Two days after Raj completed his system given mentorship quest, the school notice board buzzed with excitement.Students crowded around the red-colored sheet pinned to the center like it was a ticket to paradise.
"Read it aloud!" someone yelled.A prefect one stepped up, cleared his throat, and announced:
"Attention all cricket players!
The Annual Inter-School Selection Trials will be held in two weeks.Players from Classes 9 and 10 will be selected for the team.Performance during this period will decide final shortlisting.
— Coach Murali Krishna."
The crowd shouted with cheers, nervous talks, and a few nervous breakdowns.Raj didn't cheer.He just smiled.This was it, the first turning point of his new life.
In his previous timeline, this was the event where he was sidelined,mocked and forgotten. Someone stole his spot using dirty tricks, and Raj quietly accepted it because he lacked confidence.But not this time.This time he will fight for his place.And definitely earn it.
At practice, tension was high.
The once-casual drills now had a sharp importance. Teammates looked over shoulders. Every run was chased harder. Every miss was met with talks.
Raj noticed that Vikram, the confident Class 10 batsman, had stopped joking around. He was now intensely focused and clearly irritated by Raj's rising influence.
"Why is he practicing with the seniors?" Vikram asked loudly during stretches.
Coach Murali didn't respond.Raj stepped forward. "Because Coach asked me to."
Vikram smiled. "Right. Because the school system favors teachers' pets now."
Raj didn't respond for the trick.Then the system window opened softly.
[New System Path Detected: Competitive Politics]
Passive Skill Check: Charisma 34 — Response Neutralized
New Side Quest Unlocked: "Unite or Outsmart"
Objective: Resolve internal team conflict before selection day
Bonus Reward: Team Captain Consideration Preview
Raj exhaled."Not everything has to be a fight," he said calmly. "We're all playing for the same team."
But Vikram's eyes didn't soften.Not yet.Over the next few days, the air got colder not because of the weather, but because of the rising silent war.Raj tried to make good relationships. He offered advice during nets. Cheered for others. Shared water bottles.
Some responded. Some didn't.
Only Uday and Zayed remained consistently by his side. Even a few juniors Nikhil and Harini included began walking with him after practice.
That only made Vikram more jealous.
"You building a fan club or a team?" he tried to mock Raj.Raj just smiled and kept walking.
Coach Murali watched silently from a distance.One evening, Coach finally called Raj into his office.
"You've been doing well," he said. "On and off the pitch."
"Thank you, sir."
"But you need to understand something. Talent matters. But in team sports teamwork is everything."
Raj said. "I'm trying."
"Good. Because there's a possibility you'll lead warm-up matches as vice-captain."
Raj's heart skipped. "Me?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself. It's not confirmed. But you've shown good signs. Just keep doing what you're doing."
[System Message: Hidden Leadership Track Progress: 40%]
Keep building trust with seniors or defeat them respectfully to unlock the role.
Raj walked out of the room with a renewed fire in his heart.
A few days later, during warm-up matches, Raj got his first real test.
Coach put him in charge of Field Setup + Batting Order for the B-Team made up of underdogs, Class 9 students, and overlooked players.
A-Team, led unofficially by Vikram, had the seniors, power hitters, and main bowlers.
The match felt one-sided on paper.But Raj wasn't about paper.He was about planning.
He arranged the field positions using his system's "Tactical Eye", placed Harini at cover, where she could use her speed, and had Zayed open with an unexpected off-spin.
Then Raj stepped in at number three and build the innings.
Final score: B-Team — 96 runs in 12 overs.
A-Team chased, overconfident.
But Raj's team fielded tight. Took smart singles.Impacting aggressive saves. And on the final over.Vikram pull a shot which went high up in the air which Harini caught it clean.
They won by 3 runs.
[Team Buff Achieved: Morale Surge +5%]
Quest Progress: "Unite or Outsmart" – 75%
Seniors' Resistance Level Dropped
That evening, Coach announced:
"Next match, Raj will lead Team A. Vikram will lead Team B."The entire ground went silent.Even Vikram looked shocked.
That night, Raj sat under the stars again, digital watch blinking softly.
You didn't win just by skill.You won by building trust.Leadership is earned. Not given.
He smiled and thought:"Let's see what tomorrow brings."
The morning after that match, Raj expected things to go back to normal. Same school bell. Same dusty corridors. Same half-stale breakfast at the dorm mess.But nothing was the same anymore.
When he reached school, Coach Murali was already waiting outside the staff room, arms crossed with half-smile.
"You're coming with me," he said.
Raj blinked. "Sir?"
Coach didn't repeat himself. He just walked, expecting Raj to follow.They entered the principal's office.Inside sat a tall, sharply dressed man in a cream blazer with a black ID tag clipped to his collar. His face was serious, but his eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"This," said Coach, "is Mr. Prabhu, one of the district's cricket scouts. He watched footage from your last two practice games."
Raj straightened. "Sir?"Mr. Prabhu nodded. "You've got raw instinct. A calm head. Good footwork. But what impressed me most was your fielding coordination. That's rare at your age."
Coach said, "He's here with an offer."
Mr. Prabhu handed over a form. "A two-week district-level cricket training camp. Full sponsorship. Begins this Sunday in Warangal. If you perform well, you'll be fast-tracked to zone-level trials."Raj stared at the paper.His fingers shocked slightly.
[System Alert: Major Opportunity Triggered]
Branching Quest Unlocked: "The Fork in the Road"
Option A: Attend camp — unlock "Elite Sports Path" + Public Recognition Perk
Option B: Stay home — strengthen bonds + unlock Family Anchor Passive
Warning: Choice will affect character development paths.
Coach placed a hand on his shoulder. "Think fast. Seats are limited."Raj answered. "I'll give you an answer tomorrow."
That evening, Raj returned home after school his heart split in two.He wanted to scream from rooftops that a real district scout had selected him. That he was finally, finally breaking through the walls of fate.
But the moment he stepped through the doorway, he smelled trouble.Smoke from a half-burnt pan. Groaning from the bedroom.
He rushed inside.His mother, Meenakshi, was lying on the cot, one hand across her forehead, eyes shut.
"Amma?"
She opened her eyes weakly. "Just a fever… I didn't want to worry you."Raj looked at the kitchen. The rice had burned. No dal had been made.He dropped his bag and immediately set water to boil. He gently cleaned the burnt pot, stirred some turmeric, and sat beside her, holding her hand."You should've called me."
"You're busy, kanna," she whispered. "Cricket is your world now. I didn't want to distract you."Raj said nothing.
His father came home late that night, drunk.
He looked at Meenakshi, then at Raj. "She'll be fine. What are you crying for? Or did some classmate finally hit a six off you?"
Raj tightened his fists and said:
"I got selected for district camp". "Starts Sunday."
His father mocked "And what will that give you? A golden bat? Hah! This country runs on engineers and clerks, not ball-chasers."
Raj stood up. "Cricket is more than a game to me."
"Yeah? Then go marry it," his father shouted, dropping onto the chair with a sound.
[System Notification: Emotional Turbulence Detected]
Charisma Check Passed
Emotion Stabilized
Quest Choice Deadline: 18 Hours Remaining
That night, Raj barely slept.He sat on the rooftop, legs pulled to his chest, eyes staring at the stars.In his last life, this was the moment he said nothing.He let the camp pass.He stayed behind to care for his mother, afraid of disappointing his father.
That decision haunted him forever.
But this time,he had the system and he had courage.
Early morning, before sunrise, Raj rose and did something unexpected.He woke up his friend Uday.
"Pack your kit," he said.
"Why?" Uday asked inhalf-asleep.
"We're going to my house. I'm training… and I need your help."
At evening, Raj set up a mini net in his backyard using old mosquito net and bricks. Uday bowled to him under the morning sun. They practiced for hours.His mother watched from inside, sipping warm ginger tea, smiling faintly.Raj came in, covered with sweat then bathed and placed a cup of tea beside her.
"I'm going to the camp, Amma."
She looked at him silently, warmly."I'll be back stronger. And smarter. And when I return, I'll help here too. But I can't waste this second chance."She nodded with yeary eyes ."I know, kanna. This time… follow your heart."
[System Branch Selection Complete: Path A – "Elite Sports Path"]
Perks Unlocked:
– Public Recognition (Lv.1): +5 School Reputation
– +2 Skill Growth Multiplier during district training
– Hidden Tycoon Feature Preview: "Personal Brand Seed"
Side Reward:
– Family Anchor Lv.1: Emotional Resilience in future crises
Raj stared at the glowing systemnotification.He didn't just gain stats.He gained something far more powerful: belief.
When he returned to school that day, Coach Murali was waiting."You're coming?"
"Yes, sir," Raj said, handing over the filled form. "I'll earn my place."
Coach smiled.
"And if you don't?"
"Then I'll try again. And again. Until I do."Raj replied.
To be continued . . . .