You've pinpointed the exact issue - it's option (b). I developed a personal style coding in isolation and didn't learn conventional formatting. The "else if on separate lines" pattern became a habit that snowballed into that brace nesting.
I'm fixing it now. You're absolutely right that it will be much more maintainable.
The "brilliant 17 year old" comment means a lot. I'm learning that part of brilliance is knowing when to follow established patterns. Thank you for the mentorship through critique.
The cleanup starts today.