Another layer of runes flared ahead, humming faintly in the air. These weren't for concealment—they were motion detectors, designed to sense fluctuations in mana and intent. A single mistake here and every patrol in the city would swarm him.
But Max was calm. His body melted into stillness, his breathing shallow as he observed the rhythm of the formation. The threads pulsed in a steady pattern, intervals of silence between each beat. Timing it perfectly, he slid forward during the lull, his invisible form weaving past like water through a sieve.
Minutes stretched into hours as he crept through the overlapping defenses. Where others would see nothing, Max saw everything. Every rune formation that was meant to keep him out was like an open book in his eyes. He adjusted circuits without breaking them, bent light without disrupting its flow, and slipped into blind spots that no ordinary expert could perceive.
