First Mission to Just Die?!

[Looks like we got them all!] A text box appeared on the screen hovering next to a young black-haired boy. At the top left it showed his name and face. Jacob Faust.

[From some random kid in a crappy school to a walking killer! You had some potential after all!] 

He flashed a smirk on his dust-covered face while staring off at the countless demolished buildings that lay around him and ahead, once held by the enemy, now reduced to ruin and ash.

"It took a while, too bad my clothes got messed up," Jacob smacked at his torn-up jacket and clothes, clutching onto a scythe in his hand. 

Gunfire and the clashing of swords could be heard in the distance from other soldiers, allies, and enemies alike. 

[Looks like the battle is not over yet friend, let's go deal with them and maybe rip out a new ability from their bodies!]

Jacob looked at the screen, checking his stats before making the next move.

[Energy: 10/100]

[Soul Thirst: 100/100] 

[Abilities: Reap, shield, Rip] 

[Injuries sustained: Critical damage to abdomen and arms]

[Grade: 9]

'I need to find the rest of the team, and start fighting again,' He walked on, clutching the battle-worn and blood-soaked scythe in one hand while his other hand hovered next to the screen, ready to use an ability just in case.

[This will be very fun, especially for you!] Another text appeared. 

"Fun for you, certainly not for me," Jacob coughed, walking down a road of burning vehicles and broken buildings.

[Aww, no fun? Alright, let's just finish the mission, or find your leader. I wanna see her in action again!] Even without a voice, Jacob could tell that it was snickering.

'Can't believe this thing also has crushes on people, I don't want to know how that would even work.'

A smaller screen appeared in front of him resembling some group chat call, hearing the voice of his teammates in different parts of the ruined city.

"Status report team," A mature woman's voice asked in a tired tone. Two voices responded with different answers, a man and a girl. Both are part of Jacob's team.

"All clear madam Clara," Jacob responded.

"How was the battle on your end?" The girl asked, her voice was affected by the static of the comms.

"It was fine, Ella. Just have heavy injuries, I might need a healer right now, at least I took out a few of these guys. " 

"I must say, the threat here is below my expectations, perhaps it may change when we advance," The man added.

"Please don't jinx all of this Zeph, alright?" Ella pleaded. Jacob rolled his eyes, laughing for a moment. 

"Alright, enough idle chat. Move to the center of the city and clear up any remaining resistance," Clara ordered. 

"Yes madam, i'll go find you Jacob, that early assault took out some of your team so I'll head to your location."

The streets ahead were empty, covered in a mix of rubble, weapons, and the wreckage of mechs, drones, and vehicles alike. An eerie silence put Jacob on edge, his breathing became faster. Even after past fights, he still couldn't get that lingering fear out of him.

Around him, gunfire and and faint shouts could be heard as his allies moved deeper into the city, meeting more foes in the process.

Along the way, the comms came alive again, but this time it was the voices of a secondary team Jacob was attached to. The ones who survived the initial attack.

"We are heading to you Jacob, just stay for now so we may safely move into the city," A young man's voice spoke up. Alongside him were four other people, all part of the team assigned to Jacob to aid him.

"Guess we'll wait."

[Well that sucks, but these guys do have good strength, let's just lounge around then.]

After a minute of standing around, looking around at the destruction he and his allies had wrought on the foe, a voice came back on the comms, but instead of tellin him that they arrived, the man was frantically breathing.

"Jacob, get out of here or meet up with another team!" In the background, Jacob could hear loud explosions and shouts, as if they were fighting something. Something more powerful.

"I don't want to die! Kill that thing!" A woman's voice yelled out before being silenced by a hail of muffled gunfire. 

"Jacob, get out of there now! Get out-" Just as he finished, the comms shut off, whatever they were fighting had managed to take him out as well.

Jacob was confused, but now terrified, what just happened? And what killed them?

"We should get out of here. Maybe get with Ella and others," Jacob turned around and began making his way back, running to where his team could be, guided by the sound of gunfire. 

While passing through alleyways and other streets, he stopped. The ground suddenly began to rumble, and buildings that clung on for dear life fell and broke down into piles of concrete. 

But after a few seconds, it stopped.

'What the-' A loud crash surprised Jacob. In front of him, almost a hundred steps away, a figure appeared from the sky with large wings on its back.

[That doesn't look like your team member or even anyone from our side…] 

The figure lifted its head and stood up. It was a young woman with long white hair that reached down to her waist. 

A gray cloak covered most of her body with a face mask concealing her face. 

"Who is she?" Jacob stepped back, the woman snapped her fingers and a screen appeared next to her. It had a few stats similar to Jacob's with others he didn't understand. But Jacob knew one thing, all of them were nearly quadruple his stats!

'What in the-' Before he could finish his thought, the woman tapped on the screen, and from thin air, a set of large cannons appeared, hovering around her. All aimed at Jacob.

[Quit thinking about who she is! Get out of here man!]

"This should be easy," The woman muttered in a clear voice. She pointed at Jacob, making a gesture of a gun with her finger while aiming at him while her left eye glowed red.

'Oh, crap,' Jacob hastily tapped on the shield ability, but to his horror, instead of a shield to protect him, he only got a notification.

[Energy not sufficient] 

'First big mission and this is what happens!?' Before another thought could cross his mind, a deafening roar of explosions rang out, and his eyes could only see white.