The hospital stay was brief. Within two days, Aryan Varma was home.
And what a home it was.
A sprawling bungalow in Indiranagar, Bangalore. Lush garden, modern interiors, warm-toned walls filled with family portraits. The Verma family wasn't just well-off. They were wealthy, but not arrogant. Success built on generational business, handled with humility.
His mother, Aparna, was a graceful presence—intelligent, nurturing, with a voice like a lullaby. She ran a part-time art foundation, loved reading, and talked to baby Aryan as if he were already a grown man.
His father, Rajan Varma, was the kind of man you read about in business magazines—sharp, disciplined, and fiercely protective. A man who wore suits even on Sundays, but dropped everything the moment Aryan cried.
Then there was Aanya, his older sister. Just five years old, but already curious, mischievous, and full of energy. She peeked into his crib constantly, whispering, "I'm going to teach you everything, okay? Even how to steal chocolates without getting caught."
Aryan would have laughed if he could.
Instead, he observed. Listened. Calculated.
He couldn't speak, of course. But inside, his mind raced at full throttle.
In his past life, he'd taken decades to grasp the complexities of finance, to read cricket like a grandmaster reads chess. Now, he had all that experience, compressed into the soul of a baby.
At one week old, he could already tell the difference between English and Kannada. He remembered where to invest money in the '90s—Infosys, Wipro, real estate in Koramangala. He knew when Tendulkar would debut. He knew when the stock market would crash.
And with every passing hour, the Cricket System fed him more.
> [Passive Learning: +1 XP in Game Sense]
[Unlock Progress: 3% to Batting Skill Level 1]
He began to watch cricket on TV—carefully, silently. When his father watched a match between India and South Africa, baby Aryan focused on footwork, bowling grips, captaincy tactics. The system responded.
> [Observation Skill Activated]
"Would you like to simulate this match from the bowler's perspective?"
He selected yes—mentally—and suddenly, it was like being inside the bowler's mind. Visualizations. Angles. Seam positions. Trajectory predictions.
At ten days old, Aryan Varma began his mental training.
At fifteen days, he grabbed his toy rattle like a mini cricket bat and swung it—not randomly, but with perfect form. The system buzzed again.
> [Batting Skill Level 1 Unlocked]
"You've taken your first step towards becoming a batsman."
His body was small and helpless—but his mind was preparing.
---
One night, Aparna rocked Aryan to sleep, humming a Carnatic tune. She looked down at him with wonder.
"He watches everything like he understands it," she whispered to Rajan, who was standing nearby. "It's… strange. He's so calm. Like he's thinking constantly."
Rajan chuckled. "Maybe he's like you. Thoughtful. Or maybe he's planning to be a CEO by the time he turns five."
Aanya popped in, adding cheerfully, "Nope! He's going to be a cricketer! I've already decided!"
Aryan smiled in his crib, just slightly.
He had been given a new life.
This time, he wouldn't waste it watching others become heroes.
He would be the hero.
The system had chosen him.
And the world hadn't seen anything yet.