CHAPTER 76: THE OVERPROTECTIVE TANKER.

Johnquis squinted at the system alert flashing in his HUD and read it aloud, his voice tinged with confusion.

"Prolonged dual-summon may cause severe bodily harm... System will forcibly recall one slave?"

He paused, frowning. "Wait—who’s slave???"

Then the next line blinked in:

[SLAVE STORED: Dancer]

Before he could react, a sharp sound cut the air—

SHHHHHHHWMP!

A ripple of black light surged beneath Dancer.

She blinked—startled.

Chains shot upward. They snapped around her in an instant—legs, waist, arms, throat. Wrapped tight.

Then, with a heavy metallic CLANG, two jagged cage-halves rose from either side. Like jaws. They slammed shut around her.

She snarled, thrashed but it was too late.

The cage sank into the void...

She was gone.

Johnquis froze. "Wait. No. NONONO—!"

He stared at his empty side, where Dancer had just been.

"...Aw, crap."

The Tanker, still standing nearby, gave a low grunt.

He stared into space, the regret settling like lead.

"She’s gonna kill me..."

The echo of the cage locking still rang in his ears.

Heavy boots pounded toward him. "JOHNKISS!!"

Savier skidded to a stop, shotgun over his shoulder, blonde hair messier than usual, eyes wide like he’d just seen a ghost.

"What the hell was that?! Where’d the scary ballerina go?! What kinda dark sorcery monster cage trap bullcrap did I just see!?"

"I—" Johnquis began, but Savier was already doing laps around the spot where Dancer vanished, poking at the floor with his shotgun.

"She was RIGHT HERE! Tall, ears, angry eyes—hot! and then BAM! Chains, darkness, swoosh! She’s gone! I blinked! BRO, DID YOU JUST GET HER KIDNAPPED BY GHOSTS?!"

Johnquis rubbed his temples. "No. It’s the system. She’s just stored now. It’s a—ugh! Look, I didn’t mean to. It was an accident."

"Accident?! BRO, did you cage your girlfriend?!"

"She’s not—! ...Okay technically, yes, but no. Shut up."

Savier pointed at the spot dramatically. "I WAS GONNA ASK HER TO MARRY ME ONE DAY!"

"You just met her yesterday!"

"DOESN’T MEAN I CAN’T HAVE DREAMS, JOHNQUIS!"

Johnquis threw his hands in the air. "She’s not gone forever, alright?! I can summon her again anytime! I just didn’t mean to recall her right now!"

Savier’s eyes narrowed. "You’re not just saying that so I don’t cry, right?"

"No! She’s in the system’s cage—a magical holding space thing—"

Johnquis flicked up his HUD, fingers scrambling to find the summon function. But then—

[DANCER LOCKED – Next summon in: 23:59:00]

He squinted at the countdown. "Oh no... that’s a whole day."

Savier screamed, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN A WHOLE DAY?! I WON’T SEE MY DANCER FOR A DAY?! NOOOO!!!"

Johnquis groaned. "THAT’S A SYSTEM COOLDOWN, YOU IDIOT! THERE’S NOTHING I CAN DO!"

Savier crossed his arms, lower lip jutting out. "You sure she’s okay in there? What if it’s, like... cramped? Or lonely? What if she hates it in the void?"

"She’s not in a damn dog crate, Savier. She’s already in her [Lord] form. Her kill count’s higher than yours."

"Still," Savier muttered. "You could’ve warned her first. She looked... betrayed."

Johnquis rubbed the back of his neck, guilt prickling under his skin. "I didn’t know the system would yank her that fast."

"You’re gonna apologize, right?" Savier said, eyes serious now.

"Of course I am—"

"...Fine," Savier muttered. "Fine. I trust you."

Then, suddenly—

BOOM!

The floor shook as a massive figure moved.

The Tanker, who had been standing silently at the edge of the chamber, jerked to life.

It turned.

Eyes locked on Savier.

It saw:

[Loud voice]

[Explosions]

[Johnquis flinching]

[Possibly hostile gesture]

Conclusion: [Threat to Master].

With a guttural roar, the Tanker charged.

"UHHHHHH—JOHNQUIS?!"

Savier turned around just in time to catch the sight of a wall of muscle, armor, and pure rage barreling straight at him.

"WHAT FUCKING HELL IS THAT THING!?" he screamed, scrambling backward.

Johnquis’ eyes went wide. "WAIT—WAIT! HE’S A FRIEND! FRIEND!! FRIEND!!!"

The Tanker didn’t slow.

Its massive fist was already pulled back, humming with the wind of its strength.

"YOU CAN STOP!! HE’S AN IDIOT, NOT AN ENEMY!!"

Savier spun, eyes wide. "I DON’T WANNA DIE LOOKING THIS SEXY!"

He lifted his hybrid blade, snapping it into sword mode but it was too late.

WHOOOMMM!!!

The Tanker’s punch missed...barely but the shockwave from the swing ripped through the air like a cannonblast.

Wind screamed past Savier’s face. Everything on him rippled like water.

His bomber jacket’s fur collar nearly got ripped bald. The stitches of his custom patches—memories of her women, flapped wildly, clinging to fabric like leaves in a storm.

And then it happened.

A long, delicate stitch on his shoulder, holding together a faded patch—tore.

His face fell.

"No."

He looked down. The fabric fluttered loose, barely hanging.

It was hand-sewn.

Feminine stitching.

A patch with a name—"Paula". Embroidered with a red thread.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Savier collapsed to his knees, clutching the shredded fabric. "SHE WAS THE LAST GOOD THING I HAD LEFT! YOU MONSTER! YOU FISTED MY PRECIOUS PAULA!"

Johnquis staggered over, half-laughing, half-panicking. "I told you not to shout near him!"

"IT WAS A NATURAL REACTION! I WAS IN GRIEF!"

The Tanker tilted its head, confused. It looked down at the weeping Savier, then up at Johnquis.

Johnquis groaned. "He’s... fine. He’s dramatic, but he’s fine. Don’t punch him again."

Savier sniffled. "Tell your oversized golem I’ll haunt him forever. I’ll sneak into his oil and draw mustaches on his faceplates. Every night."

Johnquis turned to the Tanker and pointed. "Sit. Stay. Don’t punch anyone unless I say. Understand?"

The Tanker gave a low grunt and took a few slow, earth-shaking steps backward, resuming its post like a sulking dog.

Johnquis turned back. "You okay?"

Savier wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his bomber jacket. "No. Precious Paula is dead. But I’ll live. Probably. Emotionally crippled, but I’ll live."

Johnquis smirked. "You’re fine. And don’t poke my slaves next time."

"Next time bring a leash, Chain Daddy. That thing nearly broke my handsome."

Johnquis rolled his eyes. "C’mon. Let’s patch up, before something else explodes."

Savier nodded slowly, staring into space. "Paula would’ve wanted that..."