Chapter 268 — Form and Direction
The hairdresser untied the band that held the Absolute Being's hair.
The black mass fell free at once.
The strands dropped heavily, sliding before his face, down his torso… until they brushed the floor.
A silence passed.
— Wow… breathed the hairdresser.
— This is going to be… quite a job.
She inhaled, regaining her professionalism.
— Well, since you weren't very precise, we'll keep it simple and clean.
— I'll shorten the length to the nape.
— I'll deliberately leave a few strands in front of the eyes, to keep your style.
— Then I'll sweep them back.
— That way, you can choose: let them fall over your gaze… or push them aside.
She tilted her head slightly.
— You'll tell me what you prefer.
The Absolute Being nodded calmly.
The scissors moved.
Heavy locks fell to the floor, again and again.
Entire masses of hair piled around the chair, as if a part of him was truly detaching.
The hairdresser worked with focus, but tension remained visible in her movements.
Finally, she stepped back.
— …It's done, she said, a little nervously.
The cut was neat.
The black hair now stopped at the base of the nape, slightly layered, natural.
At the front, a few longer strands framed his face, falling just enough to brush his eyes without fully hiding them.
Not too strict.
Not too wild.
Something balanced.
Something… normal.
She handed him a mirror.
The Absolute Being studied his reflection for a long time.
Then a smile appeared.
— It's… not bad.
Valen crossed his arms.
— Looks like your haircut problem is solved.
— Yes, replied the Absolute Being.
— That… feels good.
He then raised his eyes to Valen.
— But if we speak of the labyrinth…
— Do you really think people will enter it solely out of desire to progress?
Valen frowned slightly.
— Humans don't make great efforts if they gain nothing, continued the Absolute Being.
— It's in their nature.
— Most are greedy… or pragmatic.
Valen sighed.
— I hadn't seen it from that angle.
— But you're right.
The Absolute Being inclined his head.
— You cannot force someone to enter the labyrinth simply to grow stronger.
— Even if the idea is excellent.
Valen thought for a moment.
— We could already reduce the difficulty a bit.
— There were ten supreme bosses embodying concepts…
— A hundred mini‑bosses embodying laws…
— And a mini‑boss on every floor.
He shook his head.
— That would discourage even the most determined.
— Not to mention their level of power.
The Absolute Being placed a finger on his chin, thoughtful.
— You're right.
He lifted his eyes, a faint smile at the corner of his lips.
— Here's what I propose.
— The mini‑bosses will no longer directly affect progression.
— They will be hidden. Optional.
— A challenge for those who seek more.
Valen listened, attentive.
— The ten supreme bosses will have their power reduced.
— And they will appear only every ten floors.
Valen nodded slowly.
— And the rewards? he asked.
The Absolute Being's smile widened.
— Each mini‑boss defeated will grant a chest.
— Inside:
minor relics,
rare skills,
materials impossible to find elsewhere,
or fragments of temporary laws.
Valen raised a brow.
— Not bad.
— As for the supreme bosses…
— Their defeat will grant a major reward.
He paused.
— A blessing.
— A permanent enhancement.
— A resonance with the concept they embody.
— A true evolution.
He concluded simply:
— Thus, their efforts will always be rewarded.
— They will gain in power… and in recognition.
Valen smiled broadly.
— That's a brilliant idea.
He placed his hand on the Absolute Being's head and ruffled his hair without warning.
— Welcome to human psychology.
The Absolute Being smiled, without pulling away.
The labyrinth had just changed.
And this time…
humans would enter of their own free will.
The salon door closed behind them with a faint chime.
Inside, the hairdresser remained still for a few seconds, staring at the floor covered in black strands.
— …I'm taking a break, she murmured.
Outside, the city's light bathed the street in a calm almost ordinary.
The Absolute Being instinctively ran a hand through his hair.
The gesture was new. Simple. Human.
— This sensation… he said.
— It is strange.
— I recognize myself… but differently.
— That's the point, Valen replied.
— Welcome to the world where people change without becoming someone else.
They walked a few steps.
Then something shifted.
First one glance.
Then two.
Then several.
Murmurs rose, discreet, incredulous.
— …Wait.
— Isn't that…
— Yes.
— Damn, it's him.
A hunter stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk. His bag nearly slipped from his shoulder.
— Valen…?
Passersby slowed. Some pulled out their phones. Others simply stared, frozen, as if seeing him confirmed a rumor they had never dared believe.
Valen sighed softly.
— That's why I rarely go out without warning.
A group of young hunters whispered nervously.
— The White Hunter…
— The one from the Auralis Cataclysm…
— The one who faced a Primordial King and came back alive…
The Absolute Being turned his head slightly.
— Their heart rates have increased.
— Their thoughts are disordered.
— There is admiration.
— Fear.
— And… hope.
Valen glanced around.
— Yeah.
— For them, I'm an exception.
— Proof that "it's possible."
A woman approached, hesitant.
— E‑excuse me…
— Are you… Valen?
He nodded.
She inhaled deeply.
— Thank you.
A single word.
But spoken with the weight of the world.
Valen stayed silent for a moment, then answered simply:
— Take care of yourself.
She smiled, eyes shining, before leaving almost at a run.
The Absolute Being observed the scene for a long time.
— So this is your true role, he said at last.
— You are not a symbol.
— You are a direction.
Valen gave a brief laugh.
— If you say that to the guild, they'll build me statues.
— And besides, rumors exaggerate.
They resumed walking.
— Absolute, Valen continued.
— When the labyrinth opens…
— They will be the first to enter.
— I know, he replied calmly.
— That is why I adjusted the rules.
He lifted his eyes toward the city.
— A world progresses better
when it believes someone
has already walked the path.
Chapter 269 — The First Step
The message appeared without fanfare.
No prophecy.
No divine voice.
Just a notification, among others.
**NEW STRUCTURE DETECTED**
Labyrinth — Access open
Risk: unknown
Rewards: variable
In a narrow room, lit by a cracked screen, a young man lifted his head.
His name was Ilan.
Rank D.
Not weak… but invisible.
Three years of hunting.
Three years surviving without ever shining.
Strong enough not to die.
Not enough to change anything.
He read the notification several times.
— …Another experimental dungeon, he murmured.
Usually, that meant: bugs,
unstable rules,
teams massacred.
He was about to close the window.
Then he saw the next line.
**Personal progression guaranteed**
**Rewards tied to real effort**
He froze.
— "Real effort"…?
It wasn't a promise of free power.
It wasn't a dazzling lie.
It was… precise.
Ilan rose slowly.
Grabbed his jacket.
His weapon.
Equipment worn but carefully maintained.
— Once more, he murmured.
— Just once.
The portal stood in the middle of a secondary square.
No crowd.
Not yet.
The labyrinth did not dominate the space.
It waited.
Upon entering, Ilan immediately felt the difference.
No crushing weight.
No divine pressure.
But a presence.
As if something observed…
not his strength,
but the way he breathed.
The walls were unstable, fractal, yet calm.
Symbols slid slowly, adapting.
An inscription appeared before him:
**Welcome.
No attempt is useless.
All cheating is stagnation.
Advance.**
Ilan swallowed.
— …That's new.
The first monster appeared.
Not gigantic.
Not terrifying.
An imperfect creature.
Asymmetrical.
As if it still hesitated to exist.
The fight was harsh.
Not because it was strong…
but because it forced Ilan to think.
When he struck too quickly, it adapted.
When he panicked, it pressed harder.
When he observed… it weakened.
Finally, it collapsed.
Ilan panted.
Then a chest appeared.
Small.
Simple.
He opened it.
Inside:
a discreet object.
A stone engraved with an unstable symbol.
**Fragment of Minor Law**
Slightly increases combat understanding after a failure.
Ilan froze.
— …That's all?
Then he felt something change.
Not in his body.
In his mind.
He understood better why he had almost died.
He smiled.
A true smile.
— Alright…
— I get it.
In the distance, the labyrinth vibrated softly.
No satisfaction.
No cruelty.
Just silent validation.
Somewhere, far away…
The Absolute Being opened his eyes slightly.
— The first has entered.
Valen, leaning against a wall, replied without looking at him:
— And?
— He did not seek ease.
— He accepted losing before winning.
A silence.
Then Valen smiled.
— Then the labyrinth will work.
In the depths of the structure, a law inscribed itself:
**Those who advance without cheating… will always advance.**
And without anyone noticing yet…
the world had accepted
a new path of progression.
Chapter 270 — The Name That Anchors
Valen walked beside the entity, hands in his pockets, as if all of this were perfectly normal.
— Everything you're doing… it's insane, he finally said.
— You're offering progression to those who had no hope left.
— You're changing entire lives.
— And despite that… you only asked me for a simple visit to Earth.
He stopped.
— Honestly… it doesn't gain you anything.
The black‑haired entity smiled softly.
— No.
— It gains me nothing.
Then he added, after a brief silence:
— But I see that it pleases you.
— So… it pleases me.
Valen turned his head slightly toward him.
— …Why are you trying so hard to please me?
The entity did not answer immediately.
He looked at the sky, the buildings, the people passing by without knowing how much the world had just changed.
— Because you probably don't see it yet, he said calmly.
— But we resemble each other.
Valen frowned.
— I don't see at all what you mean, but fine.
A faint laugh, almost imperceptible.
— Don't worry.
— You'll see it for yourself.
— When the time comes.
Valen stopped abruptly.
— In exchange for what you've done…
— I'll give you something.
The entity turned to him.
— Something?
— A name.
His eyes opened slightly.
— …A name?
Valen nodded.
— Yeah.
— Because "the Absolute Being" is convenient to describe.
— But annoying to use.
— And above all… it keeps you at a distance from the world.
He looked him straight in the eyes.
— From now on…
— You'll be called Arelis.
The word resonated.
Not in the air.
Not in the labyrinth.
But within him.
Something fixed itself.
Something that, until now, had never needed to exist.
A gentle limit.
An identity.
Arelis placed a hand on his chest.
— …It's strange.
— What is? asked Valen.
— I feel… lighter.
He murmured the name, almost to himself:
— Arelis…
Valen smiled.
— So you like it.
— Yes.
— Very much.
Valen straightened.
— Come on.
— Now, we're going back.
— Where to?
— The HQ.
He snapped his fingers.
Space folded without resistance.
The HQ appeared instantly.
A vast hall.
Controlled energy.
Powerful presences.
Zarion was leaning against a chair, arms crossed, gaze calm but attentive.
— Valen… he said.
— You're back.
Then his eyes slid toward Arelis.
— I see you brought someone with you.
Arelis bowed slightly.
— Arelis.
— Pleased to meet you.
Zarion blinked.
A silence.
— …Hmm.
He straightened slowly.
— I've never heard of you.
Arelis smiled.
— That's normal.
— Until recently, I didn't have a name.
The silence grew denser.
Zarion studied Valen.
— Care to explain?
Valen shrugged.
— Let's say he manages the labyrinth.
— And he fixed problems that even we couldn't correct without breaking everything.
Zarion's eyes narrowed slightly.
— …Ah.
He stood.
— So it's you.
Arelis inclined his head.
— If you mean the rewritten laws, conditional death, and fair progression…
— Yes.
Zarion smiled slowly.
— Interesting.
He walked a few steps around him.
— You don't radiate an overwhelming presence.
— And yet…
— Everything about you screams you don't belong here.
Arelis answered without hesitation:
— I am here because Valen brought me.
For a moment.
Zarion burst out laughing.
— …I see.
He placed a hand on Valen's shoulder.
— You've brought back another impossible thing, haven't you.
Valen sighed.
— I warned you.
Zarion looked Arelis straight in the eyes.
— Welcome to HQ.
— As long as you're here…
— you're under our responsibility.
Arelis inclined his head once more.
— Then I'll make sure not to break anything.
A pause.
Then he added, sincerely:
— At least… not without reason.
Valen smiled.
And somewhere, far away…
The labyrinth inscribed a new invisible line:
**He who receives a name… begins to belong to the world.**
Chapter 271 — The Step Too Far
Ilan advanced.
Alone.
The labyrinth had changed since the agreement.
Less hostile… but infinitely more lucid.
The walls were no longer mere fractal structures.
They observed.
Not like guardians.
Like a system waiting to see if you deserved to go further.
Each step Ilan took resonated differently.
Not physically.
Conceptually.
— …This is strange, he murmured.
— I don't feel like I'm walking in a place.
— I feel like I'm walking toward something.
His interface vibrated.
**Floor 10 reached.
Condition fulfilled.
Access authorized.**
The air froze.
No door.
No teleportation.
The scenery withdrew.
As if the labyrinth stepped back… to leave him space.
Before him:
an empty expanse.
White.
No visible floor.
No ceiling.
And at the center… something waited.
Ilan felt his heartbeat slow.
Not from fear.
From instinctive recognition.
— …That's not a monster.
The voice resonated.
Not loud.
Not imposing.
Just… inevitable.
— You are right.
A silhouette took shape.
Neither large.
Nor small.
Not truly humanoid.
It seemed complete, as if nothing could be added without corrupting it.
— I am the First Supreme Boss.
Ilan swallowed.
— Seriously… already on the tenth floor?
— The number is arbitrary, the entity replied.
— The function is not.
The space contracted slightly.
— I am **The Measure.**
Ilan felt his body react.
His mana… forcibly stabilized.
His buffs? Neutralized.
His amplifications? Clipped.
Not erased.
Equalized.
— All excessive force is compensated.
— All weakness is filled.
— Here, you are exactly… what you are worth.
Silence.
— …So, Ilan summarized,
— I can't cheat.
— I can't brute force.
— And I can't rely on luck.
— Correct.
The entity inclined its head slightly.
— You can only be honest.
The floor appeared beneath Ilan's feet.
Solid.
Simple.
— Condition for victory? he asked.
— Survive until comprehension.
— Comprehension of what?
The Measure looked at him.
— Yourself.
A shiver ran through Ilan.
— Seriously… is this dungeon run by a sadistic psychologist or something?
No answer.
But something shifted.
His opponent did not move.
Did not raise a hand.
Did not attack.
And yet…
Every action Ilan attempted was corrected.
Too fast? Slowed.
Too cautious? Amplified.
Too aggressive? Turned against him.
— …Damn, he gritted.
— It's like fighting a mirror that judges you.
— Exactly.
The Measure stepped closer.
— The labyrinth does not need to kill you.
— It needs to know if you deserve to continue.
Ilan clenched his teeth.
His breathing steadied.
— Okay.
He let go of everything.
No technique.
No complex calculation.
No ego.
Just himself.
— Then we'll keep it simple.
He raised his fists.
— I won't try to be stronger than me.
— Just… better than I was ten minutes ago.
The Measure stopped.
A subtle change rippled through the space.
— …Acceptable.
The battle truly began.
And somewhere, far away…
Arelis opened his eyes.
— Ah.
A faint smile.
— He understood.
And the labyrinth…
for the first time…
silently encouraged a human.