trials."
She nodded.
"If the Ruler himself created those trials, then ordinary Saints have no business attempting them."
A small chuckle escaped me.
"I’ve never really considered myself ordinary."
"I have heard."
The old woman couldn’t help smiling. Then her expression gradually became serious once again.
"And that is exactly why I’m not letting you go alone."
I frowned.
"I wasn’t asking for permission."
"You weren’t."
"And yet I’m refusing anyway."
I sighed.
"Evelyn..."
"No."
Her answer came immediately.
"If I have to place the entire Ironhart Settlement under lockdown to stop you from sneaking away by yourself, then that’s exactly what I’ll do."
She folded her arms.
"The future of this settlement isn’t sitting outside our walls."
She pointed directly at me.
"It’s sitting in front of me."
I couldn’t even argue with that. Before I could think of another approach, she continued.
"And stop worrying about gathering enough people."
I looked up.
"The Ironhearts aren’t the only hidden lineage surviving inside the Prime Territory."
She slowly shook her head.
"Far from it."
"There are ancient dragon clans hidden throughout the regions. Griffon tribes that have refused to submit to the Eternals. Several elven bloodlines that disappeared from history long ago. Even a handful of giant and fairy settlements continue hiding in places the Eternals have never discovered."
I felt genuinely surprised.
"So many?"
"The Prime Territory is much larger than you imagine."
She smiled knowingly.
"We’ve all been surviving in the shadows."
I immediately saw the problem.
"The more people we involve, the greater the chance that information leaks. If the Eternals discover we’re searching for the Twelfth Soul Current before we even reach the trials, they’ll do everything possible to stop us."
Evelyn dismissed the concern with a calm wave of her hand.
"You leave that part to me."
I raised an eyebrow.
"I’m not planning to invite entire armies."
Her smile became almost mischievous.
"Only the very best. The leaders. The strongest Saints. The people whose loyalty has already been tested."
She leaned forward slightly.
"If we’re risking everything, then there’s no reason to bring anyone incapable of changing the outcome."
I slowly nodded.
That...Actually made sense.
"And besides," she added with an amused smile, "if this impossible plan somehow succeeds..."
"...the Ironhearts deserve to benefit from it."
I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.
"You’re still thinking about rewards?"
She looked almost offended.
"Of course I am."
I laughed even harder.
"The fate of the Prime Territory is at stake and you’re still negotiating benefits."
"The fate of my family has always been my responsibility."
Her answer came without the slightest hesitation.
"I’ve spent thousands of years protecting the Ironharts. Do you really expect me to stop now simply because the stakes became larger?"
I shook my head while smiling.
"No. I suppose I don’t."
She rose from her chair and walked toward the doorway.
"I’ll call a council meeting."
"So soon?"
"The sooner the better."
She looked back over her shoulder.
"Half an hour. The council hall. Only those whose opinions truly matter will be invited."
She smiled faintly.
"And Billion...Don’t be late."
I stood up and bowed my head slightly.
"I’ll be there."
After saying our goodbyes, I stepped outside into the cool evening air and gently closed the door behind me.
Instead of heading directly toward the council hall, I flew back toward my own home.
There was still one more thing I needed before that meeting began.
Information.
The moment I entered my room, I sat cross-legged on the floor and closed my eyes. One after another, faint threads of connection appeared within my consciousness.
My summons.
Scattered across different regions of the Prime Territory. I reached toward the first one.
Knight.
The connection formed almost instantly.
"Ohh so you do remember me?"
A smile appeared on my face.
"Where are you?"
"Region One."
"And?"
A quiet laugh echoed through our connection.
"If you’re asking whether there are humans here... not many. This place mostly belongs to souls from the Prime Galaxy. I’ve seen dragons, griffons, elves that look strangely similar to Lyrate, and even fairies. Honestly, it’s the region where the strongest races of our universe gathers. It has been really difficult to hide myself from them."
I listened quietly while Knight continued.
"There are two Eternal Saints stationed here. I’d estimate somewhere around Level Five Hundred and Fifty, maybe a little higher. Strong enough that ordinary resistance groups don’t stand much of a chance."
His voice became noticeably more serious.
"There are hidden families here too, just like the Ironharts. They launched an attack not long ago, hoping to assassinate one of the Eternal Saints."
"And?"
"They failed."
The answer came quietly.
"Most of them were destroyed."
I remained silent for a few moments before finally replying.
"Alright. I have something much bigger planned."
"I thought you might."
"Begin constructing hidden teleportation pockets throughout Region One. Leave several concealed exits in different locations."
Knight didn’t ask why.
"Understood."
"I’ll summon you soon."
The connection slowly faded.
One by one, I reached out to my remaining summons, learning where each of them had settled, what they had discovered and how the other regions differed from one another. By the time I opened my eyes again, I had gained a much clearer picture of the Prime Territory than I had possessed only a few days earlier.
The pieces were finally beginning to move.
Now...
It was time to convince everyone else to move with them.
There was still one piece missing.
I now knew that the Twelfth Soul Current existed, and I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do once I reached it. None of that mattered, however, if I couldn’t even locate the entrance to its sealed realm. Unlike my previous question, this one was precise enough that the cost shouldn’t be anywhere near as terrifying.
After taking a slow breath, I activated the All-Knowing Eyes once again.
The familiar black markings spread across the skin around my eyes, while the rotating black crosses within my pupils began spinning faster. Soul Force quietly flowed out of my Soul Sea as I asked the question I had carefully prepared.
"Where is the entrance to the sealed realm containing the Twelfth Soul Current?"