The address led Arjun and Shraddha Singh far from the budding vitality of Nalanda University, deep into a choked, commercial lane in the old part of Patna. The street was a noisy symphony of sputtering rickshaws and street vendors hawking stale goods. Professor Alok Jha's coaching center, named "Vidya Sarathi (Chariot of Knowledge)," occupied a cramped, single-room space above a chaotic tailor shop. The staircase smelled of damp cement and accumulated disappointment.
The center itself was a picture of intellectual ruin. Dust lay thick on yellowing textbooks and broken chalk. A peeling poster promised "Guaranteed Success in Banking Exams," a bitter irony given Jha's own exile from the financial mainstream. Professor Alok Jha sat at a desk, a man in his late forties whose genius was obscured by fatigue and frustration. His kurta was threadbare, his shoulders slumped, and his eyes, though sharp, held the extinguished fire of a brilliant mind denied an audience. He was grading basic geometry papers—a mundane task for a mind that once theorized global economic shifts.
Arjun immediately activated the [Aptitude Scanner], confirming Shraddha's intuition.
[System]: "Scanning subject: Professor Alok Jha."
Name: Professor Alok Jha
Aptitude - Dynamic Economic Modeling: S
Aptitude - Advanced Algorithmic Mathematics: S-
Aptitude - Pedagogy: A+
Status: "S-Rank financial visionary. Suffers from systemic oppression and lack of computational platform. Perfect fit for Applied Economics pillar."
An S-Rank mind, wasted on teaching quadratic equations. Arjun felt a surge of validation and a fierce determination. Jha was not just the second pillar; he was the future financial foundation of the university.
"Professor Jha, I am Arjun Singh, Principal of Nalanda University. This is Shraddha Singh, our Administrative Head," Arjun introduced them, stepping over a stack of discarded lecture notes.
Jha barely looked up. "Nalanda. The one currently attracting the attention of every disgruntled newspaper editor. I teach basic arithmetic here, young man. I have nothing to offer your revolution." His tone was flat, resigned. He had been rejected by the system so many times, he preemptively rejected the world.
(Paragraph 2: The Seditious Idea - 1100 words)
Shraddha laid a crisp, professional folder on his desk—the new Nalanda prospectus, detailing the full scholarship and the revolutionary curriculum overseen by Dr. Verma. Jha ignored it, focusing on a poorly drawn diagram of a boat.
"My aptitude is seditious, Mr. Singh," Jha finally stated, pushing his glasses up. "I was expelled from the Bihar Central University for arguing that currency should not be tied to fixed reserves, but rather to a dynamic, multi-variable index of national productivity, social trust, and ecological health, recalculated every hour. I argued that the current fixed system ensures stagnation. They called it treason. They said the mathematics was impossible and the idea was dangerous. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to ensure these students can calculate simple interest."
Arjun sat down directly across from him, leaning in. His voice dropped to a level of conspiratorial academic intensity. "Professor, in the future, your 'seditious' idea is the foundation of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and Algorithmic Trading. It's not just possible; it's inevitable. You failed here in 2000 not because your idea was wrong, but because the computational tools didn't exist to handle the variables."
Jha froze. He slowly lifted his head, the cynicism momentarily shattered. Arjun had used terminology—DeFi, Algorithmic Trading—that should not exist for another decade. More importantly, Arjun had instantly grasped the core constraint of Jha's theory: the need for massive, real-time computational power.
Arjun pressed his advantage, quoting directly from the [Advanced Library Module]. "Sir, the problem is not the variables; it's the Oracle Problem. You need a verifiable, immutable data source to feed your dynamic index. Have you considered using a time-series blockchain hash to secure the input data before applying a Monte Carlo simulation to predict the volatility curve?"
The effect was instantaneous and profound. Jha's eyes, dull moments before, now glittered with the fire of the S-Rank mind. He recognized the mathematical framework Arjun described, but he had never seen it articulated with such futuristic precision. This wasn't a young man spouting philosophy; this was a man who had seen the answer key to the universe.
"Blockchain hash… Monte Carlo on volatility…" Jha muttered, his hand trembling as he reached for a pen. "Where did you learn this? This is… this is the solution to the Trust Deficit in my model. Who are you, Mr. Singh?"
(Paragraph 3: The Offer and the Intellectual Bribe - 950 words)
"I am the Principal who gives you the platform to prove your life's work," Arjun responded, keeping the System a complete secret. "I offer you the title of Head of Applied Economics and Strategy, a salary that removes your financial burden, and two things money cannot buy: the students and the resources."
Arjun then detailed his offer:
Students: He described Vijay Varma (A+ Finance, eager to learn market prediction) and Lalita Devi (S-Rank Logistics, needing complex optimization for real-world application). "You will be mentoring minds that are ready to run your simulations tomorrow, minds that saw the flaws in the old system just like you."
Resources: "We have a secure, powerful computational laboratory arriving in 48 hours. And we have an Advanced Digital Library—a repository of the next twenty years of financial, economic, and mathematical research. You will not only teach the future; you will write it."
This was the intellectual bribe that broke Jha's resistance. His poverty and frustration were secondary to the chance to validate his life's theory. Shraddha silently placed the employment contract on the desk, the salary line clearly showing the security Jha desperately needed.
Jha looked at the contract, then at the prospectus, then back at Arjun. He saw a chance to reclaim his identity from the dusty failure of the coaching center. He saw his S-Rank intellect finally being granted the computational platform it needed.
"You are asking me to teach the basics of a system I despise, to build the future of a concept I invented," Jha whispered, a flicker of genuine excitement returning. "If this Advanced Library is real, if these students are truly capable of understanding dynamic complexity…"
He grabbed the pen and signed the contract with a flourish that sent a small cloud of dust rising from the desk. "I am Professor Alok Jha. Tell your students to be ready. I will teach them how the world will work, not how it currently struggles to."
(Paragraph 4: Quest Completion and Resource Injection - 800 words)
The moment the ink dried on the contract, the [System] registered the success.
[System]: "[Second Step] Quest: Establish the Dual Pillar Requirements Met: Faculty (2/2). Aptitude Check (S-Rank: Alok Jha) SUCCESS."
[System]: [Second Step] Quest: COMPLETED!
A cascade of energy, even stronger than the last time, flowed into Arjun. This time, he felt the [University Aura] expand physically, the energy tracing back from Professor Jha. Jha, who was suddenly looking around the dusty room, blinked, feeling an inexplicable lightness, a clarity of thought he hadn't experienced since his university days. The [University Aura] was now encompassing two full-time S-Rank faculty members, solidifying the mental foundation of the institution.
[System]: "Quest Rewards Issued:"
System Funds: ₹1,00,00,000 (One Crore Rupees) Granted. (Total Funds: ₹1,78,60,000)
Faculty Aptitude Voucher (B-to-A): 1x Granted. (For selective upgrade.)
Infrastructure Upgrade: [Advanced Dormitory Module] unlocked. (Immediate, conceptual construction of a safe, comfortable, and focused residential space for students.)
Specialization Module: [Applied Economics & Algorithmic Trading] unlocked. (Provides Professor Jha with curated future data and advanced computational models in his field.)
Arjun felt the pressure lift. He now had nearly ₹1.8 Crores, enough to hire five more staff members and immediately begin Phase Two infrastructure development. The [Advanced Dormitory Module] was crucial; it meant he could house his ten pioneers on-campus, maximizing the effect of the [Aura of Focus] and isolating them from external distraction. The Specialization Module was the perfect complementary tool for Professor Jha, directly fueling his S-Rank research.
Arjun stood up, shaking Jha's hand firmly. "Welcome, Professor. Your first task is not to teach, but to use the [Advanced Library Module] to finalize your Dynamic Currency Model curriculum. Shraddha, we are moving the computers and the people tomorrow. Phase Two starts now."
(Paragraph 5: The System's Next Leap - 500 words)
As Arjun and Shraddha navigated the noisy street, the System issued the third, and most daunting, quest.
[System]: "[Third Step] Quest: The Public Showcase."
Objective: Achieve Global Recognition by having a Founding Faculty member or one of the Core Ten pioneers publicly present a Novel Research Outcome that is recognized by an external academic body or industry leader.
Reward: University Tier Upgrade (Tier 1), System Funds: ₹5,00,00,000 (Five Crore Rupees), and Universal Aptitude Voucher (A-to-S).
Failure Penalty: Faculty Aptitude Vouchers become unusable. Loss of [Advanced Library Module] access for 90 days.
Deadline: 90 Days.
This was not a simple recruitment quest; this was a demand for innovation. Nalanda University could no longer hide. It had to produce research that was globally competitive and undeniable. The stakes were astronomical: a ₹5 Crore reward and the powerful Universal Aptitude Voucher, which could create an S-Rank in any field. The penalty—losing the Library and the ability to use his vouchers—would cripple the university.
"We have 90 days to shock the world, Shraddha," Arjun said, looking back at the dusty lane that now housed an S-Rank genius. "Professor Jha needs to apply his dynamic modeling to a real-world problem and publish the results before the traditional financial world can react. We have the Aura of Focus, the 100x Pedagogy, and a System Fund of nearly two crores. Now, we must prove the validity of a Nalanda education to the entire world."