TL/ED: Hamsterminator

A strange sensation as the ground beneath his feet disappeared.

With an open, wide view, Jin opened his eyes wide.

Shit! That’s high!

The current distance between the transport and the rooftop of the building was about 30 meters.

Considering the average height of an apartment floor is about 2.7 meters, he had effectively jumped from the height of an 11-story building.

For reference, Jin had never done bungee jumping in his life.

Why? Because it’s scary!

Even when his ex-girlfriend kept nagging him to go, he never gave in, not even once, but now he was doing this here…!

And there wasn’t even any safety gear.

He had boldly challenged gravity with nothing but his bare body, making this a purely free fall.

They say falling things have wings.

Well, I don’t.

So if he continued accelerating like this, he would end up with at least serious injuries and at worst, unconsciousness.

Of course, he wouldn’t die, and his consciousness would return in a day or two, but that wasn’t the point.

So Jin focused his mind.

And all of this happened within one second.

It had only been a single tick of the second hand since he jumped off the transport.

His gray eyes locked onto the target.

An outdoor light with its head tilted toward the sky.

A one-eyed observer glaring at the intruder.

Jin paid the toll of mana toward its long body.

The next moment.

Jin appeared in midair and grabbed the light’s body with the hand he had extended in advance.

Screeech-

Unable to withstand the weight, the observer’s neck bent like a pole. Immediately after, Jin released his grip and landed on the rooftop with a flexible motion.

He gave a brief glance at the corpses lying in the pouring rain, then entered the building without hesitation.

The first thing he felt was heat.

Stuffy air like stepping into a charcoal kiln.

Jin wrinkled his nose and rushed down the stairs.

Corpses were scattered at regular intervals on the landings and stairs. All of them had their heads engulfed in White Flame. Aside from the burning heads, their bodies were in better condition than those on the rooftop. Even while moving quickly, Jin carefully examined their attire and weapons.

And soon, a certain mark started becoming familiar to his eyes?

The positions varied, but the design was always the same.

A skull smoking a cigar.

Underneath it read [Death Harbour].

Death Harbour?

At least it wasn’t Actavis.

Which meant they weren’t part of the company's security forces.

Then, a private security firm? A PMC?

Either way, it was excessive force for a regular data chip manufacturer. Clearly, something was going on. Jin thought so as he kept running.

Swoooosh!

Sprinklers sprayed water in all directions. It was a reaction caused by the heat and flames that had filled the building, and the water chaos outside was now happening inside as well.

Wait, how far down have I gone?

Jin’s eyebrows narrowed.

Even after descending nearly 10 floors, there was still no sign of Eanna.

Could she not be using the emergency stairs--?

T⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠hun⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠k, Thud!

Jin was spinning around the landing when he instinctively lowered his posture.

At the same time, a bullet whizzed past above his head and left a deep dent in the wall.

Looking at this alone, it might seem like Jin reacted to the gunshot, but in reality, bullets travel faster than sound, so it’s impossible to dodge after hearing them.

There’s a reason why people say, “If you heard the gunshot, you survived!”

So the reason Jin had been able to lower his posture in advance was because of the thunk of the stair door bursting open that came before the thud of the gunshot.

And between that thunk and thud, Jin had already drawn the Gravis.

Bang─!!

A roar more than twice as loud as the previous shot erupted.

Someone clutched their chest and staggered backward, then collapsed to the floor with a thud.

Only then did Jin turn his head and approach the man who was vomiting blood, matching his eye level.

Thanks to his bulletproof vest, he avoided instant death, but the impact that his body hadn’t managed to absorb caused significant internal organ damage.

...was what Jin deduced from the dying gaze and fading breath. He also figured there was still a little time left before the man’s last breath.

“Hey, hey. I need to ask you something. Answer properly and I’ll send you off peacefully.”

“Fuck... you bastard.”

“Mm. I figured as much.”

Jin immediately wrapped Tempest around his right hand.

Thanks to the growth of his mana circuit, it had become much easier to wield.

Still, the fact that it kept crackling! crackling! and raising its hairs in defiance was annoying, but it was still useful in many ways.

Well, this is the kind of situation where you build up proficiency. They say the most important thing is stacking it up little by little. Then maybe someday, I too could show off some insane performance like Eanna?

Because it’s Tempest. I think it would be cool if it could cover the rooftop in an electric s⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠torm. Like a Psionic Storm. Hmm, I want to play Starcraft.

Then a sudden thought came to mind.

Uh, did I fry him for too long?

Jin pulled his hand away from the neuro-port and spoke.

“So, have you changed your mind?”

“Guh..., huff, huff... urgh.”

Fortunately, the negotiation went well enough that a few rounds of Q&A could take place in a relatively civil atmosphere.

“...So you guys are mercenaries who were stationed in the building under contract, acting as security? But your assigned area was only the ground floor, and you don’t know what’s in the basement?”

No answer came.

If a dead body opened its mouth and started talking, that’d be terrifying in its own right.

“Why are you so weak.”

Tsk, Jin clicked his tongue low and rose to his feet.

Still, he didn’t come out empty-handed.

At the very least, he could now guess where Eanna had headed.

And so, the place Jin moved to was the elevator.

He wanted to just press the (↓) button, wait a bit, and ride it all the way down in one go, but all the elevators in the building had already stopped functioning.

There was a different reason Jin was standing in front of the powerless elevator.

Bang!!

Without hesitation, he kicked the door, denting it badly. After repeating the act several more times, the mangled door fell inward, revealing the interior clearly.

“What the hell am I doing...”

Looking at the vertical black shaft, Jin sighed and took off his outerwear.

He then wrapped his flight jumper around the nearest guide rail, grabbed onto it, and descended without hesitation!

Learning by observation.

Applying knowledge learned from countless action films in real life, Jin gave a mental salute to his spiritual mentors.

Thank you, Ethan Hunt.

Thank you, James Bond.

(Those two have never actually done anything like this.)

Of course, unlike the movies, he couldn’t slide down smoothly and ended up fumbling here and there, but he still reached the bottom much faster than by stairs. Then he smashed the door open from the inside and stepped out.

What he saw was a lobby engulfed in flames.

A space literally scorched to ruin, with mercenaries sprawled around like discarded junk.

There was no need to guess whose handiwork it was. As he threw his jumper back on and crossed the lobby following the thick lingering mana.

Twitch.

Sensing movement nearby, Jin instinctively pulled the trigger.

Bang─!!

A mercenary who was pushing himself up from one knee was blown away on the spot.

Even then, the guy kept trembling and tried to raise his upper body, but his face already had a large hole in it, so Jin simply rushed over and kicked him in the head.

At that moment, noise exploded from all directions.

““A’aaah!!!!””

Jin frown⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠ed as he spotted mercenaries rising like zombies from within the flames.

He’d noticed what was implanted in their heads.

Berserk.

Not all the corpses had risen.

Only those relatively intact, specifically, the ones whose heads hadn’t been scorched by White Flame, were now revealing hostility with a damned roar.

Jin was the first to move.

The muzzle of the Gravis flared repeatedly.

The heads of the roaring mercenaries burst one by one.

He kept firing until the magazine ran dry.

Click click. The slide locked back with the resistance felt on his trigger finger.

Jin removed the magazine from the Gravis and swung his arm. At the end of that motion was a mercenary trying to stab down with a dagger.

Crack!

With the sound of a skull shattering, the guy collapsed. Jin grabbed his collar and slammed his forehead into the mercenary’s face.

At that moment, even in his momentary lapse of reason, another mercenary lunged at Jin’s blind spot. The guy had his body covered with a shield known as a body bunker and was firing through a small hole at its center.

One of the bullets that flew in succession grazed Jin's shoulder.

The rest were all absorbed by the twitching back of the human shield Jin was holding by the collar.

Immediately after, Jin blinked above the shield mercenary's head. It was a slightly high position. High enough to lift and slam down his heel like a guillotine.

The guillotine pronounced the death sentence.

Crunch! The mercenary’s blood sprayed from his eyes, nose, and mouth as his crushed helmet caved in. Jin landed by stomping down on the back of the man’s head and immediately picked up the now ownerless shield.

The moment he hid behind it, rat-tat-tat-tat! rifle rounds hammered against the surface of the shield.

As the storm of bullets subsided, Jin caught a short breath and charged straight ahead. Using his running momentum, he swung the shield upward with all his strength, catching the mercenary who was reloading beneath the chin.

Shhhhak!!

Blood erupted from the half-severed neck.

Dropping the shield from his hand, Jin sent a massive punch toward the last remaining mercenary.

Russian Hook.

His fist swung like a fastball pitch, driving the mercenary’s face straight into the ground.

“...Tch!”

Having finished off all the berserkers, Jin spat and reloaded the Gravis.

Bang!

The emergency stairway door on the opposite side of the lobby burst open violently, as if it would break apart.

Clack.

The muzzle that naturally aimed toward the doorway met a familiar helmet.

[Jin?]

Eric’s body, covered in blood from head to toe, appeared on the other side. But judging by his steady gait, it clearly wasn’t his own blood.

“You got here fast.”

[???? ???? ?????]

Ignoring the confused string of question marks on his visor that seemed to say “What the hell happened?”, Jin tilted his chin toward the fallen mercenaries on the floor.

“These guys were all infected too.”

[Met a few upstairs.]

"Yeah? Quite a mess."

[But something’s weird.]

“What is?”

[No employees.]

“...Huh?”

Only then did Jin realize that on his entire way down this building, he hadn’t encountered a single staff member. The air brushing his skin suddenly felt cold, even though it shouldn’t have.

“Let’s move.”

Staying put wasn’t going to produce any answers.

As Jin began moving again, he shared what information he had with Eric, who was keeping pace beside him.

Though, honestly, it wasn’t much.

“There’s definitely something in the basement. But apparently, you can’t reach it by emergency stairs or elevators. There must be another way in.”

[→ → Eanna’s mana → →]

“Yeah, let’s follow that tra⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠il. Let’s hurry.”

So the two of them ran.

Eanna’s mana was… how to describe it?

Transparent yet hot?

Comforting yet destructive?

Anyway, it was distinct enough that following its trail wasn’t difficult.

Even if it hadn’t been, there were burning corpses spaced at regular intervals like some R-rated version of Hansel and Gretel’s breadcrumb trail, practically saying, “Yes, this is the right way!” so there was no chance of getting lost.

Of course, occasionally, revived mercenaries blocked their path.

But there was no way those alone could stop two Solos.

After several rounds of combat, Jin started to roughly grasp Eric’s abilities.

Physical acceleration?

And he’s opened his mana circuit, too.

But… it feels somewhat artificial.

While those thoughts ran through his head, a new entrance greeted them.

Once hidden behind a translucent barrier, now burned away and gone.

Without hesitation, the two stepped inside.

Their running footsteps echoed noisily down a long, narrow, slanted corridor. Then, at some point, their vision opened wide.

The next moment.

A massive space bathed in a soft blue glow was engraved into Jin’s senses.

The sharp sting of alcohol in the air.

A sinister atmosphere.

Cold fluorescent light.

A low mechanical hum droning in the background.

And at the end of it all stood Eanna’s back.

The one who had always been far ahead and hard to catch up to was now standing still, silently gazing at something.

As if roots had taken hold of her feet.

Damn, why’s she standing like that? She’s making me nervous.

Still, Jin quickly ran up to Eanna.

Instead of asking what was wrong, he lifted his gaze to see what she was looking at.

Wooooong-

There stood a massive glass tank connected to dozens of tubes.

Inside the bubbling greenish liquid floated a man wearing a respirator.

His long hair, almost shoulder-length, drifted and swayed as if he were in a deep sleep, eyes closed.

And something was wrapped around his body.

Something that flared up and died down, flared up and died down, over and over again.

A sinister, writhing movement.

It was black flames.