My day of rest was wonderful—sleeping as much as I wanted, whenever I wanted. My body is deeply grateful to me for giving it a well-deserved break after many, many weeks of overexertion.

  I even started playing a little with my mana and Imra, trying to create something similar to a fishing rod. In the end it was completely useless—no fish bit the hook. Well, actually one was stupid enough to try stealing the bait, and it only made me look even stupider, because it actually managed to steal it.

  This day made me understand something: my body is at a point where I can’t keep forcing more power into it. I need to give it proper rest so it can adapt to everything it has recently learned. I’m very close to suffering another collapse, just like the ones I had before ranking up the last two times—not on the same scale, certainly, but still dangerous.

  Filling my cube with a Law related to the dragon race, the evolution of two pseudo-Laws, and a rank III skill has been counterproductive up to a certain point. If I don’t restrain myself a little, I’ll fall back into that damned weakened state again.

  I look sadly at the only remaining Pseudo-Law in my status. It always hurts to leave electricity for last, but I don’t have a choice. I don’t want to go through that situation again.

  There are other things I can focus on during these weeks. I’ll save the final week in case I recover and try to improve the electric pseudo-Law only if I’m in optimal condition.

  “At least I could improve some skills… but not take them to rank IV.” If I rank up a skill right now, I could face the same problem again. “Fierce Electrifying River…” I look at the skill with the fewest levels in my entire repertoire and feel a little bad. I obtained this skill much earlier compared to my gravity-based ones, and it has fallen behind.

  It’s quite functional when I’m fighting inhuman numbers of monsters. If a horde comes from every direction, this is when the skill truly shines. But there’s one problem: power. I never thought in the past about how strong I could become. When I use it against powerful monsters, it has no effect, and against weak ones, they aren’t even a challenge.

  Should I think of a way to readjust this skill? That’s the only way to give it proper value. I think about my current needs—where I’m most vulnerable.

  Attack? No. At long, medium, and short range I’m fine. I don’t need an upgrade soon. Even Ruby ranks would struggle to handle me at any distance. My death affinity adds the necessary damage if my attacks lack raw power.

  Mobility? My space-based movement skill covers that gap, and I can still use my old electricity-based movement skill. Even if it’s a bit less effective now, it’s still versatile and fast.

  Speed? Not really something I need to improve. It used to be my Achilles’ heel, but now it’s one of my greatest advantages. Gravity Surge combined with my mental skill and the electricity flowing through my armor has solved that problem. Even a Sapphire rank would struggle to keep up with me.

  Perception? That’s where I need the least help. My Personal World is still one of my strongest cards. Only very talented or powerful individuals could evade it. I also have no idea how to improve it further.

  That leaves only one thing: defense.

  I haven’t worried much about my own safety since obtaining the life affinity. My mindset has always been: kill, even if you get injured—you’ll heal anyway. I only avoid fatal blows in places where I’m not sure I can regenerate.

  My defense isn’t bad. Based on what I’ve seen and calculated, it’s around an advanced Sapphire level. That doesn’t mean it’s enough. Every monster or human I’ve been fighting for months now is at least basic Ruby in terms of power.

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  The slightest attack breaks through my defenses and injures me. Normally I end up losing arms or legs when that happens. It’s disappointing to think that any monster with rank IV power could at least tear off an arm. If I didn’t have the life affinity, I’d already be dead.

  At the very least, I need something decent. I’m not looking for a skill that reflects every attack. Part of my strategy when things get difficult is losing a body part and not healing it—my opponents get overconfident and lower their guard. I always try to exploit that moment.

  I just need to improve my defense enough to block weaker attacks and, if possible, deal damage while being attacked.

  My armor forms over my body with a single thought. Everything is made of ice, always reinforced with a bit of ice and electric mana. Imra is essential, and the Laws along with the Banner are mandatory. All of it flows through small internal channels to circulate throughout my body.

  At the same time, I create several electric serpents around me. They all dance gently and rhythmically. I keep creating more and more—threading electric mana has become as easy as breathing at this point. I can even weave it together with Imra to increase its power.

  Normally, to execute this skill I’d direct them in every possible direction to affect as many enemies as possible and gain an advantage. Right now, I could even launch a full 360-degree attack, leaving no escape.

  360 degrees? That gives me a slight idea for a new application.

  Ranged attacks are always a nuisance. Even though I can now deflect or stop them using gravity impulses in my constructs, it’s still limited to certain numbers. What if more than ten people attack me? I could block with ice walls in every direction, but that’s inefficient in terms of mana consumption.

  I slowly control the electrical energy around me. At about eight meters out, I make the electricity dance in a ring. Thanks to its movement speed, I’m covered in all directions, and the mana cost is lower than surrounding myself with an ice dome.

  I start liking the idea. Now I just need to see if it works. I construct several Joyeuse around me—not fully empowered, just enough to replicate attacks from an advanced Sapphire rank.

  I launch the first wave of swords at myself. For now, I don’t aim at my body—I just want to test how much this electric field can protect me.

  To my surprise, the ice swords pass through it without much trouble, stopping only a few centimeters from me. I feel a bit disappointed and confused. I thought my idea might work better.

  I look closely at the swords and notice something different. They all bear burn marks and are much more fragile. At this point, if they collided with my armor, they wouldn’t be able to break or pierce it. I almost shout with excitement—this is real progress. I’m still far from where I want to be, but I’ve taken the first step.

  “Now let’s try close range.” I speak to myself, and all the electricity surrounding me rapidly draws closer.

  I circulate it through my armor. Now my body looks impressive and imperial—covered in beautiful ice armor with lightning dancing across its surface.

  It’s difficult to control every bolt. The concentration required is high to keep everything in place. Going against what a skill naturally wants to do is always challenging—forcing my brain to act differently is a battle between my cube and my mind.

  Several hours later, training with simple movements, I feel a bit more confident in using it. I’m still far from mastering it or changing the skill entirely, but at least it no longer demands all of my attention.

  I construct another Joyeuse with the same power as before. “It’s a shame I don’t have a training partner…” I mutter quietly on this desolate island—though it feels more like a paradisiacal prison.

  The sword flies at full speed, aiming to tear off my arm. Why did I choose a limb? The honest answer is: because I’m already used to it—even if I’m not proud of that.

  The sword slows slightly as it collides with the dancing electrical currents near my body. It isn’t enough to stop it completely, and it continues forward. Just as I think I’m about to lose my arm entirely, I feel it stop—after piercing my armor, striking the bone in my arm, passing through it, and finally halting with only the tip emerging on the other side.

  I quickly pull the sword out to inspect it. Just as I thought—the electricity didn’t just slow it down, it burned and shocked it with every tiny impact. In the end, the accumulation of countless small currents produced a massive effect.

  I’m happy not to have lost my arm. That alone is a great achievement. I absorb the electric mana before it dissipates and add more, recreating the dancing currents around my body.

  The skill is still in a beta phase—weak and far from its goal—but it’s a significant advance. At least I’ve managed to reuse a skill I had long neglected.

  Electric currents are hard to control. Switching between close-range and long-range defense is difficult, and the power still isn’t enough—but it will improve. I have many days to train. I levitate softly and get back to it—more currents appear, and more ice swords threaten my life.