The high of hitting that six still buzzed in Zaid's veins.
For the first time since waking up in this new life, he felt something close to hope.
But hope was a fragile thing.
"Oye, Khan!"
A sharp voice cut through the cheers.
Zaid turned.
A tall, broad-shouldered boy with a cocky smirk stood near the edge of the field, twirling a tape ball in his fingers. He was older—probably seventeen or eighteen. His stance, his confidence—it screamed trouble.
Everyone fell silent.
"Good shot," the boy said, rolling the ball in his palm. "But can you do that against me?"
Zaid's grip on the bat tightened.
The way the other boys shifted uneasily told him everything. This guy wasn't just some random player.
He was the best in this slum.
Zaid took a slow breath.
There was only one way forward.
"I'll face you," he said, his voice steady.
The boy grinned. "Let's see if you're as good as you think you are."
He took his mark, ball in hand. The field fell silent.
Zaid lowered himself into stance.
The challenge had begun.
The field was silent.
Zaid's heart pounded in his chest as he faced the older boy, who stood at the other end, gripping the ball with the confidence of someone who had dominated these games for years.
The boy smirked. "Get ready, Khan. You won't even see it coming."
Zaid didn't flinch. His fingers tightened around the bat.
The bowler took a short run-up, his arm snapping forward.
The ball came fast—too fast for a regular tape-ball game.
Zaid's instincts screamed.
His body moved—his bat swinging—
WHOOSH!
Missed.
The ball crashed into the bricks behind him.
Laughter erupted around the field.
"Arrey, he hyped himself up so much, and he couldn't even see the ball!" someone jeered.
Zaid's grip on the bat tightened.
No. Not like this.
The bowler grinned, tossing the ball up and down. "One more?"
Zaid nodded.
The next ball came even faster.
And then—
DING!
A sharp ringing sound exploded in Zaid's head.
[ SYSTEM ACTIVATED. ]
His eyes widened.
Words flashed in front of him, glowing faintly in the air—
———————————————
[ Cricket God System ]
Welcome, Zaid Khan.
[ Talent Scan Activated. ]
[ Analyzing Player Stats… ]
———————————————
The world around him slowed.
The ball, which had seemed impossible to track just a second ago, was now clear as day. He could see the spin, the angle, the exact point where it would land.
It was like something inside him had awakened.
NOW!
His bat swung—
CRACK!
The ball shot off his bat, slicing through the air like a bullet.
It wasn't just a six.
It cleared the entire field.
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
The bowler's jaw dropped.
The watching boys stared at him like he had just done the impossible.
Zaid stared at his hands, his mind racing.
What… just happened?
The system's words flashed again.
[ Congratulations! First Boundary Achieved! ]
[ +1 to Batting Reflex ]
The air was thick with disbelief.
Zaid stood still, gripping the bat, his breath uneven. The ball had disappeared over the boundary—far beyond what anyone thought possible.
The bowler, who had been so cocky moments ago, stared at him with wide eyes.
"How…?" he muttered.
Zaid himself was still processing.
The system.
It had activated at the perfect moment, slowing the world down just when he needed it most. That wasn't a normal shot—it was perfect.
And judging by the way everyone was looking at him, they knew it too.
One of the boys spoke first. "Bro… that wasn't normal."
"Did you see the way he reacted?" another whispered. "Like he knew exactly where the ball was going."
The bowler scowled, shaking off his shock. "Fluke," he spat. "One lucky shot doesn't mean anything."
Zaid's grip tightened around the bat.
Let's see if it was just luck, then.
He nodded toward the bowler. "Bowl again."
The bowler hesitated.
For the first time—he looked scared.
But he wasn't going to back down in front of everyone. "Fine," he muttered, walking back to his mark.
Zaid took his stance.
The system's words flickered faintly in his vision—
[ Batting Reflex +1 ]
He felt different. His hands felt steadier, his mind sharper.
The bowler charged in and released the ball.
This time, Zaid was ready.
The moment the ball left the bowler's hand, the world slowed again.
There!
He saw the exact line and length before the ball even pitched. His hands reacted on their own—
CRACK!
Another clean connection.
The ball exploded off his bat, rocketing through the air.
It smashed into a nearby tin roof with a deafening BANG!
The entire field froze.
Then—
"WHAT THE F—?!"
The bowler's face went pale. The other boys just stared at Zaid like he was some kind of monster.
No one said a word.
Zaid exhaled slowly, lowering his bat.
He wasn't the same as before.