Chapter 72: “The Crumbpocalypse Begins!”
The crew returned to their ship, victorious yet blissfully unaware that the Bread Basket of Eternal Crumbs would soon plunge their lives into utter chaos.
"It's just a basket of bread," Kazuya said, eyeing the magical artifact with suspicion. "What could possibly go wrong?"
The First Crumb Incident
It didn't take long for the side effects to manifest.
Fergus, ever the curious foodie, decided to test the Bread Basket's powers. He reached in and pulled out a warm, buttered roll.
"Hmm, delicious!" he said, taking a bite. But before he could finish chewing, the roll multiplied.
"Uh… guys?" Fergus muttered, staring at the basket as more rolls began to spill out.
Within seconds, the ship's deck was covered in an avalanche of bread.
Cluckbeard flapped his wings in panic. "IT'S THE GREAT FLOUR FLOOD!"
Sylvara, perched gracefully on a stack of baguettes, raised an eyebrow. "Is this what you meant by 'infinite bread'?"
Kazuya groaned, half-buried under a mountain of loaves. "This is the dumbest day of my life."
The Curse of the Eternal Crumbs
The Bread Basket's magic wasn't limited to bread. It also came with an unshakable curse: the Eternal Crumbs.
No matter how much the crew cleaned, crumbs kept appearing.
Crumbs in their beds. Crumbs in their hair. Crumbs in places where crumbs should NEVER be.
Fergus frantically swept the deck, but the crumbs multiplied faster than he could clean.
"Why won't they go away?!" he cried, flinging his broom overboard.
Cluckbeard cackled. "Ye can't escape the crumbs, lad! They're with ye for life!"
Nerissa stormed out of her cabin, covered in flour. "I took a shower FIVE TIMES, and I'm still finding crumbs in my ears!"
Kazuya ran a hand through his hair, shaking out a handful of crumbs. "I'm starting to think we should've left the basket behind."
Sylvara smirked. "But then we wouldn't have this comedy gold."
The Bread Mutiny
The Bread Basket's magic began to affect more than just the crew. It brought the bread to life.
One morning, Kazuya woke up to find a baguette marching across the deck, waving a tiny flag made from a napkin.
"What… the hell… is that?"
The baguette saluted him. "Vive la révolution!"
Suddenly, the other loaves joined in. The bread army had declared mutiny.
Cluckbeard squawked in horror. "The carbs have risen! We're doomed!"
Fergus grabbed a loaf and bit into it. "Tastes like rebellion."
The Great Bread Battle
The Bread Army launched an all-out assault on the crew.
Pretzel Golems charged forward, hurling salt crystals like ninja stars. Croissant Knights galloped on cinnamon roll horses. The Baguette Commander led the charge, wielding a butter knife.
Kazuya, sword in hand, fought valiantly alongside Sylvara and the others.
"This is the weirdest battle I've ever been in," Kazuya muttered as he parried a baguette's attack.
Sylvara twirled elegantly, slicing through croissants with ease. "And you're loving every second of it."
"Okay, maybe a little."
The Crumbpocalypse Ends
Just when it seemed like the Bread Army would overwhelm them, Fergus had an idea.
"What if we give them what they want?"
Kazuya blinked. "You mean…?"
Fergus nodded. "Feed them."
They opened the Bread Basket and let the loaves feast on an infinite supply of bread.
Within minutes, the Bread Army was too bloated to fight.
Cluckbeard cackled. "Defeated by their own hunger! Classic."
The Aftermath
As the dust (and crumbs) settled, the crew gathered around the Bread Basket.
"Well, that was… something," Kazuya said, brushing crumbs off his clothes.
Sylvara leaned in with a smirk. "Admit it. You had fun."
Kazuya chuckled. "Yeah, okay. This is the dumbest quest ever… but it's definitely entertaining."
Cluckbeard raised his mug of ale. "To the Bread Basket! May it never crumble again!"
Everyone groaned at the pun.
"Cluckbeard, no more puns!"