What the Duck, C-rank (Solo)

**Hyphen** · Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:43 pm

Guild :

Paradise Dawn

Jewels :

1,030,000

Rank :

D-Rank

Race :

Human

Experience :

10,000

Reputation :

2,200

Class :

Adventurer

Strength :

1

Speed :

1

Constitution :

1

Endurance :

1

Intelligence :

1

Mana :

500

Boosts :

Character Bonus Program 30% till S-Rank or 500,000 Experience.

The moon hung low in the night sky, casting a pallid glow over the imposing facade of the grand manor that stood before Hyphen. Its architecture was a blend of Gothic intricacies and ominous shadows, seemingly pulled from the pages of a macabre tale. The air itself felt charged with an unsettling aura, sending shivers down his spine as he took a cautious step over the threshold.

The interior was a labyrinth of dimly lit corridors and silent whispers. Each step he took seemed to resound in the eerie stillness, and the creaking of the mansion's doors as they opened added to the unsettling atmosphere. Hyphen's senses were on high alert, his heightened intuition guiding him through the dark. He moved with the careful grace of a prowling predator, every sense attuned to the enigmatic surroundings.

As he ventured deeper into the mansion's heart, an unusual sound accompanied him – a soft quacking.

He was already doubting his sanity for other reasons, and he would again here, if it weren't for the fact that he had read the job description of this quest. Meeting a duck was expected, it was why he was here at all in the first place. But it was still terrifyingly amusing to run into the situation. And befuddling.

216

**Hyphen** · Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:44 pm

Guild :

Paradise Dawn

Jewels :

1,030,000

Rank :

D-Rank

Race :

Human

Experience :

10,000

Reputation :

2,200

Class :

Adventurer

Strength :

1

Speed :

1

Constitution :

1

Endurance :

1

Intelligence :

1

Mana :

500

Boosts :

Character Bonus Program 30% till S-Rank or 500,000 Experience.

Hyphen's brow furrowed in puzzlement as he turned to see a duck waddling along in his footsteps. "Well, hello there," he mused, a mixture of bemusement and intrigue crossing his features. The quacking companion seemed oddly attached to him, a peculiar shadow to his every move. The manor's layout was a confusing tangle of twists and turns, revealing doors that led to rooms filled with mysteries of their own. Some contained shelves stacked with ancient tomes and arcane artifacts, while others housed bizarre machinery and medical equipment that seemed straight out of a mad scientist's fevered dreams. "What kind of place is this?" Hyphen muttered under his breath, his steps faltering as he beheld diagrams that depicted strange anatomical modifications. The duck just stared at him blankly as he analyzed in terror what sort of machinations could've been going on in here. Hyphen looked back, wondering if it wanted to communicate something upon such a sight, but it just quacked at him, like it had always done throughout this whole ordeal.

Yeah, me too buddy.

179

**Hyphen** · Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:44 pm

Guild :

Paradise Dawn

Jewels :

1,030,000

Rank :

D-Rank

Race :

Human

Experience :

10,000

Reputation :

2,200

Class :

Adventurer

Strength :

1

Speed :

1

Constitution :

1

Endurance :

1

Intelligence :

1

Mana :

500

Boosts :

Character Bonus Program 30% till S-Rank or 500,000 Experience.

In the midst of his exploration, Hyphen stumbled upon a series of photos in a room that matched Marlee's description of her fiancé. His heart clenched with empathy as he beheld a figure huddled in the corner, the photos narrating the terrible alchemy that had taken place – feathers where appearing where hair should have been, a beak in place of a mouth. It was a man, or at least a semblance of one.

"Marlee's fiancé, I presume?" Hyphen's voice was a gentle mix of concern and disbelief, as he turned to the duck that had been following him this whole time. The duck-man's eyes met his own, and there was a flicker of recognition in their depths before the creature let out another mournful quack. A scrawled note on a nearby table provided a breadcrumb of information about the twisted scientist behind this ordeal. The pieces began to fit together in Hyphen's mind, the puzzle taking shape as he pieced together the chilling tale of a man's transformation.

175

**Hyphen** · Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:44 pm

Guild :

Paradise Dawn

Jewels :

1,030,000

Rank :

D-Rank

Race :

Human

Experience :

10,000

Reputation :

2,200

Class :

Adventurer

Strength :

1

Speed :

1

Constitution :

1

Endurance :

1

Intelligence :

1

Mana :

500

Boosts :

Character Bonus Program 30% till S-Rank or 500,000 Experience.

Guided by purpose, the quacking still following him, Hyphen delved deeper into the manor, each step an exploration into the unknown. His journey culminated in a room suffused with a cacophony of clinking flasks and humming machinery, presided over by a figure whose eyes blazed with manic brilliance. Hyphen's voice dripped with dry sarcasm as he addressed the scientist, "You know, turning people into ducks isn't exactly the most conventional career choice."

Man, he should'be thought of a better one-liner than this one, he told himself. But he hadn't had the time, and finding this guy so suddenly demanded an equally sudden oneliner. He made a mental note to himself to practice these things once he got back home. Or perhaps he could have a list of pre-written ones, he mused. It was certainly something he needed to get better at.

The scientist's cackle echoed through the room, the dissonant sound bouncing off the walls like a sinister symphony. The ensuing battle was a dance of sparks and shadows, a clash of magic and cunning. Hyphen's movements were a tapestry of fluid grace as he deftly navigated the hazardous landscape of the room, maneuvering between explosive potions and arcane contraptions as he blasted skillfully with his trusty pistol - "Problemsolver".

217

**Hyphen** · Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:45 pm

Guild :

Paradise Dawn

Jewels :

1,030,000

Rank :

D-Rank

Race :

Human

Experience :

10,000

Reputation :

2,200

Class :

Adventurer

Strength :

1

Speed :

1

Constitution :

1

Endurance :

1

Intelligence :

1

Mana :

500

Boosts :

Character Bonus Program 30% till S-Rank or 500,000 Experience.

With a final flourish of a magic bullet clanging out loudly from the barrel of his weapon, Hyphen incapacitated the scientist, bringing an end to the chaotic confrontation. The room seemed to sigh in relief as the machinery's hum faded into silence, and the dissonance of the battle was replaced by an almost eerie tranquility.

Then, just as soon as he defeated the stranger, and as if there was some kind of connection between them and what the result of his quest here should be, a transformation took place before Hyphen's eyes. Feathers retracted, a beak morphed back into lips, and quacks evolved into words. Marlee's fiancé stood before him, the recognition in his eyes now unobscured by the form of a duck.

Hyphen's smirk was a cocktail of victory and relief. "Looks like we managed to fix you up."

Sort of miraculously, because he had no idea how he was supposed to reverse that thing. It was really convenient that it just happened to go this well - sometimes you just got luck on your side, ey?

Hyphen carried Marlee's fiancé on his back as they navigated the maze of falling debris. The exterior greeted them with a sigh of relief as they emerged into the night, Marlee rushing forward with tears of gratitude streaming down her face.

"Thank you," she choked out, her voice heavy with emotion, as she embraced her fiancé.

Hyphen offered a casual salute, "No worries."

246

Total: 1033

What the Duck, C-rank (Solo)

Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:43 pm

Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:44 pm

Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:44 pm

Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:44 pm

Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:45 pm

Log in

Latest topics