The dusty fans whirred lazily above as Aarav Malhotra flipped through his worn-out Class 12 Commerce textbook. The pages smelled like yellowed paper and spilled ink, a testament to his endless nights of studying. To anyone passing by, he looked like just another student in his small town of Indore, trying to survive the ruthless board exams. But behind those sharp black eyes, a different fire was brewing.Aarav was not ordinary. Or at least, he didn't want to be. He was fascinated by combat sports, especially MMA—the mix of striking, grappling, and raw willpower fascinated him. Every evening after school, while his classmates played cricket or scrolled endlessly through Instagram reels, Aarav sneaked away to a dimly lit gym run by a retired coach named Salim Bhai. It wasn't a grand academy with shiny bags and polished mats. It was more of a rugged underground fight pit, with half-broken punching pads and mats taped at the corners. But for Aarav, it was a temple.The problem was simple: Aarav wasn't talented.
No matter how many kicks he threw, how many hours he sparred, he couldn't seem to progress beyond average. His high kicks were sloppy, his guard too loose, his stamina drained after two rounds. Even in studies, though he worked harder than everyone else, he was only middling—never topping the class. That gap between effort and results gnawed at him like a parasite.One night, after a particularly humiliating spar where even the newest trainee toppled him with a simple takedown, Aarav sat in the corner of the gym, dripping with sweat. His chest heaved and his mind screamed, Why can't I improve?And then it happened.A cold electronic chime echoed in his mind.[Ding! Cognitive-Combat Integration System Activated.]Aarav froze. He looked around. Salim Bhai was wrapping up equipment, humming an old Lata Mangeshkar tune. The other students were chatting while slipping on their slippers. Nobody seemed to hear it.Again, the voice resonated—calm yet mechanical.[Host Detected: Aarav Malhotra, Age 17. Status: Underperforming. Potential: Untapped.]
[Initializing Learning Enhancement Parameters.]
[System Objective: To maximize host's ability to learn, adapt, and dominate combat and academics alike.]Aarav's eyes widened. A system? He had read enough fantasy web novels on his cracked phone screen during study breaks. Those protagonists awakened systems that made them overpowered overnight. But such things… they weren't real. Were they?The voice did not wait for his disbelief.[Welcome, Host. Would you like to begin the Basic Learning Diagnostic?]His palms trembled. His logical mind screamed this was hallucination born from exhaustion. Yet… something deeper whispered, What if it's real? This is your chance."Yes," he muttered under his breath.[Ding! Diagnostic Initiated.]
[Assessing Academic Memory Retention…]
[Result: 58% efficiency. Below optimal.]
[Assessing Combat Kinesthetic Response…]
[Result: 42% efficiency. Severely undertrained.]
[Assessing Overall Adaptability Quotient…]
[Result: 65%. Passable but unspecialized.]
[Conclusion: Host is wasting potential.]A moment later, a translucent screen of blue hovered in front of him—visible only to his eyes.Name: Aarav Malhotra
Age: 17
Learning Level: F (Novice)
System Points: 0
Skills:Memory Absorption (Locked)Kinesthetic Acceleration (Locked)Combat Simulation (Locked)Aarav's heart thudded against his ribcage. It was all real."Unlock them," he whispered.[Insufficient System Points. Please engage in tasks to gain points.]"What kind of tasks?"[Simple: Learn. Train. Overcome.]At that instant, Salim Bhai's voice boomed, pulling Aarav out of his silent trance. "Oye Aarav! Stop brooding like Devdas. Come tomorrow sharp at six, don't slack off."Aarav forced a nod, but inside his world had shifted. He walked home under the flickering streetlamps of Indore, his mind buzzing. A Learning System. If it was true… he could finally change everything. No more being average. No more standing at the edge of both academics and MMA. He could excel at both.That night, alone in his modest room filled with textbooks, MMA posters, and a single cracked mirror, Aarav tested the System's functions."System, how do I gain points?"[Ding! Daily Task Generated: Memorize 10 pages of academic material with 80% retention. +5 System Points.]
[Ding! Daily Task Generated: Execute 200 clean push-ups. +5 System Points.]
[Ding! Daily Task Generated: Shadowbox with improved guard for 15 minutes. +5 System Points.]Aarav chuckled. It felt almost like a video game. Except this was real life. And the reward? Rapid learning abilities.He picked up his commerce textbook and began reading. To his shock, the words flowed into his mind more smoothly than ever. The System's screen flickered: [Retention: 79%... 81%… 83%]. His grin widened. It works!Hours passed. Sweat beaded on his forehead not from sparring, but from push-ups and shadowboxing by the cracked mirror. Each time, the System chimed, rewarding him. By midnight, his point counter reached 15."Use them to unlock Memory Absorption," he demanded.[Ding! Skill Unlocked: Memory Absorption (Level 1). Host can now memorize and recall academic and combat knowledge at double efficiency.]Aarav gasped. He quickly reviewed the textbook chapter he had just read. This time, every detail stuck effortlessly, like it had been carved into stone. Even numbers and examples clung to his brain.For the first time in his life, Aarav felt… limitless.He clenched his fists, eyes reflecting the cracked mirror. "I'll conquer this. Academics, MMA, life—everything."Far away, somewhere above earthly understanding, the System hummed quietly, as if pleased. A new journey had begun.And Aarav Malhotra was about to rise.