Arjun woke up the following morning at his regular time, with a mixture of mild fear and curiosity.
Sania would oversee his footwork training today. He kept asking himself: Is she even qualified? Or is this going to be another circus?
After getting clean and eating a quick breakfast, he closed his eyes and stepped into the system space. Mischief struck him like a breeze in a matter of seconds.
Sania stood tall and smug on the field, waiting like a queen commanding her court. Her moon-red hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, and she had changed from her typical outfit to a sporty one that included bright red sneakers that seemed to match only her energy, tracksuit pants, and a white crop top that read Coach Mode On.
She whirled a whistle like a drill sergeant and yelled, "Welcome back, trainee!" "I hope your muscles aren't crying yet. because this is when your actual training starts.
Arjun narrowed his eyes suspiciously. " Why do I get the feeling this is going to be painful?"
Sania never missed a beat. " Let's start with a warm-up. Ten rounds of the stadium. Meet me back here when you're done."
"Ten? Are you crazy? Arjun sobbed. Are you attempting to murder me? I'll be lucky to survive one round with this body.
Sania grinned and said, "Heh." "Satisfaction on and off the field is directly linked to endurance, my dear trainee. You don't want to pass out on the field in a minute, do you? As the whistle swirled once more, she gave a wink.
Arjun let out an inward groan. Once more, she goes. Why is she unable to speak without coming across as so... dubious?
Sania smiled more broadly, as though she could hear his mind. "Hey, dirtyminded boy, don't put your ideas on my words. Move it now! Before I double it to twenty, finish those rounds!
Arjun started jogging while muttering to himself. He pushed forward, lap after lap. On the fifth lap, Sania unexpectedly showed up next to him, jogging at his leisurely pace.
She teasingly said, "A ten-year-old could outrun you." "Perhaps I should look for a host who is more than just a one-minute noodle."
Ignoring the jab, he continued to run. He eventually collapsed, panting, close to the nets after completing the tenth lap.
His eyes widened as he muttered, "Wait a minute." "This is the system space—I forgot! I'm not supposed to be fatigued!
Sania approached, her face softening. It's true. Because of your Iron Body perk, you are unable to physically exhaust yourself here. However, the space mimics the symptoms of real-world exhaustion, including tight muscles, sweating, and breathing. It all contributes to developing mental discipline.
Unexpectedly, Arjun blinked at her. "That's genuinely considerate."
She gave a soft smile. "I'll keep it in mind for you. Thus, you avoid taking the simple route.
He remained silent. However, he felt... thankful at that moment.
Sania returned to her authoritative tone with a clap of her hands. "Now! Let's get back to business. Let's get back to training your footwork.
Arjun took his position in front of the stumps, padded up, and nodded.
She said, "Remember everything Sachin taught you yesterday." "I'll turn on the bowling machine.
Let's see what got stuck.
The machine came to life. The initial delivery was a straightforward off-spin.
Arjun moved forward.
and completely missed. The ball whirled past his bat's edge.
"Whoa!" Sania's voice reverberated. "Are you attempting to kick the ball in a football-like manner?"
She strolled over and knelt down to straighten his toes. Arjun's eyes unconsciously dipped as she leaned down, but he saw something he really shouldn't have seen right away.
Sania caught his gaze and grinned, "Eyes up, lover boy." "Pay attention to balance, not boobs."
Arjun's face flushed. He blurted, trying to straighten his posture, "Sorry!"
Sania laughed. "Calm down. Don't make it a habit, though.
She left and went back to the drill. "Keep in mind what Sachin stated: timing is the foundation of batting, and timing starts with your toes."
Arjun clenched his jaw and focused. He barely nicked a couple and missed a few more. However, he made contact by the fifth ball with an inside edge, scratchy drive. It did count, though.
Indeed! You got one! Sania gave a loud clap. "Just 99,999 more to go!"
Sharp orders, loud jeering, and the steady sounds of the bowling machine filled the rest of the day. Arjun repeatedly performed the forward steps, lateral shuffles, readjustments, and resets. Sania's voice reverberated continuously.
"Backstep, not backfoot!"
"You're not straddling a cow—your feet are too wide!"
"Balance, balance, balance!"
"It's better! That's 60% acceptable!
They only stopped for lunch, during which Sania delivered a caustic monologue about his "difficulty with the most basic shots."
Arjun had dealt with over a thousand deliveries by nightfall. He wasn't physically exhausted, but was he mentally exhausted? He was completely exhausted.
Sania blew her whistle again as he sat down on the grass and wiped away his fictitious perspiration.
"Trainee, that's it for today. You made it through.
Arjun let out a sigh of relief. However, a peculiar unease arose in his chest as he gazed at the floor.
Although I've been training diligently,
Do I even fully comprehend cricket as a game?
Are there layers I haven't yet discovered?
He began to doubt his knowledge, not his effort. And he realized for the first time that he might shine if he had talent.
But he would be unstoppable if he understood the game.
And that thought stayed with him long after he exited the system space.