"Glia, any opinion? Do you like any of the options?" I tell the jaguar curled up on my legs about all the choices.

"There are many interesting options." She looks at me, tilting her head from side to side. "I don't want to influence your decision, brother, I'll leave it in your hands. Just let me know before you choose." Through our bond, which grows stronger by the day, I can feel her intentions—she doesn't want to pressure me into making a choice I might regret.

I let out a sigh. "Then, I'll start eliminating some." I go back over the list of options.

An extra skill slot is very useful, but it's not necessary. I just freed one by fusing two of my skills, and I'll unlock another in a few months when I rank up. Right now, I don't see the need to add another one when I'm already busy improving so many abilities. That's my first discard.

The cube's evolution—I think I'll discard that too. It's very important to break the first limit, but I'm already close to completing the first stage. I just need a little push and I'll do it on my own. That's the second one gone.

Breaking the limit of a skill probably refers to shattering a bottleneck. That would help with my movement skill, but I'm close to gaining a new pseudo-Law for that anyway. So, not really a priority.

Skill fusion… it sounds tempting, but I have no idea which skills I could fuse. The risk of combining two that are incompatible and ending up with some useless mess is too great. Better to discard that as well.

Improving my control over Mana and Imra? That one catches my interest. A stronger grasp of the foundation of all my skills is always a good thing. But… it feels strange, like cheating myself, to improve control over something I can just practice and refine through effort. It would feel dishonest. Besides, my control is already better than many who are at Sapphire rank.

That leaves me with four options, all of them important and tempting. Each one gives an immediate benefit, each one aligns with what I'm searching for.

The next question: do I need a specialized weapon? At the moment, my Joyeuse blades already give me more power compared to my old bone swords. The only advantage those gave me was a smoother flow for Imra, but with all the progress I've made in these months, that's no longer necessary.

Thinking it through calmly, my Joyeuse should be able to cover that weakness for now—or so I hope. I haven't had any problem against Grade 3 monsters so far. It hurts a little to discard this one because I love swords. If they were offering me a blade made from a Grade 5 beast, I'd take it without a second thought. But I doubt that's the case here.

A rank (IV) skill? That option is very tempting. Anyone in this world would want one. Almost no one would reject such a chance. But I feel like I'm at a crossroads similar to the control improvement—I'd rather earn such a skill myself, learn it, master it, than simply receive it without effort. To me, that feels like cheating.

I pause for a moment and decide to discard it. I do want a rank (IV) skill, but right now it's not my priority. I already have three of them, and another three are close to advancing.

That leaves me with just two choices: • A guide to obtain a Law. • Forcing a pseudo-Law to become a Law.

Both are very similar, both will help me achieve the same result but through different paths. One would convert directly into a Law by force; the other would give me the knowledge and guidance to achieve it myself. The question is weighing the pros and cons.

Do I want to start from information and build my way to a Law? Or should I force one of my pseudo-Laws to evolve instantly? The second option would save me the struggle of figuring out how that Law fits into me.

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I lie down on the cold floor, staring up at the ceiling. Glia curls up on my stomach like a cat. I gently stroke her soft fur as I think, and think.

Which should I choose? Which one? I want to skip the tedious step of figuring out how a Law applies to me… but at the same time, doing so feels like deceiving myself, like avoiding the effort. That doesn't sit right with me.

On the other hand, a guide would only give me knowledge—it would still depend on me to apply it and reach a Law. It would likely take me much longer, piecing everything together, but I'd be building it through my own effort, forging something truly mine.

My grandmother always said there's a great difference between all Laws. Each one follows a unique path, and each person perceives it differently. If I force a pseudo-Law into a Law, the omnipresent voice will shape it into something suitable for me. But what if, over time, I could discover an even better fit? Not everything is perfect, and I'm changing all the time.

Minutes pass and pass, my indecision dragging on—until a notification jolts me. "You have ten minutes to choose an option. If you fail to choose within that time, the dungeon will select one at random for you, and you will be expelled."

Only ten minutes more? I don't need them. I've already made my choice.

Forcing a pseudo-Law into a Law is powerful, no doubt. But it goes against my philosophy. I prefer hard work and training to reach my goals. Forcing it would only solve a temporary problem, and I can't be sure it wouldn't create more down the line.

I share my thoughts with Glia, and she agrees with me. She's happy if I'm happy with my choices. "If you ever make a bad decision in the future, I'll be here to comfort you." Her words touch my soul. She is unconditional, someone who will always be there for me, as I will for her.

"I choose the option: a guide to obtain a Law." I speak aloud so the dungeon can hear my decision.

The omnipresent voice returns to my mind. "We will analyze the most suitable paths for you. You will feel a slight tingling in your core." Before I can even process the words, a sharp pain hits the right side of my chest. The pain grows until it feels like a hammer blow. You call this a slight tingling?

The pain fades after a few seconds, leaving me feeling as if nothing had ever happened.

"These are the paths found:" • Guide for a Law of Ice • Guide for a Law of Space • Guide for a Law of Electricity • Guide for a Law of Strength • Guide for a Law of Speed

I immediately discard the last two. Too common. They're the options most people unlock when advancing to Sapphire. With effort, I could achieve those myself later.

The other three make me hesitate. With only ten minutes left, I have to analyze them carefully.

Ice? That was my first pseudo-Law. Since then, I've felt significant progress. I haven't dedicated much time to turning it into a Law yet, but I'm already halfway there. It would feel like a waste to use the guide on something I can achieve with focus and effort.

Electricity? I'm one step away from obtaining a pseudo-Law tied to it. My father's books and his help have brought me close. All I need is a spark of inspiration, the final push.

Space? Similar to electricity—I'm close to a pseudo-Law. But after that, I'd be lost. My grandmother never succeeded in evolving it, so I don't have any references or guidance. I'd be stumbling in the dark.

"I choose the guide for a Law of Space." My doubts vanish the moment I think about how rare it is to find someone with this supreme affinity—and how much harder it would be to convince such a person to help me. Those people are usually Ruby rank or higher, far too busy for me to ever approach. It's better to get this guidance now.

"The guide will be stored in your core. You may use it whenever you wish." The voice pauses for a moment before continuing. "You will be expelled from the dungeon in twenty seconds."

Those words ignite a wave of euphoria within me. Not only have I completed such a difficult dungeon, I've gained several levels, raised two skills to rank (IV), and most importantly—I now hold a guide for obtaining a Law of a supreme affinity. All I'd need now is something tied to time, and I'd have connections to all four supreme affinities.

"Glia, we're leaving in a few seconds." She retreats into my Cube to rest. She's exhausted after giving me her mana during the fight against the Death Knight. She deserves both a long rest and a feast when we return.

The world goes dark, and I feel ripples of space as I'm expelled. I could never sense these waves before. They're still impossible to fully comprehend, but the fact that I can feel them now shows my progress toward grasping the pseudo-Law. I'm one step away.

As I emerge from the dungeon, I open my eyes slowly. When I try to walk, I can't. Something is holding me, a prison of sorts surrounding me. Mana and Imra? No, not just that—I feel the weight of Laws, and something unknown restraining me.

In that same instant, someone enters my Domain. They've teleported behind me. Did this person trap me? Two swords press against my neck. I can't move. I can't do anything. Using my abilities is nearly impossible.

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