Chapter 31 - Chapter 31 Reward Earned

The last one that was left standing he slammed his foot into his belly forcing him to the ground before Dick climbed on top of him.

He slammed his fists into his face rapidity in quick motion as the goblin groaned beneath him before he too passed out.

Once Dick had managed to knock all of them out he slowly pulled away from them. He rounded them all up as he tied them together in a small circle in the center.

He then made his way to the bushes where he had come from. He sat there as he looked towards the goblins. They had stopped screaming and were instead letting out low whimpers from their lips. 

Dick pulled out his bow and arrows from his arsenal as he began to end their lives with his bow and arrow. He pulled back the string of his bow as he aimed it at the first goblin before letting his arrow fly through the air.

It let out a whizzing sound before striking the goblin straight through the heart. The goblin slouched its figure as its head fell forward and his body stopped moving.

Dick moved his attention towards the next goblin and fired the arrow as it hit him right in its skull causing it to die instantly. Dick went around and shot each and every one of the goblins until there was only one left.

He was about to point his arrow towards him when he stopped and pulled down his draw string as an idea came to him.

"Maybe there is something else I can try with this one. Maybe something more interesting." He thought to himself. "System, is there a better way for me to deal with this goblin." He asked the system. He waited only a moment before the system gave him a response.

[Due to the Goblin's mental breakdown, you may control him at your will.] The system said and Dick grinned. "Excellent!" he thought to himself.

[Reward Earned: Astral Projection.]

Dick was thrilled with the reward that he had gotten as it mean that he could temporarily take on the body of the goblin and see into its thoughts as well as control its actions and emotions.

It would mean that Dick would be able to control what the goblin would do and what he experienced. The possibilities were limitless. Maybe this quest was worth it after all.

With the other goblin's decimated, the rope had gone slack against the goblin's body. Dick focused on the goblin as he closed his eyes and tried to reach out to it. He felt something connect him to the goblin as it felt as though something was tugging him to it.

When he opened his eyes again he had green skin and his hands were chubby with brown nails. Her tried to speak but the only thing that came out of his mouth was a low growl.

Dick widened his eyes as he realized that the astral projection had worked. He wondered how much use he could make of the body. He slowly stood up tohis feet as he stretched out his legs. He took a sniff of his bod and crinkled his nose at the foul smell. 

He tried to look through the goblins clothes and he found a blade. It had a small jewel at the top and for a moment Dick contemplated taking it but after a moment he chose to leave it behind. 

Dick moved towards the bushes where his own body lay and he found it slumped against a tree. It was almost impossible to consider the fact that he was looking down on himself.

The goblin had low stamina and his steps were slow and clumsy and after walking around in his body for a few moments he realized that he had no interest for the body much longer. He made his way back to the camp site as he sat down before he closed his eyes again and he pictured his own body. 

He felt his body shiver as he returned to his own body. He pulled his eyes open to find the goblin slumped by the camp fire. Dick realized that astral projection was a cool trick that he had acquired and he knew that one day it would come in handy for him one point or another.

Dick marveled at his own intelligence as he realized that he had been able to acquire the skill due to his own sheer intelligence. Because if he had been reckless and only thought about getting the mission done then he wouldn't have discovered the skill.

He was glad to have saved the goblin and if he hadn't saved him at the last moment then he wouldn't have been able to learn of the fact that there was a. better choice than killing. Him.

"I have to remember that for the future." Dick told himself. There were always going to be two possible choices that were to be made. If he only decided to follow the directed path that was laid out for him then he might risk the chance of overlooking another opportunity. 

Dick looked towards the goblin once more and he contemplated whether or not it was right for him to go through with killing him.

In the end he made the decision to spare him. He knew that it would mean that there was a chance he wouldn't win the quest but he didn't mind. He had already acquired a reward and that was more important to him.

"System, end quest." He announced as he stood up to his feet as he watched a screen appear in front of him. The words written on the screen were ones that left him shocked as he hadn't been expecting to see them.

[Congratulations. Quest completed successfully.]

[Reward Earned: Vibranium Metal Shield.]

Dick watched as a floating vibranium metal shield appeared before him and he was quick to collect it and add it to his arsenal. He couldn't believe that despite not killing all of the goblins the mission had still been deemed a success and he had acquired shield.

The shield reminded him of captain America's in the movie. He had always found the shield to be cool and he couldn't believe that he was now in possession of one like it. It would mean he would be even more deadly in an attack and would be able to defend himself even better.

With that thought he knew that his plan for revenge had been sealed even further and he would be able to go against Tinas and would have a higher chance of winning against her.

With his prize in his arsenal he left the forest and began to make his way back to the academy. He felt good knowing that he had been able to complete the mission.

It took him another three day long journey before he could finally make his way back to the academy. This time the journey wasn't as stressful as he was well aware of what he was setting himself uo for.

He was able to avoid the winding paths that went through the forest and instead took the easier paths and it meant that he returned to the academy without completely exhausting himself. 

When he walked through the academy doors he realized that it was morning already. Although he knew that he wasn't popular Dick had been under the assumption that. At least some of the students would have noticed his absence but as usual none of them soared him a glance.

He was walking down the halls when he was approached by Gloria. She scanned her eyes over him as though trying to figure something out before she finally spoke up. "Where have you been? She asked him suddenly.

"At least someone noticed that I was gone." Dick muttered to himself. Although he knew that he had to keep things vague with her as he shrugged his shoulders at her in response. "Oh it was nothing really I just had to go on a quest." He said vaguely.

"Yeah well you had people worried." She muttered. "I highly doubt that anyone cared or even noticed that I was gone." He said to her in a mutter. She was silent as she knew that his words were true. She was the only one who had been bothered by his absence.