TL/ED: Hamste⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌r⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌m⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌inator

At the man's words, Khalifa tilted her head.

"Is there a need? By the way, you said you have something to confirm. Do you two know each other?"

"Let's just say that we do."

The man said that as he looked at Jin. No, from the beginning, he had only been looking at Jin.

"What are you going to do?"

What else?

From Jin’s perspective, there was no reason to refuse.

It was a chance to show his skills and also beat up this rude bastard.

Of course, a mere shoulder bump wasn’t enough to ignite Jin’s competitive spirit.

Even with his background in elementary school moral education, middle school ethics, and high school philosophy, no matter how much one year in Downtown had influenced him, he hadn't turned into a short-tempered brute who would lose his temper over a shoulder bump.

The real reason Jin wasn’t avoiding this fight was because his body instinctively responded to the wild aggression emanating from his opponent.

"Shall we start right away?"

As Jin cracked his neck, Khalifa intervened.

"Wait. Not here."

Seeing the unwavering gaze of the two men, she let out a faint sigh and turned to the bartender.

"Poe, take them to the training room."

"Yes, Khalifa-nim. You two, please follow me."

The bartender set down his glass and led the way.

Following him, Jin realized that this tavern was much larger than it appeared from the outside.

As the door to what seemed like a storage room opened, a fairly spacious open area was revealed beyond it, proving that this place was far from an ordinary bar.

A front business, maybe?

Lost in thought, Jin soon found himself standing face-to-face with the goblin-masked man, about five steps away.

The man spoke.

"I'm Fenrir."

"Alright."

Jin skipped introducing himself.

They had already exchanged enough words.

"Fenrir, I don’t know what your deal is, but keep it moderate. Don't cause unnecessary trouble."

"I’ll try. No promises, though."

Hearing Khalifa and Fenrir’s conversation, Jin's eyes sharpened. These two, seriously.

How could he feel good when they were already assuming his defeat before the fight had even begun?

Infuriated, Jin suddenly pushed off the ground.

Strike first, win first!

He closed the distance in an instant and threw a punch. Fenrir reacted to the sudden attack. He swiftly ducked his head to avoid the punch, then lowered his stance even further, sweeping his leg across the floor.

Thunk!

Jin’s supporting ankle was kicked out, and his body floated into the air. Just as he was about to crash to the ground back-first, he stretched out both hands and caught himself.

It was far from a proper breakfall. With both legs off the ground, taking all the weight on his wrists was a surefire way to get a fracture.

But his superhuman strength overcame it.

For a moment, the veins on his arms bulged as he firmly supported himself. Then, using his waist strength, he explosively kicked both legs upward.

It resembled the spring kick of a famous black capoeira character from a fighting game.

Fenrir, who had been chasing after the falling Jin, hurriedly crossed his arms.

Bang!

As his opponent was pushed back from the impact, Jin immediately followed up.

He threw a punch at Fenrir’s side, and when his opponent’s guard loosened for a moment, he aimed a kick at his head.

A left-hand jab followed by a right-foot high kick.

Fenrir leaned back, almost lying down, to evade the attack.

Jin’s leg sliced through the air just above his face, the wind pressure brushing against his skin and causing his eyes behind the mask to widen in surprise.

Jin’s foot touched the ground again at almost the same time Fenrir straightened his back.

And at that moment, they were very close.

Their punches crossed.

Fenrir didn’t feel victorious even though his attack had struck Jin’s face, successfully flattening his nose.

Because a booming sound exploded right next to his ear.

Even though it barely grazed him, his ear was ringing.

If he hadn't deflected it properly, he would have taken that punch straight to his face.

What kind of body is this…?

Something had felt off ever since their shoulders collided.

It was like hi⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌tting a chunk of metal.

He couldn’t believe it, so he thought it was just his imagination.

His pride was wounded. He needed to recover.

But after engaging in direct combat, he realized it wasn’t just his imagination.

This bastard is strange.

If I don’t end this properly, it’ll be dangerous.

Fenrir was preparing a follow-up attack when it happened.

Jin, who had been knocked back with blood spraying from his mouth, suddenly snapped back into place like a roly-poly toy.

He instantly regained his consciousness, and his eyes were burning with intensity.

Right after, Fenrir’s fist struck Jin’s face again.

But this time, Jin endured the impact that rattled his skull. The previous hit had been an unexpected counter, but this one, he had seen it coming.

The brain doesn’t easily shut down from an expected impact.

So, as Jin took the punch to his face and closed the distance, he reached out his arms, locking his fingers tightly around Fenrir’s nape just as his opponent tried to retreat.

“...Where do you think you're going? Trying to run?”

Immediately after, Jin pulled down with all his strength while driving his knee up into Fenrir’s abdomen.

Fenrir hastily raised his elbow to block, but the force was so intense that it felt like his entire skeleton was rattling.

Before he could regain his composure, Jin pushed down on him again. The sheer power made Fenrir’s head drop sharply.

At that moment, the target shifted from the abdomen to the head.

Crack!

Fenrir’s body jerked violently as Jin’s knee struck his face directly. His resistance visibly weakened.

Jin intended to finish it. He was certain that just one more blow would end it for good.

The moment he raised his knee again,

Jin suddenly realized that he had instinctively put distance between them.

This was not a rational decision but an instinctual one.

The long, four-way tear in his flight jacket proved that his judgment had been correct.

Grrr-

Fenrir staggered as he tried to regain his balance.

His lowered arms, which had swung widely a moment ago, were trembling as he slowly raised his head.

His face was now covered in coarse gray fur.

The goblin mask fell to the ground with a thud.

And what was revealed - a lengthened snout, a height that had grown by more than 20 centimeters, bulging muscles, and razor-sharp claws.

Seeing all these features combined, Jin muttered to himself.

“A werewolf?”

Grrr-

Fenrir let out a low growl. Then, locking his glowing yellow eyes onto Jin, he reached for the hilt of a long sword.

“Enough.”

Khalifa’s voice cut through the tense air.

Jin, who had been clenching his fist in preparation for the next strike, looked up to see the bartender standing in front of him.

“Please stop, Jin.”

The polite smile on the bartender’s face made the tension in Jin’s grip loosen involuntarily.

It seemed to be the same for Fenrir. Over the bartender’s shoulder, Jin could see that he had already reverted to his human form. Standing beside him, Khalifa spoke.

“How serious were you planning to get? The test is over, Fenrir.”

“...Damn it.”

Fenrir spat out a curse as if chewing on it.

Then, without another word, he turned and left the training ground without looking back.

His unsteady steps made the bartender instinctively move to follow, but Khalifa reached out and stopped him.

“Leave him. Just let him go.”

“Understood.”

“By the way...”

Khalifa trailed off as she shifted her gaze.

Her eyes landed on Jin, who was twitching his bloodied nose with a pained expression.

The corners of her lips curved into a smile.

“We’ve definitely got an interesting guest here.”

***

Anecdote even had guest rooms.

Well, considering it had a training facility, having rooms wasn’t anything special.

In a simple room with nothing but a bed, desk, and chair, Jin was taking a short rest.

If you could even call this a rest.

“Ptooey!”

A glob of bloodied phlegm splattered into the bucket with a wet smack.

Jin continued to spit out blood-filled saliva.

His nasal bone had completely collapsed. Breathing only through his mouth made the blood keep dripping down his throat, and unless you had experienced it yourself, you wouldn’t understand just how maddening it was.

On top of that, both of the direct hits he had taken had been to his face, so not only his nose but his entire face was throbbing.

Still, Jin just endured it.

Broken bones and fractures were nothing new to him.

If only he could get used to the pain as well.

Unfortunately, pain was always fresh, making it impossible to adapt.

“Ptooey!”

As always, Jin spat out blood and clung to the bucket.

And he thought to himself.

That was dangerous.

It was fortunate that the hit landed on his nose. If it had struck his temple or jaw instead, his recovery would have been much slower.

Then, wouldn’t he have taken multiple clean hits from follow-up attacks?

That would have made the fight much more difficult.

But even if things had gone that way, Jin didn’t think he would have lost.

At least, not if Fenrir had remained in his human form.

A werewolf, seriously?

What kind of game genre is this?

Cyberpunk, Arcane Punk, Biopunk - punk, punk, punk. A game that mashed together all sorts of unfamiliar genres for some people. Adding a werewolf to the mix wasn’t going to make much of a difference.

Still, Jin hadn’t expected non-human species. He chuckled to himself.

It wasn’t out of joy or happiness.

He just laughed stupidly.

Dropping blood-mixed saliva from his torn lower lip.

At this rate, maybe vampires and elves will show up too.

Should I make them cry and prove their purity when I meet them?

Are our elegant pointy-eared folks really as good at shooting as the rumors say?

I don’t know about bows, but this world has guns. They must be good at shooting.

This is bullshit. Seri⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌ously, this is bullshit.

Just when I was starting to get used to things.

Jin laughed.

His twisted expression soon blurred, making it hard to tell if he was laughing or crying.

Then his breathing lost its rhythm.

“Haa, haa-”

As his inhalations and exhalations became erratic,

A black tide surged into the guest room where Jin was sitting.

It moved with overwhelming speed, giving him no time to react.

In an instant, it swallowed his ankles, soaked his thighs, passed his abdomen, and quickly reached his chest.

Jin knew this was a panic attack, yet he couldn’t bring himself to stop it. His breathing grew even more ragged.

“Huff! Huff! Huff!”

Right now, there was no superhuman who could withstand bullets with his bare body. There was only a man who was painfully aware of his own foreignness.

What saved Jin was a small knock.

Knock, knock, knock.

At that simple sound from outside, the black water that had risen to his chin vanished like a lie.

Then, the door opened.

“Are you alright?”

Through his gasping breaths, Jin saw the bartender’s face, wearing a worried expression.

“Your heart rate was abnormally high, so I came to check. Is there a problem?”

Poe, was it?

Reading heart rates, speaking as if he belonged to another world, moving with refined grace,

Everything about him felt inhuman.

But Jin, who had been on the verge of drowning in his own mind, couldn’t hide his relief.

“Thanks, man. You saved me.”

“Jin?”

“This happens sometimes. I’m fine now. Really, I’m fine.”

“If that is the case, then I’m relieved…”

“Ah, my nose is finally clear. Give me a sec.”

Poe silently watched as Jin repeatedly blew bright red nasal mucus into the bucket.

Then, when Jin finally looked up, his swollen face slightly less puffy, Poe delivered the message he had prepared.

“Shall we move together now? The manager has been waiting for you.”