After blinking to the ninth checkpoint, the effects of the rune mechanisms weighed heavily on Klaus's body. Each breath felt labored, and every step was more challenging than the last. He knew that once he reached the twelfth checkpoint, he wouldn't be able to use Blink anymore. The twelfth checkpoint was the final one, and after activating it, he'd have to find a way to walk back to the Coliseum. Using magic in front of such a large crowd was out of the question—he couldn't afford to expose himself—yet.
Thanks to the Four Eyes of the Ten Eyes Mantra, Klaus had already mapped out the terrain beyond the twelfth checkpoint. There was a stretch of nearly one kilometer between the checkpoint and the coliseum. Originally, his plan was simple: Blink as close to the coliseum as possible and then gather the willpower to walk the rest of the way. But the captains, stationed near the forest exit, had a clear view of the path. Klaus couldn't risk blinking directly into their sightline.
