The heat in Basavanagudi was soft that afternoon — not scorching, but glowing gently across the old stone pavements, temple bells ringing faintly in the distance. Bani walked past the crowded lanes of Gandhi Bazaar, her thin arms folded close, a quiet rhythm in her steps.
She had told her mother she was going to buy pens. She did buy them — three blue ones — but that wasn't why she was here.
Her real destination stood calmly at the edge of DVG Road, half-hidden behind the branches of a gulmohar tree:
Shree Lakshmi Fresh Juice Centre.
The yellow signboard hadn't changed it was same from her past. She used to walk there with her friends, ordering mosambi juice. But now, her visits were different —
She stood in line quietly. The man ahead of her ordered a mixed fruit special.
Behind the counter, the juice master — a middle-aged man in a white banyan and apron — worked fast. The smell of crushed fruit, cold milk, and jaggery was everywhere.
When her turn came, Bani stepped forward and spoke clearly, even though her voice shook a little.
"One butter fruit juice, anna. No ice. Honey only. In a paper cup."
He nodded without even looking up.
"Ten minutes, madam."
Bani stepped out of the juice shop, a slight bounce in her walk. In her hand, she held a paper cup — freshly packed, cool against her palm, and filled with thick, creamy mango juice. Just the way she liked it.
She had asked the vendor for extra nuts and no ice. It wasn't just about taste anymore — it was about calories. Every sip counted now.
As she made her way toward the small park nearby, her mind wasn't on the crowd or the noise. It was on the system — her magical companion that quietly obeyed her will, storing what she liked, replicating it when needed, and always working in the shadows.
She sat on a quiet bench under a neem tree, the city noise melting into the background. The juice was rich, sweet, and filling. She closed her eyes after each sip, focusing — not just on the taste, but on the moment.
That's when it happened.
A soft glow appeared before her — only visible to her eyes. A flickering image formed in mid-air, like a hologram stitched from her thoughts. It showed a cozy bar interior, dimly lit, with someone holding the same paper cup of juice. The words "Hold to Store" shimmered at the bottom.
Bani smiled softly and extended her hand.
The system responded instantly.
The image blinked once, then gently faded into her invisible archive. A soft chime rang in her ears — a confirmation from the system:
> "Copied successfully. Juice stored. This item can now be withdrawn on request."
She didn't even need to say anything.
From now on, anytime she needed this juice — this exact one, with the same texture, calories, and flavor — she could summon it. Whether she was in class, traveling, or standing alone on a shoot, it would appear for her. Quietly. Faithfully.
She finished the last sip and tossed the empty cup into the bin nearby. Her heart felt lighter than it had all day.
Today, it was just juice.
But tomorrow?
It could be anything.
classroom was loud with laughter, notes being shuffled, and someone asking for extra paper.
But Bani sat near the window, her thoughts drifting far — not to the noisy corridor or the next class, but to a memory tucked away in her heart:
> The web novels she used to read late at night in her old life.
In those stories, girls like her would discover healing springs, cleansing spiritual water, or body-fixing potions.
They didn't just grow prettier.
They became stronger — inside out.
Their families healed. Their minds calmed. Their skin cleared. Their health was stable.
Bani gently tapped her fingers on her diary and whispered:
> "Can I have something like that too…? Not just to gain weight, but to strengthen, to glow. Not just for me... but for them too?"
The classroom buzzed with sound — laughter bouncing off the walls, pages rustling, and someone calling out for extra paper. It was chaos, the kind that never quite bothered Bani anymore.
Because her world was elsewhere.
She sat quietly by the window, her gaze unfocused, thoughts floating back to a time when her reality wasn't so tangled — those late-night moments, curled under her blanket, reading web novels on a dim screen.
In those stories, girls like her stumbled into magical dimensions.
They didn't just find healing springs.
They found space farms — vast, glowing fields hidden in secret realms where pure spiritual water flowed from crystal wells, cleansing every part of the body.
Water that washed away fatigue.
That cleared the skin, soothed the organs, balanced hormones.
That helped bones strengthen, moods stabilize, and light return to tired eyes.
Bani remembered the way her heart used to ache reading those lines — not with envy, but with longing.
A different kind of longing.
Not just to become prettier.
But to be strong.
To glow from the inside.
To stabilize her health.
To protect her family.
She glanced down at her diary, gently tapping the corner with her fingers. Then whispered so softly, even the wind could barely hear:
> "Can I have something like that too…?
Not just to gain weight,
but to strengthen…
To glow.
Not just for me…
but for them too?"
For a moment, the air around her shimmered.
And then — a ripple.
Like light bending in water, a translucent window bloomed in the corner of her vision. The Space System stirred to life, its quiet voice calm, but filled with subtle energy.
---
> "Space System Notification"
Host's emotional request detected.
✦ Feature Detected: Cleansing Spring & Space Farm (Sub-Dimensional Asset)
✦ Status: Locked.
> ❖ Reason: Core System Insufficient.
❖ System Internal Realm Incomplete.
❖ Host Growth Level: [Stage 1 - Initialization]
This feature exists.
But the system must evolve alongside the host's body, mind, and spirit.
When host reaches Stage 3 – Body-Mind Resonance, internal space will begin to unlock the farm layer.
→ At that point, spring water may be drawn. The body will cleanse. Health will stabilize. The host's glow will begin.
The stronger the host becomes, the more the system unfolds.