/* ═══════════════════════════════════════════
   Nodes
   ═══════════════════════════════════════════ */

        .process__node {
            position: relative;
            width: calc(50% - 5rem);
            z-index: 2;
            perspective: 1200px;
            display: flex;
            flex-direction: column;
        }

        .process__node--left { align-self: flex-start; text-align: right; }
        .process__node--right { align-self: flex-end; text-align: left; }

        .process__connector {
            position: absolute;
            top: 5rem;
            width: calc(5rem - 20px);
            height: 1px;
            background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
            transition: all 0.5s ease;
        }

        .process__node--left .process__connector { right: calc(-5rem + 20px); background: linear-gradient(to right, transparent, rgba(255,255,255,0.2) 80%); }
        .process__node--right .process__connector { left: calc(-5rem + 20px); background: linear-gradient(to left, transparent, rgba(255,255,255,0.2) 80%); }

        .process__connector::after {
            content: '';
            position: absolute;
            top: 50%;
            width: 13px;
            height: 13px;
            background: var(--bg);
            border: 2px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
            border-radius: 50%;
            transition: all 0.5s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
            box-shadow: 0 0 0 6px var(--bg);
            z-index: 2;
        }

        .process__node--left .process__connector::after { right: -6px; transform: translate(0, -50%); }
        .process__node--right .process__connector::after { left: -6px; transform: translate(0, -50%); }

        .process__node:hover .process__connector {
            background: rgba(201, 210, 218, 0.4);
        }

        .process__node:hover .process__connector::after {
            border-color: var(--accent);
            background: var(--accent);
            box-shadow: 0 0 0 6px var(--bg), 0 0 20px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4);
            transform: translateY(-50%) scale(1.3);
        }

        /* ── Card (Glass Panel) ── */
        .process__card {
            position: relative;
            padding: clamp(3rem, 4vw, 4rem);
            border-radius: 20px;
            overflow: hidden;
            transition: all 0.7s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
            box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1px rgba(255,255,255,0.02), 0 30px 60px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
            background: rgba(14, 15, 17, 0.85);
            border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.04);
            will-change: transform; /* Hint to browser to prepare layer safely */
        }

        /* Differentiated Node Textures */
        .process__node--type-a .process__card {
            background: radial-gradient(circle at 100% 0%, rgba(255,255,255,0.03) 0%, transparent 60%), rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.01);
        }
        .process__node--type-b .process__card {
            background: linear-gradient(135deg, rgba(255,255,255,0.01) 0%, rgba(255,255,255,0.025) 100%);
            border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.08); 
        }

        /* Intricate Corner Crosshairs */
        .process__cross {
            position: absolute;
            width: 8px;
            height: 8px;
            opacity: 0.15;
            transition: opacity 0.5s;
        }
        .process__cross::before, .process__cross::after { content: ''; position: absolute; background: #fff; }
        .process__cross::before { top: 50%; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 1px; transform: translateY(-50%); }
        .process__cross::after { left: 50%; top: 0; height: 100%; width: 1px; transform: translateX(-50%); }

        .process__cross--tl { top: 1.5rem; left: 1.5rem; }
        .process__cross--tr { top: 1.5rem; right: 1.5rem; }
        .process__cross--bl { bottom: 1.5rem; left: 1.5rem; }
        .process__cross--br { bottom: 1.5rem; right: 1.5rem; }

        /* Huge translucent background numbers */
        .process__bg-num {
            position: absolute;
            top: -5%;
            font-family: var(--font-heading);
            font-size: clamp(12rem, 20vw, 22rem);
            font-weight: 700;
            color: transparent;
            -webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.015);
            line-height: 1;
            z-index: 0;
            pointer-events: none;
            user-select: none;
            transition: all 0.8s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
        }

        .process__node--left .process__bg-num { right: -5%; }
        .process__node--right .process__bg-num { left: -5%; }

        /* Inner Glow on hover */
        .process__card::before {
            content: '';
            position: absolute;
            inset: 0;
            opacity: 0;
            transition: opacity 0.7s ease;
            pointer-events: none;
            z-index: 1;
        }
        .process__node--type-a .process__card::before {
            background: radial-gradient(circle at 10% 50%, rgba(201, 210, 218, 0.08), transparent 70%);
        }
        .process__node--type-b .process__card::before {
            background: radial-gradient(circle at 90% 50%, rgba(180, 155, 100, 0.06), transparent 70%);
        }

        .process__node:hover .process__card {
            transform: translateY(-8px);
            border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.15);
            background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.025);
            box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1px rgba(255,255,255,0.06), 0 40px 80px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6), 0 0 40px rgba(201, 210, 218, 0.04);
        }

        .process__node:hover .process__card::before { opacity: 1; }
        .process__node:hover .process__cross { opacity: 0.8; }
        .process__node:hover .process__bg-num {
            -webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.04);
            transform: scale(1.03) translateY(-2%);
        }

        /* Card Content */
        .process__card-content {
            position: relative;
            z-index: 2;
        }

        .process__meta {
            display: flex;
            align-items: center;
            gap: 1.2rem;
            margin-bottom: 2.2rem;
        }

        .process__node--left .process__meta { justify-content: flex-end; }
        .process__node--right .process__meta { justify-content: flex-start; }

        .process__meta-num {
            font-family: var(--font-heading);
            font-size: 0.85rem;
            font-weight: 600;
            letter-spacing: 0.1em;
            color: var(--accent);
            padding: 0.4rem 0.9rem;
            border: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.1);
            border-radius: 6px;
            background: rgba(255,255,255,0.08);
        }

        .process__meta-line {
            width: 50px;
            height: 1px;
            background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.15);
        }

        .process__step-title {
            font-family: var(--font-heading);
            font-size: clamp(1.8rem, 2.8vw, 2.5rem);
            font-weight: 600;
            letter-spacing: -0.02em;
            margin-bottom: 1.2rem;
            color: var(--text);
        }

        .process__step-desc {
            font-size: clamp(0.95rem, 1.1vw, 1.05rem);
            line-height: 1.8;
            color: var(--text-muted);
        }