TL/ED: Hamster⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌m⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌ina⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌tor

Brof led Jin to the basement.

And he did so in an extraordinary manner.

When he pulled the triggers of the guns hanging on the wall in a specific order and number of times, an entrance leading to the basement opened.

Jin was amazed.

This was crazy.

Was this a Cyberpunk-style gun shop?

Of course, it was just a trick. In reality, Brof had simply pressed a hidden button on the rack.

But Jin, unaware of this, could only look at the back of Brof’s gray-haired head with newfound curiosity as he descended ahead.

“This is the place.”

The basement they arrived at was a space surrounded by iron cases of various sizes.

If he hadn't known better, Jin would have mistaken it for a warehouse. Brof turned his head in that space.

“Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?”

Of course not.

Jin’s knowledge of firearms was only at the level of a typical South Korean reservist. Aside from the K2, whose serial number he no longer remembered, his only experience with guns like the M4, SCAR, and AUG came from video games.

So, rather than being lost in thought, he genuinely didn’t know what to say, and that must have shown clearly on his face.

Brof spoke with an expression that said he had expected this.

“If you don’t have anything in mind, just throw out a few keywords. I’ll narrow it down from there.”

Jin crossed his arms and muttered.

“Hmm... A handgun, but with firepower that isn’t inferior to a rifle. More specialized for single shots than rapid fire, and something that can occasionally be used in close combat... That kind of weapon would be ideal.”

“That’s quite specific.”

Brof nodded in understanding and added,

“There is something that meets your requirements. But it inevitably comes with significant weight. Can you handle that?”

Instead of answering, Jin bent his arms inward.

A flexing pose to squeeze out his biceps. Of course, the thick bomber jacket he was wearing prevented it from showing.

Still, the message seemed to get across, as Brof let out a small chuckle and turned around.

Jin smirked as well and settled onto the nearest chair.

Unless there was something interesting to look at, wandering around didn’t seem like an option. With iron cases filling the space in every direction, there was no excuse to rummage through things, and opening someone else’s belongings at random wasn’t an option either.

The best course of action was simply to sit and wait.

Fortunately, the wait wasn’t long.

“Hng-”

Before he knew it, Brof had returned and, with a grunt as if he were straining, set down a high-end case on the table.

But its size was unusual.

“...Why is it so big? Did you bring me a rifle?”

“It’s easy to mistake it for one.”

Brof let out an old man’s chuckle, seemingly pleased with Jin’s reaction, and then opened the case.

“Oh.”

Jin unconsciously let out a sound of admiration.

Inside, nestled in black silicone sponge designed to absorb shock, lay a massive silver handgun.

Its design resembled the Desert Eagle, once claimed to be the most powerful handgun in the world (which was never actually true, past or present).

The problem was that the barrel was easily twice as long.

At this size, wasn’t it practically a rifle without a stock?

A thought crossed Jin’s mind.

...It was too big to be called a handgun.

It was enormous, thick, heavy, and

Ah, now he wanted to reread Berserk.

“This is the Gravis 707. A legendary monstrosity produced by Luger & Dollman. With an overall length of 32 cm and a ridiculous weight of about 10 kg, it fires specially designed .666 R&D Magnum rounds.”

Brof continued listing technical terms like polygonal rifling and a magnetic recoil compensation system, but Jin barely paid attention. He wasn’t picking his ears, but he might as well have been letting most of it go in one ear and out the other.

The only part that piqued his interest was the weapon’s origin story.

“It was originally designed to be sold to Enhanced Humans, specifically, Beastkin. But issues with portability in human form and excessive recoil made mass production unfeas⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌ible. So, the one in front of you now is one of only three prototype models.”

“Oh...”

Jin narrowed his eyes.

A prototype?

That meant it was an unreleased product.

Wouldn’t that be a pain when it came to after-sales service?

“Stop just staring at it and give it a try.”

Perhaps it was a rare sight for Brof to see a customer having a staring contest with a gun, as he motioned with his chin for Jin to pick it up.

Jin sighed, pretending to be reluctant, wiped his nose, and grabbed the pistol’s grip.

10 kg wasn’t much... or so he thought.

...But it wasn’t exactly light either.

“How is it? You’d be mistaken if you thought it’s just like lifting a dumbbell.”

As Brof smirked and said, comparing it to a dumbbell was impossible. The weight was one thing, but the balance was completely messed up.

It was all because of its absurd design.

With a grotesque barrel over 30 cm long, yet a grip no different from a standard handgun, the strength required to support it was beyond imagination.

One could explain this situation using mathematical formulas like moments and distributed loads, but a more relatable example existed.

Have you ever encountered a crazy officer who, as part of training, made you grip the muzzle of a K2 rifle and hold it diagonally towards the sky?

Anyone who has experienced this knows that lasting even ten seconds in that position is sheer agony.

And the K2, without a magazine, weighs just 3.37 kg.

Meanwhile, this monstrous handgun, even considering its relatively shorter barrel compared to a rifle, weighs a whopping 10 kg.

It was practically not meant to be held up and aimed by hand.

No wonder it never made it to mass production and flopped.

As expected, Jin, holding this insane piece of hardware in one hand, had a rather serious expression on his face. Seeing this, Brof spoke up in understanding.

“Too much for you? I wasn’t asking if you could handle it for no reason. But I’ve gotta admit, I’m impressed. The fact that you can hold the Gravis in one hand... I see now you’re no ordinary guy. Now, put it down before you wreck your wrist.”

At that, Jin, who had been silent, spoke.

“Gramps.”

“......? Weren’t you calling me ‘sir’ just a moment ago?”

Before Brof could recover from his surprise, Jin continued.

“So, this thing. The performance is solid, right?”

“Of course it is. When it comes to firepower, it can match any... uh, uh?”

Brof had nodded absentmindedly but suddenly widened his eyes. Jin was tilting the gun’s muzzle up and down. And unlike earlier, his expression was much more relaxed.

“Wait, you... you’re fine?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“...By now, your arms should be shaking. Isn’t it seriously heavy? You were grimacing earlier, how are you suddenly fine?”

“Hm? Ah- oh, that? I was just debating whether to buy it or not.”

After all, the fact that it was an unreleased product was a bit concerning.

It hadn’t been properly tested or verified.

In reality, though, the weight of the Gravis posed no problem for Jin.

In fact, the solid heft of the grip felt rather stable in his hands, to the point where Brof’s concerns seemed amusing.

That was because Jin had unlocked all of the Fist Constellation’s powers and had evolved into an Irregular, surpassing the limits of his species.

Everything was perfectly fine!

Except for the part about it being a prototype.

“If something goes wrong while I use it, you’ll fix it, right?”

“......”

“A three-year warranty, maybe? No free service?”

“......”

“Why aren’t you saying anything? So, how much? Considering today’s events, let’s go with 30% of the market price... No, forget it! I’m feeling generous. I’ll pay 50%.”

“...What?”

Brof flinched at Jin’s smooth attempt to slash the price.

What kind of lunatic was this?

But he couldn’t even argue, because no matter what, this lunatic was still his savior.

In the end, before he got an aneurysm, Brof surrendered.

“...Fine. I’ll let it go for 50%.”

Then came Jin’s voice.

“You agreed too fast. If I’d known, I would’ve gone lower. Let’s just make it 30%.”

Brof grabbed the back of his neck.

***

A whopping 2.75 million credits.

That was the amount Jin spent at Good Neighbor.

Money comes and goes, but watching a fortune, one he had protected even in a bullet-riddled battlefield, vanish in an instant made his hands tremble involuntarily.

(In the end, they settled at 40%.)

Seeing Jin’s arms, which had no problem handling a 10 kg lump of metal, shake before a stack of cash, Brof finally snapped and blurted out,

“You idiot! Relax your grip! You’re gonna tear it! You’re tearing it!”

And so, after much back-and-forth, Jin became the proud owner of the Gravis 707.

A gun.

This was Jin’s first personal purchase, aside from necessities like food, clothing, and shelter.

Rationally, it was an investment for his future as a solo operative. Emotionally, it was his first gift to himself.

Unconsciously, he kept fidgeting with the oversized holster on his waist.

Unintentionally, he ended up making passing pedestrians nervous.

Of course, unless it was a Quest Window, Jin wasn’t the kind of psycho who would pull the trigger on some random passerby. So, confirming the power of the Gravis, which Brof had endlessly praised, would have to wait until later.

Thus, Jin decided to take a proper rest.

From his first job, where he took a direct hit from an incendiary round, to receiving a mind-wrenching transfer of horrific knowledge, to the bullet-storm battle at Good Neighbor, his mental exhaustion had been building up.

So, he spared no expense in using the roughly 200,000 credits he had left for relaxation. He wandered aimlessly, stuffing his cheeks full whenever he was drawn by a delicious scent, slept deeply, relieved himself, ate again, and repeated the cycle for days.

By Wednesday evening, he met up with the Jackie-Jenny siblings at Rumpumpumpum, shared a meal, and exchanged greetings.

“At first, the output was a bit unstable, so there were some risky moments. But now it’s working steadily. Yeah, w⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌hat do you think?”

Jackie, now with a new heart implant, seemed awkward about meeting Jin after so long but was making a clear effort to keep the conversation flowing.

Jin didn’t mind that at all.

“Yeah, the sound is definitely better than before.”

“R-Really? That’s a relief... Oh, right. I almost forgot to mention, Jenny started doing BH work again. It’s not the same public-interest projects as before, but she’s anonymously taking on video editing jobs. Of course, she’s being selective with the work.”

“Hey. Why are you the one saying that?”

Jenny shot her brother an annoyed look, just like any little sister would, then continued.

“That’s how it is. If you ever need help, let me know.”

“I don’t have a BH implant, though.”

“Sure, but not everyone’s like you. Who knows? You might find yourself needing to dig through someone’s mental video records someday. If that time comes, just reach out.”

Jin promised he would.

After finishing their not-too-long, not-too-short meal, the three parted ways in front of Rumpumpumpum.

With a casual See you next time.

“Next time, huh...”

Jin muttered as he walked through the darkened streets.

That simple farewell lingered strangely in his mind.

“...What kind of fool makes promises when they’re barely surviving day to day?”

He let out a sigh toward the starless sky.

And in that moment, he admitted it.

He had simply gotten used to loneliness. He had never truly accepted these desolate night streets.

Perhaps that was why he had chosen to settle the 1.9 million credit debt with a meal rather than simply collecting the payment with interest.

Because, deep down, he always craved human connection.

Acknowledging that made him chuckle.

No matter how he looked at it, Vagabond and himself just didn’t fit together.

Suddenly, the character from his Life Path selection flashed through his mind.

A man standing with his back to the screen, facing a horizon filled with gray skyscrapers.

A stray dog of the city. A lonely fighter.

Maybe he had resigned himself to an ending where, after conquering the slums and surviving countless dangers, he would stand atop a towering skyscraper, looking down at the city he had fought through.

Even if that wasn’t the case.

He was nothing like the kind of person who compulsively stuffed food into his mouth out of fear of hunger, gasped for breath when sudden panic struck, or felt disgust and rage at the sight of a square window.

Of course, none of this held any real meaning or value.

Because at this moment, the one walking through Downtown’s streets was not a game character moved by a keyboard and mouse, but a man walking, breathing, and seeing with his own two eyes.

A man who had nothing properly figured out,

Yet still fought through each day with everything he had.

At some point, the distance between the streetlights grew wider.

Jin turned not toward the unknown darkness beyond, where hidden threats could lurk, but toward the nearest motel.

Using what little cash he had left, he paid for a room, took a lukewarm shower, and fell into a deep sleep.

And when morning came.

As he fumbled for his device to check the time, he saw a message had arrived.

[The second job is ready. Solo King.]