My Goblin System : Levelling up with my SSS Class Devouring skill-Chapter 344

"Why?" The question came out before he could stop it. "Why help us? You’re human. I’m a goblin. You said it yourself—my kind aren’t welcome."

Marcus and Elara exchanged a look.

"You want the truth?" Marcus said. "Most humans would turn you away. Some would try to kill you on sight. We’re the exception, not the rule."

"So why are you different?"

Elara sat down with a tired sigh, gesturing for Satou to do the same. "Forty years ago, my husband and I lived in a village near the border. Orcs raided it. Killed half the population in a single night."

She looked at her hands, old memories playing across her face.

"We were hiding in a cellar when a goblin found us. Young thing, maybe your age. It could have killed us. Should have—goblins and orcs were allied in that region."

"But it didn’t?" Satou asked.

"No. It looked at us, looked at the chaos above, and just... left. Didn’t sound the alarm. Didn’t tell the orcs where we were hiding. Just walked away and let us live."

Marcus picked up the story. "The next morning, when the raiders left, we found that same goblin dead in the street. Killed by an orc for ’showing weakness’ according to a survivor who’d witnessed it."

"That goblin died because it chose mercy over cruelty," Elara said softly. "It chose to see us as people rather than prey. So when you show up at my door with injured friends, asking for help—how could I do any less than what that goblin did for us?"

Satou felt something catch in his throat. "I... thank you."

"Get some rest," Marcus said gruffly, clearly uncomfortable with the emotional moment. "Tomorrow you can help me gather firewood as payment, if your pride requires it."

Elara stood, checking Sylvara’s bandages one more time. "Your friend with the stomach wound—she’s a fighter, isn’t she?"

"Yes she is a warrior," Satou said. "One of the best."

"Thought so. These are combat wounds, not accidents." The old healer smiled slightly. "She’ll have quite the scar. But scars are just proof you survived what should have killed you."

She moved to Cassius, examining the vampire’s burns. "This one will wake first. Probably tomorrow night. He’ll be thirsty—I assume you can handle that?"

Satou nodded. He could hunt animals in the forest, provide blood for Cassius to feed on.

"Good. Then I think we’re settled." Elara headed toward the back room where presumably she and Marcus slept. "Wake me if the woman’s fever gets worse. Otherwise, let her rest."

As the elderly couple disappeared into their room, Satou settled into the corner with the blankets, positioning himself where he could watch both companions and the door.

The hut was quiet except for the crackling of the fire and Sylvara’s labored breathing.

For the first time in twenty-four hours, Satou let himself relax slightly.

They’d survived. Killed Richard Clay. Gained powerful temporal abilities. Escaped Chronus’s initial rage.

And found unexpected allies in the most unlikely of places.

Three days, Satou thought, closing his eyes but keeping his enhanced senses active. Three days to heal. Then five days back to the settlement. Four days to prepare for war.

It’ll be enough. It has to be.

—--------------

[ Meanwhile in Satou Settlement ]

The morning sun had barely crested the eastern horizon when the watch horn sounded.

Not the single sustained note that signaled the start of a new day shift. Not the double blast that meant visitors approaching.

Three sharp, urgent bursts that shattered the peaceful dawn like glass.

Enemy sighting. Large force. Battle imminent.

Lyra was in the command tent reviewing supply inventories when the horn sounded. Her golden eyes widened in disbelief as she dropped the parchment she’d been reading.

"No," she whispered. "They’re not supposed to be here yet. We have another week—"

Urgak stormed in, his single remaining arm gripping a battle axe. The orcish warrior’s scarred face was set in grim lines. "It’s the humans. Three and a half thousand strong, maybe more. They’re two miles out and marching in full battle formation."

"That’s impossible." Lyra was already moving, her strategic mind racing even as her hands grabbed tactical maps and crystal communication devices. "Our scouts said they were still five days away. The intelligence was solid. Satou confirmed the timeline before he left for Valstrath—"

"Well, either the intelligence was wrong or they forced marched through the night." Urgak’s voice was tight with controlled aggression. "Doesn’t matter now. They’re here, they’re armed, and they’ll reach our outer defenses in less than an hour."

Lyra’s mind calculated rapidly. Satou had left five days ago with Sylvara and Cassius. The journey to Valstrath took five days of hard travel. Even if everything had gone perfectly—if he’d completed his mission immediately and turned around without rest—he wouldn’t be back for another five days minimum.

They were alone.

"Sound full alarm," Lyra ordered, her voice steady despite the ice forming in her stomach. "Get everyone to battle stations. I want Commander Vex’ahlia, Lady Seraphina, and all section leaders in the command tent in ten minutes. And someone find Jessica—tell her to prepare the medical stations for mass casualties."

Urgak nodded and disappeared through the tent flap.

Lyra stood alone for five seconds, allowing herself that brief moment to feel the weight of what was coming. Then she pushed the fear down, locked it away behind the strategic calculations that were already filling her mind.

We planned for this. We have defenses. We have trained warriors. We have Seraphina and Vex’ahlia’s elite forces. And we have strategies.

She just hoped it would be enough.

—-----------

Ten minutes later, the command tent was packed.

Commander Vex’ahlia stood at the center of the tactical table, her skin seeming to absorb the lamplight.

Around her stood the settlement’s key leadership:

Lyra - Chief strategist and Satou’s second-in-command. A woman with distinctive golden eyes and a mind that worked three steps ahead of everyone else.

Seraphina - The demon lord. Loki’s and Satou direct ally. She stood slightly apart, her otherworldly presence making the air shimmer with barely-contained power. Two hundred corruption specialists answered to her command.