The Adventurers Guild, once bustling with activity, had fallen into a slump. "It's all the Guildmaster's fault," the staff muttered openly, their discontent growing. Daniel, the Guildmaster, was increasingly frustrated, but he couldn't find a solution. The staff urged him to overturn Ryu's punishment, but that was impossible. The punishment was working, it had to be...right?

...It had to be working…It better be working…

Just when Daniel's spirits were at their lowest, a welcome guest arrived at the Mimul Adventurers Guild: the A-rank party, 'Red Meteor'.

Led by Big, the son of a nobleman from a distant city, 'Red Meteor' boasted a roster of A-rank adventurers. Despite their high ranking, they were a newly formed party with little experience, eager to make a name for themselves.

Their ambition led them to Mimul, aiming to conquer the dungeon east of the city and quickly establish their reputation.

Daniel, ever the sycophant, fawned over Big. In this world, noble status was absolute. Even adventurers had to treat them with respect. An A-rank party would bring prestige to the Guild. He hoped to entice them to establish a base in Mimul. He also secretly hoped they could help counter Ryu, the troublesome adventurer.

Unbeknownst to Daniel, Ryu was a regular visitor to the Guild. It was inevitable that he would encounter 'Red Meteor'. And so, their paths crossed once again.

Ryu's past held a dark secret: he had once been enslaved.

Abandoned on the doorstep of a merchant's home as a child, Ryu was taken in and raised by the merchant's wife. But a magical appraisal revealed that he possessed no magical aptitude, skills, classes, or divine blessings.

The merchant, a cold-hearted miser, demanded Ryu be discarded, deeming him worthless. However, his wife pleaded for him, arguing he might prove useful in the future, and he was allowed to stay.

The merchant had four wives and numerous children, all of whom were expected to contribute to the family's wealth. They possessed various talents and received elite education. Ryu, however, was denied any affection from his stepfather. Though he was told early on that he was an abandoned child, his adoptive mother showered him with genuine love. He lived a seemingly normal life for the first ten years, treated no differently from his siblings.

But then, his mother succumbed to illness.

After the funeral, his father summoned him, declaring:

"I thought he might be of some use, but I've come to realize he's utterly worthless."

Useless children were not welcome. Ryu was ordered to leave and pay for his upkeep since he had been a burden on the family.

Though grateful for the years he had been cared for, Ryu, a ten-year-old with no money, could only promise to pay him back later. However, his father, impatient for immediate payment, sold him into slavery.

"He didn't fetch much, a complete loss!"

Ryu, lacking skills, classes, or any magical potential, was not a valuable commodity.

He ended up in the slave trader's inventory. But fate intervened, as a childhood friend, Thunder, whose father was a merchant, intervened on Ryu's behalf. He persuaded his father to buy Ryu, preventing him from a life of misery.

Ryu became Thunder's personal slave, but with the kindness of Thunder and his father, he continued his education.

Though his status was still that of a slave, Ryu endured occasional childish pranks and teasing from the mischievous Thunder. They maintained a good relationship, both knowing the other's heart was pure.

Ryu was truly grateful to Thunder and his father, vowing to repay their kindness by studying hard and supporting them in the future. They reciprocated his feelings.

However, this idyllic life was short-lived. Big, a nobleman's son from their school, took a perverse interest in Ryu.

Jealous of the fact that Thunder had a slave, Big, fueled by his own sense of entitlement, pressured Thunder's father through his aristocratic connections to force a sale. Even though nobility had access to countless slaves, Big was obsessed with possessing his former classmate.

His new life with Big was a nightmare. Big confined Ryu to a dungeon, subjecting him to daily beatings and humiliation.

Ryu endured endless torment, a continuous cycle of pain. Though he was often beaten to the brink of death, potions and healing magic restored him, creating an unending cycle of terror.

But after a year, this ordeal came to an end. Big's father learned of his son's actions.

In this world, slaves were marked with collars of servitude, compelled to obey their masters' commands. However, this was solely for work purposes, and their treatment was not without limitations. Slaves had basic rights: their owners were obligated to provide food, shelter, and ensure a healthy lifestyle.

Slavery was essentially a contract for labor, and slaves were often granted more rights than ordinary citizens.

The punishment for abusing slaves, even by nobility, was severe. If a slave was mistreated or subjected to violence, their owner faced severe repercussions. Nobles were not exempt.

Big, however, was ignorant of these laws. He saw slaves as toys to be manipulated and destroyed at will.

Upon discovering his son's brutal treatment of Ryu, Big's father was horrified. If Ryu were to expose the truth and seek retribution, it would not only condemn Big, but also his father, who would be enslaved for his son's crimes.

Fearing the consequences, Big's father hastily freed Ryu.

With his freedom restored, Ryu became a simple commoner. The power of nobility in this world was immense. Even murdering a commoner could be excused. By reducing Ryu to a peasant, any future claims could be easily suppressed.

Fortunately, the young slave seemed unaware of his legal rights and made no attempt to seek justice.

Big's father then banished Ryu to a distant city, offering him a small sum of money as a pretense of kindness.

Mimul was the city where Ryu was left to fend for himself.

And so, the young Ryuujin found himself alone in this new world.