The Under-19 state selection trials were in less than two weeks. If he lost his System buffs now, he would lose his raw pace, his precision, and everything he had built. He would be walking into the most important trial of his life completely blind.
"You have got to be kidding me..." Rohan whispered, the color completely draining from his face.
He had less than an hour. And he hadn’t done a single push-up.
11:59 PM
Rohan sat completely silently on the edge of his bed. The room was dark, save for the pale blue glow illuminating his devastated face. All hope had left his body. He was just staring at the holographic System panel hovering in front of him, watching the relentless countdown timer tick away.
39... 38... 37...
Every time a single second ticked by, a fresh tear spilled over his eyelid, tracing a hot path down his cheek. He had been so caught up in the magic of his date, so distracted by the feelings in his chest, that he had completely forgotten the ruthless AI entity living inside his head.
"Everything ends here..." Rohan whispered brokenly, burying his face in his hands. "I’m going to lose my pace. I’m going to fail the trials."
The numbers flashed red.
3... 2... 1... 0.
A loud, synthetic chime echoed through his mind. The aggressive red warning screen shattered into data fragments.
Rohan squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the physical sensation of losing his strength, his explosive muscle fibers, and the raw speed he had worked so hard to build. He waited for the weakness to set in.
But it didn’t come.
Instead, a brand new System panel popped up, glowing a calm, gentle blue.
[SYSTEM SHUTDOWN INITIATED]
[Message from AI Coach Module]:
The System is not shutting down permanently. Therefore, the Host has no logical reason to be so unnecessarily sad.
[SHUTDOWN PROTOCOL SPECIFICS]:
• All physical attributes and buffs previously acquired by the Host will REMAIN ACTIVE.
• The Host will NOT be able to upgrade any stats or unlock new nodes during the penalty period.
• The Host will NOT earn any SP (System Points) for the next 15 days.
Good luck, Host. Do not forget to do your daily physical conditioning manually. And next time, do not forget to complete your daily tasks.
Rohan slowly opened his eyes. He read the text. He read it again.
"Wait..." Rohan muttered, furiously wiping the tears from his eyes. "My buffs... they’re staying active? I’m not losing my pace?"
He wasn’t going back to square one. He just wouldn’t have the AI holding his hand for the trials. He would be relying entirely on the muscle memory and raw stats he already possessed.
"But I still have so much to prepare!" Rohan pleaded to the empty air, hoping the AI was still listening. "I need the skill tree for the trials!"
One final, smaller panel flickered into existence before fading into the dark.
The System cannot violate its own disciplinary protocols. Goodbye, Host.
The blue light completely vanished. The familiar hum in the back of his mind went entirely silent. For the first time since he found the ancient book, Rohan was completely alone in his own head.
The Next Day - Morning
Rohan stood in his bedroom, wildly swinging his arms and doing quick shadow-bowling actions. He stopped, looking at his hands.
His muscles felt exactly the same. The explosive tension, the flexibility, and the raw power were all still there. The System had kept its word; it had only locked his progression, not stripped him of his gains.
"Okay," Rohan took a deep breath, clenching his fists. "I can do this. I don’t need the System to bowl fast. I just need to bowl."
8:47 AM - Iron Core Gym
Despite keeping his powers, the realization that he wouldn’t be able to rely on the AI’s instant feedback or stamina regeneration left Rohan in a terrible mood. He pushed open the heavy glass doors of the gym, looking like a dark storm cloud.
Vikram was wiping down a bench press when he saw the teenager trudge in.
"What’s wrong with you?" Vikram asked, his deep voice echoing in the empty gym. "Why is your mood so off today?"
Before Rohan could answer, Monu Bhaiya walked out of the office, holding his usual cup of chai. He took one look at Rohan’s gloomy face and grinned widely.
"What happened, Pace Demon?" Monu teased loudly. "Did your girlfriend break up with you after just one date?"
Vikram immediately shot Monu a harsh glare. "Hey, shut up. Don’t make fun of the kid."
Monu laughed, holding his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, I won’t tease him anymore! Come on, Rohan. Stop looking so depressed. Let’s go. Today, Vikram and I are going to give you some special training!"
Two hours later.
Rohan practically crawled out of the gym doors, his entire body screaming in agonizing pain. He didn’t have the System to repair his micro-tears or flush the lactic acid from his muscles. He felt every single brutal repetition.
"Special training, my foot..." Rohan muttered darkly, his legs wobbling with every step toward the main road. "They just wanted an excuse to torture me! Psychopaths!"
13th July - One Days Before the Trials
9:00 AM - Iron Core Gym
Rohan walked into the gym, fully prepared for another session of physical torture. He dropped his heavy kit bag near the door and started doing his warm-up stretches.
But Monu and Vikram didn’t hand him any weights. They didn’t point toward the treadmill. Instead, they just sat on a heavy wooden plyo box, watching him stretch.
"Stop, Rohan," Monu called out gently. "We aren’t training today."
Rohan paused mid-stretch, looking at them in confusion. "What? Why not? The trials are in two days. I need to be in perfect shape."
"You are in perfect shape," Vikram rumbled, his massive arms crossed over his chest.
Monu patted the empty space on the box next to him. "Sit down, kid."
Rohan walked over and sat down, wiping a thin layer of sweat from his forehead. The atmosphere was strangely solemn.
Monu took a deep breath, looking down at his worn-out sneakers before looking Rohan in the eye.
"Rohan," Monu began, his voice completely stripped of its usual joking tone. "We have taught you everything we know. The physical conditioning, the explosive release, the mental toughness... we’ve given you all of it. Your pace is incredible for a boy your age. You’re hitting 140 km/h, and that alone will turn heads at the trials."
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "But listen to me carefully. Pace is dangerous, but it is not everything. You have to focus on your line, your length, and your swing. A fast bowler who only bowls fast is just a bowling machine. A fast bowler who can move the ball in the air at that speed? That is a nightmare for any batsman."
Vikram nodded slowly in agreement. "And there is one more thing you must never forget."
Rohan looked at the giant man, hanging onto his every word.
"Injury," Vikram stated, his deep voice carrying a heavy, grim weight. "Pace is a weapon, but the human body was not designed to bowl at 140 km/h. Injury is the greatest enemy of any fast bowler. It has destroyed the careers of legends. If you feel a sharp pain, you stop. You don’t try to be a hero. You protect your body, because it is the only one you have."
Monu smiled softly, reaching out to tightly grip Rohan’s shoulder.
"You are ready, kid," Monu said proudly. "And remember... no matter what happens on that pitch, no matter how hard things get, you call me. I will be there. We both will be there."
Rohan felt a massive lump form in his throat. He looked at the two men who had dragged him out of the neighborhood parks and forged him into a weapon.
"Go home, Rohan," Monu said softly, giving him a gentle push toward the door. "Rest your muscles today. Spend time with your mother and father. Tomorrow, you pack your bags. The day after tomorrow, you show Delhi State what the Pace Demon looks like."
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