My Goblin System : Levelling up with my SSS Class Devouring skill Chapter 161

The war room was tense as Seraphine laid out the final battle plan on the large table. Maps of the Fallen Spires covered every surface, marked with defensive positions, evacuation routes, and chokepoints where they’d attempt to slow The Reaper’s advance.

"So the plan is straightforward," Seraphine explained, her finger tracing routes on the map. "We evacuate all non-combatants to the deepest spires. Set up three defensive lines in the outer districts—first line to probe his abilities and slow him down, second line to separate him from any support forces, third line to create the opening for the final strike."

She looked up at Satou. "And you will be our last defense. When everything else has failed, when we’ve exhausted his attention and created an opening, that’s when you strike with Void Fang. One decisive blow to end this."

"Wait, hold on," Satou interjected. "Last defense? That ans I’m staying back while everyone else fights. That doesn’t make sense tactically. If I’m the one with the weapon that can actually kill him, shouldn’t I be engaging imdiately?"

"No."

The word ca from Veronica, one of Seraphine’s council mbers—a tall succubus with six wings and eyes that glowed with magical intensity. She was Seraphine’s military strategist, responsible for defensive planning.

"Absolutely not," Veronica continued, her voice firm and brooking no argunt. "I was the one who suggested you remain as our final line. We can’t have soone who isn’t our people, who isn’t a resident of the Fallen Spires, fighting on the frontlines. That’s not how this works."

"That’s exactly how it should work!" Satou protested. "I ca here to help fight The Reaper. That ans fighting, not sitting back while you throw yourselves at an enemy I’m supposed to be the counter for!"

"You’re a guest here," Lilith interjected, the four-winged military commander crossing her arms. "An outsider, no matter how well-intentioned. The Fallen Spires has stood for three hundred years because we protect our own. We fight our own battles. We don’t hide behind guests while sending them to die for our territory."

"I’m not so civilian who needs protecting!" Satou’s frustration was clear in his voice. "I’ve fought heroes before. I’ve cleared the Dungeon of Eternal Nightmares. I marked Chronus himself! I’m not asking for protection—I’m offering to help!"

"And we appreciate that," Veronica said, her tone softening slightly but remaining firm. "Which is why we’ll create the opening you need to land your killing blow. But we fight first. We risk ourselves first. That’s what it ans to defend your ho—you don’t ask visitors to bleed for it while you watch."

"This isn’t about pride!" Satou slamd his hand on the table, making several maps jump. "This is about tactics! With the information Seraphine’s spies provided, we know The Reaper is dangerous beyond asure. He adapts to everything thrown at him. Every attack you make just teaches him new abilities, makes him stronger! You’re not just risking yourselves—you’re making him more dangerous for when I finally do engage!"

"Then we’ll make sure we exhaust every option before you have to," Lilith said coldly. "We’ll learn his patterns, force him to show his abilities, wear him down. By the ti you face him, we’ll have mapped his capabilities and given you every advantage we can."

"At the cost of your lives!" Satou’s voice rose. "You’re talking about throwing yourselves at soone who’s killed demon lords! Plural! This isn’t a battle you can win through determination or sacrifice—it’s a fight that requires specific counters, and I have one! Let use it before you all die trying to soften him up!"

"Better we die as warriors defending our ho than accept help from an outsider while cowering behind city walls!" Lilith snapped, her own temper flaring. "Better we fall fighting than live with the sha of asking a guest to sacrifice himself for our territory! We have pride, Satou! We have honor! And both demand that we stand between our ho and the threat, regardless of the cost!"

"Honor won’t stop The Reaper from killing you!" Satou turned desperately to Seraphine. "Please, talk so sense into your people! This plan gets everyone killed for the sake of pride! It’s tactically insane!"

Seraphine t his eyes, and what Satou saw there made his protests die in his throat.

Sadness.

Deep, profound sadness mixed with resignation and sothing that looked almost like guilt. Her mismatched eyes held centuries of experience, of making impossible choices, of sacrificing what had to be sacrificed.

"Satou," Seraphine said quietly. "The plan stands. Veronica and Lilith are right. This is their ho. Their fight. I can’t ask you to be the first line when these are my people, my territory, my responsibility."

"But—"

"The plan stands," Seraphine repeated, more firmly this ti. "You will be our last defense. Our final hope. When the ti cos, you’ll have your chance to use that weapon. Until then, you wait."

Satou looked around the war room at faces set with determination, pride, and fear. He saw it in their eyes—they knew they were probably going to die. They understood the odds. But they’d rather die standing than live with the sha of hiding behind soone else.

It was noble. Honorable. Brave.

And tactically stupid.

But looking at Seraphine’s sad eyes, Satou realized he wasn’t going to win this argunt. This wasn’t about logic or tactics. This was about sothing deeper—about what these people needed to do to live with themselves, regardless of whether they survived.

"Fine," Satou said, his voice tight with frustration and worry. "I’ll wait. But when things get serious—when it becos clear you can’t handle this—you call imdiately. No heroic last stands, no pointless sacrifices. Promise that when it becos clear you need , you’ll actually ask."

"We won’t need to," Veronica said, though her tone had lost so of its earlier certainty. "We’ll handle the preliminary engagent. You’ll have your chance when the mont’s right."

"We won’t call," Lilith said more bluntly. "Because calling you ans admitting we failed. ans accepting that we couldn’t protect our own ho. So we’ll fight until we’ve done everything possible. Then, and only then, will your mont co."