Surya splashed cold water onto his face from the brass tank in the courtyard. The shock of the cold helped ground him, but the glowing gold text hovering in his peripheral vision was a constant reminder that this wasn't a hallucination.
[Current Quest: The First Brick]
[Status: Pending]
[Time Remaining: 29 Days, 23 Hours]
He wiped his face with a rough towel. The body of Surya Gowda felt energetic, thrumming with youth, but his mind was still adjusting. He was a Professor of Game Theory in 2025; he was used to air-conditioned lecture halls and digital projectors. Now, he was standing in a traditional thotti house (courtyard house) with red oxide flooring and peeling lime plaster.
Outside, the crunch of tires on gravel announced the arrival of his guests.
A white Ambassador car, the symbol of power in 2001 India, halted near the gate. A second car, a sleek Maruti Zen, pulled up behind it.
"Showtime," Surya muttered, straightening his banian. He quickly walked into the bedroom and threw on a simple checked shirt and trousers. He needed to look like the man of the house, not a confused boy.
He walked into the main hall just as three men entered without knocking.
The first was Advocate Murthy, a man with oily hair and a file clutched to his chest like a shield. The second was a rotund man dripping in gold chains—Reddy, the local real estate broker. The third was a stranger, a man in a sharp suit who looked out of place in the rural setting of Bannerghatta.
"Surya, my boy!" Murthy exclaimed, his smile not reaching his eyes. "I hope you are holding up well. Losing Thimmegowda... it is a great loss for the village."
"It is," Surya said, his voice steady. He gestured to the wooden chairs. "Please, sit."
Reddy didn't sit. He paced around the hall, tapping the walls. "Old structure. Termites, likely. Demolition will cost extra." He looked at Surya.
"We have the papers ready, magane (son). The advance is in the car. Five Lakhs cash. The rest by demand draft."
In his past life as Gautam, he would have calculated the Net Present Value of this deal instantly. But now, the System intervened.
As he focused on Reddy, a shimmer of light coated the man's figure. The Eye of Vidya activated involuntarily.
[Target: K. Reddy (Real Estate Broker)]
* Talent: Negotiation (Rank C), Deception (Rank B)
* Current State: Greed.
* Hidden Intent: He is representing 'Apex Builders'. They know the government plans to widen Bannerghatta Road next year.
* Offer Value: ₹25 Lakhs.
* Actual Value: ₹80 Lakhs (Current Market), ₹4 Crores (Projected 2005).
Surya's eyes narrowed. Deception Rank B.
They are trying to fleece a grieving orphan.
In 2001, twenty-five lakhs was a fortune. It could buy a massive house in Jayanagar. But Surya knew what was coming.
The IT boom was about to explode. This land, situated on the main road, would be worth hundreds of crores in two decades.
"Mr. Reddy," Surya said, leaning against a pillar. "Who is the suit?"
The man in the suit stepped forward. "I am Mr. Bajaj from Apex Builders. We are looking to develop a residential layout here. It is a generous offer, Mr. Gowda."
[Target: Mr. Bajaj]
* Talent: Business Management (Rank C+)
* Assessment: Corporate Drone.
Surya crossed his arms. "I'm not selling."
The silence in the room was heavy. A crow cawed loudly from the jackfruit tree outside.
Advocate Murthy laughed nervously. "Surya, you are grieving. You are confused.
Your grandfather left you with debts. The medical bills for his heart treatment... nearly two lakhs are outstanding! How will you pay that? You have no job. A math degree is useless if you don't have a donation to pay for a government job bribe."
"I will handle the debts," Surya said, his voice dropping an octave. "But this land stays with me. My grandfather wanted an educational institution here. I intend to honor that."
Reddy scoffed, his face turning an ugly shade of red. "School? Here? Who will come to this jungle for school? You are a boy, Surya. Don't play games with adults. We have a verbal agreement from last week!"
"Did I sign anything?" Surya asked sharply.
"No, but—"
"Then get out." Surya pointed to the door.
"This is private property. If you don't leave, I'll call the police. And given that my grandfather was a freedom fighter, the local inspector still respects this house more than your money bags."
It was a bluff. Surya didn't know the inspector. But he knew how Indian social hierarchy worked. The name of a respected elder carried weight.
Reddy glared, spitting a glob of paan juice onto the dust outside the threshold. "You are making a mistake. The debt collectors won't be as polite as us. Two lakhs, Surya. You have one week."
The three men stormed out. The Ambassador's engine roared to life, spewing black smoke, and they vanished down the mud road.
Surya let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. His knees felt weak. He sat down heavily on the wooden chair.
"Two lakhs," he whispered. "In 2001, that's like twenty lakhs in 2025. I have a week."
He needed a miracle. Or rather, he needed the System.
"System," he called out tentatively. "I refused the sale. Where is my reward?"
[Action Confirmed: Sale Rejected.]
[Karma Point (KP) Balance: 0]
[Reward Unlocked: Newbie Principal Starter Pack.]
A small, ornate wooden box materialized on the table. It looked physical, but when Surya touched it, his hand passed through the lid, and the box dissolved into motes of light that rushed into his chest.
[Rewards Acquired:]
* Skill: Basic Teaching Aura (Passive): When the Host explains a concept, the listener's comprehension increases by 30%.
* Item: Ledger of Truth: A notebook that reveals the true financial state of the institution and suggests efficiency improvements.
* Capital Grant: ₹50,000 (Physical Cash - Generated legally under 'Grandfather's Hidden Savings').
Surya felt a weight in his pocket. He pulled out a thick bundle of fifty-rupee and hundred-rupee notes wrapped in a rubber band.
"Fifty thousand," Surya counted it quickly. "It's not enough to pay the two-lakh debt, but it's enough to start the war."
He stood up, his eyes scanning the large, empty hall. It was dusty, filled with cobwebs.
"If I want to build a university, I need students," he mused. "But I can't start a college in a week. I need something faster. Something that generates cash flow immediately."
His eyes fell on the calendar again. April.
"April," he snapped his fingers. "Exam season. The Common Entrance Test (CET) for Engineering and Medical seats is in May. Students are panicking right now. They need crash courses."
He didn't need a full university yet. He just needed to be the best tutor in Bangalore for one month.
"I need to go to the city," Surya decided. "I need to print pamphlets. And I need to find my first student. Not just any student... I need a genius who is currently failing."
He grabbed his grandfather's old bicycle from the corner. It was a heavy, black Atlas cycle.
"Time to go fishing," he grinned, wheeling the cycle out into the sunlight.
System Status:
* Host: Surya Gowda
* Role: Principal (Level 1)
* Assets: 4 Acres Land, Old House, ₹50,000 Cash.
* Debt: ₹2,00,000 (Due in 7 days).
* Skills: Eye of Vidya, Basic Teaching Aura.