Om stared at the table full of stones… and then he saw it.
Among all the dull, lifeless rocks, one stone stood out.
From within it, a faint blue aura was leaking out—soft, almost invisible… something no one else in the room could see.
Only him.
Without thinking, Om walked straight toward it. He reached out and placed his hand over the stone, feeling that strange blue energy.
The moment he did—
his body reacted.
A sharp, unfamiliar sensation ran through him.
"This aura… it's affecting my body cells,"
he whispered to himself, eyes narrowing.
"It feels like… it's strengthening them. Like my cells and this aura are trying to connect with each other…"
He paused, staring deeper into the stone.
"What exactly is the secret behind these Z-stones…?"
Lost in thought, he didn't even realize someone was watching him.
A girl stood behind the stall, observing him with curiosity.
Om picked up the blue-aura stone and showed it to her.
"Um… hello. Can you tell me how much this one costs?"
The girl smiled—slow, amused.
"Mr. Handsome, all these stones are basically trash. The chances of finding Z in them are next to zero. That's why they're so cheap."
She leaned slightly forward, still smiling.
"Five hundred rupees each… but for you? Fifty percent discount. So, two-fifty."
Her eyes lingered on him a little longer than necessary.
Om shifted slightly, feeling awkward.
"Ah… yeah, I've got some cash."
He pulled out the money and handed it to her.
"Here… and can you help me cut it open?"
At the same time, a few steps away—
Seema was looking around, confused.
"Where did this guy disappear now? Please don't tell me he's creating trouble somewhere…"
Her eyes scanned the crowd—
and landed on him.
Standing at a cheap stall.
Buying stones.
Her expression dropped instantly.
She walked straight up to him, clearly annoyed.
"Om, I told you to pick a stone—not buy garbage. There's nothing here for us. And if it's about money, I'll give it to you. Now come on."
She grabbed his hand and started pulling him away.
But just then—
a loud voice cut through the entire hall.
"This is a completely high-quality BLUE Z!"
The stall girl shouted at the top of her lungs.
The entire hall went silent for a split second—
then exploded.
Every single person turned toward the sound.
Seema froze.
Om stopped mid-step.
And there it was—
in the girl's hands.
A large, glowing blue stone, shining brilliantly under the lights.
Not dull.
Not faded.
Pure.
"...Oh my God… that's completely blue."
"That's insane… I've never seen one this clear."
"This has to be the best one so far!"
"And it came from those trash stones? Impossible!"
"Whoever found that… their luck is crazy!"
Within seconds, a crowd formed around the stall.
People rushed in, pushing, shouting, trying to grab stones from the same pile.
"Hey, give me all of these!"
"No, I'll take them!"
"Wait, I'll pay right now!"
"Don't touch my stones!"
Chaos broke out.
Meanwhile, a few sharp-eyed businessmen surrounded Om.
They knew.
This wasn't just luck.
"Son, sell me that Z. Name your price."
"Come on, don't be foolish. I'll make it worth your while."
The stall girl handed both halves of the cut stone to Om.
But before he could even take a proper look—
he was surrounded.
Everyone wanted it.
Everyone.
A beautiful woman in a red dress stepped closer, placing her hand lightly on his arm, smiling sweetly.
"Hey, handsome… sell it to me. I'll give you three lakhs… and a special gift."
Before Om could respond, a bulky man pushed forward from behind.
"I'll give you five lakhs. And a very expensive gift too, kid."
The crowd kept closing in.
Voices rising.
Offers climbing.
And then—
from somewhere behind—
a calm, heavy voice cut through everything.
"Forty lakhs."
Silence fell again.
For a moment…
no one spoke.
Because now—
this wasn't just about a stone anymore.
This had turned into something else entirely.
"Forty lakhs."
The heavy voice came from behind Om, cutting through the noise of the hall like a blade.
Everyone turned.
Standing there was a stout man in a sharp brown suit, around fifty or sixty years old. His presence alone carried weight—rich, confident… powerful. A faint smile rested on his face as he stepped forward.
"Son, this Z is worth at least forty lakhs."
The number hit the crowd like a shockwave.
People stared wide-eyed at the glowing stone in Om's hand.
"Who is that guy?" someone whispered from the crowd.
"Keep your voice down," another replied instantly. "That's one of the biggest names in India's Z business. And not just that—his eye for Z is unmatched. That's business tycoon Yuvraj Chauhan… the man people say brought a revolution in the Z trade."
At that moment, Seema—who had been silently watching everything in disbelief—finally spoke.
"Dad…"
Om turned toward her, confused.
Dad?
Yuvraj looked at her and smiled warmly.
"Ah, Seemu, my girl. So… this Z was picked by your friend?"
His gaze shifted to Om.
Om scratched his head slightly and gave an awkward smile.
"Hello, Uncle… my name is Om."
Yuvraj nodded, then got straight to the point.
"Young man, would you like to sell this Z to me for forty lakhs?"
He spoke casually, as if he were asking for something trivial, while lightly twirling his thick, royal-style moustache.
Om paused for a second… then simply handed the stone to Seema.
"Well… I bought it because of Seema anyway. So you should ask her. If she wants to sell it, that's her call."
No hesitation. No greed. Nothing.
Seema blinked, stunned, holding the two glowing halves in her hands.
"W-what… seriously?"
She stared at the stone.
"I've never seen something like this before… it's so pure. Dad, are you really going to pay that much for this? And Om… are you seriously giving this to me?"
Om just smiled.
"Of course. You're the one who brought me here. So… consider it a thank you gift."
For a moment, Seema didn't say anything.
Then she looked at him.
And in that small, silent exchange—
she understood.
Yuvraj watched the two of them carefully before turning back to Seema.
"So, daughter… will you sell this Z to your father?"
Seema hesitated… just for a second.
Then she glanced at Om again.
He gave her a small, reassuring smile.
That was enough.
She turned back to her father, confidence returning to her voice.
"Of course, Dad. What would I even do with something like this? A gem like this belongs with someone who understands its value."
She paused, then added,
"But… whatever its worth is, transfer the money to Om's account. This is his find."
For a second—
there was silence.
And then Yuvraj burst out laughing.
"Bravo, my girl! Two birds with one stone, huh? You really are my daughter."
He nodded approvingly.
"Alright, son. The money will go straight to your friend's account."
By then, Seema had already handed the Z to Yuvraj's assistant.
The crowd watched as the priceless stone disappeared from sight… a mix of envy and regret in their eyes.
Some cursed their luck.
Others just stared at Om—
as if he had just performed a miracle.
But Yuvraj wasn't done yet.
He stepped closer to Om, holding another stone in his hand—uncut, rough… but this one was different.
Even from the outside, faint green patterns were clearly visible within it.
He held it out toward Om, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"So, young man… tell me something."
His eyes sharpened.
"What kind of Z do you think this is?"
Everyone around them leaned in.
Because this time—
it wasn't about luck.
It was a test.
A real one.
Om took the stone in his hand… and observed it carefully.
Seema and Yuvraj both watched him closely—
waiting.
For his answer.