TL/ED: Hamsterminator

"...Hey, hey?"

Jin opened his eyes as someone tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

Slurp- he swallowed his saliva and looked around to see where he was.

Anyway, the vehicle had come to a stop, Natasha was looking at him, and the surroundings were pitch-dark.

Then came a voice.

"Did you sleep well?"

Jin flinched.

It had been such a long time since he had heard someone say that.

So, flustered, he wiped under his chin and asked,

"How long was I out?"

"Well, until we got to the destination?"

"Ah."

Only then did Jin realize the dim scenery outside the window looked familiar.

In what he had simply thought was darkness, he now saw dizzying neon lights and suffocatingly packed chicken coop-like buildings.

"...It's Junk Plaza."

"When I set the route to Anecdote and drove, it ended up here. I figured it’d be hard to get in with a freight truck, so I stopped here."

"Ugh. You didn’t have to go that far."

Jin, who had unintentionally received full service, awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"By the way, your sleep-talking was cute."

Without warning, Natasha’s voice, like a casual remark, smacked him on the back of his head.

...What sleep-talk?!

Jin’s face turned red in embarrassment, like someone caught peeing in public.

"W-what did I say?"

"That's a secret."

"No, then why bring it up?"

Jin hadn't expected to be hit with a “not telling you”.

He stumbled for words for a moment.

Then, with a light sigh, he brushed off the remaining drowsiness and reached into the money bag.

From inside, he pulled out a fistful of bills and placed them on the dashboard.

"Thanks for the ride. This is for gas."

"I'm good. I’m not taking it."

"Ayy- just take it."

"I said I’m not taking it."

A brief scuffle ensued.

Of course, the victor was Jin.

There’s no ethnicity that can beat Koreans in sheer stubbornness.

Come on, everyone’s had that moment at a pleasant drinking party, where someone practically throws cash or a card on the table like it’s a martial arts move.

Come on, I got this round. Slurp! I said I got it.

Check, please! That kind of thing.

Granted, this situation was a bit different.

Still, it was about sentiment.

The desire to end things on a good note was the same.

Anyway, Jin succeeded in forcing a little over 300,000 credits into Natasha’s hands and smiled in relief.

He ignored her grumbling about how this made her gift of 9 million credits seem pointless.

Then she shouldn’t have given him a ride.

That kind of weird logic came as a bonus.

At this point, the other person had no choice but to let it go.

“...I'm seriously speechless.”

Natasha let out a hollow laugh.

Jin rubbed his stiff neck and looked at he⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌r as he added,

"Since we're here anyway, want to come say hi?"

"Where? Anecdote?"

"Yeah?"

"No thanks."

Contrary to his expectations, Natasha shook her head.

"I'm planning to work freelance for a while. I’ve got a few requests on the Solo Intranet. More than that, there’s still something left to deal with with that bastard back there."

She pointed with her thumb at the cargo compartment, and naturally, Jin realized it was time to part ways.

Of course, there was one last ritual to perform before that.

"Your number."

"Hm?"

Natasha was caught off guard as he handed her an old-model terminal.

"This is a really old model."

That’s what she said, but she pressed the buttons just fine.

But for just inputting a number, it was taking a bit...?

Just as Jin tilted his head at the longer-than-expected wait.

"Here."

Natasha handed the terminal back.

He took it and looked at the screen, full name displayed.

[Natasha Vermouth]

"Oh. That’s a pretty name."

"It goes well with something."

"......?"

Jin looked up.

In his gray eyes was the image of a blonde, blue-eyed woman with a faint smile.

"See you at An⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌ecdote next time. You said it doubles as a bar, right? How about a martini then?"

Jin blinked.

Then nodded and replied,

"Sounds good. But I’m not really into alcohol. I’ll have a cola instead. Anyway, take care getting back. I’m off."

He lightly waved his palm, then opened the passenger door and stepped out.

Thunk. The door closed.

Wearing an aviation jumper, the man disappeared into the darkness of the street without looking back.

Ziiing. Lowering the window and watching him go, Natasha mumbled with a puzzled look.

"...Did I just get rejected?"

Martini.

A cocktail made by mixing Jin and Vermouth in a 6:1 ratio.

Anyone in the know would recognize it.

It's the upscale version of "Wanna come see my cat?"

Of course, Jin has no idea about any of that.

He just doesn’t like alcohol because it makes him feel hungry the next day.

That vague answer left Natasha feeling all kinds of confused.

Maybe that’s why.

The engine of the truck, buried in the darkness, didn’t start up again until quite a bit of time had passed.

***

Surprisingly, Jin didn’t stop by Anecdote.

It was too late at night for small talk.

...Or so he said. In truth, he was just too damn tired.

He had passed out completely vulnerable in front of someone else, that’s how bad it was.

So, having arrived at a motel while yawning every ten steps, Jin completely lost consciousness and only woke up after sleeping more than half a day.

Growwwl!

And even that was only because he was starving.

Whoa, wait. This is bad.

Still half-asleep, Jin clutched his loudly protesting stomach and rushed out of the motel, sprinting toward a food stall in sight.

“The usual!”

It would be understandable to be flustered when a first-time customer suddenly shouts like that, but the owner, who had experienced all kinds of battles on the streets of Downtown, silently held out a pre-made chicken skewer.

And then he witnessed ma⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌gic.

As soon as he handed a skewer, it vanished. Handed another, gone again.

This wasn’t a black hole or what?

"Did you starve for ten days?"

To the surprised voice, Jin nodded while chewing his skewers with both cheeks puffed out.

“Feels like it.”

Just because his body was above standard didn’t mean he was living off air.

It’s only natural that growth requires nutrition, and a body dreaming of eternal evolution could never be called fuel-efficient, even as a joke.

And yet, he still didn’t give any attention to his lower half, truly heartless.

Anyway, the stall owner was the only one who benefitted from Jin’s monstrous appetite, as he devoured twenty 30cm skewers on the spot.

Passersby started gathering, wondering what kind of food it was to be eaten so deliciously. “Lemme try one too”, they said, and soon the area was packed. People were lining up.

...What? Why’s it so crowded?

Jin was the only one unaware of the reason. He quickly paid and slipped out.

“Whew. That hit the spot.”

They say a full belly brings a clear mind.

With a clearer gaze, Jin walked briskly toward Anecdote.

There, he picked up Manticore and loaded the money bag into the trunk, and it felt so damn refreshing.

It was a bit of a shame he couldn’t chat with Khalifa and Poe.

For some reason, the manager was out, and the sole bartender was in the middle of briefing a male Solo about a request, so he quietly left without disturbing anyone and just left a message.

[Taking the bike]

Right after that, Jin started the engine.

There was no hesitation.

His next destination was already set.

Vrooom!!

With Manticore beneath him, Jin sped down the road and arrived at none other than North Downtown.

"...Already ran away."

Looking at the abandoned building that used to be a church, Jin frowned.

If there had been anything left, he was ready to utterly smash it, but it seemed they had caught a whiff and ditched the place long ago.

“Typical of those shady bastards.”

As Jin clicked his tongue in annoyance at the wasted trip.

“...Big dick? Is that you?”

A cautious voice called from behind.

Whipping his head around, Jin spotted Jeff approaching sheepishly and involuntarily let out a lion’s roar.

“You fucker! Where the hell have you been!”

“Whoa, shit! Don’t yell like that, man.”

“Well, I mean...!”

To be honest, Jeff hadn’t really done anything wrong.

But Jin couldn’t help being annoyed.

“Do you even know the kind of hell I’ve been through?”

“Uh, well, I don’t.”

“...Fair point.”

Quick acceptance. For some reason, Jin felt deflated and added,

“So, anything you remember?”

In return came a hesitant voice.

Listening closely, it went something like this.

Jeff had a massive gap in his memory. He said that one moment he was praying and dozing off, and then he couldn’t remember a thing until he woke up to find himself collapsed in an undeveloped landfill on the outskirts of Downtown.

Other homeless folks who came to their senses around the same time didn’t have much different stories, either. They were all busy feeling around their bodies, wondering if their guts had been swapped out for cheap implants while they were asleep.

“The others got scared and ran off... but I didn’t see you, so I figured maybe you’d come here. It’s been two days.”

Jeff finished his stammering explanation and then threw a question back.

“What about you? Where’ve you been all this time? What happened to the church? And where are the priest and the deacons?”

So Jin explained.

The true face of the church that lured i⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌n the homeless with free meals.

That not-so-pleasant truth.

“...Fuck. Seriously?”

“Apparently.”

“Then the one who dumped us back in Downtown must’ve been that insanely strong guy.”

“Probably.”

“Then why didn’t he bring you too?”

“My point exactly.”

Jin shrugged his shoulders.

He still had no idea why Lokan had left only him behind, but judging by the guy’s behavior, it didn’t seem like there was any special reason.

I mean, what kind of logic do you expect from a lunatic who got himself caught just because it sounded fun?

Anyway, lucky to still be in one piece.

Either way, maybe steer clear of free food from now on.

Wait a sec.

Now that I think about it, I followed you and ended up getting dragged into this mess.

What the hell, you ate the most out of everyone.

This kind of friendly banter continued, until Jin shook his head like, “Forget it”, and started up his bike with a vroom and rode off.

At that, Jeff, who had been about to flip him off, muttering about how people act all high and mighty once they’re doing well, suddenly froze.

He noticed some bills had been slipped into his hand at some point and his eyes widened.

“No way. Why’d he give me this…”

Watching his fellow homeless companion disappear into the distance, now too small to call out to, Jeff wiped under his nose.

***

A few days passed.

During that time, Jin focused only on what he was good at.

Eating, sleeping, and shitting.

And that made sense. There was still quite a bit of time left before the two weeks Khalifa had mentioned were up.

He figured if he wandered around unnecessarily, he’d just run into more trouble, so he spent most of his time lying on the motel bed, barely moving except to eat or go to the bathroom.

The fortunate thing was that, for once, the status window was quiet.

That thing usually p⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌opped up at random and drove him nuts, but now it was completely silent, now this was real rest.

Jin felt a true sense of physical and mental peace for the first time in a while.

A happiness born from having absolutely no thoughts.

One of those rare nights where he could fall asleep without cranking up the music.

And so, today.

Waking up late in the afternoon, taking a shower in lukewarm water, then lazing around in bed for a bit.

When hunger finally kicked in, he got up and walked out of the motel room, footsteps carrying him toward one destination, Rumpumpumpum.

Wednesday, 7:00 PM. Right-hand corner seat on the second floor.

Where the old speaker played old songs.

He arrived earlier than usual out of guilt.

It was always the siblings who came first and waited for him.

And that wasn’t even all.

Hadn’t he once stormed out in the middle of a meal recently? And the week before that, he’d unintentionally flaked on them too.

So today, with the thought of treating them, he’d packed the table in advance.

And now there were about 20 minutes left until the promised time.

Naturally, Jin crossed his arms and listened to the lyrics drifting to his ears.

Or at least, he was about to.

Bang!!

A sudden gunshot pierced through his eardrums.

“...Huh?”

At the sound that should never be heard in Rumpumpumpum, Jin sniffed and looked straight ahead.

He saw the back of a man.

An arm stretched diagonally, straight, and at the end of it, a gun barrel spewing smoke.

Jin extended his gaze in the same direction.

A corpse. A bullet had pierced the temple.

Blood burst out like fireworks, splattering the window.

And then a scream rang out.

“Kyaaah!”

Bang!

A hole opened in the forehead of the screaming woman.

Her body went stiff and collapsed to the ground just like that.

The man, who had just pulled off a rapid double tap, suddenly threw both arms into the air.

“A’hhhhhh!!!!!”

A thunderous roar. At the same time, an intense heat began to condense around his body.

In that split-second of slowed breathing, Jin drew the Gravis.

BANG-!!

A thunderous gunshot exploded toward the man's head.

「(Omen!)(Sudden!) Contagious Will」──────

Subdue/Eliminate the Berserker.

*Reward Perk XP 3,000

──────────────────

The status window appeared before his eyes.

At the same time, a massive blaze engulfed the entire second floor of Rumpumpumpum.