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The most glaring change was the sheer number of women now serving alongside him.

Where before they'd been a rarity, making up barely 1% of the forces, they now comprised nearly a third of all recruits - and their numbers were still growing. Milo found himself surrounded by a diverse group of comrades, each bringing unique perspectives and skills to their shared mission.

Nessa leaned in, whispering excitedly, "Can you believe it? My mother always said women weren't cut out for the army. Now look at us!"

Kai, ever the man of few words, simply nodded in agreement. But Milo noticed a glimmer of approval in his stoic friend's eyes as Kai's own salamander mimicked its master's nod from its perch atop his head.

Another startling change was the ubiquity of summons.

Wherever Milo looked, he saw salamanders lounging on shoulders or frogs hopping on their summoners' heads. The air buzzed with the soft chirps and croaks of these magical creatures, a constant reminder of the power they all now wielded.

But it was those few who possessed rabbits that truly caught the eye. They exuded an aura of power, the elite, the best - comprising only 5 to 10% of the recruits. Some were beginning to become irritating, flaunting their summons like status symbols.

Milo, like everyone else, yearned for one of his own.

One afternoon, as they cleaned their equipment, Milo's salamander playfully chased Nessa's frog around their feet. The little amphibian leapt nimbly, croaking indignantly as it dodged the salamander's attempts to catch it. Kai's salamander observed the spectacle with what could only be described as disdain, its scaled brow furrowing as it clung to Kai's shoulder.

"You know," Milo mused, watching the antics of their summons, "I never thought I'd see the day when everyone had their own magical creature. It's like something out of a fantastical story, like those so-called 'trees' we've heard about."

Nessa smiled, scooping up her frog and cradling it gently. The creature nestled into her palm, its bulbous eyes blinking contentedly. "It's incredible, isn't it? I can't imagine living without my little beauty anymore."

Kai raised an eyebrow, his usually impassive face betraying a hint of amusement. "Beauty?"

Nessa laughed, the sound bright and clear in the bustling barracks. "Well, maybe it's a temporary name. But she is beautiful!"

♢♢♢♢

As the days passed, Milo found himself faced with unexpected choices.

A senior recruit approached him one day, his rabbit summon hopping circles around their feet as he explained the new options available to them.

"Listen up, rookie," the older soldier said, his voice gruff but not unkind. "You've got choices now. Stick with the standard ten years, or sign on for fifteen and get three days off each month to visit your family."

Milo's heart leapt at the idea. The chance to see his mother and siblings more frequently was tempting. He thought of little Asha and Nilo, how quickly they must be growing. And his mother, Lyra... the idea of easing her worries with more frequent visits was almost too good to pass up.

Not only that, 3 days a month meant 60 mana points he could use freely, without worrying about the tower... Every month... But 15 years was almost a third of his life.

Before he could make a decision, the recruit dropped another bombshell, his rabbit's ears perking up as if in anticipation.

"Or," he said with a sly smile, "you could go for twenty years. Five days off every month, and priority for the third summon. Plus, you can take your first five days right now."

Milo's mind reeled, his salamander sensing his conflicted emotions and nuzzling against his cheek comfortingly.

Twenty years seemed an eternity, but the benefits...

Priority for the rabbit meant easier access to elite training and permission to surpass level 4, with all of Von Elio's support.

5 days a month as a level 4 would be 200 free points, not to mention what he could save on the other 25 days. His small family would no longer struggle to make ends meet.

The opportunity to rise to level 4, to provide even more for his family... It was too tempting to resist.

"I'll do it," he heard himself say, almost before he realized he'd made the decision. "Twenty years."

The trap, sweet as it was, had been sprung.

♢♢♢♢

When Milo returned home to share the news, he found his family overjoyed. Lyra's eyes shone as he explained the new arrangement, his salamander basking in the warmth of their happiness from its perch on his shoulder.

"My boy," she said, pulling him into a tight embrace. "Your father could only see us once a month. How wonderful that Von Elio won."

Asha and Nilo danced around him, peppering him with questions about life in the army and his magical salamander. For five blessed days, Milo basked in the warmth of his family's love and admiration.

Twenty mana points daily for his family during his days off. This meant he could provide significant support to his mother and siblings, considerably improving their quality of life during his visits.

Next time, he'd even have time to save even more.

But like all good things, his first leave came to an end. Milo returned to his duties, his heart light with the knowledge that he would see his loved ones again soon.

Fate, it seemed, had other plans.

In the midst of this upheaval, Milo found himself facing his next challenge: level 3.

The training was similar to his previous two, but this time with an added focus on using his salamander. The creature seemed to sense the gravity of the situation, its usual playful demeanor replaced by an intense focus that mirrored Milo's own.

"Listen up, rookies," the instructor growled, his own salamander perched menacingly on his shoulder, its scales gleaming with barely contained fire. "We've discovered that with just five fire hits, the rabbit goes down. So you're going to learn to use your salamanders as if your lives depend on it... because they do."

Milo spent hours practicing, learning to coordinate his attacks, to use the salamander's fire effectively against moving targets. His summon worked tirelessly alongside him, its aim improving day by day.

"Faster, Elarian!" the instructor shouted as Milo attempted to hit mobile targets. The salamander's fire streaked through the air, narrowly missing a darting rabbit-shaped cutout. "If that were a real rabbit, you'd be dead already!"

Milo couldn't help but notice that they still wore the same equipment that had seemed excessive before. Top-level armor, daggers, now a sword and even reserve oxygen stones.

One day, as they donned their armor, Kai voiced the thought that had been nagging at Milo. "Isn't training with all this on a bit... excessive?" he asked, his usually stoic face betraying a hint of discomfort as his salamander wriggled into a gap in his breastplate.

Nessa laughed, her frog croaking in what sounded suspiciously like agreement from its perch on her helmet. "Remember what Von Brok said? 'In Von Elio's army, if you're not overdoing it, you're not trying hard enough'."

Milo smiled, recalling the instructor's words as his salamander curled around his neck, its warmth a comforting presence against the cold metal of his armor. "Better overprepared than dead, I suppose."