TL/ED: Hamsterminator

M⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠aybe she had known it from the beginning.

When that person suddenly disappeared.

And when he never showed up again.

Though she didn’t want to admit it, Eanna thought the time had come.

Because this was Lost City.

A city where the shadows of towering buildings devour people's souls. A kaleidoscope where life and death intertwine like a maze.

Walter was even a mercenary. It was a life where dying at any moment wasn’t strange, and there had been more than a few days where he was gravely injured or on the verge of death.

Eanna couldn’t stop him.

Because it was the life chosen by a man who had not been chosen.

So she practiced.

The thought that when she opened her eyes the next morning, he might not be there. The sadness that would come from that absence. And the distant future where even that sadness would fade, she imagined it all alone in her mind.

She must have looked gloomy.

That’s probably why he asked her what was wrong.

What did she say then?

Did she smile? Did she cry and make the worried person feel awkward?

She couldn’t quite remember.

It was a long time ago.

Something that occasionally came to her in dreams.

Walter was lying with his eyes closed as if asleep in a glass coffin.

Maybe it was because it looked like he was sleeping soundly for the first time in a while.

Even though she knew the thing in front of her was just an empty shell, Eanna couldn’t take her eyes off it for a long time.

The reunion after two years ended quietly, in a gaze that could no longer meet.

At some point, anger surged up.

It was the only emotion she hadn’t practiced.

When she came to her senses, the master of the Black Flame was standing in front of her.

The wraith of Styx.

The one who wielded the cursed flame of kin-devouring.

She had heard of him.

The heretic of a single-person legacy passed down through generations.

Said to be the strongest among them.

Eanna prepared for death.

Not because she instinctively knew she couldn’t survive.

Certainly not because of some noble sense of mission.

She simply wanted to vomit out the raging anger until her heart was emptied.

That’s why she understood better than anyone what the outcome would be.

That’s why she told them to run away.

But why? Why to this extent?

Eanna’s eyes wavered.

Because of the sight of the two people now fighting beside her.

The ones that female Linker had attached to her, saying it was for an emergency.

To be honest, she hadn’t liked it.

She couldn’t understand how people weaker than herself could be of any help.

But she was wrong.

At this very moment, the only reason she was still alive was entirely thanks to those two.

Thanks to their constant effort to lighten her burden, she had been able to keep facing the flames of the heretic.

That’s why it was even more bewildering.

She had thought they would run at any moment, yet they were fighting like this, risking their lives.

Was it because they were Solos?

Simply because they had to protect their client?

No, that couldn’t be it.

Maybe those two were just a little special.

...Special?

Suddenly, very suddenly, she became curious.

Had Walter been a mercenary like that too?

Somehow, it felt like he had been.

He had been a man overflowing with a sense of responsibility.

Yes, she had liked that about h⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠im.

At some point.

Eanna even forgot her rage.

She just kept igniting and reigniting the White Flame.

Her body had already reached its lim⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠it, but she didn’t care.

Crack!

The first to fall was the Solo wearing a helmet.

His movements, which had been nothing short of acrobatic, collapsed with a single blow, and as he fell into the flames, a destructive red light surged up.

The man surrounded by Tempest.

He filled the empty spot left by his comrade.

No, “filled” wasn’t enough to describe it.

He not only maintained the balance on his own, but for a moment, he even managed to bring the flow of battle to their side.

But that too was short-lived.

Now, with the bloodline of Zahad, battered by the compressed black flames, lying with his head slammed into the wall and floor.

Only Eanna remained.

"You took longer than I expected."

After a few exchanges, Kilgit walked heavily toward her, who had finally fallen to the ground.

A build overwhelming even most Beastkin.

From her upward gaze, Eanna coughed up blood and asked the being who was no different from a giant.

"...Did you provide the Black Flame to the Black Mages?"

To that, Kilgit nodded indifferently.

"I did. Though it was no more than a small spark."

"...Why, would you?"

Eanna asked again, as if she couldn’t understand.

A single-person legacy is a kind of secret art in itself.

Even if it was a sinister power, there was no disputing that it was a legacy passed down through the ages.

And yet, the man in front of her readily admitted that he had shared fragments of it with others.

“Why? Hard to understand with your family's antiquated way of thinking? Even though it's just a transaction.”

Kilgit wore a savage grin.

At the same time, the Black Flame that enveloped his body flared even more intensely, staining the surrounding space with a dark haze.

A sight dizzying just to look at.

But Eanna didn’t avert her gaze as she spoke.

“...Just a transaction? That’s how you treat... that power?”

“What’s the problem?”

Kilgit stomped forward with a loud thud.

A presence so overwhelming it made it hard to breathe.

“I am the Black Flame.”

Another step.

“No one can surpass me with this power.”

Blood trickled from Eanna’s nose.

“No one!”

Just when it felt like she might suffocate under the pressure.

“......?”

Suddenly, Kilgit turned his head to the side.

And then slowly raised his eyebrows.

Eanna, who had been coughing up blood, also struggled to turn her gaze in the same direction.

And she saw it.

A flame burning transparently.

And beyond it, a warm gaze.

***

He was genuinel⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠y caught off guard.

He had activated Mana Rampage.

In a situation where he didn’t know how long he could stay sane, standing here blankly like this was clearly idiotic.

...He knew that!

But how could he just walk past this?

Walter was walking.

That bastard he had completely smashed to pieces and sent flying with a final kick, he was now slowly taking one step after another.

His face was so crushed it was unrecognizable, with only two holes vaguely resembling eyes. Even one of those was smashed in, with pale fluid oozing out.

But the relatively intact right eye was trembling.

Of course, the eyeball was still bloodshot to the point where you couldn’t distinguish pupil from sclera, just like before, but the emotion felt from within was no longer violent.

At the moment Jin finally relaxed his fist, debating whether or not to finish it.

Flames rose from Walter’s body.

It was White Flame.

The same noble heat as Eanna’s.

The Solard Family’s secret art.

But that wasn’t the end.

The pure white flame met the Black Flame that cloaked its master’s body and quietly mixed without a sound. And contrary to Jin’s expectation of mutual destruction, the flames became one and began to burn transparently.

It was a mystical threshold.

It looked like a vague outline, yet felt like a transparent wave.

The moment that scene quietly soaked into Jin’s mind.

“...!”

From afar, Kilgit sharply turned his head. And when he spotted the staggering Walter, his eyes went wide.

Walter widened his stride toward him.

One step, two steps, three steps. Before anyone realized, he had started running, and from his mouth erupted an inarticulate roar that didn’t quite form words.

“Arrrrrrrgh!!!”

Jin gritted his teeth.

He captured Walter passing by him and Kilgit clenching his fists with a manic grin in the same frame.

His body moved before his mind did.

He kicked off the ground, passed Walter, and charged straight toward Kilgit.

His instincts told him to do so.

And Jin trusted his instincts.

Even the act of throwing his fist toward a punch he normally would’ve avoided at all costs, all of that was because of it.

Jin made up his mind, and the lightning responded in kind.

Boom!

Lightning struck.

Not from the sky, but from the ground.

Not descending, but shooting straight ahead.

In the next moment.

Two fists collided in midair.

The deafening roar followed after.

──!!

A shockwave exploded between the clashing fists.

The power that should have dispersed into the air rebounded straight into Jin and Kilgit’s arms.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sound of every muscle and bone from his hand to his elbow and up to his shoulder bursting and breaking all at once.

Jin’s right arm snapped back behind his head.

Unable to withstand the impact, his body floated into the air and was hurled violently backward.

But this time was different.

In his airborne vision, he saw Kilgit faltering.

And Walter, wrapping him up in a sudden embrace.

Immediately after, a massive flame erupted.

“Arrrrrrr!!”

A mindless scream. But the flame that burst from Walter’s body was dazzling, blazing with the light of a soul, it devoured the Black Flame, crushed Kilgit’s body with a mysterious weight, and slammed him into the ground.

Meanwhile, Jin used his left hand to prop himself up.

“Huff! Huff!”

His breath was caught in his throat, his vision was spinning, and his right arm felt like it had been thrown into a blender, but even so, he pulled out the Gravis and pulled the trigger at Kilgit’s head.

He knew it wouldn’t work.

But he was too pissed to just walk away.

“This is for Rumpumpumpum!”

Only after seeing Kilgit’s head jolt slightly did he turn and head toward Eanna, who had collapsed on the ground.

Then he turned his back to her and lowered himself.

“Get on. Hurry.”

Eanna didn’t stupidly ask him to repeat it.

She immediately reached out and wrapped her arms around Jin’s neck.

Even then, her gaze remained fixed elsewhere.

“...Walter?”

With her whisper brushing past his ear, Jin lifted his body again, this time heading toward Eric, who was limp in the flames.

His vision was so blurry he couldn’t even tell if the guy was dead or alive.

But he couldn’t leave even a corpse behind, so he picked him up for now.

“...Ngh!”

The moment he clenched his teeth to swallow the searing pain shooting thro⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠ugh his shredded right arm.

“Arrrrrrr!!!”

A roar pierced his ears.

The transparent flame was still blazing.

Inside it, Kilgit could be seen wildly swinging his massive arms, trying to shake off the fire.

But Jin didn’t view the situation optimistically.

And for good reason, Walter, who had embraced Kilgit, was breaking apart piece by piece, scattering even now.

That was when it happened.

Kilgit’s head, now so damaged it was hard to recognize, turned to face them.

And a cry rang out.

“Gaaaaaa!!!!”

At the same time, Jin leapt toward the hole in the ceiling where thick black smoke was billowing.

He didn’t care what he saw. His skin, exposed to the heat, was melting off, but he somehow managed to kick off the ledge and climb up.

Leaving behind Eanna’s voice, screaming Walter’s name, he started running like hell.

Thunk!

He kicked open the emergency exit door and, barely holding on to his fading consciousness, ran up the stairs.

What had been a short path going down felt endless now.

To make things worse, the continuous heat had warped and expanded the building, which was now gradually tilting underground.

Of course this would happen! Seriously!

Cursing every step of the way in his head, Jin ran and ran again.

Unable to use Light Pole or Mana due to his torn Mana Circuits, he relied solely on his body to finally reach the rooftop and board the transport craft that now came into view.

With Eanna, unconscious with her arms still around his neck, and Eric, Jin collapsed inside.

Using the last of his strength, he spoke.

“...Get us... somewhere safe…”

[Initiating takeoff]

Soon, the engine roared, spitting flames.

And in front of Jin’s eyes, a Status Window popped up with a (Complete!) and a congratulatory message for his success.

But he was already unconscious and didn’t see it.