Morning light streamed through the window as Aarav sipped his tea slowly, staring at the blank page in his notebook. Not for lack of ideas—but because the ideas were too many. The system had been urging him to take the next step toward building Project Rootlink, and now, with Ramesh's quiet promise of support, the fire in his heart burned stronger than ever.
The Certainty System buzzed softly.
New Mission: Begin MVP (Minimum Viable Product) PlanningTarget Features:– Verified Supplier Directory– Direct B2B Messaging– Small-Batch Order RequestsEstimated Build Time: 6 WeeksSuggested Stack: No-Code MVP / Bubble.io / Glide for Mobile PrototypeSuccess Rate (If Followed): 100%
Aarav didn't waste time.
The first thing he did was pull in Aanya. She had a sharp creative mind, and more importantly, she believed in him without question.
They turned the dining table into a mini war room: flowcharts, sticky notes, reference apps, packaging designs, mock UI sketches, supplier lists scribbled with phone numbers and question marks.
"This isn't just about making a platform," Aarav said one evening, leaning over her sketches. "It's about making small businesses feel like they finally have a fighting chance."
Aanya nodded. "We'll design it like it's for Ma."
After work, Aarav used every spare hour to build the prototype on Glide—a simple mobile interface that allowed businesses to sign up, browse raw material suppliers, and send direct inquiries.
He started by onboarding people he knew. Neelam Joshi became his first test client. Then, through her, he got contacts of two other women-led local brands—one selling organic spice blends, another making eco-friendly candles.
They all had the same pain points: delayed supplies, unreliable middlemen, price manipulation, and no centralized place to find trustworthy vendors.
Aarav connected with farmers and small agri-cooperatives through LinkedIn, trade directories, and even old college contacts. Some were confused at first—but the Certainty System guided every conversation, every email.
Soon, he had ten verified suppliers and three test buyers using his MVP.
Progress Update:– MVP Build: 80%– Verified Users: 13– Client Retention Potential: HighNext Target: Conduct Feedback Round / Gather TestimonialsReward (If Successful): Platform Credibility Boost
One evening, Aarav and Ramesh met at a local rooftop café.
Ramesh listened silently as Aarav walked him through the prototype. When he finished, Ramesh leaned back and smiled.
"This… is more than good," he said. "It's timely. Do you know how many local D2C brands are popping up every year without supply chain support? You're solving a real bottleneck."
Aarav nodded. "That's the hope."
"What's your next step?"
"Funding," Aarav said quietly. "Just enough to formalize it. Maybe hire one dev, register a private limited company. I don't want to depend on just the system forever—I want this to stand on its own."
Ramesh pulled out his phone, typed something, and slid it over.
"₹1.5 lakh. Angel seed. No pressure. You don't owe me unless it flies."
Aarav's throat tightened. "Sir… that's—"
"Don't thank me yet. Build it. Validate it. Then we'll talk about the next round."
Back home, Aarav transferred the money into a new account labeled Rootlink Technologies.
He sat quietly on his bed, staring at the account balance, heart hammering with the weight of real responsibility.
His phone buzzed. Aanya had sent a photo—a rough logo she'd doodled of a tree with interconnected roots. At the bottom, in simple bold font:Rootlink: From Soil to Shelf
The Certainty System chimed.
Milestone Achieved: First Investment SecuredBusiness Legitimacy Score: 40%Company Status: Pre-RegistrationNew Mission Available: Register Company (Optional Legal Advisor Guidance Available)Next Skill Tree Unlocked: Business Operations & Compliance
Warning: External Threat – Shadow Duplicate in Development Detected (Related to Kunal Verma)
Aarav's joy was briefly pierced by the final line.
Kunal… again?
The system didn't provide full details yet—but Aarav understood what it meant. Kunal wasn't giving up. He'd probably seen Rootlink's test version and was trying to build a fast, half-baked copy.
But this time, Aarav wasn't worried.
He wasn't just a marketing guy anymore.
He was a founder.
With a mission, a family behind him, and a system that ensured success.
Let Kunal run.
Aarav was going to fly.
4o