BONK.

  The guild door smacked Ren in the back again as he stepped outside. Level 3. Slightly gooier than last time. A man armed with a sword, boosted attack, and a whole lot of trauma from slimes.

  “Alright,” he said, pulling out the red jelly bean he looted earlier. “Time to boost my power like a hero.”

  He tossed it into his mouth.

  DING!

  > [RED JELLY BEAN CONSUMED]

  Attack +3

  Mana Flow Unlocked: Partial

  Flavor: Like regret and cherry mixed with floor cleaner

  Ren gagged. “It tastes like a war crime.”

  > “Power has a price, peasant.”

  “…What?”

  > “Oops. I meant ‘partner.’ Definitely said partner.”

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  ---

  Quest Activated: “Catch Sir Flappers the Third – Duck of Destiny”

  Reward: 300 Gold, 1 Rare Item, ??? Skill

  Note: Duck has an attitude problem and possibly ninja training.

  ---

  Ren hit the town square like a storm.

  Eyes scanning. Sword out. Nostrils flaring like a man who knows what duck revenge smells like.

  “There he is.”

  Perched atop a fruit cart was Sir Flappers the Third—feathers slick, red cape fluttering, eyes burning with a thousand untold crimes. He looked Ren dead in the soul… then quacked.

  > “The final boss has entered the battlefield.”

  “It’s a DUCK!”

  > “A duck with DRIP.”

  Sir Flappers squawked and bolted.

  Ren ran after him, barreling through crowds like a budget action hero.

  ---

  Town Chase Highlights:

  Sir Flappers kicked over a tomato stand.

  Ren slipped and ate dirt.

  An old man yelled, “NOT AGAIN!”

  Sir Flappers stole a bagel.

  Ren got hit with a stray fish. Twice.

  ---

  The duck zipped into a back alley and somehow climbed a crate stack. How? No one knows.

  Ren arrived, panting. “You… are so… dead.”

  Sir Flappers flapped his wings, let out a dramatic quack, and dive-bombed.

  PECK.

  “OW! WHY IS YOUR BEAK SO VIOLENT?!”

  > “Fun Fact: His ancestors were probably velociraptors.”

  Ren counterattacked by flinging half a sandwich from his pocket. It hit a cat instead. The cat joined the chase. Nobody asked it to.

  After a slapstick tangle with laundry lines, a slippery banana peel, and three accidental kicks to innocent bystanders, Ren finally tackled the duck and held it up like Simba from The Lion King.

  DING!

  > QUEST COMPLETE: “Catch Sir Flappers the Third”

  Gold: 300

  Rare Item: Skill Orb (Unidentified)

  NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: [D-Rank – Pocket Pandemonium]

  Skill Description:

  Creates a random small chaotic object from another dimension once per day. Could be useful. Could explode. No refunds.

  Ren blinked. “...Huh?”

  > “YES! AT LAST. CHAOS IS OUR FRIEND!”

  “…Why are you talking like a cartoon villain?”

  > “Because our power is UNSTABLE. Our enemies will tremble! MWAHAHA—wait no, I meant congrats!”

  Ren looked at the duck still pecking his leg and sighed. “I just wanted gold. Now I have a living grenade skill and a system doing evil monologues.”

  > “Embrace it. Let’s name the skill ‘Kaboomie.’”

  “No.”

  > “Coward.”