TL/ED: Hamsterminator

Intense flames swept through Rumpumpumpum.

The flames were by no means natural. They were condensed to their limit, repressed to the point of feeling dense in texture, then suddenly unleashed like a storm of heat flow.

Windows burst inward and outward simultaneously under the force of the raging shockwave.

It must have been the sound of a bomb exploding.

The reason it was only a guess was because Jin couldn't hear a thing. Whether it was his eardrums or cochlea that had gone, at that moment, his ears were filled only with a piercing, high-pitched ringing.

But that didn’t matter.

Even as his vision spun and his entire body was overwhelmed by searing heat, Jin first checked the condition of what he held in his arms.

An old speaker.

To confess, he had no idea why he hugged it.

His body just moved first, that's all.

Jin silently asked,

Hey, buddy, are you singing right now?

As if responding to the question, there was a vibration felt at his fingertips.

It felt like the coughing breath of a drowning victim successfully resuscitated.

Jin was relieved.

Then, slowly turning his head, his eyes took in the landscape engulfed in flames.

Anyway, it had been a quiet time with only four customers including himself.

Two of them were dead now, and the perpetrator of the terror attack was trembling within the flickering flames with both arms spread wide.

Even after being hit by the Gravis and having part of his head blown off, the bastard was still al⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠ive.

Inside the crushed metal skull, wires acting as blood vessels sparked irregularly like a short circuit, crack! crack!, flashing erratic electric light.

A body mechanized to the limit allowed by technology.

But that wasn’t particularly surprising.

Just as Purists had pride in their pure bodies, the opposite kind also existed in full force.

So what mattered wasn’t that steel body.

It was the mana felt within.

Heat raging out of control after losing restraint.

A karmic fire soaring endlessly, ultimately devouring even the wielder.

Then, the terrorist turned his head.

“...!! ..! ......!! ....!”

He was shouting something this way, but it was still too unclear to make out.

Jin furrowed his brow.

Not because he was frustrated at not hearing him.

But because his mood was just that twisted.

So, just like that crazy bastard screaming over there, the veins on his own neck popped out.

Hey, you asshole! You don’t know where the fuck this is?

This is Rumpumpumpum!

No one fights here!

In this shitty city, it's one of the few...!

A shout that didn’t even reach his own ears had no chance of reaching the other guy.

Besides, that bastard was already screaming and contorting on his own.

Fine, go ahead and yell your lungs out.

I’m gonna fuck you up my own way.

Was it a backlash from the storm raging in his heart?

The core of his heart reacted on its own.

Crackle!!

Before he knew it, Jin’s body was surrounded by a faint purple current.

He himself wasn’t even aware of it.

He just ran full force, grabbed the opponent’s face with his palm, and slammed it to the ground.

The back of the head was crushed in an instant, spraying not blood but lubricant.

Normally, any human should absolutely die at this point.

But the terrorist, in that condition, grabbed Jin’s right arm, still clutching his head, with both hands.

The point of contact became an ignition point.

Flames erupted without warning.

A horrific searing pain.

And f⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠uck that.

Jin drew a big arc through the air with his burning arm.

Still gripping the terrorist’s head tightly.

He wasn’t letting go.

He had already dug all five mechanized fingertips deep into the bastard’s metal skull.

Whoosh!

A trajectory accompanied by violent air pressure. The head that traced the arc through the air crashed back down into the ground in a straight drop.

The terrorist’s legs shot straight into the air.

His neck snapped, and from the crushed eye socket, a mechanical eyeball popped out.

But even then, the bastard didn’t stop generating flames.

Even now, his gaping mouth was spewing not pain, but blind rage.

Burn, burn. Hotter. Stronger. Even if it ends up burning myself in the end.

Jin didn’t stop either.

He was just as pissed off.

What is that bastard anyway? Who knows.

A Berserker? So fucking what.

Why throw a fit here?

Why the fuck did it have to be Rumpumpumpum?

This was the moment the recently calm eyes finally lost it completely.

Crack!

Jin tore off the terrorist’s hands, which were gripping his right arm, with superhuman strength and caught the falling ankle midair in a perfect arc.

Then he took a deep breath, inhale, and let his shoulders drop.

Immediately after, the most violent firewheel game in the world began.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Exactly the same way that some green monster had once pulverized Thor’s cocky little brother claiming to be a god.

The body, slammed left, right, front, and back, shattered into pieces, and the intense impacts stamped small craters into the floor like a punch of a seal.

Jin had no intention of stopping.

He slammed down, slammed down, and slammed down again.

At some point, the terrorist’s body shot up like a rocket, crashed hard into the ceiling, bang!, and then fell to the ground.

It was because the ankle Jin had been holding and swinging by tore off in his grip.

“......”

Jin looked down at his now-lightened right hand, then threw the lone remaining foot over his shoulder and slapped at his arm, which was covered in flames, with his left hand to extinguish the fire.

The revealed arm was a complete mess from burns, but maybe because of the adrenaline surging through him, the pain wasn’t that intense yet.

Jin began striding forward.

Toward the terrorist, now lying like a rag on the floor.

The bastard no longer resembled a human.

From the completely crushed skull, both blood and oil were flowing together in a bizarre scene, and his limbs were broken like straws, forming a swastika shape in different directions. With mechanical parts sticking out through joints, the sight was all the more gruesome.

To put it simply, a human had become a pinwheel.

All the result of a full-power superhuman spin-cycle by a man whose eyes had rolled back in rage.

Jin stomped on the lump that used to be a head and spoke.

“What the hell are you.”

A question, after reducing him to a pulp.

Way too late.

Of course, even if he’d asked earlier, he wouldn’t have gotten the answer he wanted.

“Forget it.”

Jin slowly lifted his head.

Then, putting strength into his foot.

Crunch!

The head, which had only flickered with weak lights, was squashed like an insect.

At the same time, the sprinklers on the ceiling activated and sprayed water with a loud rush.

Was it because of the EXP, the burns, or the anger?

As the hot water droplets th⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠at felt like beads rained down on his face, his hearing slowly began to recover, and he heard urgent footsteps racing up the stairs.

“Jin?!”

“U⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠h, uh... Jin!”

Familiar faces stared at him with shocked eyes.

Ah, right. He’d meant to see them.

The heat that had filled his head like the smoke rising all around began to slowly clear.

As the prelude to pain began to creep in and fill the space left behind, he opened his mouth toward the siblings.

“Hey.”

***

Splash!

Ice fell into the water with loud plunks.

It was already the seventh bag.

But there were still five more to go.

“Ugh, cold. That’s enough.”

Jin, who was submerged in a bathtub filled with ice water with only his neck sticking out, said this while looking at Jenny, who was tearing open another bag with a knife.

Of course, she didn’t even pretend to listen.

“Shut up. Do you know what you even look like right now?”

“I-I dunno. Week 4 of winter survival training? Or maybe last winter?”

"What are you talking about."

Splash splash.

Even though dumping in more ice didn’t noticeably lower the water temperature anymore, he couldn’t help groaning.

It was because of the pain.

More precisely, his right arm hurt.

All thanks to third-degree burns that had damaged the nerves, honestly, at this point, ice wouldn’t do a thing.

Even if Hua Tuo himself came back to li⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠fe, he’d just shake his head.

Tsk. Looks like we gotta cut this off?- saying something brutally honest, and if he didn’t raise the axe he never got to use on Cao Cao, that would be a miracle.

But that would be a misdiagnosis.

At least in Jin’s case.

With nerve damage, he shouldn’t be feeling any pain at all. That would be normal.

The reason Jin was feeling sore, stinging, hot, itchy, and ready to lose his mind right now, was because his body was already in the middle of recovery.

Irregular, superhuman, vagabond.

The zombie build was right once again today.

Of course, Jin was just in pain.

“...Enough.”

Jenny, who had finally emptied the last bag, plopped down on the toilet and turned her head.

“What the hell happened?”

To her question, Jin, whose teeth were chattering from the combined assault of pain and cold, replied.

“I don’t know. I was just waiting for you guys. Then some terrorist bastard shot a customer in the temple. They say even dogs don’t get disturbed while eating, but this guy’s worse than a dog.”

“......”

Jenny was silent for a moment, then turned her face to the other side.

“What’s he saying?”

“It’s chaos. Not just Rumpumpumpum, a similar incident happened in Junk Plaza’s Sector 3 too. That one was a shooting spree, seventeen dead and five seriously wounded.”

Jackie’s voice, coming from outside the bathroom, gradually drew closer. Soon, he was leaning against the doorframe as he continued.

“The perp was an ordinary gang member, but surprisingly, it took quite a while to take him down. If it hadn’t been for a solo who was eating nearby, they say at least twice as many would’ve been killed or injured. But the real problem is…”

Jenny narrowed her eyes at her brother trailing off.

“What is it?”

“The solo who fought the perp… he’s in critical condition.”

“What?”

Jenny repeated, and Jin, who had been groaning in the ice water, also turned his head.

“Exactly what it sounds like. He did kill the guy, but looks like he got badly injured in the process. From what I read, it’s the kind of situation where they’re not sure if he’s going to make it.”

Everyone wore vague expressions at that.

A "solo" refers to someone capable of taking on two or three armed punks on their own with ease.

But that wasn’t an absolute guarantee either.

In this world, one mistake could mean death.

So it was hard to make any definite judgments.

Maybe the solo, that guy, let his guard down.

Just as Jin was thinking that.

“Here. It’s a video of the incident.”

Before anyone noticed, Jackie had stepped into the bathroom, holding a tablet and playing a video for everyone to see.

It started with the floor. And a nervous breathing sound.

Probably filmed from hiding. The camera, still for a while, then slowly began to move with careful shakes, and eventually captured two people locked in a bloody battle.

Striking, dodging, creating distance and firing guns.

Clashing again, looking for openings, counterattacking.

From that alone, it was impossible to tell who was the gang member and who was the solo.

But that didn’t last long.

The one screaming like a lunatic must be the gang member, Jin thought, nodding as.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The unnamed solo finally shot three bullets into the gang member’s heart in succession. As he confirmed the fallen enemy and turned around.

“A’aaah-!”

The gang member suddenly popped up like a spring-loaded toy, pulled a dagger from his waist, and stabbed it hard into the solo’s nape.

The solo staggered, clutching his neck.

The gang member collapsed for good after that final sneak attack.

Panicked swearing filled the air, mixed with a shaky camera.

That was the end of the video.

“Yeah. He definitely let his guard down.”

Jin’s muttered comment was met by Jenny.

“Still, for a supposed ‘ordinary’ gang member, that’s way too... Did he slot some crazy expensive combat data chip or something?”

“Think there’s a connection between this guy and the Rumpumpumpum terrorist?”

“...Who knows. We can’t say anything for sure right now.”

At that, Jin furrowed his brow deeply.

Come to think of it, their first request had been in a similar situation.

Edmund Nielsen? Hanson? Johnson?

Whatever, didn’t that bastard go berserk after having his leaked data chip taken?

Poe said he was a berserker too, didn’t he?

Something about this stank. Badly.

So he thought to himself.

Hey. You there?

Show me something. Anything.

No, wait. Gimme a sec to prepare myself.

...Okay.

Counting to three. Just show up.

Only this once.

...Three, two, one.

The status window stayed silent.

You fucking bastard.

Jin grit his teeth hard.

“That, uh…”

Jackie cautiously pulled something out from his coat.

“I brought this just in case.”

Following his words, Jin and Jenny both instinctively turned their eyes toward it.

And both of them saw it.

A machine part with dangling wires, held delicately between Jackie’s thumb and index finger.