TL/ED: Hamsterminator

Jin wanted to rattle off a barrage of F-words starting with “What kind of bastard–” but ended up swallowing those sentences along with his skewer, worried that the old man might take offense.

Then, mumbling slightly, he asked,

“Want me to help you look for him?”

“What?”

“What’s the name of the son who ran away? Are you sure he’s in Downtown?”

Maybe it was unexpected.

The old man’s face turned odd.

Meanwhile, Jin was confident.

Because he meant the question sincerely.

He wouldn’t have asked if he hadn’t.

And right now, Jin was basically half-unemployed.

He had time until he received a new request.

He’d gotten some good rest over the past few days too.

Helping an old man who somehow reminded him of his own grandfather wasn’t that big of a deal. And besides, there was something a bit heartbreaking about it. At his age, going to Downtown? Seriously, Downtown?

He didn’t even have a single visible support implant.

Even Grandpa Brof had replaced his elbows and knees with full chrome external joints.

And this guy, who looked at least ten years older, was walking around bare-bodied?

This is exactly why Purists don’t work out.

Despite having barely met a handful of Purists in his life, Jin muttered his own prejudice-filled thoughts internally and then made up his mind at some point.

Then he clapped his palm.

“Wait right here.”

He raised a flesh-colored barrier toward the old man, stood up, and walked over to the owner.

The guy’s mechanical arms were diligently working, but the man himself was nodding off.

Jin stretched out his arm and snapped his fingers right in front of the guy’s nose!

Startled by the sharp sound, the owner gulped and looked up.

“W-what is it?”

“Payment. Including the old man’s stuff too.”

“Ah. Right. Let’s see here... huh?”

The owner, spotting the twin towers of skewers, was momentarily at a loss for words, blinking in surprise.

No wonder the mechanical arms were going full throttle.

Turns out there was a hero responsible for the shop’s turnover today.

“Haha. I can probably call it a day now.”

While the suddenly cheerful owner scanned the plates, Jin raised his brows at the old man.

Then, after paying, he walked back over to him.

“Let’s head out for now.”

“Who told you to pay for mine too?”

"You finished eating anyway. Now you need to digest."

Jin, brushing off the flustered old man, helped him up and stepped outside the shop, asking again,

“So, what’s your son’s name?”

“You think just knowing his name is enough to find him? What makes you so special?"

"I'm not special at all? I'm just saying let's look together. That's all."

The old man tilted his head and chuckled at the blunt response.

The wrinkles around his eyes curved into a gentle arc.

But only for a moment.

He turned his face back and said,

“Let’s walk a bit first.”

Then, without waiting for a reply, he clasped his hands behind his back and began trudging ahead.

Jin made a baffled face.

What the heck?

A stroll? Now?

The old man walked into the alley without a care in the world. Jin couldn’t just leave him be after saying what he did, and it felt awkward in various ways.

“Tsk.”

Jin lengthened his stride.

Once he naturally matched steps with the old man, the dirty ground came into view underfoot.

Hardened gum stains, cigarette butts rolling like coal ash, a tentacle-shaped flyer dropped on the ground, Missing Person.

And then came the voice.

“You single?”

At the old man’s question, Jin let out a hollow chuckle.

“You sure are curious. I mean, I said I’d help you find your son, and you’re running a background check on me. Do you happen to have an unmarried daughter or something?”

Even as he joked, he added, pretending to be reluctant,

“Yeah, I’m single. Problem?”

“Watch that mouth of yours. I was just asking.”

“Hm?”

A strange companionship continued.

Of course, calling it companionship was a stretch. They simply strolled through alleyways lined with bars and restaurants, making idle chatter.

Felt like a real walk at this point.

That’s what Jin was thinking when he suddenly turned his head.

He made eye contact with a man eating a hotdog at a street stall.

Their gazes met briefly and naturally parted.

Then the old man spoke.

“So why’d you suddenly decide to help find my son?”

“Hm.”

Jin closed his mouth for a moment.

Because he somehow understood how it must feel for a parent to have their child disappear overnight, would it be considered meddling to say that’s why?

To be honest, he was a little envious of the son too.

At least that old man could poke around Downtown, dangerous as it was. Some parents might not even be able to do that, just pacing around helplessly. Right? How could they find a child who disappeared after turning on a game? Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Ah, fuck...

The last “fuck” was different from the ones before it.

His breath suddenly tightened, he’d pulled the trigger without realizing it.

The crashing sound of waves made the nape of his neck go cold.

Just as he hurriedly closed his eyes to co⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌ncentrate.

Whoom-

A spark slowly ignited.

The warmth that gently filled his heart pushed away the creeping gloom deep in his bones. Unstable, but still doing its best.

And he could breathe again.

“Puhhh----!”

The old man turned and looked at Jin, who let out a deep, stale breath like he’d been holding it in for ten years.

“Why are you sighing like that?”

“Huh? Oh? Breathing? Oh, I guess I am. Wow.”

Was this how primitive humans felt when they first discovered fire?

Jin’s mouth fell open.

If this were a cartoon, a huge sound effect reading "Ding!" would have been plastered above his head.

Who knew the spark he thought was useless was actually a cure for panic?

Of course, not a perfect cure.

The gloom still clung to his heart, heavy and damp, like the moisture wrung from a twisted rag.

But still.

The fact that he wasn’t thrashing in deep darkness, that he’d avoided the terror of drowning, Jin unknowingly placed a hand over his left chest.

Thump, thump, thump.

He felt his heartbeat.

That was when.

“Ahem-hem-”

“Hmm?”

Jin snapped out of his brief mental lapse at the grumpy cough.

His once-narrowed vision gradually returned to normal, and before he knew it, the old man’s face was right in front of him, watching.

Caught under that piercing gaze, Jin let out an awkward smile.

“Ah. What were you saying again?”

“Forget it.”

Then he turned on his heel and walked ahead- wait, was he sulking?

Not that it mattered. The old man’s stride was no match for Jin’s long, model-like legs. One step, two steps.

Just two steps brought him right alongside again.

“Come on, let’s walk together, sir.”

And then he reached out and gave the old man’s shoulder a gentle rub.

Normally, he wouldn’t have done something like that.

But Jin was in a good mood.

He’d just fended off his first ever panic attack,

And there was something in the old man’s stubborn back that faintly reminded him of his late grandfather.

So he played along, trying to appease him.

Surprisingly? It worked.

“Ahem. So why are you helping me look for my son again?”

“Ahh. Well... I don’t know. I just can’t stop thinking about it.”

“Soft-hearted fool, aren’t you.”

The words were gruff, but the tone had softened.

Jin let it slide.

At the same time, he wondered why he was even doing this.

Meanwhile-

The scenery they’d been idly passing began to look familiar. Before he knew it, the two had looped around the alley and returned to the skewer shop.

They stopped walking at the same time, almost instinctively.

It was the old man who spoke first.

“My son has no name. He threw it away when he left home. That’s why he’s called Nameless One. And that’s what he’ll stay.”

“Then why are you trying to find him?”

“Because I’m his father.”

The old man answered plainly and looked at Jin.

“You’ve helped enough. I’ll be going now, and you should go your own way too.”

“......”

Jin d⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌idn’t argue.

He wasn’t the kind to pester someone who said they were fine, and more than that, he’d felt something during the walk around the alley.

So he nodded and opened his mouth.

“Stay healthy. Eat well.”

The old man turned away, lifting the corners of his wrinkled mouth slightly at Jin’s lightly raised fist waving him off.

As the image of the old man walking away with hands clasped behind his back gradually faded into the distance.

Jin’s senses caught something.

A faint, almost imperceptible unnaturalness.

From within the erratically moving crowd, there were presences moving slowly in the same direction.

Movements so subtle that no one but Jin, with his superhuman senses, could detect them.

Jin cast his gaze into the distance.

The man who had been munching on a hotdog at the street stall was gone.

“…You've got a lot of bodyguards.”

He shrugged his shoulders.

Then he was about to head toward where Manticore was parked but stopped mid-step.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, he bolted off in another direction.

“Five hotdogs, please. One of each kind.”

Jin still wasn’t full.

***

The old man walked with a steady pace.

Not too fast, not too slow, a perfectly normal gait.

A plain appearance.

A plain presence.

The kind you might see anywhere.

And therefore, easily overlooked.

Maybe that was why-

Even punks who normally picked fights with anyone who looked easy, regardless of age, stayed quiet today.

Because from the start, they hadn’t even realized the old man was passing by.

Like part of the scenery.

Something you just acknowledged as being there, nothing more.

Like background outside the frame of vision that demanded no attention.

The old man kept walking.

And following in his footsteps, silhouettes slowly began to gather.

They were passersby, a man eating at a food stall, a woman who had scorned some sleazy men like they were insects, and a middle-aged man on a nearby rooftop gently closing the eyes of a corpse.

Their joining was as natural as water flowing.

The old man’s shadow grew longer.

A towering silhouette filled with those who followed him, shaped like a giant.

Step.

At some point, someone approached the old man.

A man with a strong jawline, radiating toughness.

He was the one who had made eye contact with Jin from under the food stall awning. He bowed his head deeply, paying proper respect, and opened his heavy lips.

“Jin Evernight. A Solo currently collaborating with a Linker office called Anecdote. He hasn’t been active for long, but has shown exceptional growth at an unusual pace…”

“His bloodline?”

The question cut in, interrupting him.

The man answered.

“We were unable to confirm his lineage or ancestry. It’s also unclear whether the surname ‘Evernight’ is truly his.”

“…A distant branch, then.”

The old man muttered softly.

Then suddenly, a faint smile crossed his face.

Those following behind him flinched soundlessly.

Some of them nearly lost their perfectly restrained presence, unsettled by this rare and unfamiliar expression from their master.

“Whatever the case, it’s more than welcome. In this era where even direct heirs cower and falter, a mutt from the bottom manifests Light Pole. Even the others will have something to learn from this. I came chasing after the traces of my son, only to discover an unexpected treasure.”

The old man’s smile deepened.

And then.

His presence, previously one with the environment, flickered into perception, just a fragment.

Kurururung- Bang!

Lightning flared from behind the storm clouds, leaving a massive zigzag scar across the Downtown sky.

An overwhelming flash from North Downtown all the way to South Downtown.

Not Tempest, but real lightning from nature.

“Whoa! What t⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌he hell?!”

“F-fuck, what was that?!”

As chaos erupted all around.

The man following half a step behind the old man spoke.

“Shall we not bring him into the family?”

“Let it be. He’s a flower that bloomed in the mud. His temperament is like Lokan’s. Try to control him and he’ll only break. Better to let him roam freely. The time isn’t right yet.”

“Understood.”

The man bowed his head and stepped back, and the old man looked up at the s⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌ky and murmured.

“I’m looking forward to it. To see how far he’ll grow.”

There are all kinds of urban legends in Lost City.

One of them is the tale that the head of the Zahad Family oc⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌casionally shows himself outside the family, in search of the heir he excommunicated.

The 29th patriarch of Zahad.

The Thunder of Ten Thousand Bolts.

Gabelus Zahad.

Having discovered a gem that could possibly replace his runaway son, he disappeared into the shadows of Downtown with a satisfied smile.

*

Jin saw the lightning too.

And like everyone else, he was startled.

“Holy shit! What the hell was that?!”

A clumsy shout burst out, along with hotdog crumbs from his mouth.

The Light Pole within his chest crackled along with it, emitting a flash of lightning.

“…Is it raining? Nah.”

Jin, calming his startled heart, opened his mouth again toward the hotdog.

Bzzzzzz----!

“Yelp!”

A sudden, intense vibration against his chest made Jin jump again as he pulled out his device.

He tapped his thumb quickly, and a short message appeared on the screen.

[Isn’t it about time you started working, Solo King?]

It was from Khalifa.