TL/ED: Hamsterminator

It all depends on how you take it.

Clearly, the Status Window politely suggested to “investigate”.

Jin, however, interpreted it, without bothering to consider the full context, as confirmation that this was indeed the right place. Which meant he could go ahead and “go wild” without worry.

And the starting point of this gap in understanding was none other than panic.

In an effort to escape the black tide, a habit of not thinking too deeply about anything had created a “healthy”? form of self-justification, which was the root cause of the current situation.

In summary, Jin had a tendency to interpret most situations in a way that was favorable to himself. And even if things took a turn for the worse, he adapted by scrambling to find the best possible solution within the chaos.

Looking at it positively, he possessed extraordinary initiative and bold guts, making him the ideal type optimized for Solo.

Conversely, it meant there was no backup plan.

But so what?

Jin came here fully intending to crash into things head-on.

Even before the guards who came running at the noise could assess the situation, he attacked first, and it was entirely because of that mindset.

The next moment.

A superhuman flying kick struck the guard’s face.

Bang!

His body lifted off and slammed into the wall, then slid down with a thud.

Before the unconscious guard’s head even dropped limp, Jin had already locked on to his next target.

The second one was the guy staring at his fallen comrade in shock.

Looking away during a fight?

Forgetting the basics always comes at a cost.

In that moment, Jin did something completely out of character and played the role of a teacher.

Using the leg he landed with as a pivot, he drew a wide arc with the other leg. The guard took a picture-perfect high kick to the temple, and his eyes rolled back with a flick.

The last guard, at least, managed to act like a human being.

Unlike his comrades who were knocked down without doing anything, he at least swung his palm toward Jin’s face.

A sudden slap?

Trying to humiliate rather than hurt?

As Jin narrowed his eyes and watched the incoming palm, he reflexively jerked his head back at the sudden glint of light.

Shwing!

Five blades grazed right past his nose.

Only then did Jin realize the guard's hand that passed through the air was made of steel, and instead of fingernails, it had vicious blades attached to it.

It was a good try.

But that’s where it ended.

Jin counter-punched the unbalanced opponent in the jaw.

The moment he pulled his head back, his right hand swung on instinct and did the job.

What boxing fans commonly call slip-bam.

(It really means slip and bam, dodge and hit)

In English, it’s a pullback counter. When it landed, the guard staggered like a robot that had just lost power.

Maybe his legs gave out. He couldn’t even react to the straight left hand that followed.

Bang!

And so, the third guard went down.

Including the twitching chromie, that made four people knocked out, but despite the chaos, the surroundings remained eerily quiet, without so much as a scream.

Jin, who had just yelled for the owner to come out, awkwardly glanced around, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

His eyes naturally took in the dazed faces around him.

We’re high on drugs and don’t know anything.

The customers were still flailing inside their own fantasies.

Sss, hoo-

Sss, hoo-

Puffing on liquid vapes mechanically.

Of course, not everyone was like that. Some were startled when they noticed the fallen guards.

But that, too, lasted only a moment.

“...This stuff’s hitting real good today.”

They casually assumed it was all a hallucination and walked right past the scene, making them no different from NPCs pretending not to see their comrades getting assassinated right in front of them.

As Jin watched those dumbfounded faces, he suddenly realized the space was filled with a thick mist. He also noticed the guards on the ground were wearing masks with filters.

At that point, it was just human psychology.

Even if it felt gross, there was no choice but to put one on.

So Jin took the cleanest mask he could find and strapped it to his own face, only to twitch his eyebrows at the foul stench that assaulted his nose.

And it was damp, too.

Damn. Disgusting as hell.

But what could he do? He was already wearing it.

Since things had already come to this, Jin briefly considered going back to retrieve the Gravis, but thinking it would just waste his movement route, he chose the next best option: taking a handgun from the guard's body and resumed striding down toward the basement.

A thicker layer of fog welcomed him.

Wondering why it had become this hazy, he looked around and saw that, sure enough, smoke was being sprayed from a hole in the ceiling.

At some point, the customers had disappeared too.

Unlike the first floor, where people were sprawled out smoking liquid vapes, here it was just a long stretch of closed doors, this must have been the so-called private rooms they boasted about in their promotions.

Maybe that’s why.

The sounds piercing his ears were also more explicit.

Jin swung open the nearest door.

“Oh.”

Under mysterious lighting.

The tangled mass of flesh made him reflexively let out a murmur of awe.

Whoa. Wow. Holy-

These ladies are pretty bold.

Hmm. Maybe that’s what you’d call a berserker of a different kind.

Jin stood there briefly, frozen by the fascinating sight, then clicked the door shut.

And onto the next room.

“Ah.”

This time, it was a different situation.

I'm not interested in men together.

I respect it, but not in front of me...!

At the self-inflicted eye terrorism, Jin slammed the door shut!

What the hell did I just see, he muttered, slapping his forehead.

“That bastard!”

A shou⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌t came through the thick fog.

...Five, no, six.

Just from the staggered footsteps, Jin grasped the enemy’s position and numbers, and raised the handgun.

It was a model chambered in 9x19mm rounds. Compared to the Gravis, it felt like a toy. But because of that, it had the upper hand in rapid fire.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The muzzle spat fire without pause.

Screams erupted in sync with the shots.

Not that Jin could see anything clearly enough to pull the trigger without hesitation.

Unless he were using cybernetic eyes with thermal detection.

In this level of fog (so thick he couldn’t even judge distance properly to use Blink), Jin relied entirely on senses other than sight.

Just like now.

Srrrrng-

The sound of a blade sliding from a sheath.

Behind him.

Jin immediately raised his left arm and tucked his right arm under his armpit, unloading bullets.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The guard who had been ambitiously preparing a sneak attack took bullets to the forehead, chest, and abdomen in succession and collapsed. He never got back up.

Jin kept moving forward.

Whenever someone blocked his path, he pulled the trigger, swung his fists, and sometimes brushed past stray bullets, but never stopped advancing.

In the process, he passed through several winding corridors.

Even passed a door mark⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌ed “VIP”.

And then h⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌e arrived here.

A large office on basement level 3.

In a room displaying all kinds of liquid samples, a bald man seated in a leather chair and watching a screen connected to the CCTV sneered at Jin, who opened the door and entered.

“Fuck. You’ve got some nerve.”

A familiar voice. It was exactly the voice of the vendor who had handed over the data chip to the terrorist.

Jin wiped the blood flowing from under his chin with the back of his hand and spoke.

“You the owner here?”

“Yeah, you son of a bitch. I’m the owner. Got a problem with that?”

“Problem? Yeah, I got one.”

Jin nodded, then flung the now-empty handgun he had picked up earlier.

“Because of that data chip you sold to some moron, the store I used to frequent exploded. Two customers died. Just sitting there eating peacefully.”

At that, the bald man’s eyes narrowed.

“...Rumpumpumpum?”

“So you know. Yeah, Rumpumpumpum. That place got hit by a terrorist attack. What now? You’re a public enemy of the martial world.”

“What... What? What the hell are you talking about? What does that fucking hole-in-the-wall shop blowing up have to do with me?”

Jin didn’t care whether the guy was shouting or not.

He simply rolled his eyes, scanning the office naturally, then looked back at the bald man and said:

“I told you. It happened because of the data chip you sold.”

“You got proof? You got any proof?!”

“Nope. But how do you think I made it this far without any? If you're gonna pretend you're the victim, at least put some effort into it. Don’t think yelling is enough.”

“......”

For once, the bald man shut his mouth.

It was the kind of scene that could leave anyone speechless.

That is, if not for the faint smile on his lips.

Bang!!

From Jin's perspective, the left wall was blown apart.

Beyond it, a Beastkin with the head of a rhinoceros charged in.

Moooooo!!

Like a demolition tank, the massive creature came barreling in, swinging its enormous single horn from below in a powerful upward motion.

As the murderous headbutt carved a wild arc toward its target, Jin suddenly dropped onto the creature's head. It was Blink.

At the same time, he firmly wrapped his pre-extended arm around the creature’s neck.

With his airway suddenly being crushed, the rhino Beastkin began rampaging wildly through the office.

Mooo-rgh!!

Its arms, thick like tree trunks, were too massive to reach behind its back, causing the unfortunate inability to dislodge Jin from his perch. In desperation, the creature slammed its back into everything it could, trying to rip off the arm choking its neck.

The display shelves shattered, and the burst liquid drugs soaked everything.

Each collision felt like getting hit by a truck, but even so, Jin never let go.

The more the opponent thrashed, the tighter Jin squeezed.

When it came to a muddy deathmatch of “you die or I live”, no one was more confident than Jin.

With his mana circuits already at full throttle, his physical strength was further enhanced.

And before long, the winner of the chicken race was decided.

Thud-!!

With a heavy thump, the rhino Beastkin collapsed, and blood gurgled up from his mouth.

Just as Jin finally released his grip and started to rise.

“L-Lightning!!”

The bald man, pressed tightly into the corner of the office and muttering chants like a mantra, suddenly thrust his hand out.

A streak of pure white light struck Jin directly in the chest.

And then.

Nothing happened.

“…Huh?” “…Eh?”

Both men were stunned.

The bald man looked back and forth between his unharmed target and his own hand in disbelief.

Jin, meanwhile, felt a faint growl stir from the depths of his heart.

You could call it contempt for the weak.

The displeasure was obvious.

At the same time, information etched in his mind surfaced, adding a fitting explanation.

Arcane Magic develops resistance to spells of the same attribute if they’re of lower output.

It was a st⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌range feeling.

Knowledge that was unfamiliar yet familiar.

“…Fuck.”

Irritated for no reason, Jin spat a mouthful of blood-mixed saliva to the side.

Then he began walking forward with heavy steps, and the bald man, seeing him approach, scrambled backward in panic, despite already being pressed flat against the wall with nowhere left to go.

The man couldn’t even shout for him to stop.

Before he could, he felt his insides twist.

“Guh!”

Whether it was a fist or a foot, something hit him in the gut, and he instinctively collapsed to his knees, clutching his stomach.

At the same time, a rough hand grabbed him by the collar.

Looking up, trembling, he saw a man backlit by the ceiling lights. Amid the flickering illumination and shifting shadows, only the gray eyes remained sharply in focus.

Then came the slap, smack!, and the bald man’s face twisted to the right.

The impact was so intense it turned his vision white.

Before he could even spit out his broken teeth.

The left side.

Then the right again.

No time to breathe, back to the left.

The bald man’s cheeks flared up like fire from left to right.

Bones shook on the back of the hand, skin split on the palm.

And even though Jin hadn’t gone back and forth m⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌any times, the bald man had already gone limp, soaking his pants thoroughly.

Why so damn weak?

Jin thought he’d give him just one more hit before the real questioning started, and raised his hand.

Ziiiiing~~~ A long vibration came from the device in his chest.

“……?”

Jin pulled back the hand that was about to slap him and reached into his coat, pulling out the device. He glanced at the name on the screen, then answered the call, bringing the terminal to his ear.

“I’m kinda busy righ-”

[Jin, sorry to call while you’re working, but could you tone it down a bit? Just… don’t kill him.]

Even in her composed tone, there was a trace of unease.

It was Khalifa.