Of course, there was nothing surprising about it. That was the small bird that lived around this basin area, and their target this time, the Meteoric Iron Bird. Its body was unbelievably hard, and its flying speed could exceed the speed of sound.
There was even one Meteoric Iron Bird that, while fleeing, shot straight past him.
Under normal circumstances, that would not be a problem. After all, an ordinary mage could not catch an object that had already accelerated to that kind of speed. But at the instant the Meteoric Iron Bird was about to pass by him, he suddenly raised his hand and slapped at it.
Bang!
A thunderous explosion rang out. Ash's palm collided with the Meteoric Iron Bird. Dust burst up around them, and fallen leaves were blown everywhere.
When the dust settled and the leaves drifted back to the ground, the people drawn over by the commotion finally saw it.
The Meteoric Iron Bird that had just flown past him had, in that split second, been smashed to the ground like a tennis ball.
From the outside, it looked as if he had simply slapped it down. There was even a crater on the ground like it had been hit by artillery fire. It made people doubt their own eyes.
After all, a bird flying at supersonic speed was basically no different from a cannon shell.
When a Meteoric Iron Bird showed its true strength, the terrifying force that came with its supersonic flight was far beyond what a cannon shell could compare to. Even experimental electromagnetic cannons were inferior. If it crashed head-on, it would probably punch straight through tank armor.
Yet Ash had truly just slapped it to the ground, seemingly without using any magic at all.
The people who had not gone far from the starting area, when they noticed this scene, all looked like they had just seen a ghost.
"Is this guy really human? How strong is his body exactly?"
Leading a small squad was a second-class mage and court mage, an elderly man who looked short, wore a monocle, and had a big beard. Denken's eyes widened so much that his monocle almost fell to the ground.
Beside him, a third-class mage girl in a deep blue slit dress with her hair tied in a bun could not help but mutter, "If he accidentally slapped someone like that, they would definitely end up bruised all over, right?"
"More like scattered into pieces," Denken turned his head speechlessly and corrected her strange confidence in her own durability, "By the way, is he really a mage?"
Next to the two of them, a neatly dressed middle-aged man in a clean suit who looked rather rigid, second-class mage Richter, could not help asking, "He should be the first one to catch a Meteoric Iron Bird. So? Do we make a move?"
"I never thought you would be this bad at picking opponents. Even if you are in a hurry for merit, that is way too unwise," Denken quietly walked off. Laufen hurried after him and waved her hand without looking back, "I will pass too."
"What? I was just joking. Did you take it seriously?", Richter shook his head helplessly and quickly followed.
Just like this squad, the other squads also reached a silent understanding and acted as if they had not seen a thing. Unless absolutely necessary, they had no intention of trying anything from Ash's side.
The bespectacled man in the same team as Fern and Ubel, Land, looked at Ash, who was casually tossing the knocked-out Meteoric Iron Bird in his palm and playing with it. He pushed up his glasses and said without turning his head, "The person you two want to deal with is standing there looking bored, waiting for someone to provoke him. If you want to go, go ahead. But I definitely will not go with you."
"No matter how tough his body is, it is still flesh. If it is flesh, it can be cut. If nothing else, we can at least slice off all his clothes," When Ash looked her way, Ubel lightly licked her lips and even waved at him with a smile. But she truly had no intention of being the first to act.
Fern only snapped out of her brief daze with her mouth slightly open. Hearing the comment beside her, she instinctively looked at Ubel and said sternly, "No! If you ruin his clothes, won't that make you a pervert?"
"He is already a pervert, so what's wrong me being a pervert with him?", Thinking about their first meeting, Ubel sincerely believed that.
"Lady Ubel, are you going to become strange yourself just to deal with someone strange?"
"At a time like this, are you not supposed to defend him a little?"
Even so, a delighted smile appeared at Ubel's lips. She was quite happy to reach common ground with Fern on this matter.
But Fern's gaze unconsciously followed Ash's departing figure, and she sighed with a trace of worry on her face, "Lord Ash really… Even if he is strong, he should not make himself the center of attention at a time like this. When we go back, I will have to talk to him properly. But right now…"
"Right now you are worried about what he will do about food if he is alone, right?", Ubel suddenly voiced her thoughts.
"Because when Lord Ash eats alone, he becomes very careless."
"Honestly, if you keep this up, you will really turn into his mother," Ubel could not stop herself from shaking her head and laughing at that odd concern.
Fern was used to this kind of teasing and did not mind much. She only looked worriedly at the direction Ash had disappeared, muttering in regret, "If I had known this was the kind of exam it was, I should have prepared a lunchbox before coming."
"So you really want to be his mother?", By now, Ubel was simply speechless.
Of course, she did not plan to challenge Ash at this moment either. She intended to wait until the exam was almost over and she was sure she could pass before going together.
———
On the other side, when noon arrived, Frieren's team had already caught fish in the forest. They were roasting them while discussing their next plan.
But just then, from the forest nearby came the sound of a large creature pushing through the bushes.
The group grew alert and instinctively picked up their wands. However—
"Hey~ everyone, long time no see."
Ash crawled out from the bushes just like that and stood openly in front of them.
In one hand he held grilled fish. In the other, he dragged along a bear as big as a truck. He even smiled as he waved the grilled fish at them in greeting, casually kicking a cage at his feet that held the Meteoric Iron Bird.
The total lack of tension in that scene left everyone staring in shock.
Frieren, in particular, looked at the grilled fish in his hand with something close to awe.
"You… did not burn the fish?"
"Eh? That is the main point?"
"Is that really the issue here?"
Kanne and Lawine stared at the two of them in disbelief, even suspecting they were deliberately teaming up to mess with their nerves.
"No, because this guy always turns food into a disaster!", Frieren explained with inexplicable seriousness. She then looked at Ash sternly and questioned him, "I have always thought this was strangs. You have been pretending all along, right? You actually can cook! You can grill meat!"
"You mean this?", He shook the grilled fish in confusion.
"Yes! The evidence is clear. Are you still going to deny it? When we get back, I am telling Fern and the others!"
"Are you elementary school kids or something, going to tattle?", Ash sighed helplessly, "I grabbed this from another tea—Ahem! I asked for it a little forcefully."
"This uncle actually went and stole food at a time like this?", Kanne's face twisted in disbelief.
"Are you here to take the exam or to go on a picnic?", Lawine felt like his free-spirited behavior was getting under her skin.
"No one ever said you cannot picnic during an exam," He casually tossed the bear to the side and replied as if it were only natural.
"So what are you here for? To show off that you caught the bird?"
"No. I just felt eating only fish was a bit bland. It is also a bit fishy here, and they did not bring any seasoning. So… let's eat grilled meat instead!"
"I knew it," Frieren nodded calmly, as if she had expected this. She stood by the giant bear without any sense of tension at all, "The bear paws look good. Let's eat bear paws."
"Frieren? Why are you so easily won over? Weren't you saying we would deal with him together once things settled down?", Kanne's expression looked like she had swallowed a fly.
"It is still early. If there is free bear meat, what is wrong with that?", Frieren said as she began handling the bear.
Her overly skilled movements left the two girls staring in shock. Still, they kept a wary eye on Ash, afraid he might have some hidden scheme.
But when they noticed the cage he had casually left to the side, already containing the captured Meteoric Iron Bird, they suddenly realized. Normally, he should be the one wary of them. Why was it them being cautious of him instead?
Thinking about how they should have been the ones guarded against, yet instinctively ended up guarding against him instead, Lawine bit hard into the meat by her mouth and muttered unwillingly, "This really ticks me off!"
"Why are you looking at me when you say something that hurtful? Aren't we friends eating together?", Ash spread his hands innocently.
"Because… you should be the one being careful of us! We could snatch your bird, you know!"
"Doesn't matter. If you have the ability, come take it anytime. I don't mind playing with you in advance."
"That carefree attitude is really annoying! It feels like you are looking down on us."
Lawine, always sharp-tongued, angrily pointed at his nose, her posture and expression exactly like Kanne's earlier.
But he truly looked innocent, "Even if you say that, I personally don't think that way."
"Then what is with that confidence like some strong guy?"
"Because I actually am pretty strong?"
"Uh… I guess that's true?"
The moment she figured it out, Lawine's dissatisfaction faded. She just chewed on the bear meat with a slightly sulky look.
That was right. Even if she accepted his relaxed confidence, changing her mindset was not that easy.
Faced with the two girls' argument, Frieren showed no intention of stopping them. She simply watched from the side and continued eating her meat.
It was only when Lawine had been persuaded but still looked displeased that Frieren, gnawing on bear meat without any regard for her elf image, commented, "Ash, you are really thoroughly disliked."
"Honestly, I feel pretty innocent."
"But it is all your fault!"
"Dragging up old things for this long isn't normal either."
"It has only been ten years." Frieren replied naturally.
Coming from her, it was strangely convincing. It even left Ash at a loss for words. After all, Frieren could hold a grudge for a thousand years.
Thinking of that, he could not help wanting to sigh, "Can't people be a bit more friendly these days?"
"You are saying that?"
"I'm quite friendly… I think."
"You don't even sound confident," Seeing him stiffly turn his head away, Frieren did not press him further and simply continued gnawing on the bear paw.
At that moment, Kanne could not help staring at the cage by Ash's feet and asked, "Th-that… uncle!"
"What?"
"How did you catch that bird?", Even though she felt awkward asking him, Kanne still tried to put past conflicts aside and wanted to learn from his experience, "We tried too, but that bird flies extremely fast. We just couldn't catch it. Its body is very tough too. Even ice can't freeze it."
"Well…", He put on a mysterious look and pondered.
Kanne leaned forward nervously, ears practically stretched out, afraid of missing any detail. "Mm-hmm! How did you do it?"
However… instead of answering, Ash suddenly reached out and pinched her cheek. Pulling it lightly, he said with a blank face, "You are asking for help with that attitude, and you still call me uncle? I told you not to call me that, didn't I?"
"Ow! Ow! Wh-what are you doing?"
"Call me Nii-san(Big brother)!"
"N-Nii-san! Nii-san! That's enough, right?"
Though very unwilling, under force, Kanne was compelled to comply.
Only then did Ash let go. The girl covered her red cheek and asked pitifully, "Now, can you tell us?"
"What are you thinking? Not calling people uncle is just basic manners. If you want to know someone's secret, you have to pay a price. For example…"
"W-what?"
"In short, come here and let me pat your head once~"
Looking at the twin-tailed girl who somehow gave off the vibe of an eager puppy, Ash casually made his request under her nervous stare.
"Huh? Huh?", Kanne could not tell whether that was too much or not.
After all, what she was trading for was a way to pass the exam. But head pats… it just felt strange.
Lawine shot him a cold look.
"You really are a perverted uncle!"
"Is that so? Since you say that," He did not get angry. Instead, he smiled, "Then both of you come over and let me pat your heads once. Only then will I tell you."
"I would neve—"
"By the way, this is a method with a one hundred percent success rate. At least it was very easy for me. I was the first among everyone to complete the objective, and right now the only one who has completed it. If you want to know this secret to clearing the stage, you just need a head pat. Isn't that a great deal? Normally people beg me and I wouldn't agree."
Before Lawine could refuse, he smiled kindly and tempted them step by step.
What Ash said was indeed tempting.
At least Kanne and Lawine exchanged a glance, hesitated, gritted their teeth, and reached some silent agreement.
Finally, Lawine asked cautiously, "Just to ask… why do you want to touch our heads?"
"The physical distance between people is proportional to the distance between their hearts. Physical contact naturally brings people closer. I just want to build a good relationship with Fern's few friends. And…", He looked completely harmless and said sincerely, "You are girls. The only thing I can properly touch is your heads, right? Otherwise I would rather touch Kanne's stomach."
"Why?", Kanne covered her flat stomach in alarm.
"Don't misunderstand. I just like petting animals by stroking their heads and bellies at the same time."
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