Chapter 102: The Familiars Bonding-5.

"Okay, i have decided it. It will be Pheniora." Alicia said.

The runes in the circle flared one last time, and a faint tether of red light connected Alicia and the phoenix for a moment—just a second—before fading.

"A strong flame answers a strong will," Illiana said softly with a smile.

Alicia turned and walked back to the group. The phoenix followed beside her, proud and elegant.

Several students stared at her, impressed, and even Elizabeth gave a small nod of approval.

"Damn, that’s one hot bird—" Kevin started.

"Don’t, i have enough of your lame jokes. " Elizabeth warned.

He coughed and shut up.

"Well done," Raymond whispered to Alicia as she returned.

She didn’t reply, but her faint smile said enough.

Then, as the students returned to whispering and murmuring among themselves, Illiana looked down at the next name on her list.

"Arianne Crimson," Illiana called out, her voice steady.

At the sound of her name, Arianne gave a small nod and stepped forward.

She walked with the same calm, measured grace she always carried—each movement smooth, her posture straight.

Her expression remained unreadable, eyes distant and blank, as if nothing in the world could shake her.

Despite her cold demeanor, there was something captivating about her like a beauty sculpted in silence.

As soon as she reached the glowing summoning circle and let a thread of her mana flow into it—

Whoosh.

The air trembled. The circle responded instantly.

Golden and red light exploded upward, surrounding Arianne in a dazzling glow. For a second, she vanished within the light, her entire figure hidden by the intense radiance.

The energy pulsed like a heartbeat, wild yet controlled, responding to her presence.

The students shielded their eyes. Even the teachers murmured in surprise.

As the light slowly faded, a new form came into view.

A cat.

But it was no ordinary one.

Its fur was a rich, deep red—like freshly spilled blood still warm in the light. Every strand shimmered slightly, as if the fur was made of silk dipped in flame.

Its eyes were golden and sharp, gleaming with awareness far beyond what a normal animal should have.

The small feline creature walked forward, calm and confident. It stopped right in front of Arianne, raised its head, and stared directly into her eyes.

"Meow."

The sound was soft, but carried a weight of clarity—as if it was more than just a sound, but a message.

Arianne didn’t move. She stared back, quiet and still.

Seconds passed.

Then, the cat lifted one of its front paws.

It held it up—offering it to her.

Arianne’s gaze softened just a little.

"You sure?" she asked, her voice the quietest whisper, barely carried by the wind. "It won’t be easy to stay with me."

The cat purred. Soft and long. But it felt like an answer.

Arianne slowly lowered herself, kneeling down to the cat’s level. Then she reached forward and gently took the paw in her hand.

"Kyra," she said, her voice calm and steady. "That’s your name."

At her words, a faint glow ran between the two of them, like a golden thread of light forming a bond.

The moment lasted only an instant—then the glow faded, but something unspoken remained.

The students behind watched in silence. Some awed. Some unsure what conversation happened between the cat and her master.

But no one questioned it.

Kyra the cat leapt onto Arianne’s shoulder, settled down, and curled its tail around her neck like it had always belonged there.

Arianne stood and walked back, not saying a word.

And still, no one dared say anything either.

Illiana gave a small smile.

"Next." Illiana’s voice echoed once again across the clearing.

At that moment, Vidalia tilted her head slightly, her smile fading for a brief second as she stared at Arianne walking back with the blood-red cat on her shoulder.

’Meowch... to think someone here had the potential to summon that thing,’ her familiar muttered directly into her mind, its soft voice suddenly filled with tension.

Vidalia blinked, curiosity sparking. ’Huh? That cat? What about it?’

Her floating white cat, the one with the pink ribbon on its tail, let out a sharp little snort. It floated down from her shoulder and flopped onto her lap dramatically.

’Special? No, not special. That being is... just an abnormality.’

The cat stretched lazily but its tail flicked with annoyance. ’Tch. Just seeing it made my fur itch. I don’t wanna talk about it anymore. Meow.’

And just like that, the cat curled into a ball and went quiet, leaving Vidalia staring at Arianne’s back, her eyes thoughtful as starlight flickered gently around her hair.

"Kevin Hearts." Illiana called.

"Watch and learn how a real summoning is done!" Kevin said with a confident smirk as he strutted toward the summoning circle.

"Just go already, show-off," Raymond muttered, rolling his eyes from the side.

Kevin stepped into the glowing white pattern, cracking his fingers before placing both hands forward.

His mana flowed into the circle in a steady stream, and in response, the lines of the magic circle glowed bright brown.

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then the light grew stronger, swirling around him like a windstorm of dust and stone.

Kevin grinned wide. "Here it comes... a dragon for sure!"

The students leaned in slightly, curious. A shadow started to form in the light.

But when the glow faded—

"...Eh?"

There, standing calmly before Kevin, was not a dragon. Not even close.

It was a tortoise. A giant tortoise, yes—but still, very clearly a tortoise.

The earth trembled slightly as the large beast fully emerged from the glowing circle.

Its shell was massive, layered with jagged rocks and glowing moss, looking more like a boulder-covered hill than a creature.

Thick legs, strong and slow, pressed into the ground with deep thuds, and small patches of grass even seemed to grow from the cracks in its shell.

Its eyes, however, were gentle. Wise and old, with a glimmer of calm strength.

"...It’s a tortoise," Kevin muttered, stunned.

Silence.

Then—

"Pfft—" Raymond tried to hold it in, but failed.

"Haha! That’s your dragon?" Samuel doubled over, laughing.

"It’s not a dragon—it’s a walking hill!" Chloe said, hand covering her mouth.

"Hey!" Kevin pointed at them, flustered, but defending.

"Do you guys even know how rare Earthbound Tortoises are? This thing has natural defense stronger than a fortress! It’s slow, but once it gets moving, even mountains make way!"

The tortoise blinked slowly and let out a deep, low grunt, like a rolling boulder echoing in a valley.

"That doesn’t make it a dragon," Chloe said, flatly.

Kevin groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I felt like it was gonna be a dragon..."

"It’s okay," Raymond said, slapping his back with a smirk. "Maybe if you squint real hard, it looks like one."

"You guys have no vision." Kevin pouted, as he touched the tortoise’s back. "I’ll show you all when he saves your lives."

"You will be called as Seareth, from now on buddy."

And just like that the bond was created.

The tortoise didn’t move much, just settled on the grass with a peaceful rumble, as if satisfied just sitting in the sun.

Despite all the teasing, a few professors watching from the side nodded.

"That’s a high-tier earth familiar," Professor Luther murmured. "It’s not flashy, but in long battles, it’s nearly impossible to take down."

"Good defense and rare resistance to elemental damage," Illiana added. "He’ll be fine with proper training."

Kevin might have hoped for a fire-breathing dragon, but the tortoise—solid, steady, and loyal—was still a rare catch.

After Kevin’s... memorable summoning, a few more students were called up one by one.

Each of them stepped into the glowing circle with nervousness or excitement on their faces.

Some managed to summon strong-looking creatures—a fire lizard with scales like burning coal, a sleek dark-feathered bird with glowing red eyes, even a stone-skinned hound with runes etched into its back.

The crowd watched in awe, a mix of gasps and wonder echoing after each new familiar appeared.

Then—

"Nyverra," Illiana called out.

The soft chatter among the students quieted as everyone turned to look. Nyverra stepped forward with her usual calm and silent expression.

Her long dark hair fluttered behind her as she walked towards the summoning circle, eyes calm and focused.

She didn’t hesitate. As soon as she stood in the center of the glowing pattern, she raised one hand, letting her darkness-infused mana flow into the formation.

Whoosh—

A cold breeze swept the area. The magic circle didn’t glow with warmth or fire like others before—it pulsed with a deep purple-black light, like shadows twisting in place.

The ground shook slightly, and out of the swirling darkness emerged a beast. Tall, lean, and deadly.

It was a panther—its fur as black as midnight, blending into the shadows around it.

Yet if one looked closely, faint purple streaks moved like mist across its body. Its eyes glowed a haunting violet.

The moment it appeared, a silence fell over the crowd. Even the familiars already summoned seemed uneasy.

The panther stepped forward silently, its paws making no sound. It stopped just inches from Nyverra and stared straight into her eyes.

She didn’t speak. She simply raised her hand slowly.

The panther lowered its head and brushed gently against her fingers.

"Kaileth, that your ne from now on."

The bond was formed.

"A shadow beast..." one of the professors muttered.

"Not just a regular one. That’s a Night Panther... They’re rare even in the familiar plane."

"Of course she’d summon something like that," Samuel whispered to Raymond. "Fits her perfectly."

Raymond nodded. "Silent and deadly."

Nyverra turned back to the others with the panther calmly walking by her side, completely in sync with her.

No dramatic words. No need for them.

Just quiet strength.