READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 26: Chapter 26: “Eggs, Escapades, and Too Much Skin”
he aftermath of their harrowing escape had barely settled when Fergus, the self-proclaimed Fowl Whisperer, clapped his hands together and announced, "Congratulations! You've survived the second trial."
Kazuya sat up, clutching his ribs. "That wasn't a trial. That was a death sentence disguised as poultry."
Mika was busy pulling feathers out of her hair, her scowl so intense it could curdle milk. "If the third trial involves even one chicken, I'm walking."
"Oh, no chickens," Fergus said, waving dismissively.
Mika raised an eyebrow. "No chickens?"
"None at all," Fergus confirmed.
The group exhaled in relief.
"The third trial involves ducks."
Ducks of Doom
Fergus led them to a tranquil lake surrounded by reeds. The water sparkled in the sunlight, and a flock of ducks floated serenely on its surface.
"These ducks," Fergus explained, gesturing dramatically, "are guardians of the sacred Pond of Purity. To pass this trial, you must retrieve the Jewel of Quacksalot from the bottom of the lake."
"Let me guess," Kazuya said, rubbing his temples. "The ducks are secretly bloodthirsty killers."
Fergus gasped in mock offense. "How dare you? These ducks are noble protectors of an ancient legacy!"
One of the ducks quacked, glaring at Kazuya with a look that definitely seemed murderous.
"I hate this quest," Kazuya muttered.
Diving In
After a brief debate (in which Mika firmly refused to strip down to her underwear and dive into the lake), the group decided that Kazuya would be the one to retrieve the jewel.
"This is a terrible idea," Kazuya said, standing at the water's edge in his underpants.
"Oh, relax," Lyria said, lounging on a nearby rock. "It's just water. And ducks. What's the worst that could happen?"
"Why do people keep asking that question?" Kazuya muttered before diving in.
The Jewel of Quacksalot
The water was surprisingly clear, and Kazuya could see the Jewel of Quacksalot glowing at the bottom of the lake. He swam down, marveling at how easy it was.
Too easy.
Just as he reached for the jewel, something pecked his leg.
"Ow!" he yelled, swallowing a mouthful of water.
Looking down, he saw one of the ducks glaring at him, its beak glowing faintly with magical energy.
"Oh, come on!"
The duck quacked menacingly, and suddenly, the entire flock was descending on him like tiny, feathery torpedoes.
Above the Surface
Mika and Lyria were lounging by the lake, waiting for Kazuya to return, when they heard a muffled scream.
"That sounded like Kazuya," Mika said, sitting up.
"He's fine," Lyria said, waving a hand. "Probably just saw a fish or something."
Seconds later, Kazuya burst out of the water, flailing wildly as a horde of ducks attacked him.
"HELP!" he yelled, running onto the shore.
Mika stared. "Are those ducks biting his butt?"
"Yes," Lyria said, struggling to contain her laughter.
"DO SOMETHING!" Kazuya screamed, spinning in circles to dislodge the ducks.
Mika sighed, drew her sword, and swatted a particularly aggressive duck off his back.
"You're welcome," she said dryly.
The Pond of Purity's Unexpected Rules
As Kazuya caught his breath, Fergus reappeared, stroking his beard thoughtfully.
"Ah," Fergus said, nodding sagely. "I see you've encountered the Curse of Modesty."
"The what?" Kazuya snapped, dripping wet and covered in bruises.
"To retrieve the jewel, one must be completely pure of heart," Fergus explained. "Which means no clothing."
Kazuya froze. "Are you saying I have to go in there naked?"
"Exactly," Fergus said cheerfully.
Lyria burst out laughing. "This just keeps getting better."
Operation: Jewel Retrieval, Take Two
After much protesting (and some unhelpful cheering from Lyria), Kazuya reluctantly stripped down and waded back into the lake.
"This is the worst day of my life," he muttered.
"Cheer up," Lyria called from the shore. "You're making history!"
"Do you have to watch?" Kazuya yelled.
"Absolutely," Lyria said, smirking.
Mika rolled her eyes. "Focus, Kazuya."
With no ducks in sight, Kazuya swam to the bottom of the lake and finally grabbed the Jewel of Quacksalot.
"Got it!" he shouted, holding it up triumphantly as he surfaced.
The ducks, however, were not pleased.
The Naked Chase
What followed could only be described as pure chaos. Kazuya, still completely naked, sprinted out of the lake with the jewel in hand, pursued by a flock of furious, glowing ducks.
"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!" he screamed.
Mika, unable to stop herself, doubled over laughing. "This is the best thing I've ever seen."
Lyria conjured a magical shield to protect herself from the flying ducks, tears streaming down her face from laughing so hard.
"HELP ME!" Kazuya yelled, tripping over a rock and landing face-first in the dirt.
Mika sighed, finally stepping in to fend off the ducks.
"Next time," she said, helping him up, "you're keeping your clothes on."
Mission Accomplished
When the dust finally settled, Kazuya stood shivering, clutching the jewel and glaring at Fergus.
"Was that really necessary?" he demanded.
"Absolutely," Fergus said, nodding. "You've proven your worthiness."
"Great," Kazuya muttered, wrapping himself in Lyria's cloak. "Let's never talk about this again."
"Oh, we're definitely talking about this," Lyria said, smirking.
Mika sighed. "Can we please just move on to something normal?"
"Define 'normal,'" Fergus said, leading them down the path toward their next challenge.