TL/ED: Hamsterminator

Jin arrived in Downtown late in the evening.

The city's familiar scenery greeted him as it always did.

Neon signs flickering with the hollow brilliance of wilting flowers. Narrow alleyways choked with shadow.

Graffiti that seemed to give physical form to rage against the world, overlaid with crude drawings of giant dicks.

Vandalism defacing vandalism.

The eyes of passersby who walked past those filthy walls without a glance held a quiet loneliness within them.

The streetlights illuminating their path were nothing but cold, garish noise.

Why did the red sunset, gazed upon in yearning for warmth, offer not comfort but solitude? Why did it resurrect memories barely kept buried?

The people passing each other with indifference didn't know the answer.

Perhaps they never would.

To them, this narrow strip of sky was nothing more than the ceiling of the world they'd known since birth.

And so.

Only a foreigner with no roots in this land sat by a worn motel window, watching the scenery sink into darkness.

Then, at some point, when true night had settled over the city.

Jin quietly rose from his seat and lay down on the bed.

Hugging the pillow to his chest, he forced himself to sleep.

That night, he dreamed.

A dream that all of this was merely a dream.

A dream that could never come true.

***

Jin holed up in the motel for days on end.

If you're wondering whether his depression had flared up, that wasn't it.

Sure, black waves still lapped at his calves from time to time, but the instances of being swallowed by them had noticeably decreased.

Anyway.

Getting to the point, Jin was training.

No, not the white flower that grows in ponds. (TL: Play on words as the original word used here 수련 means both 'training' and 'water lily')

Training. As in honing and tempering oneself.

Training, of all things.

Was there any word in existence that suited Jin less?

As an Irregular, just breathing made his body grow stronger bit by bit. Well, not literally just breathing, but still.

With enough experience points, he could master any skill in its most perfect form.

In other words, he could skip processes that took others years, no, decades.

So why would someone like him bother with training?

It was all because of the nagging feeling that lingered in a corner of his mind.

The source of that nagging feeling was the moment he'd taken down Taha.

The fire that had surged from within.

'...What was that, exactly?'

Jin's eyes narrowed as he stared up at the ceiling.

Arms folded, left foot perched on his bent right knee.

Ankle bobbing up and down.

To the uninformed, it might look like he was just lounging around, but for Jin, this was all part of his training regimen.

After all, he was genuinely and seriously contemplating a realm he'd never once been conscious of before.

"Hmmmm..."

How had that internal heat pack, which normally wouldn't budge, blazed so fiercely back then?

It wasn't like he'd had a panic attack.

Was it because he'd squeezed out every last drop of mana?

'No. I checked yesterday. It was just exhausting, nothing more.'

Then what?

What the hell was it?

"Ugh."

Jin scrubbed his face roughly with his palm.

Whenever he recalled that moment, his chest would tingle.

Like a memory hovering just at the edge of recollection, driving him absolutely insane.

Like when your nose prickles and you feel like you could sneeze gloriously if you just had a tiny bit more stimulation, but that tiny bit is missing, so you're left with your nose just twitching uselessly.

But this couldn't be helped.

A bird fights to break free from the egg.

The egg is the bird's world.

Some great writer once said that, didn't he?

The words about how anyone wishing to be born must first destroy a world were no different from Shedding.

Shedding.

The moment of breaking through one's limits and advancing beyond.

Those who had experienced this process, the so-called beings of the second Rank and above, had all touched the wall with their own hands.

Groping their way forward until they faced their limits.

Refusing to submit, thrashing their limbs with all their might.

Finally confronting a new world beyond the cracked and fissured wall.

Jin had used the power of his Status Window to skip the entire process that any strong being in this world should rightfully undergo.

And so, the side effects now manifested in the form of this very anguish.

What could he do about it?

That wall had crumbled before he'd even become aware of it.

So now he was reduced to scratching the back of his head, wandering back and forth along boundaries too vague to define.

Thanks to this, Jin felt like he was suffocating with frustration these days, but that's just how life worked.

The smallest epiphanies, those faint glimmers of understanding, were always the easiest things that proved hardest to attain.

***

It had been a full week before Jin finally left the motel.

It would've been nice if he'd made significant progress during that time.

Unfortunately, nothing of the sort had happened.

Honestly, sitting still and racking his brain didn't seem like it would produce any answers.

It just didn't suit his temperament.

Yeah, since when have I ever been the thinking type!

Having magnificently achieved self-awareness, Jin made up his mind. If something was lacking, he'd figure it out by throwing himself at it headfirst.

With a lighter heart, he set out.

To refresh his mood, he started with some shopping for the first time in a while.

First stop, a clothing store.

"Please! Please! Buy some different clothes! Don't you feel sorry for your own body? Huh?"

The owner's pleas fell on deaf ears.

As always, flight jacket, t-shirt, jeans.

And leather boots to complete the look.

Fully dressed, Jin paid up.

"This is my uniform. Get used to it already."

Afterward, he grabbed breakfast at a hotdog stand that only operated in the mornings, then bought a new terminal.

Smoothing out the crumpled slip of paper, he saved the number written on it. Albus's words suddenly came to mind.

'Back up your data, for crying out loud.'

And so Jin called Poe.

One of the few contacts he could remember without writing down.

The others were Khalifa and Jenny, maybe?

Jackie needed to step up his game...

Oh, he picked up.

"Poe?"

[Jin? Is that you?]

"Yeah, it's me. I'm calling because I need a favor. Can you text me that Solo Intranet address you sent before?"

[That's not difficult, but. Are you alright?]

The voice in his ear was urgent.

So much so that he couldn't quite finish his sentence, only managing to ask if Jin was okay a couple more times.

Poe losing his composure. Now that's rare.

Amused for no particular reason, Jin snickered as he replied.

"I'm calling because I'm fine. I'll stop by soon and explain everything. Oh, and I have one more favor to ask."

[Go ahead.]

"So, I somehow ended up with about 100 million credits. I'm thinking about getting a place. Even a small space would be fine, so could you maybe look into it for me? I don't know anything about this stuff."

[Of course. Leave it to me.]

"You're seriously the only one I can count on."

Jin held the terminal with both hands and bowed his head.

Poe continued.

[Jin, if it's alright with you, may I share t⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌his number with the manager?]

"With Khalifa? Of course you can, but... what's this ominous feeling? Is she pissed?"

[You were unreachable for nearly three weeks.]

"Right. I'm screwed. Go ahead and do that."

[Understood. Then. I'll see you later.]

The call ended.

A message arrived simultaneously.

Jin naturally tapped the URL.

An app installed on his terminal in an instant. Drawing on his prior experience, he tapped on his profile.

"...What the hell, why are there so many again?"

The endless stream of messages almost made him dizzy.

Ten pages of unread messages.

With thirty messages displayed per page, that meant over three hundred, minimum.

All this piled up in the meantime?

Jin, looking bewildered, pressed his thumb on the topmost message.

[This is Wonder. I will be waiting for your reply.]

[Duplicate message (87). Would you like to block this user? YES / NO]

"Huh?"

A message from Wonder personally, not from R&D.

Apparently he'd sent the same thing eighty-seven times.

Had something happened?

Jin had been meaning to co⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌ntact Wonder anyway.

He immediately tapped out a response.

[Just saw this. Sorry.]

Less than three seconds later, someone called through the profile account.

"Hello?"

[Is this Jin?]

A familiar male voice came through the terminal. Jin nodded.

“Yeah. Wonder, right?”

[...So you're alive. What a relief.]

Jin felt a pang of remorse at the sigh of relief that followed.

'I really have been neglecting the people around me.'

"Sorry. My terminal was broken."

[I figured as much. You did take a Faust head-on with your bare body, after all.]

"You were watching the whole time?"

If it was the body cam footage, Jin had already checked it.

Of course, during the fight he’d been too busy to even think about it.

"Not sure how well the recording turned out."

[It's perfect. Though it's unfortunate we didn't capture Taha's final moments. Even without that, I've already secured more than enough footage for what I need.]

Wonder answered with laughter in his voice.

The excitement was evident in his tone.

He must be really happy about this.

Jin smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.

[Do you have a moment? There's something I need to inform you about.]

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead."

At Wonder's question, Jin readily nodded.

What followed was this.

Apparently, Mute Town was currently in an uproar over a certain squad. Interest had skyrocketed so high it had punched through the ceiling.

The so-called Last Stand Squad.

This ominously named squad had charged into TB's stronghold with forces too meager to even call a proper unit.

Not only had they neutralized most of TB's combat strength, but they'd also killed Taha. They were essentially the primary heroes who'd crushed the warlord faction.

Everyone was asking who they were.

And here was Wonder, sitting on footage that captured every detail of the squad's exploits.

He'd been quietly biding his time until now.

[I believe now is the perfect time to release the edited version. Any longer and interest will actually start to decline. So I'm planning to upload the video today at 6 PM. What do you think?]

"Do whatever you want. I don't care either way."

At Jin's indifferent response, Wonder added.

[Would you like to preview the edited version? If you have any requests, I'll accommodate them.]

"Nah. I don't know anything about that stuff."

Jin waved his hand dismissively as if Wonder were standing right in front of him.

It's not like I'm a YouTuber or something.

He'd have done a good job on his own.

With that, Jin prepared to wrap up the call.

"I'm way late saying this. Thanks to you, I survived. Me and my friends both. Seriously, thank you. I won't forget this."

[Please, don't mention it. Wasn't it all mutually beneficial?]

"Still."

[That's all I had to share. Then, Jin. I'll be in touch again.]

"Sure. Take care."

Having finished his second call, Jin let out a sigh.

Conversations about work, no matter how brief, always seemed to drain his energy.

Mental exhaustion naturally made him crave something sweet.

Come to think of it, it had been a while since he'd had Khalifa's cookies.

Letting his thoughts carry him, Jin naturally steered his Manticore toward Anecdote.

Honestly, he was worr⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌ied too.

Khalifa was a Linker who prioritized her affiliated Solos' safety above all else. Three weeks of radio silence was guaranteed to earn him an earful.

Sho⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌uld I bring a gift?

While contemplating how to earn forgiveness, he found himself in the alley where Anecdote came into view.

Deciding the gift would have to wait for next time, Jin walked toward the shop.

"...Jin! Jin!"

A voice, forcibly lowered until it sounded metallic, pierced his ears.

He turned his head toward the sound, and, huh?

A face peeking out from behind a lamppost?

Somehow, it wasn't unfamiliar at all.

A black man with distinctively twisted dreads.

He was the Linker who'd handed Jin a business card in the past.

His name was D⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌reAndre, if memory served.

The guy who'd gotten into a huge fight with Khalifa.

Something about being notorious for grinding through his affiliated Solos.

"Why are you lurking back there?"

"Shh! Shh! Shh!"

DreAndre pressed a thick finger to his lips and gestured urgently.

"Over here!"

What's with him?

Jin furrowed his brow.

But he couldn't exactly ignore someone calling out to him that desperately.

"What's going on?"

"You came."

DreAndre's face lit up as Jin walked behind the lamppost.

His chrome-plated front teeth glinted in the sunlight.

"Do you remember me? Before, we..."

"I know. You're DreAndre, right?"

"Oh my god."

A look of surprise crossed his face as he slapped his forehead. Then the corners of his mouth began to twitch.

"This makes things easier."

He said this while glancing nervously at Anecdote.

Then, lowering his voice as much as possible.

"Jin, just do one job with me. It's an amazing gig. I won't let you down. Really. I swear. On my dead mama's grave."

Jin couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"Why would you swear on that?"

Ah, shit, I shouldn’t laugh.

But when someone went that far, how could he not be curious?