After the Great Golden Egg Incident—which left Kazuya and his companions dressed as human-sized chickens—they stumbled back into Fruity Falls, their heads hung low with shame.
Every villager stopped what they were doing to gawk at the bizarre parade of feathered misfits.
A child pointed at Kazuya and screamed, "LOOK, MOM! GIANT CHICKENS!"
The mother gasped in horror. "Don't make eye contact, sweetie. They might peck."
Kazuya sighed. "I hate my life."
Sylvara adjusted her ridiculous chicken costume, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity. "This is your fault, Fergus."
"MY fault?" Fergus clutched the Golden Chicken like it was a prized possession. "If anything, this is the chicken's fault!"
The chicken squawked in agreement.
Mika facepalmed. "We've been through curses, bandits, and dragons. But this… this is the lowest point."
"HEY!" Fergus snapped. "At least we still have our pride!"
At that exact moment, a gust of wind blew through the town square, and Fergus's costume flapped open, revealing his very naked backside.
"Oh gods," Kazuya groaned. "We don't even have that."
The Cultists Arrive
Just as they were debating whether to leave town forever or set themselves on fire to escape the humiliation, a strange procession of hooded figures entered the square.
The villagers gasped, parting like the Red Sea.
"Who are these guys?" Kazuya whispered.
The lead figure stepped forward, dramatically throwing back his hood to reveal…
A chicken mask.
"What… the actual hell?" Sylvara blinked.
"Behold!" the masked figure proclaimed, spreading his arms wide. "The prophecy has come true! The Great Chicken Lords have arrived!"
Kazuya frowned. "Great Chicken what now?"
The cultist pointed at Kazuya and his feathered companions. "You! The ones who walk among us in chicken form! You are the chosen saviors foretold in the ancient texts!"
Fergus lit up. "I KNEW IT! I'm destined for greatness!"
"Shut up, Fergus," everyone said in unison.
Welcome to the Coop of Destiny
Before they knew it, the cultists whisked them away to a hidden temple in the woods—made entirely of chicken coops.
Inside, the walls were covered with bizarre chicken-themed murals.
One painting depicted a man riding a giant rooster into battle. Another showed a chicken laying an egg the size of a boulder, crushing a screaming villager.
"This… is unhinged," Kazuya whispered.
The cult leader gestured for them to sit on straw thrones. "We have awaited your arrival for centuries. The Great Chicken Lords will lead us to salvation!"
Sylvara crossed her arms. "And what exactly does this 'salvation' entail?"
"Unlimited fried chicken," the cult leader said solemnly.
"Wait… WHAT?!" Kazuya nearly fell out of his chair. "You're telling me your entire cult is based on… CHICKEN NUGGETS?"
"Yes," the leader nodded. "With dipping sauces."
Nerissa snorted, unable to hold back her laughter. "This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
"Hey, don't knock it," Fergus said, munching on a drumstick the cultists had offered him. "These guys know their poultry."
The Nugget Trials
Suddenly, a gong sounded.
The cult leader stood up. "It is time for the Nugget Trials!"
Kazuya groaned. "Of course it is."
The cultists led them to an arena where a massive cauldron of boiling oil bubbled ominously.
"To prove your worth as the Great Chicken Lords," the leader announced, "you must conquer the ultimate challenge: THE NUGGET TRIALS!"
"What do we have to do?" Sylvara asked warily.
"Simple," the leader said with a sinister grin. "You must defeat… the Nugget Beast."
Out of the shadows emerged a monstrous creature—a horrifying mashup of a chicken and a nugget, with crispy golden skin and beady eyes that glowed with hunger.
"Oh, come on!" Kazuya shouted. "A CHICKEN MONSTER?! REALLY?!"
Battle of the Century: Kazuya vs. The Nugget Beast
The Nugget Beast charged, clucking furiously.
Kazuya dodged, grabbing a frying pan from a nearby table. "You want some of this, birdbrain?!"
Sylvara summoned her magic, hurling glowing feathers like throwing stars. "This is so stupid… but I'm actually having fun."
Fergus, meanwhile, was busy scarfing down nuggets. "You guys are doing great! Keep it up!"
The Nugget Beast lunged at Kazuya, who whacked it with the frying pan.
CLANG!
"Take that, you crispy freak!"
The beast staggered, but then… it began to grow.
"Oh no," Mika gasped. "It's evolving!"
The Nugget Beast sprouted wings and took to the sky, raining down hot sauce from its beak.
"IT'S SPICY!" Kazuya screamed, dodging the fiery droplets.
The Final Blow
Nerissa strummed her lute, singing a ridiculous song:
🎵 "Oh Nugget Beast, you're big and mean,
But we'll fry you up with dipping cream!" 🎵
Distracted by the music, the Nugget Beast didn't see Sylvara sneaking up behind it.
With a powerful spell, she conjured a giant bottle of barbecue sauce and poured it over the beast.
"Now, Kazuya!"
Kazuya leapt into the air, delivering a final, frying-pan smack to the beast's head.
WHAM!
The Nugget Beast exploded into a shower of perfectly cooked chicken nuggets.
Victory (and Dinner)
The cultists fell to their knees, weeping with joy.
"The prophecy is fulfilled! The Great Chicken Lords have triumphed!"
Kazuya, covered in barbecue sauce, sighed. "Can we please go now?"
The cult leader bowed deeply. "Of course… but first, a feast in your honor!"
"FINALLY!" Fergus cheered, grabbing a plate.
As they sat down to eat, Kazuya couldn't help but laugh.
"I swear," he said, "if I ever see another chicken again…"
Sylvara smirked. "Oh, you will. I'm sure of it."
Everyone burst out laughing, even as they stuffed their faces with nuggets.