The two S-Rank faculty members, Dr. Rohan Verma and Professor Alok Jha, entered the final, most grueling phase of the LID Index research: validation and proofing. With only 45 days remaining on the [Third Step] Quest] countdown, the paper had to be mathematically flawless and rhetorically devastating. Professor Jha, fueled by the certainty of his future-backed model, became a relentless taskmaster. Every line of code, every data point used to calculate the predicted market correction date of October 18, 2000, was scrutinized by him and Dr. Verma.
"A model this disruptive will not be refuted by argument; it will be attacked by doubt," Jha drilled into the Core Ten. "Our paper cannot afford even one misplaced decimal. It must stand as a monolithic block of undeniable mathematical truth."
Dr. Verma, using his Computational Logic, ran the final compiled program on the Nalanda Supercomputer. He didn't just check the code; he ran stress tests, adding artificial noise and unexpected variables to the data feed to see if the LID Index would wobble. The model, refined by the Future Compiler architecture, held firm. It was impervious to contemporary sabotage.
The students, operating under the full intensity of the [Aura of Focus] and the high-grade tutelage, were performing at a level that defied their short time in the university. Ritu's data science work was now indistinguishable from that of a PhD candidate at an international research institution. She developed an elegant sub-routine to auto-cite the obscure corporate reports used for the Infrastructure component, a task that would normally take a team of librarians weeks. Vijay discovered a minor accounting discrepancy in one of the initial valuation models Jha had used, a flaw that would have been missed by 99% of analysts but which, when corrected, tightened the predicted correction magnitude by 0.5%. This level of critical engagement was the direct result of the 100x Feedback the System was providing. They were no longer learners; they were co-authors.
Arjun, maintaining his role as the silent operational director, received a crucial notification:
[System Notification]: "The final academic formatting and proofing of the 'Inevitability of Collapse' paper requires specialized expertise. Would you like to allocate ₹10,00,000 in System Funds to activate the [Academic Publication Assurance Module] for guaranteed compliance with Global Think Tank submission standards?"
Arjun mentally confirmed. The ₹10 Lakh disappeared, and instantaneously, the rough manuscript currently open on Jha's screen shimmered with an invisible energy. The bibliography auto-corrected to the necessary citation style, the abstract was tightened for maximum impact, and the rhetorical structure of the arguments was subtly optimized for skeptical, Western readers. The System was investing in presentation, turning a brilliant paper into a perfectly packaged weapon.
(Paragraph 2: The Aptitude Plateau and the Core Ten's Bond - 800 words)
The daily [Aptitude Report] began showing a subtle, collective change in the Core Ten. Their aptitude gains, while still high, were starting to plateau at the A- and A- levels for most. They had reached the limit of what could be achieved without a major upgrade or a physical extension of the university's [Aura of Focus].
[System Status Update]: "Core Ten Aptitudes are stabilizing near the A- / A- level. To progress to S-Rank mastery, a further infrastructure enhancement or the deployment of the Universal Aptitude Voucher (A-to-S) is required. Current collective skill level: Elite Research Unit (Tier 2)."
Despite the physical and mental exhaustion, the bond between the ten students was unbreakable. They were united by the shared, secret knowledge that they were part of something revolutionary. During a brief break, Lalita and Hassan were reviewing the university's accounts—Hassan still wrestling with the complexity of his new B+ accounting skills.
"Do you realize," Hassan murmured, looking at the complex financial models, "three months ago, I was failing accounting in high school? Now I'm tracking the global financial input of the entire IT sector and helping find a ₹5 crore error."
"It's the environment, Hassan," Rajesh replied, his hands stained with solder flux from adjusting the supercomputer's cooling system. "We aren't just students. We're… something else. Arjun Sir gave us a reason to be focused. Look at what he's building."
This shared dedication was Nalanda's greatest asset. They had internalized the S-Rank knowledge and were now teaching each other, accelerating their collective learning beyond even what the 100x Feedback could achieve alone. They were a self-sustaining intellectual engine, ready to take on the world.
(Paragraph 3: Mr. Singh's Ultimatum - 1200 words)
The quiet urgency of the university was shattered by the arrival of Mr. Pratap Singh, Shraddha's father and Arjun's family friend. He was a sharp, immaculately dressed man of traditional values, utterly convinced that Arjun had squandered his inheritance and dragged his daughter into a fool's errand. He bypassed the dilapidated front gate and found Arjun and Shraddha discussing the paper's submission details in the old principal's office.
"Arjun, this ends now," Mr. Singh stated, his voice tight with controlled anger. "I have arranged for Shraddha's transfer to a reputable college in Delhi. You inherited a ruin and you've managed to deepen the foundations of that ruin with nonsense about 'supercomputers' and 'global recognition.' This Nalanda University… it's a pipe dream. A fraud. And you are dragging my daughter down with your madness."
Shraddha stepped forward, her A-Rank resolve hardening her voice. "Papa, I am staying. I am not a child, and I am a critical part of this mission. What we are doing here is real."
Mr. Singh dismissed her with a wave of his hand. "Real? You are helping him draft a research paper, predicting a market crash? I've seen the financial reports; the market is booming! This is delusion, Shraddha. You have two hours to pack."
Arjun intervened calmly, using his future knowledge subtly to match Mr. Singh's conventional thinking. "Mr. Singh, I understand your concern. You are looking at the market through the lens of history—of slow, predictable growth. But if you look at the fundamental metrics, at the Liquidity-to-Infrastructure Divergence… you see risk. I respect your business acumen. But tell me, as a rational investor: If a major financial think tank from London validates a paper predicting a 35% correction on October 18th—a paper written on this campus—what would that do to the value of this land?"
Mr. Singh scoffed, but a flicker of doubt crossed his face. "It would be impossible to validate."
"But if it were validated," Arjun pressed, holding his gaze steady. "Wouldn't the potential for future, globally recognized research outweigh the current, sentimental value? I am not asking for your faith, sir. I am asking you to wait exactly 45 days. If I am wrong, I will personally drive Shraddha to Delhi and pay for her entire education. If I am right, you will acknowledge Nalanda as a legitimate institution of global consequence. This is a business deal, not a personal favor."
Arjun's calculated risk—tying the market crash prediction to the value of the land—hit Mr. Singh where he understood: potential wealth. Mr. Singh hesitated, seeing the cool, rational businessman in Arjun, not the grieving son he remembered. The subtle, future market insight had temporarily neutralized the external threat.
(Paragraph 4: The Strategic Bomb - 800 words)
With Mr. Singh temporarily appeased, Priya led the final strategic meeting. Her A+ Strategic Communication aptitude was now fully deployed, mapping out the necessary steps to ensure the [Third Step] Quest] criteria of Global Recognition was met.
"The problem isn't getting attention; it's getting believable attention," Priya explained, circling key dates on a whiteboard. "We submit the paper to the London Institute of Financial Policy (LIFP) on Day 35. That gives them ten days to review it before the market correction date starts to become imminent."
She outlined the communications plan: "Concurrently, we send an abstract—not the full paper—to India's top financial newspapers. The headline will be intentionally provocative: 'Patna University Challenges Bombay Exchange: Math Says Tech Bubble Bursting Soon.' We force a response from the establishment. They will either dismiss us, which is fine, or they will start investigating, which is better."
Arjun added the System's strategic layer. "We must also prepare a simplified, devastatingly visual presentation. No academic jargon. Just two graphs: Liquidity up, Infrastructure flat. The message has to be clear: The math doesn't lie. We need to be ready to broadcast that presentation to the entire world the moment the LIFP provides official acknowledgment."
The final expenditure from the System Funds was authorized: ₹5,00,000 for a highly specialized, international courier service to ensure the paper reached the LIFP headquarters securely and with impeccable documentation. This was the final investment before the payoff.
(Paragraph 5: The Line is Crossed - 700 words)
The paper, titled 'The Inevitable Collapse: A Mathematical Warning on the Indian Technology Market based on LID Index Analysis,' was printed, bound, and sealed. It represented the culmination of four months of Arjun's future knowledge, S-Rank genius, and the students' accelerated 100x learning.
On Day 35, the packet was handed over to the courier. The act was quiet and anticlimactic, yet Arjun felt the intense gravity of the moment. He had just thrown a mathematical grenade into the heart of the global financial system.
[System Notification]: "'The Inevitable Collapse' submitted to London Institute of Financial Policy (LIFP) for peer review. Waiting for External Validation."
[System]: "[Third Step] Quest: Achieve Global Recognition via a Novel Research Outcome in 90 Days is now in the 'Pending Validation' status. Remaining time: 45 Days."
Arjun walked to the rooftop, looking out over the quiet, dark campus. Shraddha joined him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"He'll come back, Arjun," Shraddha whispered, referring to her father. "He's terrified of losing me, and terrified of losing face. You cornered him with logic, but if this prediction fails, we lose everything."
"It won't fail," Arjun said, his voice absolute. He wasn't relying on hope; he was relying on history. The truth, backed by the Strongest Principal System, was about to be revealed. "We are not just trying to save the university, Shraddha. We are about to prove that Nalanda is the only place in the world where the future is being taught today."
They had done all they could. Now, they waited for the world's reaction to their dangerous, future-dated truth. The countdown was on.