Man With Super Medical Skill (Matthew)

Extracting the cursed bug now would be extremely difficult. It had been inside Orla's brother for over a decade. If Matthew forcibly removed it with brute strength, the man likely wouldn't survive.

After a moment of contemplation, Matthew's eyes glimmered with realization.

He was no stranger to the Man-Bug Curse. The technique had been despised by his paternal ancestors for generations. But in a situation like this-where the cursed bug had fed on his blood for so many years-controlling it wouldn't be difficult if one knew the right method.

Matthew pulled a small pill from his pouch, a faint herbal fragrance wafting from it. Pressing his fingers lightly against the man's throat, he caused an involuntary reflex, making him open his mouth. Without hesitation, Matthew dropped the pill in, ensuring it was swallowed. A faint smile formed on his lips-now, he just had to wait.

That pill was something Matthew had concocted long ago on Basha's Sacred Mount, meant to protect himself and those around him from hidden curses. Its strongest effect was its ability to lure out cursed bugs and put them into a deep slumber.

It didn't take long before the scruffy man's body reacted. His dirt-covered face twisted in pain as his skin rippled unnaturally. A cursed bug, nearly eight inches long, slithered beneath his flesh, shifting grotesquely.

Matthew remained unfazed.

For someone to have survived a cursed bug's parasitic effects for over ten years, two possibilities existed: either the one who had cast the curse was already dead, or they had issued a command to keep the host alive. Otherwise, a normal person's blood production would have been exhausted in just a few days, leading to a slow and agonizing death.

Seconds passed, and the cursed bug eventually stopped writhing, sinking back into dormancy.

At that, Matthew pressed two fingers to the man's forehead. A controlled pulse of energy flowed into him, and the haze clouding his eyes slowly faded, replaced by clear awareness.

The moment his eyes fully regained their sharpness, it was evident-despite his filthy and unkempt appearance, his noble bearing was unmistakable.

The man glanced at his hands and the ants he had been playing with, his expression shifting from confusion to realization. Memories flooded back, his face growing darker with every passing second.

Then, as his gaze lifted to Matthew, a smile broke through the grime.

"I am Olexar Lew, heir of Ore Island. You have my deepest gratitude, my friend,

for saving my life." He made no effort to hide his identity.

Matthew shook his head slightly. "No need for gratitude. Your sister Orla,

I have an arrangement.

Helping you was simply a part of that."

"Orla?" Olexar's expression flickered with shock before settling into a bitter smile.

Of course. He had been trapped in this hellhole for over a decade. His younger sister—once someone who relied on him for everything-must have long since learned to stand on her own.

"No matter the reason, I still owe you my thanks for pulling me out of that mindless haze."

"You're only free temporarily," Matthew said flatly.

Olexar's expression changed instantly. "Temporarily?"

Matthew nodded and explained, "Your body was cursed with a cursed bug a long time ago. It has been continuously pressing against your nervous system, which is why you've been in a dazed state for all these years. I lured the bug into

dormancy using the pill, bo

the

effects will only last for twelve hours

at most."

A heavy silence followed. Olexar's eyes darkened, the weight of the truth settlingnoveldrama

over him. "Is there a way to remove it completely?"

Matthew nodded. "Forcibly extracting it is easy. In fact, it's quite simple. However..."

He paused.

"If I remove it, you will die."