The Useless Skill Became The Most Powerful

Ronan picked up the invitation from the Ironclad Guild and tossed it into the waste bin beside his bed. He had already warned them that hunting an A-rank Mother Worm Ground Beast was too dangerous, but nobody listened to him. As far as he was concerned, they could go without him.

He winced as he stretched his left arm, his fingers moving towards the bandages around his shoulder. There were several others across his chest and legs, injuries he had received during their previous expedition.

Ronan was an F-rank Hunter whose only ability was to absorb injuries from other people. Once he touched an injured person, the wound would disappear from their body and appear on his instead.

For three years, the Ironclad Guild had used him as their healer, paying him almost nothing while he suffered the injuries they received during expeditions. They didn't keep him because they liked him. He was simply cheaper than hiring a proper healer, and he couldn't afford to leave because they paid for his younger sister's treatment.

One thing still surprised him, though. Darius, his childhood best friend and the guild leader, had accepted his decision not to join the expedition without arguing.

"He's always been a jerk. Did he hit his head hard against a wall?" Ronan thought, remembering the threats he usually received whenever he refused an assignment.

He smiled and picked up his phone. Whatever had happened to Darius, he could finally spend the day with Helen. It was her birthday, and he had promised to visit her at the hospital.

However, instead of Helen's familiar voice, a man answered.

"Hello, am I speaking with Mr. Ronan?" the man inquired.

"Yes, who is this? Is Helen playing pranks with me?" Ronan asked, smiling. "Tell her I haven't forgotten her birthday."

"I'm calling from the admission desk at the main hospital. Your sister's condition has deteriorated, and she needs urgent treatment."

Ronan's smile disappeared. "What do you mean? I spoke to her yesterday, and she told me she was getting better."

"Unfortunately, the Ironclad Guild has withdrawn its financial assistance. You have two hours to make payment for her next round of treatment, or we won't be able to continue."

"What? There must be a mistake. The guild has been paying for her treatment for three years."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ronan, but we've already contacted them, and they confirmed their decision."

"Please, don't stop treating her. I'll get the money, I promise. Just give me some time."

"You have two hours, Mr. Ronan."

The call ended, leaving Ronan staring at his phone. He dialled Helen's number again, but there was no answer. He tried Darius next, and when the call went unanswered too, he grabbed his clothes and rushed out of the room.

When Ronan arrived at the guild headquarters, Darius was standing among the Hunters preparing for the expedition. At the sight of him, a smile appeared on his face.

"So, you came after all."

Ronan marched towards him, his eyes red. "Why did you stop my sister's treatment? Darius, we were friends. We've known each other since childhood. How could you do this to me?"

"Friends?" Darius repeated, turning towards the others. "Did you hear that? Our little healer thinks we're friends."

"Poor, useless people like you don't have friends. They have bugs and hunger," one of the Hunters mocked, causing the others to burst into laughter.

Ronan stared at Darius, waiting for him to say something, but his friend only smiled.

"So, will you quit whining and join us?" Darius asked flatly.

"Do you want me dead? I'm an F-rank Hunter, Darius. That thing is an A-rank Mother Worm Ground Beast. Even your strongest Hunters might not survive it."

Darius walked closer and placed a hand on his shoulder, pressing against an injury that had barely healed.

"How can we want our favourite pet dead? Definitely not. Who else would take our injuries when we get into trouble?"

Ronan pushed his hand away. "Then why are you doing this? I've done everything you asked me to do. I've nearly died several times because of this guild, and now you're threatening my sister?"

"Then don't make things difficult for yourself. Join us, and Helen continues receiving treatment. Refuse, and you can spend the next two hours watching her die."

Darius turned around and walked away.

Ronan squeezed his hands tightly. He wanted to grab Darius and punch him across the face, but the image of Helen lying on her hospital bed weakened his courage. What would happen to her if the guild refused to pay?

"Are you coming or not?" Darius called.

Ronan swallowed his anger and followed them.

The expedition went more smoothly than he had expected. When they arrived at the underground nest, the Mother Worm was nowhere to be found. Only its young ones remained, crawling around the eggs scattered across the chamber.

The Hunters immediately attacked, killing the smaller creatures and collecting the crystals from their bodies.

"Ronan, come here!" one of them shouted, holding out his arm. "Take care of this."

Ronan looked at the tiny scratch on his skin. "You don't need me for that. It'll heal on its own."

"Did I ask for your opinion? Do your job!"

Ronan placed his hand on the injury, and the scratch disappeared from the Hunter's arm, appearing on his instead.

Before he could return to his position, another Hunter summoned him to attend to a cut on his finger. Even those who had suffered nothing more than minor bruises demanded his attention.

By the time they finished collecting the crystals, Ronan could barely move his injured shoulder.

Darius approached him and tapped his cheeks.

"I told you it wasn't that bad. Look at everything we've collected, and we didn't even encounter the Mother Worm."

"We should leave already," Ronan replied, glancing towards the entrance. "I don't like the fact that the mother isn't here. What if it returns?"

"Stop worrying about everything, Ronan."

Darius turned towards the Hunters and instructed them to share the crystals. Everyone received a portion, while he kept the rare egg they had discovered among the others.

Ronan stretched out his hand when the distribution reached him, but the Hunter carrying the crystals walked past.

"Wait, what about my share?" Ronan asked.

Darius turned towards him. "What share?"

"I took everyone's injuries, including scratches that didn't even need treatment. You promised to pay me enough to continue Helen's treatment."

Darius laughed. "You should be grateful we allowed an F-rank weakling like you to accompany us. Being part of this team is enough payment already."

"But you promised me!"

Before Ronan could finish, the ground beneath their feet began to shake. Several stones fell from the ceiling, and a terrible roar echoed through the chamber.

"What was that?" one of the Hunters asked, drawing his sword.

Another tremor followed, and an enormous creature emerged from the darkness, its gigantic body almost filling the entrance.

The Mother Worm had returned.

Its enormous mouth opened, revealing several rows of sharp teeth, while its body crushed the smaller rocks beneath it. The Hunters who had been laughing moments earlier stood motionless, their weapons trembling in their hands.

"Attack it!" Darius shouted, but nobody moved.

One of the B-rank Hunters finally charged forward, swinging his sword towards the creature. Before his weapon could reach it, the Mother Worm struck him across the chest, sending him crashing against the rocky ground.

Blood poured from the terrible wound across his body.

"Ronan, save him!" Darius screamed.

Ronan rushed towards the Hunter and placed his hand against the wound. The injury disappeared immediately, but a terrible pain tore through his own chest, forcing him to his knees.

He screamed and pressed both hands against his chest as blood soaked his clothes. His breathing became difficult, and his vision blurred while the Hunter he had saved staggered to his feet.

"Darius, I can't take any more," Ronan managed to say, struggling to remain conscious.

The Mother Worm roared again, advancing towards them. One of the Hunters dropped his weapon, while another stumbled backwards, almost falling over the crystals they had collected.

"We can't defeat that thing!" someone screamed. "Darius, we need to leave!"

Darius glanced towards the exit before turning to Ronan, who was still kneeling on the ground.

"This is why you're here, Ronan, to save us all," he announced coldly.

Ronan raised his head. "What are you talking about? I've already taken his injury. I can't..."

Before he could finish, two Hunters grabbed him by the arms.

"What are you doing? Darius, tell them to let me go!" Ronan struggled, but the pain in his chest made it almost impossible to resist.

Darius took the rare egg and threw it towards the edge of the chamber, while the other Hunters hurled the remaining eggs and crystals in the same direction.

Then they pushed Ronan after them.

He struck the rocky ground with his injured chest, screaming as the wound tore open further.

"Darius!" Ronan stretched out his bloodstained hand. "You can't leave me here! What about Helen?"

But Darius had already turned around, running towards the exit with the other Hunters.

Ronan tried to stand, but his legs gave way beneath him. He raised his head again, hoping that someone would return, only to discover that the Mother Worm had stopped pursuing the escaping Hunters.

The eggs and crystals were scattered around him, and the enormous creature was slowly turning in his direction.

Its attention was now fixed entirely on Ronan.