The concrete of the park bench was a cold, unforgiving mattress. Raj shivered, pulling the thin jacket he'd bought tighter around himself. For the first time in his life, he had slept outside, a homeless boy with a hundred thousand rupees in his digital wallet. And yet, he had never felt more liberated. Every cold breeze was a reminder that he was free from the suffocating dust of the storeroom.
He watched the sun begin to rise, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. His new phone, a sleek black slab of glass and metal, felt heavy in his hand. He had spent the night researching the "Infinity System," but the internet had no answers. It was his alone.
As the city woke around him, so did the gnawing emptiness in his stomach. But this time, it was a simple, solvable problem. He walked to a small cafe and ordered a hot breakfast, eating slowly, savoring every bite. He was a king in exile, waiting for his kingdom to arrive. The check-in reset at midnight, but he had fallen asleep from exhaustion. It was now a new day.
With a deep breath, he focused his mind. The familiar blue screen materialized in his vision.
[ A new day has begun. Would you like to complete your Daily Check-in? ]
He didn't hesitate.'Yes.'
The system chimed, a sound only he could hear.
[ Daily Check-in Complete. ]
[ Reward Received: The 'Orion' Penthouse (Skyline Towers, Mumbai) ]
[ Bonus Reward: +10 Strength Points ]
[ System Note: All property taxes, utilities, and legal documentation have been digitally filed and paid in your name. Digital keys have been transferred to your device. ]
Raj froze, his coffee cup halfway to his lips. A… penthouse? In Mumbai? The city of dreams, the financial heart of the nation, hundreds of kilometers away. A sudden warmth spread through his body, uncoiling in his muscles. The constant ache in his back from years of poor sleep vanished. The 10 Strength Points were real; he felt stronger, more solid.
His phone buzzed. A new app had appeared—a golden key icon. Tapping it revealed a deed of ownership with his name on it and a digital keycard for a place called "The Orion Penthouse."
This was it. This was his true escape.
Using his "Absolute Comprehension" skill, he navigated the world of travel with an ease that belied his age. He booked a flight to Mumbai, paid for a taxi, and walked into the airport as if he owned it. No one gave the quiet, determined fifteen-year-old a second glance.
Meanwhile, in the lavish home Raj had left behind, his mother, Anjali, sipped her morning tea. "Suresh," she called to her husband, her voice laced with irritation. "Go throw something for the boy to eat. His whining gets on my nerves."
Suresh, a portly man reading the business news, grumbled. "He's your son."
"He's your curse," she snapped back.
Sighing, Suresh went to the storeroom, unlocking the heavy bolt. He swung the door open. "Here, you little..."
He stopped. The room was empty. The thin mattress was bare.
He felt a flash of annoyance, not worry. "The brat ran away," he yelled back into the house.
Anjali appeared at the hallway, a look of pure, unadulterated relief on her face. "Good," she said, a small, cruel smile playing on her lips. "Let him. Maybe the prophecy will finally leave this house. He was nothing but a drain on us anyway."
They didn't call the police. They didn't ask the staff. They simply locked the storeroom door and went about their day, feeling lighter than they had in fifteen years.
Raj stood before Skyline Towers, a monument of glass and steel that clawed at the Mumbai sky. The doorman looked at his simple clothes with suspicion, but the moment Raj swiped his phone over the private elevator sensor, the suspicion turned to stunned silence.
The elevator opened directly into his new home.
Raj's breath caught in his throat. One entire wall was a floor-to-ceiling window, displaying a breathtaking, panoramic view of the city and the sea beyond. The furniture was sleek, minimalist, and expensive. A state-of-the-art kitchen gleamed in the corner. A staircase led up to what he presumed was the master bedroom.
He walked through the vast, silent space. This penthouse was bigger than the entire ground floor of his parents' house. It was a gilded cage, but the cage was his, and the door was open.
Standing before the immense window, he looked down at the sprawling city—a web of power, money, and ambition. His parents had cast him out like trash, relieved that their curse was gone.
He smiled, the expression cold and sharp.
"You have no idea," he whispered to the city below him. "The curse didn't leave. It just found a new throne."
He brought up the System panel one more time.
— Infinity System —
Name: Raj
Level: 2
Status: Empowered
Strength: 10 |
Agility: 10 |
Intellect: Enhanced
Assets: The 'Orion' Penthouse
Next Check-in: Available in 16 Hours
His old life was over. His new life—and his revenge—had just begun.