Time passed slowly inside the bunker.
Too slowly.
The world outside had collapsed into chaos, but inside, everything felt trapped in a suffocating stillness. The dim emergency lights flickered occasionally, casting long, unstable shadows across the walls. Every sound felt amplified—their breathing, the faint hum of the bunker systems, even the soft movements of Rex as he shifted beside Nami.
Nami sat quietly, her fingers gently running through Rex's fur. The warmth from his body had become her anchor, something real in a world that no longer made sense. Her eyes were still slightly swollen from crying, but she had calmed down.
Nami: "He's still Rex… I can feel it… even if he changed."
Her voice was soft, fragile—but steadier than before.
Stefan leaned against the cold metal wall, staring at the ground. His mind wasn't at peace. Not even close.
Stefan: "At least you got something useful."
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Nami immediately looked at him, a hint of hurt crossing her face.
Nami: "Stefan… don't say it like that…"
He let out a slow breath, running a hand through his hair.
Stefan: "Then how should I say it?"
Silence followed.
A heavy one.
Nami stood up and walked closer to him, stopping just a step away.
Nami: "You'll get something too… maybe it's just taking time."
Stefan closed his eyes for a moment.
That was the moment he had to decide.
Hide it… or trust her.
The system interface still lingered faintly in his vision, its words burned into his mind.
> [HUMAN TAMING SYSTEM – LEVEL 1]
[CONDITION: ONLY WILLING TARGETS CAN BE TAMED]
He exhaled slowly.
Then finally looked at her.
Stefan: "Nami… I need to tell you something."
His tone had changed.
Serious.
Heavy.
Nami immediately sensed it.
Nami: "…What is it?"
Stefan hesitated for a second—but only a second.
Stefan: "I… did get an ability."
Nami's eyes widened slightly.
Nami: "You did? Then why didn't you say anything?!"
He looked away briefly.
Stefan: "Because… it's not normal."
That single sentence was enough to shift the atmosphere again.
Nami frowned slightly, confused.
Nami: "What do you mean… not normal?"
Stefan took a deep breath.
Then spoke slowly, choosing every word carefully.
Stefan: "My ability… isn't Beast Taming."
He paused.
Then—
Stefan: "It's Human Taming."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Even the faint hum of the bunker seemed to disappear for a moment.
Nami just stared at him, trying to process what she had just heard.
Nami: "…Human… taming?"
Stefan nodded slowly.
Stefan: "Yeah."
He clenched his fist slightly.
Stefan: "The system says… I can tame humans the same way you tame beasts."
Nami took a small step back.
Not out of fear—
But shock.
Nami: "That's… that's…"
She couldn't even finish the sentence.
Stefan continued, his voice steady but low.
Stefan: "There's more."
He looked directly into her eyes now.
Stefan: "Anyone I tame… I can use their abilities."
Nami froze.
Stefan: "Not just that. Their skills… their powers… anything they unlock…"
His voice dropped slightly.
Stefan: "…becomes mine too."
The weight of those words settled heavily between them.
Nami slowly whispered—
Nami: "That's… broken…"
Stefan gave a faint, humorless smile.
Stefan: "Yeah. That's why I didn't say anything at first."
He looked away again.
Stefan: "There are also two types of taming."
Now Nami was fully focused.
Trying to understand.
Trying to keep up.
Stefan: "The first one… turns the person into something like a puppet."
His tone became colder.
Stefan: "No will. No resistance. Just complete loyalty… like a pet."
Nami's expression tightened slightly.
But she didn't interrupt.
Stefan: "The second type…"
He paused.
Stefan: "…they stay normal."
Nami blinked.
Nami: "Normal?"
Stefan nodded.
Stefan: "They can think. Talk. act like themselves…"
Then he added quietly—
Stefan: "…but they have to follow my commands."
Another silence followed.
This time, heavier.
More real.
Nami slowly processed everything.
Then asked—
Nami: "So… can you just… control anyone right now?"
Stefan shook his head.
Stefan: "No."
He looked at the system interface again.
Stefan: "At my current level… there's a condition."
Nami waited.
Stefan: "The person has to accept it."
That changed everything.
The tension dropped slightly.
Nami exhaled softly.
Nami: "So you can't just… force people?"
Stefan: "Not yet."
The way he said it…
Made her pause.
But she didn't react to that part.
Instead, she looked at him carefully.
Not scared.
Not angry.
Just thinking.
Then she asked something simple—
But important.
Nami: "…Did you tell me because you trust me?"
Stefan didn't hesitate this time.
Stefan: "Yes."
That answer came instantly.
Without doubt.
Without calculation.
Just truth.
Nami stared at him for a moment…
Then smiled faintly.
Not a big smile.
Not a happy one.
But a real one.
Nami: "Good."
She turned slightly, looking at Rex.
Then back at Stefan.
Nami: "Then we'll figure this out together."
Stefan felt something shift inside him.
Not power.
Not control.
Something else.
Something… human.
But before either of them could say anything more—
A voice suddenly echoed from outside the bunker.
Desperate.
Broken.
Human.
Unknown Voice: "HELP! PLEASE—ANYONE—HELP ME!"
Both of them froze.
Nami looked toward the door immediately.
Hope flickering in her eyes again.
Nami: "Stefan… someone survived…"
Stefan slowly turned toward the door as well.
But his expression was different.
Calmer.
Darker.
More focused.
Because now—
He understood something.
This wasn't just a survivor.
This…
Was an opportunity.