------
Elayne let out a deep sigh of relief, a warm smile spreading across her face as new system notifications appeared before her eyes. Her familiars had grown significantly stronger, and these fresh abilities would undoubtedly prove useful in the battles ahead.
"Phew, that was tough," Irene sighed heavily. "Ugh, I still can't get used to being fused with that guy, but I guess it's necessary if we want to gain real power."
"That guy?" Ignis asked, sounding slightly offended. "I am the one who should be complaining here…"
"Hey, you two, don't fight," Gardenia said as she popped out of Elayne's soul and glanced around curiously. "I feel so much stronger now. This whole leveling stuff is really neat! Why wasn't I enjoying this earlier?"
"I guess you only recently became a proper familiar capable of leveling up," Elayne explained with a gentle smile. "It probably happened after you used a large amount of Spirit Power and grew solid enough, Gardenia."
