TL/ED: Hamsterminator

Zahad.

Breaking the silence.

Violet light.

*

Thunder strikes.

Breaking through the obstructing wall,

it was the roar of enlightenment that welcomes a broader world.

In this world, it's called "shedding".

It wasn't achieved through enlightenment.

Only the conditions had been met.

Jin didn’t even care.

He didn’t even know what was happening to him right now.

As if he had known it all from the beginning,

he naturally led the Light Pole as if breathing.

Just like that.

Bzzzzzt!

He was the one who, for the first time, wrapped his whole body in violet lightning by his own will.

It had always been a phenomenon that would burst out unconsciously when his emotions were intense or in certain situations.

He hadn’t noticed it when blood rushed to his head,

and it had barely lasted for a moment,

but now it was a sensation he fully owned.

And even in this moment, unfamiliar images pierced through his mind.

Jin stomped the ground hard.

Because he didn’t have time to slowly digest all of that.

So for now, it was a charge forward.

At the end of the direction he rushed with lightning trailing behind, he saw flames tangled in black and white.

It was a sight hard to believe even after seeing it.

Was it called the Fire of Terror?

A great blaze said to burn on the day the world ends. And it was unfolding right in front of him.

Jin was genuinely surprised.

Back when he knew nothing, he had simply thought it was impressive, but now the difference hit him with a gasp.

It was a level of combat he was seeing for the first time.

Yet even there, superiority existed.

Boom!!

A deafening sound exploded.

At the same time, a familiar back appeared, emerging through the smoke.

Jin instinctively opened his arms.

Before he knew it, Eanna had flown right up to him.

He caught her from behind and stomped his right foot into the ground.

Immediately after came the sound of air bursting, “Pang!!”

Jin, who had narrowly dodged the attack, spun once widely through the air and landed.

He loosened the strength in the arms wrapped around his waist as he landed.

Naturally, Eanna also set her feet on the ground.

"I'm going ahead."

Leaving just that one line, Jin charged again.

Bzzzt!!

The wildly surging Tempest.

A glimmer of intrigue flickered in the eyes of the giant, Kilgit.

But only for a moment.

He hurled his massive fist toward the charging Jin,

and along its path, a shockwave exploded outward in a circular burst.

A sonic boom?

Jin thought this was crossing the line, but somehow managed to dodge it.

He didn’t dodge by sight.

He just read the direction in advance and moved before the attack came.

The method itself was the same as when he had dodged bullets, but this time he used every bit of sensory input from his entire body to its extreme.

From the Light Pole, brain electricity continuously surged out.

Now Jin knew.

This wasn’t just some flashy visual effect, but a real, materialized bioelectric current.

And so, with his nervous system enhanced in response, the world became clearer before his eyes.

Still, that punch was absurdly fast.

He couldn't dodge it by seeing it.

That's why he figured it out in advance.

The brief processing of eye movement, slight changes in breathing, shifting center of gravity. Detecting all of it beforehand...

Now!

Jin ducked his upper body sharply.

At the same time, the sound of an explosion rang out from the upper left diagonal.

His ears buzzed as if his eardrums had burst.

But what mattered was that he dodged it.

That much, the distance had closed.

Which meant he could throw a punch too.

Boom! The front hand, wreathed in lightning, struck the giant’s face.

Jin didn’t stop.

Flowing like water, he drove his backhand into the opponent’s side, and then with the now-free front hand, struck the opposite side.

For a moment, the giant stepped back.

But instead of pushing further, Jin pulled back with all his might.

Immediately after, a massive fist crashed down like a landslide onto the spot he had just been standing.

The ground exploded up⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠ward.

The shockwave sent Jin’s body flying into the a⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠ir.

From within his field of vision, the giant rapidly grew closer.

His body was suspended in midair, making it hard to react.

His opponent would surely know this too, and now reached out with a fist, clearly aiming to finish him off for good.

At that moment, the White Flame that rose between the two intercepted the sonic boom-inducing punch.

Jin landed on the ground, leaving behind a sizable explosion.

Right after, Eanna landed beside him in sync.

Through the hazy mist, Kilgit appeared and spoke.

“Kid, are you from the Zahad Family?”

Jin hesitated.

To say no felt unnecessary.

But staying silent meant he needed time to catch his breath.

So instead, he straightened his shoulders confidently.

“Can’t you tell just by looking?”

At this moment, Jin was determined not to be Jin Evernight,

but Jin Zahad.

Even so, he didn’t change his expression, and Eanna beside him nodded as if to say she expected as much.

Jin grew even more confident.

So what if he was impersonating someone?

They didn’t know anyway.

Besides, strictly speaking, it was hard to call Jin’s words a lie, because the legitimacy of noble families always stemmed from Arcane Magic.

It wasn’t called "Arcane" for nothing.

It was a power only those chosen over a thousand years had attained.

With violet l⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠ightning wrapped around him for all to see, Jin’s claim was naturally overflowing with credibility.

So the questioning continued.

“Why is a Zahad here?”

Jin nearly blurted out “Rumpumpumpum” but quickly changed his words.

“Does that matter? What matters is that you messed with two families. Think you can handle that?”

Do you even know who her father is, damn it!

Jin spat out whatever came to mind and watched Kilgit’s reaction.

Maybe he’d back off at this point?

Thinking something like, “Hmph, this got bigger than I expected. Troublesome.”

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

“If it’s for the perfect flame, I’ll gladly do it.”

That was Kilgit’s answer.

The faint smile on his face even looked like he was enjoying it.

Shit, didn’t work.

Sensing the inevitable battle, Jin clenched his fist tightly.

“Can I ask you one thing?”

At some point, Eanna had stepped forward and calmly continued.

“If you’re not planning to run away in the end... could you take care of that empty shell first? I don’t want that person to be defiled any further.”

“What?”

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

With those words, she once again clashed with Kilgit.

Jin sharply turned his head.

“Arrrrrrrrr!!”

In the distance, Walter was relentlessly driving Eric back, howling like a beast.

Jin frowned without realizing it.

Because the mercenary’s appearance had changed 180 degrees in a short time.

His mouth was torn up to his ears, fangs flashing inside, grotesquely overgrown muscles in his limbs, and at the ends, razor-sharp claws gleamed.

The Black Flame wrapped around his entire body wasn’t just threatening Eric, it was burning Walter’s own skin too.

Then a faint voice rose from near his feet.

“...A worthless failure, that’s what he is. What good is spending so much money to enhance a body if he can’t even handle Black Flame in the end? This is why you don’t invest in low-born trash. Don’t you think so?”

The pile of meat lying on the ground grinned and asked.

Jin immediately crushed the bastard’s head with his foot.

What are you babbling about, you asshole.

He wanted to stomp him over and over, but he couldn’t.

Eric was in danger right now.

Jin kicked off the ground.

Then, before those sharp claws could slice Eric’s throat, he slammed his shoulder into Walter’s body with full force.

Boom!!

Walter was pushed back, staggering like someone w⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠ho had taken a heavy blow to the head, shaking his head wildly from side to side.

Jin followed instantly and swung his foot hard upward into Walter’s groin.

He still wasn’t sure if that was a weak point for him, but it worked, Walter’s upper body bent forward.

And then, to greet the falling head, a steel-like knee.

Crack! With a burst of black blood, Walter’s head snapped backward.

That one hit completely crushed his face.

But even in that state, he wildly swung both arms.

The moment the Black Flame, which burned even its own bearer, left claw marks in the air as it attempted to cross in a large X.

Jin grabbed the falling wrists.

His right hand seized the left wrist,

and his left hand seized the right wrist.

Then followed a series of headbutts.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

How many times did he repeat that?

At some point, Jin raised his head upright.

He had realized that the strength had completely drained from the opponent’s arms clutched in his hands.

Just then, Eric approached him.

He was displaying something on his face, but because the surface of the visor was cracked, the text couldn’t be read properly.

Jin, assuming it meant something like “thanks", kicked Walter aside and said,

“Let’s go.”

Eric nodded and drew a new dagger from the belt at his waist.

Further conversation was unnecessary.

The two immediately began running toward the tangled flames.

The basement had long since become an environment of extremes.

In the hellish heat, where an ordinary person’s skin would peel off within seconds and their blood would boil, two figures clashed endlessly.

It would’ve been ideal if it had been a close match,

but unfortunately, the one being pushed back in the power struggle was Eanna.

It couldn’t be helped.

It was a battle between an as-yet-unripe superhuman and a monster who had long been a legend of the city, this outcome had been inevitable from the start.

Jin thought,

Fuck. How is this "easy"?

But even that was just a fleeting thought.

He erased the excuses from his mind.

Questioning an irreversible choice wouldn’t change anything, it would only be admitting to himself that this world was a game.

So he cleared his mind and shouted strongly in his head.

I am alive.

I am here.

I am alive.

I will survive, no matter what!

In the next moment,

Jin hurled himself into the black flames with all his strength.

He threw punches, launched knees, drove down elbows, and pulled the trigger when needed without hesitation.

Every one of his attacks both supported Eanna and struck with the assumption of his own victory, his ultimate, decisive blows.

Eric was no different.

Accelerating his body to the limit, he cut through the flames with his dagger. Though the blade couldn’t pierce the opponent’s steel-like body, he continued attacking, tirelessly looking for openings.

Thanks to the two joining in, Eanna finally managed to regain some breathing room and poured her all into fueling the White Flame. The cursed Black Flame was momentarily pushed back by her will.

And at the center of it all, Kilgit smiled.

As if pleased with everything, he stood alone and accepted all the attacks hurled at him.

Time passed, each second feeling like ten minutes.

The first to fall was Eric.

A massive fist smashed into his visor.

He was sent flying as if hit by a tr⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠uck, slammed into the wall, and fell into the flames.

He couldn’t get back up.

In the sudden void and the rapidly collapsing balance, Jin surrendered his body to a self-destructive state of mind.

[Mana Rampage]

A crimson aura covered the Tempest.

By this point, Jin no longer knew how he was moving.

He simply bought time alone, enough for Eric’s share, perhaps even more.

It felt like he had landed some meaningful blows a few times.

Then, when he came to his senses, he found his face buried in the floor.

How long had he been unconscious?

It didn’t matter.

He just pushed himself up again.

And just as he was about to take a step toward Eanna, now fighting alone in the distance.

He sensed someone stepping forward from the edge of his vision.

Thinking it was Eric, he turned his head, only to find an unexpected figure.

It was Walter.

His face was crushed, yet he was advancing, one slow step at a time.

Jin couldn’t simply walk past him.

Because in the dying gaze that blankly stared forward, a wave of emotion that Jin couldn’t comprehend was raging.

The next moment, flames surged from Walter’s body.

But it wasn’t the Black Flame that burned even himself.

It was a heat that could only be described as sacred.

A flame that had never been permitted in his entire life.

White Flame.

The fire burned.

Then, as it blended with the Black Flame.

A transparent flame sparked into life amidst despair.