The northern winds carried a strange silence.
Not the calm of peace—
But the absence of life.
Beyond the borders of Hastinapur, the land stretched into scattered villages and dense forest lines.
Normally, smoke would rise from homes.
Children would run across fields.
Voices would fill the air.
Now—
Nothing.
A small unit moved swiftly across the terrain.
At the front—
Karna.
Beside him—
Vrinda.
Behind them—
A selected group of elite warriors.
Silent.
Alert.
Dawn had long passed.
But the sun felt distant here.
As if even its light hesitated to reach this place.
Vrinda slowed her pace slightly.
Her eyes scanned the empty village ahead.
"This is one of the locations mentioned."
Karna nodded.
They stepped into the village.
Doors hung open.
Utensils lay scattered.
Signs of sudden interruption.
No bodies.
No blood.
That made it worse.
One of the soldiers whispered,
"Where is everyone…?"
Vrinda crouched near the ground.
Her fingers brushed against the dirt.
Then—
She frowned.
"Tracks."
Karna stepped closer.
Multiple.
Dragged.
Forced movement.
"They were taken."
A low wind passed through the village.
Carrying with it—
A faint metallic scent.
Karna's eyes sharpened.
"Not far."
They moved again.
Following the trail into the forest.
The deeper they went—
The heavier the air became.
Then—
They saw it.
A clearing.
And in it—
A structure.
Temporary.
But organized.
A hidden camp.
Vrinda's voice dropped.
"They're here."
Karna raised his hand.
The unit stopped instantly.
No noise.
No movement.
Then—
Karna reached for his bow.
An arrow slid into place.
His breathing slowed.
Focused.
Solar Battle Instinct.
The world sharpened.
Every guard position.
Every movement.
Every weakness.
Clear.
Without a word—
He released.
THWACK.
The first guard fell silently.
Before the body hit the ground—
A second arrow followed.
Then a third.
Three targets.
Three kills.
No alarm raised.
Vrinda moved instantly.
The unit followed.
They entered the camp like shadows.
Fast.
Precise.
Deadly.
But—
A voice echoed suddenly.
"So you finally arrived."
Karna stopped.
From the center of the camp—
A figure stepped forward.
Not masked.
Not hiding.
Confident.
Behind him—
Rows of bound villagers.
Alive.
Vrinda's eyes hardened.
"You…"
The man smiled faintly.
"The King of Ang."
Karna's bow remained steady.
"Release them."
The man chuckled.
"You came faster than expected."
A pause.
"But not fast enough."
Suddenly—
More figures emerged from the shadows.
Dozens.
Surrounding them.
A trap.
The soldiers tightened formation.
Vrinda drew her blade.
But Karna—
Remained calm.
"You knew we'd come."
The man nodded.
"Of course."
He stepped forward slowly.
"You're predictable."
Karna's eyes didn't waver.
"And you talk too much."
Before the man could react—
Karna released.
The arrow flew straight toward his throat.
But—
CLANG.
The arrow was deflected.
At the last moment.
The man smirked.
"Did you think it would be that easy?"
Karna's eyes narrowed slightly.
Interesting.
Then—
The battlefield erupted.
Enemies attacked from all sides.
Steel clashed.
Shouts filled the air.
Vrinda fought with precision.
Cutting through enemies without hesitation.
The soldiers held formation.
But the numbers—
Were overwhelming.
Karna moved.
Fast.
Arrow after arrow released.
Each one—
Perfect.
One enemy fell.
Then another.
Then three more.
No wasted motion.
No missed shots.
The attackers began to hesitate.
Because this wasn't normal archery.
This was dominance.
The leader stepped back slightly.
Watching.
Calculating.
"Impressive…"
He murmured.
Then—
He raised his hand.
And suddenly—
One of the prisoners was dragged forward.
A blade pressed against his throat.
Vrinda froze.
"Karna—"
The leader smiled.
"Let's see how precise you really are."
Silence fell.
The battlefield paused.
Karna slowly raised his bow.
One arrow.
One shot.
The distance was long.
The angle—
Impossible.
The margin of error—
Zero.
The prisoner trembled.
The blade pressed closer.
The leader's smile widened.
"Go on."
Karna exhaled slowly.
Everything else faded.
No sound.
No movement.
Just the target.
Just the shot.
He released.
The arrow flew.
Straight.
True.
For a split second—
Time stopped.
Then—
THWACK.
The blade shattered.
The enemy holding it collapsed.
The prisoner fell free.
Silence.
Absolute.
Vrinda exhaled sharply.
The soldiers stared in disbelief.
The leader's smile faded.
For the first time—
He looked serious.
"…Now I see."
Karna lowered his bow slightly.
"You're not here to test me."
A pause.
"You're here to send a message."
The man didn't deny it.
"And now…"
Karna's voice sharpened.
"You've failed."
The air shifted.
The tide turned.
The battle wasn't over.
But the outcome—
Had just changed.
Far away—
In Hastinapur—
Krishna stood under the open sky.
Eyes closed.
As if sensing something.
Then—
A faint smile appeared.
"The sun burns brighter…"
Back at the battlefield—
Karna drew another arrow.
This time—
There would be no restraint.