Alex moved quietly through the Free States, taking in the nuances of each place. His presence was unassuming, just another traveler on the road, observing without drawing attention. Unlike other territories, these states operated without the heavy influence of one centralized power; each region had its own subtle character, shaped by the unique blend of cultures, traditions, and everyday resilience of its people.
Eva, ever-diligent, would occasionally provide insights on each state as they passed through.
"Alex," her voice broke the silence one morning, "The Free State of Olara maintains a cooperative trade network between local villages, a system unaffiliated with Powergen. They rely heavily on river commerce, trading minerals for goods from other states, as such their technological situation is just a bit higher than previous state before the rise of super powers, but can't compare to the current tech advances in the world at large."
Alex nodded thoughtfully, finding the independent spirit of these places refreshing. It was a contrast to the oppressive hierarchies he'd encountered elsewhere in Dominion and Corona, and he admired the resilience of these people who found ways to sustain themselves against all odds.
As days turned into weeks, Alex spent more time within Cognichip space, honing his skills with the water matrix.
---
Within Cognichip's simulated ocean, he found himself standing before a vast, endless sea. The simulation was designed to test the limits of his control, challenging him to shape the matrix of water with more precision and speed than ever before.
Cognichip's prompt appeared before him, words flashing onto the screen:
"Objective: Shape soul power into the Water Matrix. Control cosmic energy to follow a water sequence."
This was different from the Fire matrix he'd already mastered. With Fire, it was a process of igniting raw power, drawing out intensity. But water required a different finesse—fluid, adaptable, and rhythmic, as such their matrixes are quite different in it's make-up.
He stretched out his hand, focusing as he directed his soul power into the complex web of patterns within the water matrix. It felt like trying to weave together liquid strands of energy, each line blending and flowing into the next.
After what felt like months in the extended time of Cognichip space, the movements became more instinctive. He could now sculpt the soul power into a perfect water matrix, controlling the formation of water sequence and controlling the ocean with more precision than the last time. And then, after another long phase of practice, he managed to condense the activation time to mere nanoseconds.
With each successful attempt, he felt more attuned to the water matrix, until it became an extension of his own will.
---
Back in reality, his journey through the Free States continued at a steady pace. Weeks had passed by, and Alex kept his movements unhurried, absorbing the atmosphere of each new place. Occasionally, he'd pause to work on his soul refinement, taking moments of stillness to condense his soul power further.
Eva kept him updated on changes as they arose.
"Another Free State is shifting power structures, Alex," she informed him one morning. "Lagoa State recently held an internal council to discuss increased trade restrictions from Powergen-affiliated states. They're considering aligning with other Free States to counter Powergen's influence."
Alex listened, appreciating the complexity of the Free States and their drive to maintain independence. It was a reminder of the resilience he'd observed across his journey, each place shaping itself in response to whatever challenge it faced.
---
By the end of his journey, he had become comfortable with the intricacies of the water matrix, and his soul refinement had grown stronger with each practice session. The weeks had passed in quiet progression, and he felt ready to continue forward, knowing he had learned as much from the Free States as he had from Cognichip practice, he doesn't intend to intervene here, while he owns Powergen, it's not place to force everyone to accept it.