After the Beast Bond was formed, an awkward silence enveloped them both.
Ryu was still mesmerized by the continuous stream of information appearing on his system panel, while Aurellia sat nervously, pulling her jacket tighter around her body.
GROOOOOWWWWLLLL...
A loud rumbling echoed between them.
Both pairs of eyes stared at each other in confusion before finally realizing that the sound came from Aurellia's growling stomach.
"A-ah..." Aurellia's face immediately turned bright red.
"S-sorry... I... haven't eaten for three days..."
GROOOOWWWWLLL...
This time it was Ryu's stomach's turn to rumble, making the situation even more awkward.
"Haha..." Ryu scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile.
"Looks like we're both in the same boat."
He stood up and looked around the forest that had been damaged from their earlier battle. The sun was beginning to lean westward, indicating it was already evening.
"Let's go find some food," Ryu suggested, extending his hand to help Aurellia stand.
"There's no way we can continue our journey on empty stomachs."
As Aurellia accepted his outstretched hand, the system panel reappeared before Ryu with more detailed information:
[AURELLIA - GOLDEN DRAGON MAIDEN]
[PHYSICAL STATUS:]
HP: 2,847/3,200 (89% - Minor injuries from torture)
MP: 1,205/4,800 (25% - Extreme fatigue)
Stamina: 156/2,400 (7% - Starvation and exhaustion)
Condition: Mild Dehydration, Malnutrition, Psychological Trauma
[BASIC STATISTICS:]
Strength: 820 (A-Rank)
Agility: 1089 (S-Rank)
Intelligence: 867 (A-Rank)
Magic Power: 1021 (S-Rank)
Endurance: 845 (A-Rank)
Charm: 1255 (SS-Rank)
Ryu stroked his chin as he analyzed the point distribution of each stat along with their corresponding ranks.
"So Aurellia already has pretty decent stats, clearly evidenced by the ranks shown next to each number."
"Hmm... I see... Every 200 points in a stat seems to raise its rank by one level."
"And the maximum stat appears to be at 1600 points, which would make it Master Rank..."
Ryu continued his deeper analysis of Aurellia's information after learning this important detail about Beast Maiden status systems.
[SPECIAL ABILITIES:]
Dragon Fire Breath - Unleashes golden flames at 3000°C
Golden Scale Armor - Physical and magical defense increased by 300%
Dragon Transformation - Transform into a full dragon
Flight Magic - Fly at maximum speed of 200 km/hour
Treasure Sense - Detect precious metals and valuable items within 5 km radius
"Special abilities seem to be magic at a different tier, though I saw earlier that she has quite good mastery over fire magic."
[FOOD PREFERENCES:]
Grilled red meat (Favorite)
Freshwater fish
Sweet fruits
STRONGLY DISLIKES: Green vegetables
[CURRENT WEAKNESSES:]
Magic attacks reduced by 75% due to fatigue
Flight speed reduced by 60%
Mood swings due to trauma
Requires 8-10 portions of food for full recovery
[SPECIAL NOTES:] Dragon Maidens have metabolism 3x faster than normal humans. Aurellia needs high-calorie foods to restore her physical and mental condition.
"Wow..." Ryu muttered to himself as he read through this information.
"She's really in a pitiful state."
"And... 8-10 portions of food? That's almost like feeding an actual dragon!"
"What's wrong, Ryu?" Aurellia asked softly when she noticed Ryu staring blankly into empty space.
"Ah, it's nothing," Ryu smiled while gently patting her shoulder.
"Come on, let's go. Do you know any good places for hunting or finding food in this forest?"
Aurellia nodded while pointing eastward.
"There's a small river about a kilometer from here. Usually lots of wild animals come to drink there during evening hours like this."
"Perfect!" Ryu exclaimed as he began walking.
"We can look for fish in the river, and maybe hunt some animals for meat."
They started walking side by side into the dense forest. Ryu occasionally glanced sideways, noticing how Aurellia walked with a slight stagger due to exhaustion.
[SYSTEM WARNING: Beast Maiden condition declining!]
[Aurellia's Stamina: 156 → 142]
[Recommended to rest or provide food within 30 minutes]
"Aurellia," Ryu called out while stopping in his tracks.
"Are you alright? If you're tired, we can rest for a bit."
"I'm... I'm fine," Aurellia replied while trying to smile, but Ryu could see the cold sweat on her forehead.
"Don't push yourself," Ryu said firmly yet gently.
"Get on my back."
"Eh? I-I can't! I'm too heavy for—"
"Get on," Ryu interrupted while crouching in front of her.
"I'm much stronger than I look, trust me."
Hesitantly, Aurellia climbed onto Ryu's back. As her arms wrapped around his neck, the system panel reappeared:
[DRAGON'S BLESSING ACTIVATED!]
[All of Ryu's statistics increased by 50% during physical contact with Aurellia!]
[Stamina Bonus: +500]
[Strength Bonus: +150]
[Agility Bonus: +120]
Ryu felt waves of energy flowing throughout his body. Aurellia's body weight, which had felt normal before, now felt like carrying an empty backpack.
"Whoa!" he couldn't hide his amazement.
"This... this is incredible!"
"What's wrong?" Aurellia asked while tightening her embrace, worried she might fall.
"Nothing, just... you're not as heavy as I thought," Ryu replied as he began running at a surprising speed.
Trees rushed past them on both sides. Ryu leaped over large roots, rocks, and undergrowth with extraordinary agility.
The evening breeze hit their faces, making Aurellia's golden hair flutter beautifully.
"Ryu!" Aurellia called out in a tone mixed with amazement and worry.
"You're moving too fast! What if—"
"Trust me," Ryu interrupted while easily jumping over a small ravine.
"I won't let anything happen to you."
[AURELLIA'S TRUST LEVEL: 45% → 52%]
[MOOD: Worried → Excited]
After running for ten minutes, they arrived at the edge of a clear river. The sound of babbling water and chirping birds created a peaceful atmosphere, contrasting with the destruction at the ritual site earlier.
Ryu carefully set Aurellia down, and the dragon girl immediately sat on a large rock while catching her breath.
"You... you're not an ordinary human, are you, Ryu?" she asked with sparkling eyes.
"Hm, let's just say I have a few special abilities," Ryu replied with a mysterious smile.
"But what's important right now is food. Wait here, I'll catch some fish."
Ryu removed his shoes and dipped his feet into the cold river water. With his Training Acceleration ability still enhanced thanks to Dragon's Blessing, he could see the fish movements in extraordinary detail.
"There are several large trout over there," he muttered while rolling up his sleeves.
"And it looks like... ah, there's salmon too!"
With lightning-fast movement, Ryu plunged his hands into the water and successfully caught a trout weighing almost two kilograms with just his bare hands.
"Got one!" he shouted while lifting the still-struggling fish.
Aurellia's eyes widened seeing Ryu's speed and precision.
"Amazing..." she whispered.
"Even a Dragon Maiden like me would need more time to catch a fish that big."
[AURELLIA'S ADMIRATION +15]
[TRUST LEVEL: 52% → 61%]
Within half an hour, Ryu had successfully caught five large fish and three medium-sized ones. He also found several freshwater mussels and fairly large river shrimp.
"Great haul!" Ryu said while arranging his catch on large banana leaves.
"Now we just need to find firewood and..."
Aurellia suddenly stood up and raised her hand.
"For that, let me help," she said while directing her palm toward the scattered dry wood.
"Dragon Fire... Gentle Heat!"
Controlled golden flames emerged from her palm—not like the devastating dragon's breath from earlier, but warm, perfect flames for cooking.
[AURELLIA USES ABILITY: Dragon Fire (Controlled)]
[MP: 1,205 → 1,185] [MOOD: Helpful]
"Wow!" Ryu applauded. "You can control fire with such precision? That'll be incredibly helpful!"
Aurellia's cheeks reddened slightly hearing the praise.
"I-it's nothing much... A Dragon Maiden like me should be able to do things far more impressive than this..."
"Hey," Ryu approached and gently patted her head.
"You just survived torture and were almost made a ritual sacrifice."
"The fact that you can still use magic with such fine control is already extraordinary."
[AURELLIA'S CONFIDENCE +10]
[SELF-ESTEEM: Low → Slightly Low]
[TRUST LEVEL: 61% → 68%]
They worked together preparing the food. Ryu cleaned the fish with just his hands, while Aurellia managed the fire and searched for natural seasonings like aromatic leaves growing around the river.
"Ryu," Aurellia called while sitting beside him as the fish began to grill.
"May I... ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Why did you want to help me?" she asked with a gentle voice.
"I mean... you didn't even know me before. And fighting an entire sect just to save a Beast Maiden you didn't know..."
Ryu fell silent for a moment while flipping the fish being grilled.
"Because it was the right thing to do," he finally answered.
"And... because I couldn't let an innocent being suffer."
"Just that?" Aurellia asked again, her eyes staring at Ryu intensely.
"And also..." Ryu smiled while gazing at the fire.
"Because I felt we could become a great team. You're strong, smart, and have a good heart. Who wouldn't want a partner like that?"
[AURELLIA'S TRUST LEVEL: 68% → 78%]
[EMOTIONAL BOND DEEPENING...]
[COMPATIBILITY: 95% → 97%]
Aurellia's face reddened as she lowered her head.
"Thank you, Ryu... It's been so long since I heard anything good about myself."
"From now on you'll hear it every day," Ryu said firmly.
"Because it's the truth."
They continued cooking in a warmer atmosphere. The aroma of grilled fish began to spread, making both their stomachs growl even more.
[AURELLIA'S HUNGER LEVEL: CRITICAL]
[STAMINA: 142 → 128]
[MOOD: Increasingly Irritable due to Hunger]
"Almost done," Ryu muttered while checking the largest fish.
"In just a moment we can—"
"Ryu..." Aurellia's voice suddenly became weak.
When Ryu turned, he saw the dragon girl swaying and almost falling from the rock she was sitting on.
"Aurellia!" Ryu immediately caught her before she fell.
"Hey, hang in there! The food's almost ready!"
"I-I'm... dizzy..." she whispered with labored breathing.
[SYSTEM WARNING: AURELLIA IN CRITICAL CONDITION!]
[STAMINA: 128 → 95] [BLOOD SUGAR: VERY LOW]
[IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED OR BEAST MAIDEN WILL FAINT]
"Damn!" Ryu cursed while grabbing the half-cooked fish.
"Aurellia, eat this first, even though it's not fully cooked!"
But Aurellia's hands were too weak to take the food.
Without hesitation, Ryu immediately tore off the somewhat-cooked fish meat and fed it directly to Aurellia's mouth.
"Come on, eat just a little," he whispered worriedly.
Aurellia slowly chewed the fish meat, and after a few bites, color began to return to her pale cheeks.
[AURELLIA'S CONDITION STABILIZING...]
[STAMINA: 95 → 156]
[BLOOD SUGAR: Critical → Low]
"Better?" Ryu asked while continuing to feed her fish.
Aurellia nodded weakly while continuing to eat. After finishing almost half the large fish, she could finally sit upright by herself.
"Sorry for troubling you," she whispered embarrassedly.
"Don't say that," Ryu said while giving her perfectly cooked fish.
"You need energy to recover. Eat as much as you want."
And Aurellia truly ate as much as she wanted.
Ryu was amazed watching a beautiful girl like Aurellia devour three large fish, two medium fish, all the mussels, and half the shrimp at an impressive speed.
[AURELLIA'S STATUS UPDATE:]
[HP: 2,847 → 3,100]
[STAMINA: 156 → 1,200]
[MP: 1,185 → 2,800]
[MOOD: Satisfied → Happy]
[CONDITION: Recovering rapidly]
"Ahh..." Aurellia breathed out a satisfied fiery sigh while patting her slightly swollen belly.
"I forgot how good it feels to eat until full..."
Ryu smiled seeing the dramatic change in Aurellia's expression and energy.
"You look much better now," he said while finishing his own portion.
"I feel much better!" Aurellia exclaimed while standing and stretching her body.
"It feels like coming back to life!"
[DRAGON'S BLESSING UPGRADE!]
[Because Aurellia is in optimal condition, statistical bonuses increased!]
[All of Ryu's statistics now increased by 75% when with Aurellia!]
Ryu felt a stronger wave of energy flowing through his body.
"And I feel stronger too," he muttered while clenching his fist and feeling the power flowing through him.
"Really?" Aurellia approached with sparkling eyes.
"That might be the effect of our Beast Bond! Dragon Maidens are known for granting strength blessings to their partners!"
[AURELLIA'S KNOWLEDGE SHARING ACTIVATED]
[NEW INFORMATION UNLOCKED: Beast Bond Effects]
"Beast Bond?" Ryu asked while pretending not to know.
"Yes!" Aurellia sat beside him enthusiastically.
"Beast Bond isn't just an ordinary contract bond. It's a deep spiritual connection between Beast Maiden and Trainer!"
She raised her hand, showing a thin golden light ring circling her ring finger.
"Look at this. This is the Bond mark that formed earlier. And you must have the same one, right?"
Ryu looked at his own hand and sure enough, the same golden light ring circled his ring finger.
"Wait, since when...!?" he thought to himself.
"And the effect isn't just strength enhancement," Aurellia continued enthusiastically.
"We can also sense each other's condition and emotions within a certain distance, share abilities in certain situations, and..."
Her face suddenly reddened.
"A-and what?" Ryu asked curiously.
"A-and the Bond will grow stronger along with... our emotional closeness," she whispered while lowering her head shyly.
[SYSTEM INFORMATION: BEAST BOND DEVELOPMENT]
[Current Level: Basic Bond (Level 1)]
[To Upgrade to Intermediate Bond: Trust Level 85% + Emotional Intimacy]
[Current Statistical Bonus: 75%]
[Advanced Bond Statistical Bonus: 150%]
[Perfect Bond Statistical Bonus: 300%]
"Emotional closeness..." Ryu repeated while gazing at Aurellia who was still shyly looking down.
Without realizing it, he raised his hand and gently stroked Aurellia's golden hair.
"Then we'll make our Bond as strong as possible," he said in a warm voice.
[AURELLIA'S TRUST LEVEL: 78% → 82%]
[INTIMACY LEVEL: 15% → 25%]
[MOOD: Embarrassed but Happy]
"R-Ryu..." Aurellia whispered while looking at him with teary eyes.
"I... I promise I'll become the best Beast Maiden for you. I'll protect you like you protected me."
"We'll protect each other," Ryu corrected with a smile. "As partners."
The sun began to set on the western horizon, painting the sky with gradations of orange and purple.
The sound of crickets began responding to each other, and the cool night air began to descend.
"We need to find a place to spend the night," Ryu said while getting up and extinguishing the fire.
"The forest can be dangerous at night."
"There's a small cave not far from here," Aurellia said while pointing toward a small hill across the river.
"I once hid there before being captured by that sect."
"A safe cave?"
"Very safe. There's even a small spring inside."
[QUEST UPDATE: FIND SHELTER FOR THE NIGHT]
[LOCATION: CAVE ACROSS THE RIVER]
[ESTIMATED DISTANCE: 800 meters]
[DIFFICULTY: Easy]
"Then let's go there," Ryu said while cleaning up the food remains and extinguishing the fire completely.
They crossed the river easily—Aurellia flew briefly while carrying Ryu, a demonstration of flying ability that made Ryu's heart race from the sensation he was experiencing for the first time.
"How did your first flight feel?" Aurellia asked with a mischievous smile as they landed on the other side.
"Amazing!" Ryu answered with sparkling eyes. "And a little scary too."
[AURELLIA'S PRIDE +5]
[MOOD: Proud and Happy]
The cave Aurellia mentioned turned out to be quite comfortable—not too deep, but spacious enough for two people, with a ceiling high enough and good ventilation.
The small spring in the corner of the cave provided a soothing trickling sound.
"Nice place," Ryu praised while checking the inside of the cave to make sure no wild animals were nesting there.
"I once lived here for a week after escaping from other Beast Maiden hunters," Aurellia told while sitting on a flat rock that looked like a natural bed.
"This place is very hidden."
Ryu suddenly realized something and began calling up his system to check an access he hadn't tried yet.
[INVENTORY - UNLOCKED]
Inside it was only a small bag containing survival equipment for him to survive, until he directly pressed the screen causing the bag to appear on his back.
Aurellia couldn't see it at all, but she realized that Ryu had just summoned something she thought must be one of his magical abilities.
Ryu took out several items from his small bag—a thin blanket, torches, and some basic survival equipment.
"Lucky I always carry emergency supplies," he said while lighting a torch and sticking it in a crack in the cave wall.
[AURELLIA'S STATUS - EVENING UPDATE:]
[HP: 3,100/3,200 (97%)]
[MP: 2,800/4,800 (58%)]
[STAMINA: 1,200/2,400 (50%)]
[MOOD: Content and Secure]
[TRUST LEVEL: 82%]
[CONDITION: Healthy and Recovering]
The torchlight danced on the cave walls, creating warm shadows and an intimate atmosphere.
Aurellia removed Ryu's jacket and returned it, revealing that underneath she now wore clothing made from her own golden scales that had transformed into a simple dress.
"Practical ability," Ryu commented while accepting his jacket back.
"One of the advantages of being a Dragon Maiden," Aurellia replied with a smile.
"Our scales can transform into basic clothing when needed."
They sat side by side on the flat rock, enjoying the warmth of the torch and the soothing sound of trickling water.
"Ryu," Aurellia called softly after several moments of comfortable silence.
"Yes?"
"Thank you... for everything today. For saving me, caring for me, and... treating me like someone valuable."
She lowered her head and continued in an almost whispered voice.
"It's been years since I felt kindness from anyone."
"Everyone only sees me as a monster to be avoided or a Beast Maiden to be captured and exploited."
[AURELLIA'S EMOTIONAL STATE: VULNERABLE]
[OPENING UP ABOUT PAST TRAUMA]
[TRUST LEVEL: 82% → 89%]
Ryu looked at her with understanding eyes.
"And now?" he asked gently.
Aurellia raised her face, her golden eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
"Now I feel... like having a home again. Like having a family."
Without hesitation, Ryu wrapped his arm around Aurellia's shoulders and pulled her closer.
"Because you do have a family now," he said in a voice that was firm yet warm.
"I am your family, and you are mine."
[BEAST BOND LEVEL UP!]
[BASIC BOND → INTERMEDIATE BOND]
[TRUST LEVEL: 89% → 95%]
[INTIMACY LEVEL: 25% → 45%]
[NEW ABILITIES UNLOCKED:]
Emotional Link: Can sense partner's emotions within 1 km radius
Shared Senses: Can share sight/hearing when needed
Emergency Teleportation: Can teleport to partner's location when in danger
[DRAGON'S BLESSING ENHANCED!]
[Statistical Bonus: 75% → 125%]
A gentle golden light enveloped them both briefly, indicating that their Bond had developed to a higher level.
"I can feel it," Aurellia whispered with eyes widened in amazement.
"I can feel the warmth of your heart... the sincerity of your feelings..."
"And I can feel how heavy the burden you've been carrying alone all this time," Ryu replied while tightening his embrace.
"But now you're not alone anymore."
Tears finally flowed down Aurellia's cheeks—not from sadness, but from extraordinary relief and happiness.
"I promise," she whispered while leaning against Ryu's chest.
"I will become strong. I will protect you and help you achieve whatever you want."
[AURELLIA'S LOYALTY: ABSOLUTE]
[DEVOTION LEVEL: MAXIMUM]
[BOND STABILITY: UNBREAKABLE]
The night grew later, and the exhaustion of the long day began to approach them.
Ryu arranged the thin blanket for them to share, while Aurellia curled up beside him with her head resting on his shoulder.
"Tomorrow we'll begin the real journey," Ryu murmured while gazing at the moonlight streaming through the cave entrance.
"Where will we go?" Aurellia asked drowsily.
"To find other Beast Maidens who need our help."
"Build a strong team."
"And... learn more about this world."
[QUEST SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
[MAIN QUEST: Gather 5 Beast Maidens for ultimate team]
[PROGRESS: 1/5 (Aurellia - Golden Dragon Maiden)]
[SUB QUEST: Develop Beast Bond with Aurellia]
[PROGRESS: Intermediate Bond achieved ✓]
[NEXT MILESTONE: Advanced Bond]
"Whatever the goal, I'll follow you," Aurellia whispered while closing her eyes.
Ryu smiled while stroking her soft golden hair.
"Good night, partner."
"Good night... Ryu."