System S.E.X. (Seduction, Expansion, eXecution)-Chapter 339: The Glass Cage

The Matriarch’s energy projection flickered, the light casting long, dancing shadows across the balcony. "The dome you perceive as the sky is actually a spiritual matrix," said the Matriarch. "You may not understand it now, but in the future, you will. I promise you."

She moved her hand, and the projection zoomed in on the edges of the sphere. "The matrix is ​​designed to disorient. It is powerful—so powerful that when anyone approaches the outer boundaries, their senses are warped. They turn back toward the center without ever realizing it, firmly believing the world is a sphere. Based on my experiences and what I have heard, there must be several places like this within the Desolate Lands, separated and isolated. What I still do not understand is... why."

Ethan watched the swirling energy, his mind reeling from the scale of the deception.

"Over the years," she continued, "visitors like me have been objects of hatred and attack. Luckily for me, no one knows I am an outsider. When I arrived, communication was not so sophisticated, so I lost myself in time. To everyone living in this world, I have always been here. I have maintained that appearance for centuries. You are the first person I have told the truth to," said the Matriarch.

Ethan narrowed his eyes, his Amethyst vision pulsing. "Why? Why tell me all of this? What is your true objective?" Ethan said.

"The reason... I do not want to base our relationship on lies," said the Matriarch. "Your potential is too great to ignore, and I am certain this prison will not be able to contain you for much longer. I prefer to give you my hand now while you are at the bottom, rather than trying to reach you when you are flying through the heavens. Call it feminine intuition."

Ethan let out a short, dry laugh, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You’re quite the gambler, Matriarch. But I appreciate the honesty," Ethan said.

The Matriarch’s expression turned grim as the projection in her hand changed. A red circle appeared, expanding and contracting over the dome. "During the hundreds of years I have been trapped, people have always tried to escape. And as I told you, I am not the only one to enter. There have always been outsiders. Right now, the situation is critical. For years, the matrix has been weakening," she said.

She pointed to the red glow. "The dome is the size the matrix has always been, but the red circle is our current reach. No one knows if the dome is failing or expanding. Because of this, the world is divided into two factions: those who want to take advantage of the weakness to destroy the matrix, and those who want to find it to repair it," said the Matriarch.

Ethan frowned. "Isn’t destroying it a good thing? Why wouldn’t everyone want to leave? Why would anyone want to stay locked in here?" Ethan said.

"It is exactly because of the outsiders," said the Matriarch. "Do you think people don’t want to see what is outside this giant dome? Everyone wants to flee. But every time an outsider enters, they are always one of two types: the poor and weak of the outside world who were forced here to survive—like me—and the criminals. Powerful men who offended the wrong people and are now hunted like dogs."

She looked at Ethan, her eyes reflecting an ancient fear. "The first type causes little trouble; they adapt and build lives. But whenever the second type arrives, it is a massacre. They are brutal, powerful, and invincible," she said.

"Imagine if tomorrow a being appeared so powerful that it required the entire world to unite just to face him. The last one who entered decades ago nearly destroyed half of Europe and Asia. An uncountable number of people died just to stop him... even I was wounded at that time," said the Matriarch.

Ethan’s blood ran cold. "How can they be that powerful?" Ethan said.

"Inside here, there is a suppression matrix," the Matriarch replied. "I am bound by it as well. I can only use a tiny fraction of my real power. I am at the top of this world, yet outside, I am nobody—perhaps among the weakest powers, like a normal human. When the truly powerful come, they are also suppressed. But even suppressed, their bodies remain incredibly resistant. Their attack power might be limited, but their defense is colossal. They cannot be defeated easily," she said.

Ethan let out a long, slow breath, finally understanding the sheer hopelessness of the situation. It wasn’t just a prison; it was a shield.

"This is not a secret to everyone," the Matriarch added. "The outsiders who had good relations told the natives. That is why that faction is terrified. Opening the gates doesn’t just mean we can leave; it means everyone outside can come in. Without the protection of the matrix... the people of this world would be like fish on a chopping block. They could never face the beings of the outside world," said the Matriarch.

Ethan stared at the fading projection of the trapped world. "I’m not sure I want those gates to open either," Ethan said. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The Matriarch gave a short, knowing laugh. "I know. Everyone wants the benefits, but nobody wants the risk... That is also why you have only been attacked ’lightly’ so far. Believe me, powers like Parthenon, Celestial, or the Union are incredibly strong, but their greatest assets are currently guarding a specific location. They cannot leave out of fear," said the Matriarch.

Ethan’s interest sharpened. "Guarding what? What could be so important that they’d leave their own territories vulnerable?" Ethan said.

"A long time ago, a rune expert entered this world. He called himself the ’Truth Seeker.’ He was a scholar who lived to uncover the secrets of the cosmos," the Matriarch said. "He traveled through countless ruins and lost places, and because of that, he learned more and more about runes. He eventually discovered that the runes used today are extremely limited—many have been lost to time or are being monopolized by the Great Powers of the outside world."

She paced the balcony, her eyes glowing with the weight of the history she was sharing.

"Since he had no backing and no great fortune, he dedicated his life to exploring ancient ruins to find them. He became a true expert in ancient runes. In one of his travels, he heard whispers of this place—this isolated cage—and he came here specifically to study it," said the Matriarch.