TL/ED: Hamsterminator

At first, Jin had no idea what was going on.

Q said he had something to discuss and called him over, and what do you know.

He held out a rather stylish leather tote bag.

What's this ab⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠out? I'm not into fashion.

Maybe I'll give it to Khalifa as a gift.

Jin accepted it anyway since it was being offered.

Then the Colonel, rocking back and forth in his chair, fixed Jin with a knowing look and spoke.

"Aren't you going to check inside?"

"Hm?"

Did he put something in there?

Jin pulled the zipper open.

Then blinked repeatedly.

"Huh?"

Back in Jin's homeland, there was a tradition—or superstition, whatever you want to call it—of putting cash inside a wallet when giving it as a gift.

Obviously fifty-thousand-won bills were better than ten-thousand-won bills.

And crisp new bills were better than worn old ones.

But what mattered most was the sentiment.

The warm wish that this wallet would always be full of money—wasn't that the true value contained in a single bill?

To exaggerate slightly, it was the Korean spirit of affection.

So even if it was just a thousand won (though that was debatable),

putting something inside meant the recipient could only be grateful.

A bag stuffed with a thick stack of crisp bills?

They were generous than expected?

"Oh wow. You didn't have to."

Jin lifted the bills without much thought.

But they were a color he'd never seen before.

And setting aside how crisp they were, wasn't the number of zeros a bit excessive?

One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million.

Damn, million-credit bills? These actually exis—

Exis... exissssted...

A sudden regression of his linguistic abilities.

Jin's eyes (the replacement set) glazed over.

A stack of bills wrapped with a translucent band was the standard hundred sheets.

1,000,000 × 100 = 100,000,000.

That's eight zeros.

His hands were trembling.

They hadn't shaken this much even when facing the Face Collector.

"Wh-what's thish?"

"What do you mean what. It's your payment. Did you already forget?"

The Colonel somehow understood and answered, while Q looked on in amazement.

Jin stared at the universe in his hands.

Was a hundred million always this light?

No, it was heavy.

This was the weight of forty thousand hot dogs.

Here's a terrifying fact.

Eating forty thousand hot dogs at once would kill anyone—even the Face Collector.

That's how dangerous this was.

"Hey, are you listening?"

The Colonel's voice anchored Jin's consciousness with gravity.

His mind, which had been floating among the clouds, descended. Barely regaining his composure, Jin carefully placed the stack of bills back into the bag and spoke.

"You're really giving this to me? Even though we didn't catch the Face Collector?"

"What we asked of you was to subdue Taha. It was a measure to draw out the Face Collector. You did your part. We're the ones who failed."

That was Q's answer.

His tone was calm, but he must have been burning up inside.

After chasing a target for years only to lose them right before his eyes—how infuriating must that be.

Jin decided it wouldn't be proper to act too happy in front of someone like that.

He casually zipped the bag closed and spoke.

"Can I ask you one thing?"

The Colonel readily nodded at that.

"If it's something I can answer."

"Whose was the Face Collector's last face?"

Living in constant contact with the Status Window had given him something like intuition.

A certain conviction that when this bastard shoved a face in front of him, there was a reason for it.

Even if not immediately, this was an enemy he'd face again someday.

So he needed to know.

At least about that trump card face that had instantly devoured the City Government's operatives and escaped.

"Thea Florence."

"Colonel."

"What does it matter? He already saw everything at the scene."

The Colonel waved off Q's concerned look with a dismissive hand, then turned back to Jin.

“The strongest Esquire the Florence family’s ever produced.”

"Ah, I see."

Jin made a face that said he completely understood, but it was actually the expression of someone who understood nothing at all.

He'd definitely gotten an answer, so why did he now have two more questions?

Florence Family? Esquire?

"...It's a family that controls spirits."

Q let out a deep sigh and added an explanation.

As expected of an adjutant—his perception was remarkably sharp.

"And Esquire refers to those who were branch family members but awakened abilities and were inducted into the main family."

Esquire.

It was a title referring to someone who wasn't nobility themselves, but was either descended from nobility or belonged to an elite social class essentially equivalent to nobility.

In other words, it meant someone who wasn't born noble but received treatment befitting nobility (or equivalent to it).

Quite an appropriate use of the term, really.

Not direct descendants, but geniuses recognized for their abilities as family descendants and incorporated into the family.

Hm. Wonder if I could pull that off...?

Jin thought this as he asked.

"If she was called the strongest Esquire, she must have been incredible?"

"There was talk that she might become the first Esquire to head a family. She was receiving the family's full support, in fact."

"There were even rumors she might be the family head's illegitimate child. Bestowing the family name upon an Esquire is extremely unusual."

The Colonel and Q answered in turn.

Jin made an expression that said ah, now he truly understood.

See, this is so much better when you explain it properly.

Though it seemed they weren't quite done yet.

"Thea Florence completed a contract with a highest-grade Fire Spirit before she even came of age. As you saw."

"The fire giant's right arm. Or was it left?"

"It's called Agni. I'd only seen it in texts myself. This was my first time seeing it in person, so I can't tell you much."

"So why did she only summon the arm? Was it like, 'this is more than enough for the likes of you'?"

He said it and immediately thought, oh crap.

Worried he might have pricked their pride.

A soldier's pride is a nation's pride, after all.

But wait.

What has the City Government ever done for me?

That's when the Colonel spoke.

"That probably wasn't it. Most likely, that was his limit for now."

"Oh, is that how it works?"

"If you could use everything perfectly just by stealing it, that'd be cheating. Cheating that violates the natural order."

Jin nodded at that.

Mm-hm. Right. That wouldn't be fair.

"You guys are going to be busy for a while too. Seeing an unexpected face and all."

"Things have gotten complicated, but that's for us to handle. You don't need to worry about it. More importantly, there's something I want to ask..."

The Colonel trailed off, reaching h⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠is hand to the side.

He snagged a bottle from the table and popped the cap off with his thumb.

glug glug—

After gulping it down and filling his throat, he added.

"Any interest in working with us?"

"Nope." "Colonel!"

Jin and Q's voices overlapped, and the two met eyes.

“You hate it that much.”

"Well, given your level of common sense... wait, why are you refusing?"

"...?"

Which beat am I supposed to follow here?

Jin shifted his crooked gaze to the Colonel.

"I'll pass. The m⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠ilitary chapter of my life ended at Cheorwon."

"Cheor...? You were a soldier?"

"6th Division, Cheongseong." (TL: He is talking about the Korean Military)

Jin proudly thumped his left chest.

The Colonel narrowed his eyes at the sight.

But only for a moment.

"What a novel way to refuse."

Chuckling to himself, he raised the bottle again.

Clearly not believing a word of it.

Jin felt wronged.

"Alright, I understand your position. A life without constraints isn't bad. Though I'm not sure if that counts as freedom."

The Colonel set the empty bottle on the table as he spoke.

Then, slowly wiping the amusement from his face as he raised his head, his gaze—no longer its usual slack self but something firm and befitting his rank—fixed on Jin.

"Originally, I was going to tell you this only if you joined the Law Enforcers... but I made a mistake before, so I'll just tell you now."

Why the sudden gravitas?

Jin raised an eyebrow as the Colonel continued.

"It looks like you've already broken through the wall, but you're still inside the eggshell. Hasn't your sky changed? Walk out. The second world is just a few steps ahead."

Q's expression turned to surprise at those words.

Jin stood still and thought.

So I really did undergo Shedding back then.

At the same time, he realized something.

It didn't hit him all at once, but this was valuable advice.

"Thanks."

Jin flashed an easy smile at the two of them.

"Well, I'm heading out. Let's meet again if the opportunity comes. If you still haven't caught the Face Collector by then, I'll help you out for cheap."

With that, he turned without hesitation and left the room.

In the room now occupied by just the two of them, Q murmured quietly.

"...Goodwill accompanied by dismissiveness. That's new."

"It's just goodwill. He's not the type to overthink things."

"What was that you said, though? Second Rank?"

"Exactly what I said. He seemed completely lost, like someone else had broken through the wall for him, so I gave him a word. Well, he probably would've figured it out on his own eventually."

The Colonel chuckled as he stared at the closed door.

"Jin Evernight..."

*

The group saw Jin off as he left.

All five of them, no less.

Thanks to Den hobbling out despite his condition.

When Jin asked why he was pushing himself so hard,

Den said it was only natural—which touched Jin a little.

Naturally, he'd already gotten everyone's numbers in advance.

Just in case, he unfolded the crumpled pieces of paper and confirmed each one individually, asking "This is your number, right?"

Albus shook his head at the primitive display, looking dizzy.

"Back up your data ahead of time from now on. Are you going to do this every time your terminal gets destroyed?"

"Back up where?"

"The Solo Intranet, your account. Wait. Do I really have to explain this too?"

"I'm still a rookie so I don't know much. But my level is the same as Fenrir's."

"...Why are you suddenly talking shit?"

Fenrir narrowed his eyes.

But he couldn't bring himself to say more to the smirking Jin, and simply held out his hand.

Jin clasped the scarred hand and spoke.

"So when are you coming back?"

"Got to clean up the remaining TB forces first."

He'd decided to s⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠tay in Mute Town a bit longer to help the Resistance.

Jin didn't pry into his reasons.

He'd said he was Taha's comrade, hadn't he?

He must have his own circumstances he couldn't talk about.

Jin respected that.

"Take care of yourself, ahjussi."

"It's Felix. How many times do I have to tell you? Fe-lix. Please. Say it with me. Fe-lix."

Jin watched Felix having a fit, thinking he'd definitely keep teasing him in the future, then patted his shoulder and turned to Grace.

"I'm off."

"Oh, Jin. I've been thinking."

She pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose and leaned her face in close.

Then whispered quietly in his ear.

"To efficiently supply the energy needed for Reconstruction, how about calorie capsules? They probably won't be very effective normally, but they might be enough to handle emergencies with sudden major injuries."

"Got it, but is this really something that needs to be kept secret?"

"Ah... it wasn't?"

"How should I know?"

Jin shrugged and walked past the woman who had once been his attending physician, heading toward his final companion.

"No thank-yous allowed."

At that, Albus let out a hollow laugh.

"Come visit sometimes."

That was the end of it.

Jin backed away, waving his arm a few times, then turned around at some point.

But just a few steps later—he flinched.

His eyes went wide and he suddenly broke into a sprint.

Fuck!

The Manticore!

*

Would it be shameless to hope that a motorcycle left abandoned for nearly half a month was still in one piece?

In this moment, Jin threw his shame away.

Please be okay!

He was so frantic he even summoned Tempest as he ran.

And thus—arrival at the sewers!

Sliding across the floor with a whoooosh and braking hard, the Manticore came into view.

The khaki matte body exuding its characteristic sturdiness.

But he couldn't relax yet.

Someone was messing with the Manticore.

"Thief!"

He raised his voice and charged. The other person flinched in surprise and drew a pistol from their coat.

Obviously Jin was faster.

Which meant he recognized the face first.

"Huh?!"

His fist, which had been heading for the face, grabbed the gun barrel instead. He raised his hand high toward the sky.

Immediately after—bang!

"Ugh!"

The person, now forced into a raised-arms position, fell flat on their ass.

As they tried to push themselves away with their heels, Jin shoved his face right up to theirs.

"It's me, me. Jin."

"...Huh?"

The grimy face made a dumb expression.

Apparently at a loss for words, Jin added more.

"Your name, what was it... Ben, right? Don't you recognize me? I'm the one who named that bike. Manticore. It used to be called Lion XR or something."

His stream-of-consciousness rambling must have worked.

Relief finally colored the Resistance engineer's face.

"R-right. I remember."

Things went smoothly after that.

Jin offered combat rations to the now-calm Ben,

and Ben devoured them like a man possessed.

Eventually, having filled hi⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠s stomach, he let out a deep sigh and began to explain.

"...So after the base collapsed, you were hiding here and there until you drifted down here?"

Jin continued as the gaunt face nodded.

"I get that, but didn't you hear the news? Taha's dead. TB's on the run now too."

"I know."

"Then why haven't you gone back? Staying here will just make you reek of sewage."

"...Because my friends were in that sewage."

Ben said this while pointing somewhere with his fingertip.

Jin naturally looked in that direction.

He could see a patch of dirt floor with clear signs of having been dug up and then filled back in.

After checking the wastewater, he gazed at the water—just opaque and black—and spoke.

"Don't tell me you pulled out all the drowned bodies?"

"Yeah."

That single word contained so much.

Personally retrieving those horrific corpses that human sensibilities could barely tolerate, then burying them all by hand.

Jin couldn't easily imagine how much self-loathing Ben must have felt.

That's why, instead of clumsy comfort, he simply patted the slumped shoulders.

"Good work."

"And I wasn't trying to steal the Manticore. I saw my own creation just sitting here, so I was checking its condition as a quick fix. Why'd you leave it behind anyway? With the key still in it."

"...What?!"

Jin flinched, then wiped under his nose.

"It's a long story. Sorry."

"You're the owner, why are you apologizing? You came back to get it, so it's fine."

After that brief exchange, the two got up in unspoken agreement.

As Jin climbed onto the Manticore and started the engine, he suddenly looked at Ben and asked.

"Hey, what's your relationship with Den? Den, Ben, Den, Ben. You've even got similar scruffy beards."

"He's my older brother."

"...Oh?"

Jin's mouth fell slightly open.

So people here also tend to give siblings similar names.

Den, Ben.

Jackie, Jenny.

Come to think of it, I still need to visit those guys and Rumpumpumpum.

Jin snickered and said.

"Perfect timing then. Contact your brother and join up with them. And make sure you hear all about my heroic exploits."

With those final words, Jin turned the bike around and picked up speed.

Vroom!!

It was the moment he finally left Mute Town.

***

He wasn't sure how something that started as an attempt to rescue Albus had escalated this far.

But in the end, Jin was satisfied with having ended(?) the war, completed a major quest, and expanded his network.

Was that all?

He'd even pocketed a payment that literally made him go "whoa"—

For the first time in a while, his mood couldn't be more refreshing.

On top of that, he was currently speeding down the Highway.

Since his helmet had departed for the afterlife, the wind hit his face head-on, but that actually felt invigorating.

When you're in a good mood, the whole world looks beautiful.

And so Jin accelerated.

Let's go! To Downtown...!!

He didn't make it.

He ran out of gas.

"Oh. Fuck."

Shouldn't you warn someone when the fuel's running low?

Despite being the one who hadn't bothered to check before charging onto the Highway, Jin cursed Ben internally.

The silver lining, if any, was that he found a rest stop before the bike completely died.

Obviously, Jin wasn't the type to just refuel and leave immediately.

With a restaurant right in front of him, how could he just pass it by?

Might as well fill his stomach before setting off again.

He walked straight into the restaurant without looking back.

It was a place that served junk food, but interestingly, they topped cola with ice cream.

This was a treat called a Coke Float.

Hm. Not bad, actually?

Pleased with the taste, Jin casually ordered four more.

Then he sank into a sofa chair and comfortably gulped down the rest of his cola.

That's when he noticed some commotion up ahead.

He casually glanced over to find some thugs—the type who practically screamed "I'm a gangster"—surrounding a table.

"How about I take you for a drive? Did you see my car? Shanikal A33. Fucking amazing. My dick's fucking amazing too."

Jin furrowed his brow at the sudden parade of profanity and tilted his head slightly.

He wanted to see who was on the receiving end of such tasteless advances.

What he saw was a cold-looking beauty with a straight nose.

Lustrous black hair flowed naturally down along her shoulder line to her chest.

Hm. She's Pretty, I guess.

Jin thought this as he gulped his cola.

That's when the woman, scanning her surroundings with an expression full of annoyance, suddenly fixed her gaze somewhere.

Then she slowly rose from her seat, and the thugs who saw this lit up.

"Should've done this from the start!"

But contrary to their hopes, the tall woman simply walked across the restaurant and planted herself in the seat across from Jin.

What the hell?

Startled, Jin blinked.

The thugs who'd followed her blinked too.

Everyone stood dumbfounded.

Then the woman, capturing Jin in her obsidian eyes, parted her full lips.

"I like you."