Honestly…
At first, I thought the problem was politics.
Petty grudges. Old emotions. Personal bias.
But I was wrong.
It was never just personal.
It was business.
Because the moment the full details of the competition came out…
everything changed.
This isn't some random school-level quiz.
This is a global academic competition designed like a survival ladder for the best students.
Step by step.
Level by level.
Competition Structure
Level 1 – District Level
Thousands participate. Only a few survive.
Written exam (Maths, Science, English, Logic)
Twisted application-based questions
Rapid-fire quiz (speed + accuracy)
Basic practical task (like simple experiments)
Level 2 – State Level
Now it gets serious.
Advanced written (multi-step, mixed subjects)
Group discussion (confidence + thinking)
Practical challenge (models, real-life solutions)
Level 3 – National Level
Only top students remain.
Olympiad-level paper
Project presentation
Face-to-face interview
Final Level – International Finale
The real battlefield.
Global written test
Innovation challenge
Team collaboration with foreign students
Live problem-solving on stage
This competition doesn't test just knowledge.
It tests:
Intelligence
Creativity
Pressure handling
Communication
And mindset
And the prize?
₹5 Crore.
After taxes and international deductions…
Around ₹4 Crore in hand.
(Inside: "Yeah… now the 'support' makes sense.")
That's when the real faces showed up.
One day, I was called to the office.
Not for scolding.
Not for warning.
For a "discussion."
Administrative Incharge sitting calmly.
Principal Sir beside him.
Both smiling like they just discovered gold.
(Inside: "This smile is illegal.")
"Vijay," the Incharge began smoothly,
"You are a very talented student."
Principal nodded like a background NPC again.
"We are ready to fully support your participation."
I stayed silent.
Because in stories like this…
The real line always comes after 'however.'
"However…"
(Inside: "There it is.")
"Since the school will invest resources, training, and reputation…"
"We expect a small agreement."
Small.
Yes.
Very small.
"If you win, you will hand over 70% of the prize money to the school… after tax deductions."
Silence.
₹4 Crore.
70%.
That's ₹2.8 Crore.
(Inside: "At this point, even loan sharks would say 'calm down.'")
And the best part?
They said it like it was normal.
Like it was fair.
Like they were doing me a favor.
Principal added:
"This will help in the development of the institution."
Of course.
Because nothing says "development" like taking crores from a student.
That's when I understood everything clearly.
They weren't blocking me earlier because of personal issues.
They were waiting.
Watching.
Calculating.
And now?
They saw me as an investment.
Support in exchange for profit.
Opportunity in exchange for control.
A perfect trap.
No support = no participation.
No participation = no chance.
Simple.
Clean.
Greedy.
But there's one small mistake in their calculation.
They assumed I needed them.
I leaned back in my seat later that day, on my legendary last bench, thinking it through.
This competition…
This stage…
This opportunity…
It was never something they gave me.
It's something I'll take.
My name is Vijay.
A 10-year-old in Class 8.
A student with a mortgaged house.
A target of school politics.
And now?
A participant in a global competition where even adults showed their true colors.
They want 70%.
They want control.
They want profit.
But me?
I just smiled.
Because I've already made my decision.
I'll win…
But not for them.
But not for them.
For myself.
For my moms, my beautiful partners
For the future I've already decided.
A few weeks later, everything escalated.
The international committee officially announced the competition dates and rules.
And suddenly—
The school that once "had no slots"…
Became very active.
A special event was आयोजित.
Stage cleaned. Decorations done. Full arrangement.
Because two very important guests were coming.
Our school's most famous graduates:
Chief Minister Mohan Das
Prime Minister Rahul Pathe
Yes.
Both from the same school.
Senior and junior.
Mohan Das was the senior—the disciplined, sharp-minded leader who built his image step by step.
Rahul Pathe was the junior—brilliant, strategic, and known for bold decisions.
Both once stood where we stand now.
Same uniform.
Same classrooms.
Same morning prayers.
(Inside: "And probably suffered the same 45-minute speeches…")
The entire school gathered.
Even teachers looked more disciplined than usual.
Mohan Das stepped forward first.
His voice calm, powerful:
"This school gave us our foundation. Today, we want to give something back."
Rahul Pathe continued with a slight smile:
"We heard about the global competition. And we believe… talent should never be limited by circumstances."
Then came the announcement that changed everything.
"If any student from this school wins the international competition…"
"We will personally grant two legal opportunities of their choice."
Silence.
Then chaos.
Students whispering.
Teachers shocked.
Even management froze.
(Inside: "Now this… is what you call a plot twist.")
Two legal opportunities.
Not money.
Not gifts.
Power.
That moment—
I didn't even need to think twice.
My decision was already made.
First Opportunity: LGBTQ Rights
I know something others don't.
In the future…
This country will slowly accept LGBTQ rights.
Laws will change.
Society will evolve.
But…
That "future" comes with pain.
Years of struggle.
Rejection.
Judgment.
And my moms?
They've already faced enough.
The looks.
The whispers.
The silent discrimination.
The "polite distance" people maintain.
I've seen it all.
Even if they try to hide it from me.
(Inside: "They smile… but I know.")
So why wait?
Why let them suffer for years…
When I can bring that change now?
Not just for them.
But for thousands like them.
This isn't just a wish.
It's a decision.
Second Opportunity: Private Detective Agency
But not just any agency.
A legal, government-recognized detective agency
with powers no normal agency has.
Because I've thought this through.
Very carefully.
Normal Detective Agency:
Works privately
Limited access to information
Cannot directly interfere in legal matters
Depends on police cooperation
Mostly observation and reporting
My Agency (Future Plan):
1. First Priority Case Access
Ability to review cases before they go cold
Early-stage involvement
2. Government Bounty System
Official rewards for solving cases
Legal recognition for contributions
3. Special Identification (Legal Authority)
A registered ID that grants:
Access to certain restricted areas
Permission to assist in investigations
Recognition equal to an official collaborator
4. Direct Collaboration with Police
Not just "helping"
But working alongside law enforcement
5. Legal Protection
Actions taken during investigation protected under law
No unnecessary interference from bureaucracy
(Inside: "Not just solving mysteries… rewriting the system.")
Because I don't want to be just a student who wins a competition.
I want to build something…
That lasts.
Something powerful.
Something meaningful.
I looked at the stage.
At the two leaders.
At the opportunity standing in front of me.
Then I thought about my moms.
Their smiles.
Their struggles.
The world that still doesn't fully accept them.
My fists clenched slightly.
Not in anger.
But in resolve.
My name is Vijay.
And this competition?
It's no longer about money.
No longer about proving myself.
It's about changing the rules of the world I live in.