19 Goblin Shaman!

[Would you like to upgrade the skill Vitality Drain?]

"Yes," Dick answered immediately, his voice resolute and unwavering.

[Life Drain has been upgraded to Life Transfer]

[Life Transfer: Grants you the power to control and transfer life energy from living beings.]

"Oh?" Dick raised an eyebrow in surprise as he read the description. It was succinct, but the implications were profound and unexpected. He had initially sought the ability to absorb life energy not solely for his benefit, but with the intention of healing others as well. It seemed as though the system had tapped into his deepest thoughts, now offering him the upgraded skill to transfer life energy.

In the dimly lit, damp cave, Dick invoked the skill Plant Growth. After a brief moment of one and a half seconds, mirroring the simulation's casting time, a robust vine erupted from the earth, pulsating with vibrant life energy. Observing this, Dick seamlessly employed the newly acquired Life Transfer skill. The life force of plant was swiftly extracted, leaving his body and converging into Dick's hands, now dark green and withered. A fluorescent, lively green orb formed in his palm, pulsating with the stolen life force of the withered plants.

Holding the radiant orb, Dick inhaled it into his being, feeling an immediate rush of vitality coursing through his veins. "With this skill," he mused aloud, "I can heal my birth mother's injuries in the future and even absorb life energy from a distance." Satisfied with his newfound ability, Dick resolved to pursue further evolution and upgrading.

[Ding! You have met the conditions for evolution. Would you like to initiate the process?]

The system displayed the evolution options:

A. Goblin Scout (Low)

B. Goblin Shaman (Medium)

C. Big Goblin (Medium)

D. Troll (Medium)

"Trolls? An additional race of goblins?" Dick murmured, his surprise evident as he scanned the virtual page. Trolls, unlike goblins, belonged to a more formidable class of monsters, boasting superior physical strength, size, defense, and power. In some cases, trolls even dominated goblin lairs, asserting their dominance over their smaller kin.

Dick contemplated evolving into a troll, intrigued by their formidable nature. However, after careful consideration, he dismissed the idea. Becoming a troll could potentially alter his system interactions, making it challenging to select his birth mother. Furthermore, his current skills might become incompatible.

Thus, he focused his attention on the Goblin Shaman and Big Goblin options. Both were advanced goblin variants, not to be underestimated in strength, often assuming leadership roles in goblin communities. However, Dick found himself more drawn to the Goblin Shaman. The Big Goblin, despite its impressive stature akin to trolls, lacked the same level of agility and freedom of movement within goblin lairs.

Ultimately, Dick, having recently been mistaken for a Shaman in the simulation, chose the path of the Goblin Shaman. "It's only fitting," he thought, confirming his choice with a decisive tap on the screen.

Host: Dick

Species: Goblin Shaman (New)

Status: Juvenile (New)

Current Situation: Underweight

Body Shape: Weight 25 kg, Height 59 cm

Combat Strength: F+

Skills: Life Transfer (New), Tool Crafting, Archery Specialization, Feign Death, Plant Growth (New)

Witchcraft: Summon Goblin Imp (New)

Evolution Points: 1190/1600 (acquired through creature hunting)

After an hour's rest, Dick stirred from his slumber. As his consciousness returned, the virtual system panel materialized in his mind. He could distinctly perceive his transformation. Now, he had evolved from a mere Goblin to a Goblin Shaman. Surprisingly, his physical state had regressed from an adult to a juvenile form, and he was notably underweight.

However, this physical change paled in comparison to his excitement over the new witchcraft: "Summon Goblin Imp?"

He examined the skill description with a mix of curiosity and intrigue.

[Summon Goblin Imp: A fundamental skill of the Goblin Shaman. It allows the summoning of Goblin Imps, creatures deeply loyal and capable of executing tasks and orders. You can transform ordinary Goblin juveniles into Goblin Imps.]

[Goblin Imp: A variant of the common Goblin, typically originating from young Goblin bodies. Fragile yet compact for agile movement, they possess sly and cunning abilities.]

Dick decided to test this newfound witchcraft. Following the intricate five-second spell, a luminous five-pointed star emerged on the cave's floor, from which a Goblin Imp materialized. This creature resembled a typical Goblin child but was smaller, with a more menacing appearance, akin to a bizarre fusion of a child's body and an old man's head.

Curious about its agility, Dick issued a command to the Goblin Imp, who sat obediently like a loyal pet. "Climb to the cave's summit!"

The Goblin Imp responded with a chilling, gleeful cackle and scurried on all fours. It reached the cave wall and ascended effortlessly, defying gravity, until it perched atop the cave, directly above Dick. This display of agility, surpassing even that of a Goblin Scout, thoroughly impressed Dick.

He then dispatched the Goblin Imp to gather intelligence outside. Having been disconnected from reality for two days, Dick was eager to learn of any new developments in the vast forest.

Obeying, the Imp let out another sinister laugh and scurried towards the cave's exit. It slipped through the narrow gap in the rocks, emerged from the shelter of the Teng Man plants, and ventured into the outside world.

"Not bad," Dick muttered, examining his own body. His appearance remained unchanged from the typical short, dark green Goblin form. However, he now donned a pitch-black hooded robe, shrouding his figure. Curiously adjusting the robe, he was startled to find himself turning invisible.

"I see," he realized. The Goblin Shaman's garb included invisibility robes, not just witchcraft. This discovery reassured him of his safety, knowing he could vanish from sight.

But after a minute, the robe's invisibility faded, and it seemed a five-minute wait was necessary to reactivate it. A slight disappointment for Dick.

"Okay, now that the simulation is over after a long time, I remember I was holding a human adventurer, a blonde girl named Lily, captive in the cave, right?" he recollected, recalling the hostage situation.

As he moved toward the cave to check on Lily, a sudden, unsettling sensation washed over him—the Goblin Imp he had sent out was dead!