On the fourth morning of camp, the sky was light cloudy. A rare cool breeze cut through the usual heat. The players welcomed it — except Raj.
He was staring at the sole of his right cricket shoe. It had torn halfway off.
He sighed.
Last year, in his old life, this exact shoe had split just before a school-level match. That day, he played poorly. Slipped twice. Lost his place.
But this wasn't that life.
He wasn't the same Raj.
This time, he had tools.
And a system.
He opened his duffle bag and pulled out a roll of industrial tape he'd packed on instinct.
Then he took a penknife, cut an old sock, folded it under the sole, and used the tape to hold the shape. The sock acted as a cushion. The tape held the grip.
Crude.
Ugly.
But it worked.
Uday, who was nearby, stared. "Bro… that's genius."
One of the other players, Akhil, watched. "Patchwork engineering? We're not on a village ground anymore."
Raj didn't reply.
But someone else had noticed.
From the other end of the net, Coach Mahesh and a man in a gray blazer whispered.
"Who's that?" the man asked.
"Raj. No-nonsense kid. Quiet. But sharp."
The man nodded. He made a note on his pad.
[System Notification: Improvisation Detected]
Innovation Bonus Applied: +1 Creativity Stat
System Suggestion: "Would you like to save this as a design template for future gear customization?"
Naming Prompt: __________________
Raj smirked and typed:
RajCraft: Sock-Sole Grip Fix (Ver. 0.1)
He pressed confirm.
Saved. First Brand Element Registered.
That day's session focused on precision hitting — a skill Raj hadn't practiced deeply before.
They had to hit recommended cone zones within the field judged on accuracy and control.
Raj started slow.
His first three attempts were slightly off-target.
He heard chuckles.
Then — a loud whisper.
"Guess engineering a shoe doesn't make you a cricketer."
Yashwant.
Raj didn't respond.
He focused. Tightened his grip.
Next ball — driven low. Right between the cones.
Then again.
And again.
Three perfect placements.
Silence returned.
[Adaptability +2]
Coach Feedback Updated: "Fast Learner. Doesn't react to mocking."
During lunch, Yashwant made his next move.
He walked up to the session organizer and pointed at the clipboard. "You know Raj used field cones for warm-up gear back at his school? That's not even regulation practice. Just thought I'd let you know."
Raj overheard it.
So did Coach Mahesh.
But the coach said nothing.
Yet.
That afternoon, teams were to be announced for the final exhibition match of camp — only two squads would be formed from 40 players.
Top 22 make the cut. The rest? Sent home.
Raj waited by the announcement board.
Slowly, names appeared.
Yashwant — Team Red.
Ravi Prakash — Team Red.
Harini (as scorer) — Team Red.
Uday — Team Blue.
And Raj…
Not listed.
He froze.
What?
He walked straight to Coach Mahesh.
"Sir… I wasn't picked?"
Coach looked up. "Some felt you weren't aggressive enough. You didn't stand out."
Raj held back his frustration. "Sir, I thought performance mattered more than flash."
Coach tapped his pen. "So did I."
Raj nodded slowly. "Understood."
[System Alert: Setback Detected]
Reputation Score: -5 (Visibility dropped)
New Quest: "Shine Without Playing"
Objective: Impact the match without entering the field
Reward: Unlock "Off-Field Influence" trait + New Brand Milestone
Raj clenched his fist.
He wouldn't give up.
If they didn't let him play…
He'd still make them see him.
During the match the next day, Raj offered to help Coach with setup, warm-ups, and scoring duty. Not just for his team — for both.
When a junior batsman froze under pressure, Raj whispered advice that got him through.
When a fielder from the rival team cramped, Raj was the first to rush over with water and salt mix.
He even noticed a scoring error — and politely corrected it before it became a scandal.
By the end of the match, every player — win or lose — had spoken to Raj.
Even Yashwant.
"You're stubborn," he muttered.
Raj smiled. "I learn fast."
After the match, when everyone expected results to be announced, the scout in the gray blazer stepped up with a surprise:
"Before we name the top 5 to progress into the State Talent Pool, I want to recognize someone who didn't play today… but played every moment of this camp."
He looked at Raj.
"This boy showed us that leadership doesn't need spotlight. That cricket is more than stats. It's also about character."
He turned to Coach.
"Coach Mahesh and I agree — Raj will be joining the top 5 on wild card entry."
[System Milestone Achieved: Reputation Recovered + Brand Recognition (Lv.1)]
New Trait Unlocked: Off-Field Influence
Effect: Gain passive growth and audience respect even outside matches
RajCraft Brand Level: 1/10 — Now Recognized Among Peers
Raj stood in shocking silence.
The crowd clapped.
Even Yashwant offered a half nod.
Raj whispered to himself, "One shot… one brand."
And it worked.