Chapter 138: “The Sprinkle Summit Saga”

The path to the Mountain of Sprinkles was as colorful as it was perilous. Skittles paved the roads, M&M boulders lined the trail, and every few feet, they had to dodge rogue gummy bears that seemed far too eager to hug them into submission.

Sylvara skipped ahead, a bundle of energy as always. "I love this place! It's like walking through a candy commercial."

"Except the candy is actively trying to kill us," Ravynne muttered, narrowly avoiding a licorice vine that lashed out at her. She sliced it in half with a clean motion, watching as it flopped to the ground like a defeated snake.

Kazuya sighed. "Let's just hope this Cupcake Crown is worth all the cavities we're getting."

An Unlikely Ally: Queen Frostine

Halfway up the mountain, they encountered a new figure: a regal woman sitting on a throne of ice cream, her gown made entirely of shimmering sugar crystals. She held a scepter topped with a cherry and exuded an aura of both sweetness and power.

"Greetings, travelers," she said in a melodious voice. "I am Queen Frostine, guardian of the Sprinkle Summit."

Sylvara gasped. "You're beautiful! Can I have your dress?"

Queen Frostine chuckled. "Perhaps, if you prove yourselves worthy. Many have sought the Cupcake Crown, but none have succeeded in claiming it."

Kazuya raised an eyebrow. "What's the catch?"

"The crown is guarded by the Sprinkle Beast," Frostine explained. "A creature of chaos, born of leftover frosting and unbaked batter. To claim the crown, you must defeat it."

"Let me guess," Ravynne said dryly. "It's at the top of the mountain?"

Frostine nodded. "Indeed. But be warned: the Sprinkle Beast is unpredictable and very... sticky."

Sylvara's eyes sparkled. "Sticky battles are my specialty!"

Ravynne pinched the bridge of her nose. "Please don't elaborate."

The Sprinkle Beast Awakens

The trio reached the summit after hours of climbing through rivers of caramel and battling cupcake-sized marshmallow creatures. At the peak, they found a massive, glittering cupcake sitting on a pedestal, its frosting swirling with an otherworldly glow.

As they approached, the cupcake began to shake. A low growl echoed through the air, and the frosting spiraled upward, forming a massive, gelatinous creature with candy eyes and licorice limbs.

"Behold!" Sylvara shouted dramatically. "The Sprinkle Beast!"

The creature roared, flinging a glob of frosting at them. Kazuya barely dodged, and the glob landed with a splort, instantly hardening into a sugary prison.

"Okay, this thing means business," he said, drawing his sword.

The Battle of the Cupcake Crown

The fight was both chaotic and absurd. The Sprinkle Beast flailed its licorice limbs, forcing Kazuya to parry and dodge with precision. Ravynne fired her crossbow, aiming for its candy eyes, but the creature kept regenerating with new sugary parts.

Sylvara, meanwhile, tried a different tactic. She grabbed a handful of sprinkles from the ground and hurled them at the beast. "Taste your own medicine, you sticky fiend!"

To everyone's surprise, the sprinkles actually seemed to weaken the creature. It let out a high-pitched screech, recoiling as the tiny candies peppered its gelatinous body.

Kazuya smirked. "Looks like we found its weakness. Sylvara, keep throwing sprinkles. Ravynne, cover me!"

With Sylvara bombarding the beast with sprinkles and Ravynne providing ranged support, Kazuya charged forward. He leaped onto the creature's body, dodging its flailing limbs, and drove his sword into the heart of the cupcake pedestal.

The beast let out one final roar before collapsing into a pile of frosting and candy debris.

Claiming the Crown

As the Sprinkle Beast dissolved, the Cupcake Crown floated into the air, glowing with a radiant light. Sylvara caught it with a triumphant grin.

"It's so sparkly!" she said, placing it on her head. The crown fit perfectly, and a burst of magical energy surrounded her.

Queen Frostine appeared, clapping her hands. "Well done, travelers. You have proven your worth and claimed the Cupcake Crown. With it, you are one step closer to completing the Recipe of Eternity."

Kazuya wiped frosting off his face. "Great. Can we leave before the mountain decides to throw another dessert at us?"

Frostine smiled. "Of course. But beware—the path ahead will only grow more treacherous."

Ravynne groaned. "Why am I not surprised?"

The Next Clue

As they descended the mountain, the Recipe of Eternity revealed a new clue:

"The final ingredient lies in the Valley of Liquid Gold. Seek the Honeyed Chalice, and your journey shall be complete."

Sylvara gasped. "Honeyed Chalice? That sounds delicious!"

Ravynne shook her head. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Kazuya sighed. "Let's just hope it doesn't involve another sticky monster."

With their next destination set, the trio marched onward, ready—or not—for whatever ridiculousness awaited them in the Valley of Liquid Gold.