The morning mist clung to the swamp, making the stone paths between the twisted trees and the damp soil a challenge for untrained eyes.
In random spots, pools of greenish liquid bubbled, releasing vapors that would render any mortal unconscious within seconds. Around these pools, human and creature bones lay scattered, bleached by the constant acid.
The calm of one green pool's surface was suddenly broken. When an insect the size of a small apple hovered above, a long tongue shot out from the mud in a blur to snatch it. But before the tongue could retract, a ripple of mana distorted the air. The viscous appendage was violently pulled back by an invisible hand, revealing what the pool had been hiding.
A creature was dragged out: a dog-sized, warty swamp frog exhaling a faintly acidic mist. The beast was thrown onto solid ground, and from behind the trees, three humans appeared.
— Lord Kain will be very pleased with this Warty Frog. They're rare around here, and the Lord posted the mission months ago without success, — said the man on the left, a muscular bald fellow, voice animated.
— Yes, Lord Kain is known to be generous, and this ugly frog is advanced level. It's worth a lot, — added the man on the right, thin, hollow-faced, with sparse hair.
— Silence, both of you. We must restrain it and move quickly. You know we can't attract more apprentices or beasts here. It's dangerous, and we could lose the merchandise, — reproached the man in the middle. He was the shortest of the three, but when he spoke, the others immediately fell silent.
The three, working together and channeling mana into containment spells, immobilized the frog, which struggled in vain. Once secured, they carried it with difficulty along the stone path, the shortest man bringing up the rear, eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
After hours of marching, they reached the tower—a formidable structure erected in an artificial clearing within the swamp, free of acid pools. Only the sound of hurried footsteps broke the eerie silence. Several apprentices entered and exited, casting curious glances at the group and the captured creature. But sensing the Advanced Level mana of the trio, they averted their eyes respectfully.
The group maintained their pace and ascended the tower to the fifth floor, stopping before a reinforced metal door. A plaque read:
"Beast Breeding Area. Do not enter without authorization. Life and death are not guaranteed."
They knocked and waited. Soon, the door opened. A man appeared, seemingly 24 years old, with short hair, thick eyebrows, and a cold, calculating gaze. Mana pressure emanating from him exceeded that of an Advanced Apprentice, bordering on lethal.
— Lord Kain, we have completed the mission you posted in the task center, — said the shortest man, bowing respectfully.
— The specimen is in good condition. Very well, I thought no one here could be of any use, — Kain turned his back and added: — Follow me, but control your curiosity. Touch nothing. Bring the merchandise.
Without waiting for a reply, Kain entered. The three men hesitated briefly, then followed. Inside, multiple containment areas were arranged across a vast hall.
The room housed various creatures: blood bats, zombies, trembling goblins in cages, basketball-sized larvae, among other specimens commonly found in the swamp. The men glanced around, impressed but reminded of the warning on the door, and proceeded in absolute silence.
They reached the center, where a blood-stained surgical bench stood, a shelf filled with animal organs and other substances not belonging to beasts, and a small table in the corner with a notebook full of notes. They froze, noticing, in a dark corner, a three-meter ogre. An oppressive aura, stronger than all three of them combined, radiated from the creature.
Kain stopped and commanded:
— Place the frog in empty containment area number four. Then return here; we'll discuss your reward.
As the men hurried to obey, Kain observed silently, immersed in thought.
"Ten long years since I came to this cursed world…", he thought, feeling the weight of survival. "I've nearly died countless times. Now I have some power, but the Mentor is restless, wary of me and the other pseudo-mages. He'll become even more vigilant and paranoid."
He glanced at his own hand for a moment, where a star-shaped mark beneath the skin pulsed with a faint, sinister light. Kain exhaled softly, almost inaudibly:
— I hope the plan to remove this mark works…
The men returned, breaking the brief introspection. Kain walked to the side table and picked up three leather pouches that jingled softly.
— Here's your payment: thirty low-level magic stones each. And a bonus of five stones for the leader, for the frog's safety.
— Lord Kain is truly generous! — exclaimed the muscular man, trembling as he took his share.
— Leave — Kain cut the excitement coldly. — I have work to do, and these beasts won't study themselves. Any new missions will be on the board, as usual.
The apprentices hurriedly departed. When the metal door closed, Kain turned to containment area four. The Warty Frog croaked weakly, still exhausted from the journey.
Kain approached the glass and whispered to the amphibian:
— Calm down, little friend. If you survive, you'll become a new creature.
The frog shivered under Kain's heavy gaze and oppressive aura, unable to understand the words but sensing the danger.