The city of Ardentia shimmered under the morning sun like a jewel carved out of stone and magic.
Massive white towers reached toward the sky, linked by glowing bridges of light. Floating carriages moved overhead, powered by crystals that hummed faintly with mana.
At the city's heart stood the Adventurer's Guild a massive circular building with banners fluttering proudly, each marked with a single word: "Courage."
Ghost stood at the gate, staring up at the towering structure, his tiny beak hanging open.
"This place looks expensive," he muttered. "Do you think they'll charge me for breathing?"
Lira smirked. "If they see what you did to that forest, they'll charge you for existing."
"Harsh but fair," Ghost replied.
Behind them, Eldric adjusted his robes, looking both nervous and annoyed. "Try to behave," he said. "Guilds don't usually register… poultry."
Ghost puffed up. "Excuse you! I am not poultry. I'm a proud magical entity of blazing power!"
Sir Nibblesworth saluted dramatically from Ghost's back. "Indeed! A noble beast of flame and destiny!"
The guard at the entrance glanced down at them, unimpressed. "Next?"
Lira sighed. "Yup. We're doomed."
The inside of the Guild was pure chaos.
Adventurers of all races bustled about humans in armor, elves in robes, dwarves shouting for ale, and even a catfolk juggling daggers for coin.
Quest boards covered the walls, packed with parchment notices: "Slime extermination – low pay," "Escort mission – high risk," and "Lost goat – reward: one pie."
Ghost stared in awe. "It's like a fantasy convention, but with more weapons."
A receptionist in a sharp blue uniform noticed the group approaching. She smiled brightly until her eyes landed on Ghost.
"Uh… good morning! How may I" she blinked, then leaned forward. "...Is that a duck?"
Eldric cleared his throat. "Technically, yes. But also… no."
Lira pinched the bridge of her nose. "We'd like to register as a party."
The receptionist hesitated. "Of course. And, um, all members are present?"
Ghost flapped his wings proudly. "Yup! That's me, the fiery one; the scary lady with knives; the old man wizard; and the squirrel knight who might be concussed!"
Sir Nibblesworth saluted, wobbling slightly. "Still breathing, ma'am!"
The receptionist blinked several times before scribbling something on a form. "Right… group name?"
Ghost thought for a long moment. "How about 'Team Hot Wings'?"
Lira groaned. "Please no."
Eldric muttered, "Absolutely not."
Sir Nibblesworth shouted, "I second the motion!"
Ghost crossed his wings. "Democracy is overrated."
After several awkward minutes, the group filled out their forms Lira doing most of the writing while Ghost "supervised" by pecking the table occasionally.
The receptionist cleared her throat. "Alright, we just need to process your magical signature."
"Magical what now?" Ghost asked.
"Please place your… wing… on the crystal."
Ghost hopped up onto the counter and pressed his tiny webbed foot on the glowing orb. It pulsed softly then burst into bright red flame.
The entire guild lobby turned to look.
Someone yelled, "Is the guild on fire again?!"
Eldric muttered, "Again?"
The receptionist quickly smothered the flame with a spell, panting. "O-okay! Registered! You're now officially members!"
A notification popped up in Ghost's vision.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
New Title Acquired: "Registered Menace."
Guild Rank: F (Temporary).
Team Name: Flaming Feather Company.
Ghost beamed. "See? Even the system loves me."
Lira deadpanned, "It literally called you a menace."
"Details, details."
Moments later, a booming voice echoed through the guild hall.
"Attention all adventurers!" shouted a muscular man with a scar over his eye. "We've got a new ranking list update!"
Everyone turned toward a massive board at the far wall, where names glowed magically.
Ghost's name appeared near the bottom:
#999 – Ghost (The Flaming Duck) – 'Forest Arsonist'
The room went silent. Then
Someone snorted.
Then another laughed.
And within seconds, the entire guild erupted in laughter.
"'The Flaming Duck'?!"
"Who even writes that?!"
"Did he burn down a forest?!"
Ghost's feathers puffed up angrily. "It was one forest!"
Lira facepalmed. Eldric muttered, "This is why I hate public exposure."
Sir Nibblesworth shouted, "Show some respect! He fought valiantly for survival!"
A nearby dwarf chuckled, patting Ghost's head. "Aye, little one. You've got guts, I'll give ya that."
Ghost blinked. "Wait… is that praise?"
The dwarf grinned. "Course not. But I like your attitude."
The receptionist returned with their new guild badges metal plates etched with faint runes.
Ghost's badge had scorch marks on it.
"Wow," he said. "It's like they expect me to set it on fire."
"They do," Lira said flatly.
Just as Ghost was about to quack something witty, a loud thud shook the floor.
A towering armored knight approached his armor gleaming black, his presence heavy like a mountain.
The room fell silent. Even the rowdy adventurers stopped laughing.
He pointed directly at Ghost.
"You there. Flaming Duck."
Ghost blinked. "Uh… hi?"
"You owe me a new arena."
"Oh boy," Ghost whispered.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
New Event Triggered: "The Challenger's Wrath."
Objective: Don't die. Again.
The guild hall went dead silent.
Every adventurer turned to watch as the massive knight stomped closer, his armor creaking like an angry furnace. He was a mountain of muscle, his greatsword nearly the size of Lira.
Even the air around him seemed to buzz with mana pressure.
Ghost gulped. "Heh… big guy, huh?"
Lira whispered, "That's Sir Brutus Ironclaw. Ranked A. Guild champion. You, uh… burned down his training arena."
Ghost blinked. "Oh. So… not a fan then?"
Eldric sighed. "You really have a talent for making powerful enemies."
Sir Brutus' voice boomed. "You're the duck they call The Flaming Menace!"
Ghost spread his wings dramatically. "Technically, it's The Flaming Duck, but I'll allow it."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Some adventurers cheered quietly. Others started placing bets.
"Ten gold says the duck gets fried!"
"Ha! I'm betting on the bird. Look at him he's too stupid to die!"
The receptionist tried to intervene, clearly panicking. "S-sir Brutus, please! We can't allow unauthorized duels inside the guild!"
Brutus ignored her, pointing his massive blade at Ghost. "Step outside, little ember. Let's see if your flames can stand against real fire!"
Ghost hesitated. "How about a nice game of cards instead?"
Lira grabbed him by the wing. "You're fighting him."
"What?! Why?!"
"Because if you don't, he'll step on you."
"Fair point."
Sir Nibblesworth leapt onto Ghost's head like a dramatic sidekick. "To glory, my blazing comrade!"
Eldric muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "To stupidity, more like."
Outside, the crowd gathered around the training grounds a large, rune-lined arena made of reinforced stone.
Brutus stood in the center, sword planted in the ground, looking like a walking fortress.
Ghost waddled up beside him, feathers puffed in mock confidence. "Just so we're clear, if I win, I get free bread for life."
Brutus growled. "If you win, duck, I'll eat my sword."
"Deal!" Ghost chirped.
The guild announcer a small, overly excited gnome jumped between them, waving a flag.
"Alright, folks! We've got ourselves a duel! In this corner, the reigning champion Sir Brutus Ironclaw!"
Crowd cheers.
"And in the other corner… the reason our insurance rates went up The Flaming Duck!"
Half the audience laughed. The other half looked genuinely curious.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
New Event: "Unofficial Guild Duel."
Win Condition: Impress the crowd or survive 3 minutes.
Bonus Reward: Fame + Guild Standing.
Failure: Public humiliation.
Brutus raised his sword. "Any last words, bird?"
Ghost grinned. "Yeah. Don't blink."
The flag dropped.
Brutus charged. The ground shook.
Ghost yelped and barely dodged, sliding across the arena floor, feathers flying.
"Okay, okay, so maybe he's faster than I thought!"
Brutus swung again a shockwave of energy sliced through the air. Ghost ducked (literally) just in time.
"You see that?!" Ghost yelled to the crowd. "It's called professional evasive maneuvering!"
A mage in the crowd shouted, "You just tripped!"
"Details!"
Brutus snarled and slammed his sword down. Sparks flew. "Stand still, coward!"
"Can't! Standing still is bad for my health!" Ghost flapped his wings and leapt into the air, spitting a burst of fire.
The flames struck Brutus' armor, leaving black scorch marks but no real damage.
Brutus laughed. "You call that fire?!"
Ghost huffed. "Rude."
He tried again, focusing his breath the flames turned blue for a split second, then exploded against Brutus' sword.
The shockwave knocked Ghost backward into the arena wall.
[SYSTEM WARNING: HP 12/35]
He groaned. "Ow… okay, maybe I need a new strategy. Like… running away forever."
From the stands, Lira cupped her hands around her mouth. "Ghost! Aim for the joints!"
Eldric added, "And maybe don't taunt the man twice your height!"
Ghost spat dirt from his beak. "Constructive criticism appreciated!"
Brutus charged again, sword raised.
But this time, Ghost didn't dodge. He waited then at the last moment, jumped forward, unleashing a concentrated burst of fire into Brutus' visor slit.
Brutus roared, staggering back, temporarily blinded.
The crowd gasped.
Ghost landed triumphantly, wings spread. "See? Tactical brilliance!"
Then the system flashed again.
[SYSTEM PROMPT: Achievement Unlocked – "First Critical Hit!"]
+25 EXP
Brutus' Armor Resistance: -15%
Ghost blinked. "Wait… it actually worked?!"
Lira grinned. "Now finish it!"
Brutus slammed his sword into the ground, releasing a fiery shockwave that tore through the arena.
Ghost screamed, "You can use fire too?! That's copyright infringement!"
He tried to leap clear, but the blast caught him midair, sending him tumbling.
Smoke filled the field.
For a tense moment, nothing moved.
The crowd murmured. "Did the duck die?"
"I think he's roasted."
Then a faint blue glow flickered through the smoke.
Ghost stumbled out, singed but smirking. His eyes glowed faintly gold.
"You hit me…" he said softly, feathers crackling. "Big mistake."
Brutus frowned. "You're still standing?"
Ghost grinned. "Standing? No. Burning? Always."
Flames erupted from his body controlled, spiraling upward like wings of living fire.
[SYSTEM UPGRADE: Phoenix Quack Lv.1 → Lv.2]
New Passive Skill: Flame Aura (Minor)
The temperature spiked. Even the crowd leaned back.
Ghost's voice echoed with distorted power. "Let's turn up the heat!"
He lunged forward, a trail of fire following him. Brutus swung, but Ghost darted under the blade and slammed his fiery wings into the knight's chest.
BOOM!
The explosion threw Brutus back, his armor glowing red-hot. He hit the ground, groaning.
The flames dissipated. Ghost wobbled, panting, feathers smoking.
Then
The crowd erupted.
Cheers, laughter, and coins flying through the air.
"Did you see that?!"
"The duck won?!"
"Best day ever!"
Brutus slowly pushed himself up, smoke curling from his armor.
He stared at Ghost for a long moment… then began to laugh.
"Hah! You've got fire, bird. I like that!"
Ghost blinked. "Wait, you're not mad?"
"Oh, I'm furious," Brutus said, grinning. "But impressed. Next time, we fight for real."
He turned and walked off, sword on his shoulder, leaving a trail of steaming footprints.
Ghost collapsed onto his back. "I'm alive… again…"
Sir Nibblesworth jumped onto his chest. "Victory, my friend! The legend grows!"
Lira smirked. "You actually pulled it off."
Eldric added dryly, "Against all logic and probability."
Ghost chuckled weakly. "So… about that free bread?"
[SYSTEM SUMMARY]
Quest Completed: "Unofficial Guild Duel."
Result: Victory (by audience acclaim).
Rewards: +100 EXP, +Guild Reputation, +1 Skill Point.
New Title Unlocked: "The Feathered Flame."
As they left the arena, guild members nodded respectfully or fearfully.
Whispers followed them.
"That's him… the Fire Duck."
"Yeah, the one who beat Brutus."
"Someone needs to get him a leash."
Ghost strutted proudly. "Fame suits me."
Lira rolled her eyes. "Don't let it go to your beak."
"Oh, it's already there," Ghost replied.
They reached the guild lobby, where the receptionist smiled nervously.
"Congratulations on your, uh… victory. The Guild Master would like to see you now."
Ghost froze. "…Is this about the explosion?"
"Yes."
Eldric sighed. "Here we go again."
The corridor leading to the Guild Master's office was unnervingly quiet.
Ghost waddled nervously between Lira and Eldric, the scent of smoke still faintly clinging to his feathers. The few adventurers they passed either gave him wide-eyed stares or stepped aside entirely.
Sir Nibblesworth, perched proudly on his shoulder, whispered, "They fear us, my fiery friend. We've ascended beyond mere mortals."
Lira muttered, "They're afraid you'll set the carpet on fire again."
Ghost huffed. "That happened once."
Eldric replied dryly, "Once too many times."
They reached a massive oak door carved with runes and the emblem of the guild a phoenix wrapped around a sword.
Above it hung a plaque that read:
"Guild Master Reina Flamesong Disturb Only If You Enjoy Regret."
Ghost gulped. "...Maybe she's not in?"
The door swung open on its own.
A woman's voice called out, calm but cutting. "I can hear you, Mr. Flaming Duck."
Ghost froze mid-step. "...She used my title. That's a good sign, right?"
Lira sighed. "Go in before she roasts you alive."
Inside, the office was a strange mix of elegance and chaos. Stacks of paperwork teetered dangerously beside glowing crystals, enchanted weapons, and half-finished mugs of tea.
Behind a wide desk sat Reina Flamesong a tall woman with crimson hair tied back in a loose braid, eyes glowing faintly gold. She wore a long black coat embroidered with flame sigils, exuding authority without even trying.
On her shoulder rested a small dragon lazily chewing on what appeared to be a quill.
Ghost blinked. "...I think I'm in love."
Lira elbowed him. "Shut. Up."
Reina looked up from a document, one eyebrow raised. "So. You're the reason I had to reassign three healers, rebuild a wall, and refund seventeen bets today."
Ghost stood straighter. "You're welcome."
Her dragon snorted out a puff of smoke that spelled the word idiot.
Reina leaned back in her chair. "Tell me, Mr. Ghost… do you understand what the word 'moderation' means?"
Ghost thought for a moment. "Something you sprinkle on food?"
Eldric facepalmed audibly.
Reina sighed deeply. "Of course."
She snapped her fingers a parchment appeared in midair. "Here's your damage report. Property destruction, medical fees, arena restoration, and one traumatized janitor."
Ghost took the parchment, skimmed it, then looked horrified. "That's more zeros than my EXP total!"
Reina smiled sweetly. "Consider it… your first official guild fine."
Sir Nibblesworth gasped. "Highway robbery!"
Reina pointed a finger at the mouse. "Do you want to be next on the invoice?"
He squeaked and hid behind Ghost's head. "Withdrawn!"
Lira tried to defuse the tension. "Guild Master, in fairness, Ghost did technically win. The crowd loved him. His fame's already spreading."
Reina tilted her head. "Oh, I'm aware. Half the guild wants to recruit him. The other half wants him banned."
Ghost puffed his chest. "Sounds balanced to me."
Reina stood, walking slowly around her desk. "You've caused chaos, Ghost. But chaos… can be useful."
Ghost blinked. "Wait, was that a compliment?"
"Barely," she replied. "You're reckless, untrained, and have the attention span of a candle flame. But your potential" she paused, eyes glowing slightly, "is interesting."
Ghost tilted his head. "Interesting good or interesting 'please don't explode in my office'?"
"Ask me again after your next mission," Reina said dryly.
She tossed him a small crimson crystal, glowing faintly.
Ghost caught it (barely). "Ooh, shiny!"
Reina explained, "That's a Guild Crest. It links your system directly to ours for missions, ranks, and… monitoring."
Ghost frowned. "Monitoring?"
Lira grinned. "So they can see every time you blow something up."
Reina added, "Exactly."
Ghost looked betrayed. "You don't trust me?"
Reina gave him a look so deadpan it could kill gods.
"…Fair," he muttered.
Reina returned to her desk, picking up another document. "You're now officially a registered adventurer, rank D. Congratulations."
Ghost brightened instantly. "Ha! Rank D! D for 'Duck of Destiny!'"
Eldric groaned. "More like D for disaster."
Reina continued, ignoring them. "Your next assignment will be outside the city. A beginner's mission monster culling, low danger. Perfect for a… combustible bird."
Ghost raised a wing. "Define 'low danger.'"
"Anything that probably won't kill you immediately."
"…So, like, medium danger then."
"Correct."
Her dragon hopped off the desk and glided over to Ghost, sniffing him curiously. It sneezed, releasing a tiny flame that set Ghost's feathers smoking again.
"Hey! Watch the plumage!"
The dragon chittered mischievously and flew back to Reina.
Reina smirked. "He likes you. He only burns people he approves of."
"Comforting," Ghost muttered, patting out his smoking wing.
Before they could leave, Reina's tone softened just slightly.
"Ghost," she said, and he turned back. "You have a strange kind of luck. It keeps you alive… and gets you into trouble. Don't waste it."
For a brief moment, her gaze carried genuine weight the kind that said she'd seen far worse than any of them imagined.
Ghost nodded seriously. "I'll… try not to explode too much."
Reina smiled faintly. "That's the best I can hope for."
As the group left her office, the door shut behind them with a quiet click.
Lira sighed with relief. "I thought she was going to roast you alive."
Eldric added, "I still think she wanted to."
Ghost waddled proudly. "Please, she loved me. I could tell. She said my luck was amazing."
Sir Nibblesworth puffed his chest. "Indeed! We are destined for greatness!"
Then the Guild Crest in Ghost's feathers beeped.
[SYSTEM WARNING: Fine Payment Due – 48 Hours Remaining.]
Amount: 10,000 Gold.
Ghost froze. "…We're broke."
Lira facepalmed. "Welcome to the adventurer's life."
Later that evening, in the guild tavern, adventurers raised mugs and cheered when Ghost entered.
"The duck lives!"
"Flaming Feather! Over here!"
"Do the explosion thing again!"
Ghost grinned sheepishly. Fame felt… nice.
But as he sat with his small team Lira, Eldric, and the ever-dramatic Nibblesworth he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
Being the "Flaming Duck" was fun.
Being responsible for the next mission… less so.
He looked at the glowing crest again, sighing. "Well, guys… tomorrow, we start our first real quest."
Lira smirked. "Think you can handle it?"
Ghost raised a wing dramatically. "Please. What's the worst that could happen?"
At that exact moment, somewhere deep within the forest outside the city… something roared.
The tavern windows rattled.
Ghost blinked. "...That sounded friendly."
Eldric muttered, "You just doomed us all."