Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

"You know that we will be mates forever~"

What was this toxic sound? Sound arts? No, this was no attack skill, or was it? He experienced this feeling for the first time... The various instruments began playing an upbeat tune he had never heard before. it snuck into his conscious, creating the urge to move.

His words stuck in his mind. What was he even saying? Was this an invitation? Someone from Minas Mar was asking him to join him? Preposterous! If it wasn't for these annoying spells, he would have fed them to his bugs already! Once this ice was gone he would-

"Step in with our crew and the future's bright~"

He felt the music worm into his mind like an attack. He couldn't allow these savages to play with him! he was going to secure the resources of this land for his sect and become a grand elder! Why would he ever consider-

" We can't be beat if we stick together~ "

Right, they were strong together, if he- No! There was no way he would join a bunch of savages, he had to control himself! However, he could feel the tune seep into his body and mind and caught his own thought wandering to weird places.

"Dance with us as we skank through the night~"

Despite the ice holding him in place, he felt his body wishing to move with the rhythm. He-he had to control himself! But how? The incessant music kept surging against his mind, washing away his resistance.

He had to get away from this sound, but his body was stuck. Finally, fear sprouted in the depths of his mind. He was quickly losing control of himself. Despite the upbeat melody of the song, a freezing, debilitating cold was taking hold of his mind.

"Stand up strong, put your arm around~"

Instinctively, his body wanted to go along with the music and put his arm around his shoulders. The happy song struck him like a command. No bark, no shout, no attack from opponent or superiors had ever struck him as terrifying as this happy tune, taking away his reason.

It was like he became a prisoner in his own body. Even worse, his thoughts left the grasp of his will in tune with every beat. He was losing himself and what he was. It felt like he was sinking into a quagmire, vanishing in the darkness of his own subconscious....

"And follow along with this song~"

No... he couldn't go like this... There were still things he wanted to accomplish! He didn't want to... just vanish! please... If this went on his whole being would-

"Yer dead right, mate~"

"...mate~" he mumbled as the words repeated in his mind. Crack.

"Dead right, mate~" the bard led the way. "Dead right, mate..." The elder repeated after him.

"Left right, mate~" he stepped forward, dancing to the beat. The ice had shattered and he was released from the freezing shell. Even the patches of stone had vanished.

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...

"I'm sure we will be mates forever!~" Elder Bu'Ge exclaimed in ecstasy, swinging his hips and shoulder to the hypnotic tune of the music. His bloody robes were flying around, as he threw his body around in wild clumsy dancing.

"Yeah that's right, mate!" Seth said, with a huge grin on his face, seeing the song actually bearing fruit. The prerequisite for the song to take root was that the target had to listen to the whole first verse without interruption. There was no way this could work in a chaotic fight, but it was easy with their target unable to move.

The music fell silent and Seth signaled for Mina and Fin to remove the ear plugs they used when Seth gave Mina the signal to attack. This was another drawback of this music, apart from the performer, nobody was safe from it.

"It actually worked," Mina mumbled, watching the cultivator still dancing in joy. Seeing the formerly so serious and prideful looking enemy, dancing around like a happy child gave her the creeps.

"...and he is really on our side now?" Fin whispered to the other three, so the elder couldn't hear her.

Seth motioned her to get closer.

"Yes, at least for the next three days. Then it's up to his own luck, whether he regains clarity or the song claims his sanity forever," Seth whispered nonchalantly. A song that could brainwash someone this quickly had severe drawbacks.

The effect didn't last for long, and when it stopped it would leave a damaged mind. It was not dedicated to any specific demon, but there was a chance someone would try to claim the person once the effects ended. As mentioned, brainwashing was always a tricky business.

Whether Elder Bu'Ge could return to his previous life depended on whether his mind was strong enough to overcome the song's effects and the potential demon daddy claiming his body and mind.

But considering what Seth intended to make him do, Elder Bu'Ge might have been better off not regaining his sanity.

"For now, just play along and treat him like a good acquaintance, I will do the rest," the blacksmith whispered to the two, before approaching the dancing old man. Using <Superior Heal>, Seth patted his shoulder, healing his injuries and getting his attention.

"Wow, thanks, mate. I feel a lot better now!" the elder said, surprised.

"Hey, no problem, Buggy. Is it okay for you, if I call you buggy?" he acted friendly.

"Sure, mate. i like that name," Buggy answered, still grooving to the music in his head.

"Hey Buggy, do you mind helping me with something?" the bard asked him. The cultivator, still in a good mood, finally stopped dancing and looked at the blacksmith like he was his best friend. Seeing an old stranger look at him like that even gave Seth the creeps.

"Of course, what can I do for you, mate?" he asked friendly. Without the authoritative tone and arrogance, the man's voice had become deep and warm. If Seth had not seen him, mercilessly shoving a giant maggot down an attractive elf woman's throat, he might have actually changed his mind.

"Do you remember the receptionist? You put some weird maggot into her. Can you remove that thing?" he asked the man to remove the thing, he suspected they used to control the elf. Buggy looked at him clueless for a moment.

"Oh, do you mean my Cursed Mind Larvae? Hmm, that could be a little tricky, since it will take root in the dantian of the person to take control of their body. If I tell it to come out, it will break out through the stomach, potentially killing them. I could pacify so it doesn't control them anymore," he offered as a non-lethal way of removal.

"Is there any reason other than the wound they might die?" the bard asked for specifics.

"Hmm, no. It's just that most people die from the shock when their dantian breaks, " he explained professionally. "If they get over that and you do what you just did to me, they have a good chance to survive."

"...Good to know, then let's go."

It was a good thing players didn't actually have something like a dantian, so it couldn't break. Once the elf receptionist had her stomach pierced from the inside and healed, she actually returned back to normal.

"Buggy, could you come outside with me.. I have another favor to ask," the blacksmith asked him, seeing the look of the receptionist when she saw the man who shoved a maggot down her throat and had it explode from her stomach.

"How can I help you, Mate?" he asked, once they left the lobby, standing in front of the hotel.

"Buggy, I actually have a problem with a bunch of people wrecking havoc on my lands. You and people like you, we are friends now, but your former allies really get on my nerves. Could you tell me about them?"