Limitless Evolution: I’m The New Dragon God?

Afterward, finding a brief moment to slip away from Venus' group, Ryuzen made his way toward the little girl he had been quietly watching since the inspection. Runa.

She was standing near one of the supply tents, chatting with a girl at least a head taller than her. The taller girl had dark reddish-brown hair tied up in a loose ponytail, a pair of crystal earrings dangling with each nod of her head. Runa giggled at something she said, her tiny fingers clutching a pouch of dried fruit.

Ryuzen approached with an easy gait, hands in his pockets, his tone casual but faintly teasing.

"Hey, little girl. You look kinda alone," he said, pretending to glance around. "What's your name?"

He couldn't risk being recognized outright. Not here, not yet. Not in front of civilians. And especially not as the Frost Dragon.

So, he played dumb— like just another survivor trying to mingle.

Runa blinked, slightly confused. But before she could open her mouth, the taller girl beside her stepped forward, eyes lighting up the moment she got a proper look at him.

Her reaction was instant.

"Oh! Aren't you the Fire Salamander from the Second Blood Legion?" she gasped, her voice rising a little. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Ryuzen's left brow twitched.

Fire Salamander...?

Looks like people already giving him nicknames. Still, he gave a forced smiled.

The girl straightened her posture with an excited smile. "My name's Aruna. And this is little Runa. She is alone, like guessed. She told me she had no family left with her. But we kind of bonded because our names are similar. It's cute, right?"

She chuckled, placing a protective hand on Runa's shoulder like a proud older sister.

Ryuzen glanced at Runa, who gave him a shy wave and an almost guilty smile, as if silently saying, "sorry, she talks a lot."

He nodded back, lips tugging into the faintest grin. Maybe this girl was just the talkative type.

Or maybe... normal people were just like this.

Still, it was good know that Runa had a friend.

"I see. You two stick together, then," Ryuzen said, glancing at both girls. "This place can get messy real quick."

Aruna smiled brightly. "Of course! I'll protect her no matter what!"

Then she leaned closer and whispered, "But don't tell anyone I said this, okay? Runa... she's kind of special."

"I know," he said softly, mostly to himself.

He looked down at Runa again. Her large ember eyes met his, glowing softly with innocence and a quiet curiosity that felt far too deep for someone her age. Something in that gaze stirred something inside him — a flicker of warmth, of recognition, like a long-lost memory trying to claw its way back.

Runa tilted her head, her golden hair swaying gently with the breeze.

"You seem very familiar, Fire Salamander. Have I seen you before?"

Ryuzen let out a helpless sigh,

"First of all, the name's Ryuzen. So stop calling me by that weird nickname. And as for seeing me... well, I guess you could've caught a glimpse during the competition. Where else?"

But Runa frowned and shook her head slowly.

"But I didn't watch the competition. I wasn't even near the arena... It's really odd, though. I feel like I've met you before."

Ryuzen blinked, surprised. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out right away. Her words pierced deeper than he expected.

"She doesn't remember... Of course she doesn't."

He cleared his throat and forced a shrug.

"Must be your imagination then. Or maybe I just have one of those faces you know."

Then, trying to change the subject, he glanced toward his group across the field. Venus was checking supplies while John and Maki were arguing over food rations again.

"You know, if you're still alone... you could join us. We've got enough room."

He gestured casually with his thumb, half-hoping she'd say yes.

But Runa shook her head with a gentle smile.

"Sorry, Brother Salamander. I'm staying with Aruna and her father. They've looked after me a lot... So we'll be sticking together for a while."

Then she paused, and bow slightly,

"But thank you for being so kind. I really like kind people like you."

Ryuzen stood there, speechless for a moment. There was something painfully pure about her words, something so sincere it made him want to protect her even more.

He let out a small sigh, masking his disappointment with a faint smile.

"I see. Then I'll leave you to it, Little Runa."

He turned his gaze toward Aruna, who had been quietly watching the exchange with a curious eye.

"And you too, Aruna. Take care of her."

The older girl gave a firm nod. "I will. You can count on that."

With that, Ryuzen took a step back and waved casually.

"Alright then. Stay safe, both of you."

As he walked away, he felt Runa's gaze still on him. He didn't turn around. Not yet.

One day, when the time was right, he would tell her everything.

For now, she was safe. And that was enough.

---

"So you finally met your little friend, huh?" John said, raising an eyebrow as Ryuzen approached the group. "But why didn't she come with you?"

Ryuzen exhaled lightly, his eyes lingering on the crowd behind him for a moment.

"She's got a new friend now. And honestly... there's no need to worry about her. She can take care of herself better than most."

"Oho? How mysterious," Maki chimed in, a teasing grin spreading across her face. She leaned in slightly. "Is she really that capable? You make it sound like she's a hidden boss or something."

Ryuzen gave a faint chuckle, his expression unusually calm.

"Yes. In a way... she might even be stronger than me right now."

His gaze drifted as a memory surfaced—of a thick, mist-laden rainforest. The scent of moss and damp soil. The distant cries of beasts. And amidst it all, the image of a small golden-haired girl carrying a fragile egg close to her chest, shielding it with her body through storms and predators alike.

That egg had been him.

He remembered how she fed him crushed berries and water droplets with trembling hands, humming softly as if her voice alone could keep the darkness away. She was the one who protected him when he had no claws, no fire, no strength. Just a shell. Just a soul waiting to be born.

Maybe, without her, he wouldn't even be alive now.

There were no dramatic words for that kind of debt. No grand oaths. Only a deep, quiet gratefulness that sat heavy in his chest like a vow.

"Well, if you say so," John said, interrupting the silence. He clapped a hand on Ryuzen's shoulder with a cheerful grin. "I was worried for your little friend there. But now that she's fine, it's time to settle into our new home, don't you think?"

Ryuzen nodded, his expression unreadable.

Venus, however, didn't move. Her eyes were locked on Ryuzen, studying him carefully. That distant look in his eyes. That subtle shift in his tone. Only now did she realize how little she truly knew about the boy who walked beside her through fire and blood.

And for the first time, something stirred in her storm-fused heart—

Not admiration. Not competition. But curiosity.

A genuine desire to understand the mystery that was Ryuzen De Manus.