TL/ED: Hamsterminat⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌o⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌r

Early evening.

Jin walked across Junk Plaza with a large bundle slung over his shoulder.

The alleys, now quite familiar to him, twisted and turned until he arrived at a bar, from which dim light seeped out.

As he opened the door and stepped inside, Poe turned his head.

“Oh, Jin.”

“Hey.”

There was a customer inside the establishment.

A thin man sat in a secluded corner, sipping liquor from a glass filled with ice. Jin could not determine whether he was just a regular patron or a solo taking a break.

However, the fact that he showed no particular reaction upon seeing the bloodstained bundle suggested that he might not be a solo.

“Is this place a bit inappropriate for this?”

When Jin asked, Poe gave a faint smile and gestured.

“Follow me.”

The place Poe led him to was a spacious room located behind the central shelves.

For Jin, it was an entirely unfamiliar space filled with various devices and tools. The abundance of iron equipment gave the room a scent reminiscent of old swings and a bundle of keys.

“You can put it down here.”

Poe gestured toward a wide table in the center of the room, and Jin placed the heavy bundle onto it.

Poe immediately loosened the sealed string, checked the contents, and slowly spoke.

“It is indeed Edmund Nielsen himself. Did you transport him with the data chip still inserted?”

“Oh, no.”

Jin shook his head and pulled a red chip from inside his coat.

“Here you go.”

Taking the data chip naturally, Poe ran his thumb over the surface engraved with a flame emblem.

“Would you mind waiting a moment?”

Poe then turned and walked toward a large computer with three monitors, its tangled wires sprawled out like tentacles in all directions.

There, he inserted the chip into an external port. Shortly after, various program windows began appearing on the screen, densely filled with hieroglyph-like characters.

To Jin, it looked like some three-headed monster was visually spitting out incomprehensible words.

Feeling his eyes grow fatigued, he started looking around the room aimlessly. At some point, Poe nodded.

“It is indeed the leaked data chip.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief.”

“But...”

Just as Poe was about to add something, the door behind them swung open.

“You’re back? That was quick.”

The sharp sound of high heels clicking. A smoky yet sweet scent brushing against the tip of his nose.

Khalifa, who had approached before he even noticed, looked at Jin.

“Your face is a mess.”

“It was hot. Felt like I was about to become a grilled skewer.”

“Oh dear. You had a rough time.”

Khalifa gave a small smile before her gaze naturally shifted to the bundle.

“Why did you bother bringing this along? We only needed to retrieve the data chip.”

“Well-”

Jin opened his mouth, trying not to scratch his blistered and itching face.

“When I pulled out the chip, he suddenly flipped out like a crazy son of a bitch and charged at me. I can’t be certain, but he seemed stronger, and no matter how much I hit him, he didn’t even flinch. Something felt off.”

“...Is that so.”

Khalifa narrowed her eyes.

Then she turned her head and spoke.

“Poe?”

“It’s malware. Judging by the logic, it’s a rampage virus, commonly known as Berserk. It was cleverly hidden in a stealth process, so the user would never have expected it. I assume it was designed to activate either after a certain period or when the chip was forcibly removed.”

Jin blinked.

Berserk? Berserker? Oh, I know that one.

Blood explosions, Guts, Tekken green ranks, rampaging servants.

It was Heracles, right? That time he got chain-played to death by Gilgamesh, that was sad....

As Jin’s thoughts wandered, Khalifa swept her hair back.

“Be⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌rserk, huh... Could you wait a moment?”

After asking for Jin’s understanding, she left the room.

It seemed like an unexpected variable had emerged, but Jin did not particularly care.

His job was done, after all.

Then, in the now-empty room, Poe spoke again.

“How was your first assignment?”

“Well. Was it manageable...? I’m not really sure. It was just... what it was. I didn’t die, so that’s good enough.”

At Jin's response, Poe took the data chip from the port, placed it into a ziplock bag, and spoke.

"Did you know? In the world of solos, there's a saying about the 'Three Filters'."

"...? Filters?"

"Yes. The first three consecutive assignments, including the initial one. This term was coined due to the overwhelming dropout rate of new solos during this period."

Pressing the ziplock bag firmly shut, Poe then placed it inside a document envelope.

Continuing in his charact⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌eristic calm voice, he added,

"The survival rate of those who pass through all the filters is approximately 7%. Only that small percentage makes it through. And they are the ones who gain recognition."

7%.

Even just as a percentage, it was a figure closer to first-class rather than second-class. In academics, that would be considered an impressive score, let alone for solos, who fought with their lives on the line.

As Jin once again realized how brutal this field was, Poe spoke.

"Congratulations, Jin. You've passed the first filter."

Then, a quest window appeared.

[The Three Filters] ───────────────

Three assignments. Three filters.

The conditions to truly become a solo.

- Progress Status (1/3)

- Failure upon assignment rejection

*Reward: Perk XP 10,000

*(Unknown) Story Unlock

───────────────────────

What the hell is this?

Story? Unknown? Are they messing with me?

As Jin scanned the floating text with a deeply annoyed - no, a very displeased, expression, Poe tilted his head.

"If my words were unpleasant-"

"No, no. My stomach just suddenly feels off. Thanks for the congratulations."

Jin forced a smile, waving his hand dismissively as if shooing away flies.

Alright, I've seen enough. Now go away.

At that moment, Khalifa entered the room.

"Here's your payment."

Jin accepted the thick envelope she handed over, impressed by its weight.

"Two million..."

"It's three million credits."

"Huh?"

Startled, Jin instinctively stashed the envelope away with lightning-fast speed, making Khalifa chuckle.

"The bonus is for completing the job cleanly despite the unexpected Berserk situation. Just keep up the good work."

A reward, huh?

Still bewildered, Jin narrowed his eyes.

His understanding of this world was shaky at best. But even so, he had gone to college, secured a job, and personally experienced how difficult it was to earn someone else's money. He was not naive enough to take Khalifa’s words at face value.

When a broker offers extra cash, there is always a reason. The fact that she did not simply brush it off and pretend otherwise was a silent gesture, a hundred thousand credits' worth of goodwill to maintain trust.

Not too stingy, I see.

Jin upgraded his internal assessment of Khalifa by about 0.5 levels.

"I'm heading out."

Having finished his business, Jin gave a casual farewell and turned to leave.

Then, he suddenly stopped and looked back.

"Do you have any good gun shop recommendations?"

At the somewhat unexpected question, Khalifa stroked her chin.

"A gun shop? Hmm..."

After a brief moment of thought, she spoke.

"There's a shop called 'Good Neighbor' in Sector 2 of Junk Plaza. An old man named Brof runs it, and his stock is solid. If you're intere⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌sted, I can send you the exact address via message."

"That’d be great, thanks."

"No problem."

Right then and there, Khalifa sent the message.

Feeling the vibration from his terminal buzzing against his chest with a low "Wooong", Jin lightly tapped his chest to acknowledge receipt, then turned to leave.

But then, creak, he stopped again.

"Oh, right."

"...?"

Khalifa gave him a look, as if asking, What now?

Jin scratched the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish.

"I have one more thing to ask."

***

After Jin left, Poe flipped over the bundle, placing the corpse, formerly known as Edmund Nielsen, onto the table.

A face crushed from both sides, ribs blackened with bruises, and bloodshot skin.

Not only examining the visible wounds but also meticulously observing the unseen flows, Poe spoke.

"There are clear traces of a mana circuit going berserk. It seems certain that Berserk was activated."

At this, Khalifa, leaning against the wall, asked,

"Can it be restored? Whether through BH or whatever else."

"Most of the data has been permanently lost due to Berserk, but I will attempt it nonetheless."

As Poe answered calmly, Khalifa silently gazed at Nielsen’s darkened eyes.

"What would have happened if he hadn’t been subdued?"

"He would have turned everything around him into a wasteland."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. A rampaging terrorist wielding the family's magic... Does our little information leaker want to throw the city into chaos?"

Khalifa muttered quietly, crossing her arms.

"Maybe the dark sorcerers have returned."

"Should we inform the Solard Family’s broker?"

"They probably already know. They’re not fools."

"Understood. Then, I will deliver only the data chip."

"By the way, Poe."

"Yes?"

"What do you think about Jin?"

As the topic naturally shifted, Poe, who had been fiddling with Nielsen’s neural socket, lifted his head.

"He is remarkable. Not only did he single-handedly annihilate Steel Hands and gain the upper hand against Fenrir in close combat, but he also subdued a mage who had activated Berserk. A promising newcomer, indeed."

"When you put it all together, he really isn’t ordinary."

Khalifa nodded.

She was a well-known linker in Downtown and had worked with many solos.

But Jin was the first of his kind.

As a linker, she had naturally conducted a background check. The club’s CCTV footage she found still lingered vividly in her mind.

In the video, Jin had single-handedly massacred a gang.

He took hits, got knocked down, and was stabbed - yet he kept fighting.

A reckless style, throwing his body into the fray, making it no surprise if he died at any moment.

Even today, he had come in with full-body burns and a distinct bullet wound on his shoulder. Despite needing immediate medical attention, he had headed straight to Anecdote first, which was surprising.

And yet, he never particularly tried to hide his pain.

All of these things made Khalifa find him quite... refreshing.

Based on his physical abilities alone, he could be mistaken for an enhanced human secretly developed by a biotech group. And yet, his actions were strangely unhinged.

"He’s definitely interesting."

Following Khalifa’s quiet remark, Poe spoke up.

"But what do you think his last question was about?"

"What do you mean?"

"When he asked if simply creating a mana circuit would allow him to learn and use any magic spell."

At that, Khalifa recalled Jin’s face just before he left Anecdote.

More specifically, the face of someone deeply contemplating an important choice.

"Who knows? Maybe experiencing a family's arcane magic firsthand piqued his interest in magic."

"Do you think he’s considering getting the procedure?"

"Not sure."

Khalifa shrugged.

Mana circuit implantation.

It was not something she would readily recommend.

Especially not for those who valued their lives.

A path of mana etched without enlightenment drastically shortened one’s lifespan. Recklessly undergoing the procedure was a direct ticket to an early grave.

But what could be done?

A pure mana circuit was not something one could obtain just because they wanted it.

***

Somewhere in Downtown.

A dark and secluded alley where drug addicts stood frozen in grotesque postures, and groups of ragged vagrants huddled around burning barrels for warmth.

Beyond that narrow passage stood an old, unmanned motel.

A place where 6,000 credits would buy you eight hours.

A cheap, four-square-meter room.

Moldy wallpaper filled the air with a pungent stench, but within that filthy space, a dazzling light suddenly flared.

A pure and subtle blue light.

At its center, Jin’s eyes snapped open.

He had learned it.

Mana circuit.