[Location: Godavarikhani, Telangana – Nighttime]
The rain fell like the sky itself was crying.
Srinivas stood on the edge of a run-down building's terrace, ten stories above the coal city streets. His soaked shirt clung to his frame, his eyes staring blankly into the storm. He barely noticed the thunder above, too drowned in the storm within.
His phone buzzed. One final message.
Roshitha: "Stop being dramatic. I'm happy now. Don't message me again."
A bitter smile curled on his lips.
"You're happy... after everything?"
He looked back at the countless nights he'd stayed awake for her, the money he borrowed just to help her prepare for interviews, the moments he believed they were meant to be.
But once she got a job, she walked away — and into someone else's arms.
Worse still, he had pushed away his only true friend — Kamal — the one who saw through her.
"Srinivas, she's not who you think she is. Please bro, just listen…"
But he didn't.
Now, with no job, mounting debt, his mother's hospital bills, and a heart shattered into pieces — he had nothing left to give.
He closed his eyes.
"One step… and it'll all be over."
And he jumped.
[System Notification – ERROR LOG ACTIVE]
User Status: Deceased
Cause of Death: Suicide due to psychological breakdown
REGRESSION PROTOCOL ACTIVATED
Host Profile: Srinivas
Rewinding Timeline… Age: 24 → Age: 16
Activating: TYCOON SYSTEM v1.0
[Location: Godavarikhani – Morning, Year: 2011]
"SRINU! WAKE UP! It's already 7! Want me to send a lorry to pull you out of bed?!"
Srinivas jolted up, panting. His heart raced.
Old rusted ceiling fan… cracked walls… school uniform on the hanger…
He was back. Back in his childhood room. The smell of upma cooking in the kitchen. The torn poster of Sachin Tendulkar on the wall. The scratchy bedsheet. Everything — exactly as it had been when he was 16.
"No way... this can't be real."
He stumbled to the mirror. A skinny, teenage version of him stared back — wide-eyed and stunned.
Suddenly, a glowing blue screen appeared in front of him.
[TYCOON SYSTEM v1.0 – Activated]
Welcome, Srinivas.
Age: 16
Academic Track: MPC (Maths, Physics, Chemistry)
Location: Godavarikhani, Telangana
Main Questline: Become a Tycoon
First Quest:
Earn ₹500 profit within 24 hours using only your knowledge and skills.
(No borrowing. No stealing. No asking family.)
Reward: Business Intuition Lv.1
"What the… is this some dream? Did I... go back in time?"
[System Voice]: You are not dreaming. You failed once. This is your second chance.
Become who you were meant to be.
He sat down on the bed slowly, absorbing everything.
"I… I really died. And now I'm back."
His eyes glanced toward the dusty old notebook lying under his pillow — the same one where he used to scribble crazy business ideas and drawings of company logos. A page had the name "SkyTouch Solutions", a logo idea he once dreamed of building.
He laughed, a little hysterically.
"Okay… system or no system… I'm not wasting this life again."
[Downstairs – Kitchen]
His mother, Sharada, was flipping dosas on the iron tawa while scolding his little cousin Vicky, who had spilled sambar all over the floor.
"Useless fellow! At least your cousin Srinivas studies properly. Maybe he'll become something big."
Vicky pouted. "But Aunty… I wanna become a cricket player like Dhoni!"
Srinivas walked in, hearing that.
"You know, Vicky… maybe you will."
Sharada looked up, surprised. "Oho! Look who woke up early today!"
Then she added, "Your father's friend's son, Kamal, came by yesterday. He just finished his Intermediate. He's starting degree college soon — smart boy, quiet fellow."
Srinivas paused at the name, a strange twist in his chest. He didn't know why.
"I'll meet him someday, I guess."
Sharada raised an eyebrow. "Where are you off to now?"
Srinivas rolled up his sleeves and smiled.
"I'm going to earn ₹500 by tonight."
Sharada blinked. "Did you hit your head in your sleep?"
"No, Amma," he said, already heading out. "I just woke up — really woke up — for the first time."