TL/ED: Hamsterminator

The anti-tank rocket information that Jin couldn't remember was as follows.

Faust α.

It used a tandem-charge designed to penetrate single-use defense systems.

A monster with armor-piercing power exceeding 1,000mm.

The heavy weapon at the rear spewed immense flames.

Whoosh!!

Leaving the backblast behind, the warhead flew across the air.

In the blink of an eye, the projectile reached its impact point and pierced through the steel-reinforced outer wall.

That all took barely over a second.

Immediately after, the atmosphere distorted and a massive explosion occurred.

Boom!!!!

A high-temperature, high-pressure heatwave swept through the building interior.

The pupils of the group watching the scene through the front windshield turned red.

As the entire sequence was recorded on the bodycam,

Jin’s body lurched violently back and forth.

Even if gas was ejected from the rear exhaust port to offset the recoil, there was no way to stop the barrel from shaking wildly.

And this vibration was ridiculously powerful.

“Urgh!”

Jin involuntarily swallowed air from the shock that reverberated through his entire skeleton.

This was all because Faust α was a Borg weapon.

R&D’s ambitious Borg series.

It was the debut of equipment exclusively for cyborgs whose bodies had been fully replaced by machines.

At the unexpected comment and timing, Wonder's buttocks twitched somewhere.

Of course, Jin had no idea about any of that and just felt dizzy.

He had pulled triggers in his life, but when had he ever fired a rocket launcher?

Not knowing the proper firing technique, sticking his head in close while shooting had been the problem.

But the effect was that much more certain.

The windows on the 2nd and 3rd floors closest to the impact point were all shattered by the blast pressure.

The guys inside, needless to say, either had their organs ruptured by the shockwave or were engulfed in the fireball and burned to death.

That’s the advantage of a thermobaric warhead.

It only takes out enemies, while minimizing damage to structures.

As a result, both the enemies and the group were thrown into chaos.

“W-we’re under attack!”

“Fuck! Is it the Resistance?!”

With the sudden shelling, the TB forces began to assume combat formation.

"Wh, what did you shoot?"

“Those bastards still haven’t come to their senses! Now!”

“We're charging through the front gate! Everyone, grab onto something!”

Ossia shouted as she slammed the accelerator with all her might.

Vrooooom!!

With an overheated engine roar, the car slammed into the fence with a “Thunk!” and charged straight toward the building entrance.

At that moment, enemies were pouring out and pulled their triggers.

Rat-tat-tat!! Bullets rained down, and white cracks spread across the vehicle’s front windshield.

But Ossia didn’t stop.

The vehicle, racing in a straight line, launched a couple of enemies into the air, then crashed straight through- crash!!

Was it the lobby? Whatever it was, the wide space made the tires screech to a halt.

“Get out!”

Den shouted while turning around,

and Fen⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠rir kicked the door open.

There, they saw a soldier sitting on his butt, looking up with a dumbfounded expression.

Bang!!

A hole opened in his forehead.

Over the soldier’s falling head, Albus jumped out of the vehicle, holding a submachine gun.

With a click, he lowered the faceguard that had been lifted upward.

The heat detection function activated on the faceplate, clearly outlining the enemies running in from a distance in red silhouettes.

Click!

Without delay, without wavering, without hesitation.

The muzzle spat fire.

The enemies fell one after another.

Armor-piercing rounds punched through helmets and heads alike.

Even with simple fire, it was this powerful.

When using charged shots, the power would increase by more than double.

The recoil would be extreme, but that wasn’t a big issue.

The ergonomically designed enhanced exoskeleton would absorb it.

Crazy.

Albus let out a hollow laugh.

Wasn’t R&D that weirdo company that sold vending machine guns?

The epitome of Do Not Reload.

Like cigarette butts always lying around on the street, something you’d see constantly.

Because of that, it was only natural to form a prejudice.

While thinking that, Albus took down two more enemies and swapped magazines.

It was... a feeling like his prejudice had been shattered.

So they weren’t just some ordinary group.

And this was exactly what Wonder had intended.

No manufacturer could afford to act eccentric without having the fundamentals down.

That’s why this operation was a kind of showcase to reveal that obvious truth.

Of course, how this all would end, no one could know just yet.

“Anyone injured?”

“No.”

The group, having wiped out the enemies on the first floor in an instant, gathered together.

"Then we move out immediately. The heat will be intense, so brace yourselves."

With that, Den dashed toward the stairs.

His bounding strides resembled those of a gazelle.

His lower body had already been replaced with cyberware prosthetics.

And now with the exoskeleton added on top, he was practically flying through the air.

Tatadadak!

Just as the group picked up speed to follow him up the stairs.

"I should’ve been the one to fire it."

At the irritated voice, Jin turned his head.

Fen⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠rir, with Faust slung over his back, came into view.

Jin’s weapon, having served its purpose, had been left resting peacefully in the vehicle, but Fenrir hadn’t had the chance, so he had no choice but to run with it on his back.

And it was more cumbersome than expected.

Not because of the weight, but because the total length reached 1,400mm.

Still, what could he do?

If he had complaints, he should’ve fired first.

Meanwhile, the group arrived at the second floor, which had been the center of the blast.

The interior was engulfed in flames, thick with heat.

There were no survivors.

Along with scorching heat, the interior engulfed in flames unfolded before their eyes.

The third floor was the same.

The only difference was the number of charred bodies.

So the group immediately took to the stairs and started running up.

The problem occurred the moment Ossia stepped on the stairs.

"Hiiibaaarrr!!!!!"

With a horribly mangled scream, something crouched on the floor suddenly leapt up.

Its half-melted face resembled a frog.

“Dieeee!!”

The thing that snatched Ossia in an instant with a tremendous leap dove straight through the flames and out the shattered window.

Right after, a heavy thud! was heard.

And then came the blaring alarm- WEEEOOOWEEEOOO!

"Ossia!"

A shocked scream. Grace ran toward the window, but Den pulled her back by the shoulder.

"She’s not dead. It’s just the third floor!"

Just as he said, gunfire rang out from below a moment later.

‘Kyaaaagh!’ A frantic scream and the sound of things smashing.

It would’ve been fine if that were the end of it, but the TB reinforcements rushing in after hearing the noise wouldn’t be few in number.

Despite that, Den was resolute.

"Our target is Taha! Don’t forget that!"

At his shout, Grace turned her gaze away from the window.

A⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠t the same time, Jin shoved her forward as they ran up to the fourth floor.

“They’re here!”

“Kill them!”

Enemies who had already prepared opened fire on the group.

From that moment on, it was chaos.

Bullets rained down, grenades flew in wide arcs from both sides, and thick smoke clouded their vision.

Through the smoke, enem⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠y officers who had completed their Beast Transformation charged in.

Two rat-headed figures wielding daggers in both hands.

Jin and Fenrir stepped forward immediately.

Jin’s fist crushed one of their skulls.

Fenrir’s claws tore out the other one’s throat.

Both of them were equipped with exoskeletons.

They might be less efficient than the real cyborgs,

but it was more than enough help.

At least it allowed Jin to conserve his mana.

Bang!!

Albus shouted as he wiped blood off his faceguard after putting a bullet in the back of a fallen enemy's head.

“Keep moving!”

They pushed forward again.

Fifth floor. Sixth. Seventh.

Amid the ongoing melee.

"Kugh!"

A groan erupted from within the group.

It was one of the Resistance members rescued alongside Felix and Grace.

He’d been hit at close range by a shotgun and collapsed to his knees.

Thanks to his bulletproof vest, he survived, but there was no way to avoid the internal damage caused by the impact.

“Fucking bastard! Die.”

The enemy growled low and aimed the shotgun again.

Bang!!

Felix rolled hard across the ground to dodge it and slammed his left chest with his right hand.

At the same time, his pupils dilated.

Combat stimulant administered.

As the neural-enhancing agent stimulated his brain, the world slowed down momentarily, and he drew the handgun at his waist.

Tatatatatata!!

Not a single shot missed, every bullet buried into the enemy’s forehead, and the man wobbled and collapsed.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Feeling his heart pounding several times faster, Felix reloaded at incredible speed.

Then, as he snapped the muzzle forward toward the front, a Beastkin with a hyena’s face came charging on all fours.

Bang!

Hearing gunfire from behind, Jin, who was in the middle of climbing the landing, turned his head.

It was outside his field of vision, so he couldn’t see what was happening.

Only the fierce noise pierced his ears.

Who was it?

At that moment, someone pulled the trigger, aiming at him from behind.

The bullet grazed his helmet.

The only reason it grazed and didn’t hit was because Jin instinctively ducked his head.

The next moment.

Gravis roared.

Bang─!!

The enemy’s body was lifted into the air, slammed into the wall, and slid down,

and Jin kicked his head like a soccer ball.

Blood splattered across the wall marked “8F”.

Without even a moment to shake off the eyeball stuck to the top of his foot, Jin raised Gravis and fired.

A huge hole opened in the neck of an enemy who had leaned out from the stairs above, preparing to shoot.

“Hrrgh!”

As the enemy collapsed with his final breath.

“There! Those fucking Resistance bastard!”

More enemies rushed in.

Jin clenched his teeth.

A fierce battle still seemed to be raging behind him, but he had no time to spare a glance.

At some point, the fight had devolved into chaos.

In the confusion, everyone had scattered, and this was the result.

Reinforcements were pouring in from stairwells and elevators on all sides, so just because a floor had been cleared didn’t mean it was safe, and being ahead didn’t mean the path was open.

Total chaos.

It hit him again just how insane this operation really was.

Only six people had attacked the enemy’s stronghold.

But it was already underway, and Jin ran.

Crushing the enemies that stood in his way.

8th floor.

Gravis’s magazine ran dry.

He drew his handgun.

9th floor.

His faceguard was damaged.

With the heat vision no longer functioning and a smoke grenade having landed at his feet, he relied solely on his senses to fight in the hazy fog.

10th floor.

The handgun’s magazine ran out too.

He belatedly noticed a bullet lodged in his shoulder.

He ignored it.

11th floor.

Someone from the team was lying on the ground.

No time to check if they were alive or dead, a grenade came flying.

There was no time to look back.

12th floor.

Fenrir, having transformed into Beast Form, was fighting three officers.

Including one already on the ground, that made four.

He was clearly being overwhelmed, but when his eyes met Jin’s, the werewolf shook his head fiercely and shouted:

“Above! Taha’s up there!”

Jin ran.

Toward the final floor.

And so, the 13th floor.

Unlike the others, a stillness had settled here, and there sat Taha.

At the center of a geometric pattern, the man with red tattoos covering his back slowly turned his head.

“…So you made it, Zahad.”

"Advertising that you're the boss? I thought maybe, but you really were at the very top."

Jin spat bloody saliva to the side.

“Get up, you bastard.”

At that, Taha slowly rose to his feet.

Then, reaching out, he grasped the handle of a massive hammer and said.

“You are not my match. Didn’t you realize that back then?”

It was when he indirectly referenced their previous fight.

Crackkk!!!

The most violent of cracklings filled the space.

“…You didn’t realize it, huh.”

Taha twisted his lips and turned his head.

Then his jaw snapped back.

He realized he had been hit by a fist only after that.

“…?”

Momentarily stunned by the unexpected speed, Taha swung his arm wide.

Following the arc, the hammer carved a circle through the air.

But there was already nothing there.

Jin spun midair and unleashed both legs in a powerful burst at Taha’s face level.

Bang!!

A sharp impact sound.

Taha, who took the brute-force dropkick straight to the face, slid back across the floor.

Jin, who had land⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠ed on the floor, growled.

Surrounded by a clearer Tempest than before.

“It won’t be like last time, you son of a bitch.”

“…What?”

Taha frowned and muttered low.

Naturally, he had no way of knowing.

Only Jin was permitted to see that night sky. That the brilliant constellation within it was now scattering its light from a higher level.

[Mana Circuit (Lv4)]