Chapter 2: Testing the Power
After some serious thought, Veer Verma decided he needed to test the strange ability that had seemingly awakened inside him—this time-freezing or time-acceleration phenomenon.
But one look around the bustling classroom, with the teacher still explaining wave optics on the blackboard, and he changed his mind.
> "Better to wait till after school. Can't risk making a scene and getting caught on CCTV."
He took out his phone and checked the time—thirty minutes till dismissal.
He straightened the stack of books on his desk and picked up his physics guidebook, flipping to the chapters on electromagnetic waves.
Almost immediately, he noticed something strange.
Physics had always been his Achilles' heel—he barely cracked the top 20 in school rankings despite acing every other subject.
But now?
As soon as he glanced at a question, multiple solutions formed in his head automatically. It was as if everything had become... childishly easy. Like primary school math.
> "That strange state earlier—it must've changed something in my brain!"
He remembered how, during that acceleration phase, his mind felt wide open—hyper-aware, sharp like a blade. Thoughts flowed effortlessly, connections formed on their own.
Within just thirty seconds, questions he previously struggled with became crystal clear. All the scattered formulas, derivations, and theories he'd memorized suddenly snapped into a single, elegant system.
It felt like his brain had rebooted—optimized.
> "Learning isn't just memorizing—it's understanding and applying."
Every Indian student knew that.
You could mug up the NCERTs front to back, but that alone wouldn't land you in IIT or AIIMS. What set toppers apart was how fast and deeply they grasped core ideas and applied them under pressure.
Veer had always memorized everything—he wasn't a stranger to hard work.
But now, his recall, comprehension, and problem-solving speed had skyrocketed.
He flipped through his physics textbook, and for every problem he encountered, an answer bloomed in his mind instantly.
It felt… divine.
Inspired.
After finishing one book, he picked up another.
He didn't just know the answers—he understood why they were right.
Finally, without hesitation, he pulled out a half-finished workbook and began writing rapidly. His pen danced across the page like it had a mind of its own.
By the time the bell rang, he had completed half the book.
And it felt effortless.
> "This is insane… it's all just so easy now."
> "Did the activation of my ability evolve my brain? Boost my IQ?"
Grinning with excitement, Veer stacked his books, didn't even bother double-checking his answers, and stood up.
He was eager.
Eager to test what else he could do.
"Veer, wait for me!" called out Aman Desai, the lanky classmate who sat behind him.
"Sorry bro, got something important today," Veer waved without looking back, heading straight toward the corridor.
Their school, Mumbai Central Science Academy, was a top-tier institution in Maharashtra—semi-residential, with strict ID-based exits.
Thankfully, Veer had a day scholar permit, thanks to his mother renting a small flat nearby to be close to him.
She worked part-time at a garment boutique, cooked his meals, and took care of him as he prepped for the most important year of his life.
Slipping out with the early crowd, Veer walked briskly, turned two corners, and reached a narrow street near an older residential colony.
The lanes were quiet, no CCTV, and barely any foot traffic—perfect.
> "Alright… let's try this."
He closed his eyes.
Focused.
> "Accelerate."
And again—
silence.
Stillness.
Everything around him froze mid-movement. A pigeon was caught mid-flap. Dust hung in the air like tiny diamonds. Even the rustling leaves above had become statues.
A cold sensation spread from his head to his limbs—just like before.
His brain roared to life. Thoughts fired faster than ever. But once again—he couldn't breathe. Not properly.
Holding his breath, he gritted his teeth.
> "Yup. This is my power. I can consciously activate time acceleration."
He glanced around cautiously. He didn't want to start running and attract attention—or worse, trigger wind currents that might get picked up on someone's camera.
He focused again.
> "Deactivate."
The world roared back.
A dog barked in the distance. Traffic honked somewhere nearby.
> "It works exactly as I want. On and off like a switch. No strain either."
> "But breathing in that state is tough. I can't use it for long. No wonder Flash had a special suit…"
He thought for a second, then got an idea.
> "Wait… what if I don't go full-speed?"
> "What if I only accelerate by 50% or 100%? Maybe I can still breathe and move normally, just think and react faster."
He closed his eyes again.
Focused.
This time, the change was subtle.
The people around him slowed slightly, not frozen, just... off-tempo.
He glanced at his phone, started the stopwatch app, and began silently counting.
> "About double the speed," he whispered.
> "Breathing is fine. Movement is smooth. Sounds are slightly distorted but tolerable."
His eyes lit up.
> "The more I accelerate, the harder it becomes to breathe and move. But at 2x, I'm comfortable. Mental clarity is high. This could be perfect for exams… or fights."
Experimenting further, he walked with the crowd while maintaining his accelerated state.
His timing, posture, and reactions were flawless.
After another quiet corner, he pushed the limit.
2x… 3x… 5x… 10x.
At 10x speed, everything slowed to a near-standstill.
Voices became deep hums. Footsteps stretched like echoes in a canyon. Even a falling leaf took an eternity to reach the ground.
Breathing was harder—but manageable.
> "This is probably the max I can handle for now."
Curious about interactions, Veer crouched and slapped the ground lightly.
No pain.
> "It feels like a normal slap. Maybe because my body's physics are in sync with itself. Relative force stays the same."
He relaxed a bit.
Earlier, he'd feared that running or jumping in a high-speed state might tear his own muscles or bones due to reaction force.
But this was safe.
So far.
Still wondering, he slapped the ground again—harder this time.
Cracks appeared on the old cement surface. Tiny lines spread outward, visible even in the frozen moment.
> "So if I exert full strength while in this state, the force multiplies. That's… terrifying."
He stood up, breathing steadily.
The power was real.
The potential—immense.
But now, he needed control, training, and purpose.
Because if this was just the beginning...
What would come next?
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