Chapter 4: Destiny's Guardian
The river carried the basket steadily, ignoring the turbulence around it. Karna, curled inside, stirred from his slumber. Hunger gnawed at him—he had yet to eat since birth.
"Wait… how did the original Karna survive like this?" he thought, his infant mind racing with awareness beyond normal mortals. Even as a newborn, he knew he couldn't afford to weaken.
"Uwah… Mahadev… someone help…"
His cries echoed over the river, tiny yet insistent. He couldn't speak, only wail, but the pleas carried urgency.
"Why are you crying, little one? Is it hunger or discomfort?"
The voice was soft, motherly, yet carried authority and warmth. Karna froze, feeling a strange calm amidst his panic. His eyes searched the surroundings, but the only visible forms were the sky, the trees, and the river.
"Am I imagining things?" he wondered.
Another growl from his stomach forced another wail. The basket rocked violently, threatening to topple him into the river. Panic surged through Karna—if he fell, even his divine armor couldn't guarantee survival against the current.
"Don't be afraid," the voice said again. "I won't let anything happen to you."
The river rose and formed a shimmering figure—a woman whose presence radiated divine care. The water itself seemed to part at her will. Karna gasped, realizing instinctively that this was no ordinary mortal.
She bent gracefully and lifted him from the basket, holding him securely. Her touch radiated warmth, and Karna felt a strange sense of safety. For the first time, he didn't need to hide his fear. Tears streamed down his cheeks as the weight of his early suffering poured out.
"Why are you crying so much, putra? Are you that hungry?"
The goddess's eyes softened as she realized the child's dire need. She attempted to summon milk using her divine energy, but something unexpected occurred—the power didn't respond.
"Hmm… strange, the river resists me," she murmured, puzzled.
Karna's cries grew louder, fueled by his unbearable hunger. Seeing this, the goddess adjusted her approach. She pressed him against her bosom, letting him feed directly. The instant his mouth touched her, the Destiny System activated within him:
[Ding! Destiny System Notification: Host receives Divine Nourishment.
All physical attributes temporarily stabilized. Hunger and fatigue eliminated. System detects external aid by divine entity. Probability threads updated: survival chance maximized.]
Karna's tiny body relaxed as he drank. The warmth of the goddess and the system's intervention amplified his divine constitution, subtly enhancing his natural abilities.
"Host is consuming divine sustenance. Attributes improved by temporary buff. Constitution augmented. Destiny Points: +5 DP," the system confirmed.
Karna's mind, though still that of a newborn, understood the concept: the Destiny System was ensuring his survival.
"Why… is this helping me?" Karna thought, pausing briefly as he drank. The system's calm voice reassured him:
[Destiny System: Survival probability maximized. External aid detected. Maintain passive state to synchronize future destiny threads.]
As he finished feeding, he felt a new surge of strength coursing through his body. The goddess gently wiped his tears and smiled, her gaze full of maternal warmth.
"Little one… you are special," she whispered. "I cannot let you remain in the mortal world. With this destiny, every being with ill intent will seek you. Even demons may try."
She resolved to bless him instead of immediately taking him to Swarg. Holding Karna close, she spoke softly yet with authority:
"From this moment, you are under my protection, little one. I will guide your destiny, even if the mortal world seeks to challenge you."
A gentle golden aura surrounded Karna as the goddess focused her divine energy.
[Ding! Destiny System Notification: Host receives Celestial Insight – Can perceive future probability threads and read hidden intentions.]
Karna's senses tingled. Though still a newborn, he could suddenly feel faint threads of possibility stretching before him, glimpses of future actions, and the hidden intentions of those around him. The system integrated the boon immediately, weaving it into his Destiny System.
[Destiny System Update: External threat detection enhanced. Probability threads now perceivable. Hidden intentions of nearby beings detectable. Destiny Points: +10 DP]
Karna blinked up at her, unaware of the full scope of the power he had just received, but instinctively feeling safer, wiser, and more aware of the world around him.
The goddess smiled tenderly. "Use this wisely, putra. It will help you survive, grow, and change your destiny when the time comes."
Karna relaxed in her arms, a sense of assurance and clarity washing over him. For the first time since birth, he felt that even the uncertainties of fate were not entirely beyond his control.