The next day....
"Max, just for today, please, please don't go overboard, I really might go insane....you wouldn't want your handsome father to go crazy now would you, how would you explain it to your mother?". Looking at Max with an expression that said "please be normal for once" Igneel told him to control his power.
"Cough... yesterday was a mistake father, I promise it won't happen again". Max was still embarrassed.
"Good, now for today, we are going to do live target practice....it's easy to hit a stationary target but I doubt you'll ever meet an enemy who will just stand there and let them hit you, hence....this deer. Igneel explained the objective for the day as Ron came with a creature that looked like a rabbit in his hands. Though it had fangs, green eyes and green skin... clearly wasn't a vegetarian.
After dropping it off on the ground, Ron turned to leave. The rabbit like creature didn't move, it just shook on the spot, Igneel had locked onto it with his overwhelming aura.
"Now, this is called a Windrabbit, it's one of the fastest little beasts in this forest due to its wind element. Your task is to kill it."
"With your power level which is only one stage below mine {sadly for me}(Igneel thought), is overkill, but unlike most, you didn't work for it stage by stage{which pisses me off after how hard I worked}, so you have no control over it... yesterday being an example.". As he explained, Igneel couldn't help feel salty again at how unfair life can be.
"Okay father, I won't let you down"
With that statement from Max, Igneel released the windrabbit from his aura. It sensing the oppressive aura disappear it sped into the forest, with Max hot on its tail.
"Bolt". boom
"Bolt" boom
"Bolt" boom
....
Max chased the windrabbit around the mountain for hours, hitting quite a number of trees. But unlike the previous day, he could now control the strength a little bit better so he only blew holes in them.
The reason why the windrabbit couldn't run beyond the mountain was because the five elders were surrounded it under the order of Igneel.
...
*Caroline, you never paid up that bet we had when you didn't believe that the young prince was really the king's son, when are you planning to give me my mana stones?*. Iliana's voice suddenly went of in Caroline's head.
*I don't know what you're talking about fox*.(Caroline)
*Oh come on, when the young prince was first brought to the forest, when his hair and eyes were black and he had no dragon horns, you clearly said that you thought the king was being tricked by that human woman, then I asked if you wanted to bet whether the baby was his or not*(Iliana)
*I remember that but I never agreed to the bet*(Caroline)
*What a sore loser*(Iliana)
*Whatever, all that matters is that he is really our prince right*(Caroline)
*Hmph, I'm not talking to you anymore* (Iliana)
*So nobody is gonna talk about that phenomena a few days back* Abel the white tiger suddenly butt in into the telepathic conversation.
*There's nothing to talk about... If it really was the young prince then the logical conclusion is that what we saw was just a manifestation of his talent, not his strength. I mean look, he can't even kill that level 3 windrabbit*. Caroline replied, irritation could be sensed in her reply.
*If you say so*. Abel who felt that she didn't want to talk about it more quietened down after a little comment.
*Can any of you sense his power level?* (Ron)
"...." ×3. Caroline, Iliana and Abel didn't know what to say to that since they couldn't sense it. This meant that he either had no power at all or was stronger than them, but he was clearly shooting out bolts in front of them so it couldn't be the former, leaving... They wouldn't admit it though.
*Maybe it's his majesty's doing*. Seeing the others grow tense with the possibility of being weaker than a five year old half dragon who couldn't even kill a little windrabbit. Mary commented trying to ease their worries.
*That's right!*. Three noncommittal mental shouts were heard. (Caroline, Iliana and Abel)
*Believe what you want*. (Ron)
....
Five hours later....
"Haf haf haf....I can't do it, why is that little thing so fast?. Max could be seen panting on the ground unable to continue. Although he was technically already the second strongest on the continent at that time, he was still five, his body couldn't properly utilise his immense energy yet nor sustain it for long. Not to mention his little to no experience in basically everything other than shocking his father.
Ron suddenly appeared and grabbed him by the collar of his little red robe he was wearing which was somewhat similar to Igneel's.
He then carried him off to the cabin with the poor windrabbit in his other hand.
"Hello uncle Ron, nice whether we're having isn't it". Max said, trying to break the awkward silence.
"Yes...". Ron being the silent type, only said that one word and went silent.
"Well... good talk". Seeing that he was basically trying to talk to a log, Max also shut up while enjoying the ride.
...
"Hahahaha, finally you little brat, something you couldn't do hahaha, a day without shocking me....oh wait, you did shock me, by not doing anything shocking hahaha". Igneel was oddly super happy after his son failed his assigned task.
Max just looked as his childish father gloat, shock visible in his eyes. He was wondering if he might have be adopted, but remembering that his father was the only dragon around, not to mention their similar auras and mana, he gave up that thought. This only made him angrier at having such a father and wished he could beat him up.
Ron's eyes also widened looking at his king who was always majestic I'm the past practically dance around because his son failed at something.
After laughing for a few minutes and then noticing the looks he was getting, Igneel finally stopped feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Cough... Ron, you and the others are dismissed, you can go now. Max, I'm truly disheartened that you couldn't catch the windrabbit, but I'm sure you can do it tomorrow...now if you excuse me, i can hear Grace calling me". After hardening his face and saying some obvious bullshit he knew nobody believed, Igneel quickly made his escape running into the cabin.
His excuse of being called by his wife who is in a coma was even more absurd but he was gone before anyone could comment on it.
"Are all fathers so shameless and childish?". Max just asked the question to no one in particular and fell to the ground. His father's crazy actions had taken more out of him than the windrabbit did.
Ron stared at the cabin for a bit in a daze then bowed before leaving.
As for the windrabbit, he had let it go on the way after Max asked him to, saying it had done enough to earn its freedom.