The sun had risen, casting a warm golden hue over the clearing. A long line had already formed—goblins jostling nervously, Direwolves standing tall and silent, and two large birds perched solemnly at the front. One of them was me. The other was the crow.
"Thank you, Sir Rimuru," I said with genuine gratitude.
"Eh, no problem. I didn't really do much. The Direwolf boss is the one who technically took out those birds, haha," the slime replied, voice light, almost embarrassed. Still, I could tell—as someone who'd watched the anime—he was definitely feeling smug under that humble tone.
"If I may be a bit presumptuous… could I ask a favor?"
Rimuru tilted slightly, curious. "Sure, what's up?"
"Well," I began, trying not to sound too eager, "I was wondering if you could give me and my subordinates names. I mean, your benevolence might just guide us toward a brighter future. And—how do I say this—I love isekai anime, and I'd be damned if I didn't get a cool name in another world. Hehe."
I grinned at Rimuru. The others in line didn't really get what I meant, but Rimuru definitely did.
"Wait… you too? You got reincarnated?" he asked, eyes widening. "Wait, are you from Japan?"
"Nah, sorry. Always wanted to visit, but I'm a gaijin. I'm from the UK."
"Oh wow! No way. My company actually sent me and some co-workers to London once for business. Crazy. Well, I guess it's good to know I'm not the only Earthling stuck here."
"Exactly! So, as a fellow brother from the same earthly mother," I chuckled, "please name me as an equal—not a subordinate. Partly for the rep, innit. But mostly 'cause I always wanted to do that sworn brothers thing they do in anime."
"Hah, alright man, fair enough. How about… Valravn ? It's a Danish name, I think it comes from some folklore about a raven-knight . Kinda fits you, being a bird and all."
"It sure does," I replied, pleased.
With that, Rimuru began the process of naming his new village—goblins, Direwolves, and even the crow family. I left him to it and flew off toward the storage area, where we'd kept the bodies of the Velstryxes. They'd looked cool in the anime background shots, but in reality, they were total jerks.
Still, they had useful parts, and I was going to get every bit I could.
I bent down and began tearing off pieces with my beak, slowly devouring one of the carcasses.
[Skill acquisition successful. Extra Skill: Rain Prince acquired. Extra Skill: Thought Communication acquired.]
Not bad. I guess I should keep eating.
But then, as I moved for another bite, a strange heaviness washed over me. My vision blurred. The world spun, and darkness took me.
[Evolution has begun. Would you like to evolve?]
Yes.
[Would you like to implement the usage of Skill: Adven to integrate all stored evolutionary data consumed?]
Yes.
[Undergoing evolution…]
Minutes passed in pitch-black stillness.
[Evolution complete.]
Light returned. I stirred, consciousness returning slowly. Rising to my feet—two taloned, sharp-clawed feet—I stretched my wings and launched into the air. I returned to the village, circling above. Rimuru had finished naming most of the monsters but had collapsed shortly after. Only the crow family and a few Direwolves remained unnamed.
I glided down to a wooden bucket filled with water and peered at my reflection.
Gone were my old, dull features. I was no longer a basic Windrunner Pipit. I had grown larger—my feathers a rich navy blue, streaked with black teardrop patterns. My beak shimmered with a faint electric sheen, almost crackling with power.
Cognitus, what am I?
[You have evolved into a new species: Gale Pipit. Through your skill Adven, data absorbed from the Velstryxes and the naming conducted by Rimuru Tempest, you achieved a full evolution.]
So... Adven only works during evolution?
[Negative. Adven allows continuous, passive evolution—not just milestone-based transformations. It lets you gradually absorb, integrate, and implement skills and knowledge from prey.]
Ahh. I see.
"Sir Valravn? Is that you?"
The crow had approached me, voice cautious.
"Yes," I nodded. "I evolved after being named. Did you and your family get names too?"
The crow shook his head. Beside him stood his mate—more raven-like than crow—and their two sons.
"No, sadly. Lord Rimuru fainted while naming the Direwolves. Most of us didn't get named."
Cognitus, do I have enough magicules to name them?
[Your current magicule reserves are insufficient to name all four individually. However, using the skill Resonant Cry and leftover data from the Velstryxes, you can temporarily unify the crow family into a shared entity—similar to the Direwolf pack structure. This will allow you to name the entity as one and distribute traits among them.]
Then let's do it.
CHREP.
I let out a sharp, clear cry that resonated in the air. The crow family jolted slightly, their attention pulled toward me. A temporary link formed between us, a mental connection bridged by the skill.
"You… should be named Wū Léi," I said, voice quiet but sure.
As the name left my beak, I felt the magicules surge out of me—and then, just like Rimuru before me, I collapsed into unconsciousness.