TL/ED: Hamsterminator

Jin is the type to be honest about everything.

If he’s in pain, he shows pain, and if he’s angry, he shows anger.

He doesn’t bother hiding his emotions and usually wears his heart on his sleeve without filtering anything.

Still, grinning like a fool is out of the question.

Shaking like a leaf is already embarrassing enough, but having drool pooling in your mouth with glazed eyes is just unacceptable.

So Jin put in effort to control his expression.

Meanwhile, his dopamine-blasted brain was in complete chaos.

Here was a stream watering a withered flower.

A breeze sweeping across the sweat-drenched nape of his neck.

And the dawn that arrived after enduring a long night.

Thankfully, the rush of accomplishment disappeared in just a few seconds like melting snow, but the aftertaste lingered subtly, like a lingering scent.

Except for a slight fluttering of his eyelids, Jin succeeded in maintaining a poker face and slowly opened his mouth.

"...Cold water, please."

"Hm? Sure, okay."

To that, Khalifa nodded.

She picked up the cookie that had fallen on the table and placed it back on the plate, then turned around.

Afterwards, Jin gulped down the ice water she handed him and finally let out a soft sigh.

What kind of situation is this?

Who would’ve thought the quest would be completed back to back?

The interval was so short that if the first one was a straight punch, the second was an uppercut.

In other words, he almost got knocked out because he let his guard down.

He only endured it because he’s Jin. Seriously.

Muttering to himself, Jin brought the cookie back to his mouth.

And then he thought:

Why was it skipped?

Was it because Khalifa told him about Walter?

Was it information he was originally supposed to discover on his own?

This is why having a good sense is really important.

Backtracking the results, Jin pieced together the vague blanks in the sequence of events, in other words, the context.

People who are good at this kind of thing are often said to have good sense. It’s a different domain from book smarts, people who don’t need things explained twice, who just nod like “Ah, I get what you mean”, and aren’t frustrating to talk to.

Just like now.

[Find Walter together with the client.]

Even with the status window suddenly dropping an unexpected notice in a “take it or leave it” tone, instead of throwing up question marks over his head like, “Huh? Client? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”, he just opened his mouth while still chewing on the cookie.

“So, who is it?”

“...? What do you mean?”

“The person looking for Walter. Lover? Family? Enemy?”

Khalifa had a curious expression, and those red eyes stared blankly at him.

Then, tilting her head slightly, she spoke.

“You already knew?”

To that, Jin tilted his head in the same direction.

“Then you didn’t?”

Khalifa is a Linker.

Just like a Solo, she’s not someone who moves without compensation.

And not only did she go so far as to involve a level-4 Solo, she even hacked into the CCTV system just to identify the broker.

Why would she go that far?

“You got a request, didn’t you? Mm, no. You probably contacted them first, so I guess I should say you proposed the request?”

At Jin’s continued words, Khalifa made a rare surprised expression.

And then she admired him.

“That’s impressive. At times like this, you really seem like a veteran Solo.”

Hold on. What does that say about how I usually am?

Jin narrowed his eyes at the slightly confusing reaction, was that a compliment or not?, while Khalifa joked that he could probably pass for level 3 already, then added:

“You’re right. There’s a client. And yes, I was the one who contacted them first.”

Summing up the explanation she gave afterward in three lines would go like this:

One, Khalifa found out about the disappearance of a mercenary named Walter through the corpse of Nilsen.

Two, having obtained the information, she looked for someone to make use of it.

Three, sure enough, there was someone who had been chasing Walter’s whereabouts for a long time.

Oh. Three lines aren’t enough.

Anyway, four. So she reached out first.

Asking whether they were still looking for him.

If the answer was yes, then she was planning to move right into a business conversation.

Which brings us to now.

The Linker, who managed to successfully convert the hard-earned information into money with the client who still hoped to find Walter.

And a Solo (Lv2) who somehow got dragged into it all.

Should it be called a strange alliance?

A situation in need of sorting out.

Khalifa slowly opened her mouth.

“Anyway, Jin. Thanks to you, I was able to bring the broker here. I’ll definitely compensate you for that part. I’m thinking of preparing the same amount I promised Eric. And...”

Trailing off for a moment, she asked,

“You plan to go all the way, right?”

To that, Jin nodded as if to say, “Isn’t that obvious?”

Wasn’t this all started to go after the root cause of the terror that turned Rumpumpumpum into a sea of fire? Just because things got complicated along the way didn’t mean the original objective had changed.

“Yeah. I’m going all the way. So if anything comes up, let me know right away too. Like you said, I was the one who caught that bald guy first, and I’m the one who brought him here. That much can be shared, right?”

“Yeah. I’ll do that.”

With Khalifa’s calm agreement, Jin showed a visibly relieved expression.

Truthfully, this was much easier for him too.

It spared him the hassle of having to torture the bald guy with lightning just to get information out of him.

Anyway, it was already the middle of the night.

As she looked out the window, which had turned pitch black at some point, Khalifa spoke.

“It’s late. Just sleep at the shop tonight. We’ve got plenty of empty rooms.”

Jin didn’t refuse.

***

It was a familia⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠r guest room.

The place where, long ago, he’d gotten into a huge fight with Fenrir and broke his nose. The place where he’d hugged a bucket and gagged up blood running down the back of his throat.

Back then it was on a chair, but now, lying on a bed, Jin had his fingers interlaced behind his head, staring at the ceiling.

Is Fenrir doing okay?

That heartless bastard.

How the hell have I not seen him even once since then?

As Jin recalled the werewolf he’d fought to the death alongside, he suddenly furrowed his brow.

Because an ominous figure had come to mind along with him.

A black leather long coat and a fedora.

A bird-beak mask tinged with dull silver.

Crow Madeye.

To the world, he was “that lunatic”, but to Jin, he was “the plague doctor”.

Just remembering the moment they faced off made Jin’s palms damp. No matter how he thought about it, that bastard definitely went easy on him.

The monster who had toyed with both him and Fenrir with just a wave of his hand hovered in his mind, and Jin chewed his lip for a while. Then his thoughts shifted to the face of a middle-aged beggar in chains.

Lokan.

A man from Zahad, and yet for some reason living as a vagrant.

That filthy, shabby face, soaked in grime, had closed the distance in a flash like lightning. It had shocked him to the core.

How much would he need to develop his light attribute to achieve such speed?

He couldn’t even begin to guess.

If Crow was a suffocating terror like the deep sea,

Lokan was a flash of light beyond the unreachable sky.

Naturally, the following question arose:

So who’s stronger?

So-and-so vs so-and-so.

If you were born with a dick, you’ve had this exact kind of daydream or debate countless times.

People who say this stuff is childish need to take a long hard look at themselves.

Prime Tony Ferguson vs Khabib from back in the day.

20 Damw⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠on vs 15 SKT.

Nu Gundam vs Sazabi.

You’re telling me you’re not curious about this?

That it’s pointless because there’s no clear answer?

Nonsense. It’s fun because there’s no answer.

Because you can talk about it for hours.

Of course, since Jin was alone, he quietly tossed Crow and Lokan into the background of the ceiling.

Alright, now kill each other.

After staring at the ceiling like that for a long time, Jin came to a conclusion...

Hmm. I have no idea at all?

It’s a lame answer, but it couldn’t be helped.

You need at least some kind of knowledge to even begin guessing who’s stronger or weaker.

What’s the point of imagining it when you don’t even understand their level?

Realizing only his own inadequacy, Jin swiped under his nose.

Then he slowly closed his eyelids.

And when he opened them again, he was staring up at the night sky.

A small universe, glittering with countless stars.

“......”

Jin gazed at his inner world, specifically the massive constellation shaped like a tree.

Every time he looked at it, the same thought came to mind, how the hell is he supposed to light all that up?

Here’s a quick trivia.

In the first playthrough of Project Neo, fully unlocking the [Mana] constellation is extremely difficult.

Maybe on Easy mode, where the experience point rewards are set the highest. Otherwise, on other difficulties, it’s practically unthinkable.

Honestly, if you could just max out everything, then what’s the point of a build?

Of course, someone on the other side might shout back, “Then why the hell did you make a constellation you can’t even fully unlock?” But hey, that’s just how the game is designed.

In fact, this issue isn't particularly unique to other constellations either. It's not like you'll get to the late game as a [Psychic] and go, “I have Pyrokinesis, and Telekinesis, and also Gravitokinesis. Kukuku”. That almost never happens.

A character who has pushed a single ability to its absolute limit is much stronger than some watered-down mix of everything.

Which is why Jin's worries deepened.

If he foolishly picked this and that skill without thought, he’d probably be screwed.

His gamer instincts, honed since childhood, were telling him so.

In times like this, the safest answer is simple:

Just steadily build up the fundamentals.

In other words, go for the constellation’s vertical line first, the big stars that form the pillars (and naturally demand a ton of experience points).

Even if it lacks variety for now, couldn’t he compensate later with hidden constellations?

No, more than that, Arcane Magic supposedly grants resistance to lower-output spells of the same attribute...

Just look at that bald guy from King's groom. While his subordinate was getting choked to death, he was calmly charging up a Lightning spell, only for it to be completely nullified by a single cough from the lightning attribute.

Having experienced that firsthand, how could he just casually start putting points into something like Fireball?

And so, Jin made up his mind.

Right after, he poured all the experience he’d gathered into his intended path. A stream of light shot out from a single star, cutting cleanly through the empty nebula and waking a dormant star.

And with that, came the pain.

His entire body’s mana circuits widened and hardened around his heart. The sensation, impossible to describe in words, swept over him like a storm, and Jin nearly blacked out.

Here we go again!

Please be gentl⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠e!

Of course, that didn’t happen.

By the time his sweat-soaked body flopped onto the bed like a puddle of slime, the deeper and heavier mana flowed smoothly through him. The lightning attribute, pleased with its now larger house, sparked excitedly as it rampaged within.

[Mana Circuit (Lv3)]

Without even a moment to check the upgraded circuit, Jin let out a deflated sigh, “Huff...” and his head drooped to the side.

Not knowing that the growth method he planned was a late-game build that only Irregulars could choose, he fell into a deep sleep, snoring away properly.

***

Jin woke up to a polite knock- knock knock.

He had no intention of getting up, so he stayed sprawled out, pretending not to hear, but then a voice came from beyond the slowly opening door.

Would you like something to eat? It was Poe’s voice.

Food?

Jin immediately sprang up like a spring. Even half-asleep, he somehow managed to stumble out of the room.

He awkwardly plopped down in the same spot he’d sat in yesterday, and a little further away on the sofa, the helmet-headed guy waved at him.

“Hey. Morning. You came out for breakfast too?”

[I am here for coffee. I am here for coffee.]

“Damn it. I told you, just say it once.”

Jin frowned and turned his head.

“Good morning, Jin.”

Poe, who had approached at some point, placed a plate on the table.

Scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, baked beans, and such were neatly arranged on the plate, a breakfast commonly referred to as an English breakfast. Jin’s eyes widened at the sight.

“Thanks for the meal.”

The first bite was sausage, and the juicy flavor bursting out was immensely satisfying right from the start.

With his appetite properly sparked, Ji⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠n devoured the entire plate in no time.

As if waiting for that moment, Poe handed him a cup of warm milk.

Just like how Khalifa always offered him cookies, Jin couldn’t help but wonder if these people should’ve opened a d⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠iner instead of a bar.

Thinking that, he wrapped both hands around the warmly radiating cup.

And then, naturally, he asked,

“Did you get anything out of that bald guy?”

“You mean the broker. Yes, we did.”

“Whoa, already? Impressive.”

“But the thing is...”

Just as Poe was about to say something.

Ding-

A clear bell chime rang through the bar.

If someone was visiting a bar at this hour of the morning, they were either a drunk or obviously a Solo. With that in mind, Jin turned his head without thinking much.

Then flinched.

His hand instinctively went to the Gravis at his waist.

At some point, a strange woman had entered the shop, slowly sweeping her gaze from side to side as she spoke.

“This is Anecdote... right?”

In the woman’s eyes, pure white flames were fiercely blazing.