The Bloodline System Chapter 5 - Echelon Academy

Gustav, upon realizing his blunder, felt a wave of shame and looked down at the floor in mortification, a silly grin plastered on his face.

"I think I’ll just go with the next set," a man from the crowd announced, then stepped out of the circle. He went more than seven feet away to prevent any disruption to the circle's transport of the remaining individuals inside.

Others joined him soon after, and within moments, only around seven people remained in the circle, including Gustav, leaving plenty of open space.

Zwing!

The teleportation circle sprang to life, vanishing the people inside.

-Thirty minutes later

Gustav at last reached the school grounds. It was impressively vast, rivaling a university in scale, though it served only middle and high school pupils.

A massive sign was displayed at the main entrance.

»ECHELON ACADEMY«

Towering silver edifices dotted the area, each building dedicated to various educational functions.

Luxury cars and sleek hovering vehicles gliding mere inches off the ground flowed through the gates.

As one of the world's six premier cities, Plankton City boasted elite institutions in every corner.

With the second-largest enrollment worldwide, Echelon Academy gained fame for nurturing young talents who later joined the MBO Organization as elite mixedbloods.

The MBO (Mixed Blood Organization) was a governmental body established to manage bloodline-related incidents. Given that mixedbloods could achieve superhuman exploits, ordinary methods and folks couldn't cope with them.

Picture attempting to gun down a mixedblood who zipped faster than light— an impossible challenge for regular humans, hence the MBO's role in tackling villains who abused their bloodlines for malice.

Various MBO divisions addressed specific threats. Certain units patrolled like police, curbing mixedblood crimes on the streets. Others combated mixedblood terrorists and black-market dealers in mixedblood organs.

The galaxy-exploring division earned the highest esteem. Since the Slarkovs' arrival proved extraterrestrial life existed beyond Earth, Slarkov tech enabled human voyages to distant stars, forging alliances with other worlds. Millennia later, humanity continued probing the cosmos.

From childhood, Gustav dreamed of enlisting in the MBO to journey through galaxies, explore alien worlds, and encounter diverse beings. Yet, lacking a potent bloodline rendered that aspiration unattainable, as the MBO boasted the mightiest mixedbloods. Space ventures brimmed with perils, so they prioritized high-grade bloodline recruits for intensive training. At minimum, a C-grade bloodline was required for consideration, followed by four years at the MBO military camp.

-

Gustav dashed into the school premises as swiftly as his legs allowed. While other students arrived via parental transport, he had to trek to his classroom block on foot.

He'd need nearly twenty minutes of sprinting to reach block C, situated on the school's eastern side.

Besides bloodline training for mixedbloods, Echelon Academy covered standard curricula like math and English. Post-high school graduation, mixedbloods could opt for specialized colleges focusing solely on bloodline enhancement if selected. In contrast, high school blended regular academics for all—humans, Slarkovs, or mixedbloods—alongside optional mixedblood activities.

Gustav's hurried run through campus drew curious eyes. Onlookers shot him odd glances.

"Oh, it’s that trash again!" "Why does he still attend this academy?" Students en route to classes in their parents' rides glared at him with scorn.

Though ordinary humans devoid of powers attended the school, they differed from Gustav since their standard bloodlines barred any awakening, keeping them under the radar. But Gustav shamed the mixedblood community with his awakened bloodline. Bloodline tiers dictated societal rank, yet even the weakest earned respect from non-bloodline holders. Gustav's anomaly drew contempt from both mixedbloods and humans; his bloodline lacked any grade or title, unlike others.

Another factor fueling his notoriety was his junior high confession to the academy's loveliest girl, Yuhiko Kaira.

Yuhiko seemed kind and impartial in her dealings, sparking Gustav's affection. An inexplicable burst of bravery led him, three years prior after classes, to approach and declare her as his crush.

Then her real nature emerged. His beloved shattered his heart.

Yuhiko's bloodline let her reshape matter at will. Furious at Gustav's audacity in confessing, she morphed her hairpin into a massive rock and smashed it onto him.

The impact pulverized Gustav's frame, snapping over a hundred bones.

He was literally demolished by his darling.

A teacher intervened, fearing scandal from a student's death on campus, saving his life—otherwise, he'd be gone today.

"Tch, he still came to school today again after I asked him to commit suicide two days ago! Wait till I break all your fingers!" A boy in a blue vehicle gliding along the school path grumbled venomously, eyeing Gustav on the in-car display. The panting, jogging Gustav remained oblivious to the surveillance from the recently passed car.

Nearly twenty minutes of exertion later, he neared three grand 'U'-shaped buildings, silver-hued and opulent, each three stories tall.

"Looks like I made it in time! How did I manage to get here without resting one bit, and I’m not even feeling as tired as I used to?" Gustav pondered while advancing toward the structure.

This upscale section housed the mixedblood students. Gustav belonged to class 3C, entering his senior year; graduation loomed after this term.

Academically, Gustav shone brightly, outscoring all mixedblood peers in subjects like English and math. Yet at this stage, intellect barely mattered.

Even brilliant minds aspiring to science faced rejection from top universities sans a strong bloodline, barring ties to the elite.

Gustav reached his classroom door, nestled between the twin structures.

Upon entering, all eyes turned his way, only to pivot back to the instructor seconds later.

Sneers and scoffs echoed as he shuffled to his isolated seat in the southwest corner, far from the cluster.

The male instructor ignored him entirely, as if he were mere air.

Class setup mirrored a typical room, with desks in neat rows and columns. A wall projection displayed a mixedblood anatomy diagram, illustrating bloodline power flow.

Gustav settled into his solitary spot and tuned into the teacher's lecture.

The instructor discussed their final exams in six months, pivotal for selection by advanced bloodline-training facilities.

Gustav concentrated until a alert chimed in his mind.

A flashing blue rectangle materialized in his upper left vision.

"Damn, I forgot about this," Gustav blurted aloud as a notification unfolded before his eyes.

[Daily task completed (1/3): Travel 3km √ ]

"Daily tasks?" Gustav uttered with a puzzled expression, fixating on the alert.

A prickling unease crept over him, as if needles prodded his skin from all sides.

Noticing the hush, he refocused on the room and saw the class gawking at him.

His eyes bulged in realization—he'd voiced his thoughts outwardly.

"Not only is he trash, but now he’s a mad trash, eh?"

A girl whispered.

Disdain etched every face turned toward him.

The teacher resumed after Gustav rose to offer apologies.

'This damned thing,' Gustav grumbled silently, irked.

[Host is the definition of a damned thing!]

The instant the reply flashed in his view, Gustav almost spat blood.

'This...' He nearly yelled again but restrained himself.

Regaining composure, he recalled the prior message.

'Daily task?'