Ch 2.1 - The Lord of the Swamp

After the disastrous outcome with his license card exam, Benjamin decided to head back. He and his party went their separate ways following the commotion. They left behind the monster parts that they could have claimed if Ben hadn’t charged in alone.

The monster carcass would have been highly prized had they managed to sell it in the market. However, now that Ben was alone, carrying it was burdensome, so he ultimately chose to abandon it.

Thankfully, Ben had brought along another set of clean clothes. His previous garments were torn and bloodied. So he quickly changed into new ones before setting off.

But the weather turned fast. A sudden downpour erupted from the sky, fierce and relentless.

Acting quickly, Ben climbed atop a thick tree. With a wave of his hand, he activated his mana, manipulating the branches and leaves. They moved at his command, forming a makeshift tarp overhead, a crude, living roof shielding him from the rain.

This was the Isle Continent: a land of vast tropical forests, thick with vegetation and crawling with life. The seasons were hot, and the summers, even hotter. Sudden flood rains weren’t rare. They could turn entire stretches of the jungle into swamps within minutes. The beasts here had adapted, and so had the people.

As the rain battered his leafy shelter, Ben pulled out the card from his pocket.

To become an adventurer, one had to pass a trial commissioned by the Guild. Each applicant had to perform the duties of their assigned class. Benjamin, an SSS-tier healer, was expected to play the role of a support. Had he just followed orders, had he stuck to his role, the leopard beastman would have likely approved him.

Ben gripped the card tightly.
How the hell am I going to explain this to my master?

Roughly half an hour later, the rain subsided. The water quickly soaked back into the thirsty earth.

Ben leapt down and resumed his journey through the forest.

Along the way, he passed several beastmen and the occasional elves. Some were adventurers, others merchants, but all gave him the same wary look.

Benjamin stood out. His bright crimson hair and piercing emerald eyes already made him distinct, but more than that, it was because he was human. And in this part of the world, that meant something dangerous.

The Isle Continent was ruled by the beastmen, humanoid beings with animalistic traits. They lived in tight-knit, fiercely territorial societies. The other half of the continent belonged to the elves, aloof, cold, and proud.

Humans, however, had no such territory. Both beastmen and elves looked down on them, and most humans here were enslaved.

Seeing Benjamin walk the roads freely was unusual.

He was used to it now, the awkward stares, the veiled glares, even the occasional insult muttered under breath.

That’s why the adventurer license meant so much to him. With it, his status would rise. He’d be free, free to travel, cross borders, and finally live life on his own terms.

After half a day of travel, Ben arrived at a grim, rotting swamp.

The trees stood crooked and damp, their trunks shrouded in moss. Thick bushes and oversized insects buzzed in the murk, and the heavy stench of stagnant water clung to the air. Most would gag at the first whiff, but to Ben, this was home.

He had lived here for the last five years.

Normally, Ben would walk these paths with confidence, unapologetic and bold, but today, his steps were slower. There was a subtle unease in his stride, a rare flicker of hesitation.

It didn’t take long before he reached the wooden shack nestled beneath the arch of a crooked old tree.

Before he could get close, a tiny white monkey with three fluffy tails darted toward him.

Ben smiled and bent down as the creature leapt effortlessly onto his shoulder. It clung there like it belonged.

Ben rubbed its cheek with his finger. “Nice to see you too, Mop.”

A voice called out behind him.

“You’re back. I hope you have good news.”

Ben turned. An old man emerged from the shadows, hands clasped behind his back. His skin was dark and pale, almost ashen, with yellow slit pupils that gleamed like a serpent’s. He wore a patchy set of tattered robes, barefoot and hunched, yet there was nothing weak about him. He didn’t resemble any beastman or elf; he was something else entirely.

“Oh, Master! It’s good to be back,” Ben said quickly, joining his fists and giving a respectful bow.

Sweat formed at his brow.

The old man’s eyes narrowed suddenly. “Wait… the staff. Where is the staff I gave you?”

Ben’s eye twitched.

Right. The staff. His master had handed it to him before the exam. But it hadn’t suited his fighting style, so he’d… casually ditched it while battling the ants.

Yeah, probably not the best thing to admit out loud.

Ben inhaled, choosing his words with extreme care. “Ah, about that~”

The old man raised a hand without another word.

The tree beside him groaned and creaked to life. Branches slithered out like serpents, shooting toward Ben. He barely had time to react before they coiled around him, binding his arms and legs.

In seconds, he was yanked into the air, dangling helplessly in front of his furious master.

“Well, well,” the old man muttered. “So my precious staff was either smashed to pieces or thrown aside like garbage. Either way, I won’t like what’s about to come out of your mouth. Choose wisely.”

Ben let out a long sigh. “I… lost it, actually.”

The vines around his neck tightened sharply.

“Wonderful,” the old man said dryly. “So everything I’ve taught you was for nothing. Frankly, putting you out of your misery would be the better option. Unfortunately, you still have a part to play in this world, and I’m not allowed to kill you.”

The grip around Ben’s neck loosened, allowing him to breathe again.

One of the branches slipped into his pocket and pulled out the license card.

“Oh, right… about the exam~” Ben began.

“You failed?” the old man hissed, eyes locking on the failed stamp.

“Well, technically~”

Before Ben could finish speaking, one of the tree’s limbs, still under the old man’s control, lunged forward and pierced his stomach.

Ben gasped and coughed up blood, his body jerking in response to the pain.

Meanwhile, the old man glared at his bleeding pupil with disgust.
“A student who can’t complete such a simple task,” he said coldly, “is no student of mine.”