The fusion test began with great expectations. After all, having three girls hit 100% affection and unlocking synchronized fusion powers was supposed to be a triumph. A moment of glory. A breakthrough.
Instead, it started with feathers.
Bright light engulfed the clearing as Lina, Iris, and Kira reluctantly agreed to channel their newly unlocked power through the "Guild Link Network." MC, standing in the middle with his arms raised like a conductor, grinned like a kid in a candy store. "Okay, girls! Channel your feelings into me—wait, that sounded wrong. Uh, just think of how much you love—uhh, LIKE me. As a friend. Strong, affectionate, magical friends."
Lina rolled her eyes but complied, her fiery aura igniting. Iris focused silently, her time magic humming like a ticking clock. Kira, true to form, grumbled, "I'm not doing this because I like you or anything—this is purely scientific curiosity, baka."
The light turned golden, then blue, then purple, then... duck-yellow?
With a sonic quack that shook trees and shattered all expectations, a dragon-sized duck emerged from the sky, its majestic wings flapping with slow-motion authority. It landed in front of them, causing a mini earthquake. The girls staggered back. The duck blinked. Its giant beak dripped... fire?
"Is it… is it breathing flame?" MC squeaked.
"No," Iris corrected grimly, "it's sneezing flame. Repeatedly."
Lina's face twisted. "You made us fuse our magic for this? A quackzilla?"
"It was supposed to be a phoenix!" MC yelled, ducking (ironically) as the flaming duck let out a sneeze that torched a nearby boulder.
Kira pointed an accusing finger. "I blame you and your dumb System! Who fuses affection into poultry?!"
The duck flapped once and sent a shockwave across the field, knocking down half the guild members and blowing away the picnic they hadn't even finished unpacking.
Ciel crossed her arms. "This is why we don't trust Systems."
The duck turned its attention to the guild, eyes glowing with what might have been rage... or indigestion. Either way, it honked.
Battle mode engaged.
"Okay, team!" MC shouted, backpedaling. "New plan! We're gonna... unfuse it! Or distract it with breadcrumbs! Anyone brought breadcrumbs?!"
Kaela, the potion witch, pulled out a vial. "This one summons corn."
"GOOD ENOUGH."
The fight became chaos incarnate. Lina launched a wall of flame, which only made the duck hotter. Iris slowed time, only to realize the duck moved at the same speed, implying some strange resistance. Kira tried stabbing it in the foot, which did nothing except earn an angry stomp. Ciel sliced one of its feathers off and yelled, "I will never emotionally link with this idiot!" — even though her aura glowed faintly pink.
MC, panicking, tried using copied magic. He fired an ice blast. Then wind. Then psychic push. Nothing worked. Finally, in desperation, he shouted, "I SUMMON THE POWER OF AFFECTION!"
To everyone's horror, the duck responded.
It turned toward MC with soft, cooing eyes, waddled over, and sat on him.
"MMPHHHHHH!" came the muffled scream.
Iris stared, eyes twitching. "Did... did it just imprint on him?"
Kira looked away. "If he survives this, I'm taking the rest of the week off."
Eventually, Luna appeared, having missed the beginning of the fight. She analyzed the magical energy, muttered something about "systemal feedback loops," and used a shadow spell to disrupt the fusion link.
The duck poofed into a cloud of glitter and regret.
MC lay in a crater, twitching. "Ow... my dignity."
"You didn't have any left," Lina said flatly, handing him a canteen.
Kaela checked her notebook. "Conclusion: fused skills need calibration. And less bird DNA."
MC groaned. "Next time… we summon something cool. Like a tiger. Or a dragon. Or—wait, what's stronger than a duck?"
Iris replied, "Your common sense, if it ever existed."
Everyone laughed — except Ciel, who mumbled something about idiots and walked off… but not before glancing back once, blushing.
And so, the fusion test was a partial success: the team learned what not to do, the duck returned to the imaginary realm, and MC... well, he gained +5 Affection with everyone for trying.
Even if he still smelled faintly of roasted breadcrumbs.
END OF CHAPTER 82