Sakeer scanned the data on his attribute table. While there were the usual fluctuations in his stats, two attributes in particular caught his attention—"Comprehensive Resistance" and "Particularity."
Comprehensive Resistance:Increased from 0 to 150
Particularity:Increased from 20 to 60
The sharp rise in resistance was clearly linked to the effects of Cursed Total Resistance and Dark Resistance.
As for Particularity, Sakeer hadn't fully figured out its mechanics. His only guess was that it was somehow related to high-level professions.
He exhaled slowly, bringing his mind back to the present.
Sakeer withdrew his gaze from Dogan's grave, feeling the gentle forest breeze rustling through his wide priestly robes.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, dazzling bursts of light flared in the night sky.
In an instant, thirteen Archangel Flames emerged, summoned by Sakeer in one go. His inventory, which originally held fifteen magic scrolls, was now down to just two.
Without hesitation, he gestured at the summoned beings and spoke calmly:
"Go. Exterminate every monster in this forest."
The archangels nodded silently before launching into the depths of the jungle, their burning wings illuminating the darkness.
Sakeer glanced at his experience slot:
Current EXP: 17,250 / 10,000
He was still roughly 2,000 EXP away from reaching 20,000.
"A pity…" he mused.
If only the Archangel Flames had a longer duration—he wasn't sure if he'd gain enough experience before their time ran out.
Still, he wasn't in a rush. Rather than leveling up now, he decided to wait.
Once the archangels vanished into the forest, Sakeer casually brushed aside the dead leaves and dust on the ground before sitting down on a nearby stone.
Then—
He took out the Orb of Death from his item box, carefully injecting magic into it while also retrieving the Magic Ritual Parchment Scroll that Dogan had entrusted to him.
"Translation Magic."
[Note: Changing Interpret Magic to Translation Magic]
A faint glow flickered in his eyes as arcane energy surged through him, illuminating the ancient script on the scroll.
The text was written in the unique script of the forest dwarf clan. Without this magic, deciphering it would have been impossible.
The Next Morning – August 29
At the edge of the Everglades, the early morning mist clung to the trees.
Leinas leaned against a thick tree trunk, her golden hair—once silky and radiant—was now messy and disheveled, streaked with dried blood. Her clothes bore the marks of repeated battles.
She had been waiting here for two days.
Her weary gaze drifted toward the swamp's depths, where danger lurked in every shadow.
Not only was this area infested with monsters, but most importantly—a terrible curse filled the air.
Still, she had been reluctant to leave.
Her grip tightened around her spear, and she whispered to herself:
"I'll wait one more day… but if he doesn't return…"
Before she could finish the thought—
A voice sounded from nearby.
"And what if I don't come out?"
Leinas's body tensed.
She immediately turned her head toward the source of the voice—
And saw the one she's waiting for.
At some point, Sakeer had silently appeared at the edge of the swamp.
His expression was calm as he strode toward her, his robes flowing behind him.
For a brief moment, Leinas was stunned.
Then, she quickly stood up and moved toward him, her tense expression softening slightly when she saw that he wasn't injured.
Though their time together had been short, Leinas had already formed a strong impression of Sakeer.
A man who could summon a fourth-tier angel—a warrior with extraordinary alchemical knowledge—he was far from ordinary.
In her eyes, Sakeer must have had his own reasons for venturing into the swamp, but ultimately, it was her curse that had drawn him here.
With a small, knowing smile, she straightened her posture. Even though she was covered in dirt and exhaustion, her noble elegance never wavered.
"Of course, I was preparing to leave," she said, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "If even someone as powerful as you had died in there, then I'd only be throwing my life away by going after you."
Sakeer shrugged nonchalantly.
"That's kind of sad."
Leinas's green eyes flickered mischievously.
"I don't see any sadness on your face, Lord Sakeer."
Sakeer didn't argue the point. Instead, he cut straight to the matter at hand.
"As for the curse… I may have found a solution."
Her pupils contracted slightly.
She studied him, searching for any deception.
But Sakeer's expression remained unreadable.
"No need to look so shocked, Miss Leinas," he said, taking another step closer. "If you don't mind, we can begin the process right now."
Leinas had gained the "Cursed Knight" class after slaying the cursed forest dwarves and was tainted by the power of the curse.
That power had haunted her ever since.
And now—
For the first time, a glimmer of hope flickered in her eyes.
Sakeer had initially thought Leinas was simply lucky, but after encountering the forest dwarves, he became increasingly convinced—
It wasn't just luck!
The monsters in the depths of the valley had all decomposed under the influence of the cursed power, and even the entire forest dwarf tribe had been wiped out in a single night.
Yet, despite all this—
Not a single forest dwarf had obtained the "Cursed Knight" class.
Leinas's voice trembled slightly.
"What materials do you need to prepare?"
Sakeer shook his head and pulled a small bottle from his sleeve—a cloudy alchemy potion with bits of crushed herbs floating inside.
"I don't need anything. Just drink this."
It looked as though it had been mixed together on a whim.
Leinas glanced at Sakeer, then at the potion. Without hesitation, she nodded.
"Alright."
She lifted the bottle, downed the contents in one gulp, then wiped the corner of her mouth.
"What's next?"
"Wait."
Sakeer uttered the word lightly.
Leinas had barely opened her mouth to respond when—
A wave of intense drowsiness crashed over her!
Her body grew heavy, her limbs numb, and before she could react—
She collapsed to the ground.
Sakeer watched as Leinas fell unconscious, her breathing steady.
He muttered to himself, "The potion effects of the hanged spider's poison sac and sleep grass seem to be working well~"
A satisfied smile crossed his face. The time spent learning alchemy from Nfirea hadn't been wasted.
Even with simple herbs, he could still create something effective.
Sakeer crouched down and gently turned Leinas over, brushing aside the golden bangs that concealed the rotting flesh on the right side of her face.
Without hesitation, he lifted a finger to her forehead.
Of course, there were no ill intentions behind this.
Passive Skill: Mana Infusion—Curse!
Under his deliberate control, a thin stream of cursed energy trickled from his fingertip into Leinas's body.
This wasn't the first time Sakeer had experimented with mana infusion. Back in the Imperial Capital, he had practiced on captured trolls—so this process was already familiar to him.
The moment the cursed energy entered Leinas's body, her decayed cheek twitched violently, writhing as if alive.
But since she was in a deep sleep, she made no movements.
Sakeer continued his infusion, steady and precise.
As the curse's power within her increased, the original curse lingering in her body began reacting—devouring the energy he injected.
His eyes gleamed.
"As expected, it's working."
He had noticed it before—when Leinas killed cursed monsters, her affliction worsened.
That meant if her "Cursed Knight" class grew stronger by absorbing external cursed energy…
Then logically—he could reverse the process.
He guided the chaotic curse within Leinas's body, forcing it into a controlled flow.
Soon, the wriggling decay on her face began to slow… then stop.
And bit by bit—
The traces of rot started shrinking.
Minutes passed.
Then, finally—
The decay on the right side of Leinas's face had completely vanished!
Her complexion was now as flawless as the left side.
Sakeer withdrew his finger, exhaling softly.
"It worked."
He gazed at Leinas, an unreadable emotion flickering in his eyes.
"Some people are just naturally gifted, huh?"
Throughout this process, her body never once rejected the curse's power.
Her affliction hadn't spiraled out of control.
Everything pointed to one conclusion—
Leinas was a perfect match for the "Cursed Knight" class.
Before, Leinas had merely obtained the Cursed Knight class.
But now, with Sakeer's intervention, she has officially stabilized at Level 1.
Half an Hour Later…
Leinas stirred, blinking groggily as she sat up, one hand pressing against her forehead.
A dull ache throbbed in her temples.
"What… did I just drink?"
Her fingers dug into the dirt as she tried to recall what happened.
Then, she noticed Sakeer standing nearby, idly toying with a small black stone.
Her lips parted.
"You…"
A sudden thought struck her.
Her hand flew to the right side of her face.
And—
She felt smooth, unblemished skin.
"!!!"
Her breath hitched.
With trembling fingers, she hastily pulled out a small mirror from her pocket and lifted it to her face.
For a long time—she simply stared.
Her reflection showed no decay.
Just her normal self.
Her eyes burned.
Slowly, Leinas lifted her gaze, her voice hoarse.
"T-Thank you."
Sakeer's tone was calm, yet oddly warm.
"Congratulations, Miss Leinas."
She slowly stood, her movements almost hesitant.
Out of habit, she reached for her blonde hair, intending to pull it over her face—to hide what was once rotten flesh.
But—
She paused.
There was no need to hide anymore.
Instead, she tucked a few loose strands behind her ear and turned to face the sunlight head-on.
Her delicate face, fully exposed, shone softly under the golden light.
Then, with a newfound confidence, she met Sakeer's gaze.
"Your Excellency Sakeer… is your adventurer team still recruiting?"