Change

Lianyi brought Reilo to the second floor.

She turned on the crystal lamp in the room. Reilo looked at the familiar furnishings, which were exactly the same as in his previous room. Even the simple workbench made from a worn-out wooden table had been moved over.

Disbelief and surprise flashed in his eyes!

"Your mentor moved all these. He said every scholar needs a familiar research environment. Don't be fooled by your mentor's usual taciturn nature; when it comes to academic matters, he's incredibly serious. Don't blame him for his cold demeanor either; he's just a rigid old man who dedicates his life to research."

Reilo pursed his lips and nodded happily.

Seeing this, Lianyi smiled faintly.

"Your senior sister lives in the room next door, and your mentor and I live on the third floor. He likes to go to the rooftop to observe the stars late at night. You should rest well here. I've already spoken to your senior sister; you're not allowed to be disturbed today."

"Hee hee hee."

Bailing, standing nearby, waved and chuckled, "Goodnight, junior brother."

"Goodnight, senior sister!"

A moment later.

Lianyi departed. Reilo quietly closed the door and turned to survey the room.

Besides the furniture from his rented room, there were new pieces. A painting hung on the wall, depicting fields of sunflowers with children laughing brightly under the sun.

He lay down on the bed, sinking into the soft mattress that emitted a subtle, pleasant fragrance. Reilo looked around the room, overwhelmed by an unprecedented sense of happiness.

"Mentor… Right, the Star Core Necklace!"

Reilo eagerly began to study the Star Core that had merged with him.

"According to the elder's residual information, the Star Core contains data on resources with trading value on the continents already explored in this world, as well as the Self-Control skill, a product of his lifelong wisdom."

The resource information recorded by the Star Core was easy to understand; it was the Star Core's appraisal ability.

If the information was true, it meant that the numerous human Duchies, Elves, Dwarves, werewolves, vampires, Gnomes, Dwarves, Barbarians, and so on, all these familiar regions combined, only made up a tiny fraction of the Star Curtain Continent?

"Self-Control."

As Reilo murmured the words, the characters for Self-Control suddenly appeared before him.

Self-Control was an auxiliary ability created by the elder in this world to better adapt to it. According to him, this world seemed very different from the Aurora world he inhabited.

Reilo couldn't imagine what other worlds were like. Even his understanding of the Star Curtain world was limited to the regions near the human Duchies.

Reilo continued to read the brief introduction to the first stage of Self-Control.

First Stage: Muscular Self-Control.

Limited by the energy supply from food, the human body normally only utilizes twenty percent of its capacity. Only in extremely rare crisis situations does it unlock its potential and unleash one hundred percent of its power.

By refining a corrosive blood-flesh toxin to create a crisis for the cells, and then administering an antidote, the continuous process of poisoning and detoxification stimulates adrenaline secretion, enhancing the body's adaptability to adrenaline and gradually liberating one hundred percent of the body's cellular potential.

Huh?

"According to the explanation of the first stage of Self-Control, humans can only utilize twenty to thirty percent of their bodily functions on a normal basis?"

Reilo couldn't comprehend why so much excess bodily function was hidden away.

After a long while, Reilo shook his head.

"If the theory is true, this method of growth that goes against the body's natural functions must come at a price. Otherwise, the growth method is too absurd, requiring constant poisoning and detoxification to stimulate the body's adaptability! Based on my body's reactions, I'd likely die of kidney failure this way. I absolutely cannot experiment rashly; I must research it cautiously…"

Time passed. Lost in thought, Reilo drifted into a deep sleep.

The next day.

Compared to the academy's once lively atmosphere, filled with wandering scholars, shrewd merchants, and all sorts of mercenaries, the Grand Natural Academy was now noticeably more desolate and quiet.

It was as if the academy had undergone a drastic change overnight.

Following Gubo, Reilo felt unaccustomed and glanced around, observing the changes.

Fully armed knights of the Light Church were openly patrolling the Grand Natural Academy, constantly questioning passersby, tirelessly searching house by house, and interrogating every shop. Those being investigated were all extremely cautious.

"Halt!"

A Light Knight in silver metal armor, wielding a greatsword, stopped a mercenary clad in beast hide on horseback. The metal longsword pointed directly at the mercenary, a silent warning that any unusual movement would be deemed heresy and met with the harshest punishment.

"What are you doing? Why are you at the academy? Where are you going, and who are you looking for?"

Their armor was far superior to the knightly guards kept by nobles, and one could faintly sense the blessing of Light power upon it.

The towering knight, over two meters tall, astride his warhorse, revealed only his eyes through the slits of his metal helmet, scrutinizing the mercenary from above.

The mercenary in the beast-hide coat might have been stronger than the inspecting Light Knight, but he dared not make a move. He presented a proof of identity and calmly stated, "I'm going to the Dwarf's Home blacksmith shop to retrieve a weapon I commissioned a month ago."

After a prolonged period, the mercenary, having undergone a strict inspection, was finally allowed to pass by the Light Knight.

Gubo and Reilo, wearing their scholar robes, proceeded relatively peacefully.

"Apply for an identity certificate later. The academy is currently in a sensitive period, so don't get into any conflicts with these Church knights."

After giving his advice, Gubo glanced out the window at the desolate scene of the academy and sighed helplessly, "If this continues, the academy won't be able to conduct normal activities!"

In the dean's office, thick stacks of documents lay on the desk. Gubo was agitated.

"You have three choices: join Class One, a special class for the academy where students are directly dispatched by the royal family and receive the academy's most preferential resources. Join Class Four, which has the highest average grades among this year's freshmen and is the most competitive class for the top one hundred on the elite rankings. Or join Class Eleven, where the current first and second-ranked students on the elite list are both in this class."

Has it really only been less than two months since school started, and the classes have already been separated?

As for the so-called Elite Ranking, it's a ranking of contribution points by the Enlightenment Scholars of each academy to the academy's academics. For scholars, knowledge is power, so this list can also reflect the general strength of the students!

There are three ways to compete for a spot on the academy's Elite Ranking.

The most common is specimen collection. By obtaining natural specimens with research value and contributing them to the academy, students will receive different points based on their value, thus earning Elite Ranking points.

Natural specimens with research value are at least Level 1 magical beasts, or mutated or rare species among Level 0 creatures. It's worth mentioning that any completely new natural specimen that the Grand Royal Academy of Natural Sciences has never collected will be awarded astonishing points!

Next are academic papers.

These can be academic, theoretical, or discovery-based papers. The academy has professional mentors who will grade them and assign corresponding contribution points.

However, because the academic papers of lower-grade students are often similar in the eyes of senior scholars, ordinary academic papers are inevitably rated as garbage, worth only one or two points, or even zero. But a few innovative papers will also be awarded astonishing points!

Finally, there's the annual grade assessment.

The questions vary each year, and the points awarded based on performance differ greatly.

As for the benefits of the Elite Ranking?

Every quarter, students can claim rewards from the academy based on their Elite Ranking points and their needs. These rewards include gold coins, magic tools, alchemy materials, natural specimens, academic papers, research opportunities, and even visits to the Royal Academy of Sciences, or designation of mentors, among other things.

However, the more outrageous the request, the more outrageous the Elite Ranking points required, making it almost impossible to achieve.

While studying with Senior Shatuo, he always reminded Reilo that once he obtained precious natural specimens or had academic inspiration, he should thoroughly research them himself before contributing them to the academy for Elite Ranking points, and not sell them to merchants for short-term gain.

The first and second place students in this year's freshman Elite Ranking are actually in the same class?

Reilo really wanted to say he was going to Class Four to find his friend Orn, but the words caught in his throat. He instinctively changed his mind and said, "Mentor, I want to go to Class Eleven!"

Gubo stared at Reilo and calmly said, "Class Four is more suitable for you."

"No!"

Reilo gritted his teeth, longing in his eyes.

"I must aim for first place on the Elite Ranking, just like Senior Wushuang back then, making all the geniuses of the same year pale in comparison, making all the conceited students of the same year despair, and becoming the ultimate challenge target for all scholars!"

Reilo looked at Gubo, his eyes shining, and added silently in his heart, "This way, I'll earn your personal acknowledgment!"

"Hmph..."

Gubo snorted, it was unclear whether he was mocking Reilo's arrogance and overestimation of his abilities, or if he was moved by Reilo's sharpness and had become interested.

Picking up the quill, Gubo said without any hesitation, "Take this letter of introduction and report to Class Eleven."

"Yes!"

Reilo took the letter of introduction and left the dean's office, heading towards the teaching building.