Chapter 10: Training [3]
The second day was more difficult to him than the first. Raghav awoke early in morning but it was worst from yesterday because today his muscles was screaming in pain.
This was due to the training of yesterday. It was the agonizing process of getting out of bed.
He wanted to just lie on bed, so his muscles tissues that break yesterday can heal nicely.
But the system interface shattered his rest..he got a reminder that he cannot skip the training.
[Mission:Building up the foundation of a Sportsman.]
[Progress: Day 1/7.]
[Day 2 yet to be completed ]
As soon he read 'Day 2 yet to be completed ' he understood that the system doesn't care about his body or its know that I can do it.
And what there to be complaint about...as I made up my mind I get up from my bed like an oldman.
He started the runing one kilometre task first .
As he started to run but after few meters his leg stated to feel like someone has tied up ropes and he is have hard to take steps forward as the first two hundred metres well like running by carring weight behind his back.
But the strange thing his that this pain and sufferings unable to stop him doing his as his resolved is like a unmovable stone.
When he was running he constantly rembering his misery of his past life and this keep him motivating to complete his task and forgetting his pain.
He completed his task in 30 minutes and fell in the same position under the banyan tree.
The System notified him as he completed his task.
[Task 1: Run 1 kilometer (Complete)]
[Your body stamina has gain little experience.]
Next taking rest of five minutes he stated to doing the push up and sit up accordingly.
When he had finished it was already 6:30 Am, so he directly went to home and the system also show that he has completed today task.
[Mission: Building up the foundation for a Sportsman.]
[ Progress: Day 2/7 Complete.]
___________________________________
Similarly he days of training and experiencing pain has become daily dose for him.
On the third day , his muscle soreness was the greatest pain. He replaced his steps with a lame walk, and all his actions were deliberate as everyone can notice it.
Priya stabbed him with her arm at school.
"Why is it you are walking like an old man", she asked, half looking curious, half ridiculing.
He just glare at her and didn't reply to her ridicule.
On the fourth day he experienced a slight change. The running didn't make him uncomfortable as he can feel that his stamina as increase and now it showing its hard work efforts of I could say the system efforts.
He was able to do fewer sets of his push-ups. It was the first indication that his body is starting to give in, to restore itself to be stronger than before.
On the fifth day, he felt that his school uniform was slightly looser at his belly has loose weight as his abs are developing and also his shoulders is bit tight.
He was losing the soft, childish fat and the building of lean muscle. He completed the run and he has never collapsed in the first place like before.
This change did not go unnoticed as his mother's worry deepened.m and she began to put more ghee into his rotis and attempted him to drink glasses of milk everyday, believing that he was getting sick.
His father was staring at him letting out no expression.
The little academic concentration of his son some startled Umesh, in his reserved manner. The teachers of Raghav had noted that he was more involved, and his current test scores were the best he had ever done.
This made Umesh happy, although he could not accept it with the boy who was getting himself up at 5 AM every morning and running himself to rags.
It made him feel the discipline and not the motivation, and there was an unspoken and searching gap between them.
The greatest shift was his relationship with Abhinav as Raghav continued to refuse his invitations to go out and play gully cricket, and he had an excuse of homework.
On the sixth day, Abhinav confronted him after school in an frustrated way and I can also feel is anger towards me.
He leaned forward me aggressively and place his hand on my shoulder as his eyes were wide and full fury. It like he will eat me alive If I didn't give him proper explanation of whatever he his going to asked.
So I my keep posture clam and composed and waiting for his question.
"What the hell is wrong... with you,.. Raghav?" he asked with sharp pitch voice not his usual normal tone.
"You're never coming to play. And you're always tired. Did I do something?" His question was full of anger tone and doubt in himself and their friendship.
Raghav saw the unhappy and the puzzled expression of his best friend and his heart sank.
"No, Abhi, it's not you..... I promise," he said earnestly.
"I just preparing for upcoming school trial...that's all and it has nothing to do with you"
"Preparing how? By not playing cricket?" Abhinav shot back unconvinced.
"It's not about playing....it just that I my build up my strength these days ," I said a little inadequately. "Just trust me...bro when I will show something new in the field and all this will make sense."
Abhinav did not seem convinced, but he changed the subject, and there was an awkward silence between them that had by no means existed before. It was another price to pay.
At last, there came the seventh of days. Raghav woke up feeling . . . different. The pains were not as great, a background music one recognized, and no longer were enormous. He had a kind of wirey strength in his extremities, an energy that was coiled about and he had never been acquainted with it.
He visited the park; this had become his daily job to do and train.
He began running and this time he could feel it--there was something light in his step. His breathing was sweet and smooth. It was the lap where he did not feel the stabbing pain in his side.
The second lap elicited a greater push of his legs and the wind passed cool air in his face. He completed his run but today was different as he will complete his mission today.
He can't wait to receive his reward and he immediately started working on his next task.
His push-ups were tight and his arms like solid steel. He completed two sets of ten. The sit ups were still tough, but he could no longer have to hook his feet underneath the root.
After performing the last sit up ,he directly lay back on the grass and a smile appear on his face which indicates the victory that he achieved by his continuous efforts.
Ding~ The system status of task just came in time.
[Task 1: Run one kilometer (Complete)]
[Task 2: 20 push-ups (Complete)]
[Task 3: 30 sit-ups (Complete)]
[Congratulations, Host!]
[New Mission: Building up the foundation of a Sportsman]
[Purpose: Buildup the spirit of a sportsman. The following fitness routine should be performed every day of the seven days ]
[Progress: Completed ✅]
[Reward are given to the host]
[Reward: +2 STA (Stamina Points)1 STR (Strength Point) and 15 SP ( System Points) ]
[ Bonus Reward: 5 SP ]
Then the system disturbed his stats points the a warm sensation spread he could feel his strength his increase incredibly and the process it is hard to notice.
And the deep-seated soreness which had been his constant effecting him for a week seemed to melt away, and in its place there was a feeling of the deepest vitality.
He immediately open his status screen to look for the changes.
[Host: Raghav Roi]
[Age: 12]
[Stamina: 17] (+2)
[Strength: 13] (+1)
[Batting Technique: 11]
[Bowling Skill: 5]
[Fielding: 8]
[Cricket IQ: 25]
[System Points (SP): 20]
The changes were still small in absolute numbers but the increase was unbelievable as now he could feel the difference between each muscle fiber has strengthened and with 20 System Points he knew exactly what to do.
He thought, "System Store." The menu appeared. He went through the Stat Points section to the end.
[Batting Technique (+1 Point) – 20 SP. ]
In his mind, he commanded the action to buy.
[Are you sure that you want to spend 20 SP to upgrade the Batting Technique by 1 point? ]
[Yes/No]
'Yes.'
[Purchase confirmed. Batting Technique: 11 -> 12.]
[System Points(SP): 0]
Then a warm sensation spread to his whole body and his mind his filled up with new techniques and experience of a batsman.
He get suprise everytime how magical this system is.... how it can make him learn more about cricket just by increasing his stats points.
He had completed the first step , that is building up his foundation as a sportsman now he has to practice his technique then he can get selected to the school team.
There is only three week left before the Selection Trial start...and I am looking forward to it as it will be my very first step to change my destiny.
(To be Continue)