Chapter — The Simplest Answer
Karma looked at Yamiya Miekō.
"You?"
Yamiya said nothing.
Her nose was already bleeding.
She raised one hand.
Karma's Escutcheon activated.
Yamiya stared at it.
Layers.
Fear.
Reality.
Threat recognition.
Protective response.
Correction.
Deflection.
The system was elegant.
Which meant it was complicated.
Yamiya whispered, "Reduction."
The Escutcheon flickered.
Karma stopped smiling.
The relationship simplified.
Threat exists.
Reality protects Karma.
Yamiya reduced again.
Blood ran from one eye.
Threat exists.
Protection occurs.
Again.
Her other eye filled red.
Protection.
Yamiya coughed blood onto the Battlefield.
Then reduced once more.
Nothing.
The Escutcheon disappeared.
Karma took one involuntary step backward.
Nobody moved.
His eyes widened.
Not because she'd overpowered his defense.
She'd removed the structure that made defense meaningful.
Karma stared at her.
"Dark Logical Energy."
Yamiya's knees shook.
Karma's voice became quieter.
"A user of DLE."
"In all of my yea-"
She tried to reduce him.
That was different.
The moment her awareness touched Karma directly, complexity hit her like an ocean.
Chaotic Energy.
Karmic relationships.
Divine designation.
Reality accommodations.
Probability chains.
Conceptual ownership.
Millions upon millions of interlocked consequences.
Yamiya screamed.
Blood poured from her nose.
Her eyes.
Her mouth.
Still, she kept going.
Karma's outline simplified.
For one instant—
he lost his divine title.
Then his authority over the Battlefield.
Then even his relationship to the Escutcheon.
Karma's expression changed completely.
Yamiya smiled through blood.
"Too complicated."
Karma stared.
Yamiya's legs gave out.
"But not impossible."
She collapsed.
Karma caught her wrist before she hit the ground.
For one second it looked almost gentle.
Then he tossed her aside.
Raiyo dragged himself forward and caught her.
Karma looked genuinely fascinated.
"Interesting."
Kaosu tried to rise again.
Failed.
Torin looked around.
Nyxus unconscious.
Raiyo barely moving.
Kaosu broken.
Yamiya unconscious.
Voss injured.
The Corps scattered across the horizon.
Karma turned toward them.
His amusement was gone.
"Enough."