August 10, 2001.
The trap was laid with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
Overnight, the skyline of Bannerghatta Road changed. Directly opposite the humble, half-painted brick structure of Gurudeva PU College, a massive billboard had been erected. It loomed over the coconut trees, blocking the morning sun.
[SETH TALENT HUNT - 2001]
Are you a Genius stuck in a mediocrity?
Win ₹1,00,000 Cash Prize.
100% Scholarship to Seth International (AC Campus).
Exam Date: August 14th (9:00 AM).
Venue: The Grand Tent (Opposite Gurudeva College).
The timing was malicious. August 14th was the first day of Gurudeva College's Mid-Term exams.
Surya stood at the gate, sipping tea from a glass tumbler. He watched as a crew of workers set up a massive, air-conditioned German tent on the empty plot across the road. They were unloading crates of mineral water and glossy pamphlets.
"It's a siege," Moorthy muttered, standing next to him, wiping grease from his hands. "He's trying to buy our army."
"One lakh rupees," Surya mused. "In 2001, that's three years of salary for some of these parents. It's a lot of money."
"It's blood money," Shakuntala Devi joined them, clutching her ledger. "He wants to empty our classrooms on exam day. If the students skip our mid-terms to write his talent hunt, our authority is broken. We become a joke."
She looked at Surya. "You have to ban it. Tell them anyone who skips the mid-term will be expelled."
Surya shook his head. "If I force them to stay, I am a jailer, not a Guru. Fear creates obedience, Shakuntala, but it doesn't create loyalty."
"So you're just going to let them go?" Moorthy asked, incredulous.
"No," Surya smiled, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I'm going to let them conquer."
August 12. The Assembly.
The atmosphere in the college was tense. The students were whispering. Flyers for the Seth Talent Hunt were everywhere—tucked into cycle carriers, pasted on the walls, even slipped into textbooks.
Surya stood on the elevated plinth of the ground floor. The 70 students (40 Science + 30 Commerce) looked up at him. They looked guilty. Many of their parents had practically ordered them to take the Seth exam.
"I see the flyers," Surya broke the silence. He held up a glossy brochure. "One lakh rupees. An AC campus. A ticket to America."
He paused.
"I know many of you are torn. Your mid-terms are on the 14th. But this 'Talent Hunt' is also on the 14th."
Karthik, sitting in the front row, looked down. "Sir, my dad says... he says we can just try. It's a lot of money."
"It is," Surya agreed. "So, I have made a decision."
The hall held its breath. Was he going to expel them?
"I am cancelling the Mid-Term exams," Surya announced.
Gasps of shock rippled through the room.
"Instead," Surya continued, his voice rising, "we are going on a field trip. Across the road."
He pointed to the massive tent outside.
"Vikram Seth wants to test your talent? Fine. Go show him what you learned here. Go take his test. But I have one condition."
He activated the Principal's Authority.
"You do not go there as beggars looking for a scholarship. You go there as warriors. You go there, you crack his paper, you take his money, and you bring the prize home. Can you do that?"
Silence. Then, a slow grin spread across Imran's face.
"We raid them?" Imran asked. "Like a server raid in Counter-Strike?"
"Exactly," Surya grinned. "He thinks you are poor kids from a shed. Show him that a shed breeds wolves."
"Moorthy Sir!" Surya turned to the Physics HOD. "Crash course. How to solve complex mechanics without calculation. Teach them the shortcuts."
"Shakuntala Ma'am! Teach the commerce students how to spot trick questions in data interpretation."
"Dr. Rao! Teach them to stay calm when the pressure rises."
The depression in the room vanished, replaced by an electric buzz of adrenaline. They weren't defying their Principal; they were on a mission for him.
August 14. The Day of the Hunt.
The Seth Talent Hunt tent was magnificent. It had carpeted floors, bottled water on every desk, and invigilators wearing suits.
Vikram Seth sat on a high dais at the back, watching the students file in. He expected to see the Gurudeva students looking sheepish, sneaking in against their master's wishes.
Instead, they marched in.
All 70 of them. They wore their Gurudeva ID cards openly around their necks. They walked in formation, led by Karthik.
Vikram frowned. Why do they look so confident?
He picked up a microphone.
"Welcome," Vikram said smoothly. "I see many students from the... neighboring institution. I am glad you chose a brighter future over a crumbling shed."
No one laughed. Karthik stared straight at Vikram, his face impassive.
"The paper is two hours," Vikram announced. "It is set by professors from IIT. It is designed to find the top 0.1%. Begin."
The papers were distributed.
It was brutal. The questions were twisted.
Q4: A cylinder rolls up an incline with variable friction μ(x) = kx. Find the stopping distance.
Most students from other colleges panicked. This wasn't in the syllabus. This was JEE Advanced level.
But Imran looked at the question and smiled. He remembered Moorthy yelling at him yesterday: "Variable friction is just like a brake pedal being pressed slowly! Visualize the energy loss!"
Imran didn't solve the differential equation. He used a dimensional analysis trick Moorthy had taught him. Energy = Force x Distance. He eliminated three options because the units were wrong.
Tick. Option B.
In the Commerce section, the question was a complex case study about a company's balance sheet fraud.
Q12: Identify the hidden liability.
The students looked at the numbers. To a normal 11th grader, it was gibberish. To Shakuntala's students, it was a crime scene. They spotted the inflated inventory instantly.
Tick.
Vikram watched from the dais. He saw the Gurudeva students writing fast. Too fast.
"Check them," Vikram hissed to an invigilator. "They must be cheating."
The invigilator walked down the aisles.
He checked Karthik's desk. No chits. No calculator. Just a boy solving physics problems with his eyes closed, tapping his finger on the desk.
[System Skill Active: Institutional Aura (Remote Link)]
[Effect: The invisible tether of the 'Gurudeva' keeps anxiety at bay.]
Surya was sitting on the terrace of his college across the road, meditating. He was channeling every ounce of his KP into a Mental Support Wave.
Focus. You know this.
12:00 PM. The Result.
The exam ended. The papers were collected. Since it was an objective test (OMR), the grading machine crunched the results in an hour.
A crowd had gathered outside the tent. Parents were praying.
Vikram Seth stood on the stage to announce the winners. He held the results sheet. His face was pale. His hand was trembling slightly.
He looked at the list.
Top 10 Scores.
* Karthik R. (Gurudeva PU College) - 98%
* Imran Pasha (Gurudeva PU College) - 96%
* Sumanth Rao (Gurudeva PU College) - 95%
* Lakshmi (Not that one) (Seth International) - 88%
...
It was a massacre. The top 20 ranks were swept by the "shed" students.
Vikram stared at the sea of faces. He had to hand over the mic. He had to announce this. If he didn't, his "fair" reputation would be destroyed.
"The results are in," Vikram said, his voice tight.
"First Prize. One Lakh Rupees. Goes to... Karthik R."
The crowd erupted. Karthik walked up to the stage. He didn't bow. He took the giant check.
Vikram leaned in, whispering so only Karthik could hear. "This check is only valid if you enroll in Seth International. That's the rule in the fine print."
Karthik looked at the check. He looked at Vikram.
Then, Karthik grabbed the microphone.
"Thank you, Mr. Seth," Karthik said, his voice amplifying across the road. "But the rules say 'Scholarship is optional, Cash Prize is for Merit'. I read the terms and conditions."
He turned to the crowd.
"Mr. Seth offered me admission to his college. But I decline."
Gasps.
"Why would I join a college that sets a paper my Principal taught me to solve in five minutes?" Karthik asked innocently. "I'll stay at Gurudeva."
He waved the check. "But I'll take the money. My college needs a new library roof."
The crowd went wild. It was the ultimate slap in the face. Karthik had taken the warlord's gold and refused to join his army.
Vikram stood frozen. He had just donated ₹1,00,000 to his enemy.
1:00 PM. The Celebration.
Back at Gurudeva College, it was a carnival.
Karthik handed the check to Surya. "For the building fund, Sir."
Surya pushed the check back. "No, Karthik. That is your money. Your father has loans. Pay them. Buy a new scooter. This is your earning."
Karthik teared up. "But Sir..."
"The victory is my reward," Surya smiled. "The money is yours."
Shakuntala was beaming. Moorthy was dancing with the students. Even Dr. Rao had a small smile on his face.
Surya walked to the edge of the campus and looked across the road.
The tent was being dismantled. The billboard was being taken down.
But Surya knew this wasn't the end. He saw the black Mercedes leaving.
[System Notification]
[Quest Complete: The Trojan Horse.]
[Result: Humiliating Victory.]
[Rewards:]
* Karma Points: +500 KP.
* Reputation: 'The Giant Slayer'.
* New Unlock: [The Research Wing].
[WARNING]
[Antagonist Aggression Level Increased to MAX.]
[Vikram Seth has engaged 'The Black Ops'.]
[Threat Detected: Physical Sabotage / Arson imminent.]
Surya's smile faded.
Humiliation makes men dangerous. Vikram wouldn't try exams anymore. He would try fire.
"Moorthy," Surya called out.
"Yes, Boss?"
"We need security," Surya said. "Not a watchman. We need a system."
"I can rig up some motion sensors," Moorthy suggested. "Maybe some electrified fences?"
"Do it," Surya said. "And Shakuntala... buy insurance. Today."
The academic war was over. The real war was about to begin.