CHAPTER 36, THE PRICE OF KNOWLEDGE — A LIFE WITHOUT POWER
The instant Krrish accepted the condition, something far deeper than space or time began to shift.
It was not an explosion.
Not a collapse.
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It was a transition.
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The Granth's light grew dense—no longer just illumination, but something that felt like it carried intention… like it was deciding his fate.
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Krrish stood still, his gaze unwavering.
For the first time in a long while—
there was no enemy in front of him.
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Only a choice.
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"Think carefully," the Granth's ancient voice echoed, calm yet absolute,
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"Once this begins… you will lose everything that defines you."
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Krrish did not reply immediately.
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Instead, he slowly closed his eyes.
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Inside his mind—
countless memories passed like shadows.
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Battles where he stood unchallenged.
Moments where his power alone decided outcomes.
The fear in his enemies' eyes.
The certainty of victory in his own.
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He had lived a life where strength was truth.
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Where power shaped reality.
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But now—
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He was about to step into a world where none of that mattered.
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His fingers tightened slightly.
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Not out of fear.
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But acknowledgment.
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Then—
he opened his eyes.
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Clear.
Steady.
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"I understand."
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And with that—
the final barrier broke.
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The space around him did not shatter.
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It peeled away.
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Layer by layer—
like reality itself was revealing something hidden beneath it.
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Cracks spread—not visible, but felt.
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And through those cracks—
another world appeared.
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At first, it was distant.
Like something seen through fog.
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But slowly—
it sharpened.
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Buildings rose into form.
Crowded streets filled with movement.
Voices layered over each other in chaotic rhythm.
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A normal human world.
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But something about it felt… heavy.
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Not with power.
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But with pressure.
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Invisible burdens that weighed on every living being within it.
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"This is where you will go," the Granth spoke.
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"And this…"
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"…is the life you will take."
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And then—
it happened.
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Memories surged into Krrish's mind.
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Not fragments.
Not flashes.
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Entire experiences.
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A life.
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A broken one.
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He saw a boy—
no… a young man.
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Someone who had tried—
but failed.
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Again.
And again.
And again.
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No matter what he did—
it was never enough.
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A father who looked at him with silent disappointment.
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A mother who had stopped defending him—
not because she didn't care,
but because she had lost hope.
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Relatives who whispered behind his back.
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"Useless."
"Burden."
"Failure."
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Each word struck deeper than any weapon.
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And then—
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Her.
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His fiancée.
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Someone who should have been his support.
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His partner.
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But instead—
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She became his greatest betrayal.
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Smiles in front of him.
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Lies behind his back.
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And someone else standing where he should have been.
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Stronger.
Richer.
More respected.
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Someone the world accepted.
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While he was rejected.
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Krrish's eyes darkened slightly.
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"This is the life you expect me to live?" he asked quietly.
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"Yes."
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The answer came without hesitation.
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"You will become him."
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Krrish inhaled slowly.
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"And I have to fix it."
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"Yes."
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"Without power."
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"Yes."
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"Without influence."
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"Yes."
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"Without anything."
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A brief pause.
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Then—
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"Yes."
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Each confirmation tightened the reality around him.
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This was not a test of strength.
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This was a test of existence itself.
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The Granth continued—
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"You will not have wealth."
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"You will not have status."
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"You will not have allies."
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"You will not have respect."
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"You will begin from the lowest point…"
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"…and rise."
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Silence.
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But this silence—
felt heavier than any battle.
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Because in battle—
there was always a path.
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But here—
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There was nothing.
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Only struggle.
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Only limitation.
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Only… humanity.
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"What exactly must I do?" Krrish asked.
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The Granth's voice grew deeper.
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"Change his life."
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"Make his family realize their mistakes."
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"Make them feel regret."
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"Make those who betrayed him…"
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"…face the consequences of their actions."
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"Give him justice."
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The words echoed again—
but now, they carried weight beyond simple meaning.
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Because this wasn't about revenge.
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It was about truth.
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And truth—
was far more difficult.
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"And I cannot use my powers at all?" Krrish asked once more.
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"No."
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"Not even a fragment."
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That was final.
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Krrish exhaled slowly.
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This meant—
every decision…
every step…
every outcome—
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would depend solely on him.
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No shortcuts.
No overwhelming force.
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Only his mind.
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His patience.
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His understanding of people.
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"And one more thing," the Granth added.
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"In that world…"
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"You will not just be weak."
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"You will feel weakness."
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"You will experience pain…"
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"…as they do."
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That was the true challenge.
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Not just living without power—
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But truly becoming human.
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Krrish nodded slightly.
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"That's enough."
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The Granth fell silent for a moment.
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Then—
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"Do not worry about time."
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"No matter how long you remain there…"
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"Only a few seconds will pass here."
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Krrish didn't respond.
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Because time didn't matter.
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What mattered—
was what he would become after this.
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There was no hesitation left.
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"Send me."
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The moment he said it—
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everything changed.
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The light from the Granth surged outward—
engulfing him completely.
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His body began to dissolve—
not painfully—
but inevitably.
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His connection to power—
cut.
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His identity—
fading.
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His existence—
being rewritten.
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For the first time—
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Krrish felt it.
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Absolute weakness.
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No energy.
No control.
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Just emptiness.
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And it was suffocating.
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Then—
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Darkness.
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Endless.
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Until—
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A sound.
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A heartbeat.
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Slow.
Weak.
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Krrish's eyes opened.
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The world felt… heavy.
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The ceiling above him was cracked.
Faded.
Old.
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The air felt dense.
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His body—
felt wrong.
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Not broken.
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But limited.
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He tried to move his arm—
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and struggled.
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The strength he once had—
was gone.
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Completely.
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"…So this is…"
he whispered,
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"…a human life."
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His voice was different.
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No authority.
No power.
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Just… normal.
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He slowly sat up—
and instantly—
memories flooded him again.
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Pain.
Humiliation.
Loneliness.
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Not his own—
but now—
they felt like they were.
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Krrish closed his eyes for a moment.
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Then opened them.
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Calm.
Focused.
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Resolved.
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"If this is the life I've been given…"
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"…then I'll change it."
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Outside the room—
voices echoed.
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Cold.
Careless.
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"He's still lying there?"
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"Useless as always…"
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"What a disgrace…"
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Krrish stood up slowly.
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His legs weak.
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His body unstable.
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But his will—
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Unbreakable.
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Because even without power—
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He was still Krrish.
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And this time—
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he would fight in a way he never had before.
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Not with strength.
Not with dominance.
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But with something far more dangerous—
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Understanding.
Patience.
Truth.
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Because in a world where he had nothing—
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those would become his greatest weapons.
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And this time—
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the battlefield was not a realm.
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It was life itself. 🔥