Arjun's room was filled with the soft *thwack-thwack* of the shuttlecock hitting his racket. It was an otherworldly experience—his body moved instinctively, reacting to the flying shuttle without conscious thought. The strange system's screen hovered in his vision, tracking every hit.
**Hit count: 98.**
*Just 402 more,* Arjun thought, sweat beading on his forehead. His arms felt heavy, but the shuttle kept returning, faster and more erratic with each hit. The challenge was real.
"Focus," the robotic voice of the system, Phantom, echoed in the background. "Your form is slipping."
Arjun clenched his teeth. "This is insane! It's the middle of the night, and I'm hitting shuttles like a madman."
"You accepted the challenge," Phantom replied calmly. "Failing the mission will result in zero progress toward your goal."
"Zero progress? What does that even mean?" Arjun gasped, barely dodging a particularly fast shuttle before managing to return it.
"It means you will stay the same weak player you were this afternoon," Phantom replied, its tone almost mocking. "If you wish to stand a chance against rivals like Raghav, you must complete the missions and unlock new abilities."
Arjun's eyes narrowed at the mention of Raghav. His grip on the racket tightened as he remembered the sting of his loss earlier that day. The shame. The helplessness. He hated it.
He swung harder, his strokes becoming more precise, more controlled. Every hit felt more natural, his body moving in perfect sync with the shuttle.
**Hit count: 230.**
He was halfway there, but his arms were burning. He felt like he couldn't go on, but something about the way Phantom kept pushing him—constantly reminding him of his failures—drove him forward.
"You're not serious about this," Phantom taunted, as Arjun struggled with a particularly difficult return. "Do you really want to improve, or is this all just talk?"
"I… I want to win," Arjun grunted, forcing his racket to meet the shuttle with a sharp *thwack*.
"Then prove it."
---
Hours passed. Arjun's room felt like a battlefield, and his legs were trembling from exhaustion. His vision blurred, but he kept swinging, focusing on each shuttle that flew toward him.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the screen flashed:
**Hit count: 500.**
A chime rang in his ears, and Phantom's voice returned, more neutral now. "Mission complete. Congratulations. You have earned your first reward: Speed Enhancement Level 1."
Arjun collapsed onto his bed, panting heavily. His arms felt like lead, and his heart pounded in his chest. But despite his exhaustion, he felt a strange sense of accomplishment.
"You've completed the first mission," Phantom said. "You are now faster. Test your new speed tomorrow."
Arjun glanced at the screen, which now displayed his current stats:
- **Speed: Level 1**
- **Reflexes: Normal**
- **Stamina: Normal**
- **Endurance: Normal**
- **Next Mission: TBD**
"Faster?" Arjun murmured to himself, staring at his hands. He didn't *feel* any different—just tired and sore. But maybe, just maybe, Phantom was telling the truth. He'd find out tomorrow.
Before Phantom could say anything else, Arjun turned over in bed and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
---
### The Next Day
Arjun woke up the next morning with a heavy groan. His body ached all over, and for a moment, he wondered if last night's events had been some strange dream. But when he glanced at his racket leaning against the wall, he knew it had been real.
*Phantom Shuttle System...*
He dressed quickly, eager to see if his "speed" had actually improved. As soon as he left the house, he sprinted down the street toward the local courts, where he often practiced in the mornings.
It was a warm day, and the courts were already bustling with players getting in their early workouts. Arjun spotted Sia at the far end of the court, already engaged in her usual solo drills.
"Hey, Sia!" Arjun called out, waving as he approached.
She turned, smiled, and jogged over. "You look... energized this morning. What happened to the guy who was sulking after the tournament?"
Arjun grinned, trying to play it cool. "Let's just say I had a breakthrough."
"Oh, a breakthrough, huh? Care to show me what you've got?" she teased, tossing him a shuttlecock.
Arjun caught the shuttle and nodded. "Yeah, actually. Let's do some rallying."
They took their positions, and Sia served the shuttle over the net with practiced ease. Arjun reacted instinctively, dashing forward to return the shot. To his surprise, his body moved with fluidity and speed he had never felt before. He reached the shuttle in half the time it usually took him, sending it flying back toward Sia with a quick flick of his wrist.
Sia's eyes widened as she lunged for the return. "Whoa! When did you get so fast?"
Arjun was just as surprised as she was. "I… don't know," he said, stunned at his own speed.
Sia wasn't one to back down, though. She tightened her grip on her racket and launched a sharp crosscourt shot, testing Arjun's reflexes. This time, he felt his feet move almost before his brain could process the direction. In a blink, he was at the right spot, returning the shot with precision.
The rally continued, each hit faster than the last, but Arjun found himself keeping up effortlessly. Sia, meanwhile, was starting to struggle.
Finally, after several intense exchanges, Sia sent the shuttle wide, missing the line by inches. She dropped her racket and stared at Arjun, panting.
"Okay, seriously, where did that come from?" she demanded, still catching her breath. "You were all over the place!"
Arjun hesitated. Should he tell her about the Phantom Shuttle System? No, not yet. He wasn't even sure he understood it himself.
"I guess… I just practiced extra hard last night," he said, half-truthfully.
Sia raised an eyebrow. "If that's what extra practice looks like, I need to up my game."
Arjun laughed, but inside, he was thrilled. The system was real, and it worked. If this was just the first reward, he couldn't imagine what else Phantom could offer.
Just as he was about to suggest another rally, he felt a presence behind him. Turning, he saw Raghav walking toward the court, a smug smile on his face.
"Well, well," Raghav said, crossing his arms. "Looks like you've improved overnight, Mehra. Impressive. But don't think for a second you'll beat me in the next tournament."
Arjun's heart raced. Raghav was the last person he wanted to deal with right now.
But Phantom's voice echoed in his mind: "This is just the beginning. You will need much more than speed to defeat him."
Without saying a word, Arjun picked up his racket and met Raghav's gaze.
"I guess we'll see," Arjun said, his voice steady.
The rivalry had only just begun.
---
Chapter 2 sets the stage for Arjun's growth, showing the impact of the system and his first steps toward becoming a formidable player. Raghav's reappearance signals that the stakes are higher, while Arjun begins to understand just how powerful the Phantom Shuttle System might be.