TL/ED: Hamsterminator

A massive fiery flower burst in the skies over Mute Town.

The heat could be felt even from afar.

Countless eyes watching it turned crimson.

The Resistance survivors, who had been catching their breath during the loosened pursuit, and the TB forces gathering at ‘Flat Iron’ in response to the support call.

And even the City Government agents watching everything unfold from a distance.

They all saw the explosion.

The next moment.

They all moved.

Each to do what they had to.

*

Nothing could be seen,

Nothing could be heard.

However, there was something that could be felt.

It was the stuffy, rough texture filling his mouth.

The acrid smell of something burnt and charred.

And the excruciating pain that seemed to slice through the entire body.

In a world where all sensations had disappeared, leaving only pain behind, Jin regretted it.

Fuck, I shouldn't have taken that hit.

Of course, regrets always come too late.

As expected, he had survived, but ironically, it was precisely because he had survived that it was unbearably painful.

This was due to the incomprehensible regenerative power that had revived his dead nerves.

The first thing those restored nerves did was diligently transmit agony to the brain.

And so, ugh! Ahh! Ack!

It was, quite literally, a situation more painful than death.

I… need… to get up.

How many times had he passed out and come to again, just to complete that one short sentence in his head?

At some point, faint outlines began to form before his previously pitch-black eyes.

His retina, denatured by the intense heat, had begun reconstructing itself. The previous eyes, no longer functional, melted down into a gooey mess and dripped down his cheeks like tears.

It was fortunate he couldn’t see.

Had Jin seen his own state, he would have been horrified by the grotesque recovery process.

Human transmutation? Fullmetal Alchemist?

…he would’ve muttered.

Luckily, he was spared from that. As his blurred vision barely held together, he placed a hand on the ground.

But something felt off.

Not just the lack of strength, there was a sense of not being able to maintain balance.

What the hell is this? Jin brought his palm close to his face.

And there it was, the red truth.

What the fuck, why do I only have four fingers?

One of the faintly long flesh-colored outlines was cut clean off.

Bending them in order from thumb to pinky, damn, the middle finger was missing.

Is this going to regenerate too?

Despite the pain that came with even breathing, Jin worried about it first.

He hadn’t meant to dwell on it while his cheeks were smeared with what used to be his eyeballs, but since he couldn’t see, all he could do was think realistic thoughts.

Like, what if he could never flip someone off again?

At the same time, a certainty settled in.

If he was this messed up, then Taha was definitely dead.

A warhead with 1,000mm armor penetration had embedded into Taha’s abdomen and exploded.

The overwhelming pressure and heat must have shredded his insides like rags.

At this level, no matter how tough the bastard was, he should be dead in any proper world.

Thinking that, Jin raised his body.

And in that moment, all the dead flesh that the body had given up on recovering fell away in chunks.

Scattering the discarded remnants of reconstruction, he placed a hand on his knee, ran his rough tongue across his dry mouth, gathered spit, and spat it out.

Then, sniffing the air, he picked up a heavy scent of blood seeping into the increasingly familiar smell of burning.

Instinctively, he lifted his head, and what he saw was the blood-soaked ground.

And something collapsed on top of it.

Jin furrowed his brow and tried to sharpen his sight.

But he still couldn’t see well.

Hi⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠s eyes, unfocused and hazy, couldn’t properly register the shape of things.

So, all that his ruined vision caught was a blurry lump.

Still, he could tell it was Taha.

There was no way anything other than that white lion could have formed such a pale, lumped mass.

What did it matter anyway.

At this moment, it was Jin who was standing on two feet, and Taha who had fallen.

The insane plan he’d enacted under the judgment that he had no chance of winning in a fair fight… had succeeded.

And so, the moment a sense of relief brushed through his mind, thinking, it’s all over now.

Pause.

Jin instinctively stepped back.

This was right after he had, out of habit, checked his inner self and confirmed that no experience points had come in.

The next moment, blood spurted from his shoulder.

A chilling sensation that made his hair stand on end.

But there was no time to check the wound.

Jin immediately threw his body hard to the side.

With his eyes and ears still not functioning properly,

the only thing he could trust was his sense of touch.

Reading the trajectory of the attack through the wind pressure brushing his skin, Jin bent his waist backward.

Something narrowly grazed in front of his eyes and snapped back into place like a retracted tape measure.

At the end of it was Taha, rising from the sea of blood as if defying gravity.

“---!!!!”

He was shouting something loudly, but Jin couldn’t hear it.

Not that it mattered.

What was important was Taha’s appearance.

Long strands of dark red blood connected his shredded body in a loose mess.

He looked like a loosely stitched-together rag doll.

Even with his hazy, blurry vision, Jin could instantly tell that thing wasn’t in any normal state.

Isn’t this 3rd phase too much?!

It was just as Jin’s brow furrowed tightly.

Taha’s excessively elongated arm finally touched the ground, and he let out a deafening roar, now fully transformed into a massive quadruped beast.

As if in response, circular lights suddenly flashed on from all directions, illuminating both Jin and Taha.

What is this now?

Startled, Jin looked around, and saw TB forces had surrounded them completely.

They must’ve rushed here after witnessing the explosion. By rough count, there were hundreds.

Moreover, among them were quite a few executives who had already completed their Beast Transformation.

At this level, it was at least company-sized.

If that many troops had been deployed into the building earlier, Jin’s group would’ve been completely annihilated.

In that sense, it was a relief they came for him instead...

Wait a second, why aren’t these bastards shooting?

In the strangely prolo⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠nged standoff, Jin narrowed his eyes.

He’d expected them to pull the trigger at any moment, but instead.

What crept into his ringing ears was the murmur of growing agitation.

...No way?!

Chased by that thought, Jin quickly turned his gaze toward Taha.

And just as he feared.

There was the massive monster, growling and snarling as it looked around.

That wasn’t a normal reaction.

Especially not for someone who was supposed to be the leader of TB.

So Jin thought.

Had the troops' mental circuits frozen upon seeing their leader, now a grotesquely mutated Beastkin who had lost all reason?

Such is life. It seems death’s not in the cards today.

Immediately, Jin picked up a chunk of concrete from the ground and hurled it with all his might. The rock shot through the air and smashed against the lion’s head, crumbling into pieces.

The beast, its snout now twisted and contorted, suddenly jerked its head up.

“GRAAAUUUGH!!”

As another roar thundered out, Jin turned and bolted without looking back.

Naturally, the direction he ran toward was right into the TB forces.

“F-Fuck!!”

“What do we do?!”

The soldiers, seeing Jin sprinting toward them with the massive beast in pursuit, panicked.

Even the officers, usually calm, were no exception.

“B-Boss! What the hell...!!”

They were the ones supposed to issue commands, but their hesitation cost them. Someone, unable to take the tension anymore, pulled the trigger.

Bang!

And that single gunshot was the spark.

RATATATATATAT!!

Muzzles pointed forward erupted in fire, and bullets rained down, half toward Jin, half toward Taha.

Jin screamed inwardly.

They're shooting at me even in this situation?

Shuddering at the pathetic loyalty, he covered his head the best he could.

His arms were instantly shredded by the hail of bullets, but he didn’t stop.

He had no choice.

This was the best option available now.

There wasn’t enough time to fully regenerate his wrecked body.

And as for the bastard of a boss, he wasn’t even dead, the coward had actually revived.

There was no way to have a proper fight now, so all he could do was stir up as much chaos as possible.

Which meant, now was the time.

Screw it. He charged straight into the enemy lines, blending right in.

That bizarre, suicidal plan threw everything into utter chaos.

“The glorious era of Beastkin is coming!”

Taha, having completely lost his mind, lashed out indiscriminately. His claws and limbs tore through friend and foe alike, sending fountains of blood erupting everywhere.

"Boss! Snap out of-"

The desperate cry of a soldier was cut short as his head went flying through the air.

He had been one of the loyal ones, one who had pulled the trigger at Jin.

At the death of one such man, the remaining half of the muzzles, those with similar sentiments, naturally turned toward Taha.

“Fire!”

Someone shouted, and thousands of bullets rained down on Taha’s body.

It was the beginning of a bloodbath.

"...Keheuk!"

A soldier, his heart pierced, shuddered violently before his neck snapped and he collapsed. Taha, having hurled the corpse aside, roared toward the sky.

“Descendants of Kasdrubael! Reclaim your lost glory!”

Jin, in the middle of looting gear from the dead TB soldiers, turned his head at the sudden outburst.

Kas… what now?

“The blood spilled in struggle shall found a new dynasty!”

He kept shouting slogans completely out of place for the current era.

“From the blood shall a king rise!”

“We shall rightly receive the Beast King!”

It was a litany of madness accompanied by indiscriminate slaughter.

And during all this, his own body was steadily turning into a wreck, ravaged by bullets, grenades, and heavy weaponry.

“Fuck this shit!”

Even the officers, when their own lives were at risk, forgot all about their “boss” and lunged at Taha with claws and fangs.

They were Enhanced Humans too. Their desperate attacks, combined with the relentless barrage, pierced the hide of the Tier-2 Beastkin and left visible wounds.

They died for it, of course.

“GRAAAHHHH!!”

Taha howled as he began grinding down company-level armed forces on his own.

Even from a distance, his form enduring a concentrated bombardment that could reshape the terrain, all while continuing to attack, was horrifying to witness.

If this had been a normal fight, it would’ve been a guaranteed loss.

Jin swallowed dryly, his ey⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠es fixed on Taha.

“The era of Beastkin! Shall! Come!”

What even is this madness? How far does delusion go to bring someone to that state?

This is too coherent to chalk up to plain schizophrenia, isn't it?

Or maybe not. Maybe he really is just possessed or something.

Whatever. Who gives a shit? Is that even important right now?

Jin gave up trying to understand.

Instead, he moved his ruined body and started spraying bullets in all directions.

These were troops who had gathered for reinforcement.

In other words, not a single one of them had any reason to be left alive.

Bang!

He blew out the back of a fleeing soldier’s head.

He left the ones fighting Taha to their fate and focused on picking off those trying to escape the battlefield.

The chaos-inducing shouts were a bonus.

“Anyone who flees will be executed on the spot!!”

Everyone except me is the enemy, that was his mindset.

Jin was acting purely on instinct with an empty mind, but no one was marking him.

They couldn’t.

Their completely deranged boss was indiscriminately spreading death to everyone around him, so no one had the space to do anything else.

And so, they missed their chance.

The one and only chance they had to kill Jin.

Crackle!

A surge of Light Pole energy sparked near his heart, and Jin’s eyes shot open wide.

You’re back!

His body had finally recovered enough to use mana.

Around the same time, his blurred vision snapped back into focus.

Now his ashen-gray eyes clearly captured the massacre being carried out by Taha. And the few remaining TB troops.

“Gghk!”

As the last soldier collapsed.

Jin immediately awakened Light Pole.

Then, without a moment’s hesitation, he pushed off the ground. The zigzagging brilliance that tore through the darkness closed in on Taha at a speed that was nearly impossible to follow with the naked eye.

When the rising flash of light took on a human form.

Jin was behind Taha, arms tightly locked around the beast’s neck.

A technique known to be the one way a human could subdue a wild beast.

Rear Naked Choke.

Of course, he didn’t gr⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠ab on just to cut off a carotid artery.

It was a wordless declaration of will and resolve: I’m not letting go no matter what.

The next moment, Jin clenched his teeth hard and activated his mana circuits with everything he had.

Crack-crack-crackle!!

Tempest erupted with explosive force and coiled around Taha.

The most notoriously brutal of the Seven Families’ powers.

Enveloped in that destructive force, the white lion let out a massive roar.

“GRAAAHHH-!”

The beast began thrashing wildly and rammed his back into a nearby wall.

The impact caused Jin to vomit a mouthful of blood.

But it didn’t end there.

Taha’s rampage was enough to lay waste to everything in the vicinity, and Jin couldn’t begin to understand how such power could come from that tattered body.

Naturally, Jin, clinging to him, was being pulverized in real time as well.

But that only made him tighten his arms even more desperately.

He knew that if he let go, he would die for sure.

Then, as the teeth he was clenching began to crack with a sharp fracture.

Taha huffed out hot breaths and spoke.

“The great... Beastkin... era... Kasdrubael...!”

Even in that moment, he continued to spout incomprehensible words.

Jin furrowed his brow.

Because in the image of the man co⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠nsumed by madness, he suddenly saw himself.

Jin, who layered memories of his world onto everything he encountered in this world, just to preserve a past that now existed only in memory.

It was the desperate resistance of a stranger against a world where everything had changed.

So that he could remain himself, no matter what.

Jin intended to keep fighting, endlessly.

Even if he were swallowed by the black tide again and again.

It was then.

That the fire in Jin’s chest began to burn.

A transparent heat, rising silently, began to radiate outward alongside Tempest. Taha, engulfed by all that energy, screamed.

It was no longer a lion’s roar.

It was merely the anguished cry of a man broken down to his bones.

How much time had passed after that?

With the end of a long, drawn-out death cry, the charred beast finally collapsed to the ground.

And Jin rose from the ashes.

“Haa-”

Staggering, he straightened himself and took a deep breath, his chest swelling with the experience points surging into him.

Then he let out a thunderous roar toward Mute Town.

Yes,

So that I can remain who I am.

“I DEFEATED! THE ENEMY COMMANDERRRRR!!!!”