November 22, 2013 — New Delhi
The ceiling fan spun lazily, blades creaking like tired joints. The air was thick with the scent of cardamom and something sizzling in ghee. Somewhere beyond the balcony, the city's symphony of dogs, rickshaws, and evening horns warmed up like a chaotic orchestra.
It was 2013.
And Neil Goyal was eight years old — again.
His feet dangled off the edge of his twin bed, barely grazing the floor. He stared at the old chessboard on his desk, mismatched pieces sprawled like casualties. One pawn had been replaced by a Lego ninja with a tiny red cape.
Behind him hovered the ghost of Bobby Fischer, arms crossed like he had front-row seats to the weirdest reincarnation gig ever.
"Look alive, Neil," Fischer said, voice like gravel dipped in sarcasm. "You're not hallucinating. You actually died."
Neil blinked. "I know."
Fischer tilted his head. "No screaming? No existential spiral?"
"I already lived one life," Neil said quietly. "And I blew it."
For a second, Fischer didn't reply. Just hovered there, unusually still.
"Then let's not waste this one."
It had all started with a flicker of blue light when Neil touched the old computer — a clunky 2007 box with the soul of a dying refrigerator. The monitor lit up, and a translucent screen shimmered into view.
[FOCUSED SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
User: Neil Goyal
Rank: Unrated (IRL)
Simulated Elo: 1800
Soul Bond: Bobby Fischer (Synced)
Neil stared.
Fischer hovered closer, peeking over his shoulder. "System's real. Power's real. Interface is ugly, but whatever."
Another prompt appeared.
[System Mission: Win 5 Rapid Games]
Time Limit: 24 Hours
Reward: +2 Nerves Under Pressure, +1 Tactical Sharpness
Bonus Reward (Hidden): ???
Neil exhaled slowly.
Five wins in one day. Not difficult — unless you were him. Unless you remembered what it felt like to crumble over the board, blundering rook for pawn, spiraling from a single mistake.
He remembered his final tournament match in his last life — the icy fingers, the pounding heart, the inner voice that had screamed, "Run."
He clenched his fists.
"Not this time."
Fischer smirked. "You gonna play? Or live your sequel like a coward too?"
Neil sighed. "You were nicer when you were dead."
"I am dead. That's why I can say this — you've got nothing left to be afraid of."
Neil booted up Chess.com. His old account wouldn't exist for years, so he created a new one. When the username prompt appeared, he hesitated.
"You want suggestions?" Fischer offered, arms crossed.
"Something edgy?"
"Not cringe edgy."
After a beat, Neil typed:
ELOcalypse
Fischer snorted. "That's not bad. Terrible pun, but thematically appropriate."
He queued into Rapid — 10 minutes, no increment. His comfort zone.
Searching for opponent...
Fischer floated behind him like a coach behind a nervous rookie.
[Game 1 Begins]
Opponent: KnightSlayer666 [INDIA] (Elo 400)
Time Control: 10|0
Neil got the white pieces.
1. d4 d5
He opened with 1.d4, calm and confident. The opponent replied with d5 one of the most common move played against d4.
2. c4 dxc4
Neil played 2.c4 the QUEENS GAMBIT, the opening which will later have a show named after it. Neil's opponent didnt think for a moment and decided to take the free pawn that Neil offered him.
3. e3 Nf6
Neil played his prepared line against the Queens Gambit Accepted and played 3.e3 his opponent replied with the move Knight to f6.
4. Bxc4 Bf5
Neil captured the opponent's free pawn and the opponent played a developing move Bf5.
5. Nf3 Bxb1
Neil also replied with a developing move where he developed his Knight, the opponent captured Neil's other knight.
6. Rxb1 Nbd7
Neil captured the opponent's Bishop and the Knightslayer played the move Nbd7 trying to develop his other knight
7. Qb3 b6
Neil sensing a good opportunity played the move 7.Qb3 to attack the unguarded pawn on b7 and also threatening checkmate on f7, but the opponent only saw the former threat and played pawn to b6.
8. Bxf7#
Neil captured the pawn on f7 and Checkmated his opponent.
His bishop sliced down the long diagonal, catching Black's king with no cover and no escape. One misstep ...b6 ,and the game was over.
Neil leaned back. His pulse barely rose.
Fischer whistled. "Ruthless. Not bad for a warm-up. But let's not pretend this guy was anything more than Elo fodder."
Neil gave a nod. "Gotta start somewhere."
[Game 2 Begins]
Opponent: FastTurtle [CANADA] (Elo 1000)
Time Control: 10|0
This time, Neil had Black. Perfect.
His opponent played 1.e4. He'd studied the Caro-Kann in his last life, not just the moves, but the logic behind it. Solid. Counterpunching. Frustrating for aggressive opponents. Just his style.
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5
This position was known as Caro Kann Classic Defense. Both players developed there pieces and castled their king but Neil's opponent castled long in this game whereas Neil castled short.
Position after castling was equal. But Neil knew if he played patiently he could find some advantage in the near future. The old him would've tried to force tactics here — sac something wild. But not anymore.
He played patiently.
On move 16 Neil moved his queen to the middle of the board. Now the queen eyed a queenside invasion. FastTurtle panicked.
FastTurtle just pushed a random pawn but that pawn used to guard his Knight and now it was guarded by only White's Queen and was targetted by Black's Queen.
But in the next move white completely forgot about this point and directly attacked Black's Queen leaving the knight alone. Neil immediately captured the free piece given to him by white's carelessness.
A blunder from white. Neil was up a clean exchange and closed the game with precise trades. He exchanged the materials and defeated the opponent in endgame
Checkmate on move 45.
[Game 3 Begins]
Opponent: IsagiKumuda [JAPAN] (Elo 1400)
Time Control: 10|0
Neil cracked his knuckles.
He opened the Catalan. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3.
Clean. Reliable.
His opponent played sharp — 3...d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 c5.
"Kid thinks this is bullet," Fischer muttered.
Neil didn't rush. He played 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Nc3. Development before anything spicy.
By move 10, Black dropped ...Na6 — passive and awkward.
Neil blinked.
Knight to e5?
He hovered the cursor. Part of him hesitated. Was it a trap?
"Trust your prep," Fischer said.
Neil clicked. Knight e5. The engine in his head roared to life.
...Nd7.
Then he went for it. Opened the center. Hammered the queenside. Rook lift. Queen swing. His opponent's king ran to f7 like a panicked tourist.
Neil didn't let up.
Check.
Then another.
Then mate in three.
Delivered.
[System Progress Updated]
Mission: Win 5 Rapid Games — 3/5 Complete
XP Gained: +60
Neil leaned back. Still not smiling. Just breathing.
"Three wins," he murmured. "Feels… steady."
Fischer nodded. "You're thinking clearer. Less panic, more control."
Neil glanced at him. "I didn't unlock the skill yet, right?"
"Not yet. You're close. The system doesn't just hand out power. It rewards consistency."
Neil cracked his knuckles again. "Good. I don't want freebies."
Fischer chuckled. "Then buckle up. Next game's gonna punch back."
Neil didn't flinch.
"I won't crumble," he said. "Not again."