Chapter 86: “The Quest for the Holy Peck Continues: Cluckflict and Fowl Play”
after surviving the Dance of the Cluck and narrowly escaping the Eggalanche, the crew regrouped at their campsite on Brioche Island. The second step of the Holy Peck technique was now in their possession, but the journey was far from over.
The scroll had revealed the next location: The Feathered Peaks, a treacherous mountain range where the third piece of the Holy Peck awaited. But, as always, things wouldn't be that simple.
Breakfast of Chaos
The morning after their ridiculous dance battle, the crew sat around the campfire, enjoying a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs.
Fergus, chewing loudly, said, "So, what's the next step? Peck with… something?"
Kazuya unrolled the scroll.
"Step 2: Peck with Style. Step 3… Peck with Purpose."
"Peck with Purpose?" Sylvara raised an eyebrow. "What does that even mean?"
"No idea, but it sounds deep," Kazuya shrugged.
Suddenly, a loud squawk echoed through the forest.
"Please tell me that wasn't another Chicken Knight," Fergus groaned.
Before anyone could respond, a shadow loomed over the campsite, and they looked up to see a massive rooster with fiery feathers and glowing red eyes.
"CLUCKSTORM!" it bellowed. "Keeper of the Feathered Peaks!"
Enter Cluckstorm
The rooster descended from the sky, landing with a dramatic flap of its fiery wings.
"Who dares seek the third part of the Holy Peck?!"
Kazuya stood up, trying to appear confident. "We do!"
Cluckstorm tilted his head, eyeing the group suspiciously.
"And what makes you worthy of such power?"
Fergus, still holding his plate of scrambled eggs, blurted out,
"Well, for starters, we didn't die from that Eggalanche. That's gotta count for something."
Cluckstorm squinted at Fergus's plate.
"Are those… EGGS?"
Fergus froze.
"Uh… maybe?"
Cluckstorm's eyes narrowed.
"You dare to eat my brethren?!"
Kazuya facepalmed. "Oh, for cluck's sake…"
The Trial of Purpose
Before the crew could explain, Cluckstorm flapped his wings, sending a gust of wind that blew their breakfast into the trees.
"You have offended the sacred flock! Now, you must prove your worth in the Trial of Purpose!"
Sylvara crossed her arms. "And what exactly does this trial involve?"
Cluckstorm grinned.
"You must retrieve the legendary artifact known as… The Beak of Destiny!"
Fergus snorted.
"The Beak of Destiny? Really? Sounds like a fast-food chain special."
Cluckstorm ignored the comment.
"The Beak is hidden within the Feathered Peaks. Only those with true purpose can find it."
"And if we don't?" Kazuya asked.
"Then you shall be cursed to lay eggs for eternity!"
"Wait, what?!" Fergus yelped.
The Cluckflict Begins
The crew set off toward the Feathered Peaks, a towering mountain range covered in snow and feathers.
As they climbed, the weather turned bizarrely chaotic. One moment it was snowing, the next it was raining feathers.
Fergus plucked a feather from his hair.
"I feel like we're in a chicken-themed fever dream."
Kazuya laughed.
"You've been feeling that way for days."
Suddenly, a squadron of Chicken Knights appeared, blocking their path.
"Halt! None shall pass without the Beak of Destiny!"
Sylvara sighed.
"Why does everything on this island want to kill us?"
"Because it's funny," Kazuya grinned.
The Chicken Knights drew their swords, clucking menacingly.
"Prepare to fight!"
The Battle of Feathered Peaks
The fight that followed was nothing short of ridiculous.
Kazuya swung his sword, only to have it deflected by a chicken shield.
Sylvara cast a fire spell, which only made the feathers poof dramatically.
Fergus? He grabbed a loaf of bread from his pack and started swinging it like a club.
"Taste my Baguette of Doom!"
The Chicken Knights weren't impressed.
"Attack!"
In the chaos, one of the knights accidentally tripped on a feather, causing a domino effect that sent the entire squad tumbling down the mountain.
"Well, that was easy," Kazuya said.
"Too easy," Sylvara muttered.
The Beak of Destiny
At the peak of the mountain, they found a small altar holding the Beak of Destiny—a golden chicken beak pendant glowing with mystical light.
Kazuya reached out to grab it, but as he did, the ground shook.
"Uh-oh…"
Out of the snow burst a giant, mechanical chicken with laser eyes.
"BEHOLD! THE GUARDIAN OF THE BEAK!"
Fergus gaped.
"Why does it have laser eyes?!"
Kazuya shrugged.
"Why not?"
The robotic chicken charged, shooting laser beams that turned the snow into steam.
"Run!"
The crew dodged the beams, each one narrowly missing them.
Finally, Sylvara shouted, "Kazuya, use the Beak!"
Kazuya held up the Beak of Destiny, and it began to glow.
"Peck with Purpose!" he yelled.
The robot chicken stopped in its tracks, its laser eyes dimming.
"Command recognized."
"Wait, did you just hack the chicken?" Fergus asked.
"Apparently."
Cluckstorm's Approval
Back at the temple, Cluckstorm watched as Kazuya presented the Beak of Destiny.
"You have passed the Trial of Purpose," Cluckstorm declared. "You are now ready for the final step of the Holy Peck!"
Fergus grinned.
"Does this mean we get fried chicken now?"
Cluckstorm glared.
"No."
"Worth a shot."