Ryu didn't look back. He simply moved, his massive frame parting the dense undergrowth with surprising ease, heading towards the faint glow of the horizon where the jungle met more open land. He expected me to follow. A silent acceptance. A simple 'alright, let's go.' No fanfare, no vows, just a mutual understanding forged in the crucible of shared pain, philosophical debate, and 1000 near-death experiences.
"Right," I muttered to myself, dusting off my shield. A dragon. My companion. Okay. Just add it to the list of Things Naofumi Didn't Expect.
Following Ryu through the jungle wasn't easy, even for me. His pace was deceptively fast, his ancient instincts navigating the tangled terrain without hesitation. I kept up, using a combination of raw speed and the occasional subtle Air Strike Shield to clear obstacles. The air around him felt different now. Less purely hostile, more... powerful. Latent.
We reached the jungle's edge just as the first hint of false dawn painted the sky in grey and rose. Before us lay rolling hills, patches of forest, and in the far distance, the faint lights of a town. Civilization. The world Ryu had fled, and the world I was stuck protecting.
Now came the next logistical nightmare. How, precisely, does one travel with a massive, angry-at-humans dragon companion? Ryu was easily fifty feet long, covered in scales, and radiated an aura that screamed 'apex predator who hates your guts.' Strolling down a public road was out. Flying high might work, but where would he land? Staying hidden meant slow, arduous travel through dense woods.
My gaze fell on Ryu, standing at the treeline, his massive head tilted towards the distant town lights. He seemed... contemplative. Not eager to run, not eager to hide. Just watching.
An idea, born of necessity and a complete disregard for subtlety, popped into my head. It was ridiculous. It was dangerous. It was probably the fastest way.
"Hey, Ryu," I called out, walking towards his massive form.
He turned his head, his glowing eyes fixing on me.
"The place I need to go," I explained, gesturing towards the direction of Seyaette (or wherever the girls had set up camp relative to this jungle), "it's a ways off. Traveling on foot... it'll take time. A lot of time."
Ryu waited, silent.
"You... you fly, right?" I asked the obvious. Dragons flew. It was kind of their thing.
A rumble in his chest, something that might have been a low chuckle. "I fly."
"Right," I nodded. "Okay. So... maybe... could you... could I..." My voice trailed off. Asking a proud, vengeful dragon who hated humans if I could get a ride felt... audacious.
Ryu stared at me for a long moment. His eyes seemed to bore into my soul, weighing my past, my offer, my current ridiculous request. He knew humans. He knew what they did. Riding a dragon was an act of trust on both sides. For him, trusting me not to betray him once I was vulnerable on his back. For me, trusting that centuries of rage wouldn't suddenly boil over and send me plummeting to my death.
He lowered his massive head slowly, bringing his snout closer to the ground. His glowing eyes seemed to challenge me. You dare?
Okay. No backing down now. "I promise," I said, stepping closer. "I won't steer you towards any traps. I won't make you do anything that harms your pride. It's just... travel. Fast travel. We need to get back to... to my companions."
Ryu let out a puff of air, a sound like distant thunder. Then, slowly, he lowered his neck further, bending his foreleg slightly, creating a path for me to climb onto his back.
An invitation. A bizarre, terrifying, magnificent invitation.
Amazing. It was undeniably amazing. The sheer scale of the creature, the raw power radiating from him, offering me safe passage. Attractive? In a purely 'this is incredibly cool and powerful' way, absolutely. Humorous? The visual of me, the Shield Hero, climbing onto the back of a dragon I'd been dodging moments ago, to ride him like a very large, very grumpy taxi, was peak absurdity. My internal commentary was having a field day.
I climbed onto his back, finding a surprisingly comfortable spot behind the ridge of his neck scales. His hide was warm and rough. Being up here, feeling the immense power coiled beneath me... it was a different kind of alive than dodging his attacks. This was power shared. Power entrusted.
"Alright," I said, gripping a section of tough hide that seemed suitable as a handhold. "Ready when you are, Ryu."
Ryu let out a low growl that I was starting to understand wasn't always anger. Maybe it was... anticipation? Or just settling in. With a powerful surge of muscle, he straightened, extending his vast wings. They unfurled with a sound like snapping sails, catching the nascent light of dawn.
Then, with a single, explosive beat, he launched himself into the air.
The ground fell away rapidly. The trees became a green carpet. The air rushed past, cool and clean. Being this high up, with the world spread out below, was breathtaking.
Ryu flew with effortless power, his wings beating with slow, measured strokes. He didn't fly recklessly. He flew with purpose, gaining altitude, heading directly towards the direction of Seyaette.
From up here, I could see everything. Signs of human life – distant farms, winding roads, the faint shape of towns. Ryu didn't react visibly, no roars of hatred, no attempts to deviate course and incinerate a village. He was focused. He was a companion now, accepting the path I needed to take.
The journey was quiet. The sound of the wind rushing past, the steady beat of Ryu's wings. My thoughts drifted back to the girls, to Filo. They'd be waking up soon. Getting ready for training. What would their faces look like when I arrived, not walking into camp, but descending from the sky on the back of a dragon? That was going to be a sight. Probably worth whatever temporary panic it caused.
Teleporting there with Ryu would've been more efficient but you don't get a chance to ride a dragon everyday.
I thought about the Multiversal Pass in my System menu. A ticket to anywhere. The God's lingering presence, a reminder of his arbitrary power and my new, unwelcome recruitment opportunity. I'd deal with that later. When things were more stable. When the girls were stronger. When I had a better handle on... everything.
I thought about the Dragon Essence absorbed into my shield. The conditions met. Awaiting further catalyst. Was simply choosing to use the curse enough? Or did I need to find that specific, dark catalyst from the original timeline? Ryu's rage was the source, yes. But the activation... that felt like a different step. Something to figure out. Something that probably wouldn't involve dodging.
Hours passed. The sun climbed higher, warming my back. Ryu flew steadily, a tireless engine of draconic power. We covered ground faster than I ever could have imagined. Towns flashed by below, rivers wound through the landscape. The world, seen from this height, felt smaller. More vulnerable. More precious.
As we neared the coast, nearing the area where Seyaette and the girls' camp should be, I spotted them. Not the camp specifically, but three figures in a familiar training area near the town outskirts. Three figures who looked remarkably like a rapidly aging demi-human girl, a rapidly aging human-like girl, and a giant white bird.
They were running drills, hitting practice targets, moving with the newfound speed and strength the slave crests had granted them. They looked... capable. Strong. Ready.
Okay. Showtime.
"Alright, Ryu," I called out over the wind, gripping tighter. "Looks like we're here. Time to make an entrance."
Ryu banked slightly, beginning a long, slow descent. He didn't spiral down like a bird of prey. It was a controlled, powerful glide, aimed directly at the training field. He wasn't trying to hide. He was announcing his arrival. My arrival.
The figures below stopped. Their heads snapped up. They pointed. Their forms froze, silhouetted against the morning sun.
As we got closer, I could make out their faces. Raphtalia's eyes were wide, a mixture of shock and awe. Rifana's jaw had dropped. And Filo, bless her giant bird heart, transformed back into her humanoid form with a flash of light, jumped up and down, waving wildly.
Ryu landed smoothly, his massive claws digging gently into the earth, sending up a small cloud of dust. The ground shook slightly with his weight. He settled, his wings folding elegantly behind him.
I dismounted, landing on the grass. My legs felt steady, despite the flight. I looked at the three figures standing frozen before us. My companions. My responsibility.
"Raphtalia," I said, walking towards them, gesturing back at the massive dragon. "Rifana. Filo."
They just stared. At Ryu. Then at me. Back at Ryu.
"This is Ryu," I introduced, keeping it simple. "My... companion. He's going to be helping us out from now on."
Filo was the first to react. With a high-pitched, joyful chirp-squeal that defied her adult appearance, she launched herself at Ryu, tackling his massive leg in a surprisingly strong hug. "Wow! Big bird!" she chirped, looking up at him with sparkling eyes.
Ryu looked down at her, his glowing eyes softening slightly. He nudged her gently with his snout.
Raphtalia and Rifana, meanwhile, were still staring, slack-jawed.
"Master?" Raphtalia finally stammered, her voice filled with disbelief. "You... you came back... with a dragon?"
Rifana just nodded mutely, her eyes fixed on Ryu.
"Yeah," I said, walking fully up to them. I looked at the girls, their faces now a picture of awe rather than fear. Looked at Filo happily hugging a dragon's leg. Looked at Ryu, standing calmly beside me, a testament to impossible conversations and broken cycles.
"Looks like," I said, allowing a tired, genuine smile to touch my lips. "Our party just got an upgrade."
The Multiversal Pass could wait. The Cursed Series catalyst could wait. Right now, the task was simple: explain the giant, sad, formerly vengeful dragon standing in our training field. And maybe, just maybe, figure out what the next step in this beautifully chaotic, increasingly crowded life of the Shield Hero was going to be.