TL/ED: Hamsterminator

...!! ...!!

A muffled murmuring sound came through ears that felt dazed, lik⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠e they were underwater.

Even in the midst of dizziness, Jin thought.

His eyelids, his eyelids were just too heavy.

They were merely a thin film of skin, yet they wouldn't move the way he wanted.

Jin let out a groan, “Ugh, mmgh", as cold sweat poured from his body.

Anyone who's ever been sick all night would relate, it was a lonely fight.

His body wouldn't move, like he was paralyzed by sleep paralysis, but the pain was damn unbearable and lasted for a while.

Then finally, when he barely managed to open his eyes, the world was flashing co⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠mpletely red.

That made Jin jump.

Is this hell?!

Did I die?

And at the same time, all the sins he had committed in life flashed before his eyes like a slideshow.

To the owner of Aros PC Room, I'm sorry for stealing the CD key at station 22. I really wanted to play Warcraft at home. I was just an elementary school kid then, and my weekly allowance was barely...!

Jin, in the middle of a confession briefing, slowly blinked.

Wait a minute, can a life-flashing moment happen even when you're dead?

His long-lost sanity returned.

Then the emergency alarm, which had been noisily urging him to wake up for some time, belatedly buzzed loudly in his ears.

And then came an unfamiliar voice.

[Warning, hull damage detected]

[Evacuate immediately]

[Warning, hull damage detected]

[Evacuate...]

The repeated and emphasized warning wasn’t just something that made dogs anxious.

What the hell is going on? As Jin hurried to raise his body, “Urgh!” he screamed and collapsed again.

It was because of the excruciating pain that felt like his whole body was being torn apart.

Correction- this really might be hell.

Otherwise, there’s no way it would hurt this bad.

Jin gritted his teeth, veins popping as he tried to swallow the pain.

His face turned bright red like a carrot, trembling with clenched teeth.

But he couldn't stay like that forever.

If he hadn’t heard the voice, maybe he could ignore it.

But at that very moment, the AI’s voice was still screaming at him to escape, and he couldn’t ignore it.

In the end, Jin endured the pain and lifted himself up.

He saw the inside of the transport vessel, clearly tilted.

And over in the corner, he saw Eanna and Eric slammed into the walls in L-shaped and reverse L-shaped positions, respectively.

He didn’t know exactly what was going on, but he decided that, for now, they needed to get out of here.

So he grabbed each o⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠f the unconscious pair by the ankles and began to drag them along.

It didn’t look great, but he had no energy to care about appearances.

He himself was walking like a drunkard.

After a hard struggle, he finally reached the entrance of the transport ship.

Did something go wrong with the sensor?

The door kept opening halfway like it was caught on a rock, then closing, then opening again, over and over.

The space wasn’t wide enough for a clean slip through with good timing, and now there were two injured people to get through with.

Jin fumbled along the wall, pulled open the plastic cover, and firmly pressed the manual open-close button inside.

After that, he manually pushed the door open and stepped out of the transport.

He frowned at the unfamiliar scenery.

Where the hell is this?

Under a monochrome, blurry sky, a wasteland stretched out.

A desolate land where the wind blew harshly.

Untouched, brittle weeds were scattered all over...

No, seriously, where the hell is this?

Didn't he ask to be taken to a safe location?

Jin quickly turned his head.

And then he saw the burning transport vessel.

“Gasp.”

Startled, Jin quickly dragged Eanna and Eric to the ground far away from the vessel.

He finally caught his breath.

Out of character, Jin was already exhausted and placed his hands on his knees as he looked at the burning transport.

Don’t tell me we were shot down?

That’s the only way to explain this mess.

There was no reason for a perfectly fine transport to suddenly crash in the middle of a wasteland.

So Jin began to think.

Whose doing was this?

Could it be Kilgit?

Or Actavis Company?

Or maybe one of the mercenaries who survived?

Naturally, no clear conclusion came to mind.

At the moment, all three were plausible suspects.

Thus Jin thought.

No time to sit here guessing, he should head back to the transport and at least check the black box.

“Urk...!”

A cry of pain escaped from him before he even realized it.

His gaze naturally shifted to where the pain was coming from, and it landed on his right arm.

“Crazy.”

Jin flinched in shock.

Is this seriously my arm?

That was understandable, because the arm exposed after his jumper tore open was at least twice as swollen compared to when it was fine.

And it wasn’t just swollen either.

From the back of his hand to his shoulder, his entire right arm was literally black and lifeless. It didn’t just look bruised, it looked nearly necrotic.

Even Jin had never seen his own body this damaged before.

He figured it would take at least three or four days to heal completely.

It was just as he was thinking that.

Rustle-

Detecting an unnatural sound, Jin slowly raised his head.

At that moment, the approaching signs of people from various directions suddenly came to a halt.

There was an unnatural silence that lingered briefly, then finally, someone revealed themselves from behind a large nearby rock.

“Guess we got caught?”

Showing off his yellow, rotting teeth in a grin, it was a scruffy-looking man.

Up to that point, he looked no different from a homeless person, but the rifle slung with a strap and the bandolier he wore told a different story.

And he wasn’t alone, there were six or seven of them.

“Which dumbass made noise with their footsteps?”

“Probably Olson?”

“That wasn’t me, you fuckin’ bitch.”

“Seeing how defensive you are, it must’ve been you.”

They were men who had, one by one, revealed themselves.

One of them glanced over the unconscious Eanna’s face and said,

“Holy fuck. Look at her. She’s fucking gorgeous.”

At that, the guy next to him glared.

“Don’t get any ideas. I’m first today.”

“Why the fuck are you first?”

“Because I was dead last last time, you dickless runt!”

“Shut up and someone go search that transport over there first!”

Jin roughly understood what was going on.

He’d heard there were violent gangs operating outside the city, these guys were clearly that type.

He guessed they had swarmed over after seeing the crashed transport.

But why the hell are these bastards so damn loud?

Jin stood crookedly and watched them bicker.

They were arguing furiously about something, but if you filtered out all the cursing, it could be summarized pretty simply.

Kill the man, rape the woman!

Awoo! Awoo! Awoo!

What’s with that helmeted idiot?

Who cares, if it’s a man, kill him, if it’s a woman, rape her!

Awoo! Awoo! Awoo!

Jin decided there was no need to listen any further.

He immediately aimed Gravis at the face of the nearest bastard and fired.

Bang-!!

One guy’s skull shattered, and Jin gritted his teeth.

It felt like the recoil alone might tear his body apart.

All of it was because of Mana Rampage.

As if his body wasn’t already wrecked enough, even his internal Mana Circuits had been shredded to bits. Just moving a little brought a pain like his organs were being stabbed.

But he moved anyway.

He dropped the now-empty Gravis, whose magazine had been used up with the last shot, and charged straight in.

He snatched up a rifle from the falling corpse and opened fire in all directions.

Three more went down, and the remaining two fired back.

Jin rolled to the ground.

From that position, he pulled the trigger.

The last two dropped as well.

But Jin also took hits, bullets struck his shoulder blade and the back of his knee.

A fight that ended in an instant.

Jin lay on the ground catching his breath fo⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠r a while, then slowly lifted his body.

After holstering Gravis, he began rummaging through the bodies one by one.

Boom-!!

The transport exploded.

“...Fuck.”

Jin didn’t even have the energy to be annoyed. He focused on what he was doing.

But his efforts were in vain. There was nothing useful to salvage from the corpses.

They were guys who lived outside the city, after all.

Either outcasts or fugitives.

In any case, their conditions would’ve been terrible.

If there was one thing worth calling a gain, it was that he managed to find a single bottle of water.

Staggering back to Eanna and Eric, Jin poured water into their mouths.

In Eric’s case, since Jin didn’t know how to remove his visor, he just poured the water into the hole where a straw was usually inserted.

After doing that, the water bottle was nearly empty.

Jin, having only managed to wet his own lips, casually tossed the empty bottle over his shoulder.

And just then, a voice came.

“...Are you, okay?”

It was Eanna.

He didn’t know when she had come to her senses, but she was looking his way with hazy eyes.

“You’re awake?”

In response, the same question came again.

“Are you… okay?”

Only then did Jin look down at his own leg.

His pants were soaked with blood.

Normally, the bleeding would’ve stopped long ago, but for some reason, today it kept flowing longer than usual. It really seemed like his condition was worse than bad.

But Eanna didn’t look any better either.

She must’ve pushed herself just as hard, to the point of damaging her mana circuit. Her face, dripping with cold sweat, was flushed red like someone suffering from a fever.

And people like that are usually experiencing chills.

Because as their body temperature rises, the outside feels cold.

“I’m fine. You wear this.”

As Jin said that, he took off his flight jumper, torn at the right arm, and draped it over Eanna’s shoulders.

In that moment, a second explosion came from the transport ship.

Jin made the decision, they couldn’t stay here any longer.

He had no idea what kind of scum might gather at the sight of those flames.

And if that happened, there would come a point where even he wouldn’t be able to hold out.

So, despite the heaviness of his body, he stood and turned his back to Eanna.

Just like when they escaped the building.

Eanna climbed onto his back, and Jin bent his upper body as much as he could and used his free arm to lift Eric.

Normally, piggybacking meant you supported the person’s thighs with your hands for stability, but with one more person to carry, there was no choice.

Even in this uncomfortable posture, he had to move forward.

So Jin walked.

He picked a direction and kept walking, step after step.

Before long.

As the sky gradually began to darken.

He heard Eanna’s voice by his ear.

"...I'm, sorry."

“For what?”

“For sneaking out… It’ll be hard for the family… to find me right away.”

“What about your terminal?”

“I think it melted from the heat…”

“This is why purists don’t work out.”

Jin chuckled faintly, and Eanna’s hand brushed near his temple.

“You’re… the same.”

“Well, yeah, kinda.”

The darkness deepened a bit more.

Around that time, Jin was gasping for breath.

As his breathing became more ragged, Eanna’s trembling also grew worse.

Whenever her head drooped and fell onto his shoulder, Jin, despite his exhaustion, would rouse her. He didn’t know much, but something told him it’d be dangerous if she just fell asleep like that.

Eanna would say okay, but it wouldn’t be long before her head dropped again.

That happened over and over.

Before they knew it, stars had filled the sky.

Jin was nearing his limit.

He was starting to lose feeling in his limbs.

But he didn’t show it.

Even his ragged breathing was more than enough.

Then Eanna spoke.

“...Can I ask you… something?”

“What is it.”

“Was that… Walter?”

“......”

Jin couldn’t answer right away. He remained silent, thinking for a while, and then opened his mouth slowly, before it became too late.

“One thing’s for sure, it wasn’t a monster. That much I know.”

“...Right?”

Tha⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠nk god.

Eanna mumbled that and lowered her head again.

Thinking she was about to fall asleep, Jin quickly started talking.

“Hey, hey. Are you gonna come back to Downtown again someday?”

“…Why?”

“If you do, I’ll take you to a great place to eat. I’ll introduce you to my friends too.”

“Where…?”

“It’s called Rumpumpumpum-”

Jin began rambling.

The head chef there isn’t even human, it’s a robot…

Humanoid? Nah, just a mechanical arm moving back and forth.

Thanks to that, it’s open 24/7 all year round. Really solid place.

Only small flaw is… the chef’s really bad at seasoning?

Still, the thing’s got a kind personality.

Works nonstop without even a second’s break.

Wait- does that mean it’s good at its job?

Anyway, the music! That place has amazing music too.

The second-floor speaker, I…

Jin kept talking.

Because if he didn’t, he felt like he’d collapse right then and there.

At some point, even after realizing there was no longer any response coming from behind his back, he didn’t stop moving his lips.

Since when, he wondered.

Since when had a tiny ember begun to emit a faint glow within Jin’s chest?

A warmth so small it was barely perceptible.

So feeble, it couldn’t even be called a flame.

But it was definitely there.

At the same time, the Status Window appeared.

「???」━━━━━━━━━━━

NEO ?? ??? Zahad

??? ?? ???? ????

?? ??? ?? ?? Someone’s Ember

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Jin, who was half out of his mind, simply kept walking even after seeing that.

More time passed like that.

Until he came to a stop, blood pouring from his nose and mouth.

And just like it had been a lie, someone approached him.

Click, clack.

The sound of high heels.

Along with it came a sweet yet smoky fragrance that swept over him.

“So here you are. I’m glad I wasn’t too late.”

“...You, how did you…”

To Jin’s question, Khalifa responded with a faint smile.

“Didn’t I tell you? Controlling variables is a matter of personal skill.”