The day after the match felt lighter.
Not because they had won—they hadn't.
Not because he had scored big—he hadn't.
But because people noticed.
"Good running yesterday," someone said as Rudra walked into class.
"You stayed calm," another added. "Most of us panicked."
They weren't loud compliments. Just passing words from classmates who usually talked about homework or lunch.
Rudra nodded, thanked them, and moved on.
Praise felt good.
But it didn't change numbers.
The sports noticeboard changed that afternoon.
Inter-House Athletics & Gymnastics Practice
Open Participation
Rudra read it twice.
Athletics meant running.
Gymnastics meant control.
Elasticity.
Things cricket quietly depended on but never taught directly.
He wrote his name.
The track smelled of dust and sweat.
They started with basic drills—high knees, short sprints, sudden stops. The coach shouted instructions while students struggled to keep form.
Rudra focused on softness.
How the foot landed.
How the knee bent.
How momentum was absorbed instead of resisted.
Flexibility
Lv 01 (67 / 100 EXP) → (74 / 100 EXP)
During sprint practice, he held back at first, letting technique settle before speed.
Acceleration came naturally after.
Stamina
Lv 03 (54 / 100 EXP) → (60 / 100 EXP)
Reflex
Lv 05 (6 / 200 EXP) → (12 / 200 EXP)
Then came gymnastics.
Simple movements—forward rolls, stretching bands, controlled jumps. Most boys treated it as play.
Rudra treated it as study.
He paid attention to joints, to rebound, to balance after landing.
Flexibility
Lv 01 (74 / 100 EXP) → (82 / 100 EXP)
Strength
Lv 02 (29 / 100 EXP) → (33 / 100 EXP)
A landing went wrong.
He corrected immediately.
No injury. No drama.
Emotional Control
Lv 05 (72 / 100 EXP) → (75 / 100 EXP)
By evening, his body felt used but not abused.
As he packed his bag, a classmate clapped him lightly on the shoulder.
"You should keep coming," he said. "You're improving fast."
Rudra smiled.
At home, later that night, he reviewed the day.
Not with pride.
With clarity.
No guesswork. No exaggeration.
Just facts.
Numbers had moved.
Not because people believed in him.
But because effort had been correct.
And numbers, unlike opinions—
Didn't lie.