The ground was big.
Closed from all sides with high walls. No crowd. No noise. Only players — and that silence which exists when something is about to happen.
@17 and @16 — face to face.
The timer turned on —
10:00
Everyone moved to their positions.
Viraj and Surya — right corner.
Roshan, Vishal, Raj — center.
Shubham and Vedant — left.
---
@17's first raider stepped onto the court.
Moved towards the left corner — started building pressure. Viraj and Shubham tried to cover —
Just then Shubham found the timing. Grabbed the raider's leg — clean.
Others supported. Raider out.
Viraj and Surya didn't need to act — they were far.
Viraj took a breath.
Looks like it won't be that difficult.
---
Vedant went for the raid.
Right side. Then left. Started building pressure — movement was good, reflexes were sharp.
But no touch happened.
Took bonus — moved towards the line —
Then —
CAUGHT.
From behind. Both hands. Completely tight.
Vedant's reaction — shock.
This… where did this come from?
He tried to break free. Once. Twice. But that grip —
Like an elephant's trunk had caught him.
Viraj looked at that defender —
Roni.
He was smiling. Completely calm. And the air around him — his aura — felt like an elephant standing behind him, releasing its full power.
Whistle blew.
Vedant — out.
---
Viraj's mind started running —
Vedant is a good player. Reflexes were there too. Still Roni caught him — without showing, without warning. This team is strong. We can't underestimate them.
Just then —
"Interesting."
Viraj looked to the side. Surya — he had spoken for the first time. There was a different kind of shine in his eyes.
"Now it's going to be even more fun."
Viraj said nothing. Just looked.
This guy stayed silent the whole discussion — and now he's excited?
@17's raider stepped in again.
Moved towards Viraj and Surya — started building pressure. Viraj tightened his position —
But the raider cut. Left side. Pressure on Shubham and Vedant —
Then — crossed back the line and left.
No touch. No out.
---
It was Shubham's turn.
He stepped onto the court — "Kabaddi... Kabaddi..."
There was one thing about Shubham — his muscular body. He was heavy, but fast too. He moved towards the right side — created pressure —
There was Roni.
And the moment Shubham entered the right side —
Roni jumped like an elephant. Straight at Shubham.
But —
Shubham did not panic.
One moment. Just one moment.
He saw Roni's shadow — direction, angle, timing — all in one second —
And Shubham — shifted in the air.
Roni's grip — went into the air.
And Shubham's fingers touched the line.
Touch. Point.
---
Roni stood there.
This… how did this happen?
His eyes were fixed on Shubham — genuinely shocked.
Score —
@16 — 2
@17 — 1
A bit of happiness appeared among @16 players.
---
@17's next raider stood near the line.
Name — Akash.
Shubham had gotten one player out — so Raj had come in.
Akash looked at the court. Looked at the center. Looked at Raj.
And —
Completely fearless — walked straight towards the center.
Viraj's mouth opened —
What is he doing? He'll get caught instantly like this—
Akash entered the center — went near Raj, tried to touch —
Seeing this, Shubham and Vedant came from behind — to catch him —
Akash felt it.
And then — he moved.
First he acted like he got caught. Both paused — one second —
And in that same second — cut.
Slipped between both of them. Touched both. Bonus too.
Touched the line.
Whistle.
---
Viraj, Shubham, Vedant — all three were shocked.
"This… was impossible."
"How did he do that?"
"This couldn't have happened—"
Score —
@16 — 2
@17 — 4
Vedant and Shubham — out.
---
Viraj's mind tightened.
I didn't predict this. How did he do it? He deliberately acted like he got caught — so both would stop — and in that gap he escaped. This is—
"YES BRO!"
Viraj looked to the side.
Surya.
He was — hyped. Eyes shining. Excitement rising — as if watching all this was energizing him even more.
Viraj looked at him once.
This guy is weird.
But this was not the time —
Timer —
6:44
Score — 2 vs 4.
We have to move fast. Otherwise we'll lose.
---
— End of Chapter 7 —