[Next Morning – Mahabubabad]
Pavan sat on the edge of his cot, towel draped around his shoulders, as he stared at the glowing system notification on his old phone.
[Local Cricket Blog: "Village Phenom Shocks Club Circuit!"]
Written by: Cricket Pulse (Ankit Bhargav – 4.2K followers)
"He came in quiet. He left the crowd louder. Meet Pavan Raj — a clean striker, calm thinker, and rising flame of Mahabubabad cricket."
[System Notification]
Milestone Reached: First Public Recognition
Fanbase: 19 → 51
New Passive Unlocked: Media Magnetism – Tier 1
(+5% chance of future coverage after each match)
New Task Generated: Personal Branding – Phase 1
Goal: Reach 100 Fanbase | Impress 1 Media Outlet On-Site
Reward: Social Buzz Booster + Micro Sponsorship Trigger
Pavan smiled faintly, but said nothing.
The system wasn't just pushing him to play. It wanted him to build something bigger — a name.
[Rising Strikers Ground – Morning Session Begins]
Coach Aditya whistled from the dugout as Pavan arrived in his usual grey track pants and faded tee. Near him stood a slim man with a DSLR and a notebook.
"Pavan," Coach called. "Meet Ankit Bhargav — the blogger who wrote about your last match."
Ankit extended his hand. "You've stirred things up, Mr. Quiet. Fans want footage. Mind a short clip after nets?"
"Only if my teammates are in it too," Pavan replied.
Ankit raised an eyebrow. "Modest. Let's see how long that lasts."
*[System Reaction: +2 Public Impression | +1 Team Trust]
Siddharth, stretching nearby, muttered to himself, "Getting interviews already…"
[Bleachers – Mid-Morning]
Supriya, the club admin, entered with two girls in casual clothes.
"Sujatha," Pavan greeted with a nod.
She waved back. "Meet my cousin — Harini. She's into student journalism and big on cricket. Thought she'd enjoy watching a match that's not boring."
Harini smiled, eyes scanning the field before resting on him. "You play like you're thinking five moves ahead."
[New Character Introduced: Harini Das – Observant | Calm | Curious]
Interest +3 | Potential Romantic Flag: Lightly Raised
Pavan didn't respond right away. Then, "Thanks. You'll see more soon."
[Practice Montage – Sharp, Focused Cuts]
Pavan offers Varun batting pointers.
Clean strokeplay.
Sideline whispers grow louder: "That's the guy from the article."
Sujatha and Harini take notes — one with a pen, the other with her eyes.
Siddharth's smile is thin.
[System Notification – Mid-Session Update]
Fanbase: 51 → 64
Community Attention Unlocked
New Passive: Crowd Pulse – Tier 1 (Cheering fans boost performance slightly)
Optional Quest Activated:
"Uplift a Local Business"
Objective: Help one local earn profit with your influence.
Reward: Passive Buff – People's Trust | Tycoon Path Trigger
Pavan wiped his forehead, gears turning. "If I grow, they grow too."
[Later – At the Tea Stall Nearby]
He strolled to a fading roadside tea stall, one he remembered from childhood visits. The owner, Ramu Kaka, limped slightly as he set down rusted steel cups.
"Tea?" he asked, eyes tired.
"Yes, and a question."
Ramu looked up.
"What if we made this place a 'Cricketer's Chai Spot'? Posters, snacks, a chalkboard with match recaps. I promote it, you run it. Deal?"
The old man blinked. "You'd do that?"
"You helped me with free chai years ago. Your turn now."
*[System Alert: Side Quest Accepted]
"Support Local Fan Hub" Initiated
Reward Pending: Blueprint – Fan Café Chain (Locked)
Bonus Activated: People's Trust +1
Ramu wiped his eyes. "A boy from Maibadh helped someone here last week too… paid for a schoolgirl's lunch. Said nothing and left."
Pavan paused. "Did you catch his name?"
"No. He wore a black watch. Smart, soft-spoken. Someone said he topped the local math competition."
Pavan's mind clicked — a quiet connection.
Kamal…?
He didn't speak it aloud. Just smiled and sipped his tea.
[Meanwhile – Siddharth's Frustration Builds]
Inside the indoor nets, Siddharth paced.
He scrolled through Ankit's blog on his phone.
"Pavan Raj: Calm Fire of Mahabubabad"
"Fire? Hah. He hasn't even bowled yet."
He gripped the bat tighter. "Let's see what happens when the fire meets a storm."
[Evening – Rooftop View]
Pavan sat on the edge of his rooftop, staring at the system panel.
Fanbase: 64
Local Buzz: Rising
Sujatha – Trust 4 | Harini – Interest 3
System Funds: ₹0 → ₹500 Bonus (Ramu Task)
Hidden Skill: Bowling Ability – Still Locked
His path was being built. And for once, it didn't feel lonely.
Somewhere out there, someone had sparked part of this without even knowing.
And maybe… he'd do the same for someone else soon.
He closed his eyes, letting the system fade behind his vision, and whispered:
"I won't just rise alone. I'll light the way."
End of Chapter 6