The gang hadn't gotten far from the Clucktagon when the ground began to rumble again, this time accompanied by a low, ominous quack.
Kazuya froze mid-step. "No. Absolutely not. We are not doing another poultry-related event."
Sylvara cocked her head, listening to the strange noise. "That doesn't sound like chickens this time. It's deeper… more menacing."
From behind a nearby hill emerged a flock of ducks—not ordinary ducks, but hulking, muscular ducks with tiny helmets and war paint smeared across their beaks. At the head of the flock stood a duck twice the size of Quackleton, its feathers black as night and its eyes glowing a menacing red.
Kazuya pinched the bridge of his nose. "You've got to be kidding me."
The leader stepped forward, pointing a clawed wing at Quackleton. "YOU! TRAITOR!" it quacked in a booming voice. "YOU HAVE SHAMED THE GREAT DUCK DYNASTY BY ALLYING WITH MORTALS!"
Quackleton stood his ground, puffing out his chest.
Kazuya threw up his hands. "Okay, someone please explain what the hell is going on!"
Ravynne, ever the font of esoteric knowledge, sighed. "This… is the Breadbasket of Fury's doing. It's a cursed artifact that amplifies grudges and rivalries, creating absurd conflicts where none existed before."
Sylvara smirked. "You mean it's like magical Twitter?"
Enter the Breadbasket of Fury
The leader of the ducks, who introduced himself as Lord Quackenstein, explained the situation—or rather, quacked it furiously while Ravynne translated.
Apparently, the Breadbasket of Fury had been uncovered by the Duck Dynasty, and its cursed powers had turned petty rivalries into full-blown vendettas. Quackleton's decision to join the gang had somehow been interpreted as a betrayal of the duck race, and now the entire Dynasty was out for his feathery blood.
"What's their plan?" Kazuya asked, squinting at the horde of angry ducks.
"They've challenged Quackleton to a duel," Ravynne said, gesturing to the massive, glowing Breadbasket being carried on a golden pedestal by two ducks. "Winner takes the Breadbasket—and the loser's honor is utterly destroyed."
Sylvara clapped her hands. "Oh, this is going to be good."
The Duel Begins
Quackleton waddled into the makeshift arena, which consisted of a circle of bread slices laid out on the ground. Lord Quackenstein towered over him, flexing his biceps in an almost comical display of strength.
"Behold the might of the Duck Dynasty!" Lord Quackenstein boomed. "Prepare to be buttered and toasted!"
"Did he just make a bread pun?" Kazuya muttered. "I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry."
The fight began with an explosion of quacks and feathers. Lord Quackenstein attacked with moves like the Wing Whirlwind and the Duck Dropkick, while Quackleton countered with his signature Quackquake Punch and a new move he invented on the spot: the Bread Roll Toss.
Enter the Chaos
As the duel raged on, the Breadbasket of Fury began to glow brighter and brighter, its magic seeping into the surrounding area. Suddenly, the bread slices forming the arena began to grow and expand, transforming into living, sentient bread creatures.
"What the actual hell?!" Kazuya yelled as a baguette with legs charged past him.
"It's the curse of the Breadbasket!" Ravynne shouted, dodging a flying loaf. "It's turning the bread into warriors!"
The gang was forced to join the fight as the bread creatures attacked. Sylvara skewered a croissant with her rapier, while Ravynne unleashed a spell that turned a menacing sourdough loaf into harmless croutons.
Kazuya, meanwhile, found himself grappling with a particularly aggressive bagel. "I didn't sign up for this!" he shouted, flinging the bagel into a nearby tree.
The Final Showdown
Quackleton and Lord Quackenstein's duel reached its climax as they both unleashed their most powerful moves. Lord Quackenstein roared, summoning a massive, glowing loaf of bread and hurling it at Quackleton like a meteor.
Quackleton countered with a move so absurd it defied logic: the Ducknado Deluxe. Spinning at breakneck speed, he created a vortex of feathers, bread crumbs, and pure chaos that swallowed the glowing loaf and sent it hurtling back toward Quackenstein.
The impact was cataclysmic. When the dust settled, Quackleton stood victorious, his tiny cape flapping in the wind.
The Breadbasket of Fury, now cracked and powerless, lay on the ground.
Aftermath
The Duck Dynasty reluctantly acknowledged Quackleton's victory, bowing their heads in respect. Lord Quackenstein approached him, offering a small loaf of bread as a token of peace.
"Great," Kazuya said, picking crumbs out of his hair. "Can we please go one day without being attacked by something ridiculous?"
Sylvara grinned. "Not a chance."
To be continued…