With the LIFP's silent acknowledgment of the LID Index confirming their work, Arjun Singh had only one priority: locking down the university's future talent. They had 18 days until October 18th—the day the financial prediction would either be proven right or wrong. If it was right, Nalanda would go from local joke to global sensation overnight. They would be besieged by media, politicians, and tens of thousands of student applications. In that chaos, they wouldn't have the time or privacy to vet students properly for latent aptitude.
The Strongest Principal System immediately framed the necessity as a Quest.
[System Notification]: "Crucial Quest: [The Second Cohort - A Shield of Talent]"
[Quest Objective]: "Secure the enrollment of the 30 students pre-selected by S-Rank Administrator Shraddha Singh within the next 18 days. These students must possess a verified aptitude of B-Rank or higher."
[Consequence of Failure]: "The university will be overwhelmed by applicants following global recognition, leading to a failure of talent curation and long-term instability. System will impose a 5-year freeze on all Aptitude-based recruitment."
The stakes were terrifyingly high. Arjun called the meeting in the secure lecture hall. Professor Jha was still buzzing with adrenaline from the LIFP's data probe, and Shraddha Singh had already compiled the comprehensive dossiers.
"We cannot rely on traditional means," Arjun stated, leaning over the large map of Bihar laid across the table, dotted with 30 circled locations. "These students are in remote areas. Their families have little exposure to the prestige of the old Nalanda and total distrust of the new one. They see a broken building and a 20-year-old principal. We have to be fast, persuasive, and, most importantly, unconventional."
Professor Jha, fueled by his patriotic fervor, slammed his hand down. "I will go! I'll bring five of the Core Ten—Rajesh for the math, Ritu for the social dynamics. We will show them the future of education!"
Arjun nodded, but his eyes were on Shraddha. "This is a logistical nightmare, Shraddha. We need three separate teams, covering the far north, the south, and the central plains, simultaneously. We need to handle skeptical parents, travel delays, and the fact that we can't offer them anything tangible yet—no fancy dorms, no guarantees, just a promise of hard work."
(Paragraph 2: Shraddha's S-Rank Strategy - 1100 words)
Shraddha Singh, the S-Rank Administrator, had already solved the problem. Her plan was a masterpiece of decentralized, persuasive logistics that utilized Nalanda's only current assets: the Core Ten's newfound confidence and the subtle power of the Aura of Focus.
"Traditional recruitment involves glossy pamphlets and promises," Shraddha explained, using a laser pointer on the map. "We will use data and results. The three teams will be led by Professor Jha, Professor Varma, and myself. Each team takes two of the Core Ten—our most persuasive success stories."
She had procured three rugged, second-hand SUVs—paid for using a small reserve of System Funds—and disguised the Aptitude Scanner technology within simple, briefcase-sized units labelled "Advanced Cognitive Assessment."
"Our pitch is not 'come to our university,'" Shraddha continued, outlining the route plans. "Our pitch is: 'We have identified a unique talent in your child that only we can measure. We are here to prove it.' The Core Ten will demonstrate their skills. Professor Jha will provide the academic gravitas. And the Core Ten will bring their own families' signed consent forms, which is our emotional proof."
The key, she explained, was the Aptitude Scanner. It was the only thing that could instantly break through decades of cynicism. A poor farmer might not trust a young principal's promise, but he would trust the objective, undeniable result of an advanced test that confirms his child is a genius.
"We also have a secret weapon," Shraddha concluded, her lips curling into a rare, strategic smile. "Each Core Ten member who successfully recruits a student will receive a [C-Rank Aptitude Voucher] to use at their discretion, courtesy of the System's rewards from the last quest. Their motivation is not just loyalty, it's self-improvement. They will be highly effective."
(Paragraph 3: Jha's Team and the Rural Skepticism - 800 words)
Professor Jha's team—including Rajesh and Ritu—drove north, their destination a remote village where Deepak Mandal, a young man with a hidden A-Rank in Renewable Energy Engineering, lived with his family.
They found Deepak's father hostile. "What is this? You tell me my son is a genius? He sweeps the floors and helps me with the crops. His brothers went to the city and came back with nothing but debt. Why should I trust a city school that closed its doors ten years ago?"
Rajesh, stepping forward, didn't argue. He calmly pulled out the sleek black briefcase containing the scanner. "Sir, we don't ask you to trust us. We ask you to trust proof."
Rajesh attached the sensor clips to Deepak's temples. On the small LCD screen, the words flashed: "LATENT APTITUDE DETECTED: A-RANK - ENERGY SYSTEMS."
Rajesh then pointed to Ritu, who had stepped slightly closer, unconsciously bringing the edge of the [Aura of Focus] with her. "My name is Rajesh. I was ranked C- in aptitude seven months ago. Now, Ritu, tell them the formula for determining the optimal pitch angle for a wind turbine blade in this region's prevailing wind pattern."
Ritu, her mind sharp and clear, recited the complex, multi-variable formula without hesitation, integrating local weather data points from the Supercomputer that she had memorized. The parents, the neighbors, and Deepak himself were stunned. Deepak's father watched his son's ranking—A-Rank—then looked at the confidence and competence radiating from Rajesh and Ritu. He didn't understand the formula, but he understood results.
"If you can do that for my son…" the father whispered, the skepticism in his eyes finally cracking. Within the hour, Deepak Mandal was signed, his future suddenly visible.
(Paragraph 4: Arjun's Breakthrough in the South - 1000 words)
Arjun, knowing the stakes, chose the most challenging profile: Preeti Kaur, a B-Rank Aptitude in Microbiology, whose ultra-conservative grandfather had forbidden her from continuing her education after the 10th standard.
Arjun traveled with Shraddha to the southern tip of the state. The grandfather, a respected community elder, met them with stiff formality. "Principal Singh. Your university is built on the sands of history. My granddaughter is destined for marriage, not a dusty laboratory in Patna."
Arjun didn't argue or counter the traditional view. He used the Aura of Focus—now a significant presence around him—and the most devastating tool in his arsenal: Future Knowledge.
"Sir, the world is changing," Arjun said, his voice respectful but firm. "In ten years, there will be a global health crisis that will require the sharpest minds in Microbiology. Your granddaughter, Preeti, has a unique genetic gift for this science. By forcing her into the kitchen, you are not protecting her; you are denying her the destiny to become a world leader. Nalanda is not offering her a career; we are offering her a shield against an uncertain future."
He didn't mention the specifics of the future crisis, just the undeniable fact of its coming. The grandfather, caught between his rigid beliefs and the immense, focused conviction of Arjun—backed by the subtle mental influence of the Aura—hesitated.
Shraddha then stepped in with the closing argument. "Sir, we ask for no fees. We provide the food, the lodging, the resources. We only ask for her time. Give us three months. If you are not satisfied with her progress, she is free to return. But look at her aptitude." She presented the scanner result: B-Rank - Microbiology.
The combination of the objective data, the System's persuasive aura, and Arjun's terrifying, calm conviction about the future broke the grandfather's resolve. He saw not a school, but a unique, vital mission that only his granddaughter could fulfill. He gave his assent, a slow, grudging nod.
(Paragraph 5: The Triumph of the Cohort and the Third Step - 400 words)
In the final hour of the 18th day, the last of the three SUVs rolled back into the Nalanda campus. 30 new students, nervous but excited, stepped out, their high-potential minds instantly enveloped by the concentrated [Aura of Focus]. Arjun and Shraddha met the teams at the entrance.
[System Notification]: "[The Second Cohort - A Shield of Talent] Quest Complete! Enrollment Secured: 30 students. All verification metrics passed."
[Reward Granted]: "Major Infrastructure Fund: ₹20,00,000 System Funds have been released for the construction of modern, secure dormitories and a dedicated science laboratory."
[Reward Granted]: "System Module Unlock: [Aura Amplification: Student Cohort]. The Aura of Focus is now passively amplified by the presence of B-Rank students or higher, growing its power exponentially with the size of the student body."
Arjun felt the physical shift in the campus's energy signature—it was stronger, buzzing with thirty new, high-potential minds. The university's collective intellectual power had just skyrocketed.
[System Notification]: "Final Pre-Prediction Quest Activated: [The Third Step: Financial Defense]"
[Quest Objective]: "Convert all remaining liquid assets (System Funds, Inheritance) into hard, appreciating assets (gold, land deeds, foreign currency reserves) before the market crash. Must complete before October 18th (T-1 day)."
The moment of financial defense had arrived. Arjun looked at the new cohort, his shield of talent, and then at the calendar. Only one day remained. The calm before the storm was officially over.