Extra's Ascent-Chapter 89: My Summon Hatching!

What happened to Dante Pendragon was nothing difficult to comprehend. He lost the duel to Dwayne Aldaman.

Yet, the real question remained: how?

The mystery of his defeat loomed over the four who had witnessed the match. Not one of them could explain what transpired in those crucial moments.

One second, Dante was dominating with his quicksand technique, forcing Dwayne into a precarious position. The next, Dwayne miraculously escaped and appeared right beside him.

And that was when the confusion began.

From that point on, the scene became inexplicable. Dwayne stood motionless while Dante continued to move, battle steps guiding his form as if he were still locked in combat.

But who was he fighting?

What was he striking at?

Nobody knew. Nobody understood. Nobody could answer.

It wasn't just hazy and confusing, it was as if reality itself had become impossible to interpret. To give meaning to Dante's display.

---

"I'm screwed... Seriously."

Aldrich let out an exhausted sigh and threw his head back against the bed.

No matter how much he analyzed the duel, there was no logical explanation for what had happened when Dwayne closed the distance between himself and Dante.

Nothing made sense. No strategy, no hidden trick he could pinpoint. And yet, Dante had lost.

He actually lost.

That alone was shocking. Dante Pendragon, one of the most formidable warriors in their year, had fallen without even a clear understanding of how.

And now?

"That means I have to honour my part of the deal… and face Kyle Dandada in a Veilbourne duel."

Chills ran down his spine.

It was one thing to make a pact with the Veilbourne, but to actually stand on that ominous battlefield, to feel its crushing presence, it was terrifying.

"Are the rumours true?!"

A voice rang out, startling Aldrich. Before he could react, a figure leapt onto the top bunk, appearing at his side.

"Damn it, Aydin!"

His heart pounded in his chest, but his face remained rigid, refusing to show the surprise.

"Sorry about that," Aydin grinned, not looking the least bit apologetic. "But seriously, are they true?"

Aldrich sighed. "Are what true?"

"That Dante Pendragon lost to Dwayne Aldaman… and that you're scheduled for a duel with Kyle."

The moment the words left Aydin's mouth, Aldrich knew he had already given himself away.

His hesitation, his reaction, it was enough.

"Where did you hear that from?" he asked, though he already suspected the answer.

Aydin smirked. "So it's true..."

Aldrich frowned. "No, I mean… those events happened just yesterday. How did you hear about it so fast?"

"Come on, this is Eldora Institute, my man. News travels faster than light here!" Aydin chuckled.

Then, as if to prove his point, he casually added, "Did you know? Just yesterday, I heard that a first-year from Class E got another Class E student pregnant!"

Aldrich stared at him blankly, utterly uninterested in whatever scandal was making rounds this time.

Why would he care about who impregnated who when his own fate was at stake?

"Look," Aydin continued, seeing Aldrich's mood dampen, "don't stress too much. We all know how strong Kyle is, nobody is going to criticize you if you lose."

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Aldrich let out a dry smile. "You clearly don't know the conditions of the Veilbourne duel, do you?"

Aydin raised an eyebrow. "Why? What's the catch?"

Aldrich hesitated for a moment before sighing. What was the point of hiding it? The truth would come out soon enough.

"If I lose... I get expelled from Eldora Institute, permanently. I'll never be allowed to enroll again and that would mark my time here as a student."

Aydin's expression froze. "Wait—what?"

"And if I win," Aldrich continued, "I get to decide Kyle's fate."

"That's insane!" Aydin exclaimed. "In what world is that fair? Kyle's the one in the wrong, so why should you have to put everything on the line?!"

Aldrich shook his head. "Things are… more complicated than you think."

The injustice of it all wasn't lost on him either. But in Eldora Institute, not everything was about fairness.

"So what are you going to do?" Aydin asked.

Aldrich didn't answer immediately.

There was only one thing he could do.

If he didn't want to get expelled, he had two weeks to prepare, to somehow find a way to stand against one of the strongest second-year mystics in Eldora Institute.

For that to happen, he has to go from being an outright bystander to being in the game. Not as a spectator, but to be demonstrated as an actual genius that all S class Eldora students are thought to be.

No pressure.

"And your chances o—

Crack!

A sharp sound interrupted them.

Both Aldrich and Aydin froze. The noise came from beside his pillow at the top of the bed.

"Bro... your egg!" Aydin pointed.

"I know!" Aldrich exclaimed, scrambling down from the top bunk.

He hurried over and carefully picked up the egg, placing it at the centre of the room as Aydin moved to his side.

The egg trembled.

Fine fractures spread from the top, tiny lines breaking apart its once-smooth surface.

"Finally..."

Excitement surged through Aldrich.

Most of his classmates' familiars had already hatched. His had been one of the few still dormant, its delayed hatching raising concerns among his peers.

But now?

The wait was over.

The cracks deepened, and—

Crack!

The eggshell collapsed in on itself, shards breaking apart to reveal a creature within.

Aldrich held his breath.

A soft meow echoed in the room.

"A… cat?"

Indeed, a feline stood before them.

Its fur was a mesmerizing mix of blue and white stripes, shimmering faintly under the light. But what truly captivated Aldrich were its eyes, piercing, intelligent, and almost otherworldly.

"This is… my familiar…"

Aldrich whispered, awestruck.

This tiny creature, this feline with mystical eyes, was his companion.

Something about the egg hatching at this moment had him believing that perhaps... Just perhaps... This could be a point of starting afresh for him.

A start to being true to himself and to stop being what he presumes to be?... Just an extra!