Riiiiiiing.
Max groaned, his hand lazily swiping at the alarm before he even opened his eyes. His body felt heavy, sluggish from exhaustion, and for a brief moment, he forgot where he was. Then it hit him.
‘Right. This world.’
With a sigh, he rubbed his eyes, forcing himself to sit up. The dim light filtering through the curtains barely illuminated the room, but it was enough. He blinked a few times, his mind slowly catching up to his body.
Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Max pushed himself up and stretched, his joints popping in protest. He rolled his shoulders before dragging himself toward the bathroom.
The cold tiles sent a small shock through his bare feet, but he ignored it, reaching for the shower’s dial. The pipes groaned before water cascaded down, steam slowly filling the small space.
He braced himself, then stepped under the spray, letting the hot water wash away whatever grogginess still clung to him.
…
Max finished his shower, toweling off his hair as he walked into the small dorm kitchen. Opening the cabinets, he found the previous Max’s stash—or lack thereof.
Bread. Just bread.
Max sighed, grabbing a slice and tossing it into the toaster. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing. As he waited for it to crisp, he leaned against the counter, arms crossed.
‘I need to learn how to cook,’ he mused, staring at the bare shelves. The thought of surviving on basic meals for the foreseeable future wasn’t appealing.
The toaster popped, and Max took his sad excuse for breakfast over to his desk. Sitting down, he pulled out his phone while taking a bite of the toast. His curiosity got the better of him—what did entertainment look like in this world?
He scrolled through various videos, most of them information-heavy. There were news updates, historical documentaries, even combat technique breakdowns, but very little in the way of mindless entertainment. No trending music videos, no flashy influencer drama—just knowledge, neatly packaged for consumption.
‘Huh. Guess this world doesn’t do escapism like mine.’
After a few minutes of aimless browsing, he finally settled on something useful.
Beginner’s Guide to Making Potions.
…
Max slipped on his shoes, tightening the laces before standing up and grabbing his bag. With a quiet sigh, he stepped out of his dorm room, shutting the door behind him with a soft click. The hall was already busy with students heading toward their classes, their footsteps echoing off the polished stone floor.
Falling into step with the crowd, Max kept his gaze forward, listening to snippets of conversations as he walked. Some students were still groggy, yawning between words, while others chatted excitedly about today’s lessons. Nexus had an undeniable energy in the mornings, a mix of anticipation and routine.
Outside, the cool air brushed against his face, carrying the scent of damp earth from the previous night’s rain. The academy grounds stretched wide before him—concrete paths winding between towering buildings, banners swaying lightly from the high walls. Even though he had walked this path before, it still felt surreal.
Max arrived at his destination, stopping just short of the door. His eyes landed on the brass plaque mounted at eye level.
A-2
The numbers gleamed under the hallway’s soft lighting, a stark reminder that this was it—his first official class at Nexus. He exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off invisible weight.
The muffled sounds of students talking filtered through the thick wooden door. Laughter, hushed conversations, the occasional scrape of a chair—normal classroom noise. But to Max, it felt like a barrier, one he wasn’t quite ready to cross.
“What are you doing? Get out of the way.” A sharp, impatient voice cut through the hallway noise behind him.
Max turned around, already forming a response, but the words died in his throat the moment he saw her.
His stomach twisted. Dread seeped into his bones.
Of all people…
She was breathtaking, to put it mildly. Her brown hair fell in soft waves just past her shoulders, looking effortlessly perfect, as if every strand was in its rightful place. Piercing baby blue eyes, the kind that could see right through a person, locked onto him with irritation. Her skin was flawless, a complexion unmarred by even the smallest blemish. And that was just her face.
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Max swallowed. Skylar. He had just broken rule number two.
The girl scoffed. "Are you deaf? Move!"
Before Max could react, she pushed past him with enough force to make him step back. She didn’t spare him another glance as she walked into the classroom, her presence commanding attention from the other students inside.
Max looked around the room, taking in the people who unknowingly made up the story of his new life. His eyes moved from Skylar, the tomboyish girl with a confident stance and a touch of rebellion in her eyes, to Ophelia, who already had the sharp, calculating look of someone who’d prefer to be in her lab than dealing with all this nonsense. He could already sense her intelligence, but more importantly, her disdain for the less academic types.
Then there was Takahiro, who radiated arrogance. His uniform was perfectly neat, not a wrinkle in sight, and he carried himself like he was already better than everyone in the room. Max could feel the weight of Takahiro’s smugness even from the back corner.
Lastly, Evelynn, the number one guild leader’s daughter. Her eyes were cold, though it was obvious she didn’t want to show it. Her demeanor was composed, hiding whatever emotions lay beneath the surface, but Max could almost hear the internal struggle.
They were all there—just as they should be, based on everything Max had studied about this world.
Not wanting them to look back, Max pulled out his phone and continued watching his potion video, his focus shifting to the content. The familiar hum of the class around him slowly faded, replaced by the low buzz of the video.
“Attention class!”
Wham—
The ground rumbled, sending a shockwave through the room. The force was so strong that Max’s phone nearly slipped from his hands, and his body jerked from the sudden pressure. A gust of strong wind surged at the class, knocking nearly everyone back. Some students were able to brace themselves, but the rest—like Max—were caught off guard.
He felt himself being shoved back, and with little time to react, Max's head collided with the wall with a sickening crack. The impact shot a sharp sting through his skull, and for a brief moment, his vision blurred.
“Goddammit.” Max groaned, holding the back of his head as a dull ache pulsed there.
“Quit your slacking, there will be none of that in this class.” Isabell spoke out, her voice sharp and commanding, cutting through the low murmur of the class. "I’m Isabell Bauer and will be your instructor for your time at Nexus."
Max’s eyes flicked toward her, his mind processing her words. Isabell, he thought, narrowing his eyes.
Her presence alone demanded attention, as if the air itself thickened when she spoke. She was dangerous, a force to be reckoned with. Rank-wise, she was among the top 200 in the hero rankings, a testament to her skill and strength. But Max knew there was much more to her than just her rank.
Her figure was something that could make even the most stoic person take a second look. With a striking, almost otherworldly beauty, she held an unnerving poise, like someone who knew exactly how to command the room without even trying. Her movements were fluid, deliberate—each one calculated with an elegance that had a certain... power behind it.
Max’s thoughts briefly flickered to her specialty—an art she practiced that made her a lethal opponent to demons. But it wasn’t just physical prowess she was known for. The way she carried herself, the way she spoke—it all held a subtle, almost intoxicating quality. She had a skill that could manipulate emotions and attraction, making it easier for her to fight male demons. The side effect? That same seductive aura worked on human males as well.
Max could already sense it, the effect she had on the room, on the class. Several male students were staring a bit too long, some shifting uncomfortably in their seats. Even the few who had managed to maintain their composure still seemed on edge, almost as if they were subconsciously drawn to her.
It wasn’t lost on Max, how she wielded that power with such control.
“Since this is the first day, it will be short, and we’ll be going over rules and expectations. But first—attendance,” Isabell said, her voice crisp and authoritative.
Max winced as she called his name. “Rank 2789, Maximus Augustus.”
Oh no… I’m the weakest in class, Max thought, the words hanging in the air like a weight on his chest. It wasn’t a new feeling for him—being the lowest ranked always felt like a burden, but hearing it said aloud in such a clinical, almost indifferent tone made it sting all the more.
Max raised his hand in acknowledgment, trying to make himself as small as possible. Isabell’s eyes flicked toward him for just a second, tapping her tablet, and moving on to the next student. The class seemed to breathe a collective sigh of indifference.
She worked her way through the roster, each name ticking by, until she reached the very top.
“Rank 1, Collin Du Plessis.”
The room went quiet.
Max’s breath caught, and his eyes instinctively turned toward the door. The atmosphere shifted as if the very air had thickened with the anticipation of what was to come. The creak of the door echoed, cutting through the silence.
“Sorry I’m late. Something came up.”
Max’s gaze locked onto the newcomer.
Collin Du Plessis.
A figure like a mountain. His black hair fell neatly around his face, and his brown eyes held a depth that spoke of countless battles won. His body was muscular, not in the way of bodybuilders, but in the natural, dangerous strength of a person who had honed every muscle for survival and battle. His presence demanded attention the moment he stepped into the room.
Damn… Max thought, momentarily awestruck by the sheer aura the man radiated. He looks like someone who could single-handedly bring down an entire army.
“Are you Collin?” Isabell asked, her voice still even, betraying no sign of surprise.
“Yes.” Collin’s response was simple, direct. His voice was anxious.
“Take your seat,” Isabell said, barely looking up from her tablet.
Max couldn't help but feel a surge of envy. ‘If it were me, I would've been kicked out for being late. Hell, I’d probably get in trouble for just existing in the same space’. He glanced around the room, noting the looks of awe and almost fear from some of the other students as Collin walked toward his seat. ‘Must be nice being ranked 1.’
Collin took a seat with the ease of someone who was used to being at the top of every room. He didn’t need to prove anything to anyone. No one would challenge him. Max couldn't help but feel the weight of that reality, that gap between their worlds.