At the Black Bulls Headquarters, to welcome Adam and the others back, Magna specially organized a eating contest for the squad.
The food was taro pie!
"Yami, I'll leave it to you to be the judge!"
Yami nodded and said, "Then enough talk, let's begin now!"
Adam was already starving and started eating large mouthfuls.
"So delicious."
In this Black Bulls eating contest, besides Adam, Charmy and Asta were extremely serious.
The rest of the companions were more absurd than the last... Gauche was still looking at Marie's photos, and nosebleeds flowed down uncontrollably again.
Finral used magic to transfer food into Luck's stomach, an extremely outrageous method; if it could be used against enemies, it would be formidable.
Could it be that Finral was "eaten" into Luck's stomach? After all, his magic could only go to places he had been...
Vanessa was already passed out drunk, Noelle was eating the taro pie in small bites, her gaze drifting towards Adam involuntarily, her face as red as an apple...
In the end, this competition, which brought the companions closer, was won by Charmy.
Asta simply couldn't eat anymore, while Adam had, on his way back from Nean City that morning, deliberately eaten the remaining Black Bulls' highly nourishing food, prepared as a spicy stir-fry.
Besides Adam, Noelle couldn't stand even a sniff, Asta ate a few pieces, but Rebecca and her younger siblings didn't eat any.
Adam wanted to exploit a bug to see if he could explain the Bull Power again, but the result was clearly that it was impossible.
The last page of the golden grimoire displayed a text: the Zodiac, sealed due to being overdrawn, could only be unsealed when new Zodiac Power was acquired and the sealed Zodiac energy was sufficient.
"The Rooster is ready, but it lacks its origin. The Bull has its origin, but it hasn't acquired new Zodiac Power."
Adam looked at the second page of the grimoire, at the dimmed Bull pattern; the halo around it had already completed half its journey. It seemed this highly nourishing food was indeed effective.
Not only did his body feel strong, but his energy was also top-notch!
A white light flashed, and a magical messenger pigeon flew out of the white space, delivering an envelope to Yami.
"A letter from the Royal Capital? Is there another mission?"
Asta, stuffing himself with taro pie, was bouncing around, full of energy.
"Kid, settle down!"
Yami opened the envelope, scanned its contents, and said, "The Magic Emperor wants our Captain to attend a meeting, and to bring you and Adam along. It seems there's something important."
"Me? Why?" Asta shouted.
"I'm going too?" Adam looked even more bewildered. He had some guesses as to why Asta was going to the Royal Capital because of Licht's matter; Anti-Magic was very useful... But if it concerned him... he couldn't quite figure it out.
"You'll know when you get there!"
...The next morning!
"Black Bulls Captain Yami, Asta, and Adam, hello. I am Klaus, the Magic Emperor's personal guard."
The blue Mushroom Head bowed slightly, clearly a rigid and polite fellow.
"Where's the meeting, Mushroom Head?"
"It's Klaus," Klaus emphasized, then said with a helpless expression, "The meeting is still being prepared. Please, you and Adam, proceed to the lounge. Asta, come with me."
"Okay." Asta was stunned for a moment, while Adam's mouth twitched slightly. Going to the Captain's lounge... He was going to run into his "brother-in-law" again... The Captain's lounge.
"Haha, your squad has fewer stars than ours."
"Hehe, our squad can't learn your despicable methods."
"Calm down, skinny face, sausage uncle isn't wrong."
"Shut up, former commoner and foreigner."
This was the scene of the Clover Kingdom's Knight Order Captains trash-talking each other, no different from drunkards in a tavern.
Adam stood calmly behind Yami, which was rare. Today was truly strange; Nozel hadn't picked a fight with him...
Except for Captain William of the Golden Dawn and Captain Fuegoleon, who was currently in a coma, all the other Captains were present.
Dorothy of the Peacock Squad, Gerdo of the Orca Squad, the young Rill of the Azure Deer Squad...
"The temporary Captain of the Crimson Lion King hasn't been decided yet. If Captain Fuegoleon were here, he could unite everyone!"
Rill spoke without thinking, and as soon as that sentence came out, the scene instantly fell silent.
Just then, William pushed the door open and entered. Gerdo started to mock him, and the scene immediately became chaotic again.
No one paid attention to Adam, thinking he wasn't important enough.
But Adam didn't care at all; he had no time to listen to these people's nonsense. He might as well admire the beauties and cultivate his aesthetic sense.
The flowers are in full bloom; if I don't appreciate them, it would be a bit insensitive.
Rill was still courting death; after just imitating Fuegoleon, he was about to imitate Nozel. Soon he would imitate Yami.
"Yami, what's the meaning of this kid behind you?" Gerdo suddenly said.
"The Magic Emperor told him to come, you ask me!" Yami replied irritably; he had no desire to deal with this ham uncle.
Adam was not affected by the gazes of the crowd. Instead, he pondered in his mind that during the entrance exam, the Orca Squad also wanted him.
Hearing the other Captains' evaluations of Gerdo, could it be that Adam's crazy performance during the entrance exam made this ham uncle think he had found a kindred spirit?
"Kid, are you interested in..."
"Shut up, ham uncle, can't you see I'm admiring beauties?" Adam also replied irritably.
His gaze lingered on Charlotte and Dorothy, as if admiring two strangely different flowers, almost waking up the perpetually "sleeping" Dorothy.
"Sigh! Little pervert."
Charlotte was somewhat immune to Adam's gaze. She couldn't help but think, if only Yami were so perceptive. Why was the Captain of a little pervert so unperceptive?
"You stinking brat, do you want to die!" Gerdo stood up furiously, his face extremely ugly. He muttered to himself, "I can't deal with Captains of the same rank, but I can't deal with a kid like you?"
"I said, shut up!"
Just as Gerdo was about to use his magic to suppress Adam, he was stunned by the unfathomably deep magic power emanating from Adam. Nozel and the others were used to it, but Yami was somewhat shocked. Wasn't this kid a non-magic user?
How could he have held back such a trick!
Adam's magic power was only for show; when not in use, it was impossible to tell he had any. Rill was greatly surprised; this guy's magic power was even greater than his, but why couldn't he see it just now?
"How does this kid have this trick!"
Leya, disguised as William using Mimicry Magic, trembled violently in his heart. This kid was a variable in the plan; he had to find a way to eliminate him.
"Alright, the meeting will be held elsewhere. The Magic Emperor is already waiting for everyone there. Please proceed."
A white light lit up, and the Mushroom Head's projection appeared above. His appearance instantly broke the extremely tense atmosphere.
In the Clover Kingdom, the Magic Emperor was the first principle!
Adam retracted his pressure, and Gerdo instantly felt light. Everyone stood up calmly, instantly glossing over this minor interlude.
"What kind of look did that guy just give me!" Adam walked beside Yami, his gaze sweeping over William, who was walking ahead, muttering to himself.
"This William really holds a grudge. He wouldn't still remember my performance in the entrance exam, would he? And... I always feel like I've seen his aura somewhere before..."