42 Measure

"WHAT IS THAT?!"

"STOP WHINING MICHAEL! ITS A DUCK!"

"BUT IT HAS TALONS!"

......

Jingwei, the so called 'duck' Jenkins had caught, was now currently sitting before them.

It was almost identical to any duckling. That is, if you ignored some minor details.

The most noticeable one would be the feathers he was born with, no, scales rather. They were coated in a weak yellow/white color, looking like a mixture between that found on a normal duckling and a swan

.

Then came the eyes. They were white, but with a black pupil in the middle, followed by two dark circles rounding them out.

The next would be the muscular legs. Each one with it's own eagle talon on the bottom. The plated skin on the legs was pure orange, while the sharp razors on it's feet were blue. Mabye the color change symbolized that the nails held toxic properties?

Anyways, each of his claws were proven to be incredibly dense. For whenever the duck tried waddling around, the noise generated from the feet hitting the wooden desk was similar to that of nail being hammered into a cast.

Jenkins tried picking the duck up, but was instantly shocked by how heavy it actually was. The feeling was described as 'holding onto a jagged rock'.

........

When the bird saw the figure of Michael, it began to calm down. Silently starring at him while softly quacking.

Seeing duckling like this, he went to try and hold it. Scooping the small bird gently between his palms.

There was no resistance, and Jingwei soon found himself laying not too far from the boy's face.

"What the hell kind of bird is this, Jenkins?"

The elf pridefuly assesed the small hatchling while smiling. Not even bothered by the slight dissatisfaction in Michael's voice.

"This is an emperor amongst ducks, Michael! You do well to remember what I, Lord Bellioll, has done for you!"

Michael looked at the little bird, and made a swift judgement for what to do next.

"Can you try and max his level?"

Hearing what he said caused the elf to smile so madly that his glasses fell to the floor. However, this did not bother him in the least.

"YES!!!!! PLEASE LET ME!"

He wipped out the purple dungeon core and aimed it at Jingwei.

----------

[Familiar status]

[Level: 25/25] max (evolve)Y/N?

[Name: Jingwei][Race: Duck/???]

[Titles: Familiar of Michael/Hybrid(new)]

----------

Michael placed the duckling down and willed the evolution to begin.

Jingwei was suddenly surrounded by a bright yellow glow which died down not too soon after it started. Once more showing his figure.

The duck was still the same appearance wise, but had grown from the size of an Apple to that of a small cabbage.

Michael turned towards Jenkins with a serioues look, letting a exited glint flash past his gold eyes as he spoke.

"You and Nemesis go shopping. I have to assess this thing's combat prowess. Let us meet up here again tonight."

Before anyone could refute, Michael picked the small duckling up and exited the room. Leaving the two behind.

They both looked at the door and then to each other. A short silence was followed by their emotionless, yet hostile interaction.

"So, goblin woman...."

"Yes, sir Jenkins?"

"Wanna go gambling?"

"I...Don't have any knowledge about that subject.... Please tell me more."

"Great. Follow me then, I'll explain on the way."

.....

Michael was now wandering in the vast forrest landscape. He had travelled here with the help of his 'Strider's step' ability after exiting the town built near the academy.

In his hands laid a scaley yellow bird. Peacefully enjoying the air current brushing against it's feather shaped bone armour. Whenever Michael jumped through the air, the bird would sometimes start to stretch out it's wings, trying to get a better feel of the passing sky.

'System, show me Jingwei's abilities.'

----------

[Familiar ability display]

[Name: Jingwei][Race: Duck/???]

[Bloodline:???]

[Active Abilities: Bone crushing bite(lvl1)Rage(lvl1) Tackle(lvl1) Poison gasher (lvl1)]

[Passive Abilities: Corrosive spit(lvl1) Feather armour(lvl2) Kinetic dispersion(lvl3) super regeneration(lvl1)]

----------

Michael stopped where he stood. Fully taking in both the incredible power the duck had, and the details of this old forrest.

'I can hear some running water not to far away, mabye finding something weak for it to go against would be best.'

Michael threw himself once more over the sea of pine trees, and then elegantly slammed down into the wet dirt. Landing only a small distance away from something looking like a pond.

The earth around the pool of water was even more soggy than the one already found in the forrest. Including this, several small patches of grass grew both within it, and around it. However, the easiest thing to notice would be the impressive amount of lily pads floating around in the murky water.

He walked a little closer to it, checking with his senses if there was any aquatic life to be found inside.

After retracting his aura, he frowned slightly while halting his steps. Starring into the creek.

'Strange. I can definitely feel something inside. However, it's too hidden for me to get a proper feel of its shape...'

While silently looking at the pond with Jingwei in his arms, something suddenly stuck it's head out of the edge.

'What the hell is that?'

The thing which emerged out of the water resembled a rotting human head, covered with a large amount of long black hair with a heavy mix of algaes inside.

The two green light bulbs hiding behind some strands of black and green were glued to his body. They lit up the deathly pale skin which covered the barely visible facial featues. What could be discerned resembled some sort of ripped latex mask.

Michael tried measure the creature, but found out that it was only at the (middle) Soldier layer power wise.

'Not as impressive as I thought, but it sure looks creepy.'

He started walking closer to the water, now standing five meters away from the head which followed his every movement.

Jingwei, who was laying in his arms, suddenly started to madly quack at it. Fighting itself free from his embrace and rushing forwards.

Seeing the small animal come closer, the rotting head lost it's patience and threw itself out of the water. Flying at the yellow cabbage which dashed towards it.

As the creature flew out of the pond, the rest of it's grotesque body became visible.

It had the same shape as a very malnourished human. Wearing a heavily damaged black shirt with matching pants made out of something looking like rotting weeds.

The limbs resembled something like very thin, yet long white sticks. The feet were shaped the same as any other person's, only with several types of fungi growing along the shins and toes.

The hands came in the form of long black claws, perfectly blending into the murky pond.

As for the mouth which almost opened up a hundred and eighty degrees, threatening to swallow the little bird with a single stroke, was filled with rows of teeth similar in shape and color the the claws.

Seeing the humanoid beast come closer to Jingwei, he began to think of what to do.

'Mabye I should help?'

The two creatures collided with each other. The ghostly human tried sinking it's long teeth into the bird, but found out that they were unable to dig through it's feathers.

As for Jingwei, he began to wildy slash away at its body with the two talons, while also crazily biting it's neck.

Michael's indifference turned into shock as he watched. Incredibly stunned at the fight unfolding before him.

Jingwei, despite not having reached a layer of power, started to literally rip the humanoid creature to sheds. Peeling of both the weird clothes and body tissue.

Feeling it's imminent defeat, the beast tried to fight it's way back towards the pond, but that only caused the small duck to grow even more crazed.

After half a minute, the winner was declared. Jingwei stood pridefully on top of the badly mangled corpse while looking at Michael. Hoping for some praise!

Starring at the duckling with a mouthful of interest, he smiled and nodded at it.

"Good work."

Almost as if understanding what he had said, Jingwei quacked back at him.

"Let's head deeper in then.."

However, before he could finish, Michael was once more left stunned as he watched the duck beginning to swallow down every piece of his fallen enemy. Gargling and cracking through every piece of the ruined bone.

He looked away, trying not to throw up as heard the unnatural noises made when the bird swallowed down.

'This thing sounds like a boat engine...'

Jingwei quickly finished his meal and waddled back beside his legs.

He gently bendt down and patted the duck on it's back. Feigning an ignorant appearence.

"You can come out now."

Michael emotonlessly talked towards his familiar, but the voice was clearly directed somewhere else. And as he stroked his hand over Jingwei's scaly feathers, a figure exited from the woods.

Turning around, Michael immidetly scanned over his pursuer.

'A knight?'

Before him stood a lightly cloaked knight wearing a set of heavy iron armour. You could hear the metal plates grind against each other as he walked, representing the impressive care put into removing any weak spots.

While going over the layer of protection and of course, the sheathed sword on the side of the knight's body, he focused his attention on it's head.

'A mask? Thought they usually wore helmets.'

Instead of a stereotypical tin can, a featureless mask covered the face of this strange individual. The only visible details would be the dark brown color and the two void rings carved out so that one could see.

Both he and Jingwei starred the unmoving soldier. Slightly tensed up and prepared.

"Marss Zell Johnson."

A blurred out voice vibrated through the mask. Michael was unable to discern which gender the knight belonged to based on the sound, due to both the innate muffling caused when speaking and some sort of voice altering.

"Can I help you?"

After answering, the grey figure pointed it's heavily armoured gauntlet towards him. Stetching out the creaking index finger.

"Come with me."

Hearing the altered voice finish up, a bad promotion boiled in his chest.

"What if I refuse?"

The knight placed his coated hand over the sword hilt sticking out of the hip side.

Seeing the equally provocative behavior made him grin in a evil way. Sharpening his gold eyes onto the pack of scrap metal.

His muscles tightened togheter, releasing some minor crackling sounds as they stretched themselves.

Michael then finally dug his leather shoes into the dirt and prepared himself for a round of entertainment.

"You will have to excuse my rudeness then."