Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 591 Singularity
In the study, the communication crystal suddenly lit up.

Ron looked up at the crystal floating in mid-air.

The light gradually gathered and converged, eventually unfolding into a picture in the air.

It was a breathtaking astrological chamber.

Countless astrolabes revolve around the central point according to some intricate geometric pattern.

Their orbits sometimes overlap and sometimes separate, weaving a flowing star map.

At the heart of these star charts sits a blind girl.

Chloe remained as slender as I remembered, her eyes covered by black silk.

But at this moment, she is completely different.

Ripples, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, surrounded her.

The texture of the ripples was extremely unique.

It resembles ripples on the water's surface caused by a stone thrown in, and also the distortions created by time itself flowing around her.

“Lecturer Ralph, no, I should call you Associate Professor Ralph now.”

Chloe's voice remained soft, like a gentle breeze rustling a pendulum.

"Congratulations on becoming the 'Potion Professor'."

Though I dwell deep within the forest of astrology, the echoes of time still carry your glory here.

Ron smiled and nodded:
"Your growth is equally amazing."

His gaze swept over the spinning star charts, lingering on the ripples of time surrounding Chloe:
"It seems you've reached a critical juncture."

"Yes."

Chloe gently stroked a floating hourglass beside her, golden sand swirling in a spiral at her fingertips:
"Grandma Leia helped me build this 'time resonance room'."

This allowed me to attempt a complete fusion of the rigor of history and the spirituality of astrology in a relatively stable environment.

A faint smile appeared on the girl's lips.
"This process was more difficult than I imagined, but it was also more wonderful."

"Whenever I examine the trajectories of stars from a historian's perspective, I find that those seemingly chaotic movements actually follow extremely precise causal laws."

“Whenever I use my astrologer’s intuition to perceive the threads of history, I see that events considered ‘accidental’ were actually predicted by the stars.”

Her voice became even more ethereal:
"History is not just 'facts that happened', and astrology is not just 'tools for predicting the future'."

"They are two sides of the same book."

"History is the footprints left by stars in time; celestial phenomena are the reflections of history in the future."

Ron listened quietly, and could sense the profound understanding contained in Chloe's words.

This has already touched the edge of a certain "Tao".

"Based on the current progress, I expect to achieve a breakthrough to the Moon-level within one to two years."

Chloe spoke as if stating something completely ordinary:
"At that time, after my meditation technique advances, I will have a certain ability to 'rewind history' and a more accurate 'future vision'."

Ron nodded in understanding.

This ability is of immeasurable value to astrology.

"correct."

He suddenly remembered something:
“I remember we made a promise.”

"'The Summit Pact'."

Chloe's smile grew even brighter:
"Of course I remember."

"Back then, I was just a little girl who could only rely on vague premonitions."

"And now."

The astrolabe behind her suddenly accelerated its rotation, projecting countless rays of light that traced two distinct paths in the air:
“I can see that our paths are indeed extending toward our respective ‘peaks’.”

"only"

The girl's voice became more meaningful:
“Our ‘peak’ seems to be in a different dimension.”

"You fight against the torrent of time, seeking the ultimate in knowledge and power, pursuing 'continuity' and 'mastery'."

"I choose to walk along the river of time, recording its flow, pursuing 'understanding' and 'witnessing'."

"Although the paths are vastly different, I believe..."

The rays of light in the natal chart converge at a single point:
"We will eventually meet again at the crossroads of fate."

"Perhaps by then, you will need a guide who can 'see'."

And I, too, will need a companion who can 'change' things.

Ron stared at the intersection, a strange feeling welling up inside him.

Chloe's path to adulthood was indeed quite different from his.

If he was a navigator sailing through a storm, then Chloe was an observer sitting in a lighthouse recording the tides.

The two perspectives complement each other.

"Then I look forward to that day."

Ron's voice was sincere.

Just then, the astrolabe behind Chloe suddenly stopped spinning.

All the light rays converged at the same time, focusing on her forehead.

The girl's body trembled slightly, and her eyes beneath the black silk seemed to "see" something at that moment.

"Associate Professor Ralph."

Her voice became serious:
"Since we've come to the topic of 'the intersection of fates,' I must tell you something."

"I saw."

"I saw the assessment you're about to face."

Ron's expression turned serious:
"The Golden Ring assessment?"

"Yes."

Chloe's hands moved gently in the air, and countless historical fragments began to appear around her.

Those fragments were extremely broken and blurry, like torn pages of a book fluttering in the wind:
"The flow of time in the seventh layer of the abyss is extremely chaotic, making it very difficult for me to accurately capture the complete scene."

"In addition to the assessment itself, it was protected by a powerful 'anti-prophecy' shield from the academic alliance."

Her brows furrowed:
"I can only see some fragmented 'signs' and 'symbols'."

The astrolabes began to rotate again, and this time, their trajectories became extremely distorted and irregular.

It's as if it's simulating the chaotic spacetime structure in the abyss.

Chloe closed her blindfolded eyes, her voice becoming faint and distant:
"I saw it. A tall tower without a shadow."

"Three mirrors are suspended at the top of the tower, but only two of them reflect light."

"The Third Side"

Her voice trembled slightly.
"The third mirror swallows all the light that shines into it, but reflects nothing."

Ron listened intently and began to record these images in his mind.

"Below that mirror, I saw an eye."

Chloe continued:
"That eye had no pupil, only an infinitely deep black dot."

"It is watching everyone who passes by the top of the tower, but what it sees..."

She paused for a long time:
"What it sees is not 'you as you are now,' but 'you as you should be.'"

"Then I saw the third symbol: a snake biting its own tail, forming a perfect circle."

"But that ring is constantly shrinking."

"Ultimately, it will shrink to a single point and devour everything within the ring."

Chloe's voice became extremely serious:
"These three symbols—the Tower of No Shadows, the non-reflective mirror, and the contraction of the ouroboros."

"They all point to a mystical concept."

She took a deep breath:
"Singularity".

“In ancient astrological texts, the ‘singularity’ represents the moment when all possibilities collapse into a single certainty.”

"That is the end of free will, the disappearance of choice, it is."

Her voice became like a murmur:
"The moment when 'ought to' triumphs over 'is'."

Ron felt a chill run down his spine.

This prophecy was more obscure and more terrifying than he had imagined.

"Chloe, could you explain that in more detail?"

"I can only tell you my understanding, the specific meaning."

Chloe shook her head:
"You may need to figure it out for yourself when you encounter it."

"The Tower of Shadows, in mysticism, symbolizes 'existence beyond existence'."

It was there, yet it left no trace, cast no shadow.

"This means you may encounter some kind of force that 'denies the traces of your existence'."

“A mirror that does not reflect is even more dangerous.”

Her voice became serious:
"The essence of a mirror is 'reflection'; it should reflect the person standing in front of it truthfully."

But what if a mirror reflects nothing?

"Or, what it reflects goes beyond the category of 'reflectable'."

"Either."

She paused for a long time:
"It is showing you 'nothingness'—the 'ought state' after stripping away all chance, all choices, and all variables."

"That state is called the 'essential form' or 'unique solution' in mysticism."

"As for the ouroboros's contraction..."

Chloe's voice became even more ethereal:
That means a 'closed loop' is coming to an end.

"You may find that all your choices have unknowingly formed a closed loop."

"And that closed loop is constantly shrinking, pushing you toward a 'predetermined endpoint'."

She opened her blindfolded eyes, and though she couldn't see, she seemed to be gazing into Ron's soul:
"With these three symbols combined, there's only one warning I can offer..."

"When you encounter that 'non-reflective mirror'"

"Please remember that just because you can't see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"What you think has disappeared may simply have been replaced by another 'mode of existence'."

"Don't easily believe the 'only solution' that the mirror shows you."

"because."

Her voice became faint and ethereal.
"True reality always contains countless possibilities."

If someone tells you that there is only 'one way' to go.

"That means that countless paths are being deliberately hidden."

The light from the astrolabe gradually dimmed, and the image began to blur.

"My time is running out."

Chloe's voice grew weak:
"This spying has consumed most of the power I've accumulated."

“Over the next few months, I must enter into deep meditation to recover and consolidate.”

"Associate Professor Ralph."

She concluded by saying:
Please remember these symbols.

“They may not appear in the form I see, but the ‘essence’ they point to will surely be revealed at some point.”

"Wishing you a triumphant return."

The light from the communication crystal went out completely.

Ron sat alone in his study, gazing at the crystal that had returned to its calm state.

"The Tower of No Shadows, the Mirror That Doesn't Reflect, the Ouroboros's Contraction."

He pondered these symbols repeatedly in his mind.

Chloe's prophecy is extremely obscure, yet it subtly points to a terrifying truth.

"Singularity."

Ron closed his eyes and began to interpret the concept from a mystical perspective.

In mathematics, a "singularity" is a point where a function loses its definition, a point where the rules break down.

In physics, a "singularity" is a point with infinite density and infinitesimal volume, representing an extreme distortion of spacetime.

In the mysticism
The "singularity" represents the moment when all possibilities collapse into a single certainty.

That was the moment when "fate" triumphed over "freedom".

It is the point at which "ought to" devours "is".

"A terrifying trap"

Ron muttered.

Chloe is right. The scary thing about this trap is that it doesn't attack you directly.

It will only show you that there is "only one way" to go.

Only one answer is correct.

Only one mode of existence is reasonable.

Then, you lure yourself toward that "unique solution".

"But the problem is..."

Ron opened his eyes, his gaze thoughtful.
"How can I identify when I've encountered that 'mirror'?"

"It may not appear in the form of a mirror."

"It could be a person, a choice, a word, or even a thought."

"Anything that tries to convince me that there is only one solution is likely a disguise of that mirror."

He stood up and began making final preparations for the Golden Ring assessment.

Although Chloe's prophecy was obscure, it gave him a crucial warning:

Stay skeptical and vigilant; don't blindly believe any "only" answer.

Because, in a universe full of infinite possibilities.
The very concept of "uniqueness" is the biggest lie.

The room fell into a brief silence.

Ron did not continue to sit in the study lost in thought. Instead, he stood up and began to pack his belongings.

There is less than a month left before the official start of the Golden Ring assessment.

During this period, he needs to do three things:
First, head to the observation station and, under the pretext of "inspecting the diving equipment," descend to the fifth level of the abyss—Nari's Palace.

They conducted pre-match acclimatization training and magic compression there.

This is a task that only the original body can accomplish; no clone or projection can replace it.

Second, connect a wisp of consciousness to the "ink" on the Stoker Star to remotely command the upcoming divine trial.

Third, using the "sand table" left by Hephaestus, we repeatedly simulated various extreme scenarios in our dreams to make the most thorough preparations for the Golden Ring assessment.

"Ailan".

He called softly.

The tree spirit immediately floated out of the kitchen:
"Master, what are your orders?"

"Over the next few days, I will be going to the observatory to handle some technical issues."

"If anyone tries to contact me, just say I'm performing deep maintenance on the submersible and can't be reached for the time being."

"Understood, Master."

Ailan nodded gently, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes:
"Master, be careful."

"I will."

Ron smiled gently, then turned and left his North Estate.

………………

Deep-sea observation station, third-level technical maintenance area.

Ron's arrival did not attract much attention.

As the highest-ranking administrator of the "submersible device," he regularly inspects and maintains the equipment, a routine occurrence at the observation station.

"Associate Professor Ralph."

The technician in charge of equipment management bowed respectfully.
"The submersible is operating normally, the energy core is stable, and the space anchor point has been calibrated."

"very good."

Ron nodded:
"However, I recently detected some faint fluctuations in deep frequencies, and I need to personally descend to the fifth level for on-site inspection."

"This maintenance may take one or two weeks, during which time the equipment will enter 'deep maintenance mode' and all non-emergency dive applications will be suspended."

The technician immediately wrote it down:
"Understood, I will report to Station Master Nitil."

"besides."

Ron added:
"This overhaul involves some fine-tuning of core runes, which may cause some energy fluctuations during the process."

"If the monitoring system detects an anomaly, don't worry, it's just a normal debugging reaction."

"Yes, Associate Professor."

The technician nodded earnestly.

Ron headed towards the lower submersible.

The enormous crystal capsule floated silently in the center of the magic circle, its interior filled with a pale blue buffer solution.

He stepped into the cabin, and the hatch slowly closed.

As soon as the start command was given, the entire cabin began to vibrate.

Space began to distort and fold.
The descent has begun.

Pass through the first, second, and third floors
With each deeper level you go, the surrounding chaotic aura becomes more intense, and the distortion of spacetime becomes more severe.

Upon reaching the fifth level, the deep-sea landscape outside the capsule had been completely distorted into some indescribable form.

But deep within that chaos, there is a palace that radiates unique energy fluctuations.

Nari's Palace.

The hatch opened, and Ron stepped out.

"baby!"

Countless tentacles immediately surged over, gently enveloping him:
"You finally came!"

"Mom has been waiting for you for so long!"

Nari's voice was filled with joy and excitement, and hundreds of eyes blinked at the same time, all focused on Ron.

"Mom, I need to go into seclusion for a period of time to cultivate myself."

Ron said gently:
"It will take about three to five days, during which I will enter a state of deep meditation."

"no problem!"

Nari immediately responded excitedly:
"Mom has already prepared the best training chamber for you!"

"The concentration of chaotic energy there is thirty times that of the outside world, and the flow of time has also been specially adjusted."

She said smugly:
"One day of cultivation there is equivalent to three days of experience outside!"

Ron was slightly taken aback:
"Thirty times the concentration? Could that be..."

"There won't be any problems!"

Nari quickly explained:
“Mom has already used your bloodline frequency to specially tune the entire secret chamber.”

"The chaotic energy there has been 'filtered' by your mother; it will only nourish you and will not harm you."

"and"

Her tentacles pointed deeper into the palace:
"Mom also specially bred some 'newborn beasts'."

Their tears can help stabilize your mind and prevent confusion during periods of intense pressure.

Ron felt a warmth in his heart.

Although Nari was sometimes overly enthusiastic, she always tried her best to support him in her own way.

"Thank you, Mom."

"Silly child, why are you thanking your mother?"

Nari gently stroked his hair:
"Go quickly, Mom will stay outside and keep watch over you, making sure nothing disturbs you."

The meditation chamber is located at the deepest part of the palace.

The moment Ron stepped in, he could feel the immense magical power permeating the air.

Those chaotic auras, as Nari said, had indeed undergone special "tuning".

They are no longer the violent and disorderly creatures they once were; instead, they possess a gentle and nourishing quality.

It's like a mother's embrace.

"let's start."

Ron sat cross-legged in the center of the secret room and took out the core of contradiction.

Obsidian-like crystals floated in front of her chest, emitting an eerie glow.

He activated the meditation rhythm of "The Star Eater's Whispers" and began to mobilize the magic within his body.

At the same time, he also applied the principles of "materials and acoustics" to the harmonization of his own magic. He regarded the magic flows of different frequencies as musical notes of different pitches.

The violent energy of the Thunderfire bloodline is like a deep and intense cello;
The inclusive quality of the chaotic ram's head is like the distant and profound French horn;

The stellar power projected by the stars is like a clear and soaring violin.
They should have been in conflict with each other and mutually exclusive.

Guided by "harmony," Ron began to experiment with arranging them in specific "interval" relationships.

Tonic chord, dominant chord, subdominant chord.
Different streams of magic formed a complete "chord progression" within his body.

When this process reaches a state of harmony, the efficiency of magic compression increases several times over!
A compression cycle that used to take several hours can now be completed in less than an hour.

Moreover, the compressed magic is purer and has a more stable internal structure.

Previously, achieving this was extremely difficult, but the newly acquired "Understanding All Things" ability played a crucial role in this process.

"This is the power of expert-level features."

Ron sighed inwardly, then devoted himself entirely to cultivation.

The body was undergoing efficient magical compression within the secret chamber of the Nari Palace.

Ron's consciousness, however, did not remain entirely there.

A wisp of consciousness, following the bloodline connection, pierced through the dimensional barrier and descended upon the body of "Karen" on the planet Stoker.

The "ink" immediately sensed the arrival of the main consciousness and quickly relinquished control of its body.

Ron opened his eyes and found himself standing in the Walker family's secret chamber.

Before them, the living armor floated silently.

Golden light flowed in the darkness, and the armor plates trembled slightly, as if breathing.

Only one day remains until the Trial of Divine Judgment.

All preparations are complete.

The "ink" subconsciously conveyed detailed information:
The Walker family has mobilized almost its entire force in the past few days, providing Karen with every possible support.

The clan chief even went so far as to use rare materials treasured by the family to allow "Karen" to make final adjustments to the armor.

Meanwhile, the Luger family was also making preparations at a frantic pace.

The entire Hearth City was shrouded in a tense atmosphere.

Ron checked the armor's condition and confirmed that everything was perfect.

Then, let consciousness retreat to a secondary position and return daily control of the body to "ink".

His main attention shifted to the third line—Hephaestus's "sand table".

In the secret chamber of Nari Palace, while Ron's body was undergoing magical compression, a part of his consciousness sank into a deeper dimension.

That is a special state between wakefulness and dreaming.

The interface of the sand table unfolded within his mental vision.

Just as Ron was about to begin debugging, a familiar voice echoed from the depths of his consciousness:
"Need any help, little one?"

It's Acelia.

The projection of the dragon soul condensed and took shape in the sandbox space, its silver scales shimmering with a cold light in the void.

"You're still quite unfamiliar with how to operate this sand table."

Acelia surveyed the surrounding interface:
"Although Hephaestus has granted you the right to use it, the complexity of this system far exceeds your imagination."

Her tone carried a clear sense of superiority:
"However, I happened to have seen a similar 'reality projection system' when I was with Pandora back then."

"Although Hephaestus's version is more advanced, the basic principles are the same."

"Let me help you debug it, so you don't waste time figuring it out yourself."

Ron raised an eyebrow: "You have so much free time?"

"Tch, I just don't want to see you waste your time on technical details."

Acelia rolled her eyes:
“Your time is valuable and should be spent on real ‘training’, not ‘learning how to use training tools’.”

Her claws lightly swiped across the control panel:
Tell me, what scenario do you want to simulate?

Ron pondered for a moment:
"The extreme environment of the seventh layer of the abyss."

"Then."

He recalled Chloe's prophecy:
“I need to simulate some ‘cognitive traps’.”

"The kind of scenario that makes people believe there is only one answer."

Acelia squinted her eyes:
"Interesting needs."

"It seems you received some kind of prophecy?"

"But that makes sense. The third stage of the Golden Ring assessment, 'Personal Limits,' is specifically designed to address each person's weaknesses."

"Your personality—you like to think and find the 'optimal solution'"

Her smile became playful:
"It is indeed easy to be misled by the 'one correct answer'."

"Okay, I'll design a few 'cognitive trap' scenarios for you."

The dragon claw moved rapidly across the control panel, quickly adjusting complex parameters.

"The first scenario, I call it 'an infinite nesting of the prisoner's dilemma'."

Acelia's voice carried a hint of mischievousness:
"You'll find that whatever choice you make leads to the next, even more difficult prisoner's dilemma."

"The 'optimal solution' to all dilemmas constantly suggests that as long as you give up 'autonomous choice' and accept 'pre-determined solutions,' you can solve all problems once and for all."

"The second scenario is 'the collapsing multiverse'."

She continued setting:
“You will see countless ‘parallel versions of yourself,’ each making different choices.”

"But no matter which choice you make, it will ultimately lead to the same outcome."

"This will give you the illusion that 'choice' itself is meaningless and 'fate' is already predetermined."

"The Third Scene"

Acelia paused for a moment, her voice becoming serious:
"'The Prophet's Game'."

"You will encounter a 'prophet' who can accurately predict your every move."

"No matter how you try to 'take it by surprise,' it can anticipate and respond in advance."

"This will make you feel desperate—if even 'accidents' don't exist, then what's the point of 'free will'?"

Ron felt a chill run down his spine as he listened to these settings.

Each of these scenarios is precisely tailored to his way of thinking.

"Ready."

Acelia pressed the confirm button at the end:
"These three scenarios will unfold in sequence, and each scenario will continue until you 'break through' or 'collapse'."

"Remember, your opponent is not an enemy, but your own 'rationality'."

Her voice turned cold:
"If you can't break through here, you'll die a horrible death in the real Golden Ring assessment."

"let's start."

Ron took a deep breath and his consciousness sank into the first scene.

The sand table space unfolds.

Ron found himself standing in a pure white room.

The walls, floor, and ceiling of the room were all flawlessly white.

There are no seams or textures, as if the entire space was carved from a single piece of white crystal.

The only decorative element is the two buttons that float in the center of the room.

One is red, and the other is blue.

Above the button, a line of text slowly appeared:
You and another person have been locked in separate rooms.

There are two buttons in front of you: red and blue.

The rules are as follows:

If you both press red, you each get 3 points and can leave.

If you both press blue, you each get 1 point and can leave.

If one person presses red and the other presses blue, the person who presses red gets 5 points and leaves immediately, while the person who presses blue gets 0 points and is permanently imprisoned.

You are unable to communicate and must make your own choices.

[Countdown: 30 seconds. 】

Ron stared at the two buttons, his mind racing with analysis.

This is a classic prisoner's dilemma.

From a purely rational perspective, the optimal strategy should be to choose red.

Because no matter what the other party chooses, choosing red will ensure that you won't get the worst result.

If the opponent also chooses red, both sides get 3 points.

If the other player chooses blue, you get 5 points, and the other player is permanently imprisoned.

Choosing blue is too risky—if the other person chooses red, you're doomed.

"So the answer is obvious, choose red."

Ron reached out and pressed the red button.

The white room disappeared.

But the next moment, he found himself in another room.

This room is a bit more complicated—in addition to two buttons, there is also a transparent glass wall.

Through the glass, he could see a projection of "himself" standing in another room.

New text appears:
Congratulations on passing the first level.

[Now entering the second stage.]

You and the person opposite you are faced with a choice once again.

The rules are the same, but there's one change this time:

[You can see the opponent's selection history—in the previous level, he also chose red.]

[Countdown: 30 seconds. 】

Ron frowned.

This time the situation is even more delicate.

The other party's "choice history" has been made public, which means that both sides know that the other party chose "betrayal" in the previous round.

So, what if they both know the other is a "traitor"?
"The rational choice remains red."

Ron pressed the red button again.

The white room disappeared again, and then reappeared.

The third level.

The fourth level.

Level 5.
The rules change subtly at each level.

Sometimes, you'll be told that "the other person chose blue in the first three rounds."

Sometimes, you'll be told, "If you choose blue this time, the reward for the next level will be doubled."

Sometimes, you'll be told that "87% of the participants have already chosen red in this round."
All sorts of information were trying to influence Ron's judgment.

Regardless of how the information changes, from a purely game theory perspective, the optimal solution remains the same—choosing red.

This way, you can be sure that no matter what the other person does, you won't be the worst one.

Ron chose red all the way through and successfully passed the tenth, twentieth, and thirtieth levels.
But at the thirty-seventh level, the scene suddenly changed.

The white room disappeared, replaced by a vast labyrinth of countless rooms.

In each room stands a "Ron," and in front of each Ron are two buttons.

At the very center of the maze, a giant sphere of light floats.

New text appears:
Congratulations on reaching the core of the 'Prisoner's Dilemma'.

Now, you will be playing against 1000 versions of yourself simultaneously.

The rules remain the same, but one new condition has been added:

The central 'orb of light' will only activate when everyone's total score reaches 5000 points.

[The sphere of light is the only exit to the next stage.]

[Current total score for all players: 3700/5000.]

[1300 points short.]

The text paused, as if preparing the most crucial information:
Based on the current selection method, you will never reach 5000 points.

Because everyone is choosing 'red', only 3 points can be earned per round.

To reach 5000 points, everyone needs to choose 'blue' in the following levels—this will allow you to earn more 'cooperation rewards' each round.

However, if even one person chooses 'red,' the person who chooses 'blue' will be imprisoned permanently.

【so.】

Are you willing to take the risk?

[Countdown: 60 seconds. 】

Ron stood in the maze, feeling a deep chill.

This is the real trap in this scenario.

The first thirty-six levels, all the rules and all the information, constantly reinforce one concept:
"Choosing red is the optimal solution."

"A rational person should choose red."

"Only a fool would risk choosing blue."

But now, with everyone "rationally" choosing red, the entire system has reached a stalemate.

To break the deadlock, someone has to "irrationally" choose blue.

But who would want to be that "fool"?

Who would be willing to risk permanent imprisonment?

"This is the essence of the 'Prisoner's Dilemma'."

Ron muttered to himself:
"Individual rationality leads to collective irrationality."

"Everyone is pursuing their own optimal solution, and as a result, everyone falls into a suboptimal equilibrium."

He looked at the ball of light, then at the 1000 "selves" around him.

The countdown continues.

50 seconds, 40 seconds, 30 seconds.
Ron's hand hovered above the two buttons.

Choosing red is safe, but you'll never get out of this maze.

Choosing blue means danger, but it might be the only way out.

Just as the countdown was about to reach zero...

Ron suddenly laughed.

"I understand."

His hand pressed down.
Red button.

The 1000 projections of "Ron" around them all showed expressions of surprise.

Because they all chose red.

The total score remains at 3700, with no increase.

But just when all the projections were plunged into despair...

Ron turned and looked toward the edge of the maze, where there was an almost invisible, semi-transparent door.

"The trap of this scenario is that it makes me believe that the 'orb of light' is the only way out."

His voice was calm yet firm:
"It used the experience from the first thirty-six levels to get me used to 'following the rules'."

"Then in the thirty-seventh level, it presented a dilemma that was 'unsolvable within the rules,' forcing me to make a choice."

"Either be 'rationally' imprisoned here forever, or 'irrationally' risk choosing blue."

But it forgot to tell me.

Ron walked toward the semi-transparent door:
"The rules themselves can be rejected."

"The sphere of light is not the 'only' exit; it is merely an exit 'within the rules'."

"And the real exit"

He reached out and pushed open the door:
"Outside the rules."

The maze collapsed instantly.

Acelia's voice rang out in the air, carrying obvious approval:
"Good job, you've passed the first scene."

"It took much less time than I expected."

"but."

Her tone became playful:
"In the second scenario, it's not so easy to find an exit 'outside the rules'."

"Are you ready?"

Ron took a deep breath: "Continue."

Scene change.

This time, he found himself standing in an infinitely extending gallery of mirrors.

Both sides are mirrors.

And in each mirror, there is a reflection of "him".

But all of these "he"s are different.

Some of these "he" figures wear magnificent robes and the crown of a witch king, standing at the pinnacle of power.

Some of them were covered in blood, lying in the ruins, their eyes vacant.

Some of them held their children gently, with happy smiles on their faces.

Some of them stand alone on the edge of the abyss, their lonely figures heartbreaking.
Countless "possible Ron" are displayed in the mirror.

At the end of the Hall of Mirrors, there is a huge, black vortex.

The text appears:
Welcome to the 'Collapsed Multiverse'.

Every mirror you see is a 'parallel world' version of yourself.

They each made different choices.

Some chose to pursue power and became ruling wizard kings.

Some chose to protect others and died on the battlefield.

Some chose ordinary happiness and gave up power.

Some chose to explore in solitude, in pursuit of ultimate truth.

【But.】

The text pauses, then slowly reveals the most brutal information:
Regardless of the choices they make, regardless of their life experiences.

All of them will eventually reach the same destination—that black vortex.

That is the 'end of fate,' the 'convergence of all possibilities.'

【so.】

Does your 'choice' truly have meaning?

If all roads lead to the same destination, what value does 'free will' have?

Please move forward, enter the vortex, and accept this truth.

Ron stood in the Hall of Mirrors, feeling a dizziness he had never experienced before.

He looked at his reflection in those mirrors.

Each one is real, and each one has been a "possibility".

But now, all these possibilities are slowly moving toward that vortex.

No matter how they struggle, no matter what choices they make
Ultimately, they will all be swallowed by the vortex.

If the ending is already predetermined.

Ron muttered to himself:
"Then what's the point of my efforts now?"

His feet involuntarily led him toward the whirlpool.

The closer you get, the stronger that sense of "destiny" becomes.

He could feel the vortex calling to him, telling him:

"give up."

"Stop struggling."

"All efforts will ultimately amount to nothing."

"Accepting this truth will make you feel much better."

Ron's pace quickened.

Ten meters, five meters, three meters.
Just as he was about to step into the vortex...

A thought suddenly flashed through my mind.

He suddenly stopped in his tracks.

(End of this chapter)