God Of Velmoryn [ LitRPG, Progression, High Fantasy ]

The first thing that caught my eye was her Gold Rank. I had no idea how rankings worked in this world, but logically, there had to be at least Silver and Bronze below it. Still, what really stood out was her age - 372.

Aria, who I thought was a beautiful young woman, turns out to be an old granny. I chuckled inwardly and kept analyzing the information.

Her class was Dark Magician.

The fact that she's a magician is good news, but what exactly does "Dark Magician" mean?

In fantasy novels and games, dark magicians were usually shunned or outright persecuted. I had no idea how this world functioned, but judging by the state of their tribe, it was a safe bet that Velmoryns weren't exactly welcomed by other races.

If these people really are hunted by others, that could turn into a huge problem. I'm not sure if my strength alone will be enough to protect them, or what happens to me if they're all killed.

It wasn't that I cared about their safety, but they were my source of divinity points. If I was right and my survival depended on having believers, then letting them die wasn't an option.

Another detail caught my attention - Aria's status clearly marked her as my believer. That was a pleasant sight, but also a problem.

What if other gods can also see this status window? If they do, and they realize there's a new god named Verde, they might try to hunt me down.

I had a bad feeling about this. At some point, I would inevitably cross paths with other gods. That much was certain. But I needed to delay that confrontation for as long as possible. Right now, I was weak. My believers numbered only twenty-five, and they weren't exactly powerful. If a stronger god noticed me too soon, I was screwed.

And the reason why I was so confident that other gods existed was simple - when I tried to pick elves, and even dragons, the system told me that they were already occupied. Maybe I was too paranoid, but I felt that those gods would be already established and extremely powerful.

Next, I moved on to Aria's attributes. Without a frame of reference, I couldn't tell how good or bad her stats actually were. But since she was Gold Rank, they had to be high, at least compared to the others. As expected, her physical stats were lower than her magic-related ones. However, her Constitution was only 9. And that confirmed my suspicion - Velmoryns had weak bodies. Or at the very least, Aria did.

And then, there was Devotion - 20 out of 100.

It might have seemed low, but just because I had become a god didn't mean I automatically commanded authority. The fact that I had any believers at all was already impressive. Devotion and loyalty were something I could build up over time, so I was not worried.

Once I finished analyzing her status, I had an idea - to turn her into an Apostle.

But I quickly dismissed the thought.

First, I didn't have enough divinity points to experiment. But more importantly, I needed to be absolutely sure she was worth the investment. Assigning an apostle was an intimate process for gods, at least in novels and games. It wasn't something to do recklessly. I needed time to test her, to see if she was truly worthy. Wasting my precious divinity points on the wrong Velmoryn would be a disaster.

I need to figure out how to convert the rest of the tribe first.

That was my immediate goal. But the real problem was, I had no idea how to do it.

My attention snapped to Aria as she began walking toward my statue. The others also followed, moving as one, until all twenty-five of my believers knelt before it, lowering their foreheads to the ground in silent reverence.

A surge of power swelled within me at the sight. Pride. Satisfaction. But before I could fully process it, a sudden buzzing filled my mind. Twenty-five voices flooded in all at once. It wasn't painful, but it was overwhelming like trying to focus on a single thread in a storm of whispers.

This confirms it. My mind isn't human anymore. If something like this had happened when I was still a human, my head would've burst.

I analyzed and tried pushing through the noise, focusing on Aria's voice. It was the clearest, standing out among the rest and it even felt… closer.

"O mighty one, great and unseen, hear the voices of Your believers. We kneel before You, not as lost souls, but as those who have witnessed Your will. Guide us, strengthen us, let Your presence be our shield in the darkness. Do not forsake our tribe, for we are Yours to command. I offer myself wholly - my life, my will, my devotion. All that I am shall serve You. In Your name, we shall rise."

I felt the need to respond, to show them that their prayers had been heard, to grant them a small miracle. Not because I was moved, but because the rest of the tribe was watching.

Their expressions were filled with mockery and judgment.

If I show them now that I've heard their prayers, they'll be more likely to reconsider their allegiance to the previous god of Velmoryn.

But it had to be meaningful. I couldn't just pull off some cheap trick, and I definitely wasn't about to bless all twenty-five of them. Who knew how many Divinity Points that would drain?

I turned my focus to the oak guardian. If I could make it move, take on a powerful pose, it would serve as an undeniable sign of my power. I willed it to shift, to spread its branches like a being awakening to divine command.

But, nothing.

The damn tree did not listen.

So, I ain't all-powerful after all. Good to know.

My mind raced for an alternative, I needed something cheap, but effective. That was when my gaze landed on the young Velmoryn who had been slapped moments ago.

What if I bless this one? Make him the proof that those who suffer in my name will always be rewarded?

The idea felt right, so I focused on him, one whose life would completely change soon.

How strong will he become? Will my blessing even work, or will he just die?

The thought made me even more excited as I was about to test the limits of my strength.