The sun hung high over the Chennai cricket ground as Rithvik adjusted his gloves. Today was the second match of the Tamil Nadu U15 State Qualifiers, and he felt a familiar excitement building in his chest.
He had scored 42 runs in the previous match—close, but not enough to trigger his system skill unlock. Today, everything depended on focus, timing, and calm decision-making.
The Match Begins
Tamil Nadu U15 vs. Madurai U15
Rithvik opened the innings. The opposition bowlers were faster, more precise, and their fielding was sharper. His first few deliveries were careful nudges, singles and doubles, testing the pace and bounce of the pitch.
Then, a fast ball flew toward him. A subtle pulse echoed in his mind—the system silently assessing and guiding him:
System Quest Update:Objective: Score 50+ runs or take 3+ wickets.Reward: Unlock advanced batting shots (lofted drive, pull shot, flick) and bowling variations (slower ball, swing).
Rithvik leaned slightly into the ball, timing his shot perfectly. The ball flew over mid-off for a boundary.
One run turned into two, two into three. Singles, doubles, smart rotation of the strike—his concentration was flawless.
First Major Milestone
By the 15th over, Rithvik reached 50 runs. A subtle vibration in his mind confirmed it—the system unlocked his first major skill set.
Skill Unlocked – Visible to User:Batting:
Lofted drive: Powerful, precise shots over the infield Pull shot: Exploits short balls effectively Flick: Controlled shot for balls around leg stump
Bowling:
Slower ball: Deceptive pace for middle overs Swing: Subtle lateral movement to confuse batsmen Yorker: Accurate at stumps to restrict runs
Rithvik smiled faintly, unseen by anyone. No one could tell how he had suddenly improved, but the subtle edge was now visible only to him in the system skill list.
Bowling Brilliance
When he bowled, the new skills were immediately apparent. He delivered a slower ball that deceived the batsman, followed by a swinging delivery that nicked the edge—caught brilliantly at slip.
His teammates watched in admiration, unaware that these enhancements were not natural talent alone—they were system-guided milestones manifesting at the right time.
Winning the Match
Rithvik finished the innings with 72 runs, and with his 3 wickets in bowling, Tamil Nadu U15 cruised to victory. The crowd cheered, and selectors scribbled notes in their pads.
As he walked off the field, Rithvik felt a quiet satisfaction. The first milestone had been achieved, his skills had been officially unlocked, and his confidence soared.
Freelancing and First Big Earnings
After the match, Rithvik counted his freelancing earnings accumulated over several small projects. Between the first pot of gold (₹50,000) and recent payments, he now had roughly ₹1,00,000 saved.
He sat on the balcony, thinking: "I can't just save this. It has to work for me."
Drawing on knowledge from his previous life in IT and finance, he researched real-life market trends from 2003:
Infosys and TCS were steadily growing Reliance Industries was expanding its telecom and retail segments ICICI and HDFC Bank were showing steady long-term growth
With care, he invested ₹60,000 in a mix of IT and banking stocks—Infosys, TCS, and HDFC—while keeping ₹40,000 for freelancing emergencies and his chat software development.
"Even small investments now will grow over time. It's the first step toward funding my Indian chat software," he thought, excitement mingling with responsibility.
Conversation at Home
That evening, Rithvik sat at the dinner table with his parents and younger brother.
Mother: "Rithvik! I heard you scored a fifty today! Amazing! Your coach must be proud."
Father: "Yes, and taking wickets too? You're truly becoming an all-rounder. Keep this up; the state finals are coming."
Arin: "I knew you could do it! Now, show me those shots in the backyard!"
Rithvik smiled. "Sure, Arin. But tomorrow… I have to plan for the next match too."
He didn't mention the freelancing income or stock investments yet. His parents would be proud, but he wanted to manage this on his own, just like his system-guided cricket progress.
Chat Software Progress
After dinner, Rithvik returned to his laptop:
Messaging fully functional, interface smooth Chat rooms ready, basic encryption added Internal beta testing underway Minor UI tweaks planned for smoother user experience
"Soon, India will have its own platform. Step by step," he thought, smiling quietly.
System Reflection
Before sleep, the system updated Rithvik's skill list:
Current Skills:
Batting: Timing (basic), Lofted Drive, Pull Shot, Flick Bowling: Yorker, Slower Ball, Swing Fielding: Basic catching and agility (enhanced by system tasks)
Next Quest: Perform in State Tournament Finals – achieve 50+ runs or take 4+ wickets to unlock advanced all-rounder mastery.
Rithvik leaned back, staring at the ceiling. District success had brought recognition; now state-level challenges awaited, and with cricket, system-guided skills, freelancing, investments, and chat software, his journey had begun in multiple dimensions.