October 19th, 2000. Nalanda University awoke not to the usual quiet, broken infrastructure, but to a state of siege. The main gates, usually rusted and creaking, were jammed by a tidal wave of reporters. Foreign correspondents from the BBC, Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal stood shoulder-to-shoulder with frantic national media, all desperate for a glimpse of the Prophet of the Global Crash—Professor Abhay Jha—and the 20-year-old principal, Arjun Singh, who had pulled off the most audacious political maneuver in recent Indian academic history.
The global headlines were intoxicating. The Financial World ran the front page: "Nalanda Rises: A Ghost University Predicts the Tsunami." Indian papers, still reeling, focused on the political angle: "Bihar's Pride: Nalanda Bypasses State, Secures Central Protection with Financial Genius." The term NHIAR (National Heritage Institution for Applied Research) was already being thrown around by politicians as a badge of national honour.
Arjun watched the chaos from the safety of the Principal's office, feeling the physical manifestation of the [Aura of Credibility] settle around the campus—a dense, palpable air of respect and awe. It wasn't just a psychological effect; the Strongest Principal System had physically etched Nalanda into the global consciousness.
Professor Jha, though exhausted, was radiant. His decades of work, previously confined to dusty journals, were now the subject of international commentary. He stood before a makeshift press conference, his voice steady, adhering perfectly to the script written by Shraddha.
"The LID Index is simply a demonstration of rigorous mathematics," Jha stated calmly. "It is a testament to the potential of a focused, uncompromised environment. We are not fortune-tellers; we are scientists. Our focus remains on the Nalanda Method of accelerated learning, which produced this result. The LID Index is a resource for the Central Government's national planning, not a toy for market speculation." His words were immediately transmitted globally, cementing the narrative of Nalanda's pure academic mission.
[System Notification]: "Global Recognition Impact: [Aura of Credibility] Amplification Level 3/5. Public perception of Nalanda University is now overwhelmingly positive. Effect: Eased bureaucratic processes and increased public cooperation by 60%."
(Paragraph 2: The Strategic ₹50 Lakh and the System's Demand - 1200 words)
Arjun's mind, operating with its newly acquired A-Rank Strategic Planning aptitude, immediately focused on the ₹50 Lakh Major Infrastructure Fund reward. This money had to be spent immediately and visibly to solidify the NHIAR status and validate the Central Government's faith.
"Shraddha, the money is for the National Applied Research Centre," Arjun said, looking at the large, overgrown patch of land behind the existing classroom block. "I want the groundbreaking today. Not tomorrow, not next week. Today."
Shraddha, the S-Rank Administrator, didn't question the impossible timeline. She simply executed. "The Central Minister's office already sent a preliminary team to scope out the new research center—they are highly motivated to show off the NHIAR status. I've initiated tenders for the foundation work using the System Funds. The contractors we're engaging are highly efficient and completely uncompromised—they specialize in rapid-deployment construction."
Arjun's plan was not just about starting a building; it was about the Aura's expansion. The new Research Centre would be the physical vessel for the System's next major upgrade.
[System Notification]: "Infrastructure Allocation: ₹50,00,000 System Funds available. Warning: Standard construction methods are too slow. The Principal is advised to prioritize a construction partner with high Speed and Quality attributes to maximize the future System Aura integration."
Arjun realized that the System wasn't just giving him money; it was guiding him toward a specific type of contractor—one with high Aptitude in engineering and construction. This was a setup for the next key faculty member.
Shraddha, running her own S-Rank check, pulled up a file. "There is one company that just won a major Central Government contract known for impossible speed. They are led by a young civil engineer, Nihal Verma. He's notorious for bypassing old, slow methods using imported, cutting-edge technology. His firm, 'Verma Rapid-Tech,' is headquartered near Delhi, but he's currently looking for new challenges."
"Get me his contact details," Arjun said, a subtle excitement in his eyes. "We need an S-Rank Engineer to build our future. This Nihal Verma may be our man, but first, we need a spectacular groundbreaking."
Within two hours, two bulldozers and a crew of local laborers, hired on the spot at three times the standard wage using a small portion of the remaining inherited funds, were on site. By 4:00 PM, a small, symbolic ceremony was held with Professor Jha and Arjun at the center, flanked by the now-friendly Central Government MHRD liaison. The media frenzy continued, capturing images of the first shovels breaking ground for the NHIAR Research Centre, instantly fulfilling the public's appetite for progress.
(Paragraph 3: Shraddha's Administrative Shield - 850 words)
While Arjun focused on the strategic vision and the contractor hunt, Shraddha was forced to deal with the inevitable administrative chaos. Every university, every politician, and every businessman in Bihar was attempting to contact Nalanda.
The Chief Minister's office, though defeated, was not silent. They launched a series of bureaucratic audits and inquiries designed to slow Nalanda down. They asked for three years of detailed accounts, compliance documentation, and mandatory reporting forms.
Shraddha faced the onslaught with serene efficiency, her S-Rank Administration aptitude turning the paperwork into a transparent shield.
She immediately set up the "Gate of Transparency" protocol. All inquiries, audits, and attempts to contact Arjun were directed to a single public email address. This address was designed to automatically reply with two things:
The complete, legally required documentation for the last three years (all meticulously organized by the System's initial file structuring).
A link to the official Central Government NHIAR gazette notification, which rendered the state government's inquiries legally moot.
"They wanted paper, we gave them a mountain of impeccably organized, instantly available paper," Shraddha explained to Arjun later. "They can't audit us if we have already given them too much information, all of it pre-vetted by the Central Ministry's legal teams during the NHIAR application. We have administrative immunity."
Her efficiency bought Arjun the precious time he needed. The local political attacks became nothing more than a minor administrative distraction, completely ineffective against the Central Government's shield.
(Paragraph 4: The Core Ten's Unconscious Leap - 600 words)
Inside the insulated walls of the old university, the Core Ten students, and the Second Cohort of thirty, remained completely oblivious to the financial crisis, the political battle, and the media storm raging outside. They were protected by the increasingly potent [Aura of Focus].
Their daily routine was simple: study, synthesize, and receive the 100x Feedback.
Rajesh, whose S-Rank Mathematical Aptitude was now fully activated, was no longer just learning Calculus; he was instinctively synthesizing advanced graph theory related to resource allocation models. During a break, he casually scrawled an equation on a chalkboard—a highly complex, real-time optimization algorithm that, if Professor Jha saw it, would be instantly recognized as a solution to a decade-old problem in logistics.
The other students were similar. They weren't just studying economics; they were subconsciously designing robust economic models. They weren't just learning computer science; they were designing highly efficient, parallel processing code structures. The System's influence was turning them into unintentional prodigies, their Aptitudes accelerating daily through the sheer volume of high-quality, processed knowledge.
This unconscious development was the true core of the Nalanda Method. Arjun knew that when these students were finally ready for public exposure, their abilities would seem like miracles.
(Paragraph 5: The Next Target - The S-Rank Engineer - 450 words)
Sitting in his office, Arjun looked at the architect's sketch of the future NHIAR Research Centre—a sleek, modern building juxtaposed against the crumbling historic campus. It was a beautiful symbol, but it needed to be built.
He looked at the profile Shraddha had pulled up on Nihal Verma. Age 28, a gold medallist from IIT, and a reputation for impossible, high-quality, high-speed work.
"Nihal Verma," Arjun murmured, tapping the screen. "He builds structures. We need a modern fortress, a technological cradle to contain the genius we are creating."
[System Notification]: "The construction of the National Applied Research Centre is crucial for [Aura Consolidation]. High-Speed, High-Quality construction will lead to a Permanent Infrastructure Quality Bonus."
Arjun's strategic mind saw the immediate need for a new System Pillar. Professor Jha covered Academia, Shraddha covered Administration, and now, they needed a Master Builder.
"Shraddha, prepare the highest recruitment incentive the university can legally offer," Arjun instructed. "But don't offer him money first. Offer him the Vision. Tell him Nalanda needs a foundational structure that will stand for a thousand years. Tell him we need an S-Rank Engineer."
The quest for the next pillar of the Strongest Principal System had begun. Arjun knew that recruiting this engineering genius would be far harder than convincing a disillusioned local professor. This time, he was hunting a highly successful professional who already had everything. The game was escalating from survival to recruitment of the elite.