TL/ED: Hamsterminator

The world of Lost City is an extremely advanced one.

However, capitalism, which lost its morality in inverse proportion to developing technology, had long since led to the harmful effects of materialism.

To put it simply, if you have money, there’s nothing you can’t do.

For example, if you just offer money and lifespan, you can engrave an artificial mana circuit even without any enlightenment.

Even a complete novice who doesn’t know the ‘M’ in Magic can easily use basic common spells, as long as the relevant data chip is inserted.

Talking about things like virtual sex through virtual reality, DNA modification, and physical enhancement through cyberware is just a waste of breath.

And that’s not all.

Recently, there have even been rumors about training acquired Psychics by drastically activating the brain’s chemical reactions.

It’s really a world where money can buy anything.

But if you ask whether that means everything has been conquered.

Not quite.

Just as Earth in 2024 failed to conquer hair loss (missed its timing),

There were certainly technologies that even Lost City’s scientific prowess could not reproduce.

The most representative of those was the arcane magic of the Seven Great Houses.

A glorious legacy passed down since the Age of Light and Roses!

The eternal pride of the Purists!

Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any naysayers.

Some people have said that even arcane magic isn’t what it used to be.

In fact, these days, on places like the dark web,

There have been unfortunate incidents of chips being traded discreetly with listings like,

For sale. Arcane magic. Leaked.

But upon close inspection, most of those are scams. And even when they’re not, they only contain a few of the lowest-level spells at best.

Even those are leaks, not reproductions.

So the value of arcane magic still holds strong.

And one of them had fallen into Jin’s hands.

His reaction to that was:

Wow. Zahad.

Wow. Lightning.

That was it.

If any Purist had happened to witness that scene, they would’ve completely lost it.

We’re talking about arcane magic.

Ar! cane! Ma! gic!

The kind of thing that’d make you rant all night about history and tradition.

About its power and value and all that.

They probably would’ve spent the whole night, bloodshot eyes and all, preaching Zahad’s greatness.

And Jin, who had been yawning the whole time, would’ve answered with sleepy eyes like this:

Hey, sir. I’m telling you, I can’t level it no matter what you say.

I have to build proficiency, not feed it experience points.

I’m upset too. Why didn’t anyone explain this in the guide?

But it was.

At the end of the guide Jin hadn’t properly read, there was a section about new constellations (Hidden) obtained during the game.

Unlike other perks that grow with experience points, Hidden Perks develop by accumulating proficiency scores.

It was thoroughly written over three full paragraphs.

So naturally, there was nothing wrong with the guide.

The only issue was that some people didn’t, or couldn’t, read to the end.

Of course, Jin hadn’t had the time to think that far, so he just quietly thought to himself.

So there are things even you don’t know, Mr. Guide Writer.

As a result, the arcane magic of Zahad was now like a long-term assignment Jin would have to build up step by step.

It might even be a good thing.

If he had to learn arcane magic on top of everything else when the XP required to light each new star kept increasing, his back would’ve broken.

He really would’ve become a jumbled mess.

...Is he not already?

Anyway, feeling much more at ease, Jin looked inward at himself.

He saw a perfectly formed path of mana.

And at the heart.

At the place that is the beginning and end of all paths, a small purple sphere had taken its place.

[Light Pole]

It was the power gifted by Zahad’s arcane magic.

When he touched it lightly, crackle! It sparked like mad, like it had a temper worse than a Maltese.

“Eheei...”

Jin frowned from the stinging pain.

No matter how many times he repeated it, it was the same.

It would clearly take time to become friendly with it.

He clicked his tongue softly, and by then, the sunlight had fully seeped into the factory.

Come to think of it, he had stayed in this unpleasant place for quite a while.

Determined that it was time to leave, he stretched his arms wide and moved his body.

***

Would you believe it if there were three pieces of bad news?

Jin didn’t want to believe it.

But what could he do? That’s just how it was.

First of all, his 2 million Credits had disappeared.

No matter how many times he searched and searched again, they were gone.

Unless money had suddenly grown legs and run away.

It was clear something had caused it to vanish.

So he guessed.

The theory most widely accepted is that the banknotes were completely inciner⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠ated in the process where the monk who took the Credits turned into a fusion monster and got hit by Lokan's spell and died thus, the grilled banknote theory.

From today, Jin had declared Black Mages to be his sworn enemies.

Though that wasn’t what mattered at the moment.

“...Where did everyone go?”

He thought only the money was gone, but no people had disappeared too.

The space where the homeless were hanging like pendulums was now eerily empty, like a lie. Judging by the sharp mana brushing against his skin, it was clear that Lokan had taken them.

But why only me?

He didn’t know the reason, but regardless, Jin realized he had been left alone and hurried out of the factory.

Then he stopped at the sight of an unfamiliar landscape in the distance.

A wide-open sky, a long stretching road.

And cars sparsely passing along it.

...A highway?

Jin blinked, having expe⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠cted a remote clearing or a dockside to be where he’d wake up.

He’d already felt something was off when Lokan said he was captured in District 43, but this...

And yet, near the factory, there wasn’t a single parked vehicle in sight.

He had lost his money, the people had vanished.

And now, he didn’t even know where he was.

So, it was time.

"Could you give me a ride...!"

As Jin gave a firm thumbs-up, a truck zoomed right past him.

“......Fuck.”

His fake smile vanished from his face as he let out a curse full of annoyance.

How many times had it been already?

Not a single person even slightly slowed down.

Rather, the closer they got, the faster they floored the gas, speeding away in an instant.

“What do I do.”

Jin let out a heavy sigh.

What kind of stunt would he have to pull to stop these cold-hearted people?

Should he take his pants off?

Show them my Excalibur?

Then again, maybe he should be thankful they didn’t run him over.

Jin’s sigh only deepened.

And the problem was, it didn’t end there.

Growl-

Grrrrowl-

To make matters worse, his belly clock started ringing, and Jin, feeling that this could really become a crisis, made a bold decision.

Let's strip first!

It was a case where hunger triumphed over shame.

Of course, it wasn’t his pants but his top that he stripped off.

He took off his thick bomber jacket and the T-shirt underneath in one swoop, then began waving his arms wildly toward a vehicle approaching from afar, shouting:

“Please! Stopppp-!”

Thus, his torso, radiating artistic muscular beauty, was on full display.

Advertising itself from a distance.

Screeeech!

Amazingly, a car chose to come to a sudden stop, leaving tire marks on the road surface.

“Oh!”

Jin widened his eyes as the window buzzed down and revealed the driver.

A woman, holding the arm of her sunglasses and slightly lowering them.

She glanced at Jin with her bare eyes slightly raised and said:

“......Get in.”

***

The woman’s name was Natasha.

Introducing herself as a trucker, she was the owner of a 3.5-ton midsize cargo truck and looked perfectly in her element blowing cigarette smoke out the half-open window.

She glanced at the passenger side and said:

“Eat slowly. You’ll get indigestion.”

“Ahk... Gdgtit.”

The intended “Got it” response came out garbled thanks to a mouth full of cheeseburger.

Regardless of how others heard it, Jin resumed his meal with focus.

From cheeseburger to French fries,

From fries back to chicken nuggets.

His hands and mouth were busy.

Come to think of it, hadn’t he skipped at least three meals between yesterday and today?

Maybe that’s why it felt like his whole body was greedily absorbing nutrients.

It was a sensation only understandable by an Irregular who was constantly enhancing their body behind the scenes.

Whatever the case.

Jin, who had finished what looked like a ruinous meal to any outsider, leaned back.

Though he hadn’t eaten enough to be truly satisfied.

Unfortunately, the burger Natasha had bought was just a single-serving set.

Licking the leftover fry crumbs off his fingers, Jin finally turned to the driver’s seat and spoke.

“...Aren’t you hungry?”

“Exactly. Never imagined I’d end up picking up a bum.”

“Ahem. Anyway, thanks. You saved my life.”

Suddenly feeling awkward, Jin quietly turned his head.

Then, suddenly, his gaze landed on the rearview mirror. A shirtless man was reflected there.

“Whoa. Sorry.”

Only then did Jin realize he’d filled his stomach without even wearing a shirt, and he hurried to put on his T-shirt.

“You planning to steal a meal and now some eye candy too?”

Natasha said that as she turned her head.

“Did you forget why I stopped for you?”

“Then just ten more minutes...”

“I’m joking. Just put it on. I’ve already had my fill.”

With a cool smile that deepened her dimples, she withdrew the hand that had been flicking ashes out the window.

Then, putting a cigarette back between her lips, she turned her gaze straight ahead.

The next question flowed naturally.

“Why are you covered in blood?”

“Hm? Ahh.”

Just then, Jin popped his face out through the collar of his T-shirt, glancing down at the blood spatters on his clothes with a bitter smile.

So that’s why no one stopped for me, he thou⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠ght.

“Well, you know... the world’s a shitty place.”

“I agree.”

Jin spoke, and Natasha nodded lightly.

And that was it. She didn’t dig further or ask unnecessary questions like what happened.

She just inhaled from her cigarette with sunken cheeks.

Vrooooom-

The cargo truck crossed the highway.

The straight road ahead was smooth, and the scenery touched by their indifferent gaze slowly seeped into the heart.

At some moment.

Without even realizing it.

Old thoughts surfaced in Jin’s mind.

Who am I, and what is this world?

Can I ever go back?

Such gloomy thoughts.

Pitch-black hands pushing him from behind.

It sounded like a black wave was crashing in the far distance.

Whirr-

With trembling hands, Jin lowered the window and stretched his arm out through it.

Then he closed his eyes and focused on the wind brushing past his fingertips.

I am ali⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠ve.

I am here.

I am alive.

I am here.

I...

As he repeated it over and over, at some point, the sound of the waves faded.

He exhaled slowly, sweat cold on his skin, and rested his elbow on the window frame. Natasha, who had silently been watching him, opened her mouth.

“So, you’re from Downtown?”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

“That’s good. I was passing through there anyway. I can drop you off in Downtown then?”

At that, Jin’s expression brightened.

“Really? That’d be great.”

“If you’re that grateful, how about showing your abs again?”

“Here! This one’s a bonus!”

From his abs to his well-developed square pecs.

It wasn’t even a corner segment, it was practically a side show.

After the short strip show, Jin was hit with a wave of shame and hurriedly put his clothes back on.

“Fuck......”

Then, glancing over at the driv⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠er’s seat, he asked a question.

“So where are you headed?”

Natasha shrugged and answered.

"I'm going to District 48. I have some business to finish."

"Business to finish?"

“As you can see, I’m moving cargo.”

She pointed her thumb toward the cargo bed behind her. Seeing that, Jin nodded as if that made sense.

But wait a second.

“Didn’t you slam the brakes when you picked me up? What if the cargo got damaged?”

“Ahh, it’s fine, the load-”

Vrooooooom!!

A loud engine roar swallowed the rest of Natasha’s words.

"...What's that."

Jin frowned and tried to check the side mirror.

Bang!!

A familiar gunshot rang out, and the side mirror shattered completely.

Then came the sound of enraged shouting.

"Hey! You fucking bitch!!! Pull over!!”

“Save the boss!!”

“You’re dead today! You double-crossing bitch!!”

Jin’s expression slowly twisted.

What is this?

What kind of ride did I get myself into?

At that moment, a status window appeared before his eyes.