📖 Chapter 9 – First Investment
The government office smelled of ink and dust. Piles of files stacked higher than a man leaned dangerously against cracked walls. Ceiling fans groaned overhead, pushing hot air instead of cooling it.
Arjun clutched a form in his hand: Application for a Demat and Trading Account.
The clerk behind the counter looked at him with irritation. "Beta, you think this is a game? You need a PAN card, bank account, passport photo, and two signatures from guarantors. Otherwise, don't waste my time."
Arjun kept his composure. "I have everything. Please check again."
The clerk raised an eyebrow but shuffled through the documents. "Hmph. Not bad. You're just a college boy. Why bother with shares? Go study. This isn't for you."
Arjun's lips curved faintly. "It will be."
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The Doubt at Home
That evening, his father slammed the form on the table.
"Shares? Trading? Have you lost your mind? That's gambling!" Ramesh's voice thundered in their small home.
Savitri tried to calm him. "At least hear him out—"
"No, Savitri! First he wastes nights at that café. Now he wants to throw money in the market? People like us don't play with shares, Arjun. We save coins, we don't bet them!"
Arjun met his father's glare. "Papa, in your world it's gambling. In mine, it's mathematics. Trust me once. Just once."
Ramesh shook his head bitterly, but Ananya tugged Arjun's sleeve. "Bhaiya, if you say it's good, then it's good. I trust you."
Her words were a balm. He smiled at her softly. Thank you, Anu.
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Campus Mockery
At University, Arjun's classmates burst into laughter when they overheard him at the photocopy shop.
"Shares? Hahaha! Bro, people richer than you lose lakhs in that game."
"Yeah, Mehra, better stick to your chai-and-biscuit budget."
Arjun ignored them, collecting his papers calmly. Let them laugh. In five years, they'd be begging for internships in companies he owned.
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The First Purchase
Two weeks later, his account was finally activated with ICICI Direct. Arjun sat in the internet café, palms slightly sweaty as the old CRT monitor flickered.
Available Balance: â‚ą10,000.
He had set aside this much from his freelance earnings—barely enough for food and fees, but he would not back down.
He entered the ticker: INFY – Infosys Technologies.
Price: â‚ą480 per share.
He typed: Buy 10 shares.
The confirmation beep echoed like a temple bell.
Order Executed: 10 shares of Infosys purchased.
Arjun exhaled slowly. To any investor, it was nothing. A drop in the ocean. But to him, it was the first stone laid in a fortress that would one day overshadow nations.
The Nanochip pulsed.
> [Milestone Achieved: First Investment Completed. Forecast: 10 shares of Infosys = ₹4,800 → Value in 20 years: ₹70,000+. Path to wealth initiated.]
Arjun whispered, "This is it. The seed of an empire."
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A Quiet Resolve
When he returned home that night, his father didn't ask. He only shook his head. His mother sighed, pressing roti into his hand.
Ananya, however, whispered, "Bhaiya, did you do it?"
He smiled. "Yes. Today, I planted a tree. One day, you'll sit in its shade."
She didn't understand fully, but she nodded with bright eyes.
As he lay in bed, Arjun stared at the ceiling. The world thought he was just a poor boy dabbling in risky dreams. But in truth, he had just taken his first step toward becoming a giant.
And giants… never walked alone.
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🔥 End of Chapter 9 Cliffhanger