Catching a Meteoric Iron Bird

"Have you found out? The river is frozen, Meteoric Iron Birds will definitely head for the puddles to get water. Should we go and join the fray?"

Denken stared intently at a spot in the forest, his eyes gleaming with fighting spirit.

Chaos is a ladder; having spent years in the imperial court, no one understands the art of playing the high road better than Denken.

Dugu Qing jumped down from the tree branch, took out a mirror, checked his face for dust, put his hands behind his back, and walked calmly into the depths of the forest.

Denken and Laufen followed Dugu Qing closely, walking briskly forward.

"Chirp chirp~"

Suddenly, the dense forest was torn apart by a powerful bird. The Meteoric Iron Bird flapped its wings, slowed down, and gently landed on Dugu Qing's head.

Denken and Laufen were stunned! They stared at Dugu Qing in disbelief.

Here we go again? Why do these Meteoric Iron Birds all like Dugu Qing so much?!

Where's your modesty? Where's your modesty?

Dugu Qing shrugged, his eyes sparkling with surprise.

"As the saying goes, 'Once is enough, twice is bad, but three times is not.' This Meteoric Iron Bird doesn't seem to be bound by the experience accumulated by humans!"

Denken stared excitedly at the Meteoric Iron Bird, his fingers trembling. "Quickly, put it in the cage."

"In that case, you can rest in the cage for now!"

Worried about another accident, Dugu Qing reached out her slender hand. The Meteoric Iron Bird neither dodged nor flinched, but lay obediently and docilely in her palm.

Denken breathed a sigh of relief when he finally got the Meteoric Iron Bird, and his tense heart finally settled down.

Dugu Qing turned around and placed the Meteoric Iron Bird into the specially made birdcage in Laufen's hand.

"Great, our mission is complete. Now we just need to wait for the sun to set."

Laufen carried the birdcage, his eyes shining with an astonishing light.

Dugu Qing closed his eyes slightly, sensing the spreading magic as he searched for Fern and Frieren in the distance.

Frieren, as a thousand-year-old mage, possesses formidable combat power, profound wisdom, and seasoned experience in dealing with enemies; there is nothing to worry about.

Of all the participants, if anyone could pose a threat to Frieren, it could only be Denken.

Now that Denken is on his team and has already obtained the Meteoric Iron Bird, he won't attack Frieren, so Frieren's safety is not a concern.

Fern, the aura around her is peaceful, and she hasn't sent out any signals for help, so it seems she can complete the mission independently.

Let's find a secluded spot and rest for a bit!

After observing the recent situations of his two friends, Dugu Qing decided to lie down.

Denken nodded emphatically.

When he first saw Dugu Qing, he was right. Following Dugu Qing meant he could easily overcome any difficulty, though it was far too easy—easier than drinking cold water...

This made Denken, who is used to giving his all, feel a little out of place.

Deep in the forest, beside a puddle.

Frieren concealed all magical energy around her and, along with the lively Lavina and Kanne, lurked in the lush green forest.

"Chirp chirp~"

A cheerful bird song came from the puddle. A small, delicate Meteoric Iron Bird stood in the shallow water, drinking happily and letting its guard down.

Frieren shushed Lavina and Kanne, telling them to be quiet.

She stepped forward silently, raised her jade-like hand, and cast a bird-catching spell. Strands of golden threads emerged from the void, weaving and intertwining like gossamer silk.

In an instant, the Meteoric Iron Bird was bound tightly, unable to move.

Lavina and Kanne cheered and clapped their hands in unison.

"Yay!"

"Quiet!"

Frieren gracefully pressed her hands together, feeling like she had become a kindergarten teacher, needing to explain everything in detail.

"Uh-huh!"

Lavina, Kanne nodded emphatically.

"Found it."

Upon hearing the sound, Richter's eyes turned cold. She placed her right hand on the solid ground and cast an earth magic spell.

Centered on Frieren, a massive chasm suddenly appeared, rising into the sky and growing ever higher.

To forcibly separate Frieren and Lavina Kanne.

The world was split in two, becoming two halves.

Frieren's position descended, while Lavina and Kanne's positions gradually rose, towering into the clouds.

Frieren looked up at the sky and sighed helplessly.

"You don't think you can threaten me like this, do you?"

Richter smiled calmly, "No, our target was never you, but those two girls."

Considering Lavina and Kanne's innocence and naivety, it's clear that Richter's teammates are likely to be very powerful.

Without hesitation, Frieren immediately unleashed Ordinary Attack Magic, transforming her immense magical power into several purple light projectiles that slammed forward like a torrent of water.

Richter held his fists across his chest, and the Rock Guardian instantly unfolded, forming a thick barrier to defend against attacks and buy time.

High in the sky, Lavina and Kanne looked around blankly.

Two tall, black-robed mages leaped out from behind the rock, their faces mocking as they coldly eyed the two men.

"Kid, just surrender! You're no match for us."

Lavina's eyes suddenly turned cold, she gritted her teeth, and immediately unleashed a wide-range freezing spell.

A chilling aura spread instantly, and the entire surrounding ground froze into thick ice.

The two black-robed mages exerted their power slightly, their magical energy surging around them, and they easily broke free from the binding ice. Their gazes toward Lavina held a hint of mockery.

"Damn it, the difference in magic power is too great!"

Lavina was panting heavily, her cold eyes filled with difficulty.

The black-robed mage approached Lavina at a leisurely pace.

A strong sense of vigilance welled up in Lavina's heart, and she activated her ice arrow magic.

A series of icy shards, like arrowheads, materialized out of thin air behind her and shot out in an instant, leaving trails of sharp light.

The two black-robed mages swayed suddenly, nimbly dodging the barrage of ice arrows.

With a wave of his wand, profound magic transformed into a giant axe and halberd, crashing down upon Lavina with lightning speed.

"Defense magic."

Kanne flashed forward, casting a defensive spell and firmly blocking Lavina's path.

"A brat skilled in water magic and a brat skilled in ice magic, do they really think they can stop two adults like us!"

The black-robed mage laughed loudly, his magical power surging, and his magical power suddenly increased dramatically.

Kanne's face turned deathly pale instantly. The defensive light mirror could no longer hold and shattered with a crash. He was thrown backward by the aftershock.

Her body scraped across the ground in a messy arc, Kanne's clothes were torn, and excruciating pain swept through her body, causing her to furrow her brow slightly.

"I won't let you get away with this."

Lavina roared in fury, unleashing all the magic power within her, and a devastating burst of extreme cold magic erupted from her palm.

The black-robed mage timed the opening in her spellcasting, swung his wand, and unleashed a powerful burst of magic that sent Lavina flying.

Kanne stared at Lavina, who lay beside him, looking disheveled and in pain. His knuckles clenched tightly, and his eyes blazed with fury.

"It's time to end this."

The black-robed mage stepped forward, raised his wand, and was about to strike.