Chapter 68: "Into the Quack of Doom: The Mystery of the Duck Dynasty"

The crew sat in stunned silence, staring at the note in the bottle. The words "Beware… the Duck Dynasty" were scrawled in ominous handwriting.

Kazuya groaned and leaned back against the mast. "Why is it always birds?"

Fergus inspected the note with a magnifying glass he had stolen from Sylvara. "Hmm… yes, yes. Classic villain handwriting. Definitely bird-related."

Nerissa crossed her arms. "So, what's the Duck Dynasty? Another pirate clan? Another ancient bird cult? A gang of ducks in tuxedos?"

Sylvara sighed, rubbing her temples. "I've heard stories… dark stories. The Duck Dynasty is rumored to be a secret society of ducks that control the world from the shadows."

Kazuya blinked. "Wait, ducks control the world?"

Sylvara nodded solemnly. "Yes. They're known for their cunning strategies, ruthless political maneuvers, and… quackonomics."

Fergus snorted. "Quackonomics? That sounds like a bad business podcast."

"Don't underestimate them," Sylvara warned. "The Duck Dynasty has toppled kingdoms. They've manipulated entire economies with their feathered influence. They're not just birds… they're puppet masters of chaos."

 The Arrival of the Duck Messenger

Before anyone could process the gravity of the situation, a loud quack echoed across the water.

From the sky, a duck dressed in a tiny cloak and crown landed on the deck.

"Is that a messenger?" Kazuya asked.

The duck nodded solemnly and handed Sylvara a scroll.

Sylvara unrolled the parchment. Her eyes widened as she read aloud:

"To the Adventurers Who Defeated the Chicken Clan,

We have been watching you.

Your actions have upset the balance of the avian underworld.

The Duck Dynasty demands your presence at the Pond of Truth.

Refuse, and you shall face the Wrath of the Quack.

Sincerely,

Lord Quackington XIII."

Fergus burst out laughing. "Lord Quackington? Are you kidding me?"

Nerissa frowned. "This sounds serious."

Kazuya, deadpan: "We're being summoned by a duck lord. Of course it's serious."

The Journey to the Pond of Truth

The crew set sail toward the Pond of Truth, a mysterious body of water hidden deep within the Quacklands.

As they approached, the sky grew darker, and the sound of quacking filled the air.

"Okay, this is officially creepy," Nerissa muttered.

Suddenly, ducks began appearing in the water. Not normal ducks — ducks in suits, ducks with briefcases, ducks with monocles and top hats.

"They're everywhere!" Kazuya exclaimed. "It's like a fowl Illuminati."

One duck paddled closer, holding a sign that read: "BUY CRYPTODUCK NOW!"

Fergus cackled. "Even the ducks are in on the crypto scams!"

Meeting Lord Quackington XIII

The boat docked at the Pond of Truth, where a grand palace made entirely of reeds and lily pads stood.

Inside the palace, the crew was led to a throne room where Lord Quackington XIII sat on a golden throne shaped like an egg.

The duck lord wore a crown made of bread crumbs and held a scepter shaped like a baguette.

"Welcome," Lord Quackington said in a deep, regal voice. "You have meddled in the affairs of birds for too long."

Kazuya stepped forward. "Look, we don't want any trouble. We're just trying to finish our quest."

Quackington narrowed his eyes. "Trouble? You defeated our chicken cousins and disrupted the Great Poultry Pact. Now, you must atone."

Sylvara whispered to Kazuya, "Be careful. The Duck Dynasty is known for their tricky negotiations."

Kazuya raised an eyebrow. "What do you want from us?"

Quackington stood and spread his wings dramatically. "We challenge you to a trial of wits, strength, and quackery!"

The Trial of the Duck Lords

The trial consisted of three absurd challenges:

The Bread Toss:

The crew had to throw pieces of bread into the mouths of ceremonial ducks. Fergus took it too seriously, yelling, "FOR HONOR!" as he lobbed bread like a madman.

The Quack-Off:

They had to out-quack the Duck Lords in a bizarre vocal showdown. Kazuya, to everyone's surprise, nailed it with a perfect quack impression.

The Feather Fight:

A full-on feathered battle broke out, with the crew using feathered weapons against the Duck Lords.

By the end, everyone was covered in feathers, laughing and panting from the chaos.

 The Final Revelation

After the trial, Quackington approached Kazuya.

"You have proven yourselves worthy," he said. "But there is one final truth you must know."

He handed Kazuya a glowing golden feather.

"This is the Feather of Fate," Quackington explained. "It holds the key to the next step in your quest."

Kazuya looked at the feather in awe. "What does it do?"

Quackington smirked. "It will guide you… to the Duckverse."

Everyone: "The what?!"

Quackington: "The Duckverse — a realm beyond your imagination, where ducks reign supreme and your destiny awaits."

Fergus: "I love this. I love everything about this."

Nerissa groaned. "We're never getting a normal quest, are we?"

Sylvara chuckled. "Normal? With this group? Never."

As the crew prepared to set sail for the Duckverse, Kazuya couldn't help but laugh.

"Honestly… I'm kinda excited."

Fergus raised a toast. "To ducks, destiny, and ridiculous adventures!"

The crew cheered, and their journey continued — toward more chaos, more comedy, and undoubtedly more quacks.