The contrast between the faded, historic dust of Nalanda and the gleaming corporate monoliths of Gurgaon, just outside Delhi, was jarring. Arjun Singh and Shraddha Singh stepped out of a rented, unremarkable sedan, looking profoundly out of place. Arjun wore a simple kurta-pyjama, the uniform of the Principal of Nalanda. Shraddha, ever the picture of tailored competence, was in a sharp, business-like saree, but even her attire felt subdued against the background of glass, chrome, and imported luxury cars.
They were standing outside the headquarters of Verma Rapid-Tech, the engineering firm run by Nihal Verma. The lobby was a shrine to modern efficiency: silent, cool, and displaying holographic models of multi-billion rupee infrastructure projects—dams, expressways, and state-of-the-art office towers. It was a world built entirely on the massive capital Arjun had just strategically avoided.
Shraddha, navigating the reception desk with her S-Rank Administration aptitude, secured their appointment immediately, bypassing layers of secretaries and assistants who usually protected Nihal Verma from low-priority meetings. The [Aura of Credibility] from the NHIAR status, coupled with the recent global press on the LID Index, had cracked the corporate defenses. No one, not even a successful engineer, could ignore the university that had rocked the world economy.
Arjun felt the energy of the location—a massive concentration of ambition and skill. Discreetly, he used the [Aptitude Scanner] on the environment around them. The results flashed into his mind: Average Aptitude of employees: C+ (High for a construction firm). This wasn't just a company; it was a pool of highly trained talent, all feeding off Nihal Verma's core drive.
Their destination was the penthouse office, a space defined by glass walls overlooking the rapidly expanding urban sprawl. Nihal Verma was there: mid-twenties, lean, intense, and radiating the quiet confidence of a man who solved impossible problems for a living. His Aptitude report was immediate and impressive:
[Aptitude Scan Result: Nihal Verma]
Civil Engineering (Structural): S-Rank
Project Management (Logistics): A+ Rank
Material Science Innovation: B+ Rank
Professional Fulfillment (Satisfaction): C- Rank (Declining)
The C-Rank in Fulfillment was the key. Nihal was immensely successful, but his projects lacked soul. He was building monuments to commerce, not to humanity.
(Paragraph 2: The Money Barrier - 1050 words)
Nihal offered them tea and sat down, his gaze sharp and assessing. He immediately cut to the chase, bypassing any pleasantries about the LID Index.
"Principal Singh, I'll be frank. Your university's financial feat is remarkable. Your NHIAR status gives you incredible leverage. But this is my world—engineering. My team is currently managing a ₹1,000 Crore highway project. If you want us to drop everything and build your National Applied Research Centre in Patna—a relatively small project—you need to give me a reason that isn't emotional."
He steepled his fingers, expecting an astronomical salary offer. "I understand the NHIAR status means Central Government backing. We are interested in government contracts, but we have a fee structure. For the rapid deployment and material quality required for a building of 'national significance,' my firm's consultation fee alone starts at ₹1 Crore, before construction begins."
Arjun didn't flinch. Shraddha, as rehearsed, presented the project brief—a document designed not to detail budget, but unprecedented structural requirements.
"Mr. Verma," Shraddha began, her tone measured. "We are aware of your rates. But the Principal is not here to offer you a fee. He is here to offer you a legacy."
Arjun leaned forward, his focus magnetic. "Nihal, look at the projects you display here. They are remarkable. They are fast. They are profitable. But in fifty years, they will be obsolete. They will be demolished. When you look at the old Nalanda, the original University, it was built in a style meant to last a thousand years. It was a structure built for knowledge, not for lease income."
He tapped the screen showing Nihal's low C-Rank Fulfillment. Arjun knew this was hitting a nerve—the quiet dissatisfaction that comes from optimizing profit over perfection.
"The National Applied Research Centre will not be a functional building; it will be a citadel," Arjun continued, his voice gaining depth as the [Aura of Focus] enveloped the young engineer. "It must be a structure that is perfectly insulated, perfectly resonant, capable of housing the highest levels of human intellectual acceleration. The foundation must withstand earthquakes and the stress of continuous, high-energy research. I don't want the latest technology, Nihal. I want the future of technology."
(Paragraph 3: The Unbuyable Vision - 1300 words)
Nihal frowned, intrigued despite himself. "Future technology is theoretical, Principal. We work in the real world. You want a perfect Faraday cage, perfect climate control, and perfect acoustics in a structure built on a rapid timeline? That requires a revolutionary approach to materials—materials that don't exist yet, or cost ten times what your ₹50 Lakh budget allows."
Arjun smiled—the first genuine smile since the meeting began. This was the opening he needed.
"You are correct," Arjun conceded. "Your B+ Rank in Material Science Innovation is what makes you the only man for the job. But your frustration is that you have the knowledge to innovate, yet your clients demand the status quo and cost-efficiency. They want you to build with limitations."
He paused, letting the weight of the next sentence land.
"I am offering you a limitless budget for perfection, coupled with the means to create the materials themselves."
Nihal scoffed, standing up to walk over to the window. "Principal, with all due respect, ₹50 Lakh is not a limitless budget. I appreciate the enthusiasm, but—"
[System Integration]
Arjun interrupted him, pulling out a sealed envelope containing a blank [Aptitude Voucher: Materials Science]—a physical representation of the System's power, even though he had none to spare for Nihal yet.
"I will not pay you the ₹1 Crore fee, Nihal. I will pay you a fair salary and construction costs. But the true compensation is this: When you join Nalanda, your Material Science Innovation Aptitude will jump to A-Rank immediately, and within a year, with the Nalanda Method, I guarantee you can push it to S-Rank."
Nihal froze, turning back sharply. "What are you talking about, Aptitude? Is this some sort of psychological conditioning?"
Arjun shook his head. "It is the Nalanda Method. We don't just teach students; we accelerate human potential. Professor Jha used this method to leap from a stagnant B-Rank to an S-Rank, which is why he alone saw the global crash. You have an S-Rank in Civil Engineering. I will give you the means to become the world's first S-Rank Material Scientist-Engineer."
Arjun used the second part of the temptation: the students. "You complain about not having the technology. I will give you Rajesh, a student with an S-Rank in Mathematics, who will solve the structural optimization equations for your new materials in real-time. I will give you thirty S-Rank apprentices who will synthesize your theoretical materials in our labs, not in fifty years, but in five years. You won't just build the citadel, Nihal. You will train the engineers of the next millennium to maintain it."
(Paragraph 4: The Acceptance and the System's Confirmation - 600 words)
The offer was not financial; it was existential. Nihal looked at the C- Rank Fulfillment blinking mockingly in his subconscious mind. He saw his legacy in the reflection of the glass, and it was hollow. Arjun was offering him a chance at professional immortality, a challenge that demanded his S-Rank intellect be used to its absolute limit, away from the mediocrity of corporate contracts.
Nihal walked back to the table, his earlier arrogance replaced by an intense, burning desire—the pure, unadulterated passion of a genius facing his true calling.
"An S-Rank Material Scientist…" Nihal whispered, tapping the table. "A structure that defies contemporary physics, built by students who understand it before they even graduate." He finally looked at Arjun, his eyes blazing. "Principal Singh, you are either a madman or a pioneer. I choose to believe the pioneer."
He extended his hand. "I don't want the ₹1 Crore fee. I want the Aptitude Voucher and the promise of those S-Rank apprentices. I will sign the contract and begin the preliminary structural analysis today. But you must guarantee me full autonomy on the engineering design."
"Autonomy is guaranteed," Arjun confirmed, shaking Nihal's hand firmly. "Welcome to the Strongest Principal System, Nihal. Prepare to build a structure that will define your career and shatter every known engineering principle."
[System Notification]: "Crucial Quest Pillar Secured: Nihal Verma, S-Rank Civil Engineer/Master Builder, recruited."
[System Pillar 3 Activated]: "Infrastructure Pillar established. Nihal Verma's Aptitudes are now partially linked to the System's acceleration methods."
[Reward Granted]: "Institution Aptitude Unlock: [Infrastructure Optimization: Rank C]. All construction and maintenance on campus now proceeds at a 20% faster rate and 15% lower cost."
[Reward Granted]: "System Funds: ₹20,00,000 System Funds have been released as a project starter fund for material acquisition."
(Paragraph 5: The Road Back and the Next Quest - 400 words)
The ₹20 Lakh fund was a welcome addition, but the real prize was Nihal. He immediately began issuing rapid-fire instructions to Shraddha regarding land surveys, geological reports, and highly specific material sourcing—his A+ Project Management kicking into gear.
As they drove back, Shraddha looked at the envelope containing the blank Aptitude Voucher Arjun had used as leverage. "That was a very dangerous bluff, Arjun. We didn't have a Materials Science voucher to give him."
Arjun smiled, feeling the quiet satisfaction of the recruitment success. "He bought the vision, Shraddha. The System guarantees the outcome, not the resource immediately. Nihal's S-Rank Aptitude will soon produce its own rewards for us. But now, we have the building and the architect. We still need the students."
The Third Step of the original quest was looming: Recruit 100 Students. They currently had 37. With the NHIAR status, the financial success, and the media frenzy, recruitment should be easy. However, Arjun's plan wasn't for ease.
He checked the System for the next objective.
[System Notification]: "Immediate High-Priority Quest Activated: [The Fifth Step: Selective Brilliance]"
[Quest Objective]: "Recruit 73 more students to reach the 100-student cap. Crucial Sub-Clause: The next batch of students must include a minimum of FIVE students possessing A-Rank Aptitude or higher in their primary field of study. (Time Limit: 30 days)."
Arjun realized the game had changed again. They weren't just filling seats; they were hunting for rare, top-tier talent. And to find them, they needed a spectacular demonstration of the Nalanda Method—something that would force the top students in the nation to look past the prestigious universities and choose the ruin of Nalanda.
"Shraddha, the system wants A-Rank students. The only way to attract the best is to destroy the competition's credibility," Arjun announced. "We are going to launch the Nalanda Mathematics Challenge—a national competition designed to expose the mediocrity of the current university entrance exams and reveal the true S-Rank geniuses of India."