We walked around while I thought about what I should subjugate to start off my base of followers. It was the middle of the day in this strange forest. I could hear the wind as it traveled through the trees, the leaves on the ground sliding through the ground.
What I couldn't hear no matter how much I strained to do so was any humanoids or at least anything that sounded like a primitive or strange language. Where are my starter goblins when I need them? Nothing I can do about it then I'll just keep looking.
After two hours of nothing new. I had a sudden thought. Maybe I can conquer a few families of animals and slowly evolve them into humanoids capable of building my home. Rome wasn't built in a day after all. I already know these other gods are well established or I assume they are.
I have no way of knowing when they started their conquest. Then I have no idea how long it had been since the Daimon lost and summoned me into this world, after that was my power transfer so quite some time might have passed. If I rush to try and fight them id only be running to my death.
Now that I think about it I also have no real reason to seek them out to fight. I'd be happy to share this world if they don't want to kill me which is also a possibility. This is why I decided to take it slow and form a solid foundation in case they come here trying to take my head.
Considering what happened to Kumo I find some cool animals and make them into beast people. After that I'll have them raise their power by fighting and eating strong creatures so I can evolve them step by step into my fierce soldiers, loyal followers and hardworking builders. I will become the god of the beastmen probably the god of a few other races too.
"Kumo gather a few skulks of foxes alive. Get some bears too as many adults and cubs you can make sure you find them in a few different places so they're not related since we want to breed them. I'll go get some wolves and gather them too."
"I obey." Is all she says before she leaves where I'm assuming she can find some of the creatures I instructed.
I go my own way trying to hear for any barks or howls. Do wolves howl at 3pm? I have no clue but if they do ill hear them and snatch them.
5 hours go by when I finally see a huge pack of wolves prowling for a herd of deer. I use my magic to trap both by creating two pits with depth of about thrice my height so they can't jump out. I need the deer for food and I need to raise my wolves. Then I start to slowly release my divine presence in an effort to subjugate these wolves.
They are big prideful creatures that should respond to my power. They roll over and show me their bellies in a sign of submission and I feel a small trickle of divine power constantly leaking from them to me. This must be the effects of the faith of beasts. It's a small trickle of power like pissing in the ocean but it's a bit I did not have before.
I look at the now conquered wolves. They are medium beasts their heads their shoulders reach my waist with 3 of them being quite larger, those three reach to a bit below my chest. They all have a mix of grey, brown and white fur; with sharp fangs ready to tear meat apart. I check weather I can evolve them or not and I'm pleasantly surprised that all of them except for the cubs can progress in strength via minor evolution. The big ones though I can strengthen quite a bit more.
So I start then and there. I evolve all the smaller wolves at the same time and they grow into the size of their leaders. Their level was a uniform 3 or 4 before the minor evolution but now it appears to be 6 to 8. I thought it would rise by one. It looks like level of existence is different from a video game level. My leading theory is that level of existence denotes the strength of an organism unlike a linear rpg leveling system. Not to mention this display is something to help me analyze strength, cunning and magic from the creatures and environment. The world around me doesn't adhere to such simple logic as killing for experience and raising you stats that way.
Enough about my theories and ideas about level of existence for now. I start injecting magic power into each of the three wolves individually. They start morphing and standing on their hind legs while their snout elongates and they grow claws in their hands. The level rises from 8 to 15 in one injection of divine power. The consumption on my power is much greater however. They look like a cool werewolf. They have strong claws and their teeth look stronger and sharper than they did before. They have thick fur covering most of their bodies with a thin coat on their bellies with a shy 8 nipples barely hiding under their hairy armor.
Evolving the three wolves cost twice as much power as the entire pack. Not enough to tire me out but it really puts into perspective how much I need followers and a base of worship to amplify their faith to me. I need to make sure to display the regality and authority of a proper god to cement the idea that I am a being to worship in their minds. Even if my powers will affect their loyalty to me in a positive way you cannot build on an unstable ground.
"I am Obyrith. I am the last the Daimon in the world. You mortal creatures are but the first followers, witnesses to both my holy ascension and the creation of a pack that will transcend not just this little forest you call home but everything beyond it." I wait for their reaction. I am certain they understand me but I'm a bit nervous on weather I sold my self well or not. As if understanding my doubts on their faith they start howling in unison into what can only be described as a song of primal desire for greatness. I continue speaking and they quiet down hanging on to every word.
"I will guide you. I will improve you. I shall convert you from the beasts you were into beings worthy of being my followers. I will improve your intelligence, your magic and the way you lead your packs. I will convert you from beasts into creatures nearer to my divine shape. To do this you shall do as instructed. You do not have the strength right now to take this divine shape. So I will make you fight! I will make you eat! I WILL MAKE YOU EVOLVE!
Now eat your first meal! For this is my second gift to you. I make a ramp to allow them all to exit the pit and throw a dozen adult deer into the wolves. While they start feasting I start counting. I need to know exactly how many faithful this pack has. It turns out there are 50 adult wolves in this pack with about 15 cubs.
They devour the 12 deer in about 30 minutes leaving nothing but bone splinters on the ground. After that divine display Kumo should know where I am. Gathering enough bears should take some time. But she'll be here before 2 or 3 days are up. I trust her to efficient in her gathering quest.
I haven't seen any monsters for my wolves to fight, and hunting and eating regular animals without being strengthened by magic power won't raise their existence too fast. Looks like I'll have to create the monsters they'll fight too. Sounds fun!