Aditya sat on the dirt floor of the courtyard, staring intensely at a small ant. In his past life, he
was a twenty-four-year-old man who understood the complexities of software, taxes, and the
perfect spice blend for a Friday lunch.
In this life? He was currently wearing nothing but a small cotton cloth, and his biggest challenge
was not falling over when he sneezed.
"Aditya! Don't eat the mud!"
A voice like a shrill flute pierced the air. It was Radhika.
She was five years old now, and she had taken her role as "Bossy Big Sister" to a level that
would make a military general weep in despair. She snatched a small piece of wood out of
Aditya's hand and wiped his face with a cloth that smelled like old turmeric and sibling authority.
[System Message] Detected Emotion: Concern mixed with Annoyance (Radhika).
Gain: +8 Spite Points.
Current Total: 450 Spite Points.
Aditya looked at her with wide, innocent eyes. "Raa... dhi... ka..." he mumbled, purposely
mispronouncing her name to sound "slow."
"It's Radhika-Didi! Say it properly, you little potato!" she huffed, crossing her arms.
Aditya sighed internally. Sorry, Didi. If I act too smart, you'll expect me to help with the chores. If
I act like a potato; I get free snacks.
He opened his System interface—a translucent blue screen that hovered in his vision like a
glitch in the matrix.
[System Shop - Level 1]
● Basic Qi Breathing (Passive): 500 Points
● Sticky Floor Technique: 50 Points
● Innocent Face Buff (Level 1): 100 Points
He was so close to the Basic Qi Breathing. In this world, formal cultivation started at age five
or six, but Aditya didn't want to wait. He wanted to build the strongest, most stable foundation in
history. He wanted to be so strong that if he ever tripped on a banana peel again, the ground
would break, not his head.
But to get those last 50 points, he needed a victim.
Just then, a neighbor named Ramu Kaka walked into the courtyard. Ramu Kaka was the
village's self-appointed "Expert on Everything." He loved giving advice that no one asked for and
bragging about his son who was an "Inner Disciple" in a minor sect.
"Ah, still a slow one, isn't he?" Ramu Kaka laughed, looking down at Aditya. "My son was
already reciting basic mantras by age two. This one just looks at ants. Maybe he's a bit... dim?"
Aditya's father, a humble farmer, smiled awkwardly. "He is just a quiet boy, Kaka."
Aditya felt a spark of "Modern Hyderabadi" irritation. Oh, you think I'm dim, Uncle? Lite lo... let
me show you the power of a bored toddler.
Aditya crawled toward Ramu Kaka's feet. He looked up with the most adorable, toothless smile
he could manage. "Ka... Ka..." he chirped.
"See? He likes me!" Ramu Kaka boasted, reaching down to pat Aditya's head.
In that second, Aditya did two things:
1. He "accidentally" grabbed the hem of Ramu Kaka's expensive (and very loose) dhoti.
2. He used his full toddler weight to "lose his balance" and fall backward.
RIP.
The sound of expensive fabric tearing echoed through the quiet courtyard. The dhoti didn't just
tear; it slid down, revealing Ramu Kaka's polka-dotted undergarments—a flashy gift from his city
son—to the entire neighborhood.
Silence.
Then, Radhika burst out laughing. Even Aditya's father had to turn away to hide his grin.
[System Message] Detected Emotion: Extreme Embarrassment & Rage (Ramu Kaka).
Gain: +150 Spite Points!
Bonus: "Public Humiliation" multiplier active.
New Total: 600 Spite Points.
"AYYY! YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Ramu Kaka screamed, frantically pulling his clothes up.
Aditya immediately started crying. Not a real cry—a "Professional Hyderabadi Actor" cry. Huge
tears, trembling lip, the whole Junior NTR special.
"WAAAAAHHH! KAKA SHOUTED AT ME!"
Radhika immediately jumped in front of her brother like a mother hen. "Don't shout at him, Kaka!
He's just a baby! Why are you wearing such loose clothes anyway? It's your fault!"
Ramu Kaka turned redder than a dried chili.
He couldn't argue with a five-year-old girl without
looking even more stupid. He stomped away, his pride—and his dhoti—in tatters.
Aditya wiped his eyes and looked at the blue screen.
[Purchase Successful: Basic Qi Breathing (Passive)] Status: Your body is now slowly
absorbing Qi while you sleep, eat, and annoy people.
Perfect, Aditya thought, closing his eyes for a "nap." Slow and steady wins the race. Now... I
wonder what's for lunch?