The soldier - Useless.

Early on, in the morning...

"Gotcha! SSR!" a cry of delight comes out of my mouth as I raise my arm in triumph.

Rainbow sparks fill the screen of my communication device (also known as Com), a greeting comes from the speakers as I watch with glee that I got in just a ten-pull the hero I wanted.

"Hehehe." without being able to contain my laughter, I continue to put off everyone on the train.

A Gacha videogame is just a genre of games with micro-transactions where you roll to get new and improved heroes, the rush of getting them despite how low the odds are, is just a delight. Regardless, what appeals to me is something else.

Trying to learn more about said heroes, trying to find a bond with them, and using their unique abilities is what I like.

Yeah, normal videogames have that kind of character. But in Gacha games, you constantly get updates, new heroes raise, the meta changes, the way you can play is different, and also; even if I don't get them, the mere fact of the impossible makes them feel even more special.

Of course, not every game is as good, nowadays is kind of rare to find a gem between the cash grabs, but you can always resort to games that have been standing for years already.

Yet…

I have to come back to "reality."

I don't reject reality, in the end, I know that real life is better, I enjoy just as anyone a good party, a good out with friends, a romantic relationship, overcoming your hurdles yet…

"I have become a failure, that's it…" I whisper under my breath.

After a long time, I finally moved on from doing nothing at home, currently, I am looking for a job, anything might do, I am tired of wasting the money of my relatives…

Who believe that I am still trying my best with my studies.

Trying not to trap myself in a spiral of negative thoughts, I shake my head.

After getting out of my station I look around and sigh.

"What can I even do?"

This planet is just too advanced, everything is handled by robots, unlike home.

My origins aren't so humble, but they aren't great either; in fact, I am standing over the efforts of my ancestors that rose from nothing.

"Piece of shit," I tell myself what I am.

Clenching my fist, I advance with a neutral face, it has been a long time since I make any expression outside of getting a rush while playing videogames.

A pizzeria, a stubborn one, stands in front of me, in this one, they forgave the benefits of any electronic help, except for communication, and do everything "the old way".

This is the only place I can get a chance of getting a job, my credentials aren't enough to manage anything else, I missed my chance to get my title.

…

The time passed… and I failed.

They have enough waitresses, cleaners, and they only requested someone who knew how to cook a good pizza.

I know how to cook; I am prideful of the smiles that I have brought to the people I have invited to my house to eat.

But is not enough, in this planet the standards are so high that I can't compete, no matter how much they want a new cook in the restaurant, they can't lower their standards just to give me a chance.

"What am I even going to do?" I whisper clenching my teeth.

I won't cry, I don't even deserve to vent my emotions.

But I even took the courage to take a step forward… yet I always knew that it wasn't even barely enough.

I should control my feelings and move forward; I really shouldn't feel like this.

After some time of sitting on a bench while using the display of my Com, I give up on looking for something that is on my range.

"This is decent…"

A notice looking for people to hand flyers towards people.

Is so easy to ignore a robot that is giving you a promotion for departments, a food place, or well, anything. And people are also used to any electronic publicity, so in the end, they came back to the good old paper.

But the human factor gives, on the least, sympathy for the fellow. So, more people accept them and even read them. Or at least the calculations came up with that reasoning.

I am not the most handsome guy around, but I think I am not unpleasing to the eyes. Funny how narcissistic I can be despite the circumstances I put myself into.

Large black messy hair, adorned with some hair strands of white hair. The genes that I adopted are pretty weird, but I think they look cool. Clear and normal brown eyes, a clean face, and a skinny complexion. Yeah, decent enough to… be given pity as I hand out pieces of paper.

"I can't delay this any further!" I jump from my seat, renewing my determination.

There's a popular adage since ancient times: the man plans and God laughs.

A crimson light illuminates the grey floor of cement of the park, the whole dome changes from a sky blue to an unwelcoming red. Countless cries resonate in the air as the sirens alert that danger came to Calisto.

Panic ensues.

I have to go somewhere safe, damn it, why today?

Yet, I don't even have the time to curse out loud.

Laser beams shower the dome, breaking in from time to time. The whole city is under attack, people run from to and fro, this isn't right, shouldn't someone be trying to appease the masses and organize them?

I look around for a robot enforcer but…

"Piece of shit!" a man kicks an immobile robot that stopped working, the man is mad that the ones who should be protecting them aren't there in the times of need.

This isn't normal, everything should have been premeditated.

I have to do something; fuck I hate how people only cause more destruction.

As a matter of fact, I don't care about anyone here, I could just get myself to safety because I have memorized the points of refugee that were designated to any citizen here.

Useless, I just hate uselessness, even if I am someone useless, that just amplifies my hatred towards these masses that just spread more panic in their way.

Well, it isn't fair for me to say this, some are already heading to safety, but the panic doesn't let them advance at all.

"Ha…" I sigh in defeat.

And activate a program in my Com, I never guessed it would be used for this.

//BZZZZZZZZZZZZT//

A loud screech comes out from it, breaking all the restrictions of volume that were premeditated by the manufacturer.

"Listen everybody!" I yell as I climb on a bench. "The city has shelters to take care of everyone! Let's organize and go to…"

I start to instruct where someone could go and some people start to calm, they even let the ones in a hurry to pass through.

Maybe they are looking for their family, I don't care.

"And now let's just go with haste but care! You don't want to be stepped on!"

Is not enough, honestly, I feel stupid just saying what anyone should know, but sometimes people just need someone to take over.

And the illusion of control is broken by another volley of attacks raining on the people.

Panic comes out again, but at the least people are running in the direction of the shelters. The ones that fall are getting stepped on, some are crushed against the walls and in the distance, some are getting caught by a stray laser, dying on the spot.

"Just go," I tell myself and rush at the wave of people running at the shelters.

No one could take any issue with me, I did what I could, this useless drop out isn't good with words, and the situation is one of danger.

The causalities are inconsequential, they don't have to do anything with me.

No matter how tragic.

No matter how ironic.

No matter how unfair.

Even if… they are better persons than me.

Shit.

"Go, go, go. Right here. Don't push around or you will get pushed and things will get worse!" I cry with all my heart out.

I am just a useless person, so who cares if I die?

They are better than me, I am a nobody who no one will cry for. So, they have to live.

My efforts end up being useless, the shouts of fear, pain, and despair drown everything I try to say, so I change my approach and I help the ones who fell to the floor.

It works at first, but yet I am getting pushed towards the floor, tumbling down I am almost on the floor, someone steps up in my arm, and another one, and another and…

"Hang in there, son!" I hear a strong man say with confidence as I am pulled up.

"T-thanks" I can only say with a stammer.

"Don't thank me, I saw what you were doing and it is… commendable, I couldn't just see you die like that"

Black hair and a curly beard, this man looks like the archetype of a strong man, very fit and with a hint of pride in himself.

Completely different from myself.

"You should go, you have done enough. Son, you are young and have a life in front of you" he just tells me with seriousness as he holds my shoulders.

I don't have any life in front of me, I am just a dreg of society. I answer in my head.

In reality, I end up just shaking my head and looking for anyone that needs help.

Some buildings have fallen and debris is affecting everyone, and yet…

More and more people are helping each other, even with the possibility of being hit by a laser and not even leaving a body behind… they are helping each other.

Someone helps someone else, another sees that and decides to join in.

"What?" I whisper in surprise.

"You did this you dimwit" the man laughs. "Do you think we would let a child do what adults should?"

And he stops insisting on me going to the shelter.

I dismiss him and go back to trying to help more useful people.

I didn't do anything.

Regardless of what I did, I am sure people should have helped each other, I didn't start anything, he is crazy to even think about that.

The streets are getting emptier and emptier, letting me see the wreckage of malfunctioned robots on the floor.

The city doesn't stop shaking from the constant attacks from space. Buildings can't resist anymore and crumble on themselves.

"Help!"

A cry of panic comes to my ears as I see a girl dangling in the edge of a window, the department complex where she lives appears to have lifted up in flames and she never tried to leave it. Not only that the building also fell but collided with another that was also falling so they are supporting each other.

"Idiot!" I can only exclaim. She should have evacuated from the start, why did she stay at home just as the sirens blasted their warnings?

Before I realize it, I am already running.

It is stupid, I know, I hardly have any energy but it is just as if I get energy out of nowhere. No, I know it the adrenaline giving me a pump up.

Most of the building is thankfully intact, but the fire is spreading. Covering up my mouth with my jacket I crawl by the stairs and get to the 5th floor where I saw the girl.

"Open up I came to rescue you!" I yell with a hoarse voice.

"I-I can't! I am trapped."

Well, that's just my luck.

I find a piece of metal that fell out the floor and I start banging the closed door as hard as I can. Damn it, this is the highest security door…

"Just calm down! Stay on the floor and don't raise your head up, cover your mouth with any piece of cloth you can find!" I yell at her.

The lack of response doesn't leave me with much hope tough.

And yet I keep hitting the door with as much strength as I can.

But I fail, again and again.

No matter how hard I try…

In that instant, like a miracle, the floor gives in and I have to jump back, but the walls crumble enough that I can tear them apart with a kick.

Still with my jacket in my mouth I run and look at a green-haired girl on the floor, she is barely keeping her consciousness, she must be around 5 years old.

"Help" she manages to muster with a low voice.

But I don't say anything, and just jump over the debris and pull her in my embrace, as I can I stumble out and manage to slide down the stairs, hitting my shoulder in the process.

"You are safe *cough cough*"

It hurts, my chest and my body hurt.

We barely avoid the fire as it starts to spread around.

"Son! You are still here!?" a surprised voice comes behind me.

"Shut up and help me with this" I snap back at that guy that helped me before. "Let me regain my breath and I'll join you, go."

"But…"

"Shut the hell up!"

Without managing to control my screaming I pour my anger at the kind man.

"She needs help! I can still go on! Okay!?" I follow up with this retort before he can say anything else.

And that's enough to shut him up, he just solemnly nods at me as she takes the passed-out girl to a safer place.

As he turns towards the corner, my legs give in. My breath is ragged and I think that I will pass out from all of the smoke I inhaled.

But I must advance… I don't want to die.

Yes, I am useless, but in the end, even if I hate my life, I can't stop myself from fearing death.

So, as I stagger to stand up, slowly my footsteps go in the direction of the nearest shelter that my Com can display.

But the laugh of God doesn't stop there, it is continuously mocking me.

A laser just hits behind where I am, making the barely standing buildings crumble around me, and the floor below me starts to shatter.

I scream as I fall towards the hole that was made by the impact, and my leg gets caught in an iron pipe that was sticking out of the floor.

Pulling as hard as I can, is the only thing I can do.

But I don't have energy, because I used everything to save that green-haired girl, I wasn't even able to stand up straight, how can I get myself out now?

…

[Gacha A Life]

Everything that happened was like a blur, just mere seconds but it felt like an eternity as if time was slowed as I read the absurd hallucinations before my passing.

Yet I feel hopeful, I don't know why, but the care that poured from the electronic words in front of me gives me hope.

"My name is not Atlas…"

A light in front of me materialize, I open my eyes in surprise.

"I am Stelo"

A towering figure stands in front of me, blocking all the light but shielding me from everything that is coming.

The figure is wearing a thick space marine armor, dark silver gleams reflect from its tidy surface. 2 meters of pure strength, I even feel intimidated by it.

Without looking back at me, the armored humanoid raises its arm as if it were wielding a shield.

No, it is wielding one now, after making the gesture a shield of light materializes, blocking all of the debris that was about to kill me.

It might not be very impressive, any space marine can do that, but the figure just has an aura of authority and power that I can't even begin to describe.

//Tell me//

I heard an electronic voice out of the armor.

After that, the helmet that is covering the head of my savior slowly opens up, letting me hear a feminine voice.

"Are you my contractor?"