I became a god through archaeology in the Wizarding World.

When Rhodes returned to the main passage of the underground hall, Professor Isaac was lying face down in front of the huge mural, holding a magnifying glass, his whole body almost pressed against the wall.

"Professor?" Rhodes called softly, his voice carrying just the right amount of weakness.

"Oh! Rod! You're back!"

Professor Isaac whirled around, his face flushed with fervor, completely oblivious to Rhodes's slightly pale expression: "You'll never guess what I've discovered! It's absolutely revolutionary!"

Pointing to a series of intricate lines on the mural, the professor exclaimed excitedly, "I always thought this was just some kind of ritual pattern, but I was wrong! Completely wrong! This is actually an instruction manual! An instruction manual for a kinetic energy transmission device!"

"You mean...those ancient weapons?" Rhodes feigned surprise.

"That's right!"

The professor waved his arms: "Ancient mortals didn't possess magic, but they discovered a special technique for generating force and a mechanical structure. Through specific muscle resonance and the lever principle, they could amplify minute forces several times over in an instant, thereby driving those heavy, massive weapons! That's why those mortal warriors could wield spears weighing hundreds of pounds!"

Rhodes' heart skipped a beat.

Although the professor's theory was explaining mortal technology, it surprisingly coincided with the feeling he had when he used the [Steel Mane Giant Arm] earlier.

That kind of muscle rhythm is indeed an extremely sophisticated way of transmitting power.

"I see……"

Rhodes nodded, a thoughtful look in his eyes, and went along with it, saying, "Professor, now that you mention it, I did have a strange feeling when I was moving those rubble stones earlier."

"Oh?" The professor stopped what he was doing and looked at him curiously.

"I tried to imitate the postures of the warriors in those murals to exert force..."

Rhodes raised his still slightly sore right arm and made a loose clenching motion in the air: "I feel like the power in my body is flowing more smoothly, and lifting stones isn't as strenuous. Perhaps, this is what you meant by kinetic energy transfer?"

"Really?!"

Professor Isaac's eyes lit up, as if he had found a kindred spirit: "I knew it! This technology really exists! Rhodes, you have a great understanding! This proves that the human body contains enormous potential; we just forgot how to unlock it!"

The professor patted Rhodes on the shoulder excitedly, but then his expression darkened, and he sighed, "What a pity. This kind of skill is worthless in the eyes of those arrogant wizards. The annual assessment is in three days, and those guys in the registrar's office won't give you extra points just because you can move stones."

The atmosphere immediately became more serious when the topic of performance evaluation came up.

"Professor, has the specific format of this assessment been finalized?" Rhodes asked casually as he packed up his rubbing tools.

"It's settled, it's the same old thing, but even more disgusting than in previous years."

Professor Isaac said indignantly, "The morning exam is a written theory test, which I'm not worried about. Your background in history is enough to handle the basic magic runes. The key is the practical combat in the afternoon."

The professor paused, looking at Rhodes with a strange expression, then lowered his voice, his tone filled with deep worry: "I heard that because that unlucky Kane died in the Misty Forest, the enforcement team, in an effort to save face, has deliberately increased the difficulty of the practical combat. All non-combat apprentices, including teaching assistants like you, will be thrown into the Dark Arena to face a hungry magical beast, or... a randomly selected combat apprentice."

"Random selection?"

Rhodes raised an eyebrow: "That doesn't sound very fair."

"Fairness? At Royal Academy, might makes right."

The professor smiled wryly, "And I've heard that that deadbeat named Brutus has an older brother who's a full member of the enforcement team. He might rig the draw so you're directly matched against those prospective wizards who are already preparing to become full wizards."

Rhodes paused slightly before resuming his movements, something he had anticipated.

"If that's the case, I'm afraid I'm in grave danger." Rhodes' voice remained calm, showing no sign of fear.

"So, for the next three days, don't worry about any relics!"

The professor anxiously pulled a bottle of pale blue potion from his pocket and handed it to Rhodes: "This is a minor swiftness potion that I bought from that old woman in the potion department with my own money. Although it only lasts for a few minutes, it can make you run faster in critical moments."

Remember, Rhodes, the assessment is important, but life is more important. If you really can't win, just admit defeat. At worst, we'll leave the academy and become full-time miners for His Majesty the King!

Looking at the warm bottle of medicine in his hand, Rhodes felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

Although this old man is usually crazy, he is really good to himself.

"Thank you, Professor."

Rhodes put away the potion: "However, I might not lose so easily. I found that power-generating technique quite useful. Maybe I can give those arrogant combat apprentices a surprise."

"Why won't you listen to advice, child..." The professor shook his head, taking it as Rod's attempt to comfort him.

Suddenly, he remembered that Rhodes had secretly become a wizard, and that Kane had most likely been dealt with by him.

Thinking this way, he stopped trying to persuade her.

......

The two, carrying the rubbings of the data and several specimens, returned to the ground via the spiral staircase.

By this time, it was completely dark.

After escorting the professor back to his office and settling him in, Rhodes declined the professor's suggestion that he take two days off and instead went straight back to his dormitory.

He locked the door from the inside and hung up a "Do Not Disturb" sign.

There are three days left until the annual performance review.

These three days might be an anxious period of last-minute preparation for others, but for Rhodes, it is a golden window to transform his newly acquired power into practical combat ability.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, with several high-purity magic stones he had obtained from the king and several bottles of recovery potions he had bought from the black market in front of him.

"Enforcement team, senior apprentice, Warcraft..."

Rhodes mentally reviewed the information the professor had just revealed: "It seems many people want to cripple me in front of everyone, legitimately and without cause."

"【Steel Mane】has extremely high burst damage, but its attack range is limited and its pre-attack animation is obvious."

Rhodes raised his left hand, and from his fingertips, a verdant vine, like a serpent, slowly extended and moved silently through the air.

"If we first use [Poison Ivy] to bind the enemy, even if it's just for a second..."

Rhodes looked at his right hand. Although it hadn't mutated, he could feel the metallic power lurking deep within his bones.

"Then follow up with a point-blank [Steel Mane Shot], or simply smash it down with [Giant Arm]..."

A terrifying combo was taking shape in his mind.

Control + Burst.

This is the simplest, and also the most unsolvable, tactic.

"Furthermore, I also have moonlight mimicry."

Rhodes closed his eyes and began to meditate.

He wanted to use these three days to memorize this combo into his muscle memory and maximize the efficiency of magic flow.

The moonlight from the window shone on Rhodes, and his breathing gradually became long and deep.