The Royal Arena of Hastinapur buzzed with tension.
The crowd had still not recovered from what they had just witnessed.
A charioteer's son…
Crowned as the King of Ang.
And now standing proudly beside Prince Duryodhana.
Whispers spread through the massive arena.
"This is unbelievable…"
"The prince just created a new king…"
Karna stood calmly at the center.
The crown of Ang rested upon his head.
The divine Vijaya Dhanush rested in his hand.
His golden armor shone brilliantly beneath the sunlight.
Across from him—
Arjuna stood silently.
His eyes were fixed on Karna.
Inside his mind—
'This man… his archery was extraordinary.'
But pride burned within the Pandava prince.
Arjuna spoke firmly.
"Now that you are a king…"
"You have the right to challenge me."
The crowd leaned forward in anticipation.
Karna smiled slightly.
Inside his mind—
'Finally.'
He stepped forward confidently.
"Arjuna."
"I challenge you to a duel."
The arena exploded with excitement.
"THEY'RE GOING TO FIGHT!"
"ARJUNA VS KARNA!"
Even the royal elders shifted in their seats.
This was not a simple sparring match anymore.
This was a duel between two extraordinary archers.
High above in the royal seats…
Bhishma watched quietly.
His sharp eyes examined Karna carefully.
Inside his mind—
'Such aura… such confidence.'
Beside him, Dronacharya frowned slightly.
"Arjuna is my greatest student."
But even Drona could feel it.
The presence of Karna was different.
Back in the arena…
Arjuna raised his bow.
The tension between the two warriors became suffocating.
Karna slowly lifted the Vijaya Dhanush.
The divine weapon hummed softly with power.
DING
RIVAL BATTLE DETECTED
Opponent: Arjuna
Battle Type: Archery Duel
Reward if victorious:
• Solar Archery Evolution
• Massive Reputation Gain
Inside Karna's mind—
'Perfect.'
The arena fell silent.
Two archers.
Two destinies.
Standing only a few steps apart.
Vrinda stood nervously near the entrance.
Inside her mind—
'This fight will shake the entire kingdom.'
But suddenly—
A powerful voice echoed through the arena.
"STOP!"
Everyone turned.
The speaker was Kripacharya.
The elder stepped forward with authority.
"This duel cannot happen today."
The crowd groaned in disappointment.
Arjuna frowned.
"Why?"
Kripacharya pointed toward the western sky.
The sun was slowly setting.
"The tournament demonstrations are over."
"Royal duels cannot occur after sunset."
The rules were absolute.
Even princes could not break them.
Arjuna lowered his bow reluctantly.
Karna also relaxed slightly.
Inside his mind—
'So the duel will wait.'
Duryodhana stepped forward proudly.
He placed a hand on Karna's shoulder again.
"Do not worry, my friend."
"The day will come when the entire world witnesses your strength."
Karna nodded calmly.
Meanwhile…
High in the royal seats…
One woman stared at Karna with trembling eyes.
Kunti.
Her breathing had become uneven.
Inside her mind—
'That armor… those earrings…'
Her heart pounded violently.
'My son…'
But she remained silent.
No one could hear the storm inside her heart.
Far away from the arena crowd…
Krishna stood quietly beneath a tall pillar.
A mysterious smile rested on his lips.
Inside his mind—
'So fate has brought you here, Karna.'
His eyes glowed with deep curiosity.
'The warrior who will stand against destiny itself.'
Back in the arena…
The crowd slowly began leaving.
But the rumors had already begun spreading.
"A new king has appeared."
"The Golden Warrior of Ang."
Karna looked toward the horizon where the sun was setting.
Inside his mind—
'Arjuna… our battle will come soon.'
And when that day arrived—
The world would witness a duel that legends would never forget.