TL/ED: Hamsterminator

After the spirited roar came a groan of pain.

"Ughhh."

Jin stagg⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠ered heavily.

His vision had suddenly spun and gone white.

When he wiped his jaw at the wet sensation, his palm came away bright red. And his middle finger was still missing in action.

More than two knuckles' worth had been blown away, leaving the finger grotesquely shortened. The ragged cross-section clearly showed broken bone and pale nerves.

'Ah, I shouldn't have looked.'

Humans tend to feel more pain from wounds they've actually seen.

There's a reason they say ignorance is bliss.

Now that he'd confirmed it with his own eyes, it was only natural that it would keep bothering him, keep hurting, keep pissing him off.

"Shiit..."

Since things had already come to this, Jin held back tears and began assessing his physical condition.

Somehow, there wasn't a single intact spot from head to toe.

Starting with the back of his head where skin hung loose.

Both arms with less than half their normal range of motion.

And his left ankle, twisted at an unnatural angle.

He didn't bother lifting his clothes to check the flesh underneath.

What was visible already made him a walking patient of the hospital.

What's more, recovery was disappointingly slow.

To the point where he couldn't even properly stop the bleeding.

This was only natural.

The Irregular's Reconstruction was a top-tier healing ability that deserved to be called supernatural, but that didn't make it omnipotent.

Restoring a body beyond normal recovery.

It sounded simple when put into words.

But it was work that consumed enormous energy.

Naturally, constant maintenance was impossible.

He'd even pushed himself to accelerate regeneration speed in order to continue fighting.

That was why his eyeballs and nerves, which had been cooked milky white, had regenerated so quickly.

Having put out the urgent fires first, his body had declared it needed a break too.

It had gone on strike.

Of course, Jin didn't know all these deta⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠ils.

He simply concluded that the pain would probably last a while.

With that simple conclusion, he wobbled down from the dead Taha's back.

Then the surrounding environment naturally caught his eye.

"...How is this even possible."

Jin muttered, his face pale with shock.

Anyone would react the same way.

If they witnessed the carnage spread beneath the hazy moonlight.

Hundreds of bodies torn to shreds.

Not a single civilian among them.

Every one of them was a battle-hardened mercenary.

Could they have imagined their end would be mutual destruction alongside the boss they believed in and followed?

Of course they couldn't have.

The same went for the very person who had brought about this tragedy.

Jin's gaze fell on the fallen Taha.

The maned head, still retaining its living dignity despite being charred black, was etched into his gray eyes.

Had it been Taha from a world line where Madness never overtook him, he would never have met such an end.

A meaningless thought, of course.

Jin turned his head.

He'd seen all there was to see, so shouldn't he hurry back to his companions?

And so, the moment he began shuffling along, dragging his aching legs.

Thud.

The sound of something landing on the ground.

It came from behind him.

That was all, yet goosebumps crawled up his neck.

"......"

In the sudd⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠enly frigid air, Jin's head slowly turned back at an angle.

Where his gaze landed stood a figure wrapped in an oversized coat.

An unevenly lumpy, grotesquely swollen torso was visible.

The bulging contours rising like tumors, looking ready to burst through the fabric at any moment, had facial features on them.

Faces. They were faces.

The being who harbored countless faces, yet hid its own face in the deep shadows of its hood, bent one knee.

Then a withered hand slowly reached forward and gripped the dead lion's face.

Rrrip-

The chilling sound of skin being torn away.

The next moment, the being rose again, holding Taha's face—no, his Beast Face—separated from the bone with impossible perfection.

It raised the limp skin to face level and tilted its head.

From the round shadow where nothing could be seen, a voice like scraping metal flowed out.

"Strange? He wasn't supposed to die here... Hey, hey?"

Not that a dead head would answer.

The one-sided monologue continued.

"You were supposed to become the vessel. When you should've been breaking through that wall as soon as possible, why did you end up roasted whole? Hm?"

The head that had tilted right now tilted to the left.

After that gesture of seeming bewilderment, the face turned to the side.

"Did you do this?"

Jin's brow furrowed sharply at that.

"Why, you got a problem with that?"

He'd fired back boldly, but in truth, alarm bells were blaring deafeningly inside his head.

'That thing, it's that guy.'

'Face Appraiser?'

'Face Hunter?'

'Whatever, that one!'

The high-risk criminal that Colonel John Harrison was hunting. The whoever-it-was suspected of working in the shadows to help Taha in this civil war.

Jin swallowed his spit in small gulps.

If he swallowed it all at once, his bobbing Adam's apple might tattle on him: "Hey, he's nervous!"

'I'm definitely not scared.'

'It's just that fighting isn't a⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠n option right now.'

And for good reason—his mana had bottomed out and his limbs wouldn't move properly.

Thus, Jin racked his brain for a way out of this situation.

'What do I do? Should I say I know the head of the Zahad Family?'

'Tch. Too unbelievable?'

'Then should I name-drop Lokan?'

'But wait, is that guy even famous?'

'What if his name doesn't carry enough weight?'

While Jin's face remained unchanged as his mind raced.

"Problem? Can't say there isn't one. My plans have gone awry, after all."

To the unpleasant voice drilling into his ears, Jin asked back casually.

"What plans?"

Honestly, he wasn't even curious.

It was just something he said to buy time.

Naturally, he didn't expect an answer.

But lo and behold, the other party continued the conversation.

"Collecting the head of Casdrubael."

"Cas... Cas. Wait, a bit slower please."

"Casdrubael."

"...Anyway, what's that?"

Jin frowned.

This time, it wasn't a question to buy time.

Casdrubael.

That word, so hard to even pronounce, was what Taha had howled to the very end when consumed by Madness.

The answer came shortly after.

"The Beast King who dominated the Age of Light and Roses. How magnificent. He was the pinnacle of an extinct ancient race, the first of his kind, the father of all beastkin...!!"

With each word, the tone grew more elevated.

Though the expression wasn't visible, the creature was clearly excited.

For Jin, it was an utterly repulsive sight.

"Age of Light and Roses? Why are you looking for beastkin from back then? His name was Taha. Taha."

He said, pointing with his fingertip at the wrinkled lion skin.

But the Face Collector, whether Jin spoke or not, was busy continuing its own speech with an excited voice and gestures.

"I need rare faces. Legendary faces that left their mark on history. How thrilling would it be if I could wear them? Ahh. Ahhh!"

The creature trembled as if struck by lightning.

At that dry climax, Jin stepped back with a face like he'd bitten into shit.

'Is this guy insane?'

Who would've thought it had a hobby of wearing torn-off face skins?

Well, criminals are criminals for a reason.

Along with the creeping disgust came a question crossing his mind.

'...But. Shouldn't they be showing up by now?'

Jin was darting his eyes left and right when.

The Face Collector, gradually calming its excitement, muttered.

"A beastkin of Rank 3 or higher seized by Madness... Not easy to find. I thought this time I'd definitely succeed."

The creature slowly raised its head.

"Well, can't be helped. I'll just have to settle for taking your face instead."

Then it spread its skeletal palm wide.

"Urk!"

A strange pulling force tugged at his body, and Jin leaned his torso back with all his might to resist.

"Wait! I still! Have questions! Let's talk more!"

His soles naturally lifted up as his heels scraped against the ground with a screeeech!

Being helplessly dragged along, Jin bellowed at the sky with veins bulging.

"If you're government workers, earn your damn taxes!"

It was then.

The air suddenly rippled greatly.

Then a low voice drilled into his ears.

[Gravity]

Thoom!!

The ground beneath the Face Collector caved in with a circular depression.

Simultaneously, projectiles flew in from all directions, embedding themselves in a square pattern around the creature with a series of thwacks!

They hadn't missed.

Cross-shaped lines appeared on the surface of the elongated cylindrical projectiles, then the quartered shells clicked their legs down onto the ground, and from within them, lightning rod-like pointed devices unleashed brilliant white lightning.

Crackle!!!

In an instant, the Face Collector was trapped in a rectangular prison of electricity.

But that wasn't the end.

Snap!

The sound of fingers snapping changed the flow of the atmosphere.

The wind began spinning clockwise, soon becoming a visible gale that swallowed the Face Collector.

Finally freed from the pulling force, Jin landed hard on his rear.

"Oof!"

Then a voice came from behind his shoulder.

"Big talk from someone who doesn't even pay taxes."

Seeing military boots stop beside him, Jin looked up with a hollow laugh.

"You're drinking even in the middle of this?"

"A man should be consistent."

The Colonel, John Harrison, smirked as he took a swig from the bottle in one hand.

Q, who had appeared beside them at some point, opened his mouth.

"All Law Enforcers assembled. Target 'Face Collector' secured."

"Finally we meet again. You damn Many-Faced Devourer bastard. Let's end this today."

While the Colonel spoke.

Jin estimated the direction the projectiles had come from and cast his gaze there.

The rooftops of buildings near the docks came into view one by one.

Though he couldn't see them, there would be agents with secured sniper positions somewhere over there.

In other words, they hadn't rescued him by chance—they'd rescued him when the time was right. Jin was shaking his head at their thoroughness when.

"Graaahhh!!!"

Jin flinched at the familiar roar from beyond the gale.

'Phase 4?'

At that moment, with an explosive boom the ground shook and all the lightning rods shattered at once.

Simultaneously, something massive burst through the gale and shot into the sky.

It was the Face Collector.

Up to this point, Jin wasn't particularly surprised, but when the face within the hood looked down at the ground and he confirmed it was a white lion, his eyes went wide.

But the Colonel and Q's expressions remained calm, as if this was entirely expected, when they spoke.

"Using it right away, I see."

"Indeed."

Meanwhile, the Face Collector interlocked its hands behind its head and dropped toward the ground, bringing its arms down in a smash.

Kwang!!!

The ground was torn up as if a bomb had detonated.

But the Colonel and Q had already vacated the spot, and Q released his grip on Jin's collar.

"Save the thanks."

As Jin, who had yet again been choked, coughed with an incredulous expression.

The Face Collector wearing Taha's face raised its head.

"Don't you ever get tired? Seems about time you gave up."

Even its voice had changed to match the face, and Jin's eyebrows twitched at the grotesque sight.

In the meantime, he forcibly twisted his fractured left ankle back into position.

It hurt enough to make his hair stand on end, but doing this would speed up recovery.

After completing his rough first aid, he faced forward again!

And there was yet another face.

At the appearance of a man with a firm jawline, Q spoke up.

"No. 22 Sandman. Prepare the Elemental Rounds."

Immediately after, as if they'd been waiting, sniper bullets flew in from all directions.

Part of the Face Collector's body, penetrated by them, crumbled wetly like a sandcastle swept by waves. The creature laughed as if amused.

"Hahaha! You know everything, don't you."

"Of cour⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠se. How many years has it been?"

The Colonel said this as he tossed the bottle aside with a flick.

Crash! The shattered fragments were lifted by a gust of wind from somewhere, then vanished into the distance.

As the gale wrapped around the Colonel and his feet rose from the ground, the Face Collector twisted the corners of its mouth.

"Aerokinesis. That's an ability I've always wanted."

"Try and take it."

The next moment.

Without either one going first, both charged at each other and created a massive shockwave.

With that as the signal, Q dashed forward, and support fire flew in ceaselessly from unseen positions.

In all this chaos, only Jin was losing his mind.

'Wait, I'm injured here!'

His body was already far from okay, and being in the middle of a fight where the very atmosphere screamed was making him so nauseous he could go crazy.

Then another shockwave went boom!

He rolled this way.

He rolled that way.

It was a complete chaos for Jin. He was desperately grabbing onto a dead TB soldier's pant leg when.

A Status Window suddenly flashed across his vision.

「(Sudden!)(???) Face Collector」──────────

???? The Many-Faced Devourer ?????

Defeat the Face Collector alongside the Law Enforcers.

??? ??? ?????

*Reward Perk XP 150,000 / ???

─────────────────────

Jin raised his mangled middle finger at it.

"Yeah, no thanks."