The road stretched on, but something had changed.
Not outside.
Not in the movement of people, nor in the rhythm of the world.
But within Karna.
Since the moment they had passed through the settlement, since the scattered voices of Gurukul and princes had reached his ears, there had been a quiet shift inside him—subtle, almost unnoticeable, yet persistent.
The system had not spoken.
And that—
Was unusual.
Before, its responses had been immediate. Clear. Precise. It reacted when progress was made, when conditions were fulfilled. It acknowledged change.
But now—
There was silence.
Karna continued walking, his steps even, his breathing steady, but his awareness had turned inward. The flow remained present, stable, but he was no longer focusing on it.
He was waiting.
Not impatiently.
But knowingly.
Because this silence—
Did not feel empty.
It felt… deliberate.
Beside him, Duryodhana glanced over briefly. "You're doing that again."
Karna did not look at him. "What?"
