Ryu took a deep breath, feeling the energy flowing throughout his entire body. Without hesitation, he leaped from the cliff's edge with full power.
WHOOOOSH!
His body soared high through the air—far higher than he had ever imagined possible.
Wind whipped against his face as he flew across the valley, his nonexistent shadow seeming to block out the sunlight below.
The sect members who were preparing for their ritual suddenly looked up, their eyes widening at the sight of a figure falling from the sky like a human meteor.
BOOOOOOM!
Ryu landed right in the center of their ritual circle with an explosion of dust and flying stones.
The ground beneath his feet cracked in a circle nearly three meters in diameter, showing just how tremendous the force of his landing had been.
"GOOD AFTERNOON, YOU SCUMBAGS!" Ryu shouted as he slowly rose from his crouched position, dust still swirling around him.
The sect members—about twenty people in black hoods—stepped back several paces with shocked faces.
However, their surprise lasted only briefly before turning into rage.
"INTRUDER!" shouted one of them who appeared to be the leader, a skull-carved staff in his hand gleaming with dark purple light.
"ALL OF YOU! KILL HIM BEFORE THE RITUAL IS COMPLETE!"
Ryu raised both hands in a peaceful gesture.
"Hey, hey, wait a minute," he said with a slight smile.
"How about we talk first? I just want to—"
"SHADOW LANCE!"
"DEATH BOLT!"
"CURSE OF AGONY!"
Dozens of magic staffs were raised simultaneously, unleashing various deadly magical projectiles.
Shadow spears, black energy orbs, and curse-filled purple beams shot toward Ryu at lightning speed.
"AH, DAMN IT!" Ryu cursed as he immediately rolled to the side.
BOOOOM! CRASH! HISSSSS!
The spot where he had been standing was completely destroyed, the ground melting from acidic magic, and the grass around it withering instantly.
"Okay, looks like there's no room for negotiation!" Ryu shouted as he drew the Whip of Dominion from his waist.
CIIIIING!
The golden whip gleamed brightly as it was exposed to sunlight, its golden cord moving on its own like a living snake.
Mystical energy flowed from its handle throughout Ryu's entire body, making his eyes shine with a golden color.
"TRAINING ACCELERATION!" he yelled while activating his first ability.
Suddenly the world around him became slow. Ryu could see every movement of the sect wizards in extraordinary detail—the way they moved their staffs, the shape of the magic they were preparing, even the shocked expressions on their faces hidden beneath their hoods.
"You want to play with magic?" Ryu muttered with a wide grin.
"I'll show you what real physical power looks like!"
CRACK!
The first whip strike lashed toward three wizards on his left side. With its mystical ability, the whip extended itself to nearly twenty meters, its tip moving like a giant snake stalking its prey.
WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!
The three wizards were sent flying backward with cracked ribs, their magic staffs shattered to pieces.
"IMPOSSIBLE!" screamed the sect leader.
"AN ORDINARY HUMAN COULDN'T POSSIBLY—"
"Who said I was ordinary?" Ryu interrupted as he leaped high into the air.
From above, he swung his whip in a large circular motion.
The whip moved in a circle at supernatural speed, creating a mini tornado that sucked up leaves and dust.
The sect members still standing were immediately drawn into the wind vortex.
WUUUUSSSHHH!
"AAAHHHHH!" they screamed as they spun through the air before finally being thrown in various directions with tremendous force.
Ryu landed gracefully, his whip still swaying in his hand. He glanced around—of the twenty sect members, only five were still able to stand, including their leader.
"Want to continue?" Ryu asked while casually spinning his whip.
"Or do you want to retreat and release that Beast Maiden?"
The sect leader's eyes blazed with burning fury.
"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THE SECT OF ETERNAL DARKNESS!" he screamed while raising his staff high.
"SUMMON: SHADOW DEMON!"
The ground in front of him cracked and emitted thick black smoke. From that fissure emerged a large demon figure three meters tall with blackened skin, glowing red eyes, and gleaming sharp claws.
"GROAAAAAARRRRR!" The demon's roar made the surrounding trees sway.
[SHADOW DEMON - LEVEL 99]
[STRENGTH: A | SPEED: B | DEFENSE: A]
[SPECIAL ABILITIES: Shadow Manipulation, Fear Aura]
[WARNING: Dangerous enemy!]
The system warning panel appeared before Ryu, but instead of being afraid, he smiled widely.
"Now this is getting interesting," he muttered while gripping his whip tighter.
"Let's see how strong this prime body really is!"
The Shadow Demon immediately attacked with surprising speed, its giant claws streaking toward Ryu's chest.
However, with Training Acceleration still active, Ryu could see the attack coming from far away.
He leaped to the side while swinging his whip toward the demon's legs.
CRACK! SPARK!
The whip struck the demon's leg with a golden lightning explosion. The creature staggered but didn't fall—its skin was too thick.
"A-level defense is no joke," Ryu muttered.
"But..."
He stepped back several paces while spinning his whip with increasingly faster movements.
"BEAST CALM!"
A calming energy wave spread from the whip, but the shadow demon was unaffected—high-level creatures were more resistant to psychological abilities.
"In that case..." Ryu stopped his whip's rotation and took a different stance.
"COMBAT SUPPORT!"
This time golden energy flowed throughout his entire body, increasing his physical strength to an almost impossible level.
The Shadow Demon attacked again, this time with both claws simultaneously. Ryu didn't dodge—instead he charged forward while swinging his whip with full force.
BOOOOOOM!
The collision between whip and demon claws created a shockwave that cracked the ground around them.
Strong winds blew in all directions, and even the remaining sect members were knocked backward.
Surprisingly, the shadow demon stepped back three paces—while Ryu only stepped back one!
"Even though all these abilities were dedicated for Beast Maidens, I can still use them!"
"GROOOOAAARRR!" the demon roared angrily while preparing a magic attack.
"SHADOW SPEARS!"
Dozens of shadow spears appeared in the air and shot toward Ryu at lightning speed.
But Ryu was ready. He moved his whip with techniques he had learned from years of training circus animals—movements that were precise, fast, and efficient.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
His whip's tip moved at supernatural speed, destroying every incoming shadow spear.
Sparks of golden and black light collided in the air like deadly fireworks.
"Now it's my turn!" Ryu shouted.
He ran toward the demon while his whip transformed to become longer—reaching its maximum length of fifty meters.
The whip moved like a giant snake attacking, its tip weaving through the air in unpredictable patterns.
The Shadow Demon tried to parry with its claws, but the whip kept changing direction at the last second.
WHAP!
The whip's tip finally struck the demon's neck with surgical precision. The golden energy from Combat Support exploded at the point of contact, creating a blinding flash of light.
"GROOOAAAAAARRRRR—"
The demon's roar was cut off as the massive creature fell backward with a thunderous sound. Its body began emitting black smoke and slowly disappeared, returning to its original dimension.
The sect leader stared in horror as his strongest summon was defeated with just a few whip strikes.
"No... impossible..." he whispered while stepping back.
"You... you're not an ordinary human! You must be one of the legendary Beast Maiden Trainers!"
Ryu walked closer while coiling his whip back around himself, his gaze cold as ice.
"Beast Maiden Trainer?" he smiled slightly.
"Maybe. But what's certain..."
He stopped right in front of the trembling sect leader.
"I am the worst nightmare for those who torture Beast Maidens."
Without warning, Ryu swung his fist toward the sect leader's face.
THUD!
One punch, and the man immediately passed out with a bleeding nose.
The four remaining sect members immediately dropped their staffs and ran helter-skelter into the forest, leaving their unconscious leader behind.
Ryu exhaled a long breath while looking at the destruction around him. The ground was cracked, trees had fallen, and traces of magic explosions were still smoking.
"First battle in the new world..." he muttered while smiling.
"Not bad for a warm-up."
He then turned toward the stone altar where the Beast Maiden was still bound, her golden eyes filled with fear and confusion.
Time for the real meeting.
Ryu approached the stone altar with careful steps. On the altar carved with ancient symbols, a large dragon with golden-silver scales lay bound by black chains inscribed with dark runes.
The dragon's large golden eyes stared at him with a mixture of deep fear and anger.
Small wounds were visible on several parts of her body, showing that the sect members had tortured her before beginning the ritual.
"Hey... it's okay," Ryu whispered in the gentlest tone possible while raising both hands to show he meant no harm.
"I'm here to help you."
He began examining the chains binding the dragon. The chains were filled with restraining magic that prevented the dragon from using her full power.
"Magic sealing chains," Ryu muttered while touching one of the chain links until his system provided that information.
"No wonder she couldn't escape on her own."
Ryu drew his whip and carefully began cutting the chains one by one.
Every time the golden whip touched a chain, purple sparks appeared—a sign that dark magic was being fought by positive energy from the Whip of Dominion.
CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!
One by one, the chains broke and fell to the ground with rumbling sounds.
But when the last chain broke...
ROOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRR!
The dragon immediately rose with an ear-splitting roar. Her golden eyes blazed with burning fury, and for a moment Ryu thought he had made a terrible mistake.
But the dragon didn't attack Ryu. Instead, she flew high into the air at incredible speed, chasing the sect members who were fleeing into the forest.
"Wait!" Ryu shouted, but it was too late.
ROOOOOAAAAARRRRR!
The dragon's roar echoed throughout the entire forest, followed by panicked screams from the fleeing sect members.
Flashes of golden fire were visible among the trees, and explosion sounds resonated from various directions.
In less than five minutes, silence returned to blanket the forest.
Ryu swallowed hard. "Looks like... they won't be bothering other Beast Maidens again."
The golden dragon then flew back and landed before Ryu with a thunderous sound. The ground beneath her feet cracked from her incredible weight.
Now her gaze was directed straight at Ryu.
Those large golden eyes stared at Ryu with an intensity that made his hair stand on end. Then, the dragon raised her head high and...
ROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRR!
A roar far more tremendous than before came from her mouth, creating a sound wave that made tree leaves fall and the ground shake violently. Ryu even had to cover his ears because of its intensity.
For a moment, panic began to emerge within him. A dragon this size could easily eat him in one bite!
But then, years of experience as a circus animal trainer took over.
"Stay calm," Ryu whispered to himself while taking a deep breath.
"She's not an ordinary wild animal. She's a Beast Maiden—a creature that's intelligent and has feelings."
Ryu stepped forward one step, not backward. His movement was slow and non-threatening.
"Hey," he said in a calm but firm voice—the same tone he always used when calming stressed circus animals.
"I know you're angry. I know you're hurt."
The dragon stopped roaring, her eyes still watching Ryu warily.
"But I'm not your enemy," Ryu continued while slowly extending his hand.
"Those who hurt you are gone now. You're safe now."
The dragon's eyes blinked several times, as if processing Ryu's words.
"You must be lonely, right?" Ryu smiled slightly.
"How long have you been captured by them?"
"How long has it been since you felt kindness from someone?"
A low rumbling sound came from the dragon's throat—not an angry roar, but something that sounded like... sadness?
Ryu activated the Beast Calm ability from his whip, but this time not to force the dragon to be calm, but to send a calming and warm energy wave.
The dragon's eyes slowly began to lose their flash of anger. Her panting breath began to slow.
"That's it," Ryu murmured gently.
"No one will hurt you anymore. I promise."
The dragon lowered her head to Ryu's height, her golden eyes now looking tired and full of complex emotions.
"May I... touch you?" Ryu asked while slowly moving his hand toward the dragon's snout.
For several seconds, the dragon was silent. Then, slowly, she brought her snout closer to Ryu's palm.
When Ryu's skin touched the dragon's golden scales, something extraordinary happened.
Warm golden light began enveloping the dragon's body, and slowly, her form began to shrink and change.
Her scales transformed into smooth white skin, her claws became human hands and feet, and small horns remained on her head.
In about one minute, a giant dragon had transformed into a beautiful girl that shocked Ryu so much he fell backward before her.
"S-So it really is a beautiful girl!?"
The girl had long golden hair that shimmered like silk, large expressive golden eyes, and large horns protruding from her head.
A small dragon tail was still visible behind her, and on several parts of her body were still golden scales that gleamed like jewelry.
What made her even more captivating was that she was... naked.
"UWAAAAH!" Ryu immediately turned his back to her while covering his eyes with both hands.
His face turned bright red. "S-sorry! I didn't know you would turn into..."
The sound of soft sobbing came from behind him.
"Hic... hic..."
Ryu glanced back slightly—only to see that the girl was crying while hugging her knees. Her body was trembling, perhaps from cold or the trauma she had just experienced.
Compassion immediately overcame his embarrassment. Ryu took off the jacket he was wearing and quickly wrapped it around the girl without looking.
"Here," he said while still facing away from her.
"Wear this for now."
The girl was quiet for a moment, then a soft voice was heard.
"Th... thank you..." she whispered in a hoarse voice.
After a while, the girl's voice was heard again.
"I... I'm ready..."
Ryu slowly turned around and saw the girl now wearing his oversized jacket.
Her golden eyes were still teary, but her gaze no longer held fear—instead, deep gratitude.
"What... what's your name?" the girl asked in a voice as soft as silver bells.
"Ryuunosuke Ryu," Ryu answered with a warm smile.
"But just call me Ryu. And you?"
The girl was quiet for a moment, as if trying to remember.
"I... I'm Aurellia," she said finally.
"One of the Dragon Maidens living in hiding from those Sect hunters."
[SYSTEM ACTIVATION!]
[Beast Maiden identified: AURELLIA]
[Species: Golden Dragon Maiden - LEGENDARY TIER]
[Level: 45]
[Abilities: Fire Magic (S), Physical Combat (A), Flight (S), Dragon Transformation (SS)]
[Mental Status: Traumatized but beginning to recover]
[Compatibility with Host: 95% - PERFECT MATCH!]
[Would you like to form a Beast Bond with Aurellia?]
[YES / NO]
Ryu read the system panel with widened eyes. A Legendary Tier Dragon Maiden? And 95% compatibility?
But he didn't answer immediately. Instead, he knelt before Aurellia until their eyes were level.
"Aurellia," he said gently.
"I know this might be too soon, and I know you've just experienced something terrible."
"But... would you like to be my partner?"
Aurellia's golden eyes looked at him with confusion.
"Partner?"
"Beast Maiden and Trainer," Ryu explained.
"I'll train you to become stronger, protect you, and... become family for you. If you want."
Aurellia remained silent for quite a while, her eyes tracing Ryu's face as if searching for signs of lies or bad intentions.
But all she found was sincerity and warmth that she hadn't felt in a long time.
"Will you... will you really protect me?" she whispered.
"With my life," Ryu answered without hesitation.
Tears flowed down Aurellia's cheeks again, but this time not from sadness.
"Then... I want to become your Beast Maiden, Ryu."
[BEAST BOND FORMED!]
[Aurellia is now permanently bonded with Ryuunosuke Ryu!]
[New ability unlocked: Dragon's Blessing - All Ryu's statistics increase 50% when with Aurellia]
[Beast Maidens Bonded: 1/5]
[EXP Gained: 500]
[Congratulations! You have obtained your first Legendary Beast Maiden!]
[You can do anything to her from now on!]
"What the hell was that..." Ryu thought to himself.
Ryu smiled widely while extending his hand.
"Well then, welcome to the team, partner."
Aurellia looked at that hand for a moment, then carefully grasped it.
When their hands met, gentle golden light enveloped them both—a sign that the Beast Bond had been officially formed.
Ryu's adventure in the world of Beastoria had just begun.