Cult of Algrimore [Chapter 5]

Before moving forward, I open my status page.

Name: Yu

Class: Master

Level: 4

HP: 91

Strength: 3

Dexterity: 4

Movement: 4

Constitution: 12

Magic: 8

Willpower: 10

Exp To Next Level: 16

Current Exp: 8

Attribute Points: 30

<1/1>

I stare at my stats and contemplate what kind of player I would want to be.

I don't want to do a whole lot of damage, but maybe being tanky would be nice? Make myself harder to kill, I think I'll just play a character who can bluff really well.

I quickly allocate points.

Name: Yu

Class: Master

Level: 4

HP: 91

Strength: 3

Dexterity: 4

Movement: 10

Constitution: 30

Magic: 8

Willpower: 16

Exp To Next Level: 16

Current Exp: 8

Attribute Points: 0

<1/1>

I start walking down the tunnel, fuming and my mind blanketed by rage.

I won't succumb to irrationality due to rage.

I notice torches lit up ahead and hear Rugle sniffing the air.

"Smells like decay."

He grumbles coldly. I continue forward, unflinching by his words.

"I don't smell anything."

I whisper back, soon seeing torches lighting up a large room ahead of us. As I enter the room, my heart sinks and my blood freezes in my veins. I feel myself shaking in shock. I see a small boy with orange hair hanging on a sideways cross; skinned and naked, blood dripping from his mostly drained body.

"Oh? So you're who was snooping around. Too bad, should've kept your nose out of business it didn't belong, hero!"

I look to my left and see several old men with black cloaks and daggers. I glare at them for a moment from the corner of my eye, before turning towards them. I take a deep breath and pat Rugle on the shoulder.

"Make it hurt."

I walk back towards the boy, the sounds of ripping flesh and cracking bones echoes through the tunnel.

"W-what is that!?"

I hear one of the men yell, clearly seeing Rugle's true form. I walk up to the boy amd inspect the damage to his body. My stomach churning as I slowly grow more and more angry.

What even is this world? This place so far seems like its filled with evil, corruption, and no real reasoning. Why am I even here?

I turn back to Rugle, seeing him slowly ripping off one the cultist's arms and legs. He is wrapping his facial mandibles around the man's face, then breathing fire onto his face and eyes. His blood curdling screams echoe as another man runs towards me with a dagger.

Just as he gets to me and jams his dagger towards me, I speak up.

"Why did you do this?"

I growl. He freezes in place and stares at me.

"Algrimore seeks the bodies of the young. He wishes to gift all of his followers with immortality, by placing our souls into younger bodies when we die."

And why does everyone seem so open to telling me the truth.

Suddenly my brain connects the dots.

Willpower is how likely you are to crumble under pressure and follow someone else's orders, right? And my Class is Master. Does that mean if my willpower is higher, they have to obey me?

"ALL YOU BASTARDS, STAB YOURSELF IN YOUR KNEES! Except you Rugle."

I scream, watching the cultists quickly cutting into their own knees and screaming in pain. They all fall to the ground, some sobbing in agony, others falling unconscious from pain.

That seems to prove it. My power isn't incredible physical abilities or some hack-type item like other Isekai's, I just have control over everyone with a lower willpower than my own.

I walk to one of the still conscious cultists and stare down at him. He quickly attempts to swing towards me, but I talk faster than he can swing.

"Stab your opposite shoulder then drop the dagger onto the floor."

His eyes widen as the blade pushes deep into his left shoulder. He pulls the blade out then carefully sets it down, tears streaming down his face.

"Why are you doing this to us!? Just kill us!"

He screams while I slowly pick up his knife.

"First, answer a few questions. Then I'll let you experience the same thing you did to those people."

I glare into his tear filled eyes.

"Why did you cut out their tongues?"

I ask, the man almost shaking in fear, struggling to not talk. I see blood run down his lip, clearly biting his tongue as hard as possible. His mouth slowly opens, his face seized with absolute terror.

"They wouldn't stop complaining about food. They wouldn't stop screaming and crying. We cut out their tongues to stop their complaining, then would cut off other parts of their bodies if they complained or made any more noise."

I feel my heart pounding in disgust and hate.

"And why did you have them down here to begin with?"

I ask coldly, slowly rubbing the knife against his already hurt shoulder. This time, he speaks up quickly.

"We were testing how to transfer souls like how Algrimore promised. We wanted to be sure it would work."

"And that boy? The others weren't skinned or cut apart?"

His eyes light up, almost understanding the fate he is about to meet. He seemingly goes limp, giving up.

"We were successful."

I let his words echo in my mind for a moment before nodding slowly. I ready the knife.

"Is that man still in this base?"

I ask, hearing soft footsteps walking towards me. I look over my shoulder and see a child, no more than 11 years, staring at me.

"The only drawback is that they don't seem to remember anything from before the process."

I slowly stand up, dropping the dagger into the cultist's right hand.

"All cultists still alive; cut out your own tongue, then take your own life."

I mumble coldly, screams and slicing sounds causing the boy to cover his ears and shake. He stumbles back and looks around in horror.

I don't know how to feel. He's no longer a cultist, but at the same time he killed a child. He doesn't know he killed a child though, what should I do?

[+32 Exp Gained!]

[Level Gained!]

[Level Gained!]

[Level Gained!]