The male supporting character was actually myself.

Emily waved as she ran, calling out in a low voice, "Teacher, hurry, hurry!"

The dragon flew silently past the window, picked up Emily who had skillfully jumped down, and soared into the sky.

She finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Teacher, do dragon riders really exist? How could dragons willingly let humans ride them into battle?"

"Well, actually, dragon riders aren't very common." Jiang Chen replied as he flew, "In the long history of the dragon race, there are occasionally one or two unlucky ones who are injured, sick, or encounter misfortune as young dragons, and are rescued by humans by chance."

How can we let humans know that we can also become human at a time like this?

Wouldn't that be incredibly embarrassing?

So they pretended to be mute, acting like foolish, unintelligent creatures, to live with humans for a while as a way of repaying a debt of gratitude. After all, dragons have very long lifespans, while human lifespans are far too short in comparison.

When the two interact, the way a dragon views humans is much like how you view a cute kitten.

Dragons are creatures with feelings and are very protective of their own. If their cat is bullied, wouldn't they fight back for it?

So, to humans, your kind are valiant dragon knights; but in the eyes of the dragon race, when cats fight, of course they'll side with their own cat, carrying their kittens on their heads as they charge into battle, routing the other cats—it's just an act of pampering.

Emily's beautiful eyes sparkled. "So, Teacher spoils me, that's why she lets me ride around everywhere! Teacher really is the best to me! So... how is Lloyd? It's been a year, where is he now? Teacher, do you know?"

"I knew you were worried about him. Come on, I'll take you to see that stubborn, silly boy."

The moonlight broke free from the shackles of the dark clouds, revealing a corner that faintly illuminated the turbulent sea.

Lloyd is facing his final challenge, as he is approaching Dragon Island based on the landmark sea features he has encountered along the way.

After two more days of sailing, we should be able to get close to the foggy area that Master had specifically instructed us about. The fog there is so thick that you can't see your hand in front of your face. We must make sure that the boat goes upstream in order to reach the terrifying storm circle.

Beyond the storm circle lies Dragon Island!

"Come on, Lloyd! Emily is still waiting for you. You'll definitely succeed!" He clenched his hands to cheer himself on.

A year at sea had tempered him, making him more mature, composed, and patient. Food was running low. Lloyd had to ensure he arrived at Dragon Island in top form, ready to fight the dragon and rescue his beloved!

The sea roared, and Lloyd was also taking the time to conserve his energy and prepare for the real challenge two days later. He even made the worst-case scenario plan: he would hold off the dragon so that Emily could sail away from Dragon Island. He was willing to die with the dragon as long as she could be free.

“Teacher, is that enough?” Emily lay on the dragon’s back watching Lloyd struggle against the giant waves and nearly fall into the sea several times while navigating the ship, soaked to the bone in the storm. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. “He has suffered enough during the year-long voyage. Let him get through this storm a little easier.”

Unable to resist her persistent pleas, Jiang Chen sighed and said, "Alright, alright, the test is over. You go to the island and wait for me, I'll bring him over."

He put Emily down and gave the little white cat a wink.

"Hehehe, as expected, it's time for me, the Assassin Cat, to strike again and give him a surprise attack!" The fluffy ball of fur chuckled mischievously as it bounced up behind Lloyd, pulled a wooden stick from its spatial storage, and smashed it down hard!

Lloyd didn't even have time to react. He was busy navigating the boat through the storm when he felt a dull ache in the back of his head. Before losing consciousness, he had a bad feeling—oh no, could the mast have broken?

Once he was certain the protagonist had fainted, Jiang Chen stepped forward, used his tail to wrap around the mast, and pulled the ship through the storm circle, bringing it to a stop on the calm shore of Dragon Island.

Finally seeing the man she had missed for so long, Emily rushed forward and hugged Lloyd, tears streaming down her face.

..............................

postscript.

"Lloyd, wake up, Lloyd!"

He vaguely heard Emily's voice calling him. Lloyd jolted awake but was pulled awake by a dull pain in the back of his head, making him grimace. "Emily, is that really you?! Thank goodness, the dragon didn't hurt you, did it? I've come to rescue you!"

Lloyd rose and gripped the longsword at his waist, his eyes filled with hatred as he stared intently at the enormous dragon in the distance. He shielded Emily behind him and whispered, "Get on the ship quickly. Don't worry about me, just get out of here!"

Emily stamped her feet anxiously, "Oh dear, teacher, come quickly and see if he's hurt! Stop teasing him at a time like this!"

"Teacher?!" Lloyd was a little confused. He even wondered if he was dreaming or if his brain had been damaged by the mast.

The dragon glided over, its wings outstretched, and transformed into human form as Lloyd raised his longsword in a wary stance. Standing before him, it wore a faint smile. "You unfilial disciple, you don't even greet your master?"

Lloyd: Σ(OдO|||)ノノ

Master?!

"No! This isn't real, it must be a trick by the dragon!" He suddenly took two steps back and shouted sharply, "You are all illusions, falsehoods used by the dragon to bewitch people!"

Emily was both amused and exasperated. "I told you we went too far this time! We should have told him sooner..."

"How can you marry a princess without showing some sincerity? Besides, I also need to give him a dragon bone so he can get the title of Dragon Slayer. You can't just get something for nothing without paying a price!" Jiang Chen stepped forward and kicked Lloyd to the ground, his movement so fast that the other party didn't even have time to react.

"Silly boy, you've been given a trial and seen the wickedness of human nature, haven't you? In the future, when you assist Emily in becoming queen, you will face even more intrigue and backstabbing. That's not something you can easily solve with just a longsword. You're still too young and have a lot to learn. Today, your master will teach you another trick—how to distinguish between reality and illusion."

Hearing the familiar voice and tone, Lloyd couldn't believe it—his master was actually a dragon?!

"You...I..." He looked at the two of them, speechless for a moment, "Why did Master kidnap Emily? No wonder he made all sorts of excuses to avoid going to sea, what...what exactly happened?!"

Emily took his arm and helped him up, saying softly, "Let me explain in detail. This is not the teacher's fault. The whole plan involves many aspects. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you in advance and made you suffer a lot along the way."

“Master is biased.” After a long while, Lloyd sat on the white sand beach, holding a seashell with a mournful expression. “They are both your disciples, but Emily can sit on the island and wait while eating and playing, while I have to sail on the sea for a year. Do you know how anxious I am! If you could just give me a little bit of information so that I know Emily is not in danger, that would be fine.”

"If you knew she was not in danger, would you still have the courage to embark on the journey?"

When he nearly lost the fight against Captain Tenny, could he still muster the strength to kill him?

When passing through a place of death, can you still maintain your original intention, hold fast to your beliefs, and grit your teeth to get through it?

Lloyd's eyes widened instantly. "Huh? How did Master know? Could it be..."

Jiang Chen nodded, "They are all my students, and I cherish each and every one of them. You deviated from the course twenty-three times during your voyage, and I pulled you back onto the correct current in the middle of the night while you were asleep. I kept a close watch on you through every obstacle, ready to save you at any moment."

I told you this is your experience.

Whether you can obtain the dragon bone from me and become a dragon slayer depends entirely on your performance.

Lloyd, you come from humble beginnings and aren't greedy. How difficult would it be for you to marry the only princess of the Bantuku? Without this trial, how would you have the chance to compete with the other princes and ministers for Emily?

"I'm sorry, Master. I really didn't mean to blame you. I just find it hard to accept that you... the Dragon Slayer was a dragon yourself!" Lloyd scratched his head, then looked shocked. "What did you just say, Master? You got the dragon bones from me?"

He hurriedly waved his hands and stammered, "No, no, I've never... Even if you were a dragon, I wouldn't, I didn't..."

Jiang Chen twitched her lips and glared at him, "What are you thinking?"

"Your teacher already prepared it for you; it's dragon bones retrieved from the Dragon Tomb." Emily dragged the massive, white dragon skeleton towards the beach. "You really want to slay a dragon? If you dare to have any wicked thoughts, I'll break your legs first!"

"Hehe, how could that be? My master is my most beloved family member."

"Here's the dragon bone for you! You said the teacher was biased, but he only prepared it for you, I didn't get any!"

"What's mine is yours. I'll hand over the medal to you as soon as I get it..."

The two played and laughed on the beach, their voices rising high. The sun shone brightly, the seawater was clear, and everything was beautiful.

This summer, port construction has been rapid, and various ships and tourists are shuttling back and forth, with people taking advantage of the cool morning air to prepare for their sea voyages.

A dilapidated boat sailed from the coastline, initially going unnoticed, but soon someone noticed something amiss.

"Look at that ship! Flying on its mast is the flag of victory for the warriors!"

"There's another flag over there, that's... the princess's flag! Princess Emily's flag!"

"Princess? Has the princess returned?"

“I’ve seen this ship! It departed from the port in early summer last year, and I remember it very clearly; it seemed to be carrying warriors!”

"Oh my god, it really is Princess Emily! She's standing on the bow of the ship waving at us!"

"Quickly! Go and tell His Majesty the King that the princess has returned..."

…………

The crowd cheered and cheered to welcome the princess's return, while on the ship, a handsome and spirited warrior with a long sword at his waist and a huge keel on the stern deck were on display!

"Dragon Slayer! A new Dragon Slayer has appeared!"

"A warrior sets sail to slay a dragon and rescue a princess—it's like something out of a fairy tale!"

"Waaaaah~ I'm so touched! After sailing for so long, overcoming countless hardships and dangers, slaying the dragon, and rescuing the princess, this new dragon slayer is truly amazing..."

Upon hearing the news, His Majesty the King led his ministers to the port to welcome his beloved daughter home and announced that the new dragon slayer would become her fiancé and marry the princess on a chosen date!

"A dragon abducted the princess, but a brave warrior, undeterred by hardship, charged forward to kill the dragon and rescue the princess. Amidst the blessings of the entire nation, the two held a grand wedding, and the princess became queen, living happily ever after with the valiant prince."

Lisa closed the beautifully crafted fairy tale she had just written and softly told the children in bed, "The story for today is finished. Go to sleep now. Your princess and warrior are waiting for you in your dreams."

She blew out the candles and stepped out of the room, looking at the brightly lit palace in the distance where a wedding ball had just taken place, a faint smile appearing on her face.

Legends of dragons still appear from time to time, and even after Emily and Lloyd's children have grown up, some people still occasionally see dragons flying over the clouds of Dragon Mountain.

The story of the warrior slaying the dragon endured, but the Warrior Academy never produced another dragon-slaying warrior. Many years later, the era of two generations of dragon-slaying warriors passed, and even the dragons disappeared without a trace.

"Host, are you really sure?" The fluffy little thing, perched on his head, was a little scared and trembling. "This is the first time I've ever tried to commit suicide in a mission world. I don't know if I can even make it to Ji Island. I'm so nervous and scared!"

Jiang Chen soared straight into the sky, flying upwards with all his might. "Let's give it a try. Anyway, it's either death or a rollback, so there's no loss for us. The main characters all died of old age, and I haven't found a girl I want to spend my life with. Rather than spending hundreds or even thousands of years alone, it's better to die early and be reborn sooner."

Being able to start the next mission world sooner will save time.

"Alright then." The little white cat clung tightly to its dragon horns, its voice trembling. "If we fly any higher, we'll touch the sun. Isn't that high enough?"

Jiang Chen glanced back at the enormous dragon skeleton, which was as tiny as a drop in the ocean, and nodded. "It should be about time. Xiao Bai, enjoy the ultimate drop tower treatment!"

He flew one last time with all his might, then folded his wings and began freefall.

Young dragons possess incredible vitality and super self-healing abilities. If you want a clean and decisive way to commit suicide, falling into a dragon's body is the best option.

Relinquishing control of the wind, Jiang Chen felt the intense thrill of his massive body plummeting from the sky, and as he touched the icy seawater, his soul was swallowed by darkness.

The dragon fell, and all things grew; death had not truly arrived, and life continued to flourish in the cycle of reincarnation...

Chapter 1 What is that thing?

"Stab!"

The moment the feeling of weightlessness hit, Jiang Chen heard a tearing sound.

The moment he opened his eyes, he saw a small piece of the space above the script selection area shatter, revealing a terrifying and incomprehensible scene—an eye?!

"Host, be careful!" The fluffy ball screamed and slammed into his stomach, sending Jiang Chen flying backward. At the same time, a slight tearing sound and a stinging sensation came, and drops of blood, like a string of crystal-clear red pearls, flew out from his right cheek.

Everything happened the instant he returned to the script selection space. Jiang Chen didn't care about anything else and commanded the Soul Weapon to rush straight to the shattered and broken area, but it was all in vain.

Even though the sharp shard of glass that fell cut his right cheek, the space behind it was still too small to pierce through.

What exactly is outside of space?

Jiang Chen wanted to take another look, but while floating, she somehow touched some script and was instantly sucked in!

"Meow~ What's going on? I haven't even opened the teleportation channel yet, how come... meow!" The little white cat was so frightened that it waved its paws and its fur stood on end. Then, it was sucked into the dark tunnel along with its host and disappeared into the crumbling space.

Darkness and silence.