TL/ED: Hamsterminator

Jin blinked.

First of all, a person has to know what something is before they can be surprised by it.

So, what even is that?

Black flames? Black Flame? Black Flame Dragon?

Jin is someone who even treats Arcane Magic like it’s just about color games.

He does not judge good and evil by color.

Nor does he determine value by color.

That’s why Jin couldn’t understand why Eanna had frozen up.

What was more important was the buzzing sound, zziing, and the sound of a door closing behind them.

And then, a sly voice came through a speaker stuck in the ceiling corner.

“Kukuk. Coming all this way-”

Bang!!

Before the sentence was even half-complete, Jin shot the speaker, then snapped his fingers in front of Eanna’s face.

“Hey hey, snap out of it.”

That’s when it happened.

Crackle- along with the sound of a signal being caught, another voice came through again.

“You finally took the bait-”

Bang!!

With a roar from the Gravis, a machine that looked like a radio was completely wrecked.

It dropped from the shelf and landed face-down on the floor, pathetically.

There were a few more attempts after that.

Through monitors or clunky wireless devices and such.

Of course, Jin didn’t listen.

“As expected of the White Flame- ” Bang!!

“Finally overcome by emotion- ” Bang!!

“Wait, just let me- ” Bang!!

One of the most infuriating things for a person is when someone cuts them off mid-sentence.

Even once is enough to leave a bitter taste,

Twice, and irritation starts to build, that’s normal.

But this was five times.

At this point, you might as well hear the villain out.

Sure enough.

Eventually, the unidentified voice couldn’t take it anymore.

Suddenly, da-da-da-da!! Loud footsteps echoed from somewhere, and then- there, behind the glass chamber.

In that space filled with all sorts of machinery, a man in a white coat came running while shouting with his own voice.

“Just listen to me! You goddamn so-!”

Bang─!!

Jin responded with the Gravis.

That made six times.

The man in the lab coat flew backward at the same speed he was charging, landing flat on his back. Blood streamed from the hole in his forehead.

“What the hell are you mumbling on and on for.”

As Jin lowered his gun and muttered that, Eric clapped beside him. Like a moviegoer deeply moved by a film, he nodded repeatedly while LED fireworks burst across the surface of his visor.

Fortunately, there wasn’t a seventh time.

Now that things had finally quieted down, Jin turned back to Eanna and spoke.

“That was Walter, right? Looks like the guy in the photo Khalifa showed us, no?”

“...Yeah.”

As she softly affirmed, Jin e⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠agerly followed up.

“Then we should hurry and break that thing or stop it and get the guy out. Why are you just staring?”

At those words, Eanna, still keeping her gaze fixed forward, slowly opened her mouth.

“...Because that’s not Walter.”

“Huh?”

Jin’s eyebrows curved.

What kind of nonsense was this?

It’s Walter, but it’s not Walter?

What, Schrödinger’s Walter or something?

You can’t know until you observe it with a reunion kiss?

That’s when.

"......You have good eyes? As expected, the real thing is different."

The answer came from a completely unexpected direction.

The corpse with a hole in its forehead pushed against the floor with its hand and raised its upper body.

Calling it a hole doesn’t do it justice. It looked like you could probably fit a fist through it. Naturally, blood was pouring out in torrents, and his face, soaked in crimson, bared stark white teeth in contrast.

“How’s my masterpiece?”

This time, Jin didn’t pull the trigger.

At this point, he figured he might as well listen to whatever this bastard had to say once, and more importantly, Eanna’s gaze was locked onto the guy.

“...What did you do to that person?”

At the chilling voice, the living corpse lifted the corners of its mouth. Meanwhile, its eyes were lifeless and unfocused, making it look grotesque, like two different faces stitched together at the cheekbones. It was hard to find anything more revolting.

“What do you mean, ‘what did we do’? We did our best. We spared no effort to grant him the power he had longed for his whole life. It’s this bastard who couldn’t even take what was given. A lowborn who couldn’t awaken the White Flame to the very end! Trash! Moron!”

What is this guy even saying?

A deep crease formed between Jin’s brows.

His index finger itched.

He wanted to pull the trigger right now, but since even Eanna was holding herself back, it felt off for him to step in first.

No, but why is she just standing there listening to that crap?

As he thought that and glanced over.

He realized.

Eanna wasn’t holding it in, she had already exploded long ago.

“I can’t feel that person’s flame.”

She slowly lifted her head.

Her eyes were burning a brilliant white.

“...Walter is dead, isn’t he?”

“I offered a better life. Death is not the end but the beginning of everything.”

The half-corpse spouted some cliché line and grinned a blood-red smile.

At the same time, Jin vaguely realized something.

Why the Status Window only told him to “find Walter”.

Maybe Walter was in a state where he couldn’t be saved from the start?

That’s when it happened.

Shhhhhh-! With the sound of escaping air, the light green liquid that had filled the glass chamber sloshed and rapidly lowered in level, and from within it, Walter opened his blood-red eyes wide.

BOOM!!!

A roar filled with rage burst forth through the flying shards of glass.

“A’rrrrrrrrr!!”

Seeing the mercenary scream toward the ceiling with both arms spread wide, Jin grabbed Eanna by the shoulder and yanked her back.

“Move.”

Isn’t th⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠is a typical cliché?

The tragic character lost in grief over their beloved’s descent into darkness.

The other doesn’t even recognize them and attacks like a madman.

No! Snap out of it! It’s me! Please!

Taking hit after hit without being able to fight back, getting beaten into a pulp, and finally, just before dying, they caress the other’s cheek and drop dead.

If that pathetic ending was going to include Eanna’s death, Jin had no intention of watching it out of sheer disgust.

So he clenched his fists, ready to rush out at any moment.

But the next thing Eanna did shattered all of Jin’s expectations.

Whooosh!

She formed a sphere of blazing white flame in her palm and hurled it straight at Walter.

KA-BOOM!! Along with the explosive sound, a powerful heatwave smacked them in the face.

As Jin stared at her blankly, Eanna turned her head toward him.

“I’ll take care of that empty shell. So don’t get in my way.”

At the unexpectedly admirable reply, Jin was impressed.

You’re a lot more spirited than I thought.

Your former family head must be real proud.

But only for a moment.

A creeping doubt started to rise in his mind.

Wait a sec- then what exactly is supposed to be dangerous for her?

Jin qu⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠ickly turned his head.

What entered his sight was a hunk of flesh writhing on the floor, it was the lab coat guy who had been next to the exploded glass chamber.

Looking like a wreck that should not be alive, he slowly moved his lips.

“The White Flame... came here on its own, so the contract... is fulfilled... Keep your promise... Styx...”

What?

Jin’s eyes flew open.

It wasn’t just because of the word “Styx". There was an overwhelming presence above him. A dangerously sharp sensation, as if the sky was splitting open. He tilted his head up instinctively.

The next moment.

A black meteor crashed through the ceiling and smashed into the ground.

It was like a massive bomb had gone off, flipp⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠ing the entire floor and unleashing a devastating shockwave.

──!

Jin was slammed into the wall before he could react.

It felt like all the air in his lungs had vanished, his vision spinning from the impact.

But his eyes quickly refocused and turned forward.

Through the blood streaming into his eyes, he saw a massive figure stepping through the thick smoke.

Taller than Jin, who was in the mid-180cms, at least a full head bigger.

Arms and legs like logs looked hard enough to take a stab without leaving a scratch.

But more overwhelming than anything was the black flame enveloping the massive body.

The intensity and cl⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠arity of it were on a completely different level from Walter’s. At the heart of the fiery field he created, the master of the Black Flame opened his mouth.

“Alright. The deal is complete.”

In that moment, a blur closed the distance behind the massive man. It was called a blur only because it was that fast. By the time Jin’s brain registered a flash of movement, Eric was already there.

His dagger struck diagonally toward the giant’s neck.

At the end of that arc was the fully exposed carotid artery.

A flawless timing. A flawless speed.

And a reaction that completely ignored all of that.

Thud!

The giant merely reached back and grabbed the blade with his hand.

Eric didn’t cling to the weapon that was caught.

He immediately released the handle and leapt back, putting a wide distance between them.

That cold-headed decision saved his life.

The fist clenched around the blade swept through the space where Eric had just been standing. “PANG!!!” A deafening blast rang out.

At the same time, Jin pulled the trigger on the Gravis.

One shot, two shots, three shots.

As the series of gunshots rang out and the giant’s attention turned in this direction.

Blink.

Jin fired the fourth bullet from behind the monster.

Without waiting to confirm the result, he blinked again.

This time appearing at a diagonal from the right, Jin reversed his grip on the Gravis and slammed it into the giant’s side.

Then he swung his other fist and blinked once more.

He appeared head-on, and before the giant could react, a punch slammed into its abdomen.

And then again, Blink...

Jin staggered. A sudden wave of dizziness hit him.

It felt like his sense of the world as a 3D cube had just crumbled. Coordinates that had been perfectly clear a moment ago now warped and rippled. He couldn’t even tell where he was standing now. Forward? Backward? Left? Right?

Ugh- As nausea surged, Jin instinctively raised his right arm to his ear and thrust his left hand forward.

Even though he wasn’t sure if it was really “forward.”

THWACK!!!

Immediately after, like slamming into a massive chunk of iron, Jin slid across the floor, carving a groove beneath him. Someone caught his body with their own to stop him.

He turned his dizzy head, it was Eric.

There wasn’t even time to say thanks.

Jin snapped his broken right arm back into place with a crack and glared at the giant with bloodshot eyes.

The Black Flame surrounding the creature’s body was distorting the air around it in a dark shimmer. And within the radius of that shimmer, Blink couldn’t be used. Just thinking about trying caused his head to feel like it was going to split open.

“So you’ve got some tricks, huh. You little brat.”

The giant said, spreading his palm toward the ground.

A moment later, crushed magnum rounds clattered and dropped from his hand.

He’d caught all those?

Crack. Jin clenched his teeth.

“Who are you?”

Suddenly, Eanna was standing face-to-face with him, asking.

The giant smirked.

“Kilgit.”

“...Why is a specter of Styx here?”

“I made a deal.”

“What kind?”

“I lend the Black Flame, and in return, I get the White Flame.”

“For what?”

“For the perfect flame.”

Thus, a dry exchange of questions and answers passed between them. Brief, yet heavy with meaning.

Immediately after, Eanna turned her head.

“You two get out of here. I’ll handle this.”

With those words, she began walking forward, white radiance blooming from her body like a wildfire.

"The White Flame is not permitted to the likes of you."

“Interesting.”

In the next instant, two different flames collided.

At the heart of the explosion, a destructive heatwave swept through the underground.

Eric shook Jin’s shoulder.

Jin had expected his visor to suggest escape, but instead, a surprising message appeared.

[Will block Walter]

Before Jin could respond, Eric took off running.

Toward Walter, who was howling in the ruins.

Jin let out a crooked smile.

Once again, his expectations had been subverted.

Are these guys addicted to breaking clichés or what?

At the same time, the Status Window popped up in front of him.

Branch!

Your decision wi-

Screw off!

Without even reading it, Jin swiped away the perfectly square annoyance.

Even in this moment, the way it tried to dictate his course of action was utterly revolting.

What. Fuck. So in this situation, am I supposed to just run away by myself?

Well, the ceiling’s already got a hole in it.

Sorry, guys. But no matter what, I’m not Styx.

I’m out. Should I at least wave goodbye?

Fuck that.

Either we all survive, or we all die here.

It’s one or the other.

Then, as he fully activated his mana circuit.

BZZZZZZZZZZT!!!

Light Pole, reacting to its master’s violent will, began to rage uncontrollably.

At the same time, a bolt of lightning struck Jin’s mind.

It was the thunder of evolution, granting him permission to reach the next stage.