Extra's Ascent

Aldrich's dual clover-patterned irises swept the battlefield once more, scanning for any hint of change in his teammates' condition. Mana-wise, they seemed stable, energy still surged through their bodies. But physically, they remained unconscious. That alone was a significant concern. They wouldn't be getting up anytime soon.

Saldrich and Fiona made sure that was a certainty.

"Say… any chance I can cash in on a brotherly and boyfriend discount? Maybe get a little sympathy and you know, you guys could go easy on me? Or even better, cut me tons of slack" he offered with a crooked grin, feigning lightheartedness.

He needed time. That was all this came down to. Every second he could buy himself counts because it brings him closer to one of them waking up.

Alone, his chances were dim, but with backup, especially if Valeria could rejoin the fight, then a miracle might not be entirely out of reach.

Until then, distraction would have to do.

"I love you, Al," Saldrich replied with a smirk, her tone as amused as it was unapologetic. "But a free pass? Not happening. Even if you are family."

He tilted his head toward Fiona, searching her eyes for some mercy.

"I know you too well," she said gently. "You may joke, but deep down, you wouldn't want us to go easy on you. You'd want us to give it everything we've got, just like you would."

He wanted to groan. That wasn't untrue, but still was a little leniency too much to ask?

Still, she had a point. Aldrich wasn't here to play safe or seek kindness. He was here to win. And to do that, he'd already crossed certain lines like subjecting a friend to a mind-shattering illusion that simulated their brutal death. If he was capable of going that far for victory, he couldn't ask his opponents, his sister and his girlfriend to hold back either.

Especially not them.

"Now that we've got that sorted, how about we stop stalling?" Saldrich said, her voice now laced with resolve.

He was outnumbered, outgunned, and technically cornered. A direct confrontation was practically suicidal.

But he had one card left to play.

'Think, Al...' he told himself. 'I'm closer to their goalpost than they are to mine. The endpoint is right there. Just a few strides away. That's the edge I've got over them.'

All he had to do was gain possession of the ball. Once it was in his hands, he could rely on his speed and the teleportation technique stored within his arsenal to seal the deal. He didn't need to win a brawl. He only had to claim the objective and vanish.

Focus. Strip away the noise. It's just you and the ball now. Block out everything else.

"Come, Malakiah!" he bellowed, biting into his finger. Blood welled to the surface, which he quickly smeared across the ground, drawing a complex summoning sigil.

A sudden pulse of arcane energy erupted from the pattern, and from it emerged a towering blue-furred tiger, its silver-streaked coat shimmering in the light. Malakiah stepped forward, firm and commanding, tail swinging in calm defiance as he faced Fiona and Saldrich. His piercing eyes glowed with instinctual ferocity.

"H-Huge..." Aldrich whispered, awe overtaking his features.

He hadn't summoned Malakiah since the day the familiar hatched. Back then, it was small, helpless even. He had assumed the creature would still be in its infantile stage, incapable of offering meaningful assistance.

Yet the beast before him was far from helpless. Its massive frame dwarfed most of the human combatants on the field. Aldrich barely stood taller, and even that margin was only by a few inches. Its frame was solid, muscles rippling under that glistening coat. Power radiated from it, an overwhelming presence that drew both awe and intimidation.

'Familiars grow this fast?! Or… is mine an exception?'

Whatever the case, this was no minor asset. This was a game-changer.

Malakiah didn't just look impressive. It felt like a force of nature. And Aldrich, standing beside it, felt that little ember of hope spark into something more tangible.

"Summoning a familiar, huh? Alright then, Come, Ilyad!" Saldrich called out, etching her own sigil into the floor with swift precision.

Another tiger emerged, this one cloaked in violet fur with glinting silver lines. Zhe stood proud beside her, exuding quiet confidence. Ilyad wasn't as large as Malakiah, but she had undeniable presence.

She was taking this seriously just like he would have wanted.

'Her familiar's big, sure, but it doesn't compare to Malakiah,' Aldrich observed. 'And she's had hers for months more than I…'

He frowned, feeling a strange unease settle in his chest. How had Malakiah, who'd only hatched recently, outgrown and outpowered one that had months of development ahead of him?

"Summon Familiar; Tulip!" Fiona shouted.

The ground responded once more, and out leapt a radiant fox, its fur ablaze with crimson fire. Two bushy tails swirled around her as she landed gracefully, her gaze sharp and alert.

Tulip, Fiona's familiar, had grown well. But once again, Aldrich couldn't help but notice how Malakiah outclassed her too. Not just in size but in raw mana reserves. His second clover confirmed it with stunning clarity.

This wasn't a coincidence. Fiona's familiar had hatched before his. They had all received the same type of egg similar in potential and origin.

So why the difference?

'Familiar mutation?'

He vaguely recalled the concept. A rare condition where a familiar's growth was directly influenced by the strength or potential of its bonded partner. Still, that sounded too fantastical. Could he really be the cause of Malakiah's abnormal development?

'No way. That can't be it. What potential could I possibly have to cause this?'

He almost laughed aloud at the absurdity. He wasn't some chosen one. Just a guy desperate to win.

In the end, he brushed the thought aside. Whatever the reason, be it mutation, fate, or sheer dumb luck, he had a powerhouse by his side. That's all that mattered now.

"Fine," he whispered to himself, steel entering his voice. "Let's make it count."