Unleashing the Vortex

Adam could see the growing hesitation in Gundug's eyes and sought to reassure him, "I promise you'll come back to life. There's no need for fear."

The hobgoblin hesitated, uncertainty tugging at his features. Seeing Gundug's reluctance, Adam felt annoyance prick at him. "If you're unwilling to do this, then perhaps you're unworthy of being a part of my cult," he retorted, his words carrying an implicit threat.

Gundug flinched, quickly apologizing. "I'm sorry. I... I will do as you ask." His words were firm, his teeth gritted against the fear that was undoubtedly writhing within him.

Adam hadn't anticipated using the skill so soon, yet the circumstances seemed to call for it. His curiosity about the skill was piqued, adding an element of interest to the impending chaos.

Adam cast his gaze towards Gundug. "So, where's the usual gathering spot for the lower level hobgoblins?"

Gundug supplied the desired information, "The higher-leveled ones are typically caught up with their duties. That leaves mostly the level 10 to 14 hobgoblins to hang around at 'The Skulk's Roost'."

Adam's lips curved into a smirk. The intel was like a sweet symphony to his ears. This strategy of his not only promised to stir up the necessary chaos but also provided him with a bountiful opportunity for gaining experience points. The time had come to execute his plan.

"Gundug," Adam ordered, "lead me to this 'Skulk's Roost'."

With a silent nod, Gundug began to guide Adam, leading him out of the safety of his hut and towards the heart of the hobgoblin settlement. Upon reaching their destination, Adam was met with the sight of twenty to thirty hobgoblins. They were engaged in lively conversation, savoring food, and roaring with laughter.

Turning to Gundug, he kept his voice low, nearly a whisper in the lively cacophony of the settlement. "You need to sit at a spot where the most hobgoblins are gathered."

Gundug hesitated once more, his eyes reflecting a tumultuous mix of fear and uncertainty. Adam's gaze hardened, and his voice turned icy. "I hope you're not having second thoughts. If you betray me, know these hobgoblins won't spare you. They'll kill you without hesitation. Why not follow my instructions instead? The rewards are worth it."

Gundug nodded, his face hardening into a serious mask. Seeing Gundug finally resolve himself, Adam instructed him once again to position himself near the largest cluster of hobgoblins. "I'll move away from here. Just in case, give me directions to the central hut."

Gundug relayed the directions to Adam, who acknowledged with a nod. Gundug then took a deep breath and walked towards a group of eight hobgoblins, sitting quietly amongst them.

Adam watched as Gundug tried to blend into the crowd, the fear on his face quite apparent. With that, Adam moved away, his eyes never straying far from Gundug as he waited for the right moment to enact his plan.

While Adam distanced himself from the crowd, his new recruit sat amongst a group of boisterous hobgoblins, his demeanor noticeably anxious.

One hobgoblin, larger and more imposing than the others, took notice of Gundug. With a sneer, he taunted, "What's with the scared look on your face, Gundug? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Gundug shot back, trying to keep his voice steady, "I'm not scared."

Adam continued to observe the unfolding scene, noting the sudden shift in attention among the hobgoblins. Their boisterous laughter and idle chatter simmered down, their gazes collectively focusing on the brewing confrontation.

The large hobgoblin, emboldened by the attention, pointed a thick finger at Gundug. "Oh, not scared, are we? Maybe just a bit twitchy, then?"

Some of the hobgoblins chuckled at the barb, their eyes glittering with amusement. The air around the bonfire became heavy with anticipation.

Another one chimed in, "Or maybe you're just trembling from the cold, Gundug? Want us to get you a blanket?"

This provoked more laughter, the hobgoblins clapping their comrade on the back. But the ribbing didn't stop there. "Or do you need your mother to tuck you in?" another jeered, earning him a roar of laughter from the crowd.

With each jab, the hobgoblins' laughter grew louder. They poked fun at Gundug's courage, his bravery, his worth – any and everything they could think of to ridicule him.

Through it all, Gundug's fear gradually melted away, replaced by an anger that flushed his cheeks. He suddenly rose from his seat, a defiant look in his eyes. "I am not a coward!" he declared, his voice ringing out in the suddenly quiet space.

The hobgoblins blinked at him, momentarily stunned. Then a few of them started to chuckle uncertainly. But Gundug wasn't finished. With a grin that seemed out of place amidst the tension, he declared, "Even I can do something brave, something you wouldn't expect."

The lead hobgoblin leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest with a dubious grin. "Oh? Seems like you've grown some balls. So, tell us what brave thing you'll do?"

Gundug's grin remained undeterred. "I can die." With those words, the hearty laughter echoing through 'The Skulk's Roost' came to a halt, replaced by stunned silence.

This was the opening Adam was waiting for. He pointed at Gundug, his voice brimming with power as he invoked, "[Vortex of devotion I]"

Materializing before Gundug was a whirlwind, small and seemingly harmless. The crowd of hobgoblins shared puzzled looks before breaking into stifled chuckles. The tiny cyclone in the midst of their gathering place seemed more like an amusing trick than a cause for concern.

"Aww, look at the tiny little twister!" A burly hobgoblin sniggered, his eyes crinkling with mirth.

"Maybe Gundug changed to the Jester class," chimed in another hobgoblin, grinning from ear to ear. "He's surely entertaining us with his party tricks now!" The crowd roared with laughter, their merriment ringing across 'The Skulk's Roost'.

But their laughter was short-lived. For in the next moment, Gundug strode forward, stepping into the whirlwind. A hushed silence descended on the crowd, replaced soon by gasps of astonishment as the vortex began to expand.

It grew rapidly, its force intensifying with each passing second. The small vortex turned into a swirling maelstrom, devouring the space around it with relentless fervor. The core pulsed with raw energy, distorting the very air, drawing everything into its stormy depths.

From laughter to stunned silence to full-blown panic, the transformation of 'The Skulk's Roost' was swift. Hobgoblins shouted, their voices drowned in the roaring vortex, their faces painted with sheer terror.

"No, no, No!" The hobgoblin with the crooked nose pointed at the vortex, his voice breaking in horror. "This... this isn't a party trick! Gundug's gone mad. Run!" But it was too late. The vortex had already started pulling in the horrified hobgoblins, their screams lost to the relentless storm.

In the midst of the vortex, Gundug stood, bearing the torment with a twisted grin etched onto his face. His body shuddered with pain as the whirlwind ripped at his skin, yet he held his ground, not backing away from the storm that encircled him.

"To the abyss with you all," he gasped through clenched teeth, his voice barely a whisper above the roaring vortex. He threw his head back and let out a cackle, his body convulsing in both agony and hysteria. "I'm no coward…You will all pay for your sins. Die for me!"

The vortex grew voracious, feeding on the blood, screams, and desperation that filled the air. Its pull intensified, its gaping maw ready to swallow any who dared approach its perimeter.

"Ancestors, save us!" a burly hobgoblin shrieked, his fingers slipping from the rocky outcrop he was desperately clinging to. With a final cry of horror, he was drawn into the vortex, his terrified screams echoing as he was torn apart.

"Gundug... what have you done?!" another hobgoblin stammered, his eyes wide with fear as the very ground beneath him quivered from the monstrous force of the vortex.

The hobgoblins' unity shattered, replaced by raw, primal fear. Those who had the strength attempted to rescue their comrades ensnared by the vortex's grip, while others, paralyzed by terror, turned tail and fled.

The clearing, once filled with laughter and camaraderie, now echoed with guttural screams, pleas for mercy, and the sickening sound of flesh being torn apart. The vortex, painted crimson with the blood of the hobgoblins, became the sinister centerpiece of this chaotic spectacle, an unending maw greedily devouring all that dared cross its path.

Amidst the pandemonium, Gundug's tortured voice resonated, a discordant melody blending with the horrifying symphony of screams. Despite the agony of being torn apart, he found the strength for a final act of defiance.

"Ha...ha...ha...!" Gundug's laughter echoed out, a guttural, maniacal sound that held both insanity and satisfaction. "No...more bullying...die...!"

His voice trailed off into an eerie silence as his body was torn to pieces, disappearing into the whirlwind. His torn remains mingled with the mutilated bodies of his former comrades, adding to the gruesome spectacle.

The vortex turned a sickening red as it consumed more and more of the hobgoblins. The whirlwind, now filled with blood and body parts, was a horrifying sight. It was a stark reminder of Gundug's last, terrible act.

While chaos continued to unfurl in front of him, Adam stood transfixed, his eyes wide, mouth hanging open with astonishment at the scale of destruction unfolding. He hadn't anticipated the extent of the destruction that [Vortex of Devotion I] could cause. However, the sight of the vortex pulling in hobgoblin after hobgoblin, disintegrating them in a whirl of unrestrained power, was mesmerizing.

A barrage of system notifications flooded his vision.

*You have slain [Gundug, Whisper of subjugation, Level 10 (Tier 1)]. You have received no experience for killing your follower. 0xp rewarded*

*Calculating…*

*Synergy detected between follower Gundug's Zealotry and [Vortex of Devotion I].*

*[Vortex of Devotion I] experiences skill boost based on Gundug's Zealotry.*

*You have slain [Hobgoblin, Level 11(Tier 1)]...*

*+1 Soul shard (Tier 1)*

*You have slain [Hobgoblin, Level 13(Tier 1)]...*

*...*

*A follower has willingly sacrificed themselves (1/1). [Vortex of Devotion I] has upgraded into [Vortex of Devotion II]*

As the vortex continued to claim more victims, Adam could see his experience points rocketing upward, the bar swelling from a sluggish crawl to a startling 60% in mere moments.

Breaking away from the scene of chaos, Adam shook himself out of his stupor, 'Time to leave.' Slipping away unnoticed amidst the panic and confusion, he proceeded towards the central hut, casting one last glance at the maelstrom.

Adam made his way to the central hut doing his best to not stand out.

As he approached the hut he saw someone exiting, ducking behind a tent, he focused on the exiting hobgoblin. This hobgoblin was older, an age evident in the wrinkles etched into his leathery skin and the hunch that seemed a product of years spent in contemplation and prayer. Yet, his stature was imposing.

His eyes sparkled with a strange mix of wisdom and cunning, like that of an experienced predator that has lived long enough to become a master of its domain. He was draped in a patchwork of animal hides, adorned with various bones, feathers, and peculiar trinkets that clattered with his movements - a clear indication of his shamanistic role.

Trailing in his wake was a small goblin servant, an odd sight amongst the robust hobgoblins of the settlement. It was noticeably smaller, its body slim and frail compared to the muscular hobgoblins. A collection of mismatched, worn-out clothes barely held together covered its petite form. Its greenish-gray skin was mottled with numerous bruises and cuts.

The goblin's wide, yellow eyes were perpetually darting around, as if it was expecting a threat to pop out at any moment. Its jittery demeanor was evident as it huffed and puffed, struggling to keep up with the shaman's larger strides.

Adam cast [Inspect] on the pair.

[Goblin, Mage, level 7 (Tier 0)]

[Hobgoblin, Gloomweaver Shaman, Level 30 (Tier 1)]

The shaman paused, his head tilting as if sensing the invisible probe, "Strange..." he muttered.