TL/ED: Hamsterminator

“Ah, but first, let’s eat.”

Jin suddenly clutched his lower belly.

Then he let out a groan, with an expression like he’d been stabbed with a knife.

The group looked at him in disbelief.

All of a sudden?

But this was a perfectly natural reaction.

When a person’s consciousness is faced with a critical issue, it stuffs all the trivial desires into a metaphorical closet until that issue is resolved.

Now that the danger had passed and safety was secured.

The contents of that closet were crashing out all at once.

Screaming, Give me food!!

Thus, Jin shot up to his feet.

After rummaging around the underground space here and there, he came back holding canned food in both arms. Seeing that, Fenrir spoke in disbelief.

“How many did you bring?”

“I was gonna eat with you guys... hmm, guess not.”

Jin leaned his body against the sofa, carefully avoiding Ossia and Den who had already dozed off.

“They must’ve been tired?”

“They said they hadn’t washed or slept for three days. Guess they finally relaxed. Thanks to someone suddenly shouting about eating first.”

“So, what do you want?”

“...Anything.”

Little bastard. He’s gonna eat it anyway.

Jin smirked and tossed over a can labeled ‘Processed Meat’.

“Spoon?”

“Don’t have one. Just drink it or use your hands.”

What’s a werewolf whining about utensils for?

Just extending those claws would make a perfect substitute for a fork.

Oh. Sweet corn. Looks good.

Jin tilted his head back and shook the can out.

Golden kernels poured out like a waterfall, and his cheeks bulged as he chewed.

At the sight, Fenrir also removed his mask and joined the meal.

Come to think of it, it was Jin’s first time seeing his bare face in human form.

Jin glanced over, and it was pretty much what he expected. Sharp jawline to match the blade-like eyes.

Covered in bumpy scars.

“What are you staring at.”

“So prickly.”

Jin shrugged and opened another can.

Then, scooping a few bites with his index finger, he asked,

“TB... I mean, what’s your connection with Taha?”

“Nothing special. We were comrades once, that’s all.”

“Did you backstab him or something?”

“Backstab, my ass. We just had different ideals, so we split.”

“Taha didn’t seem to think so. What was it he said? Destiny? The voice within?”

At that, Fenrir frowned while chewing the processed meat.

“Beast disease got to him real bad. I had a bad feeling, and sure enough, he completely lost it.”

“Beast disease? What’s that?”

Jin threw over another can as he asked, and Fenrir caught it in midair, answering,

“A side effect of the Beast Serum. Think of it like an uncontrollable urge for destruction, paired with hallucinations. Maybe that’ll help you understand.”

“You too?”

“Sometimes.”

Fenrir nodded without hesitation, then curled his lips into a bitter smirk.

“There’s a reason beastkin are shunned in society. Treated like ticking time bombs that could explode at any moment.”

At his self-deprecating cynicism, Jin’s gaze shifted again to Fenrir’s lower face.

He had thought they were random knife wounds, but now he saw, they were claw marks.

Probably from when the urges hit, and he took it out on his own face.

You really wrecked yourself, huh. Jin thought to himself.

Sensing the stare, Fenrir grimaced.

“You get used to it. I’ve been handling it fine for years.”

“But Taha didn’t hold back?”

“...That guy’s a different case. He went through Shedding.”

At that, Jin snapped his fingers.

Right. He had meant to ask about that anyway.

"Hey, good thing you mentioned it. What exactly is Shedding?"

"...Don't you think you're asking too many questions? What exactly do you know?"

Fenrir shot back in a grumbling voice, but Jin paid no mind, just gulped down the broth from his can.

If I don't know, I should ask. What els⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌e can I do.

As they say, don't be ashamed to ask what you don't know. Even Confucius said, right? Don't be ashamed to ask about things you don't know.

Here's a fun fact. The "ha" in "bulchihamun" uses the character for "below" meaning people of lower status or less learning.

[TL Note: Jin is referencing the Chinese idiom "不恥下問" (bulchihamun in Korean), which literally means "not being ashamed to ask those below you." This Confucian principle encourages learning from anyone, regardless of their status or knowledge level.]

So, the phrase means not being ashamed to ask even those who know less than you.

The Solo level being the same, and common sense a few notches higher, Fenrir in no way fell into that category.

But as the saying goes, the guy who’s only half-educated tends to act the most confident.

Jin stared straight at him, waiting for an answer,

And Fenrir let out a dry, unimpressed laugh before opening his mouth.

Thus came the explanation of Shedding!

Just as the name implies, breaking out of one’s shell, it referred to a moment when a human evolved to the next stage in every aspect.

Regardless of the power one used, it was the moment of awakening reached through specific conditions and realizations.

It was about breaking through the wall that blocked one’s path and facing a wider world.

That new world, too, would eventually become the next wall that blocked the path ahead.

Because it was the world that surrounded the self, and at the same time the boundary toward the beyond, it came to be known by the term Hierarchy.

“Hmm.”

Jin nodded with keen interest.

Come to think of it, he had experienced something similar himself.

The moment he fought Kilgit.

When that bolt of lightning struck through his mind, didn’t the world look completely different for an instant?

Like he was wearing a new pair of glasses.

Now he had grown used to it, so it just felt normal, but back then, something definitely had changed.

And at the same time, a thought crossed his mind.

People like Crow, Lokan, and Kilgit, how many worlds had they stepped into?

Why had it felt so vague and incomprehensible trying to grasp the extent of their power? He felt like he was beginning to understand.

They lived in a different world.

Then Fenrir continued speaking.

“Shedding is something ordinary people never experience in their whole lives. Solo players above level 5, those are the ones who’ve achieved it... Wait a sec, how did the conversation even get here?”

Scratching his head in irritation, he looked over at Jin.

“...Anyway, I think you get it now, that Taha is a beastkin who achieved Shedding.”

“Second Hierarch⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌y.”

Jin, ever the quick learner, applied his new knowledge immediately.

Truthfully, the unfamiliar term still didn’t roll off his tongue, so he’d said it out loud just to try it.

“Back to the main point, Taha speaking like a calm lunatic is probably because of Shedding. With beastkin, the more they shed, the worse their madness gets. More precisely, during the process of breaking through the wall, the risk of falling into madness spikes dramatically.”

Maybe it was because he hadn’t experienced it himself.

Fenrir didn’t say any more.

He simply sank into the sofa with a tired look.

Before long, the sound of light snoring could be heard.

So, in the moment Jin was left alone.

The status window appeared.

「(Omen!) Beast of War 2」────────

Eliminate Taha and dismantle TB.

*Reward: Perk XP 9,000

──────────────────

Jin stared silently at the square box in front of him with a displeased expression and crossed his arms.

“That’s a hell of a lot of XP. Guess it’s gonna be another pain in the ass.”

He grumbled quietly, then slowly closed his eyes.

---

Jin opened his eyes because of the noise.

Hurried footsteps. Screams laced with pain.

And the strong stench of blood.

He shot up from the sofa on instinct, and his eyes landed on people being carried on stretchers.

It didn’t take long for him to realize they were members of the Resistance who had been rescued.

Two of them were walking on their own, step by slow step.

One was unfamiliar, but the other was a face Jin recognized.

A woman who had served as the Resistance’s resident doctor back when he had stayed at one of their bases.

Her name was probably.

“Grace?”

“...Jin?”

Her face, caked with blood and dirt, was a complete mess, and her expression was one of shocked recognition.

“How are you here?”

“Albus called me.”

“...Albus is here too?”

“He is, but talking to him won’t be easy.”

Meanwhile, Ossia and Den, now fully awake, were talking to other Resistance members who had come with Grace.

It was a dramatic reunion, but the conversation was full of despair.

This person died, that person died.

Stories that weighed down the should⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌ers of the living.

Heads soon hung low in silence.

Jin frowned.

Then he turned back to look at Grace.

“So, you and that guy are the only ones unharmed?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The response came, but even so, she didn’t exactly look fine.

Half out of her mind, honestly, she was no different from a moving scarecrow.

In that state, not even empty words could make her sound helpful.

No matter how many of them there were.

“Get some rest.”

With that, Jin passed Grace by.

He walked through the corridor filled with screams, climbed the winding staircase that spanned three floors, and arrived again at the living room with the fireplace.

There, someone quietly basking in the firelight slowly turned their head.

“Hiccup-, you’re back?”

Jin stared at that prematurely aged face with a slanted gaze, then strode forward.

On the way, he reached out for a chair and naturally sat across from the man, locking eyes with him before speaking.

“Is this the right call?”

A question with all the context cut away. The colonel tilted his head.

Just then, Q, sensing movement, opened the door and approached, prompting the colonel to raise a hand and ask him,

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You haven’t seen the faces of the people downstairs, have you? Their morale’s shattered, they’re falling apart like wet paper. In that state, they can’t fight. Doesn’t matter how many you gather.”

His tone was blunt.

Blunt enough to make Q flinch from behind.

Of course, Jin didn’t care in the slightest.

It wasn’t like the colonel was some frail old man, or sickly. He was, after all, a colonel of the Special Forces.

There was no need to use any formal speech with him.

That’s why his sentences had suddenly gotten much shorter.

But from the colonel’s perspective, the temperature shift was extreme, and he let out a dry chuckle.

“So?”

“I’m saying there’s no point in gathering up more defeated soldiers like this. The base is already wrecked, and the strongest comrade they had is dead. Who the hell’s gonna feel motivated?”

At that, Q furrowed his brow and took a step forward.

But the colonel, once again stopping him, spoke up.

“We’re not blind to that issue. But the situation isn’t ideal. We need troops to face TB. Hiccup-”

“Then why don’t you guys deal with them?”

“If we did, the target would back out and disappear.”

“...The Face Collector?”

“That’s right.”

As the colonel said that and tilted his bottle,

Step.

Fenrir appeared from beyond the living room.

He silently crossed his arms. The colonel, noticing him, wiped his wet lips and spoke again.

“That’s why we need your help.”

“‘Our’?”

Jin and Fenrir responded in unison.

Receiving a glance from the colonel, Q finally opened his mouth.

“The plan is to form an assault team with you two at the core. The objective is to eliminate Taha. While you’re handling him and TB’s forces, we’ll pursue the Face Collector.”

In short, they were being asked to carry out the operation Oren failed to complete.

Then came the most important part of the conversation.

“The success reward is one hundred million credits each.”

“Hiiik!”

Jin instinctively sucked in a sharp breath, and the backlash sent him into a full coughing fit.

He hacked and coughed wildly, and in the middle of the chaos, someone handed him a bottle from the front.

He snatched it and took a swig without thinking, only to PFFFT! spray mist straight forward.

It was alcohol!

As the colonel burst into loud laughter.

Fenrir s⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌poke up.

“You rate us that highly?”

“You deserve it. Anyone who survived a fight with Crow is worth the praise.”

At Q’s answer, Jin, who had been wiping his wet chin with the back of his hand, slowly lifted his head.

“...How’d you know that?”

“We have to know at least this much about the people we’re entrusting with the job.”

Then came Fenrir’s voice again.

“What’s th⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌e chance Crow will get involved?”

“Fortunately, he seems to have pulled out of Mute Town. Most likely, his interests aligned temporarily. You don’t need to worry about that part.”

“No support? You’re government agents, aren’t you.”

“Sorry, but our budget’s tight. I’d say the payment itself is more than a fair show of goodwill.”

Having said that, Q looked between Jin and Fenrir and asked,

“So, what’s your answer?”

Honestly, there was no reason to say no.

It was a chance to score a large amount of experience points and a huge sum of credits all at once.

But the problem was the squad.

Even if they added more members, it would probably just be a few surviving Resistance fighters, and that was far too weak in terms of combat strength.

From what he’d heard, they couldn’t even provide proper support.

That’s when it happened.

Ziiiiiing--

A long vibration buzzed from inside his chest pocket.

“Ah, sorry.”

Jin gave an awkward smile as he checked his device.

It was an unknown number, but thinking it might be Khalifa, he quickly pressed the call button and brought the device to his ear.

“Hello?”

At the same time, a businesslike voice rang in his ear.

[This is Wonder. As I mentioned before, I’d like to provide you with equipment support. Could you please pick out something you like?]

And at the same time, photos and details of all kinds of equipment began pouring into his messages. As Jin checked them, his eyes went wide.

He quickly covered the device with his palm, leaned his head to the side, and cleared his throat loudly.

Then, cautiously bringing his mouth close to the speaker, he said,

“Um, hey, sorry to ask but... could I have all of them?”

*****

TL: Jin is like, "What do you mean, pick something?"