The first step had been taken.
And with it—
Something irreversible had begun.
Not a sudden leap.
Not a dramatic change.
But a quiet shift.
A new phase.
Karna continued to walk across the vast, silent expanse of Mount Kailash.
The mountain remained as it was—
Unforgiving.
Still.
Endless.
The winds moved without pause.
The cold pressed against everything it touched.
But Karna's steps did not falter.
They were slow.
Measured.
Precise.
Each movement carried awareness.
Each motion carried balance.
There was no hesitation in him.
No impatience.
No urgency pushing him forward.
There was no destination waiting ahead.
No finish line calling him.
Only movement itself.
Only the act of walking.
And within that movement—
Something began to change.
The Prana within him—
Which had once surged wildly…
Which had once demanded control…
Now behaved differently.
It no longer simply flowed.
Now—
It responded.
Karna became aware of it with increasing clarity.
