The night sky above Mumbai was velvet-black, dotted with the faint silver of distant stars. The floodlights of Wankhede were long behind them now, mere glowing specks shrinking in the rear window.
Prince sat in the back seat of his father's car, a silver Mercedes-Benz S-Class, gleaming under the highway lamps like liquid chrome. The cabin was cool and quiet, the air-conditioning gentle, whispering through the vents. Beige leather seats cushioned him, stitched so perfectly they looked sculpted. A faint scent of sandalwood and fresh polish hung in the air.
Maria sat in the passenger seat beside Bibin, her head leaned slightly toward the window. Bibin was driving, hands steady on the wheel, his eyes soft with the satisfaction of a proud father.
Kerala's newest cricket sensation, his eight-year-old son.
Prince leaned his head back, looking out through the glass ceiling. The highway hummed beneath them, the rhythm of the tires lulling the car into a steady hum. Every light that passed flickered over his face, orange, then white, then blue — like time itself shifting through colors.
He wasn't tired, not really. His body felt light, the System had long since flushed the fatigue out of him. But his mind was heavy with one thought, echoing since the final delivery of the match.
"Next stage unlocked."
The words had appeared in bright gold text across his vision right after the team's victory. Then, like a dream, they'd vanished.
Prince hadn't told anyone, of course.
Now, as the car drifted onto the long stretch of highway toward Kochi, he stared out the window, pretending to sleep.
"Must be exhausted," Maria whispered to Bibin, turning to look at him.
"Let him rest," Bibin said quietly. "He earned it."
Prince's lips almost curled at the corners, a ghost of a smile.
When their voices faded, he let his eyelids close, relaxing into the hum of the car.
Inside his mind, the silence broke.
[SYSTEM BOOT SEQUENCE – LEVEL TWO ACCESS]
Welcome, Host.
User: Prince MartinStatus: Active (Post-tournament)Age: 8 years, 4 monthsExperience Threshold: ExceededNext Stage Access: Granted
Prince felt a faint current of warmth run behind his eyes, not pain, not exactly sensation, but awareness. The darkness of the car melted away into the familiar translucent-blue interface of the System.
He floated in a weightless space, endless, like the void between thoughts.
SYSTEM: "Congratulations, Host. You have completed the foundational stage of progression — Foundation Tier: Awakening. Your performance metrics have surpassed baseline expectations by 312%."
Prince's digital reflection shimmered before him, a faint silhouette of his body, glowing softly, mapped with subtle blue circuits where veins would be.
"Next stage unlocked," he murmured. "What does that mean exactly?"
The System's voice changed slightly, deeper, smoother, no longer the mechanical monotone of before. It sounded more… alive.
SYSTEM: "Level Two unlocked: Advanced Athlete Pathway – Tier Ascension. New modules online."
Then, one by one, new glowing tabs began to form around him, spinning slowly, orbiting his figure.
[NEW SYSTEM MODULES ACTIVATED]
1. Dynamic Growth Accelerator (DGA)
Biological regulation protocol unlocked.Increases rate of muscle fiber adaptation, reflex calibration, and cellular recovery.Passive ability: Enhances nutrient absorption efficiency by 280%.Active function (limited): Induce temporary growth-phase training acceleration for 24-hour periods.Caution: Overuse may cause neural strain or temporary memory fog.
Prince blinked. Growth acceleration?He imagined what that meant — more stamina, faster reflexes, maybe even quicker learning.
He clenched his small fists, excitement bubbling under his calm expression.
SYSTEM: "Module calibrated to Host's genetic structure. Baseline growth synchronization… complete."
2. Sensory Integration Module (SIM)
Cognitive perception protocol unlocked.Enhances visual tracking, auditory filtering, and spatial coordination.New functions include:– Ball Trajectory Prediction (Tier 1): Predicts flight path and spin deviation within 0.2s margin.– Kinetic Awareness Mapping: Detects motion vectors within a 15m radius.– Neural Focus Lock: Temporarily slows perception of time during intense focus sequences.
Prince's eyes widened slightly, even in his false sleep. That's insane.
He could literally see where the ball would go, not just guess or read from a bowler's wrist.
The System pulsed.
SYSTEM: "Caution: Neural Focus Lock requires deep breathing stabilization. Excessive use during matches may cause sensory fatigue."
"Understood," he whispered mentally.
3. Expanded Stat Grid
The stat screen unfolded before him like a digital scroll. His old eight categories had grown into sixteen.
Below it, a new bar shimmered.
(All Stats Capped at 100)
Strength: 18
Stamina: 21
Agility: 25
Pace: 19
Fielding: 23
Batting: 27
Bowling: 28
Game IQ: 32
Focus: 29
Coordination: 26
Reflex: 24
Balance: 20
Vision: 28
Endurance: 22
Recovery: 19
Resillience: 30
Tier Progression: Intermediate Tier – 0.0% to 100%.
SYSTEM: "Host's foundation stats are now visible up to the second decimal precision. Stat caps will evolve dynamically with each Tier."
4. The System Shop – Expansion Unlocked
A golden icon appeared beside his vision, shaped like a cricket ball pulsing with faint light.
SYSTEM: "The Shop now contains Special Talent Blueprints, condensed skill modules extracted from iconic cricketers of history. Each blueprint can be learned permanently after sufficient System points are accumulated."
Prince's pulse quickened. "Show me examples."
The air before him shimmered, revealing small digital cards, glowing gold, each with faint images embossed.
Blueprint: Sehwag's Fearless Instinct (Tier 3)Temporarily removes all hesitation before a stroke. Boosts reaction time by 15%.
Blueprint: Bumrah's Seam Control (Tier 2)Grants precision seam release and swing manipulation at high speed.
Blueprint: AB de Villiers' Adaptive Response (Tier 4)Instantly recalibrates batting stance to any bowling type.
Blueprint: Gilchrist's Keeper Reflex (Tier 3)Adds +20 to reaction time when fielding behind wickets.
Prince scrolled through dozens of others, legends, each broken down into their essence, purchasable through effort.
SYSTEM: "System Points are earned through match performance, daily objectives, and exceptional moments of focus. Higher Tiers grant exponential multiplier bonuses."
He swallowed. This wasn't just a training aid anymore. It was evolution, structured, trackable, powerful.
5. Legacy Pathway: ???
One icon flickered at the bottom of the interface.A faint grey lock hovered above it, labelled simply "Legacy Pathway."
Prince reached out mentally. "What's that?"
The System hesitated, the first time it ever had.
SYSTEM: "Access denied at current level. Legacy Pathway pertains to Host's prior existence. Unlock condition: Tier 3 progression + Psychological Sync Ratio 100%."
His breath caught. "Prior existence?"
He felt his pulse quicken. It knows.
The car hummed gently as Bibin turned onto the expressway ramp. The sound of the tires filled the silence while Prince stared at that faint locked symbol. It glowed, dim and distant, like a door half-open.
SYSTEM: "Would Host like to review new mission parameters?"
"Yes," Prince said.
The next window unfolded.
[NEW DAILY MISSIONS – ADVANCED TIER]
Morning Regimen:
150 push-ups, 100 pull-ups, 10km run.
Reward: +2 Stamina, +1 Strength
Precision Drills:
500 shadow shots, 300 bowling arm repetitions.
Reward: +1 Batting, +1 Bowling, +1 Focus
Cognitive Training:
Watch 2 hours of match footage, identify 20 tactical errors by pros.
Reward: +2 Game IQ
Meditation Sync:
45-minute deep-focus breathing using Body Control mode.
Reward: +2 Resilience, +System affinity boost.
Penalty for failure: 24-hour stat stagnation + reduced recovery rate.
Prince exhaled, low. "You're not going easy on me, huh?"
SYSTEM: "Excellence does not coexist with comfort, Host."
He chuckled silently. Even the System was starting to sound like Coach Gautam.
The car slowed slightly. Bibin reached out to lower the volume on the radio. Some Malayalam love song played softly in the background, old Kishore Kumar, smooth and lazy, a song Bibin always played on night drives.
Prince opened his eyes for a moment. His mother had dozed off, head against the window. His father was humming quietly.
The highway was nearly empty now, just dark tarmac stretching under soft white lights.
Prince turned his face toward the glass again, watching his own reflection. For the first time since being reborn, he felt an ache that wasn't about regret. It was potential.
He whispered, "System, how far can this go?"
SYSTEM: "Current trajectory projects Tier 10 as ultimate evolution threshold."
He blinked. "Tier 10?"
SYSTEM: "Tier 10 represents Apex Integration, total synergy of mind, body, and instinct. The final form of mastery. Estimated timeline: 14 years, with consistent progression."
Fourteen years.
Prince smiled faintly. He'd be 22 then, around the same age most cricketers broke into the senior circuits.
Everything lined up. Destiny, rebirth, System, all converging like it was written.
He leaned back, feeling the rhythm of the road beneath the car.
SYSTEM: "One more addition: Tier Advancement Bonus granted."
A new window appeared.
[TIER BONUS: Skill, "Zone Sync" Unlocked]
Activating Zone Sync enables Host to harmonize focus, muscle control, and spatial awareness into perfect alignment for up to 15 seconds. During this window, perception of time slows by 50%, and decision precision increases exponentially.
Cooldown: 48 hours.
Prince's lips parted slightly. That was beyond anything he'd imagined.
A real-life Zone.
He imagined standing at the crease, the bowler running in, the ball leaving the hand, and him watching every frame like a slowed movie.
"Now that's… monumental," he whispered under his breath.
SYSTEM: "Acknowledged."
The words faded, leaving only the soft glow of the interface.
The car turned off the expressway into the quieter roads leading home. Bibin hummed still, his hand tapping the steering wheel. Maria stirred awake, asking drowsily if they were nearly there.
Prince let his eyes open fully this time. The dashboard lights glowed soft gold. Street lamps flickered through the windshield. Kochi's early night air had that faint smell of rain, even though the roads were dry.
He rested his cheek against the cool window glass and let his lips curve slightly.
Eight years old, and yet, somewhere deep inside, he felt older than time itself.
He'd been given another life, another path, and now, the tools to shape it perfectly.
SYSTEM: "End of initial Tier Two briefing. Awaiting Host's directive."
Prince whispered, "Sleep mode."
The interface dissolved like mist, and the darkness of the car returned.
The hum of the Mercedes filled the silence. His parents talked softly in the front seat about dinner, about home, about nothing that could break the peace of that moment.
Prince finally allowed himself to truly close his eyes, not in exhaustion, but in contentment.
For the first time in either of his lives, he didn't feel trapped by fate. He felt like he was building it.
And somewhere, deep in the invisible fabric of his mind, the System pulsed faintly alive, waiting.
"Next stage: prepared."