Chapter 5: Gully Cricket [2]
[ Mission Progress: 9/10]
Raghav look his mission progress bar which shows the he need to defend one more ball but I can't continue.
Because all of his teammates are starring at him,
he also put the bat there at batsman crease and went for fielding.
'if I say that I want to play one more ball...then I am sure they will beat shit out of me.'
If he was his youngerself probably would have demanded one more ball but he was not , because he is the future Raghav who had experience up and down in his life and learn when to demand or to be patience.
He knows this were the best moments of his life with his friends so he didn't argue and he will wait for his turn again like a mature man.
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Now Abhi will be batting and sunil will do bowling.The game continue as everyone taking there turn to play ten ball each.
Finally my turn came back for playing.
He changed his batting position, his manly now focus now is to send the ball flying towards the boundary.
(Note: there is no boundaries in this ground but children there had made an imaginary boundary for score 6 and 4. Like hiting the front wall will given 6 , and the wall behind him will give him score 4)
Abhi started long running as he reach bowling crease he released the ball from his grip. He delivered a a short ball.
Raghav is in full focus on ball as soon as the ball reach his crease he react fast enough to swing his bat and hit the ball with with his full strength.
Surprisingly ball went shot flying straight past through above Abhi head and the ball rotating with full speed then it bending twice and hitting the wall at the end.
It was a good shot by Raghav as he shot a straight hit. To performance this kind of shot the batsman must have good control on his body muscles and reaction timing.
The other boys stood quiet a second in disbelief as thay say the shot. So was Raghav himself.
[ Mission Progress: 10/10]
Then the blue screen appeared again before his eyes.
Ding ~
[Newbie Mission Quest : A Single Step (completed)]
[The Great Cricket must be start by taking small step at time to build his foundation.]
[Mission:Practice batting defending you wicket from 10 ball from any opponent.]
[Mission Progress: Completed]
[Reward: +1 Batting Technique Point, 5 SP.]
[Your stats have been updated.]
[Batting Technique: 10 -> 11]
As the system show that his stats is increased but didn't feel anything for few seconds.
Then suddenly a warm stream of energy that ran through his arms. He could hardly feel it, but when he tightened grip as he hold the bat then feel that he can perform different techniques of shot in different angles.
Something click in mind and started to implement it.
As he adjusted his batting pose with a small modification in his stance.
Then he he try same fake shot strike with is bat.
"Whoa, nice shot!" Abhi said look at the ball direction.
Raghav was just about to reply to this when another message appeared in the system screen.
Ding ~
[Host has received system point for the first time ]
[ System is updating itself....10%>>>>>30%>>>>66%>>>>>74%>>>89>>>96%>>99.3%>>>100%]
[System Update is Completed]
[ New— Growth Currency Quest ( unlock)]
[Growth currency is in the form of System Points (SP). ]
[New— System Store (unlock)]
[Host the System Store is available]
'Wow ...the system update itself automatically and I got new features' Raghav thought,' show me System store.'
The status screen switch to a simple menu appeared with a name 'system store'.
[SYSTEM STORE]
[Stat Points:]
[Stamina (+1 Point) - 10 SP]
[Strength (+1 Point) - 10 SP]
[Batting Technique (+1 Point) - 20 SP]
[Bowling Skill (+1 Point) - 20 SP]
[Fielding (+1 Point) - 15SP]
[Skill( Lock)]
[Character Traits (Lock)]
[Luck Draw: 50 SP]
He looks at the system price and stunned it is easy to get upgraded his stats. He saw the price on batting technique which is twenty SP points needed to purchase one point.
He had only earned 5 SP from the quest. It will take some amount of time to collect 20 SP point to purchase it.
'It means that each and every point would have to be won with sweat and hard work.'
"Raghav? Raghuuu…? Do you play or will you stand there dreaming? "
Then the voice of Abhi calling him bring back to reality and he saw himself back in the dusty playing ground.
I replied " Noo.. let start "
Abhi nod as he went back to his bowling crease.
Up he ran, and bowled--a short, jumping strike which skittered along.
The ball only travelled more quickly than Raghav figured it was supposed to be a short ball, nevertheless his body was moving and went front to swing his bat and hit ball to long off Side.
Thock.
A clear sound- hard, crisp, flawless.
The tenise ball flew over Amit head , Amit was in the fielding position at mid-off, he try to jump up to caught ball but his hand didn't reach so the ball hit the dull blue wall crashed into it.
Thum~
For a moment, no one moved from there place to collect the ball. The boys stood there like paralysed, with their mouths agape, and everything in the street had become very quiet.
The crows on the electric wires even flinched in mid-caw and fly away as they got scared by the sound.
Then came the exclamation. "Bhaai… did you see that?" one of the kids gasped.
Amit swiveled around and looked in disbelief.
"What the hell was that bro, that is..... that is a sixer!"
Raghav dropped the bat and his breath went on slow and steadily. The impact was felt in his palms. The warmth in his arms, the one that had forgotten shot long ago has returned in his mind.
He could feel it Strength, Precision.,Rhythm of the ball and the strength he used when hitting the ball with his bat.
Even Raghav was somewhat paralysed by seeing his own shot.
'Again this is the feeling want to feel it again.'
He want to repeat this moment again.
Than he smile and look at his status.
'The +1 on his Batting Technique was not some simple number, but was actually physically changed, was a kind of rewiring of his muscle memory.'
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Game restart again.. Abhi ball again this time he deliver a yorker .
Raghav also in his zone focusing on the ball angle and he swing his bat hit with a cover drive shot.
Everyone looking at him in confusion on his batting technique like a experience player.
Amit asked him directly "Where did you learn that shot?"
A broad smile came to his face and Abhinav trotted away to bring the ball.
Sunil asked him with a suspicious look on his face.
"Were you taking secret lessons by a professional coach ?"
Raghav shook his head, with a smile on his lips. "Just got lucky."
He can only lie because could not possible describe that his coach is a futuristic disembodied[1]interface. A so called system that was granted by his own dying wish.
Game continue and he couldn't restrain on trying more shots like square drive,on drive,flick shot.
He was like a crazy manic striking every ball deliver by Abhi and Ajay run continuously to get the ball.
He score three sixes continuously and score total twenty Run for him.
They were not just flashy sixes, but it show batsman full controlled on himself.
With his Cricket IQ of 25, he can visualise exact position of fielders and then he performed appropriate shot.
It was like he is playing chess game in his mind ,like he knows which pieces will move and when.[2]
(To be Continue)
[1] Explain: A screen that is Transparent form or screen existing without the body.
[2] Raghav was Analysing the fielder position to strike in the gap. so he don't get out.