CHAPTER 75: JOHNQUIS’ SECOND SLAVE.

[WILLPOWER CLASH: 100% vs 100%]

Blood Cost: 0%... 9%... 14%...

The Tanker let out a noise—a sound that was not just pain, but disbelief. Confusion. Fear. It writhed, struggling against the chains, massive arms flailing but Dancer was there, leaping in, striking low. Her heel-blade slashed one ankle open again, destabilizing it.

Johnquis staggered forward, sweat pouring down his face, heat rippling from his skin. His body trembled with the clash. Veins bulged along his arms.

He screamed.

"YOU’RE MINE!"

[WILLPOWER CLASH: 34% vs 66%]

Blood Cost: 17%... 19%... 21%...

The Tanker bellowed. Its crystal thorns erupting again in a desperate burst but the chains tightened, glowing brighter, louder, like they were singing through steel.

Johnquis bled. Shaking. Grinning through the pain. "COME ON, BIG BOY! I KNOW THAT HARD HEAD, IT’S SOFTER INSIDE!"

[WILLPOWER CLASH: 9% vs 91%]

Blood Cost: 21%... 23%... 26%...

Dancer stopped mid-run, wide-eyed, watching from just behind the beast. Her expression was unreadable—shock, awe, and a quiet whisper of pride.

Johnquis took one last, shaking breath.

[CHAIN SLAVE BINDING COMPLETE]

Blood Cost Final: 28%

The chamber shook. The chains ignited with a roar of red flame—

BOOOOMMMM!!!

The light burst outward. A ring of red fire pulsed from the Tanker’s chest like a death drum.

And then—

The Tanker collapsed to its knees.

Its arms fell limp.

Its violet eyes dimmed.

Then a system ping:

[CHAIN SLAVE SUCCESSFUL]

[EATER ENSLAVED: Abnormal High Eater [Tanker Class] ]

Johnquis nearly collapsed.

He dropped to one knee, coughing hard, vision flickering. His chain retracted, limp but alive, wrapped around his arm like a coiled serpent finally fed.

Dancer stepped forward, still poised, her face unreadable. Her body relaxed but her eyes were on him.

He looked up at her through blood-streaked vision. He grinned. "I win."

Dancer rolled her eyes, but stepped closer. Gently, she took his wrist and helped pull him to his feet, steady.

Johnquis chuckled, swaying. "What’s this? Getting jealous? Sorry about what I said before. ’We don’t need another slave,’ right? But c’mon—look at this big boy. He’d make a fine addition to the family."

Dancer react. Her eyes were locked on the Tanker’s twitching frame. Her blade stayed low, but ready—coiled with a silent warning.

She hated that thing.

It had nearly killed him.

She stared into its eye, daring it to move. Just one twitch toward its new master and she’d finish it.

Johnquis noticed. "Hey, hey... it’s tamed now. Like you, remember? You were scarier than this thing once... now look at you."

She didn’t answer. Just tapped her blade against the blood-soaked floor.

The Tanker’s body twitched again—barely.

But it didn’t matter.

It was his now.

Johnquis stood over the twitching, kneeling Tanker, still catching his breath. "Alright, big guy...Let’s see if you really listen."

He raised his hand and commanded. "Stand."

The Tanker moved in an instant.

With a deep, grinding sound, it rose to full height—towering. Its violet eyes glowed dimly, no longer fierce, but... waiting.

Johnquis nodded once. "Good."

He pointed to the left, toward a shattered archway. "Go stand there. Don’t move unless I say."

The Tanker turned—slow, heavy and stomped to its new post like a silent bouncer at a ruinous nightclub.

And then—

[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT!]

— You now command: 1x Level 2 — Abnormal High Eater [Tanker Class]

[CHAIN SLAVE LIMIT REACHED]

Active Slaves: (2 / 2)

To increase limit, level up [Chain Slave] by raising your feed count.

Johnquis stared at the message. "Two outta two, huh...Our little family’s growing. I’m actually excited now, wonder who’s next in line for the expansion."

He glanced between Dancer and the Tanker. One—long-legged, silent, and fierce. The other—massive, obedient, and terrifying.

"Yeah... this is gonna be a problem. One step through any area with these two and people’ll lose their minds. Blades will draw their weapons, or run screaming the second they lay eyes on them.

He rubbed his temple. "A towering beast in full armor and a bloodthirsty beauty stuck in lord-form? That’s not subtle. That’s a walking red flag."

He sighed, dragging a hand down his face. "Last time someone spotted Dancer at that ruined mall... things got messy. Real messy."

[SYSTEM NOTICE]

— You have enslaved 2 Eaters. You may only bring 1 into battle at your current rank.

— Increase your rank to unlock more deployment slots.

[CAGE]

— Unused slaves are stored in the [CAGE], an unknown space that holds them until summoned.

— To store a slave: Just say [RECALL (NAME)]

— To call a slave: Just say [UNCHAIN (NAME)]

"Ooh, speaking of... this system really knows what it needed to do."

But Johnquis rubbed the back of his neck, already feeling the pressure.

"One slot... I can only bring one..."

He looked up at the Tanker.

The beast stood still, like a stone wall with a heartbeat.

Johnquis let out a low breath. "You’re a damn fortress with legs. If anything tries to break through the front, I know you’ll hold. That’s important. You’re a wall I can hide behind if I’m bleeding out and need one more second to breathe."

Then he turned to Dancer.

She was watching him...cold, unreadable.

"But you..."

She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head.

He sighed. "You’re pissed."

She turned away, arms crossed, one ear twitching like a warning.

"Okay, I get it. You saved my ass. You’ve been here longer. But come on—he’s fresh. We gotta see what he can really do."

Dancer didn’t move.

He groaned. "I’m not kicking you out. Just... stashing you. For now. It’s not personal. And after this quest, I can summon you again on my side."

Still nothing.

He opened his mouth to speak the command—

BOOM!!!

The side wall exploded, debris flying inward in a cloud of smoke and dust.

"WHAT THE—?!"

A blast echoed through the chamber, followed by the metallic CHAK-CHAK of a pump shotgun racking another round.

Out of the dust storm stepped a familiar silhouette—that weird bomber jacket, and that blond hair, Savier.

He lowered the still-smoking barrel.

"YO!!! JOHNKISS! I FUCKING MISSED YOU, MAN! YOU STILL ALIVE? I’M ABOUT TO CRY! COME LET ME KISS YOU!"

Johnquis flinched instinctively at the blast and in that moment, his chain reacted on impulse.

[SYSTEM CAUTION]

- Prolonged dual-summon may cause severe bodily harm.

- System will forcibly recall one slave.

[SLAVE STORED: Dancer]