Duc is accidentally reincarnated as a duck in a fantasy world where he was supposed to be the heroic force for good, as a human, but finds himself in the depths of a dungeon facing challenge after challenge in his little duck body. Not only that, wh...
I twirled slowly back and forth on the water like I was lounging in a water park's lazy river. I didn’t even know where it was taking me, not that I had a destination in mind. Just too caught up in enjoying the little things I suppose. Nature. Sun. Water. Everything!
When I first got out of the dungeon, the sun was high in the sky, so perhaps this world's noon, but now it was almost setting. I'd been floating for hours. Nothing really bothered me as I floated. I saw some wildlife of the world, but some monsters too. Neither really paid me much mind because unlike the dungeon where food was scarce without killing, it seems pretty abundant out here. Or so I thought.
While in the dungeon, I seem to have developed a sense for when predators were near and about to strike. Floating down the river. I could tell something was ahead. So, I finally got out onto land and began slowly trudging my way towards what I was sensing.
It's still close to the river, whatever it is.
I peered through some bushes that gave me cover to scout ahead. Before me was a girl, washing herself in the river! I blushed red at the sight. She was beautiful, petite, and… an elf?!
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While I couldn't make much out from where I was, I could tell she had long white hair, piercing blue eyes, and pointy ears just as an elf in a fantasy world would have. She seemed to be washing dirt off her legs and arms but was still wearing a thin white dress that hugged her body and covered her features. It was just hiked up as she stood in the river.
She's so pretty! But she's not what I was sensing. It feels too close to be a coincindence. Maybe… It’s going after her?!
I decided to high tail it into her proximity, hoping she'd think nothing of a duck, but as soon as I moved, she turned right towards me with a short curve bladed dagger aimed in my direction.
“Whatever you are, stay back!” she said calmly and sternly, but most of all, cutely.
I might be what she saw first, but there's no way she knew it was me. One of the skills that was essential for me to learn in the dungeon was how to suppress my mana presence. It was big monster after big monster in the beginning. And sure, my explosions of power could take care of them. But it was exhausting. I had to learn how to focus. The only reason they wouldn't find me was because I’d run out from fighting them over and over again. That is, until I learned!
She definitely sensed the same presence I did, but where was it? There's too much brush and trees around. It could be hiding just as easily as I was. I had to take my chances. If I was to help her, I needed to be closer!
“Quack.” I said, waddling back and forth and plopping into the water to float towards her.
“A duck?” she said momentarily letting down her guard, “No!”
The elf quickly turned facing away from me and I felt it too. There was something coming towards her, or rather us now. I pushed myself up the river towards her and lept out of the water in front of her.
A beast met me mid-air as I formed a spell I had developed. A defensive shield of sorts, based on the egg I hatched out of. It blocked the beasts fangs that were looking for an easy kill. I shattered the egg outward myself, blowing the beast away.
It landed on it's four legs. Getting a closer look at it, it reminded me of a rabid dog of sorts. Maybe some kind of wolf. It had pitch black fur with a white stripe across its face, showing its glowing green eyes. It probably was just a hungry creature, but I would protect the girl all the same.
I glanced back to make sure she was okay, but all I saw was the look of shock. Maybe she hadn't seen a magical duck before. Well, that makes sense I suppose. In all the fuss, she seemed to drop her dagger and was trying to get to it as the wolf beast was getting to launch another attack.
One thing I love about being in the open world is the nature. So abundant compared to the dungeon. I couldn't hide my pleasure that the beast was launching another attack. I spread my wings behind me feeling the molecules of the water surround me. Then, instantaneously shot my wings forward, like a clap, and the water followed.
The force was like a sonic air boom, as if the water had solidified for a brief second as it hit the wolf beast, cutting it straight down the middle in it's jump. The body fell to the ground in two pieces as a bloody, furry, pile of goop.
Maybe I overdid that one. Hopefully she's okay.
I turned back the elf girl who had her dagger in hand again, but looked frazzled as to what all just happened. I didn't know what else to do so… I… quacked.
“Quack?”
Some bushes began to rustle from behind the dead wolf beast. A man stepped out with a sword drawn.
“Sorry for the intrusion. I was trying to chase down the beast before it got to you.”
The man was tall and lean, had short black hair and elf ears just like her. He seemed to be more like a soldier though. After stepping out, he took notice of the beast's dead body.
