NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 23: More Classes
(Stats to look back at in case of needed.)
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 Aptitude: Slightly Above Average
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
Steaming over the stats, the three boys study each component, meticulously noting the different aspects of their assessments.
"Damn, Max, your strength is insane," Randy says, musing over Max's stat sheet.
"Well, your magical stuff is really good too," Max offers the compliment, his enhanced frame shifting as he leans closer to examine the details.
"I mean, it's higher than Alex's, who has the highest Bloodline Tier," Max adds thoughtfully.
Hearing this, Alex scrutinizes his own stats and realizes Max is correct.
'Strange, I thought having such a high bloodline rating would mean I'm really strong in the magical aspects, but it seems I'm missing something here,' Alex contemplates, his transformed eyes scanning the numbers again.
"I will say though, it's really interesting how even with our high Tiers, none of us made the class's top ten list," Alex observes.
"Yeah, true, but I don't see our class ranking on here. I thought it was supposed to have it?" Randy's brow furrows in confusion.
"Now that you mention it, you're right—it doesn't, does it?" Max confirms, leaning back in his chair.
As if knowing they would ask the question, their OSAIs activated simultaneously, each whispering into their respective owner's ear.
"Sir," Alfred's voice murmured to Alex, "your class ranking is currently withheld because, while your raw stats suggest potential to compete with other students, you lack the necessary experience and training time to be fairly measured against them. To ensure your eventual ranking accurately reflects your capabilities, it will be assigned during mid-semester evaluations."
'Makes sense,' Alex thought, nodding slightly at the explanation.
Looking up, he noticed Professor Bain surveying the room with practiced patience, allowing students time to process their stats and rankings.
The professor's keen gaze swept across the classroom, ensuring each student had sufficient opportunity to organize their thoughts before proceeding with the day's remaining agenda.
"Now that you've had sufficient time to review your stats and rankings, you're dismissed for lunch and afternoon classes," Professor Bain announced, punctuating his words with a snap of his fingers. A melodious bell chimed through the room, signaling the end of class.
As students rose from their chairs and filed through the lecture hall, Professor Bain beckoned Alex and his friends over with a subtle gesture. The three boys exchanged glances before approaching their professor's desk.
"Boys, I want to commend your performance today," Professor Bain began, pride evident in his voice. "You handled each test admirably and conducted yourselves with dignity. Your numbers, while fascinating, didn't entirely surprise me. Each of you possesses a unique gift - a particular strength that sets you apart. Moving forward, I hope you'll embrace these talents and develop them to their fullest potential."
He paused, adjusting his glasses. "You have your electives next, correct?"
"Yes, Professor," Randy confirmed.
"Well then, don't dawdle," Professor Bain smiled warmly. "Get some lunch and head to class."
Max's stomach growled in anticipation, drawing a knowing chuckle from their mentor. As they turned to leave, Professor Bain called out one final piece of advice:
"Oh, and do try to make some friends. After today's display, I'm certain many will be eager to connect with you. Don't be shy."
"Okay, Professor," Alex nodded, though internally he couldn't help but think, 'If they don't have ulterior motives, that is.'
With that thought lingering in his mind, Alex led his friends toward the dining hall, already wondering what new challenges awaited them.
Making their way into the bustling dining hall, Alex and his friends navigated the lunch line with practiced ease. Alex selected a chicken sandwich, its fresh aroma promising a satisfying meal, while Max loaded his plate with a mountain of noodles and rice that threatened to spill over the edges - his enhanced physique demanding proportionally enhanced portions.
Reaching their table they all sit down.
Randy takes a thoughtful bite of his burger, his observant gaze sweeping across the crowded hall. The familiar space felt different now, filled with faces both known and unknown from their morning classes.
"There's a lot more people than I thought in our class," Randy mused between bites, watching clusters of students gather at various tables.
"Yeah," Alex replied, recalling his earlier headcount during one of Professor Bain's lengthier lectures. "We've got about 48 in our class alone. And that's just the beginning - there are ten classes per grade, so we're looking at roughly 500 students in our year." He paused, the sheer scale of the Academy's student body sinking in.
The dining hall's grand scale suddenly made more sense, designed to accommodate this small army of aspiring magic users.
"Geez, that's a lot more than what we had at our old school. I mean, our grade had like 200 or something, which I thought was a lot, but 500 is insane to me," Max says, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Yeah, I had a hard time remembering all the names in our grade back home, and I went to school with some of them for six years. Now they want me to remember 500? That's a bit much," Randy adds.
"Well, we do have 10 years here, so I guess we've got time," Randy continues, his voice trailing off thoughtfully.
Hearing mention of their decade-long commitment, the boys can't help but sigh collectively.
"Man, I wish there was just like a simple answer to our problems or something," Max says, pushing his food around his plate.
"Yeah, like a big red button that could make all our problems go away," Randy says wistfully.
"If only, if only," Alex replies rather softly.
The mood at the dinner table grows more somber as the boys quietly finish their food, preparing to leave for their next class.
"Well, I guess I'll see you guys after class then," Randy says, rising from his seat since his class starts earlier than both Max's and Alex's.
"Yeah man, see you later," Alex says, waving as Randy walks down the hallway toward the Research sector where his enchanting elective takes place.
"Yeah, I guess I should head back since I need to shower and change before Boxing Class. My OSAI mentioned I need to wear a special uniform that should have arrived at the dorm," Max says, standing to collect his plate, which gleams spotlessly clean - a testament to his hearty appetite.
"Alright then, I'm going to head over to my class early. I'll see you later then." Alex replies, gathering his own empty plate.
"See you later, man," Max calls out, already turning toward their dorm room.
Making his way through the Academy, Alex observes how each sector's architecture shifts and transforms. The hallways flow from one distinct style to another, each transition marking invisible boundaries between the Academy's specialized domains.
The Dining Hall, where he began his journey, embraces warm, rich colors and ornate designs that elevate the simple act of eating into something almost ceremonial.
The contrast strikes Alex immediately as he enters the Art sector - where the Dining Hall embraced warmth, these halls command attention with their imposing height and cathedral-like grandeur. Gone are the intimate, welcoming tones, replaced by cooler hues that stretch upward to vaulted ceilings adorned with intricate frescos.
As he traverses the polished floors, Alex finds himself surrounded by an encyclopedia of artistic achievement carved into the very walls. Delicate reliefs of instruments dance across stone surfaces - harps whose strings seem to shimmer in the ethereal light, drums that almost pulse with phantom rhythms.
Paintings and sculptures flow seamlessly into architectural elements, as if the entire sector serves as one massive canvas celebrating creativity in all its forms.
Statues of artistic legends stand sentinel along his path, their marble faces bearing expressions of eternal inspiration. Each figure, Alex realizes, tells its own story of magical mastery through creative expression - composers who wove spells through symphony, painters who captured soul-essence in oils, sculptors who breathed life into stone.
Their legacy lives on in every corner of this hallowed space, transforming a simple corridor into a gallery of artistic transcendence.
Lost in the grandeur of the hallway, Alex nearly forgets to follow Alfred's guidance to his piano class. His transformed eyes catch ethereal reflections off the polished surfaces as he makes his way forward, each step echoing with subtle resonance through the artistic domain.
He arrives at an airlock-style entrance, its design suggesting a space where sound itself is held sacred. Stepping through, Alex finds himself in a chamber that combines intimate performance space with academic functionality - a raised stage hosts several gleaming pianos while tiered spectator seating rises in elegant curves.
A solitary student already occupies one of the chairs, small earpieces visible as they study what appears to be sheet music with intense concentration.
Finding a spot among the ascending rows, Alex settles in to wait for class to begin. His mind naturally drifts to the day's events, particularly that moment of profound connection with his bloodline's power. Following an instinct he doesn't quite understand, he closes his eyes and attempts to recreate that extraordinary sensation.
He reaches inward, searching for that place where bloodline and soul had stirred so powerfully before. His hand finds his chest, using his heartbeat as a metronome to guide the subtle pulse of mana through his system.
With each measured breath, Alex grows more aware of his bloodline's true nature - not just an addition to his being, but an integral part of his genetic makeup, as fundamental as the color of his eyes or the rhythm of his pulse.
The soul-force flows differently, he realizes, like liquid starlight filling the vessel of his form. While his bloodline weaves through every fiber of his physical self, his soul exists as something more ethereal - a cosmic essence temporarily housed within mortal flesh. The distinction feels crucial, though Alex can't yet grasp why.
Touching upon his senses, Alex felt that his nerves were his greatest connect to the mana in his body. Reconnecting that feeling to his nerves, he senses the mana he absorbed coursing through them like lava in a river - slow, hot, and dangerous, as if touching them could lead to disaster.
Knowing that he might be overstepping his bounds, Alex stops and opens his eyes, hoping to see if the professor has arrived yet. However, what he spots is a little different. Sitting right next to him on his right, another student has kicked up his legs on the chair in front of him. The student, as if feeling Alex's gaze, turns to look at him with a big smile.
'Who are you?' Alex thinks
Pulling his feet back down, the student extends his hand for a handshake. "Hey man, the name's Han. I'm in the same class as you, and since I didn't know anyone else in the room, I thought I'd sit next to you. Hope you don't mind," Han says, waiting for Alex to shake his hand in return.