Continuing their hunt for a stille bird, Frieren, Lawine, and Kanne now has to cook for a sound plan. The last time they tried brute force, turns out the bird got hands. There’s a chance they fail this exam, if they return empty-handed or with a member missing.

Why did I mention a possibility of losing a team member? Capturing a bird isn’t the only method to capture a bird. You can just rob someone. A less refined way, but if it works, it works. Moreover, it’s an exam of the best of the best of the best mages. You know there’s bound to be some violence somewhere.

Not to mention, mages were a part of the core military power to fight the demon king. I think this anime expand the magic guild’s role a bit compared to other anime.

The mage association here isn’t just a bunch of scholars who can fight. But, they’re more like fighters who experiment with new, powerful spells. So, it’s fitting the first-class mage exam is both harsh and eccentric at the same time.

Chasing The F-22 Raptor, I Mean Stille

Capturing this elusive little bird proves to be difficult. Even Lawine and Kanne’s synergy isn’t enough to do the job. Not to mention, the ballistic-level speed of this bird. Any hope of catching it with bare hands is pretty much non-existent. Seriously though, this bird can break the speed of sound, just like the fighter jet.

However, Frieren has a trick up her sleeves. The night before, she saved Kanne from a bird monster attack. Conveniently, she knew a spell that can catch any creature that resembles a bird. It’s a folk magic, not those types of magic people use in actual combat.

In fact, Fern’s group managed to catch their Stille because Fern learnt this spell from Frieren. But, there’s a catch. This spell is only usable within 50 centimeters distance. That’s shorter than two subway footlongs! I don’t know how Fern captured it. But certainly, her group is luckier than Frieren’s. Well, considering Frieren has to babysit Lawine and Kanne, that’s fair.

Fantastic Birds And How To Catch Them

Nevertheless, Frieren sets out to catch this stille. She has in mind, a cunning plan. But, she must risk being hunted by other groups. What she reckons is that this whole exam area is shielded off by the supervising mages. It means not even a drop of rain would fall around there.

So, the animals must seek water on the existing lakes and ponds. In a very bold move, Frieren’s group decides to freeze up the lake, and put mana in every puddle they could find. Leaving only one body of water as a trap.

This is where Frieren proves to not only be a proficient mage, but also a resourceful person. As a mage, skills and mana alone are not enough. You still need a big brain. Even though this anime is fantasy, everything about it makes sense. Well, except for the supersonic bird. I’m still not over that. It’s too funny. Props to Genau as the overseeing mage, he got a sense of humor.

Denken’s Ambush

Anyway, just as expected. After waiting for sometimes, the bird is bound to come looking for water. And by exploiting that moment, Frieren completes their goal. However, just like Frieren’s team waiting for the right moment for a stille to come, there’s another group who aims to snatch their prize.

Denken and his team have been waiting for Frieren’s catch. Just like how Frieren ambushes the bird, Denken catches a glimpse of Frieren’s magic as soon as she uses her bird catching spell, and boy does he act on it fast. And by fast, I mean he sends Laufen to rob Frieren of the captured Stille.

Once again, we’re introduced to a new kind of magic. Laufen possesses a spell that turns her into a speedster. If elemental magic like Lawine and Kanne’s manipulates the surrounding matter, and Frieren and Fern’s basic magic focuses on mana, I wonder what does Laufen’s rely on.

Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures

While Denken is occupied with Frieren, in the meantime, there is another ambush. Having caught their stille, Fern’s group is now a desirable target for the others. One particular character puts his interest on her team.

Out of nowhere, Wirbel’s attack comes raging toward Fern’s team, catching them off guard and demanding their Stille. What follows is, honestly, the highlight of this episode.

How Übel and Wirbel fight against each other is so different compared to the mages we’ve seen. Fun fact, we’re actually watching Kita from Bocchi The Rock! and Jean Kristein from Attack On Titan fighting. They’re the same voice actors! I can imagine Kita murdering people with her extrovert energy.

Frieren and Fern completely rely on their magic. I suppose it’s the classical doctrine of fighting. However, the two killer-eyed mages, Übel and Wirbel, fight like they’re in MMA, combining long ranged magic attack and melee technique.

The Magic We’ve Never Seen

I think it’s noteworthy how different these mages use magic compared to Frieren and Fern. First, Lawine and Kanne manipulates water and ice. Ehre throws around rocks and boulders to attack Fern. Scharf who turns flower petals into a barrage of sharp needles. And also, there’s Laufen who move like a speedster using her magic.

They have non-basic magic that we’ve never seen before. I wonder how many variations of combat magic are out there? So far, we have ice, water, and earth. These modern spells feel more like element bending in ATLA, don’t they? I wonder what caused mages to prefer bending the elements instead of their mana.

Come to think of it. Lugner and Linnie had their own unique spells too. Lugner used his own blood to manifest any kind of attacks or defensive shield as needed. Linnie analyzed her opponent’s mana then copied their fighting style and weapons.

Although this episode has nothing especially big going on, it’s fascinating how the other mages has their own flair of magic. I’m sure this is a build up for what’s coming next. We have Frieren against Denken, and Fern, Übel against Wirbel. There is no way they teased us with these and not giving us a showdown in the next episode.