Bestowing a Name, the Hunter Clan

Unsurprisingly, the battle ended.

The mantises' swift, decisive fighting had won them glory.

At the gate of the temporary camp, the two clan leaders finally met. Only a gate stood between them, but both seasoned leaders recognized something extraordinary in the other at first glance.

In the Mantis Lord's eyes, Gron was a meticulous commander, constantly weighing the variables of war and the needs of different factions.

He clearly possessed the power to unite the army, yet for some reason, he kept himself well restrained. Even so, the hint of danger he exuded instinctively made the mantis feel threatened.

To Gron, meanwhile, Mortas was an extreme pragmatist who judged everything by its practical results and usefulness.

Anything useful ought to be done, and anything useless could be discarded without hesitation. A person like him plainly acted for the sake of gaining something.

Though they now belonged to the same side, a silent confrontation had already begun.

"First, thank you for the reinforcements. I've prepared a place for you to rest," Gron said evenly. "As for the detailed arrangements for the expedition, we can discuss those tomorrow."

His courtesy was impeccable, but Mortas still detected a hint of hostility.

After carefully studying the Ashen Clan, who remained deeply wary of the mantises, Mortas understood why.

"Hmph, as expected." Mortas chuckled, unconcerned. "Then we shall gladly accept your hospitality, Chosen of God."

As he saw it, since the other party was a Chosen of God, carrying out the god's commands was his duty, whether he liked it or not.

The first exchange ended without a visible clash. Both sides had gained some understanding of each other, but this was not the end.

As customary, after every battle, the expedition force would cast the defeated enemies' bodies into a bonfire they built as an offering.

The offerings themselves were not the point, but their symbolic significance was enough to give Lin Jin's divinity a feast.

Through this act, the bugs making the offerings could also receive something in return from Lin Jin.

Besides growing stronger and becoming less prone to mental fatigue, they could also feel the flames nourishing them.

With this gift, the Ashen Clan had steadily strengthened themselves and advanced the expedition little by little.

Lin Jin's reasoning was simple. To avoid ending up like Radiance, he deliberately returned a portion of the essence he received from his followers' offerings at each ritual to the bugs who made them.

After all, he had to let them see some benefits. No one worked for nothing, and Lin Jin had no desire to be a capitalist who did nothing but exploit others.

Returning to the offerings, this had originally been an honor reserved for the Ashen Clan alone.

But today was different. Besides the Glow Clan, who served as chroniclers, the mantis hunters who had distinguished themselves most in this battle now stood beside them.

Without question, they were the stars of this offering ceremony.

The Ashen Clan had accomplished nothing in this battle, while the mantises had been the complete opposite, winning an overwhelming victory.

At the thought of their god's gaze shifting away from them, scattered murmurs of resentment had already begun rising within the Ashen Clan.

Gron remained silent, merely lighting the bonfire as he mechanically followed the steps of the prayer ritual.

Mortas, who had still been speculating, immediately held his breath and focused when he sensed a familiar presence within the bonfire.

It's him! Mortas was startled. Can he appear anywhere through a bonfire?

Behind the Mantis Lord, the gathered mantises had initially been confused as they imitated the Ashen Clan and knelt on one knee before the bonfire.

Then came a rush of air, along with a tremor that every bug felt in their heart.

The flames rose without any wind, gathering in the air into a phantom-the guise Lin Jin had fashioned for himself.

Since this image had already been carved into his statue, Lin Jin had naturally adopted it as his official manifestation in the mortal world.

Having lit the bonfire, Gron dropped to one knee with practiced ease and began reciting the customary prayer.

Experiencing the ritual for the first time, the mantises now sensed that earlier presence even more clearly and knelt in fear.

Mortas was utterly astonished. This was his first time seeing the god's true form, and that body was remarkably perfect.

Every part of the shell had been meticulously sculpted, yet every detail seemed entirely natural.

Before today, he could never have imagined that strength and elegance could blend in such a wondrous way.

"My lord!" Mortas bowed his head deeply. Before the god, all his pride vanished without a trace.

"You did well, mantises. You have not disappointed me."

Lin Jin smiled in approval. He had watched the mantises' entire battle earlier, and the efficiency of their fighting had amazed him.

But Lin Jin also understood that the mantises had pledged themselves to him for protection.

He therefore had no intention of keeping them in suspense. Only by granting rewards outright could he inspire the greatest loyalty in his subordinates.

Controlling the phantom, Lin Jin separated a portion of the essence gained from this offering and poured it into the mantises' souls.

It was not much, but that was not because Lin Jin was unwilling to give more. The mantises had never been strengthened by his divine power, so this was all they could withstand on their first occasion.

The feeling of growing stronger was unmistakable as they watched tiny flames fly out of the bonfire and merge into their shells.

At first, the mantises were frightened and confused, but then they discovered, to their delight, that their strength had suddenly increased.

Mortas flexed his hands in disbelief. He had slain the most beasts, and the benefits he received were the most apparent.

He could clearly feel that his body had not only grown younger but had surpassed its former condition.

If he faced that same herd of beasts again now, he believed he could slaughter them all by himself, faster than before.

No wonder they chose to pledge their loyalty. Not only do they receive protection, but the other benefits are this tangible, too.

If Mortas's earlier choice had partly been forced by superior power,

then the flame now burning in his heart had won the Mantis Lord over completely.

Pledging loyalty to this god truly paid off-he actually shared the benefits.

The other mantises felt the same way. They had already resolved to contribute more in the coming expedition and win their god's favor.

"Mortas, you slew the most enemies in this battle. Accept this gift. You deserve it."

As Lin Jin spoke, a Nail-Spear made from an unusual material appeared within the flames.

Is that for me?

Seeing Gron nod his assent from the front, Mortas eagerly stepped forward to receive it.

Incredible. When Mortas picked up the weapon that had appeared out of thin air within the flames, he found that it was not hot at all.

As the surrounding flames receded, the gleaming silver shaft appeared before every bug present.

For a time, exclamations of wonder and envy rang out without end.

So smooth, sharp, and hard.

The Mantis Lord fell in love with the weapon at first sight. Compared with the Nail-Spear passed down through generations in the village, this god-given weapon clearly suited him better.

The other mantises gazed at it with envy as well. They had never seen such a fine weapon before, and one glance was enough to leave them unable to look away.

Within the bonfire, Lin Jin nodded in satisfaction when he saw that the recipient could hardly bear to put his gift down.

In truth, the weapon was no divine armament. It was merely ordinary tempered steel.

Anyone with the equipment and resources could make it.

But because their civilization was primitive and resources were scarce, a crude iron weapon was the best most bugs could hope to own in their lifetime.

For Lin Jin, however, who could freely control flames, smelting such metal was not difficult.

The Sunfire God needed neither equipment nor time. With a thought, he could instantly generate temperatures of several thousand degrees and sustain them for as long as he wished.

All it cost him was a little essence.

In an age when bone and crude iron were the standard materials, this already amounted to an overwhelming technological advantage.

The mantises cheered, the Ashen Clan remained silent, and the Glow Clan recorded the scene with keen interest.

Lin Jin watched the displayed numbers closely. The moment had finally arrived.

The timing was perfect. The mantises' faith in him had now risen above the required threshold.

Lin Jin intended to take the next step.

This was something of an old tradition by now. Lin Jin had discovered earlier that a clan only truly counted as his followers once he bestowed a name upon them.

Perhaps it was because this tightened the bond between them.

So the name could not be chosen casually. It had to carry symbolic meaning and sound solemn.

When theology was involved, even the meaning of a name had to be explained with the utmost care.

This time, Lin Jin had already decided what name to bestow.

The Hunter Clan.

It suited the mantises perfectly. Mantises were excellent hunters in nature, and this was even more pronounced in the world of Hollow Knight. Even when the Holy Dynasty fell, Mantis Village remained standing strong.

"Hunter Clan! I hereby bestow this name upon you as a symbol of my expectations for you, my hunters."

Lin Jin announced the name at the very end of the ceremony.

The mantises accepted the name quite naturally. It truly suited them.

Through some unseen force, a tiny flame welled up in every mantis's heart, while a trace of emerald green appeared within Lin Jin's essence.

Life was ascending.

Essence was stirring.

Lin Jin felt his own essence grow more substantial once again.