CHAPTER 34, THE BATTLE AGAINST ONE'S OWN EXISTENCE
The moment Krrish's fingers closed around the Granth, a deep stillness spread across the entire space.
It wasn't ordinary silence.
It was the kind of stillness that came when something long awaited had finally been achieved.
The air stopped moving.
The energy that had once pressed against him—testing him, judging him—began to settle.
For a brief moment—
everything felt… complete.
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Krrish looked down at the Granth in his hands.
This was it.
The very thing he had been searching for.
The key to reaching Mahadev.
The answer to stopping both gods and demons from controlling the human world.
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His grip tightened slightly.
Not out of fear—
but certainty.
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"I finally found it…"
he murmured quietly.
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But then—
something changed.
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It was subtle.
So subtle that most would have ignored it.
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But Krrish didn't.
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His instincts reacted instantly.
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The energy of the Granth… shifted.
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Before, it had felt ancient… stable… absolute.
Now—
it felt unstable.
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As if something within it had awakened.
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Or worse—
as if something else had taken notice.
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Krrish's eyes narrowed.
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"This isn't right…"
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The surface of the Granth began to tremble slightly.
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At first—
barely noticeable.
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Then—
stronger.
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The pages started flipping on their own.
Not gently.
Not naturally.
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Violently.
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Energy leaked from within it—
but this time, it wasn't pure.
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It wasn't divine.
It wasn't dark.
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It was distorted.
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Before Krrish could react—
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The Granth slipped from his hands.
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No—
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It didn't slip.
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It rose.
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Slowly at first—
then steadily—
lifting itself into the air.
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Krrish immediately stepped back, his entire body going into alert mode.
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"What…?"
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The Granth hovered in front of him, suspended in the empty space.
Its pages continued to turn rapidly.
The energy around it began to twist—
forming patterns that made no sense.
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It was no longer just an object.
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It had become a center of something else.
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Something unknown.
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Something dangerous.
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Krrish's gaze sharpened.
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But then—
he felt it.
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A presence.
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Cold.
Still.
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And painfully familiar.
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Not behind him physically—
but behind him… existentially.
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Every instinct in his body reacted.
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Slowly—
very slowly—
Krrish turned around.
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And the moment his eyes locked onto what stood there—
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his breath stopped.
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"…What is that?"
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Standing behind him—
was himself.
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But not truly.
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It was a shadow.
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A perfect silhouette of his form—
but completely black.
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No features.
No expression.
No life.
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Just an outline—
filled with absolute darkness.
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Its eyes—
if they could even be called that—
were empty.
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There was no emotion.
No intent that could be read.
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Only presence.
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Krrish's body tensed instantly.
His energy surged.
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"Black Shadow…"
he said quietly.
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"What am I looking at?"
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For the first time—
there was a pause before the Shadow responded.
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"…So it has appeared."
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Its voice carried something new.
Not surprise.
But recognition.
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Krrish didn't take his eyes off the figure.
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"Answer me."
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A moment of silence.
Then—
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"That…"
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"…is you."
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Krrish's eyes narrowed.
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"Myself?"
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"Not exactly," the Shadow replied.
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"It is not your current self."
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"It is not your past self either."
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Another pause.
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"It is everything you are capable of becoming."
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The air grew heavier.
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"Your power…"
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"Your instincts…"
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"Your potential…"
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"Every decision…"
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"Every possibility…"
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"All of it…"
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"…given form."
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Krrish's mind processed it instantly.
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"A manifestation…"
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"…of my entire existence."
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"Yes."
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A deep silence followed.
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Then Krrish asked the obvious question.
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"So I have to fight it?"
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The answer came immediately.
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"Yes."
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But then—
the tone shifted.
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"And no."
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Krrish didn't move.
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"What does that mean?"
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The Black Shadow's voice grew heavier.
More serious than ever before.
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"You cannot defeat it… the way you defeat others."
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"Because it is not separate from you."
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"It has your strength."
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"Your speed."
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"Your reflexes."
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"Your battle intelligence."
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"It will think like you…"
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"React like you…"
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"Predict you."
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Krrish's focus sharpened even further.
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"Then what's the difference between us?"
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A brief pause.
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Then—
"Nothing."
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Silence.
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Cold.
Heavy.
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"It does not feel fear."
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"It does not hesitate."
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"It does not experience pain."
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"And most importantly…"
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"It does not doubt."
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Krrish's eyes flickered slightly.
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That last point—
was important.
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"So…"
he said quietly,
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"I can't overpower it."
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"No."
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"I can't outthink it."
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"No."
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"I can't break it."
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"No."
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The Shadow's voice echoed one final time—
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"You don't defeat it."
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A pause.
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"You surpass it."
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Before Krrish could fully process those words—
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The shadow moved.
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It didn't step.
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It didn't shift.
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It simply—
appeared.
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Right in front of him.
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BOOM!
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The impact came instantly.
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Krrish barely raised his arm in time to block—
but the force behind the strike sent shockwaves through his entire body.
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He was pushed back—
his feet dragging across the ground that didn't even exist.
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"Fast…"
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He stabilized himself instantly.
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But there was no time to think.
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The shadow attacked again.
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This time—
faster.
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Sharper.
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Every movement was precise.
Perfect.
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No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
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It was like fighting a version of himself—
without flaws.
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Krrish dodged.
Countered.
Blocked.
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But every move he made—
the shadow had already anticipated.
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Their fists collided.
Energy clashed.
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Shockwaves rippled through the space.
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Krrish's eyes narrowed.
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"This isn't just similar…"
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"It's identical."
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Another strike.
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Another perfect counter.
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The shadow didn't speak.
Didn't react.
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It simply fought.
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Relentlessly.
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Without pause.
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Without error.
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Krrish jumped back, creating distance.
His breathing remained steady—
but his mind was racing.
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"It doesn't make mistakes…"
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"It doesn't hesitate…"
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"And it already knows everything I'll do…"
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A realization hit him.
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"…It's not fighting me…"
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"…It is me."
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The Black Shadow's voice echoed again—
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"Exactly."
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"Now you understand."
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The shadow moved again—
closing the distance instantly.
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But this time—
Krrish didn't step back.
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He stepped forward.
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Their attacks collided head-on.
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Energy exploded outward.
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For a brief moment—
everything froze.
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And in that moment—
Krrish smiled.
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A small…
but clear smile.
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"So this is it…"
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His eyes sharpened.
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"This is the real test."
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Not strength.
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Not power.
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Not survival.
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But understanding.
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Understanding himself.
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His limits.
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His flaws.
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His potential.
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The shadow attacked again—
but this time—
Krrish didn't just react.
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He adapted.
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And the battle—
truly began.
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A battle where victory wasn't about defeating the enemy—
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But about transcending oneself.
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And this time—
there would be no shortcuts.
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No external help.
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Only Krrish…
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Versus everything he could ever become. 🔥