TL/ED: Hamsterminator

Jin raised his body.

When he wiped the face guard, splattered with blood, with his hand, he could see a man and woman aiming gun barrels at him beyond it.

And Albus sitting between them.

He was glaring with his eyes wide open, clutching something tightly in his hand, but the emotions in his gaze were not of welcome, only confusion and caution.

It was only then that Jin realized he was wearing a helmet, and just as he was about to lift the face guard.

Kuhung!!

A beast leapt from behind.

A Beastkin with the head of a hyena. Even while dying, the bastard opened its jaws wide toward the back of Jin’s neck.

Clack!!

The sharp teeth, reminiscent of daggers, clashed in the air with a sound like colliding metal.

The biting force was enough to spark for an instant.

But it missed.

Jin had already bent his upper body far forward.

Then, with his right foot firmly planted on the ground, he kicked back with his left foot.

The heel that shot upward smashed the Beastkin’s jaw.

With a cracking sound, the hyena-headed creature's neck was thrown back, and with its forward-leaning weight, it skidded violently across the floor.

At the end of that path were three Resistance members.

Their gun barrels had been aimed at the back of the now-ruined Beastkin’s head, but hurriedly returned to position.

Jin removed his helmet.

“Phew-”

Exhaling a refreshing breath and shaking his sweat-drenched hair left and right, he opened his mouth toward the two people who were still on guard and to Albus, who belatedly wore a dumbfounded expression.

“Long time no see.”

*

“...Are you sure you were the one who called him?”

The woman, who had just heard a rough explanation (a three-line summary) from Jin, glanced at Albus.

“Yeah.”

Only after hearing his confirming answer did she finally lower her gun barrel slowly.

The bearded man next to her did the same.

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

"Because I didn't know if he'd come. I didn't want to give false hope either."

At that, both the woman and the bearded man nodded with understanding expressions.

Jin made a face as if to say, ‘You called me and yet?’

Of course I’d come. Then what?

This guy, didn't trust me?

The magpie never forgets a favor,

And Jin never forgets a meal debt.

Of course, that wasn’t the whole reason.

But still, isn’t that the Korean way?

In the end, the two who had lowered their guard introduced themselves first.

“I’m Ossia.”

“Den.”

The woman, Ossia.

The bearded man, Den.

Of cours⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠e, Jin was seeing them for the first time.

Just because he had stayed at the base for ten days didn’t mean he’d met all the Resistance members. He had mostly been cooped up in the infirmary anyway.

“I’m Jin.”

After the brief exchange of names, he approached Albus.

“You okay?”

"Thanks. I didn't think you'd come..."

“Enough with the same line. So, can you move?”

“There’s a hole in my stomach. I’ve got no strength.”

Jin had already been eyeing the wound.

Had it been a while since he was injured? The blood-soaked bandages were filthy. At this rate, the wound wasn’t the issue, infection would be a real problem. No matter how advanced the world was, there’s no cure for sepsis, right?

As Jin, who had never really thought about such things, pondered for a moment.

Den moved.

“Get on my back for now.”

The bearded man offered Albus his back and lifted him up with surprising ease.

A metallic clinking sound. Only then did Jin notice that Den’s legs were cyberware.

“Where should we go? That base from before?”

“No, that place is...”

Just as Albus answered Jin’s question, who had shoved his helmet back on.

“Don’t talk anymore. I’ll explain.”

Ossia cut in and turned her head.

“The base is gone. Right after a few of our key forces failed a mission, we were hit by a counterattack. In the chaos, everyone scattered, and now we can’t even get in contact.”

Jin furrowe⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠d his brow.

The base was gone?

He hadn’t expected that.

“What about other places?”

“There’s a safe house. The problem is, it’s a bit far from here.”

“Then there’s our answer. Let’s get out of here first.”

Jin jerked his chin toward the shattered outer wall.

And so, the hallway.

Ossia and Den, who followed after, flinched in surprise.

The entire passage was covered in corpses.

And all in gruesome condition.

If they had mere penetration wounds, that’d be considered mild.

From the pulped faces to the limbs bent beyond their range of motion with bones sticking out.

It was, in every sense, the remains of TB’s forces crushed like insects.

“......”

Three pairs of eyes once again swept over Jin’s back as he led the way.

They had seen the Tempest.

They weren’t clueless about what that meant, but given the situation, they kept their mouths shut and read the room.

All the more because the blood-drenched hallway wasn’t just filled with enemies.

Seeing their own comrades lying face down in pools of blood, eyes still open, it was only natural that they clenched their teeth.

Jin had also seen the dead Resistance members.

People he might’ve been able to save if he’d arrived just a bit earlier.

But that was merely hindsight.

He had done everything he could.

He’d run like hell, and that was why he was able to save at least three.

So Jin felt no guilt.

Still, he didn’t just walk past the fallen Resistance members without at least sparing them a glance. That much, he could do.

As they passed through the hallway, Ossia spoke.

"Other guys might already be swarming after hearing the gunshots. Let's hurry."

Naturally, the group picked up their pace.

Tatadatak.

They descended the stairs in brisk steps, the numbers marked at each landing counting down one by one.

Then suddenly, Jin, who was at the front, stretched out his left arm straight to signal a halt. As he turned his head and placed a finger over his lips, Ossia and Den quietly raised their guns.

Jin showed them his open palm and began descending the stairs slowly, step by step, silencing his footsteps.

Then, just as he reached a landing, he suddenly threw a punch. The enemy coming up from below tilted their head back to dodge. Oh?

In an instant, the narrow space became a tangled mess of two figures.

Arms and legs crossed rapidly in the dark, papapak!, and a flurry of close-quarters exchanges followed, so close they could feel each other's breath.

Jin blocked a knee aimed at his abdomen with his palm, then brought down his opposite elbow like an axe. The opponent defended by crossing their arms, but Jin’s monstrous strength pushed them back, and he used the opening to slam his shoulder hard into them, pinning them against the wall.

Bang!

At the same time, he drew his Gravis with his other hand and aimed the barrel directly at the opponent’s forehead at point-blank range.

“...Huh?”

His finger, which should have pulled the trigger, froze mid-air.

The face scowling at him, eyes narrowed, was far too familiar.

Goblin mask?

Before he realized it, Jin slowly lowered the hand holding the Gravis.

“Fenrir?”

“This smell... Fucking hell. Why the hell are you here?”

Even the husky voice confirmed it.

Yup, it was Fenrir!

Jin relaxed the other arm too.

As the elbow that had been choking his neck loosened, Fenrir let out a small cough. His hand rubbing his neck was covered in thick fur. His claws were long too, he had partially Beast Transformed for a moment.

Hmm, Beast Transformation.

...Beastkin?

That made Jin flinch.

He raised the Gravis at Fenrir again.

“You traitorous bastard! You joined up with TB, didn’t you?!”

“What the hell are you talking about... Why would I be with those bastards?”

“Then how the hell are you here?”

“I followed the coordinates, of course... How are you here?”

“I followed the coordinates too......”

Jin trailed off.

Then turned his head at an angle.

Looking slowly toward Den, or more precisely, Albus slung over Den’s back.

“You called him too?”

“...They both came. Fucking hell.”

Albus’s expression turned complicated.

In a situation this hopeless, with all support cut off, he’d called the Solos on a whim, thinking what the hell, and both had actually shown up.

It was so absurd he almost laughed.

Not that it was good for his injured abdomen.

Keukeuk, ugh!

Keukeukeuk, uugh!!

As he laughed and groaned in pain by himself, the two Solos who had been watching silently finally understood what was going on.

Ah, he called this guy too.

So the two skipped all the unnecessary chatter.

Once Jin quickly explained the current situation and objective,

Fenrir nodded.

“Safe house. Got it. Let’s move.”

And just like that, with the wolf Beastkin now part of the group, they exited the ruined building.

Then, from beyond the darkness where their eyes couldn’t reach, came shouting voices.

“Over there?!”

“Bravo Team is not responding!”

“Move, quickly!”

Reinforcements had already arrived, it seemed.

In response, Ossia urgently gestured for them to move in the opposite direction of where the sound had come from.

“Follow me!”

As the group hurriedly followed after her.

“Huff, huff-”

Albus, catching his breath, turned to look behind them.

Through his blurred vision, he saw a group of soldiers entering the ruined building.

Then, after silently counting to ten, he firmly pressed the detonation button.

Gugugugugung--!

A heavy rumble spread out like a ripple.

Startled by the tremor that shook the ground beneath them, Jin turned his head.

What the hell?

With the moonlight at its back, the collapsing building was a sight to shock anyone.

Fenrir, too, seemed surprised, his eyes, visible above his mask, wavered slightly.

That was when Den spoke.

“Albus set it off! Let’s hope that buys us some time!”

And it did.

The collapsing structure was more than enough to grab the attention of their pursuers, allowing the group to widen the gap as much as possible.

The only problem was that the “gap” amounted to just a few minutes.

“There they are!”

A booming shout rang out from somewhere.

Like the roar of a hunter spotting its prey.

All the pursuers, who had been looking around in vain, suddenly turned their heads in the same direction.

“They’re coming!”

Fenrir shouted.

At the same time, enemies came sliding in at the entrance of the next alley ahead- shhaak!

Ossia and Den, as if waiting for it, pulled their triggers.

Thanks to Fenrir’s quick warning.

Dududududu!!

Their muzzles blazed. It wasn’t single-shot, it was full-auto. Just two seconds of pulling the trigger emptied the whole magazine. The enemies were shredded into rags and fell, bleeding.

At that moment, fragments burst from the wall to Ossia’s right.

Soon after, the sound of gunfire 'Tang-!' was heard.

The crack-thump created by a bullet exceeding the speed of sound.

The sound of the bullet hitting was the crack,

The gunshot that arrived right after was the thump.

A skilled soldier could estimate the shooter’s position from the time gap between the two sounds.

But Jin didn’t calculate.

He just instinctively snapped his head up.

At the edge of his vision.

A soldier aiming a rifle from a rooftop came into v⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠iew.

The tripod resting on the ground confirmed a sniper setup.

At the same time, Jin’s figure vanished.

Then, in the space between the sniper and the group, several flashes appeared in quick succession. Like skipping stones. Flash! Flash! Flash!

The next moment.

Jin, who had closed the distance with consecutive Blinks, kicked the back of the sniper’s head mid-air.

Crunch! The enemy’s face slammed violently into the rooftop, splattering blood like wheel spokes. Jin landed right after and picked up the rifle mounted on the ground.

Then, stepping up onto the rooftop ledge, he pulled the trigger toward the soldiers closing in on the group from all directions.

Taang-!

Taang-!

The recoil reverberated through his entire body. Normally, the force should be dispersed through the tripod into the ground, but now it pounded directly into him.

But Jin didn’t stop.

After pulling the trigger until emptying the magazine, he repeated Blink again and fell from the sky.

There was only one reason he set the final coordinate in the air.

It made it easier to chain large, sweeping attacks.

Fwoosh!!

His heel dropped straight down, crushing the helmet engraved with TB’s symbol, and the contents inside it.

As the enemy’s eyes rolled back and the rifle slipped from his hand, Jin snatched it in a flash. The sling wrapped around the corpse’s neck, causing it to slap wetly against him, but Jin ignored it and sprayed bullets at the surroundings.

Dududududu!!

In the rapidly flickering light and dark that changed dozens of times per second, distorted faces were torn apart. A few return shots came his way, but they didn’t turn the tide.

Thunk, thunk.

Feeling resistance under his finger, Jin flung the rifle and the corpse still attached to it onto the ground.

“Tch.”

He suddenly felt a sting in his earlobe and reached up. Instead of the soft flesh that should have been there, a splash of blood fell with a flick.

A bullet must have grazed his ear in the chaos.

But Jin casually pulled his hand away.

As long as it didn’t hit his head, it was fine.

With that shocking thought, one that would have startled anyone else, he turned his head.

And then he saw it.

Shhaak!

The image of enemies collapsing in a spray of blood, and Fenrir running toward them from behind.

His blood-soaked hands were crossed in an X shape. His claws, which had sliced through flesh like paper, glistened red.

“You made it?”

At Jin’s question, Fenrir scrunched his nose.

“......Just what the hell have you been doing all this time.”

A line, packed with meaning.

Jin grinned in response.

You haven’t seen the Tempest yet, rookie.

Meanwhile, Ossia and Den, having caught up, swapped out their magazines and spoke.

“The assault’s died down a little. If we move now, we can shake them off.”

“Albus really pulled it off. To draw in guys this skilled.”

Maybe it gave them a bit of hope. On their battered, messed-up faces, faint smiles appeared.

But only for a moment.

“...Ah.”

Ossia’s jaw dropped. Beside her, Den’s eyes were trembling left and right without pause.

Jin couldn’t ask what was wrong.

Because of the overwhelming presence he felt immediately behind him.

“......”

At the far end of the road, where Jin slowly turned to l⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠ook, someone stood still.

A man with strikingly long white hair that reached his shoulders.

Eyes glowing with a fluorescent light pierced through the darkness, brushing against the group like invisible fangs grazing their skin.

That savage gaze seized control of the entire area.

Under the flickering streetlamp, the man’s shadow stretched across the wall.

A shadow in the sha⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠pe of a giant lion.