The golden doors groaned as they swung open, revealing a grand, glowing hall. Loaves of bread floated serenely in mid-air, while rivers of melted butter flowed across marble floors. At the center of the room stood a pedestal holding an enormous croissant, its buttery layers shimmering like gold.
Kazuya squinted. "Tell me we're not here to fight another carb monster."
"Relax," Sylvara said, stepping forward. "It's just a croissant. How bad can it be?"
As if on cue, the room trembled, and a deep voice echoed from the walls.
"WHO DARES APPROACH THE SACRED CROISSANT OF ETERNAL FLAKINESS?"
The group exchanged nervous glances.
"Uh, hi," Kazuya said, raising his hand awkwardly. "We're just passing through. No need to get flaky."
The ground rumbled again as the voice roared. "YOUR PUNS WILL NOT SAVE YOU. FACE THE WRATH OF THE CARB-ALANCHE!"
Enter the Carb-alanche
From the walls, a torrent of baked goods began to pour into the room. Bagels, muffins, and scones rumbled toward the group like a doughy tsunami.
Sylvara grabbed Kazuya's arm. "Run!"
The group sprinted toward the opposite end of the hall, dodging flying baguettes and exploding éclairs.
"This is ridiculous!" Ravynne shouted, slicing through a swarm of donut holes with her daggers. "Why does everything here want to kill us?"
Kazuya panted as he swung Eggscalibur at a rogue cinnamon roll. "I think it's because we keep stealing their stuff!"
Cluckminster flapped furiously above the chaos. "I told you carbs were evil!"
The Butter Slide
As they ran, Sylvara spotted a shiny ramp covered in butter. "Quick! The butter slide!"
"Are you insane?" Ravynne yelled.
"Probably," Sylvara replied, grabbing Kazuya's hand and diving onto the slide.
The group slid down the buttery ramp, screaming as they spiraled through the hall. At one point, Cluckminster nearly crashed into a wall of brioche buns.
"This is the worst theme park ride ever!" he squawked.
The slide ended abruptly, launching the group into a pile of powdered sugar. They emerged coughing and covered in white dust.
"I look like a failed cake decoration," Kazuya muttered.
Sylvara grinned, brushing sugar off his nose. "You're sweet enough already."
Kazuya blushed. "Not the time."
The Final Flake
As the carb-alanche slowed, the glowing croissant began to pulse with light. The voice boomed again.
"ONLY ONE WHO CAN MASTER THE ART OF BALANCED BREAKFAST MAY CLAIM THE SACRED CROISSANT."
Sylvara raised an eyebrow. "Balanced breakfast? Are you serious?"
Suddenly, a series of plates appeared, each with different food items. Eggs, bacon, fruit, yogurt, and—of course—more bread.
"This feels like a weird cooking competition," Kazuya said.
"Don't mess it up," Cluckminster warned. "Or we'll all be toast!"
Sylvara rolled her eyes. "We're already in a jam."
"Stop with the puns!" Ravynne snapped.
The Ultimate Breakfast Showdown
The group was forced to assemble a "balanced breakfast" under the watchful eye of the glowing croissant.
Sylvara arranged fruit into a smiley face. Ravynne carved bacon into intricate shapes. Kazuya attempted to pour cereal but ended up spilling milk everywhere.
"This is so stupid," Kazuya groaned, holding up a soggy cereal bowl.
"Don't give up!" Sylvara said, stacking pancakes into a tiny tower.
As the timer ran out, the croissant pulsed again.
"YOUR EFFORTS ARE... ACCEPTABLE."
The carb-alanche stopped, and the room fell silent.
Kazuya collapsed onto the floor. "Finally. Can we leave now?"
A New Challenge
Before they could celebrate, the glowing croissant floated into the air, revealing a hidden staircase beneath the pedestal.
"Oh great," Ravynne said. "What fresh hell awaits us down there?"
Sylvara smirked. "Only one way to find out."
As they descended the stairs, Kazuya sighed. "I swear, if this leads to another bread-related disaster, I'm quitting this quest."
Cluckminster patted his shoulder. "Cheer up, kid. At least you're getting a well-rounded adventure."
The group groaned in unison as they disappeared into the shadows, ready for whatever absurdity lay ahead.