Silence did not last long.
It never did—
Not at this level.
Not between two forces that had already crossed into something beyond ordinary battle.
The air had cleared.
The distortions—
Gone, as if they had never existed.
The battlefield had returned to something that resembled normality.
But the tension—
It had not faded.
It had deepened.
Settled into something heavier.
Something sharper.
Because now—
There were no more veils.
No more hidden layers waiting to be uncovered.
Only what remained—
At the very edge.
The figure stood still.
One step back from where he had been forced moments ago.
But there was no sign of defeat.
No trace of collapse.
No instability.
Only adjustment.
Refinement.
Evolution.
His gaze remained fixed on Karna.
Not loosely.
Not curiously.
But with focus.
Careful.
Measured.
"You crossed it."
His voice was quieter now.
Not diminished—
But concentrated.
"The threshold."
Karna did not respond.
There was no need.
Words—
