The walk back home felt longer than usual.
Not because of distance.
But because of his body.
Every step reminded him of the training. A dull ache ran through his muscles, not unbearable—but constant. His legs felt heavy, his arms slightly sore, his breathing still uneven from earlier.
"…So this is what improvement feels like," Raj muttered under his breath.
It hurt.
But it wasn't the same kind of weakness he felt before.
This felt… earned.
By the time he reached home, the sun had started to dip slightly.
The small house looked the same as always.
Worn walls.
Familiar silence.
But Raj paused at the entrance.
Because something inside him had changed.
"…Money," he said quietly.
That word had been sitting in his mind ever since morning.
Not fame.
Not success.
Money.
His mother's tired face.
His sister pretending she didn't need things.
The kitchen running on limits.
"…I need it. Fast."
He stepped inside and walked straight to his room.
The moment the door closed—
The panel appeared.
[Divine Broadcast is ACTIVE]
"…Of course you're still here."
He sat down on his chair, leaning forward slightly.
His body still ached, but his mind…
Was clearer than ever.
[Calm Mind is active]
His thoughts felt sharper.
Organized.
"…Alright," he said quietly.
"If I'm being watched… then I might as well use it."
The panel flickered.
[Constellation 'Watcher of Silent Skies' is observing with interest]
Raj ignored it.
For now.
His gaze moved toward his desk.
Sketches.
Concepts.
Half-written ideas.
Anime.
His dream wasn't just random.
It was detailed.
Dark.
Different.
"…If I can't become strong overnight…"
He paused.
"…then I'll use what I already have."
His mind.
Raj leaned back slightly.
Then spoke clearly—
"System."
A brief pause.
[Query Detected]
"…Can you create content?"
Silence.
Then—
[Define: Content]
Raj smirked slightly.
"…Figures."
"Anime," he said. "A full story. Visuals, voice acting, music… everything."
The panel flickered.
[Processing…]
A longer pause this time.
[Capability: Available]
[Cost: 50 Karma Points]
Raj froze.
"…Fifty?"
His gaze shifted instantly.
[Karma Points: 43]
Not enough.
"…Of course."
He leaned back, exhaling slowly.
"Nothing comes easy, huh…"
Then—
The panel flickered again.
[Constellation 'Lady of Veiled Desires' is interested in your ambition]
Raj's eyes narrowed.
"…New one."
Another message appeared.
[Constellation 'Lady of Veiled Desires' has sponsored you]
[+100 Karma Points]
Raj blinked.
Once.
Then again.
"…What?"
[Karma Points: 143]
Silence filled the room.
"…Why?" he asked slowly.
No direct answer came.
Only—
[Constellation 'Lady of Veiled Desires' finds your idea… entertaining]
Raj leaned back slightly.
"…So that's how it works."
Some watched.
Some rewarded.
Some… invested.
"…Fine," he muttered.
He leaned forward again.
"Create it."
[50 Karma Points Deducted]
[Initiating Content Creation…]
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
The air in front of him distorted.
Images.
Fragments.
Scenes.
Dark skies.
Falling cities.
A lone figure standing against something vast.
Raj's eyes widened slightly.
"…What the hell…"
Voices echoed faintly.
Not real.
But clear.
Music followed.
Deep.
Cinematic.
"…This is…"
Real.
The vision faded.
[Content Generated Successfully]
Raj sat still.
Processing.
"…That's insane."
His breathing slowed.
Then steadied.
"…Upload it."
[Platform Selection: YouTube]
Raj's gaze sharpened.
"…Wait."
He leaned forward again.
"If I upload it… can you push it?"
A pause.
[Define: Push]
Raj let out a small breath.
"…Make it reach people. Algorithm. Views."
The panel flickered.
[Function: Possible]
[Cost: 25 Karma Points]
Raj stared at it.
[Karma Points: 93]
Enough.
"…You're basically cheating," he muttered.
No response.
Raj leaned back.
Thinking.
Then—
A faint smile appeared.
"…Good."
He looked straight ahead.
"Do it."
[25 Karma Points Deducted]
[Content Distribution Enhanced]
Silence.
Then—
[Video Uploaded]
Raj didn't move for a few seconds.
"…That's it?"
The panel flickered again.
[Constellation 'Laughing Abyss' is excited]
[Constellation 'Watcher of Silent Skies' is observing closely]
[Constellation 'Lady of Veiled Desires' awaits results]
Raj leaned back slowly.
"…So now we wait."
But deep inside—
He already knew.
This wasn't normal growth.
This was acceleration.
Dangerous.
Unfair.
Addictive.
A few seconds passed.
Then—
[Views: 1 → 57 → 312 → 1,204]
Raj froze.
"…That fast?"
The numbers kept rising.
[Views: 5,000 → 12,000 → 28,000]
His heartbeat picked up slightly.
"…No way…"
[Constellation 'Lady of Veiled Desires' is pleased]
Raj stared at the screen.
Then slowly leaned back.
A small smile appeared.
Not excitement.
Not relief.
Something sharper.
"…Alright," he said quietly.
"If this is how it works…"
His eyes reflected the faint glow of the panel.
"…then let's make something worth watching."
And somewhere beyond his world—
The gods leaned closer.
Raj didn't move for a few seconds, his eyes fixed on the panel as the numbers climbed faster than his mind could process. It didn't feel real. It didn't feel possible.
Then slowly, he exhaled, forcing himself to steady down.
"…Calm down," he muttered under his breath, tapping his fingers lightly against the table.
[Calm Mind is active]
His breathing slowed, his thoughts aligning again, becoming clearer, sharper, more controlled.
"…Let's check properly."
He picked up his phone and opened the newly created channel. The name appeared clearly on the screen—
Fantasyborne.
For a moment, he just stared at it, letting it sink in before his eyes moved downward.
Views: 1,284 → 1,932 → 2,506
Raj froze, his fingers tightening slightly around the phone.
"…What…"
He refreshed.
Views: 3,112
Subscribers: 87 → 146 → 389
"…No way…"
His thumb hovered for a second before refreshing again.
Subscribers: 1,024
His breath hitched slightly, his heartbeat picking up despite the Calm Mind stabilizing him.
"…That's… impossible…"
Just yesterday, he barely had 23 subscribers. Low-quality edits, free AI tools, no reach, no audience.
And now—
Subscribers: 1,876 → 2,340 → 4,100
"This is insane…"
[Constellation 'Laughing Abyss' enjoys your reaction]
"…Yeah, yeah…" he muttered, but even he couldn't deny it this time.
It was working.
Fast. Too fast.
His eyes shifted again, scanning the panel.
[Monetization Requirements: Completed]
Raj blinked in disbelief.
"…Already?"
A quiet laugh escaped him, not out of joy, but disbelief.
"…So this is what power looks like…"
No struggle. No waiting. Just results.
That thought lingered for a second longer than it should have.
Then he opened the video.
The screen faded into darkness before the first scene appeared—crimson skies, broken land, a lone figure standing against something vast.
Raj leaned forward slightly, his eyes widening.
"…This…"
The animation was beyond perfect. Every frame felt alive, every movement smooth, every detail sharper than anything he had ever seen.
"…This isn't even comparable…"
Even the best studios on Earth wouldn't come close to this.
The story unfolded naturally—a boy transmigrated into another world, but it wasn't cliché. The tone was darker, heavier, more real.
Then the music started.
Deep. Layered. Emotional.
"…Damn…"
The background score blended perfectly with every scene, amplifying tension, silence, impact—everything.
And then the voices came.
Raj froze again.
Each character sounded real. Completely different tones, emotions, perfectly matching their personalities.
"…This is better than actual anime…"
He sat back slowly, still staring at the screen.
Then something else caught his attention.
Multiple language options.
Hindi. English. Japanese. Spanish. Dozens more.
Each version felt natural. Not artificial. Not robotic. Every dub sounded like it was originally made in that language.
"…This is going global…"
Not just India.
Not just one audience.
The whole world.
This wasn't a video anymore.
This was a phenomenon.
He kept watching until the episode ended, completely immersed without realizing it.
When it finally finished, silence filled the room again.
Raj stared at the screen for a few seconds before exhaling slowly.
"…This will blow up."
Not hope.
Not belief.
Certainty.
His eyes shifted back to the channel.
Subscribers: 6,120 → 8,450 → 10,000
"…Yeah…"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Fantasyborne…"
He repeated the name quietly.
"…This is going to reach the top."
Not slowly.
Not someday.
Soon.
The panel flickered again.
[Constellation 'Lady of Veiled Desires' is satisfied]
Raj leaned back, letting out a slow breath.
"…Good."
For the first time, things were moving.
Fast.
His body reminded him of something.
Pain.
A dull ache still lingered in his muscles from the training.
"…Right…"
He stood up slowly, stretching slightly, feeling the strain in his body.
"I pushed too hard…"
His clothes were slightly damp, sweat clinging to his skin.
"…I need a shower."
He walked toward the bathroom, pausing briefly near the door as he glanced around the quiet house.
His mother would be home soon.
His sister too.
Dinner time.
Normal life.
Raj looked back one last time—at his phone, at the panel, at everything that had just happened.
"…Let's see how long this stays normal…"
Then he stepped inside.
And for the first time since everything began—
He felt something close to control.
Even if it was temporary.
Because deep down—
He knew.
This wasn't just the beginning of success.
It was the beginning of something much bigger.
And somewhere beyond his world—
They were still watching.