Chapter 116: Non-Elemental Runes Selection
“Are there any alternatives to the Hawk Eye Rune?”
Elder Molric stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, so you're interested in sensory enhancement…” He rapidly flipped through the tome. "The Echo Rune, for instance. Enhances hearing to the point where you can pick up heartbeats from across a room. Some practitioners even claim they can hear lies in people's voices."
"The downside?" I asked.
"Ah, well..." The elder coughed delicately. "Extended use tends to cause auditory hallucinations. Nothing too severe at first - just whispers at the edge of hearing. But if you push it..." He made a swirling motion near his temple.
"Master," Azure commented, "I can already detect heartbeats and micro-fluctuations in vocal patterns."
I nodded slightly, both to Azure and the elder. "What else?"
"The Presence Rune." Elder Molric turned another page. "Creates a sort of... awareness bubble around the user. You can sense movement, changes in air pressure, even emotional states within its range." His expression grew serious. "Though the emotional feedback can be... problematic. Especially during combat when everyone's feelings are running high."
"Let me guess - sensory overload?"
"More like emotional contamination." He grimaced. "Had an initiate use it during a spar once. Got so caught up in his opponent's battle fury that he couldn't tell whose rage was whose.”