Military Enlistment

When Adam arrived home, Eve had already made dinner, she had arranged the food on the small dining table they had by the side of the bed, but had not been able to eat without her brother.

When she learned that Arc guards were patrolling the abandoned quadrant with drones and a transporter, she became worried. She saw him fleeing from the gang of bullies that had been tormenting him every day.

When she looked at him, she noticed that, as usual, his uniform was dirty, but there were no bruises on his body, which relieved her of her worries. Although she was safe from harsh treatment and bullying in school, due to her immense potential even as an outcast, she didn't know what she would do if her twin brother were to get seriously injured.

Adam went straight into the shower. After he cleaned up, he dressed and sat by the small dining table.

Eve could not take her eyes off him. Everything about him had changed. His gaze, the air around him, and even his body posture. Adam usually had a slumped posture, always lacking confidence.

But the Adam she was watching right now had an air of confidence around him, his posture was straight and even the gaze he projected was oozing confidence.

She stood and walked towards him as she spoke.

"Adam, did something happen to you? I can tell that you are slightly different than usual. What really happened in quadrant 76?"

Adam ignored her for a second, deep in thought.

"I found something, a way to get stronger." He responded, recalling how every time he was injured, his twin sister Eve would take care of him. Even if she was guaranteed a double awakening and the possibility of transforming into an Ascendant in the process, she didn't abandon him. She was the only person who was truly on his side.

After their conversation and dinner, Adam packed the palates and started washing them in the sink by the side of the small dining table.

From behind, Eve noticed a small patch of greyish-white hair on Adam's head, she reached her hand and touched it, thinking it was dust stuck to his hair, but was shocked to see that a small patch of his hair was truly turning white.

She pointed it to Adam and he went to the mirror to take a look.

As he checks it out, a new system window appears.

This is a sign that your genetic purity percentage is increasing.

As you get closer to becoming a Pure, more patches will appear and your hair will turn completely white when you become a Pure.

Adam was elated by this news, he had confirmed that it was not just possible for him to become an Ascendant, but eventually, he could become a pure as well.

As he went to bed, he opened the system window again.

This time, he opened the stats window.

You have 10 stat points available. Stat points can be distributed across different stat areas of choice.

Current stats:

Agility: 1.

Strength: 1.

Intelligence: 1.

Stamina: 5 out of 5. Train your body through daily tasks to increase your stamina.

HP: 15 of 15. You cannot put stat points into HP.

He couldn't decide how to allocate the stat points, so he closed that window and opened the skills tab.

Skills available: None. Complete missions and earn skills.

He was a little disappointed, but Adam knew he couldn't complain, this was already a big upgrade for him.

He continued to explore the system like a computer using his thoughts.

He noticed that there was a shop function, but it was locked with a small red bar that has something bold written on it.

Reach level 20 to unlock the shop function.

With that, Adam closed the window and went to sleep.

The next morning, both Adam and Eve woke up early and packed their bags immediately after having breakfast, it was the day which they will be officially enrolled for their compulsory military training.

When they arrived at the school compound, many students were already gathered in the compound. Adam was confident, he stood by Eve's side with his resolve strengthened.

The day had come. Adam, Eve, and the other teenagers who had recently turned 18 stood in neat rows, their excitement and nerves palpable. Arc Inferna's military shuttles loomed over them, a sleek, metallic structure that seemed to hum with the energy of impending departure. Uniformed soldiers moved among them, barking orders and directing the flow of young recruits toward the preparation base.

Adam's thoughts were a tangled web of anxiety and determination. The system's interface occasionally flickering before his eyes, though invisible to anyone else. He had resolved to keep his newfound power hidden until he fully understood its capabilities.

Eve stood beside him, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to the chaos around them. She radiated confidence, her pristine uniform a perfect fit for someone destined to rise above her class. Adam envied her resolve but felt a protective instinct rise within him. Whatever awaited them on Arc Aegis, he would ensure her safety.

The shuttle ride to the preparation base was uneventful but tense. Adam gazed out the window as Arc Inferna's sprawling cityscape gave way to the industrial outskirts. The base came into view, a massive compound bristling with antennas and defensive turrets.

It was here that they would undergo their initial preparation before the two-year military training on Arc Aegis. Most of them were entering the military base of Arc Inferna for the first time, except those whose parents serve in the military who would have been there for an occasion before.

Upon arrival, the recruits were herded into a large auditorium. The walls were adorned with banners bearing the insignia of the Human Federation, a symbol of unity and strength, though Adam knew better than to take it at face value. The air was thick with anticipation as a high-ranking officer stepped onto the stage.

"Welcome, recruits," the officer began, his voice booming through the hall.

"Today marks the beginning of your journey to serve humanity. You are the future of our survival against the extremovores that threaten our existence. Remember, discipline and loyalty are your greatest assets. You will be here for a total of three days, during this time, we will check your physical fitness and prepare a report on each of your potentials. On the fourth day, we will depart for Arc Aegis where your full training and awakening will take place."

Adam barely listened. His focus was on the glowing text that appeared on the system window in his vision.

New mission available:

Objective: Survive the Trials of Arc Aegis.

Rewards: Genetic Purification +5%.

The recruits were soon divided into groups and assigned quarters. Adam and Eve were separated, each placed in different dormitories based on gender. Adam found himself in a small, stark room shared with three other recruits, all Ascendant-class. Their disdain for him was evident, but Adam paid them no mind. He was used to the hostility.

The first day of preparation involved physical assessments. The recruits were marched to an open field as soon as they finish taking their bags to their rooms after inspection of their luggage contents.

On the field, there were obstacle courses which had been set up.

Adam observed the Ascendants breeze through the challenges with practiced ease, while the Outcasts struggled to keep up. His turn came, and he moved with surprising agility, a result of the system's subtle enhancements. Though he didn't outperform the Ascendants, he completed the course with a quiet determination that earned a few curious glances.

The physical fitness tests continued throughout the rest of the day.

When it was evening, the students were brought to a lecture hall where they were lectured on history of the Arcs and humanity's struggle for survival.

Adam noted the sanitized version of events, designed to inspire loyalty to the military rather than reveal the harsh truths. When the lesson was over, the students were dismissed to get back to their dorms and rest.

Later that night, Adam sat on his bunk, reviewing the system's interface. The stat points he'd earned beckoned to be distributed, but he hesitated. Strength? Agility? Intelligence? He needed to choose wisely, especially since he had nobody to guide him.

He distributed 5 stats each to both Agility and strength. His body was enveloped by a slight warmth, indicating a change in his physical ability.

The next morning, the students were gathered at the open field of the base. They were introduced to combat training.

Wooden swords and blunt weapons were handed out, and the students paired up for sparring. Adam was pitted against a smug Ascendant named Marcus, who wasted no time asserting his dominance by attacking Adam as soon as the match began.

Each strike was calculated to humiliate Adam rather than to defeat him.

But Adam endured. He studied Marcus's movements, noting his overconfidence and predictable attack patterns.

When the opportunity arose, Adam sidestepped a wide swing and landed a clean blow to Marcus's ribs. The room fell silent, the recruits stunned by the outcast's audacity.

Marcus snarled and lunged forward again, still in pain, but the instructor intervened, praising Adam's fighting strategy for remaining calm and dealing decisive strikes.

It was a small victory, but it fueled Adam's resolve. Being able to fight against an Ascendant and win right now was his proof that he could survive this, even thrive, if he played his cards right.

That night, Adam met Eve in the dining hall. She was seated with a group of Ascendants who she had won over with her charm.

She caught Adam's eye and gave a subtle nod, a silent applaud for his victory earlier and a promise that they would look out for each other.

"You're adapting well brother," she said later, when they found a moment to talk in private.

"But be careful. The instructors are watching us closely, and not everyone wants us to succeed. We are still outcasts after all." She emphasized.

"I know," Adam replied. "I'll keep my head down."

Eve frowned but didn't press further. She knew her brother's stubbornness well enough to recognize a losing battle.

Whatever had gotten over him, wherever he was drawing strength from did not matter to her, as long as he kept winning, that was all she cared about.

The third and final day of preparation involved a simulation exercise. The students were rallied into one of the military chambers inside the gigantic hull of the arc.

A controlled environment mimicking the surface world.

Inside, a man in decorated military uniform with three silver stars hanging on his shoulders stood before them, there were hundreds of students, each unarmed and confused on what the test will involve.

"Welcome to the last stage of your preparation training, I, Commander Darius will be your instructor today. We will be conducting a survival test with a simulation of what life is like on the surface." The said.

Instantly, the hall filled with murmurs of students.

They have only heard of the surface of the planet from lessons in school, they have seen some videos and pictures. Many of them are starting to panic.

"Keep it down maggots. Did I not say the word simulation?" Commander Darius shouted, resounding over the speakers and putting an end to the student murmurs.

"You will be paired into groups of 5, each of you should find four others and register a group with the soldiers behind the red line over there, those of you standing without groups at the end of the day will automatically become a new group."

"Do not be deceived by the grouping, this is an individual test, the groups are to simulate what our strategies are when we venture to the surface, so choose your team wisely. Your ultimate goal here is to survive." Commander Darius added

Adam looed around and students were already forming groups, as he had expected, the Ascendants were pairing among themselves, leaving the Outcasts to pair among themselves.

He turned to his back and saw his sister Eve walking towards him with a golden-haired boy with green eyes.

"Guess this will be our team then," Adam said but was interrupted by a voice from behind him.

"I will be joining this team!" Marcus said, walking towards them.