Michael couldn’t take his eyes off the dean. The man stood tall, his uniform crisp and spotless, arms crossed tightly. His expression was stern, but there was a faint hint of pity in his eyes—pity that only made the moment feel heavier.

“So it’s settled,” the dean said, his voice cold and commanding. “Prepare yourself.”

Michael’s chest tightened. The words echoed in his mind, sharp and unrelenting. “I’ve been drafted?” he asked, his voice low, almost a whisper.

The dean nodded once, slow and deliberate.

Michael’s thoughts were a mess. Weeks ago, he was just an academy student trying to adjust to this strange new world. Now, this? A military draft wasn’t unheard of—he’d heard the rumors—but he had never thought it would come for him. For students like him, the military could mean opportunity, a path to resources and advancement. But this wasn’t peacetime. This was war—against alien invaders on distant border worlds.

Rumors said draftees would be sent to the front lines as reserves. And the mortality rates? Michael had seen the numbers. Casualties often reached over 50%. Even with humanity’s advanced weapons, some alien civilizations had powers that could tear continents apart.

“Dean, isn’t there another way?” Michael asked, his voice shaking slightly. “I’m all my family has left.”

For a moment, the dean’s face softened, but his tone stayed firm. “Michael, everyone must do their part. The draft is our duty. Your service will ensure humanity’s survival.”

He continued, “And there are benefits. Soldiers receive better rations and privileges. Survive a few tours, and you might even be reassigned to a safer post.”

Michael’s blood boiled, though he kept his face calm.

Duty? Survival? Then why don’t you go? What good are rations or privileges if I’m dead? And reassignment? That’s a pipe dream for anyone without connections.

But he didn’t say it. What was the point?

“Yes, sir,” he murmured, though the words felt hollow.

The dean cut him off before he could say more. “That’s enough. Use your time wisely, Michael. Be ready.”

With a heavy nod, Michael left the office. Outside, a small group of students his age waited, their faces pale and tense. No one spoke. They didn’t need to. They all knew what this meant.

He wandered back to his dormitory, the weight in his chest growing heavier with each step. The academy’s halls, once bustling with energy, now seemed cold and foreboding. As he passed by a digital news panel, a headline caught his eye: “Human Alliance Draft Expands: Ensuring Survival Against Alien Aggression.”

Michael sighed, his thoughts dark. A million drafted out of twenty billion. Why did it have to be me?

Reaching his room, Michael sat down heavily. There had to be a way out. Maybe NovaSys can help, he thought. The AI interface, the core intelligence governing the Stellar Human Alliance, held vast knowledge.

“NovaSys,” Michael whispered, activating the system, “what are the conditions for exemption from the draft?”

A cold, mechanical voice filled Michael’s mind. “The compulsory draft falls under Stellar Human Federation Policy 3621, established to ensure stability during interstellar conflicts. Exemptions are granted under specific conditions.”

Michael clenched his fists, listening intently, though he already knew what was coming.

“First,” NovaSys continued, “Ascendants are exempt. These individuals are considered vital to humanity’s survival and development. Their military service can be deferred.”

Michael let out a bitter sigh. Ascendants—those legendary beings who transcended human limits through grueling training, genetic modifications, or mysterious rites. People spoke of them like they were gods among mortals. Michael, though, couldn’t even dream of reaching that level.

NovaSys elaborated as if mocking his thoughts. “Ascendants fall into several categories:

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1. Elemental Ascendants: They trained by bonding with natural elements or forces of nature. There are many varieties of Elemental Ascendants, such as:

Flamekind: These types of Ascendants mainly draw their strength from fire and heat.

Aquatic Sentinels: They merge with water or aquatic energy.

Earthen Titans: They manifest the power of stone, earth, and minerals.

Sky Callers: They harness air and storm-related abilities.

2. Technological Ascendants: These types of Ascendants integrate technology into their bodies or consciousness. There are many varieties of Technological Ascendants such as:

Cyborg Ascendants: Enhance themselves with cybernetic implants.

Digital Minds: Upload consciousness into digital networks or synthetic bodies.

Nano Ascendants: Utilize nanotechnology to enhance physical or mental abilities.

3. Genetic Ascendants: Individuals who achieve evolution through genetic modifications, biological enhancements, or inherited traits. There are many varieties of Genetic Ascendants such as:

Gene Warriors: They are enhanced through genetic serums or engineered DNA.

Bio-Mutants: These people achieve evolution through exposure to radiation, mutation, or experimental serums.

Bloodline Ascendants: They inherit unique traits or abilities from ancient or powerful bloodlines.

4. Beastial Ascendants: These types of Ascendants evolve by bonding with monsters or gaining traits from them. There are many varieties of Beastial Ascendants such as:

Beastkin: They blend human and animal abilities through fusion or lineage.

Predator Lords: They rule over animalistic instincts and primal power.

Totem Ascendants: These people channel energy through sacred animal spirits into their bodies in the form of totems.

Michael’s shoulders slumped as NovaSys continued listing the types. None of this mattered to him. He was just an orphan scraping by with the government’s charity. His meager allowance barely covered food, let alone the genetic serums, training manuals, or equipment needed to walk any of these paths. The gap between him and an Ascendant was a chasm too wide to cross.

"Secondly,” NovaSys continued, “there exist exceptional individuals whose contributions to society are indispensable. Therefore, they are granted immunity from the military draft. Some examples of extraordinary contributions to human civilization are:

1. Scientific Innovators: Visionaries who have reshaped the galaxy through their discoveries are among these. For instance, Dr. Eloin Kesari, whose Infinity Reactor provided unlimited energy to colonized worlds, remains untouchable by military decrees. Contributions like these have built the foundation of interstellar survival.

2. Economic Benefactors: Leaders like Arven Solax, the founder of Nebula Conglomerate, whose economic policies revitalized collapsing frontier colonies, are deemed more critical to civilization in their current roles. These benefactors stabilize economies and ensure prosperity, which helps in reducing the likelihood of future conflicts.

3. Political Immunity: Members of planetary councils and interstellar parliaments, such as Chancellor Kavan Lir and descendants of ancient lineages like the Lirioth family of Centauri Prime are also immune to military policies.

4. Citizen Privileges: Citizenship in Stellar Human Federation civilization is tiered, with benefits awarded to those who have proven their worth. Only Third-tier citizens and above can claim exemption based on their status.

5. Legacy Rights: Families descended from war heroes, like the renowned Dargov family, are granted immunity as a reward for their ancestor’s sacrifices.

6. Specialists in Alien Interaction: Humanity’s expansion into the cosmos has formed unexpected connections, and maintaining these requires exceptional individuals. Scholars like Dr. Zira Volen, who are experts in alien biology and ecosystems, are crucial for mediating treaties between alien species. With their help, war might be avoided, saving countless human lives.

7. Contributions in Lieu of Service: Some families or individuals find other ways to support the war effort. They pay exorbitant fees to equip entire fleets, buying their exemption. Critics call it privilege; supporters call it pragmatism.

8. Exceptional Circumstances: Individuals working on breakthrough experiments—such as time dilation fields to extend planetary lifespans—are protected by high command.

Michael’s jaw tightened as he listened. Everything NovaSys mentioned required power, wealth, or connections—things he lacked entirely.

“Finally,” NovaSys concluded, “developing or providing a new Ascendant pathway is considered a major contribution and grants exemption.”

Michael’s heart sank deeper with every word. A new Ascendant pathway? The idea was absurd. Creating one required immense knowledge, resources, and decades of dedicated research. It wasn’t something you could achieve by accident, let alone as a mere student. This was the kind of achievement that top Ascendant Scholars and scientists spent their entire lives chasing.

Lying back on his bunk that night, he stared at the ceiling, NovaSys’s words replaying in his mind like a cruel echo. The options left to him felt impossibly narrow, like walking a tightrope over an abyss.

"What options do I even have?" he thought bitterly. "I’m not an Ascendant, I’m not rich, and I don’t have some powerful family to back me. I can’t just pay my way out of this. Hell, my health is too good to even fake an exemption."

He let out a long, tired sigh. First-tier citizenship—the bottom rung of the ladder. To escape the draft, he’d need to climb to the elusive third tier. But what were the chances of that? Ninety percent of Amethyst Star’s population remained stuck at First Tier their entire lives. Even the planetary lord, commanding billions of lives, was only Fourth Tier. The gap between him and the requirements for exemption was an unscalable mountain.

"Damn it," he muttered. "Even if I wanted to fight, they’re just throwing us into the meat grinder. What chance do I have? Die on some barren alien world without even a proper grave?"

His thoughts churned endlessly, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. But exhaustion eventually pulled him into a restless sleep.

His dreams took a strange turn. Before him stood a colossal gate, radiant and alive with a mysterious, otherworldly energy. The structure shimmered, as if it were made of pure light, yet its presence felt heavier than anything he’d ever known.

"What... is this?" Michael murmured, his heart pounding as he stepped closer. The air around him buzzed with a power that both frightened and intrigued him.

Then, without warning, a faint screen materialized in his vision.

[Name: Michael]

[Title: Master of the Otherworldly Passage]

[Realm: None]

[Abilities: None]

[Treasures: None]

His eyes widened as a flood of information surged into his mind.

"This gate... it can transport my consciousness to another world?" Michael whispered, overwhelmed. The knowledge was clear: this wasn’t a dream. The gate, known as the Otherworldly Passage, allowed him to send his true consciousness into another world.

But there were limits. Each trip lasted only a short time, and once used, the passage required an entire year to recharge.

He stared at the gate, its brilliance almost too much to bear. The weight of the decision loomed over him.

"Do I use it or not?" Michael asked himself, his thoughts racing. "If I don’t, my fate is sealed. Military service, alien frontlines, a ninety percent chance of dying."

The alternative was a leap into the unknown. But that unknown carried a flicker of hope—something he sorely needed.

"I'm not ready to die," he thought, his jaw tightening. "If this is my one shot at survival, I have to take it."

Resolute, he took a deep breath and spoke aloud. “Travel into another world.”

The gate pulsed, its energy rippling through his consciousness. The air seemed to hum louder as the world around him blurred. Michael felt his mind being pulled, poured into the passage.

His vision went black, and he collapsed onto the cold floor.