Chapter 51: Sin
The fight, if it could even be called that, ended without any surprises.
Mitch started off with showcasing his defenses by... standing absolutely still.
The chief tried everything. He slashed at Mitch, punched him, and even bit him. He managed to scratch Mitch slightly, but the chief was the one who ended up most hurt.
His Sparked claws were no match against Mitch’s Infused chitin.
Feeling that his point had been made, Mitch decided to end the fight. He approached his opponent with a relaxed pace, as if he was traversing a garden rather than in a duel.
One punch to the face was all it took to knock the chief out.
Mitch threw in a knee to the stomach for good measure, dissuading people from challenging him again.
He thought about killing the chief but eventually decided against it.
The fight might have been a stomp, but his opponent was still at the peak of the Sparked realm. If he broke through, he might actually stand a chance against Mitch.
Fortunately for him, that was one of the reasons as to why Mitch was here.
The fact that these people had banded together and formed a tribe was a testament to their intelligence and ability to survive.
As long as enough time passed, most of these legios would reach the Infused realm, if not Bloomed. Some of the more gifted and bold ones might actually have reached the Tempered stage.
But that would take a long time.
Time that could be spent conquering the world.
"Listen up, all of you. As the emissary of Khad Mitch, I am here to help you become stronger. In exchange, you shall all pray to and fight for Him, should the need arise."
The once rabid villagers had now turned into harmless puppies, waiting to hear whatever their new master had to tell them.
Mitch nodded and continued his speech.
"First rule that you shall follow: No killing those who go into slumber. They are warriors that are being blessed with His grace!"
"Second rule: Thank Him for everything He has given you. When you eat, you pray for health. When you sleep, you pray for good dreams. When you hunt, you pray for success. He will help those who please Him."
He continued laying some ground rules for these people. Most were simple, like not stealing, not killing, and not raping.
Some things required a more thorough explanation, which Mitch patiently provided.
These were his future people. The least he could do was educate them properly.
His explanation took so long that the chief woke up before he was done. Of course, he joined the crowd and kept asking questions about Mitch’s strength.
"Night is now approaching, so all of you are to go to sleep. Remember to pray. I have a way to differentiate between who has and who hasn’t. And believe me, you don’t want to get caught."
Mitch himself walked towards the chief’s hut with Madeline in tow. He met no resistance, and the chief even volunteered to empty it of his belongings.
Mitch politely refused and instead requested some clothes for himself and Madeline, as well as some food.
The concept of clothes confused Madeline, but with Mitch wafting the cooked food in front of her, she could only oblige in putting them on.
Her first encounter with grilled meat ended with her eating so much she fainted.
Mitch shook his head as he savored the piece of steak in his hands.
’You better get used to this, Madeline, for you will become a queen. What kind of royalty does not eat the finest delicacies?’
"This kind of royalty, apparently. By the way, some of the tribespeople have started praying, giving the same quality Mynt as the brainwashed ants. Turns out forced prayers as a whole are considered dirty."
’It’s as I expected,’ Mitch nodded. ’Then we just have to convince them by giving them more power.’
Mitch tucked the sleeping queen into a hide sleeping mat and snuck into another one himself.
He wasn’t worried about anyone trying anything while he was asleep. In fact, he welcomed it.
Someone to serve as an example would show the rest that he wasn’t messing around.
Alas, when nothing happened the entire night, Mitch was unsure if he should feel relieved or disappointed.
That was just a fleeting thought, as he would prefer not to do anything cruel to these people.
Unfortunately, it would seem that he had no choice.
Walking out from the hut with Madeline, he called for everyone in the tribe to gather around the burned-out pyre.
"The Lord is very happy that so many of you are receptive to His grace. Rejoice, for the only ones that did not pray were children, and He does not punish children; they are holy and innocent creatures."
After Madeline translated everything he said, and the men and women got time to process the information, Mitch saw their nervous expressions turn into ones of relief. But he wasn’t done speaking.
"That is, all except one were children. That one person is you," he continued and then pointed towards someone in the crowd.
Everyone parted in the direction he pointed his finger, letting it fall on the unbeliever. It was a battle-scarred man who was missing several fingers on his hands. His carapace was broken in several parts, showing signs of incomplete recovery.
Surprisingly, Mitch couldn’t find this man’s mutation.
The man stared Mitch right in the eyes, not flinching. It wasn’t because he was fearless, as his entire body was shaking while he maintained eye contact.
"Why did you not pray last night? I told you all that I would catch anyone who did not do it, yet you decided to not do it. What say you?"
The man made a loud proclamation. Before Madeline could even translate what he said, everyone gasped and started clearing the space nearby.
"What did he say, Madeline?" He tried to sound enraged but was genuinely entertained. He saw this man not as a heretic but rather as a rebellious child.
"He—he said... ’I need no Khad deciding how I live my life. It is also for that reason I have not accepted the baptism trying to invade my body.’" Madeline was completely livid as she quoted the man.
Just looking at her expression, Mitch guessed that her thoughts were something along the lines of, ’How dare this lowlife disrespect Michael and denounce Khad Mitch like this?’
Mitch placed his hand on the man’s shoulder and started applying pressure.
"Do you know the sin you have just committed?"
