TL/ED: Hamsterminator

Luger & Dollman.

One of Lost City's ManuCorps, it was a company famous for producing products with distinct concepts. (ManuCorps = manufacturing corporations)

For example, a disposable pistol with decent power but no reload function (and it only costs about as much as a plate of meatballs!),
or a 2-gauge triple-barrel shotgun that doesn't account for recoil at all, which could be described as: "So who the hell is supposed to use this?"

These kinds of bizarre weapons came from this place.

At first glance, one might think, isn’t this too much?

But because they break down so rarely and stay faithful to their designated roles within the boundaries of their concept, many have fallen for their strange charm and become collectors.

Anyway, back to the point.

Luger & Dollman!

Like most military manufacturers, this company achieved rapid growth through corporate and family wars,

And with the bold catchphrase: "Maniacs But Dependable", commonly abbreviated as MBD, they managed to secure a solid position in the industry, even though their market share wasn't particularly large.

It was the sales team leader from such a company who had come to see Jin.

Wonder Douglas.

A man whose slicked-back pomade hairstyle suited him surprisingly well opened his mouth.

"I’ve watched a few videos of your exploits. We’re grateful you’ve been using our weapons."

His gaze landed on the Gravis strapped to Jin’s waist.

"That one, specifically."

At the same time, Jin felt a sense of relief.

Thank god. Shit.

He wasn't a weirdo.

Letting out a small sigh, Jin placed his hand on the holster and said,

"Yeah, I’ve been using i⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠t well. It was my first weapon."

"…Your first weapon?"

"Yup."

Jin nodded.

How could he ever forget?

He even remembered the price clearly.

With a 60% discount, it cost 2.75 million credits.

He had spent all the money he earned from his first job to buy it.

A t⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rue embodiment of “bought with my own money”.

There was no way he wouldn’t get attached to it.

That affection showed clearly in his eyes, and Wonder, who had been silently observing Jin, let a satisfied smile briefly cross his face before it faded away.

Of course, since it was just a fleeting moment, by the time Jin looked up again, all he saw was a professional expression on the man’s face, lips moving with calm precision.

"Gravis 707. It’s one of our company’s problem children. Because the barrel was extended excessively, the balance of weight is a mess. It was originally designed for beastkin, yet even they had trouble handling the recoil."

It was something Jin had heard from Brof before.

Thankfully, Wonder didn’t waste time using overly technical terms like polygonal rifling or magnetic recoil dampeners.

Instead, after moistening his throat with the glass of water in front of him, he slowly added,

"As such, it’s an unfortunate model that was never released to the market. It couldn’t have been easy to get your hands on one."

The last sentence didn't end with a question mark, but

It was b⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠asically a question.

How do you have this thing when it never even went into mass production?

Jin sensed it.

But he simply left it at that.

"Must’ve been fate, I guess."

"I see."

Wonder nodded calmly.

As Jin reached his hand toward the table, he asked,

"So why’d you come looking for me?"

"My, we've gone off-topic."

Wonder raised his eyebrows lightly.

Then, placing his clasped hands gently on his thigh, he spoke.

"Our headquarters holds your combat ability and potential in high regard. Your future prospects are something we’re greatly looking forward to. We'd like to propose a collaboration."

"Collaboration?"

"Yes. More precisely, a sponsorship, perhaps?"

"Sponsorship?"

Jin echoed his words like a parrot.

That’s how unexpected Wonder’s proposal was.

Honestly, wouldn’t anyone be surprised?

To suddenly show up and talk about collaboration?

Just from watching a few videos?

Well, it was possible.

It was perfectly natural for a company to sign a sponsorship deal with a promising figure to boost brand recognition.

Even back in Jin’s world, there were tons of companies supporting famous athletes.

It was just that in a place like the Lost City, this concept had been reinterpreted in a dystopian way involving Solos and military manufacturers.

"What do I have to do?"

"Nothing in particular. Just wearing the equipment we provide periodically will be enough. Whether you use the product or not is entirely up to you."

In short, they were offering to provide products for free, and the rest was up to him.

For Jin, it was a deal with no downsides.

No, more than just having no downsides, wasn’t this a huge gain?

And the conditions weren’t even strict.

They said just wearing the gear would be enough.

Jin gulped down his cola and squinted his eyes.

What are these guys? Pushovers?

If someone could hear his thoughts, they’d probably smack their forehead with a loud smack.

A corporation being a pushover? That’s the kind of thing that’d make even a passing dog laugh.

At least he hadn’t said it out loud, thank goodness.

And so, unknown to Jin, the real thoughts from R&D were as follows.

Traditionally, the purists of the noble families (direct bloodlines) didn’t use firearms.

At best, they handled cold weapons. And even then, aside from Anarion of swordsmanship and Gestein of spearmanship, the other five families had little interest in cold weapons either.

It was an outdated stubbornness, going against the times.

But you couldn’t exactly look down on them, because that old-fashionedness was offset by the power of Arcane Magic.

Like a picky eater who pushes away side dishes but still turns out tall, well-built, and healthy.

Therefore, military manufacturers were never on friendly terms with the noble families.

It was a structurally incompatible relationship, with no room for improvement...

And then suddenly, a Solo appeared before them.

A hybrid, someone who had awakened 'Tempest', yet didn’t hesitate to pull a trigger.

And on top of that, a rising star with a long future ahead.

It was more than enough to draw attention. Add a spoonful of personal interest to that,

The gun that had blown off half of a berserker’s head looked eerily familiar.

Could it be… the Gravis?

No way a man in Wonder’s position, the head of sales at Luger & Dollman, would let such a talent slip through his fingers.

That’s why he acted immediately.

Though, he still had to be careful.

This was someone who had awakened 'Tempest', a genius.

‘What if he's already agreed to join a noble family…?’

Because of that possibility, Wonder didn’t reveal that he was a corporate representative right away.

It was a cautious decision to avoid unnecessary conflict with Zahad.

Had Jin known, he’d probably shake his head at how complicated people made life.

In any case,

Wonder came to Anecdote, concealing his identity.

And within ten seconds, he realized his worries had been unnecessary.

Because Jin had that Gravis proudly strapped to his waist.

It was an unspoken signal that he intended to keep walking the path of a Solo (not really), and it was only natural for Wonder’s gaze to become a bit blatant while looking at it.

Now was the time.

“What will your decision be?”

“……”

At Wonder’s follow-up question, Jin crossed his arms and pretended to ponder.

Keyword: pretended.

If he said yes too eagerly here, it’d look uncool.

You had to know how to push and pull just right.

So Jin counted to himself.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

“Alright. Let’s do it.”

“A wise decision.”

With a satisfied smile, Wonder opened his briefcase.

What followed happened in a flash.

The contract, which reflected exactly what Wonder had explained earlier, was signed by both of them. After splitting a copy each, they sealed the deal with a light handshake and stepped out of the lounge.

“Should we set the delivery address to this bar?”

“Yeah. That’ll be fine.”

As the conversation drifted from behind, Khalifa narrowed her eyes and turned her head.

Wonder had already reached the entrance when he spoke again.

“Then, we’ll be in touch soon.”

Watching him leave after a simple, respectful nod, Jin sank into the nearest sofa.

Then came Khalifa’s voice.

“What was that about, Jin? Delivery address?”

Faced with her demand for an explanation, Jin gave a three-line summary.

Luger & Dollman offered me a sponsorship, so I accepted.

They asked where to send the goods.

I don’t have a place to live, remember? So I told them to send it here.

Sorry.

That was the gist of it, and after hearing it all, Khalifa let out a deep sigh.

“Make sure the first thing you do with your earnings is get your own place.”

Still, she didn’t say no.

In fact, after the sigh, she even g⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ave a faint smile.

“Anyway, congrats, Jin. A sponsorship deal with R&D? You’re doing pretty well.”

“It’s not really something to congratulate me for…”

Feeling awkward for no reason, Jin waved his hand dismissively, and Poe quietly added a comment from the side.

"That's right. You're going to be the future Solo King. A contract like this is nothing for you."

"Ahem, ahem."

Words that sound perfectly fine when you say them yourself can suddenly feel embarrassing when they come out of someone else's mouth.

Pretending not to hear, Jin pulled out his terminal.

He fixed his eyes firmly on the screen.

Khalifa let out a short laugh at his feigned nonchalance.

"Since you’re already here, why don’t you stay and rest for a bit? There aren’t any customers at the moment anyway."

Then, stretching her arms out wide, she walked with steady clicks of her heels toward the briefing room.

It seemed she had something to take care of as a Linker.

Soon after, the sound of the door closing with a soft click prompted Jin to lower his terminal from his face and speak.

"…She does all that and still works as a manager at night? That sounds way too exhausting."

"Of course it must be tiring. She stays up every other night. But since it’s her own choice, no one can really stop her."

"Really?"

Poe, who had by then placed a plate of cookies on the table, replied.

"The only reason I can even serve you these cookies is because she’s been cutting back on her sleep."

"Hey. If you put it like that, how am I supposed to eat them without feeling bad?"

…He said that, but Jin was already munching.

She worked hard to make them, so he should eat them even more gratefully.

Khalifa would want that too.

Yeah. No doubt.

"Then please rest comfortably."

"Oh, right, Poe, wait a sec."

Jin called out to Poe as he was about to turn around.

A question had suddenly popped into his mind.

"You know the Solo Intranet. How do I access it? I tried searching for it, but nothing comes up."

At that, Poe blinked in silence for a moment.

Then he slowly opened his mouth.

"Didn't I send you the access code a while ago?"

"When?"

A short pause.

Then the answer came.

"43 days ago."

"Ah. Really? I think that was on my terminal before the last one. Or maybe the one before that."

Before the last? Before that?

Honestly, he didn’t even remember.

He’d burned or melted so many of his terminals by accident.

Then Poe said,

"I must’ve sent it during a period when your terminal was broken or had been replaced. No worries. I’ll send it again."

Right after that, Jin’s terminal gave a wooong- sound.

The message and the vibration hit almost simultaneously, and Jin glanced at Poe with a curious expression before turning his attention back to the terminal.

He tapped the URL sent via message, and an app began to download on his device.

Jin launched the app immediately.

After a brief loading screen, a new window appeared on the display.

The next moment.

He was looking at a cleanly designed web interface.

A search bar in the center of the screen, bulletin boards organized below in square captions, all framed by a black background.

"Hmm. So this is what it looks like? Do I need to sign up?"

At Jin’s question, Poe, who had come back over, replied.

"You entered using your originally issued unique identification code, so no sign-up is necessary. You're already logged in."

"Oh, you’re right."

Jin nodded and tapped the profile icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.

Not for any specific reason,

but because the blinking red dot was bothering him.

What popped up was.

A long, continuous list of messages.

"What is this?"

"Targeted requests. Looks like they’ve been piling up for a while."

"…There’s so many."

And indeed, there were a lot.

Assault-for-hire, tracking targets, kidnapping, theft, contract killings, and so on.

He scrolled and scrolled, but the list just kept going.

"Is it like this for everyone else too?"

"Not likely."

Poe gave a small smile.

Jin checked the dates on the messages and let out a dry laugh.

"They're all recent."

All he’d done was level up his Solo rank by one tier.

He’d assumed nothing much had changed, but that was a mistake.

He just hadn’t realized it. The change had already begun.

And in that moment, he finally understood it.

Ding-

With a soft alert tone, a new message arrived.

[91 24.2081, 2 10.3578]

"What the hell is this?"

Jin tilted his head at the message, which consisted solely of a string of numbers with no explanation. Poe, who was looking at the screen with him, murmured,

"…Coordinates. Mute Town."

That quiet voice brought up a status window in front of Jin’s eyes.

「(Forewarning!)(Sudden!) Beast of War」─────

Re⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠scue Albus and the Resistance.

*Reward: Perk XP 4,000