My Goblin System : Levelling up with my SSS Class Devouring skill-Chapter 349

That evening, in the human command tent:

"They refused?" Commander Elric Stonewall studied a detailed map of the settlement, marking defensive positions based on visual reconnaissance. He looked unsurprised.

"Yes, sir." Captain Thorne stood at rigid attention. "Their spokesman rejected the terms entirely. He was... quite direct about it."

"Describe him."

"An hoggoblin, sir. Adult male, probably mid-thirties in human equivalent. Military bearing despite species. Spoke Common fluently with minimal accent. Showed no intimidation when facing our numbers."

"Interesting." Elric marked another annotation on his map. "A goblin educated enough to speak Common fluently. Trained enough to have military bearing. Confident enough to laugh at four thousand soldiers. Either remarkably brave or remarkably foolish." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Granted."

"I don’t think he was being foolish, sir." Captain Thorne hesitated. "He seemed... genuinely prepared to die defending that settlement. And he wasn’t acting. I’ve seen bravado before. This was different."

Elric looked up from his map, studying his young officer. "Go on."

"He said they’re choosing freedom over slavery. Said our ’relocation facilities’ are death camps. And..." Captain Thorne’s voice dropped. "He wasn’t wrong, sir. Everyone knows what happens at those facilities."

"That’s not our concern, Captain."

"With respect, sir—it might be. If they genuinely believe surrender means death, they’ll fight with the desperation of the condemned. That makes them unpredictable and dangerous."

Elric was silent for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "You’re learning, Captain. Yes—believers are far more dangerous than mercenaries or conscripts. They’ll take casualties that would break a normal force and keep fighting. They’ll hold positions that should have fallen and somehow make it work."

He traced lines on his map showing the settlement’s visible defensive layers.

"From reconnaissance, they’ve built at least three defensive lines. First Line appears to be primarily traps and barriers—pit traps, spike fields, chokepoints designed to channel attackers into killing grounds. Second Line has actual fortified positions—walls, towers, prepared archer positions. Third Line is harder to assess from this distance, but appears to be incomplete."

"So they weren’t ready for us, sir?"

"They weren’t ready for us arriving a week early," Elric corrected. "But what they do have is well-constructed and professionally positioned. Someone with real military training designed these defenses."

A staff officer cleared his throat. "Sir, if they’re unprepared, shouldn’t we attack immediately? Before they can finish their preparations?"

"No." Elric’s voice was flat, final. "That’s exactly the trap they want us to walk into."

"Sir?"

"Think, Lieutenant. They know they’re outnumbered. They know we have superior forces. Their only chance of victory is making us pay such a heavy price that we withdraw. How do they accomplish that?"

The lieutenant considered. "Lure us into disadvantageous terrain where our numbers don’t matter as much?"

"Exactly. Those incomplete defenses could be genuine, or could be deception to make us think they’re vulnerable. Those visible archer positions might be fully manned or might be decoys. Every trap, every barrier, every defensive work—all designed to make us commit forces into unfavorable conditions where four thousand soldiers aren’t worth much more than four hundred."

Elric turned back to his map with the patience of someone who’d survived forty-three years of warfare by being careful.

"So we don’t give them that. We probe systematically. We identify real defenses from fake ones. We map their troop dispositions and response patterns. We find the weak points. And only when we have comprehensive intelligence do we commit to a full assault."

"How long will that take, sir?"

"As long as necessary." Elric’s voice carried the weight of experience. "I didn’t keep soldiers alive through four decades of campaigns by rushing into unknown situations. We’ll move when I’m confident we can take this settlement with acceptable casualties."

"What about the monsters, sir? Every day we delay gives them time to—"

"To what?" Elric interrupted calmly. "They’re trapped in that settlement with limited supplies and no visible reinforcements. Time favors us, not them. Every day that passes weakens them while our supply lines remain secure."

He pointed at specific positions on the map.

"Tomorrow, we send scouts to probe First Line defenses. Test their alertness, response time, defensive capabilities. Day after, we test their communications and coordination with feint attacks. Day three, we assess their artillery and magical capabilities. And when I have complete intelligence..."

His finger stabbed down at the settlement’s center.

"Then we end this efficiently."

One of his officers spoke up hesitantly. "Sir, there’s one thing that concerns me."

"Speak."

"The goblin at the parley mentioned defenders holding against impossible odds. The Alarian Pass, Keth’s Stand—those are real battles where outnumbered forces won through defensive advantage and desperation."

"Your point?"

"What if they have something we don’t know about? Some asset or ally that isn’t visible in reconnaissance?"

Elric considered the question seriously. "Possible. Which is another reason for thorough intelligence gathering. If they have hidden assets, probing will reveal them. Better to discover surprises during reconnaissance than during a full assault."

He studied his map one final time before dismissing his staff.

"Get some rest, gentlemen. Tomorrow we begin proper siege operations. And remember—slow is smooth, smooth is fast. We take our time, do this right, and we all go home alive."

As his officers filed out, Elric remained, staring at the settlement in the distance.

I wonder, he thought, what you’re really hiding in there. What made you so confident, goblin? What makes you think nine hundred can beat four thousand?

I guess I’ll find out.

—------

[The next day]

The sun rose blood-red over the settlement, painting the defensive fortifications in shades of crimson and gold. Seraphina stood perfectly still, her eyes closed in deep concentration as corruption magic flowed through her consciousness.

The telepathic network activated.

It wasn’t speech exactly—more like thoughts and impressions flowing directly into minds across a half-mile radius. Every section leader, every unit commander, every squad captain suddenly felt a presence in their mind. Not intrusive or controlling, but available. A direct line to command.

"Network established," Seraphina’s mental voice was clear, carrying none of the otherworldly harmonics that made her physical speech unsettling. "All units report status."