After seeing the new skill, Veer's brain started working at full speed. His mind raced with possibilities. Techniques, recipes, and the art of cooking—they weren't just ideas anymore. They were ingrained in him, like memories from a life he had already lived. He *knew* how to cook. He *knew* the art of blending flavors, the science of heat, the mastery of every ingredient in the kitchen. And he was aware that every new skill he unlocked could become part of his repertoire, as easily as breathing.
But, as the euphoria from his achievement began to fade, the weight of reality sank in.
Veer sat on his bed, staring out of the small window of his room. He had his own place—a house his parents had left him after they passed. The peeling walls, the worn-out furniture, and the dusty corners all bore the weight of the struggle he faced every day. The utility bills, the basic necessities—everything added up, leaving him with just a few hundred rupees at the end of each month.
Three thousand five hundred rupees. That was his salary. It barely covered bills and food. With what was left, he had to make do. But there was no room for luxuries. No room for high-end ingredients that could help him level up his skill further. He had to make careful choices about how to spend his money, and most of the time, it felt like a never-ending battle just to keep things from falling apart.
'Should I try getting more knowledge?' he thought, the idea tempting. But after a moment's consideration, he pushed the thought aside. It would be better to master the skills he already had, first. The cooking skill, especially. If he could level up his culinary expertise and make it the best it could be, maybe he could make money from it. Perhaps he could turn it into a way out—an escape from the financial struggle that had been his reality for years.
But as he sat there, his mind racing through possible plans, a dark realization set in: "Leveling up by cooking hundreds of dishes?" He shook his head in frustration. It wasn't practical. Even if he devoted every waking hour to it, the amount of time and resources it would take to level up his culinary skill felt like a Herculean task. More than that, there was no way he could afford all the ingredients he'd need to cook that much.
Veer wasn't someone who had never worked hard, but this felt like an impossible challenge. Cooking day after day, meal after meal? It would take more than just effort. It would take money. It would take energy. And, more than anything, it would take time—time he didn't have.
He sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead. 'It would take forever,' he thought, 'and it's not like I have the money or the energy to do it.'
Veer's life wasn't easy. After his parents passed away, he had been left with their small house, but the upkeep was more than he could handle with his meager savings. The bills never stopped coming. Life was a constant source of stress, and utilities, groceries, and the basics of life took up the majority of his money. He could scrape by, sure, but the idea of buying enough ingredients to level up his cooking skills felt like a pipe dream.
He wanted to push forward. He wanted to grow his skills and change his life, but he needed a practical solution. Without it, all of his abilities would be meaningless.
A sudden thought struck him—a glimmer of hope. The internet. He could search for ways to level up faster, to find ways to cut corners, to gain practical knowledge that didn't require him to physically cook hundreds of dishes. Maybe he could even find shortcuts, or ways to make money from his skill in a way that wouldn't break his bank.
His eyes flickered toward his phone, a cheap, outdated model that had been his only source of connection to the outside world. He knew the internet could be a treasure trove of information, if only he had access. But reality set in quickly. He tapped the side of his phone absentmindedly.
The phone wasn't the problem—it was the data. He barely had enough money to buy groceries, let alone pay for internet access. The little amount of credit he had left was just enough to make emergency calls. The idea of paying for internet seemed impossible. Veer had been given the access of internet on café for free as a small kindness from his boss, but that kindness didn't extend to paying for internet on his phone.
His heart sank a little as he let out a frustrated breath. He didn't have the luxury of unlimited access to information, not unless he could figure out another way. But that wasn't even his biggest problem right now. No—his biggest problem was money.
His thoughts drifted back to the mounting stack of unpaid bills. Utilities. Groceries. These things loomed over him, constantly reminding him of his limitations. The small amount he had left after paying everything else just barely kept him afloat. He wasn't starving—he could afford a simple meal when he needed it—but the constant pressure of living paycheck to paycheck was exhausting.
He looked out of the window, watching as people passed by on the street below. They seemed to be moving with purpose, going about their lives, unaware of the burdens he carried. The world seemed to turn with ease for everyone else, but for him, everything felt like a fight. The idea of leveling up and Ranking up skill like cooking seemed so distant, almost unreachable. He didn't have the time to practice in peace.
Veer closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. How could he make money with his skills without drawing attention? How could he break free from the grind of survival long enough to develop his talents?
His hands clenched into fists in frustration. There had to be a way out of this. He wasn't a beggar. He wasn't destitute. He had the potential, the knowledge, the skills to turn his life around. He just needed a way to tap into that potential, without falling back into the cycle of struggle.
After an hour of pacing and lost thoughts, the sound came—a soft, almost ethereal whisper in his mind.
[ Ding! ]
Veer froze mid-step, his heart skipping a beat. The notification was so sudden and unexpected that it caused his thoughts to scramble. What was it? What had happened?
For a moment, Veer hesitated. Could it be another opportunity to use his Knowledge Card? To level up his culinary skills faster, or to gain another skill that could help him?