The bulletin board stood at the edge of the school ground, a wooden frame with a glass cover that reflected the afternoon sun. Twelve names. Twelve boys who would represent Malleshwaram High School in the coming season.
Rudra read his name again. Rudra Sharma — Standard VII — Selected.
It looked different from the others. Smaller. Less confident. The typewriter had pressed the letters unevenly, leaving the "R" slightly faded.
Doesn't matter, he thought. I'm on the list. That's what counts.
[System Note: First competitive achievement unlocked. School Team Selection.]
Behind him, a boy started crying. Someone else shouted in joy. A group of parents crowded around the board, pointing, arguing, celebrating.
Rudra stepped back and let them through.
His father was still standing where he had been ten minutes ago—near the boundary rope, briefcase in hand, watching. Krishnamurthy didn't rush to congratulate him. He didn't hug him or lift him in the air. He simply nodded—a small, almost imperceptible movement of the head.
Well done, that nod said. Now do it again.
Rudra nodded back.
The walk home was quiet.
The streets of Malleshwaram were busy with evening traffic—autorickshaws swerving around bullock carts, schoolchildren buying ice cream from a pushcart vendor, an old man walking his bicycle. Normal life, continuing as if nothing had happened.
But something had happened. Something small. Something that would echo.
[System Note: Milestone reached. School team selection is the first step on a longer path. KSCA Under-14 trials are the next logical objective. Estimated timeline: 6-8 weeks.]
Six to eight weeks, Rudra calculated. That's 42 to 56 days. Enough time to raise my physical attributes by at least one level each.
"Rudra." His father's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Yes, Appa?"
"You made the team. That's good. But don't let it go to your head."
"I won't."
Krishnamurthy glanced at him. "You say that like you mean it."
"I do mean it."
"Hmm." His father walked a few steps in silence. "The real competition starts now. School team is one thing. State team is another. If you want to play for Karnataka, you need to work harder than everyone else."
"I know."
"Do you? Because knowing and doing are different things."
Rudra looked at his father—the tired eyes, the receding hairline, the slight stoop in his shoulders from decades of carrying briefcases full of other people's problems.
He's testing me, Rudra realized. He wants to see if I understand the cost.
"I understand, Appa."
"Good." Krishnamurthy adjusted his grip on the briefcase. "Then we understand each other."
The apartment smelled of sambar and frying vadas. His mother had been cooking all afternoon—celebratory food, though she hadn't known whether he would make the team.
"Amma," Rudra said, stepping through the door. "I made it."
Janavi turned from the stove. Her eyes were wet.
"I knew you would," she said. "I made your favorite."
She had made masala vada—the crispy, spicy lentil fritters that took hours to prepare. The batter had to be ground just right. The onions had to be chopped fine. The oil had to be the perfect temperature.
She started cooking before the trials even ended, Rudra realized. Before she knew the result. She believed in me when I wasn't sure I believed in myself.
[Emotional Control Lv 01 → 12/100 EXP]
"Thank you, Amma."
"Eat," she said, pushing a plate toward him. "You're too thin."
After dinner, Rudra retreated to his room.
The Kashmir willow leaned against the wall. The cheap shoes with the growing hole sat under the bed. The notebook with his training logs lay open on the desk.
Time for a mental inventory.
He sat cross-legged on the floor, closed his eyes, and opened the System panel.
[System Note: Mental Inventory Initiated — Mode: Comprehensive]
[PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES — CURRENT STATUS]
Attribute Level EXP Progress to Next Level
Stamina Lv 02 78/200 122 EXP
Strength Lv 01 3/100 97 EXP
Reflexes Lv 01 5/100 95 EXP
Flexibility Lv 01 9/100 91 EXP
Durability Lv 01 5/100 95 EXP
[System Recommendation: Prioritize Reflexes and Durability. Stamina can be maintained with current running routine. Strength and Flexibility require dedicated training blocks.]
Reflexes, Rudra thought. How do I train reflexes without equipment?
[System Tip: Reaction ball drills can be simulated with a tennis ball thrown against a wall. High-speed visual tracking can be trained by watching fast-moving objects (ceiling fans, passing vehicles, birds in flight). Hand-eye coordination can be improved through video games with quick response requirements.]
Video games. That was something he could access. The video game café near the temple had consoles. He remembered it from his previous life—a dark room with sweating boys and the sounds of Counter-Strike gunfire.
I'll go tomorrow.
[SKILL ATTRIBUTES — CURRENT STATUS]
AttributeLevelEXPProgress to Next LevelAssessmentBatting TimingLv 02136/20064 EXP neededImproving steadily. Need to reach Lv 03 before KSCA trials.BowlingLv 010/100100 EXP neededBarely initialized. Not match-ready.FieldingLv 010/100100 EXP neededNot initialized. Critical weakness.Running Between WicketsLv 010/100100 EXP neededNot initialized. Will cost runs in matches.FocusLv 0315/200185 EXP neededAbove average for age group. Maintain current trajectory.Decision SpeedLv 012/10098 EXP neededImproving under pressure. Needs structured drills.Emotional ControlLv 0112/10088 EXP neededTrials experience helped. Continue exposure to pressure.Cricket IQLv 0812,805/25,60012,795 EXP neededPrevious life advantage. Use this to compensate for physical deficits.Social IntelligenceLv 0110/10090 EXP neededVarun interaction provided growth. Need more networking.Financial ManagementLv 0150/10050 EXP neededSnack business will accelerate this.
[System Note: Fielding and Running Between Wickets are urgent. These attributes directly affect match performance and selector perception. A batsman who cannot run quickly or field cleanly is a liability regardless of batting skill.]
Fielding, Rudra thought. I need to practice throwing. Catching. Ground fielding. The nets don't have space for that.
[System Tip: The school ground is available for practice after hours. Coordinate with teammates.]
[HIDDEN TALENTS — CURRENT STATUS]
TalentLevelProgressUnlock ConditionStatic VisionLocked358/10,000 balls facedFace 10,000 balls in match conditions???Locked—??????Locked—???
[System Note: Static Vision progress is slow. Current rate: approximately 40 balls per day. At this rate, unlock will take 241 days. Recommendation: increase daily ball exposure to 200+.]
200 balls a day, Rudra calculated. That's 4 hours of batting practice. Plus running. Plus fielding. Plus school. Plus the snack business.
Where will I find the time?
[System Note: Time management is a skill. Leveling it requires conscious effort. Recommend creating a daily schedule with blocked intervals for each activity.]
Rudra opened his notebook and began writing.
DAILY SCHEDULE — EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
5:00 AM — Wake up, stretch, morning run (1.5 km target)
5:45 AM — Shadow practice (800 reps)
6:30 AM — Shower, breakfast, school preparation
8:00 AM — 3:30 PM — School (use breaks for mental visualization)
4:00 PM — 6:00 PM — Net practice (200 balls minimum)
6:00 PM — 6:30 PM — Fielding practice (throwing, catching)
6:30 PM — 7:00 PM — Cool down, stretching, ice if needed
7:00 PM — 7:30 PM — Snack business preparation
7:30 PM — 8:00 PM — Dinner with family
8:00 PM — 9:00 PM — Homework / study
9:00 PM — 9:30 PM — Video game café (reflex training)
9:30 PM — 10:00 PM — Log training data, plan next day
10:00 PM — Sleep
[System Note: This schedule allocates 5 hours for sleep. Recommended minimum for age 13 is 8 hours. Chronic sleep deprivation will impair recovery and increase injury risk.]
I'll adjust, Rudra thought. I have to. There's no other way.
He continued his inventory, listing his strengths and weaknesses on paper.
STRENGTHS (What I have going for me):
Previous life experience (Cricket IQ Lv 08)
Technical knowledge of shots and situations
Adult discipline and patience
Supportive parents (even if they don't fully understand)
Access to Guru Rao's nets
School team selection (foot in the door)
WEAKNESSES (What I need to fix):
Physical frailty (all physical attributes Lv 01-02)
Slow reflexes (Lv 01)
No fielding skill (Lv 01, not initialized)
No running between wickets (Lv 01, not initialized)
Inadequate equipment (shoes falling apart, cheap bat)
No financial cushion (family lives month to month)
OPPORTUNITIES (What I can leverage):
Snack business at the nets (income + relationships)
Video game café (reflex training + social cover)
Varun Khanna rivalry (motivation + benchmark)
School team practices (structured coaching)
KSCA trials in 6-8 weeks (target)
THREATS (What can derail me):
Injury (forearm still healing, durability low)
Overtraining (current schedule is aggressive)
Financial emergency (one unexpected expense could break the family)
Selector bias (they may favor known players)
Varun's connections (his father is a senior advocate)
[System Note: Comprehensive inventory complete. Recommended next actions:]
[1. Purchase or borrow better shoes within 7 days.]
[2. Increase daily ball exposure to 150+ within 14 days.]
[3. Initialize Fielding skill within 7 days (minimum 50 catches/throws).]
[4. Generate first revenue from snack business within 7 days.]
[5. Achieve Reflexes Lv 02 within 21 days.]
Rudra closed the notebook and lay back on his bed.
The ceiling fan wobbled above him, its blades leaving trails in the dim light. He watched the motion, letting his eyes track the blades, training his visual system without thinking about it.
[Reflexes Lv 01 → 6/100 EXP]
[System Note: Passive visual tracking detected. Small improvement.]
Everything counts, he reminded himself. Every moment. Every choice.
There was a knock on his door.
"Come in."
His mother entered, carrying a small steel cup of warm milk.
"You should sleep," she said, setting the cup on his desk. "Big day tomorrow."
"First practice?"
"First practice as a selected player." She sat on the edge of his bed. "Your father is proud. He won't say it, but he is."
"I know, Amma."
Janavi looked at the notebook on his desk—the open pages covered in handwriting, numbers, schedules.
"You're planning something," she said.
"I'm always planning something."
"This is different." She picked up the notebook, reading his daily schedule. "You're planning every minute of your life. That's not healthy."
"It's necessary."
"For what? You're twelve years old. You should be playing. Sleeping. Eating. Not... this."
Rudra sat up. "Amma, do you know how many boys in Bangalore want to play for Karnataka? Thousands. Every year, thousands try out. Twelve get selected. Maybe fewer."
"And you think planning every minute will make you one of the twelve?"
"I think not planning will guarantee I'm not."
Janavi was silent for a moment. She set the notebook back on the desk.
"You remind me of your grandfather," she said quietly. "My father. He planned everything. Every rupee. Every minute. Every meal. He died at fifty-eight. Heart attack. Too much stress."
Rudra's chest tightened.
Heart attack. Fifty-eight. Just like me. Just like my first death.
"Amma—"
"I'm not saying don't work hard. I'm saying don't forget to live." She touched his cheek. "You have one life, Rudra. Don't spend it all on the future."
If only you knew, he thought. If only you knew I've already lived one life. If only you knew I wasted it.
"I'll try, Amma."
She stood up. "Drink your milk. Sleep. Tomorrow is another day."
She walked out, closing the door behind her.
Rudra drank the milk. It was warm, slightly sweet, made with love.
He set the cup down and opened the System panel one last time.
[Day 10 Complete — Trials Day]
[Total EXP Earned Today: Stamina +6, Batting Timing +4, Emotional Control +2, Social Intelligence +1, Reflexes +1]
[Stamina Lv 02: 78/200]
[Batting Timing Lv 02: 136/200]
[Focus: Lv 03 (15/200) — New level achieved]
[Overall Level: Still 01 — Close to threshold]
[Next Milestone: Overall Level 02]
[Required: One additional physical attribute to Lv 02, or two skill attributes to Lv 03, or cumulative EXP threshold]
Reflexes, Rudra decided. I'll push Reflexes to Lv 02 first. Then Strength. Then Durability.
He closed the panel and closed his eyes.
The ceiling fan wobbled above him. The sound of traffic drifted through the window. Somewhere, a dog barked.
One step, he thought. One step at a time.
End of Chapter 12