Just as the Six-Winged Dragonhawk was about to vanish into the horizon, and General Leon was considering using overwhelming force to stop it, a silver figure shot across the sky. Leon and Noah looked up to see Shirley in her elegant dragon form.
"Your Highness, Princess Noah, please leave the dragonhawk to me. You can both rest," Shirley said, her voice calm and steady.
"No, Shirley, let us handle this together," Noah interjected firmly. She glanced at her father with a small smile. "Some things need to be done personally to have meaning. Right, Dad?"
Leon chuckled, his heart swelling with pride at his daughter's words. "You are quick to learn, are not you?"
"Then please, climb onto my back," Shirley said. She adjusted her flight posture, tilting her body to the side to make it easier for them.
Shirley's dragon form was much smaller and more agile than Rossweise's majestic one. Leon jumped onto her back with ease, then turned and extended a hand to pull Noah up behind him.
"Hold on tight, Your Highness and Princess," Shirley warned. Then, with a powerful beat of her wings, she launched into the sky, accelerating with incredible speed.
The innate talent of the Silver Dragons for velocity was undeniable. In mere moments, Shirley had dramatically closed the vast distance between them and the fleeing Six-Winged Dragonhawk.
Air whipped past Leon's ears as he crouched low for stability, keeping one protective hand on Noah's back to ensure she kept her balance during the rapid, turbulent flight.
When they closed to within a hundred meters, Shirley unleashed a volley of fireballs. Each projectile left a burning trail in the air as they hurtled toward their target.
But the Six-Winged Dragonhawk was no ordinary beast. Sensing the attack, it performed a series of sharp, agile maneuvers, deftly dodging every fireball, and pushed itself to fly even faster.
While it was weaker in raw combat power, the dragonhawk was nearly unmatched in pure aerial speed, which allowed it to prolong the chase. Shirley tried several more times, but her fireballs always missed their mark.
"Shirley, your aim could use a little work," Leon couldn't resist teasing.
The young captain of the guard looked slightly embarrassed. "My apologies, Your Highness. I have been neglecting my target practice lately."
"Well then, watch closely. I will show you the art of precision aiming," Leon declared with confidence.
"I await your demonstration, Your Highness," Shirley replied, her voice tinged with amusement.
Leon raised his hand, lightning crackling to life in his palm as he carefully took aim. With a flick of his wrist, he launched a bolt of lightning—his Thunder Wolf Strike—straight at the dragonhawk.
It missed completely.
Leon frowned and tried again.
Another bolt of lightning shot out, and another miss.
"Tch..." he clicked his tongue in frustration.
Shirley could not help but stifle a laugh. "Your Highness, it seems your aim might also need a bit of improvement."
"Next time you do target practice, make sure you call me," Leon grumbled.
Noah chimed in, unable to resist joining the fun. "Dad, you were not this bad at the carnival's balloon-popping game when I was little."
"Sweetheart, let me teach you a saying," Leon retorted playfully. "'A hero does not brag about past glories.'"
To be fair, the Six-Winged Dragonhawk was an exceptionally difficult target. Its incredible speed and reflexes made it a challenge for even seasoned warriors like Leon and Shirley.
After several more failed attempts, Leon's frustration began to boil over. "I swear, I am plucking every last feather off that bird if it is the last thing I do!"
Finally, after more than ten minutes of relentless pursuit, Shirley managed to close the gap to a workable range. The dragonhawk was visibly tiring, while Shirley, a true dragon, still had energy to spare. The fundamental gap in strength and endurance between a danger beast and a dragon was becoming apparent.
"Dad, this distance should work now," Noah said, signaling for Leon to jump down.
Leon complied, landing securely on the ground below. Noah leaned in and whispered a plan into his ear.
"Are you sure? It is a bit risky," Leon asked, concerned for her safety.
"It might be a little dangerous," Noah admitted, a determined grin spreading across her face, "but it will look really cool."
"Cool like your old man, huh?" Leon's heart swelled with pride, and he tousled her hair. "Alright then. I will give you a boost."
Stepping back, Leon crouched slightly and interlocked his fingers to form a makeshift launch platform. Noah took a few calculated steps back, then sprinted toward him. She planted her foot perfectly into his hands, and Leon used all his strength to launch her high into the air.
Propelled by the boost, Noah soared above the dragonhawk. Her hand crackled with lightning magic as she charged her attack. Timing it perfectly, she unleashed her signature move, Thunder Wolf Breakthrough, using the recoil to adjust her trajectory and position herself directly over the beast.
"I have got you now!" Noah shouted.
She gathered a concentrated burst of lightning in both hands and plunged downward, slamming the attack directly into the dragonhawk's back. A deafening crack of thunder echoed across the sky. The beast let out a pained screech, its body convulsing as the electricity coursed through it, paralyzing its muscles.
The dragonhawk lost all control, its massive form wobbling violently before plummeting out of the sky and crashing into the ground below. Shirley swooped down gracefully, allowing Noah to leap safely back onto her back before she too landed.
Shirley shifted back into her human form as Leon dismounted, with Noah landing nimbly beside him. The trio approached the fallen dragonhawk with caution.
The beast was sprawled beneath a large tree, struggling weakly to stand. Noah's attack had not caused serious injury, but the powerful electric shock had temporarily paralyzed it, leaving it unable to fly.
The stolen dragonfruit tree lay nearby, the two precious fruits having rolled onto the grass. Leon walked over, picked them up, and turned to the dazed dragonhawk with a smirk.
"You greedy little thief. Learn your lesson, will you?"
The dragonhawk let out a low, guttural growl. But it was not a sound of defiance; it was softer, almost remorseful. The beast seemed to understand it had been beaten.
Leon was not a needlessly cruel man. The dragonhawk had stolen fruit, but it had not harmed anyone. Seeing it now, battered and subdued, was punishment enough.
"Let's go," he said, turning to Shirley and Noah.
Just as they were about to leave, a rustling sound came from the edge of the forest. Leon immediately stepped in front of Noah, his hand crackling with protective lightning magic.
From the trees emerged another dragonhawk. This one was smaller, with a faint, beautiful purple tint to the tips of its wings. It hurried to the side of the fallen one, using its own wings to shield and protect it. It then looked up at Shirley and let out a series of soft, pleading cries, as if begging for mercy.
Shirley looked to Leon, awaiting his command.
"Let it go," Leon said after a moment's consideration.
"Yes, Your Highness," Shirley replied, stepping back to show she meant no harm.
The smaller dragonhawk lowered its head repeatedly in what seemed like gratitude. It then turned and gently nudged its fallen companion, their calls to each other soft and full of clear affection and concern.
"Are they... communicating?" Noah asked, fascinated.
Leon nodded. "Yes. Super S-Class danger beasts like these possess high intelligence and can communicate with their own kind."
Shirley observed the smaller dragonhawk more closely. "Your Highness, this one appears to be female. Judging by her build and the particular sheen of her feathers, I believe she is... pregnant."
Leon's eyes widened in realization. "You are saying she is carrying eggs?"
Shirley nodded solemnly. "Yes, Your Highness. Likely several."
Leon sighed, looking down at the two dragonfruits in his hand. He was silent for a long moment, weighing his wife's cravings against the scene before him. Then, he stepped forward and placed one of the precious fruits gently on the ground in front of the two dragonhawks.
The creatures seemed to understand the gesture completely. Bowing their heads again and again in thanks, the female carefully picked up the fruit, and together, they retreated into the safety of the forest.
As Leon watched them disappear, he felt a small, warm hand slip into his. He looked down to see Noah holding onto him, her expression thoughtful.
"Dad?" she said softly.
"Yes, Noah?"
"All life is connected, is not it?"
Leon smiled, a deep warmth spreading in his chest. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "That is right."
After a peaceful moment, he added with a playful smirk, "But stealing is still wrong, you know."
"I get it," Noah replied with a grin. But then her expression turned mischievous. "But Dad... with only one fruit left, are you sure you will survive Mom's next tantrum?"
A visible chill ran down Leon's spine. The grim reality of his situation came crashing back.
"...I might have gotten a little carried away with the good deeds," he admitted, his earlier bravado completely gone.