Friendship was not always loud.
It did not always begin with oaths or blood or battle.
Sometimes—
It began with shared silence.
Krishna noticed it the moment he remained in Hastinapura longer than planned. No announcement followed his decision. No summons forced it.
He simply… stayed.
The system chimed lazily.
«Extended Presence Detected.
Fate Threads Tightening.
Comfort Level: Unexpectedly High.»
Krishna smiled. "It's mutual."
The Pandavas did not approach him like princes meeting a potential ally.
They approached him like people.
Yudhishthira invited him for a walk through the palace gardens. No guards. No ceremony. Just conversation.
"You don't speak like someone who wants influence," Yudhishthira observed.
Krishna picked a leaf, twirled it between his fingers. "Influence taken is resisted. Influence earned is followed."
Yudhishthira nodded slowly. "You sound like Vidura."
"That's because he listens," Krishna replied.
Nearby, Arjuna practiced archery.
Krishna watched quietly.
The arrows flew true—precise, disciplined, beautiful.
But—
Not complete.
Krishna walked closer.
"Again," he said gently.
Arjuna released another arrow.
Krishna shook his head. "You're aiming at the target."
Arjuna frowned. "That's the point."
"No," Krishna corrected softly. "You should be aiming through it."
Arjuna tried again.
This time, the arrow split the center cleanly.
His breath caught.
The system chimed.
«Skill Guidance Provided.
Compatibility Index: Exceptional.
Arjuna Potential: Terrifying (In a Good Way).»
Arjuna turned, eyes bright. "Teach me."
Krishna smiled. "Only when you stop asking like a student and start asking like a friend."
Arjuna laughed. "Deal."
Bhima approached later, carrying enough food to feed a small army.
"You eat like you fight," Krishna remarked.
Bhima grinned. "You fight?"
Krishna shrugged. "Occasionally."
Bhima laughed so hard he nearly dropped his plate.
Nakula and Sahadeva observed quietly—watching patterns, noting calm certainty. Sahadeva's eyes lingered on Krishna longer than the rest.
"You already know," Krishna said casually.
Sahadeva nodded once. "Yes."
No explanation needed.
The system chimed approvingly.
«Recognition Without Worship Achieved.
Rare Outcome.»
One afternoon, Krishna found Karna standing alone near the training grounds.
No arrogance.
No crowd.
Just tension.
"You don't like me," Karna said without turning.
Krishna leaned against a pillar. "That's not true."
Karna laughed bitterly. "You unsettle me."
Krishna nodded. "That is true."
They stood in silence.
"You could have ruled," Karna said finally. "Instead, you advise."
"Ruling fixes symptoms," Krishna replied. "Understanding fixes causes."
Karna clenched his fists. "And what fixes injustice?"
Krishna looked at him—truly looked.
"Choice," he said softly.
The system chimed quietly.
«High-Risk Thread Detected.
Outcome Variable: Karna.
Intervention Status: Deferred.»
Krishna did not push.
That night, laughter echoed from the Pandavas' quarters.
Stories.
Jokes.
Friendly arguments.
Krishna sat among them, not above them.
For once—
Not watching the world.
Living in it.
Yudhishthira raised a cup. "To friendship."
Krishna lifted his own. "To balance."
Arjuna smiled. "Same thing."
Elsewhere in the palace, Duryodhana watched shadows move behind curtains.
Something was slipping.
Not taken.
Chosen.
The system chimed one last time before dawn.
«Core Alliance Formed.
Mahabharata Progression: Stable.
Tragedy Probability: Reduced (As Requested).»
Krishna gazed at the rising sun.
Friendship did not change destiny.
It shaped how destiny arrived.
--chapter 26 ended--