Evolution 4

[I thought you'd never ask °=°,] Sys replied, its tone suddenly cheerful. [Just say the word 'system.']

"System," Satou said aloud, though it came out as gibberish. Instantly, a translucent screen appeared in front of him, glowing faintly in the dim light of the cave. The two baby goblins didn't seem to notice it, too busy trying to snuggle closer to him.

The screen displayed the following:

"Let go!" Satou squeaked, his tiny green hands flailing as he tried to pry the female and male baby goblins off him. The female goblin had a firm grip on his arm, her wide yellow eyes staring up at him with what he could only describe as adoration. The male goblin, meanwhile, had wrapped himself around Satou's leg, his drool soaking into Satou's already grimy skin. "Why me?!" Satou cried out, his voice a series of high-pitched gibberish sounds that echoed through the cave.

Just as he was about to give up and resign himself to being a goblin pillow, a voice echoed in his head, calm and mechanical.

[Maybe they feel a familiar "big brother" energy from you. Why don't you just let them be?]

Satou froze, his tiny body going stiff. His head whipped left and right, his yellow eyes darting around the cave as he tried to figure out where the voice was coming from. "Where are you? Who's talking?" he demanded, though his words came out as more incoherent gurgles.

[I am your personal assistant—or, more accurately, the system integrated within you. You may call me Sys.]

"Personal assistant? System? Does this mean I'm in one of those RPG games or isekai novels? I know I was isekai'd to another world, but… can I ask you something, Sys?" Satou said, his mind racing with questions.

[Of course. You can ask me anything.]

"Why was I reincarnated as a goblin? The weakest creature of all?!" Satou's voice rose in frustration, though it still came out as gibberish to anyone listening.

There was a brief pause before Sys responded, its tone almost apologetic. [Well, it's a bit of a long story. The two gods who created me and integrated me into you—along with the skills you've been given—kind of… forgot about you. They were busy reincarnating everyone else as humans, and by the time they realized you were still stuck in the reincarnation stream, it was too late. They couldn't let the higher-ranking gods find out about their mistake, so they reincarnated you in a hurry. Unfortunately, the only available vessel at the time was a goblin. Hence, here you are.]

Satou's tiny jaw dropped. "They forgot about me?! And then they just shoved me into a goblin's body because they didn't want to get in trouble?!"

[Pretty much,] Sys replied, its tone casual, as if this were a perfectly normal explanation. [But don't worry! They did give you some overpowered skills to make up for it. Your chances of survival have increased by 10 percent. Isn't that great?]

"10 percent?!" Satou shouted, his voice echoing in the cave. The two baby goblins clinging to him flinched slightly but didn't let go. Satou took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "10 percent isn't motivating at all! But… what do you mean by 'overpowered skills'? How do I see them?"

[I thought you'd never ask!] Sys said, its tone suddenly cheerful. [All you have to do is say the word "System."]

"System," Satou muttered under his breath, his tiny hands still trying to push the baby goblins away.

Suddenly, a translucent blue screen appeared in front of him, floating in the air. Satou's eyes widened as he read the text on the screen:

---

[System Menu]

Name: Satou (Goblin Infant)

Race: Goblin

Level: 1

Skills:

- Goblin Translation (Active):Allows you to understand and speak the goblin language.

- Devouring (Passive): Consume the flesh of other creatures to gain their skills, abilities, and memories. (Warning: This skill has a cooldown period and may have side effects depending on the creature consumed.)

Status:

- Health:100%

- Stamina: Low (You're a baby, after all.)

- Mana: N/A (You're not a magic user… yet.)

---

Satou stared at the screen, his tiny mind struggling to process the information. "Devouring? I can gain skills by eating other creatures? That's… kind of gross, but also kind of amazing. Wait, does this mean I can become stronger just by eating?"

[Exactly!] Sys replied, sounding proud. [The Devouring skill is one of the most powerful abilities in this world. If you eat a creature with a unique skill or ability, you can absorb it for yourself. For example, if you eat a wolf, you might gain enhanced senses or increased speed. If you eat a bird, you might gain the ability to glide or fly. The possibilities are endless!]

Satou's eyes lit up with a mix of excitement and unease. "That's… actually pretty cool. But how am I supposed to eat anything in this state? I'm a baby goblin! I can barely even hold a stick, let alone hunt something."

[Good point,] Sys admitted. [For now, you'll have to rely on others to provide food for you. But once you're older and stronger, you can start hunting on your own. Until then, focus on surviving and growing. Oh, and maybe try to be nice to these two baby goblins. They seem to like you.]

Satou glanced down at the two baby goblins still clinging to him. The female goblin had started chewing on his arm, her tiny teeth barely making a dent in his tough green skin. The male goblin was now snoring loudly, his drool pooling on Satou's leg.

"Nice? They're using me as a chew toy!" Satou protested, though his words came out as gibberish. He sighed, realizing there was no point in arguing with Sys. "Fine. I'll try to survive this nightmare. But once I'm bigger, I'm going to make those gods regret turning me into a goblin."

[That's the spirit!] Sys said cheerfully. [Now, let's focus on getting through the next few days. The "special selection" is coming up, and you'll need all the strength you can get.]

"Special selection?" Satou muttered, his tiny heart sinking. "I have a bad feeling about this…"