The Rise of Max bladeheart

Chapter 5: XAO Academy

Chapter 5: XAO Academy

Max experienced intense embarrassment while standing in the teleportation circle because people silently judged him as he shifted his body position.

The executive who stood nearest to him showed his disgust through a slight nose scrunch while keeping his distaste hidden. The man paused for a brief instant before he retreated multiple steps from the circle.

The man left the circle to wait for the next set of teleportation.

Several other passengers joined the exodus by moving away from the circle while exchanging quiet comments. The wide teleportation array lost most of its passengers within seconds so that only Max and a few others remained standing.

Zwing!

The blue light surrounded them before they disappeared in an instant.

Thirty Minutes Later

The journey ended when Max reached his final destination.

The vast XAO Academy campus extended before him as an awe-inspiring sight that always left him speechless. This educational establishment stood apart from traditional schools because its building design reminded students of a defensive structure through silver edifices with energy-conducting lighting units that united their heights through aerial connective pathways.

A massive sign stood at the entrance with bold metallic blue letters that shimmered in the air.

» XAO ACADEMY «

Max exhaled slowly. The experience of entering these grounds remained surreal to him even after multiple years of attendance.

The academy gained worldwide recognition as it trained the best Xeon Agents from BB City and other regions. Acting as an educational institution served as its secondary role although its actual purpose surpassed the educational mission. The XAO (Xeon Agents Organization) shaped its future leadership at this location.

The organization operated as a worldwide force which dedicated itself to protecting against supernatural threats from individuals with special abilities. Rising interplanetary conflicts and unsanctioned genetic modifications and extraterrestrial incursions and rogue Xeon threats made the XAO the primary organization serving as the first and sole defending force.

Among its many branches, the most revered was the Galactic Division, tasked with deep-space exploration and interplanetary security. They traveled beyond the solar system, engaging in diplomacy, warfare, and research on behalf of humanity.

It had always been Max’s dream to join them.

To leave this city.

To see other worlds.

To prove himself.

But dreams meant little without power.

And up until now, power had always been something he lacked.

Max shook off his thoughts and hurried forward. Unlike his classmates, who arrived in sleek floating vehicles or were escorted by their influential families, he had to make his way on foot.

Reaching his assigned building—Block C—would take nearly twenty minutes of non-stop running, given its location in the academy’s eastern sector.

His feet pounded against the pavement as he took off, dodging between groups of students and ignoring the sideways glances thrown his way.

Within the Academy Grounds

The students of XAO Academy were far from ordinary. Some were humans training in advanced combat techniques, others were modified beings with enhanced abilities, and a select few were true Xeons—individuals whose genetic structures had fused with foreign elements, granting them supernatural powers.

The academy curriculum was rigorous, combining standard education with elite combat training, Xeon energy manipulation, and planetary diplomacy. Graduates often went on to become agents, researchers, or elite mercenaries working under the organization.

Despite this diversity, there was one thing all the students shared—a clear hierarchy.

At the very top were the A-rank and B-rank students, the prodigies born with powerful Xeon abilities. Below them were the C-rankers, skilled but not extraordinary. Then came the D-rankers, those considered passable but unremarkable.

And at the very bottom…

There was Max.

Not even ranked.

Not even worth acknowledging.

As he sprinted, whispers and sneers followed him like a shadow.

“Tch, it’s him again.”

“Why does he still bother showing up?”

“Maybe he finally unlocked something useful?”

A scoff.

“Doubt it. Even among the failures, he’s the worst.”

Max gritted his teeth but didn’t slow down. He had long since grown numb to their words.

Unlike the other “normals” in the academy—students who lacked Xeon abilities but came from wealthy backgrounds—Max’s situation was different.

He should have awakened a power.

He should have had a rank.

Instead, his awakening had been a disaster.

While others manifested elemental control, superhuman speed, or genetic enhancements, his Xeon Evaluation had resulted in… nothing.

A system error.

A complete rejection of his potential.

No rank.

No classification.

No abilities.

His very existence was an embarrassment to the academy’s standards.

And to make matters worse, he was infamous for another reason.

Three Years Ago…

Back in junior high, Max had made the mistake of falling for Yura Kaelis—one of the most powerful and beautiful students in the academy.

She was strong. Elegant. Intelligent. Everything he admired.

And, more importantly, she had always seemed… kind.

Encouraging.

Like someone who saw past social ranks.

So, one day, after gathering every ounce of courage he had, he confessed.

Right in front of her classmates.

And she had laughed.

Not just laughed—mocked him with cruel amusement, her golden eyes gleaming with malice.

“How dare you?” she had sneered, voice dripping with contempt.

Then, as if to drive the point home, she had activated her ability—Matter Reconstruction—and transformed the small hairpin in her hand into a solid, crushing boulder.

And dropped it on him.

Max had nearly died that day, every bone in his body shattered under the weight. He had only survived because a passing instructor had intervened at the last moment, furious that a student might die on academy grounds.

Since then, his reputation had been cemented.

He was the trash who had dared to reach beyond his status.

The fool who had been crushed by his own crush.

Present Time

Max shook off the memory and focused on his breathing.

He was nearing his class. Three large, silver buildings arranged in a U-shape loomed ahead, each one belonging to a different level of mixed-rank students. His assigned class—3C—was in the middle.

As he reached the doors, a single thought flickered through his mind.

"How did I run all this way without stopping?"

Usually, he would have been gasping for air by now, his body burning with exhaustion. But today…

He felt fine.

In fact, he felt better than ever.

Is this because of the system?

Before he could dwell on it, he stepped inside.

Classroom 3C

The moment he entered, every conversation in the room halted.

Dozens of students turned to stare.

Then, just as quickly, they dismissed him, returning their attention to the front.

Max clenched his jaw and made his way to his usual spot—the very back corner of the classroom, isolated from the rest.

The instructor, a tall man with sharp features, didn’t even glance his way.

It was as if he didn’t exist.

As Max sat down, a large projection illuminated the front wall, displaying a detailed anatomical chart of a Xeon host, energy pathways glowing faintly.

The instructor cleared his throat.

“In six months,” he announced, “your final examinations will determine whether you qualify for higher Xeon training or if your journey ends here.”

A ripple of tension passed through the students.

But before Max could process the weight of that statement—

Ding!

A sharp chime rang in his mind.

A glowing blue notification appeared at the top left of his vision.

Max blinked.

"Wait… what?"

[Daily Task Completed (1/3): Travel 3km √ ]

Max’s heart skipped a beat.

He had completely forgotten about the system.

"Daily tasks?"

The moment he muttered the words, another notification popped up.

[Host is the definition of a daily disappointment.]

Max nearly coughed up blood.