Adam grinned, “No. I’m giving you a choice. Join my cult or die.”

The idea of extending cult membership to inhabitants of the Dreamverse had been circling in Adam's thoughts, and Gundug was shaping up to be a perfect test case. Adam could use Gundug's fear to his benefit, offering the scared hobgoblin what he wanted most: Immortality.

Having a Tier 1 follower could be a significant asset in future conflicts. Rather than squander this potential resource, it was sensible to make use of it. Despite the evident risks, the possible rewards were too enticing to pass up.

This also hinted at the opportunity of welcoming non-humans and maybe even beasts into his cult. If successful, he would have a broad pool of followers at his disposal, ready for sacrifice to activate skills like [Vortex of Devotion I].

At Adam's proposal, Gundug's eyebrows knitted together in confusion, uncertainty swirling in his eyes. "Cult? What’s that?"

Suppressing a sigh of annoyance, Adam explained. "A cult is like a group or community that shares a certain belief or goal. But my cult is unique. It doesn’t just offer membership; it promises... let's say, a kind of immortality."

"Im... immortality?" Gundug stuttered, his eyes growing wide. "You mean... living forever?"

Adam shook his head. "Not exactly. Living forever means you never age, you never get old. But what I offer is more like being reborn. Even after you die, you'd come back. Over and over."

Gundug's eyes moved between Adam and the ground, his mind trying to understand the offer he was being given. "This... this sounds too good to be true. What’s the catch?"

Adam took a moment to collect his thoughts. He recognized the need for caution. "Truthfully, there's no hidden catch, Gundug. My cult is just starting out. It needs to flourish, to expand. For that, it requires members. Trustworthy members like you. The only real 'condition', if you want to call it that, is loyalty. And remember," he added, his voice acquiring a stern tone, "your choices here are limited."

Under Adam's cold gaze, Gundug seemed to shrink. A heavy silence filled the air between them until, finally, the hobgoblin gave in with a hesitant nod. "Alright... alright, I'll join."

“Good choice.”

Adam chose to disregard Gundug as he muttered, “What choice…”

Adam was curious if duress could indeed be a tool of recruitment, Adam decided to inspect his [Cult] tab.

His eyes lit up in triumph upon seeing Gundug's name listed under Annabelle's in his [Cult management] tab. As he took note of this, his attention was drawn to the devotion resource next to Stella’s name.

He really needed to check the devotion resource and how much was being produced, 'I’ll have to look into that later,' he thought, steering his focus towards his [Mission] tab.

The [Cult establishment II] mission progress reflected a count of (5/10). 'Looks like Stella isn't included in the count,' Adam thought, 'but there's still plenty of time to gather more followers.' This realization brought him some comfort. His eyes moved back to Gundug, as he began planning the next course of action for his latest recruit.

A look of sudden panic crossed Gundug's face, replaced quickly by a surge of anger. "You lied to me!" he spat at Adam.

Taken aback, Adam simply raised an eyebrow. "Lied? Explain."

"I've lost my class!" Gundug burst out, fists clenched at his side.

"Calm down, Gundug," Adam replied, his tone icy. "You're in no position to throw accusations. It's part of the process. In my cult, you have the ability to craft a new class."

Gundug's anger deflated, leaving him looking stunned. "Craft... a new class?" he repeated, sounding a little less angry and a little more curious.

"Yes, it's unique to our cult. It's closer to crafting than the usual class selection." Adam explained patiently. "Let's walk through it, alright?"

As they delved into the class creation process, Gundug discovered he already had access to one concept. "I can only pick two concepts, the Coward concept is already assigned" he revealed with a tinge of bitterness in his voice.

Adam nodded, interested. "What's your talent, Gundug?"

Gundug appeared hesitant, but he eventually began to share, "My talent is a Rank D, Strike of the Coward."

Seeing Adam's intrigued expression, he continued, "If at least two allies are engaging an enemy, my attacks become stronger."

"And...?" Adam prodded, sensing there was more to it.

Gundug took a deep breath before confessing, "If I run from an enemy, I get a boost to agility."

Adam raised an eyebrow at this, prompting Gundug to elaborate, "When the other hobgoblins discovered my talent, they refused to hunt with me. They've labeled me a coward."

His voice dropped to a near whisper, a note of defeat audible as he admitted, "I've been stuck at level 10 since then."

"Unfortunate name, but the talent isn't as bad as it seems," Adam mused. "Continue the class creation process, Gundug. Select your remaining concepts. Try to pick the highest rarity options you have access to, it will greatly affect the rarity of your class. "

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Adam started, noting the hobgoblin's trepidation. "What's the second concept?"

Gundug grimaced, "Submission. It's also rare, but the name..."

Adam cut in, his tone serious. "The name isn't important. What matters is the power it provides you. If it's rare, it's worth considering. Remember, your new class will largely depend on the rarity of the concepts you choose."

Taking a deep breath, Gundug visibly steeled himself, "Alright. Submission it is. And for the last one... I'll choose Breeze. It's an uncommon rarity concept."

Adam gave a nod of approval, impressed by the hobgoblin's resolve. "Good. Now, let's see the result."

A moment of silence followed, and then Gundug's face lit up with joy. "Whisper of Subjugation... It's a rare class! I also get a lot more attributes than my previous uncommon class!" He exclaimed, excitement evident in his voice.

Adam felt a burst of exhilaration. This was his first success with recruiting a non-human to his cult and it yielded a rare class. It hinted at the enormous possibilities that lay before him, not just with humans, but with other races as well. He could hardly wait to see classes his family members would craft when they awakened.

"Something feels different," Gundug stated, confusion evident in his voice. "The skills that I had from my previous class, the Tier 1 skills, they've changed."

Adam nodded, understanding his confusion. "That makes sense, your skills have adapted to fit your new class. I wasn't certain if that was the case, but I'm pleased to hear that it is."

Gundug considered this, his face slowly morphing into an expression of awe. "Also, I... I have a new resource. It's called Zealotry."

"Zealotry?" Adam's curiosity piqued. "What does it do?"

"I think it's tied to my class," Gundug explained slowly. "It says here that it enhances my abilities when it's high and limits them when it's low. It seems to fluctuate based on my devotion towards the cult and you as the leader. I get more Zealotry when I engage in activities that advance the cult’s mission and when I participate in the cult’s activities and rituals."

Adam paused, digesting this new piece of information. It was a fascinating aspect, one that had vast implications for his future strategies. The ability to influence his follower's strength through their devotion held immense potential, he wasn’t sure if everyone would get such an attribute but in time he would figure it out. It made him more eager to explore the workings of his cult.

This moment also clarified for Adam the extent of potential his cult held. It could amass an army of powerful individuals, each with unique classes. He realized that he would need to carefully craft the three classes that his followers can select if they were unhappy with their crafted class, ensuring a balance of strengths and specialties.

Despite these exciting revelations, Adam refocused his attention back to the task at hand – the upcoming heist. He needed to stay sharp if he wanted to ensure its success. The potential for building a powerful cult could wait; the immediate challenge required his full concentration.

"We can study your new skills and the functions of Zealotry in detail later. Right now, our main focus should be on infiltrating the village. I need to ask you some questions before we infiltrate the village."

Adam pressed on, asking about the village's defenses, the treasures, the leaders, and more. With each answer Gundug provided, Adam's plan solidified.

"So, the Chieftain doesn't use a storage skill to guard the loot?" Adam asked, intrigued by Gundug's revelations about their storage systems.

"No," Gundug responded. "Those skills... they're not like you think. They move stuff, sure, but to a physical location, it’s not like [Inventory]."

This valuable piece of information made Adam appreciate his [Cult Resources] feature even more. His resources were far safer than those of the hobgoblins, free from outside interference. However, he had the same issue as everyone else when it came to storing things that weren’t classed as a resource.

"All right, Gundug," Adam finally said, his voice still friendly but with an undercurrent of command. "Here's what we're going to do..."

---

Under the looming shadows of the Ventcroft Mountains, Adam and Gundug trekked towards the mouth of the hobgoblin settlement. A sturdy hobgoblin guard, the muscle of his arms straining against his roughspun tunic, thrust out a spear to block their path. "Halt! Identify yourselves!" His voice echoed around the rocky outcrops.

With a sense of calm belying the tension of the moment, Gundug stepped forward. Positioning his slightly broader frame as a shield between the guard and Adam, he declared, "Gundug's my name. This here is my cousin. He's been mauled, bad."

Adam, concealed beneath his hood, could feel the guard's suspicious gaze trying to pierce the cloth that veiled his face. "Why's he hiding himself?"

Without skipping a beat, Gundug explained, "Some wild beast got to him... tore his face up something fierce. We've come seeking the shaman's help."

Even as Gundug spoke, suspicion simmered in the guard's eyes. However, Gundug played his trump card, adding, "Whatever beast attacked him... it's not of this world. I think it might even be a nightmare beast, might spread if we don't sort it out soon."

The warning seemed to do the trick. The guard, his face wrinkled in distaste, rapidly stepped back from Adam, ensuring he was well out of Adam's reach as they passed by. The close call left Adam quietly thanking his decision to induct Gundug into his cult.

The inside of the hobgoblin settlement bustled with life. Hobgoblins gathered around roaring bonfires, their animated chatter resonating through the open spaces as they shared food and stories. The sounds of wrestling matches added to the cacophony, a testament to the hobgoblins' spirit. They eventually reached a humble hut, which Gundug indicated for Adam to enter.

Once inside, Gundug addressed Adam, "I'll go and check on the shaman," he said before disappearing into the labyrinth of tents.

Left to his own devices, Adam took the quiet interlude to mentally brace himself for the impending heist.

Gundug returned after a few minutes, a grim expression on his face. "The shaman is within the central hut," he reported, his voice tight. "They told me he's in communion with the ancestor spirits. No one's allowed to disturb him."

He paused, a shudder running through his frame. "You can hear these weird, almost... female-like screeches from inside," he added, a shadow of unease darkening his eyes. "That shaman... he's always given me the creeps."

Adam's spirits dropped. He'd been hoping the Shaman wouldn't be present, but that wasn't the case. The prospect of confronting a Level 30 Shaman was far from ideal. His mind raced, seeking an alternative strategy. Creating enough chaos within the settlement to distract the Shaman appeared to be the only viable approach now.

He sat in contemplative silence for a few moments, his gaze landing on Gundug. A new plan began to take form in his mind.

With newfound resolve etched on his face, Adam addressed Gundug. "I have a plan," he stated, his voice steady yet determined. "It hinges on the use of a particular skill of mine to incite the necessary chaos."

Intrigued, Gundug leaned in closer. "What skill is that?"

The reply came in a sober tone, "[Vortex of Devotion I]. However, for this to succeed, it will require your self-sacrifice."

Gundug's face fell at this revelation. "I knew there had to be a catch somewhere," he muttered.