Just as the gang thought they could finally catch their breath after the chaos of the Breadbasket of Fury, the ground trembled beneath their feet. Ravynne stopped mid-spell, narrowing her eyes. "Oh, no," she muttered, clutching her staff tighter.
Kazuya groaned, already dreading what was about to come next. "What now? Did the bread decide to unionize?"
From the pile of bread crumbs left behind by the Breadbasket's destruction, a strange, doughy mass began to form. It pulsed and writhed, growing larger and larger until it towered over the group. The mass began to take shape, sprouting stubby arms, a lumpy torso, and a hideous face made of melted cheese and raisins.
Sylvara cocked an eyebrow, trying not to laugh. "I think we've just met the world's first carb kaiju."
The creature let out an unholy screech that sounded like someone gargling yeast water.
Ravynne gasped. "That's... that's the Yeast Beast! A forbidden monstrosity created by the leftover magic of cursed bread artifacts!"
Kazuya deadpanned, "Why is there always a forbidden monstrosity?"
The Yeast Beast roared, stomping forward and sending waves of sticky dough in all directions.
Battle Tactics: Baking Edition
As the Yeast Beast lunged toward them, Kazuya swung his sword, slicing through a glob of dough only for it to reform instantly. "This thing's regenerating faster than Ravynne after happy hour!"
Ravynne smirked, already charging a spell. "Flattered, but we need heat. It's the only way to stop yeast!"
Sylvara grinned mischievously. "Lucky for you, I'm hotter than the surface of the sun." She raised her hands, conjuring twin fireballs. "Come get some, you doughy disaster!"
Her fireballs hit the creature square in the chest, causing parts of its body to harden into crispy crust. But instead of weakening, the beast only grew angrier. It began flinging chunks of its crusty body at the group, each piece exploding like a baguette grenade on impact.
"Okay, plan B!" Kazuya yelled, narrowly avoiding a flying sourdough shard.
Quackleton waddled forward, donning his heroic tiny cape. "Quack-quack!"
Ravynne's eyes lit up. "Quackleton, you genius! We can bake it from the inside!"
Kazuya blinked. "I'm sorry, bake it how?"
The Yeast Beast's Downfall
The plan was… unconventional, to say the least. While Sylvara kept the Yeast Beast distracted with rapid-fire fireballs, and Ravynne unleashed a barrage of spells to weaken it, Quackleton was fitted with a small satchel of explosive spices.
"This feels wrong," Kazuya muttered as he tied the satchel onto the brave duck.
Quackleton quacked confidently, saluting with his tiny wing before waddling into battle.
The duck launched himself into the air with a mighty leap, landing squarely on the Yeast Beast's head. With a triumphant quack, he activated the satchel, sending a plume of fiery spices exploding through the creature's doughy body.
The Yeast Beast shrieked, its body hardening into a massive, crumbling loaf before collapsing into a pile of harmless crumbs.
Kazuya stared at the aftermath, hands on his knees and panting. "I can't believe I just watched a duck commit arson on a bread monster."
Sylvara patted his shoulder. "You've seen weirder. Remember the Cheese Golem?"
"Don't remind me."
After the Dust Settled
With the Yeast Beast defeated and the Breadbasket of Fury's curse broken, the group finally had a moment of peace. They sat in a circle around a campfire that night, roasting marshmallows and reflecting on their bizarre adventure.
Quackleton sat proudly on Kazuya's lap, puffing out his chest like the hero he was. Sylvara leaned against Kazuya's shoulder, smirking. "You've been through a lot, huh, Chosen One?"
Kazuya sighed. "A lot? I've battled kaiju chickens, cursed bread, and now some kind of demonic pastry. I think I've earned a nap."
Ravynne chuckled. "Oh, you sweet summer child. You really think it's over?"
As if on cue, a distant rumble echoed through the night, followed by a faint moo.
Kazuya froze. "No. Nope. I'm not doing cursed dairy again!"
Sylvara laughed, pulling him closer. "Relax, Kazuya. Whatever's next, we'll handle it. Together."
To be continued…