TL/ED: Hamsterminator

The way Jin dealt with machines was exceedingly ordinary.

Just tools.

Even during the times when he was immersed in the tiny universe called the smartphone, staring at the screen all day long.

He had no interest at all in how the machine operated or moved.

That kind of thing belonged to engineers.

Not to consumers.

So to Jin, machines were just things that got better the more money you spent on them, and once they crossed a certain threshold, people started talking about "sensibility" or "high-end", and the cost-performance ratio took a nosedive?

Filthy expensive, but anyway, since they made life more convenient, they were nothing more and nothing less than tools he couldn’t quite give up on.

Sensibility? Don’t know.

High-end? Expensive.

Whatever the case, a tool is just a tool.

Don't get cocky...!

Maybe it was because he had a mindset like this.

Jin didn’t ask questions or try to figure anything out when a machine didn’t work. He just resorted to shock therapy first.

He was the kind of man who didn’t hesitate to take a primitive approach.

So.

Even a cyberbrain socket made with far more advanced technology than what he had back home was no exception.

Something’s not working?

It’s blocking some kind of pain perception?

Hell with it, electric shock.

Bzzzt!

Naturally, since a cyberbrain socket was an interface device that connected the brain and a computer, it was extremely sensitive to electric neural signals or brainwaves.

You fried that with a bolt of lightning?

There’s a reason Kevin pissed and shit himself.

Zahad’s arcane magic.

Purple Tempest.

That purple, violent power didn’t just target the pain receptors but thoroughly wrecked the entire device.

If Kevin had been a mage with proper countermeasures, or an insanely rich guy who installed a cyberbrain socket with extremely high mana resistance, it might’ve been a different story.

But that’s just a meaningless hypothesis.

The important thing was that the Kevin of this worldline had already spilled everything.

Where he kept the goods.

The location, the password.

The color of the underwear he was wearing.

His preferred body measurements. His secret sexual preferences?

Stop!

Let’s stop right there.

Anyway, with Kevin having spilled everything and then collapsing unconscious with a thud, Jin and Natasha slowly met eyes.

“Are we really accomplices now?”

“...Seems like it.”

***

Natasha didn’t take Jin’s help lightly.

She promised him 20% of what she’d get,

And Jin, who had no money anyway, didn’t refuse.

He figured even if he returned to Downtown now, he’d be left sucking his thumb, so this worked out better.

“Nice”, he thought as he hopped into the passenger seat.

Someone else was drivi⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠ng, what’s the big deal?

...There was a moment he thought that.

Maybe it was because he hadn’t slept a wink the night before. His eyelids started getting heavy, and it felt like he’d doze off any second now.

Unthinkable. Coming from the land of Eastern manners, to fall asleep in the passenger seat? That was something only lovers were allowed to do!

So Jin fought off sleep, pinching his thigh to stay awake, when suddenly Natasha’s voice reached him.

“So, what do you think, should I start calling you young master now?”

“Huh?”

What's that supposed to mean.

She hadn’t said a word until now, and her first sentence out of nowhere was “young master”?

“I couldn’t just pretend I didn’t see it.”

“......?”

With Natasha drumming her own beat and playing her own tune, Jin made a sour face.

But only briefly.

What had he shown in front of Natasha, anyway?

He jumped out of a moving car,

Or flipped a muscle car with his bare hands, those were the highlights.

Is it because of that?

Jin immediately raised his index finger and focused his mind.

Then, with a tingling pain near his heart, jagged sparks wrapped around his finger.

Natasha, seeing that with her light blue naked eye, pushed up the sunglasses perched on her nose with a fingertip.

“...Purple lightning. Zahad’s Purple Tempest.”

She muttered quietly, then rummaged through the pack of cigarettes in the cup holder.

“It’s a pretty famous power, Jin.”

Why is arcane magic called arcane magic?

Because its existence itself holds symbolic meaning.

This includes elements that visually set it apart.

Solard’s White Flame.

Marzie’s Dark Ice.

And Zahad’s Purple Tem⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠pest.

It stands out way too much to hide.

Moreover, the purists of the family had no intention of hiding it in the first place. They believed that a distinct appearance from others was the very way to prove their noble bloodline.

This was a form of supremacism passed down since the Age of Light and Roses.

Something Jin would scoff at if he heard it.

At the end of the day, isn’t it just colored lightning?

Sure, it must be powerful. It’s arcane magic.

A legacy of a giant that supports one pillar of this city.

But so what?

Jin had not the slightest desire to cling to it.

This too was nothing more than a tool.

A tool he used simply because he had learned it.

The belief that tools should act like tools remained unchanged even in this new land, which is why, even with a pure body, he could never be a purist.

What could he do?

What was a brilliant legacy to someone else was merely a skill to Jin.

One of several he might learn in the future.

So he didn’t even feel the need to respond. Having already raised his index finger anyway, he just picked his nose while sitting there.

Which Natasha seemed to interpret in a completely different way.

“...You don’t act like a direct heir. A collateral line, maybe? If your circumstances are complicated, I’ll let it slide.”

Jin didn’t bother to correct the misunderstanding.

He simply leaned his head against the window and changed the subject.

“What’s the deal with Kevin?”

“What do you mean?”

“You knew he was pocketing money on the side. Why did you let it go?”

A short silence.

Then came the click of a lighter being flicked.

Natasha lit a cigarette, rolled down the window, and exhaled a long stream of smoke.

“It’s the usual story. We were friends.”

People who lived on the bottom, drifting through alleyways.

That’s where the story began.

A really trivial story.

*

A long time ago, there was a man and a woman who were friends.

Not that close, just exchanged greetings in passing, but in the backstreets, where stabbing each other in the back was the norm, that level of interaction was practically considered friendship.

Then one day, the woman awakened as a psychic,

And the man, realizing this, proposed a business.

That was the first meeting between a third-rate Linker and a rookie Solo.

At first, they had grand dreams.

The man would become a well-known heavyweight.

The woman, a powerful psychic rivaling city government agents.

Of course, reality hit h⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠ard.

The man had shallow connections, lacking ability and proper experience, and eventually, he quietly let go of his dream.

With no decent Solo to recruit, his office was overrun with other third-rate misfits just like him. At that point, it was hard to tell if it was a Linker office or a gang hideout.

Still, he liked that people started calling him “boss”.

He’d been immersed in playing gang leader to a bunch of nobodies for a while.

By that point, something started to bother him.

That Level 3 Solo bitch over there, acting like a proper person all by herself.

Driving around with a truck, taking on requests across different districts with diligence, her whole act started to get on his nerves for no reason.

Fucking bitch. Why won't she give up?

*

“I could tolerate her cutting her fees, but later on, he started picking out jobs that could’ve gotten her killed any day. Of course, he’d always play it off like it was no big deal to me.”

Natasha flicked the ashes outside the window.

“So I told him to back off. Then one night, he sent his men to try to assassinate me. That crossed the line. So I kidnapped him.”

At that, Jin silently nodded.

His eyes were slightly bloodshot, not because he was touched, but because he had dozed off in the middle.

But well, it wasn’t like he couldn’t understand.

“...Good job. I don’t really get why you didn’t get out sooner, though.”

“My point exactly. What the hell is a friendship thinner than toilet paper worth? I was a pushover. Even I think so.”

Natasha gave a bitter smile, and Jin let out a huge yawn, stretching his mouth wide, then leaned his forehead against the window and asked,

“By the way, would Downtown be okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s a place in Downtown called Anecdote. It’s a bar and a Linker office. I’m not really in a position to recommend anyone, but maybe drop by and interview or something. You won’t regret it. The manager there makes great cookies.”

“...Cookies? Wait, you’re a Solo?”

Instead of answering, Jin pulled out his terminal.

[Send me a photo of Manticore. I miss it.]

After that, the cargo truck carrying the two continued down the highway.

Fortunately, the so-called secret location wasn’t very far away.

At the beginning of the loop road connecting Districts 45 and 46,

There was a shabby, inconspicuous mart.

A fat man with a bored expression sitting at the counter threw a glance at Jin and Natasha as they entered the store.

Not even the common “Welcome” came out of him. Rude bastard.

But Natasha didn’t seem to care and spoke plainly.

“Here to collect the goods.”

“...Haven’t seen you before.”

“Kevin Garnett. !Xce11oIIE#3833.”

“......”

The fat man stared into empty space for a moment, then nodded.

“It matches. That loser dead?”

“Does it matter?”

"Of course not."

He chuckled quietly and laced his fingers together.

Wow. I want a sausage.

While Jin subconsciously swallowed his saliva.

“Need anything else?”

“No. No secondary verification needed. It was the lowest-tier contract meant purely for storage. He’s the idiot who leaked the password. So, how much do you want to take out?”

“All of it.”

“Give me a moment.”

With that short exchange, the fat man heaved his massive body up.

And a short while later, he returned carrying a heavy briefcase.

“42.8 million credits. That’s the full amount minus storage fees.”

“......That’s all?”

“Why? Doesn’t sound right? I don’t know what you were expecting from some loser who hung around the gambling halls every day. Want to see the contract?”

“Ha... forget it.”

Natasha took the briefcase with a tired expression,

And Jin, on his way out of the store, paused and turned his head.

“Is this place safe?”

A question without context, but the fat man surprisingly answered straightforwardly.

“If you're going to talk about our security, you'd better at least be a Level 5 Solo. Jin.”

“......? How do you know my name?”

“Did you think the Solo Intranet was just for show?”

The fat man tapped the cyberbrain socket on his temple with his thick finger.

At that, Jin closed his mouth.

Come to think of it, he had been registered on the Solo Intranet.

Lv2. Still a long way to go.

Seriously, what a crazy world.

Is this reall⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠y Easy Mode?

“See you next time, rising star.”

Jin walked out of the store, ignoring the greasy voice that called out behind him.

As he moved toward the cargo truck, he spotted Natasha leaning against the cargo bed.

Her face clearly showed irritation.

She spoke.

“I’m debating. Whether to just open that door right now and beat the shit out of that bastard.”

“How much did he skim off?”

“Dunno. But probably over 100 million at least.”

“.......Want me to beat him for you?”

Of course, if he did that, Kevin would definitely die.

He was already in a near-death state.

“No ne⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠ed.”

Natasha let out a heavy sigh and handed Jin the briefcase.

“9 million credits. I said I’d give you a generous 20%, but... this is all there is. Sorry.”

“You’re not the one who should be apologizing.”

Jin shrugged and accepted the money.

And at the same time, the quest was completed.

A brief but intense moment of ecstasy.

With the quantified neural drug flooding his brain, Jin recognized that he had earned enough experience points to unlock a new perk and slowly opened his eyes.

The horizon came into view, with the sun gradually setting.

A sight only visible on the highway.

The wide-open view and deep-colored sunset looked like the mischievous bare face of a sky obsessed with playing with fire.

“......”

Jin stood there, silently captivated by the view for a while.

And then at some point.

A relaxed indigo darkness approached from behind his head, stealing the color from the world.

When Jin glanced down at his shadow and then looked up again, the sun was no longer there.

The night sky had fully settled in.

Perhaps, a familiar sight.

It had been another exhausting day.

Thinking that, Jin said to Natasha,

“Let’s go.”

It was time to return to Downtown.