Ancestors of the Lost Heroes: Journey in Another World

After completing all tests, Professor Bain stands before his class, his expression bright with satisfaction. "Excellent work, everyone. With the data collected, I'll compile comprehensive stat sheets for each of you, establishing your baseline capabilities. When we conduct our end-of-semester reevaluation, these numbers will serve as concrete markers of your progress."

His smile widens as he continues, warmth radiating from his scholarly demeanor. "I must commend this entire class. Your collective performance exceeds our historical average by 15% - a remarkable achievement that bodes well for our future. The Academy will need strong warriors in the days ahead, and you've all demonstrated tremendous potential."

A wave of pride sweeps through the assembled students, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten in the glow of their professor's praise. Despite muscles aching from countless trials and minds weary from intense concentration, their hearts soar with accomplishment. Even the most reserved among them can't suppress small smiles of satisfaction.

Professor Bain's keen eyes note their fatigue - the slight sway in their stances, the barely stifled yawns. His tone softens accordingly. "I can see you're all fatigued from today's trials, so let's return to our classroom. There, I'll distribute your individual assessments and explain the significance of each metric. Afterward, you'll be free to rest and reflect on your accomplishments."

He pauses, surveying the assembled students with paternal pride. "Is that understood?"

"Yes, Professor," comes the unified response, their voices blending weariness with eager anticipation.

"Very good." Professor Bain turns to their class representative, who stands perfectly poised despite the day's rigors. "Emma, if you would lead the way?"

"Yes, Sir." Emma steps forward with practiced grace, her bearing remaining impeccable.

'How the hell is she still standing?' Alex wonders, watching Emma's unwavering posture with a mixture of awe and envy. Once brimming with youthful energy, he now shuffles along like a particularly exhausted zombie. The tests had grown progressively more demanding as hours ticked by, each new challenge pushing them further beyond their limits.

Adding insult to injury, Professor Bain had revealed that their remaining energy and stamina were part of the evaluation - a detail that makes Alex wince internally. While his performance in that particular metric left much to be desired, he can't help but feel satisfied with his overall showing. For someone thrust into this world without warning, awakening an extraordinary bloodline and navigating unfamiliar trials, he'd acquitted himself remarkably well. True, his raw magical power had proven exceptional, but his other abilities clearly needed work.

"Holy moly, I don't know about you guys, but I'm completely cooked," Randy groans, his usual composure replaced by bone-deep exhaustion.

"Yeah, man," Alex replies, massaging his protesting leg muscles. "All that physical stuff really did a number on me."

Max, his enhanced frame showing no signs of fatigue, shrugs casually. "I don't know what you're talking about - the physical tests were a breeze. Now, that magical stuff?" He shudders dramatically. "Whatever that feeling was, I never want to experience it again." His athletic build, already impressive on Earth, had translated perfectly into his bloodline awakening, amplifying his natural physical prowess while leaving him surprisingly vulnerable to magical strain.

"Of course you had no trouble with the athletic stuff," Randy complains, his exhaustion making his words sharper than intended. "You were already a freak athlete on Earth, and now you come here and get buffed? Seriously bro, you need to be nerfed - you're too strong."

Max grins, his enhanced frame practically radiating smugness. "Hey, you'll have your own special talents, you little four-eyed freak. I bet you'll get tentacle magic powers - wrapping people up and throwing them around like some deep-sea monster from the abyss."

"Ha...har," Randy manages weakly, his head drooping lower with each step. "I don't even have the energy to fight back. I just want my bed and about twelve hours of uninterrupted sleep."

Alex chuckles, nudging his friend's shoulder supportively. "Come on, just stay awake until we get our stats. Then you can hibernate all you want." His gentle teasing draws a reluctant smile from Randy's exhausted features.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Randy sighs in defeat, though the corners of his mouth twitch upward despite his best efforts to maintain his miserable expression.

Back in their homeroom, the three boys sink into their seats, their bodies grateful for the respite. Their attention fixes on Professor Bain as he methodically arranges his materials around the podium. With practiced precision, he slots a stone tablet into what appears to be some kind of magical projector - likely, Alex realizes, the device that will reveal their class rankings.

The tension in the air becomes almost tangible as students await their rankings, this final revelation drawing on their last reserves of energy. Even those who had been slouching in exhaustion now sit straighter, their attention razor-sharp despite their fatigue. Each student finds their place, the subtle rustling of uniforms and scraping of chairs gradually falling silent as Professor Bain completes his preparations.

"Now," Professor Bain begins, his voice carrying the perfect blend of authority and reassurance, "before I reveal your class rankings, I want to emphasize something crucial." He pauses, making eye contact with various students, ensuring his words reach every corner of the room. "These rankings are not set in stone. They can shift weekly or monthly, influenced by your class performance, academic grades, and earned merits."

His gaze softens as it sweeps across the more anxious faces in the room. "So if you find yourself with a lower ranking than expected, remember - this is merely a starting point, not your destiny. Consider it a measure of how much room you have to grow, how far you can climb before reaching the summit of your potential."

The professor's words seem to release some of the tension, though anticipation still crackles through the air like static before a storm. Students exchange glances, some nervous, others determined, all waiting to discover where they stand at the beginning of their magical journey.

Seeing each of his students release their tension, Professor Bain's lips curved into a knowing smile. Without further ceremony, he announced, "Your class rankings."

With a precise snap of his fingers, the rankings materialized before them - a shimmering hologram that commanded attention. The top ten names blazed in bold, pristine text, each accompanied by a luminescent 'U' that displayed their individual statistics and class position.

Alex's transformed eyes traced down the ethereal display, lingering on each name:

Emma Everbloom - her name burning bright at the apex, a testament to her position.

'Makes sense,' Alex mused, 'she's class representative for a reason.'

Leon Etherthred - the vampire noble's name gleaming with aristocratic pride.

Sarah Frostweave - her name crystalline and sharp as winter.

Victor Tempestus - storm magic crackling faintly around his displayed status.

Marcus Ferrothorn - his scores reinforced by metallic sheen.

James Blackthorn - shadows seeming to dance around his ranking.

Stella Astralith - celestial light adorning her position.

Diana Luminarch - divine energy illuminating her spot.

Lucas Veilspire - his name shifting like morning mist.

Thomas Duskborne - vampiric crimson tinting his display.

Seeing the top ten names, the students erupt into a roar of excitement. While Emma's first-place position surprises no one, the remaining rankings spark intense debate and speculation. Reading down the list reveals a predictable pattern - most positions are claimed by scions of the ten families ruling the United Front, with only a few notable exceptions. Among these surprises stands Stella, the love child of the Astralith patriarch and Sarah Frostweave from a lesser-known noble family.

Alex glances at Stella, noting how she maintains an air of casual indifference about her seventh-place ranking, though her satisfaction radiates through her carefully composed expression. Her nonchalant demeanor suggests she'd anticipated this outcome all along.

However, unlike Stella, some students harbored darker feelings about the outcome. Among them stood Victor Tempestus, third in line of the prestigious Tempestus family.

Rising from his seat, Victor's face contorted with anger and anguish, unable to accept ranking below what he considered lesser nobility. "Professor, surely there must be some mistake!" His voice carried the weight of wounded pride. "How could I possibly rank lower than this unknown Forstweave?"

His accusatory finger jabbed toward Sarah, who responded with calculated indifference. She merely brushed her ice-white hair behind her ears with elegant precision, treating Victor's outburst as nothing more than background noise. Her dismissive demeanor only reinforced her queenly bearing - one who listens to commoners' complaints out of obligation rather than interest.

"Pipe down, young Tempestus!" Professor Bain's voice cracked through the air like thunder, louder than he'd spoken all day. "You're decades away from having the right to question my inquiries!" For in the realm of magical academia, no insult cut deeper than questioning an Arcane Scientist's research.

Victor, suddenly aware of his transgression, sank back into his seat. Though his tongue remained still, his eyes burned with barely contained fury as he glared at Sarah, regarding her as if she were darkness incarnate.

The classroom absorbed the drama like a sponge soaking up spilled wine, students savoring every moment of the spectacle before returning to their own discussions about the test results, their whispered conversations creating a gentle buzz of excitement.

"Hey, what stats did you guys get?" Randy asked, more interested in comparing notes with his friends than dwelling on the room's tension.

Alex glanced down at his personal assessment, where the results for all three friends were clearly displayed.

ALEX LUNARIA Average Physical Stats (F-Tier 12):

Combat Experience: Minimal

Physical Strength: Below Average

Speed: Average

Technique: Poor

Stamina: Average

Bloodline Aptitude: Exceptional

Bloodline Stats (E-Tier 35):

Bloodline Type: Gravity

Mana Absorption: Exceptional

Mana Control: Untrained

Special Features: Purple eyes with rotating golden triangular pupils. Enhanced spatial perception

Soul rank: Adept (unusual for initiate)

MAX GREYSON Physical Stats (E-Tier 27):

Combat Experience: Basic

Physical Strength: Enhanced (Minotaur bloodline)

Speed: Above Average

Technique: Developing

Stamina: High

Special Features: Enhanced skeletal structure

Bloodline Stats (F-Tier 15):

Bloodline Type: Blood Art (Minotaur King lineage)

Mana Control: Low

Physical Enhancement: High

Special Features: Reinforced bones, enhanced physical growth

RANDY OSWALD Physical Stats (F-Tier 15):

Combat Experience: Minimal

Physical Strength: Average

Speed: Average

Technique: Developing

Stamina: Average

Bloodline Stats (D-Tier 23):

Bloodline Type: Necrotic/Lich

Mana Control: Above Average

Magical Aptitude: High

Special Features: Transformed heart (lich core), enhanced magical capacity, natural affinity for death magic