"This commotion?"
Bai Lao's eyes were grave: "A strong magic essence fluctuation, no mistake, a monster is evolving to a higher level!"
"It's an evolution?!"
The Red Ogre Leader was incredibly surprised, because he felt the aura of Hong Maru, Zhu Cai, and others within these magic essences.
If his perception was not wrong, didn't that mean that those who were currently evolving were them?!
"Everyone calm down, don't disturb Hong Maru and the others."
Bai Luo walked out of the wooden house with Egui Peng, and he briefly explained what had happened inside to Bai Lao and the others.
And upon hearing that Bai Luo had not hesitated to expend his own magic essence to name Hong Maru, Zhu Cai, Zi Yuan, and Cang Ying, the Red Ogre Leader's eyes instantly changed.
"Thank you, Lord Bai Luo!"
"My Great Ogre Clan is willing to follow your footsteps and be at your command!"
Once Hong Maru and the others completed their evolution, they would be four new A-rank Ghost-Human species.
The rise of the Great Ogre Clan in the Jura Great Forest was already unstoppable, and at such a time, a powerful and wise Leader was crucial.
Just as Hong Maru and Zhu Cai had thought, the Red Ogre Leader chose to submit to Bai Luo.
Soon after, as the magic essence fluctuations gradually subsided, four figures successively walked out of the wooden house, none other than the now evolved Hong Maru and the other three.
Just like in the original novel, the appearances of the four had undergone drastic changes.
"Lord Bai Luo!"
Hong Maru and Cang Ying simultaneously knelt on one knee, offering their loyalty to Bai Luo.
Zhu Cai and Zi Yuan, being female, knelt on both knees, then bowed gracefully to Bai Luo, swearing to dedicate their fidelity to him.
Of course, such an oath actually held little meaning.
Not to mention that the four had already become Bai Luo's subordinates and could not disobey his commands.
Simply the naming system of the Cardinal World itself had the effect that the named would depend on and obey the one who gave them their name, much like facing a parent.
This change was subtle.
For example, now, the way Zhu Cai and Zi Yuan looked at Bai Luo was full of intimacy and adoration.
This was completely different from their previous awe.
"Rise."
Bai Luo allowed the four to stand, simultaneously using his Dragon Eye to Appraise their current attributes.
[Hong Maru]
Race: Great Ogre Clan → Ogre
magic essence: A-rank Upper Demon (12000EP)
Magic: Aura Battle Method, Sorcery, Fire-type Pokémon Magic
Extra Abilities: Magic Perception, Space Manipulation, Overlord's Flame, Demonic Flame Transformation
Unique Skill: Grand Marshal (Accelerated Thought, Mind Domination, Predictive Calculation, Army Morale Boost)
Special Skill: Magic Element Solidification
Resistance: Status Ailment Nullification, Pain Nullification, Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Influence Resistance, Mental Attack Resistance, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance.
Hong Maru's magic essence was not 10000, but 12000.
The additional 2000 magic essence here had nothing to do with Bai Luo.
It was purely a gift Hong Maru received from the world's voice after completing his evolution, providing Bai Luo with an extra gain of 1000 magic essence out of thin air.
"Grand Marshal, it truly is this command-type Unique Skill."
The emergence of this Unique Skill undoubtedly proved Hong Maru's potential; he possessed the talent to grow into a Demon Lord Seed.
"Aura Battle Method and Sorcery should be inherited from the Great Ogre Clan, variations of magical combat methods and special spells."
Almost all remaining abilities came from Bai Luo, or were bestowed by Bai Luo's naming and the Vassal System.
Magic Perception is an ability possessed by most monsters, so there's nothing much to say about that.
Space Manipulation should have evolved from the Spirit Space and Traveler.
According to Bai Luo's relationship with his vassals, most abilities awakened by vassals, excluding Unique Skills, could be replicated by Bai Luo one-to-one.
That's right, Bai Luo now also possessed the Space Manipulation extra skill.
"Overlord's Flame and Demonic Flame Transformation."
Bai Luo remembered that Hong Maru in the original work possessed similar abilities, obtained from the superior fire elemental spirit Rimuru had devoured.
However, Bai Luo had not devoured a fire spirit.
"Is it because of Explosion Magic?"
Hong Maru himself already controlled fire-type sorcery, which made his compatibility with Explosion Magic surprisingly high.
The combination of the two allowed Hong Maru to awaken these two brand-new skills.
"This extra skill called Overlord's Flame is quite powerful."
Bai Luo felt the information feedback from the skill and understood the power of Overlord's Flame: "Like my Explosion Magic, it can instantly ignite the magic essence within the body, erupting with power akin to a nuclear explosion."
However, unlike the long charging time of Explosion Magic, the release speed of Overlord's Flame could be controlled.
Short-duration fireballs, long-duration compressed explosions.
With sufficient magic essence, Hong Maru would transform into the most terrifying artillery platform, incinerating everything that stood before Bai Luo.
"Demonic Flame Transformation is the elementalization of the physical body."
The effect is similar to the Mera Mera no Mi from One Piece, except it can burn surrounding matter, then absorb it to replenish magic essence.
Especially after entering Demonic Flame Transformation, Hong Maru, combined with the overwhelming Overlord's Flame, had a strength that was no exaggeration to call a different species compared to his pre-evolution self.
The amount of magic essence in the Cardinal World does not necessarily indicate the strength of combat power.
Hong Maru's attributes before evolution were very simple.
[Hong Maru]
Race: Great Ogre Clan
magic essence: B-rank Lower Demon (7500EP)
Magic: Aura Battle Method, Sorcery
Inherent Abilities: Super Strength, Regeneration
There were no extra skills, no Unique Skills; at best, he relied on the passive inherent skills of the Great Ogre Clan, living in a corner of the forest.
Such a Hong Maru, even with 7500 magic essence, his true combat power could only barely rank in the middle among B-ranks.
"magic essence is the foundation, but skills are the dividing line between the strong and the weak."
Hong Maru, having received Bai Luo's bestowal, possessed true combat power that could defeat even tens of thousands of B-rank monsters.
Compared to his pre-evolution self, the current Hong Maru could fight a thousand of them.
Not to mention the Grand Marshal Unique Skill, which allows Hong Maru to share some of his abilities with the monsters under his command, causing the combat power of the entire legion to skyrocket several levels.
"Very good."
Bai Luo was very satisfied with Hong Maru's abilities.
"Thank you for your recognition."
Hong Maru bowed his head, his face unchanging, but in reality, his heart was incredibly excited.
The naming relationship, coupled with the Vassal Oath, a double guarantee, had already bound Hong Maru, Zhu Cai, and the others to Bai Luo from body and mind to soul.
In this world, nothing brought them more joy than Bai Luo's recognition.