Dick Grayson could never have fathomed that his life would end atop his girlfriend's belly, only to be reborn in a world far removed from his own, transformed into a frail goblin at death's door.
Surrounded by a forest of colossal, ancient trees, the air hung heavy with the scent of damp earth and the whisper of leaves. In the shadowy embrace of this primal world, a diminutive goblin, his skin mottled with bruises, cowered in a hollowed niche within a towering tree. His heart raced as he peered down at the menacing black wolf prowling below, its cunning eyes glinting with hunger, drool dripping from its maw.
Dick, through clenched teeth, growled in frustration, "To be reborn is one thing, but as a weak goblin, only to face death again so soon!"
Moments before, as he awoke in this strange existence, he discovered himself in the vulnerable form of a goblin child, abandoned in this desolate wilderness for his frailty. He had planned to hide, to grow stronger, but a ravenous black wolf had already set its sights on him. Trapped within the tree, with the wolf guarding the only escape, he was ensnared in a dire predicament.
"Am I to meet death once more?" Dick sighed in resignation, gazing at his thin, green goblin hand. Suddenly, a chime resounded in his mind.
[Ding! You are reborn as a low-level monster goblin! Bound to the Goblin Simulation System!]
[Ding! Please select your birth method.]
Startled yet accepting of this newfound reality, Dick contemplated his options.
The system presented him with a choice of birth mothers:
A. Saint of the Holy See of Light
B. Imperial noble daughter
C. Alluring Succubus
D. Pure Forest Elf
"Birth mother?" he murmured, surprised at the notion of choosing his maternal lineage.
Weighing his options, he considered the stability of human lineage versus the unknown of the monstrous. The allure of a succubus seemed fraught with complications, while the forest elf, a creature of stability and magic, seemed the most apt choice for his goblin form.
"I'll choose the pure forest elf," Dick decided, hoping to inherit their longevity and magical prowess.
His decision made; the system prompted him further:
Please choose your birthplace:
A. Large Goblin Lair
B. Huge Goblin Lair
C. Goblin King Lair
D. Ordinary Goblin Lair
Stunned, Dick realized that regardless of his maternal choice, his fate was to be born a goblin. This revelation implied a darker truth about the captured mothers, a thought too grim to dwell on.
Resigned yet curious about his strange new existence, he sighed deeply, the sound echoing in the hollow tree that was both his refuge and prison.
Dick was determined to test the system's ability to aid him in a genuine life-or-death situation. Thus, he selected Option D, a relatively ordinary goblin lair, as his starting point.
In the depths of a dark, dank cave, the air was heavy with a pungent, earthy smell, mingled with the iron tang of blood. The faint, desperate cries of newborns echoed off the walls. Dick, exhausted, slowly opened his eyes, which were gummed with mucus, and surveyed his surroundings. He found himself in the midst of a goblin birthing lair, one newborn among many.
His gaze drifted to a figure bound to a wooden frame—a forest elf who bore the marks of suffering. Her once-pure form was now marred, her eyes dimmed with the weight of despair.
"Is this my birth mother?" Dick pondered, as the system chimed in.
[You have been reborn as an ordinary goblin. Select a skill from your birth mother's race.]
"Could I possibly gain all the skills of the forest elves?" Dick wondered.
[First, you'll inherit your birth mother's abilities, followed by racial skills.]
Taking advantage of this unexpected boon, Dick quickly made his choice.
[You have acquired the forest elf skill: Life Absorption.]
[Life Absorption: Absorb life force from beings weaker than yourself, enhancing your own vitality.]
[Your current mission: Eliminate over thirty monsters to gain evolution points and reach G level. Successful completion will allow skill and level inheritance after death and return to reality.]
"This means I can bring these abilities back to my real life, resolving my crisis!" Dick realized with a surge of hope, turning his attention to the forest elf, his mother.
The elf, devoid of maternal warmth, looked upon her goblin offspring with deep-seated hatred and despair. Dick, grasping the situation, clambered onto her lap. She tried to push him away, but her weakened arms fell limply.
Pressing his hands to her skin, Dick activated Life Absorption. "I'll ease your passage, mother," he whispered.
As he absorbed her fading life force, his body began to thrive—his skin flushed with health, his organs strengthening, his bones solidifying.
The elf mother gazed in disbelief at her child, the instrument of her release from torment. "Thank you... thank you..." she murmured, her life ebbing away.
[Congratulations, you have earned 30 evolution points for ending your F-level elf mother's life.]
Dick pondered the efficiency of gaining points, but he couldn't afford to dwell on moral quandaries. Glancing around the birthing nest, he saw the grim reality of dying mothers and wailing goblin infants. To escape his own mortal peril, he knew he must act.