My Goblin System : Levelling up with my SSS Class Devouring skill-Chapter 306

"Most people never learn that lesson," Sylvara said. "They stay soft even after the world tries to harden them."

"I have people depending on me staying alive," Satou said. "That’s motivation enough to do whatever it takes."

He looked directly at Sylvara. "Which is why I need you sharp for this mission. You’ve been functioning on minimal sleep for two days. I need you at full capability when we hit the monastery, not exhausted and slow."

"Not everyone learns that lesson," Sylvara said. "Some people stay soft even after the world tries to harden them. Gets them killed eventually."

"I have people depending on me staying alive," Satou said. "Jessica, Lyra, everyone in the settlement. That’s motivation enough to do whatever it takes."

He looked directly at Sylvara. "Which is why I need you sharp for this mission. You’ve been functioning on minimal sleep for two days. I need you at full capability when we hit the monastery, not exhausted and slow."

Sylvara opened her mouth to protest, but Satou continued. "I’ll take watch. You sleep. Four hours minimum. That’s not a request—it’s tactical necessity. A tired infiltrator makes mistakes, and mistakes get us both killed."

For a moment, Sylvara looked like she might argue. Then she nodded slowly, recognizing the logic—and the authority in his tone.

"Four hours," she agreed. "But if anything approaches, wake me immediately."

"Obviously."

Sylvara settled down, using her pack as a pillow. Within minutes, her breathing had evened out into sleep—the ability to fall asleep quickly being another skill developed through years of field work.

Satou positioned himself at the outcropping’s edge, his enhanced senses tracking the forest. Nothing moved except natural wildlife. No patrols. No threats.

Just him, the darkness, and the weight of what came next.

Two more days, he thought, watching the horizon begin to lighten. Two more days until I kill Richard Clay and cripple Chronus. Two more days until everything changes.

His hand rested on Void Fang’s hilt, the weapon thrumming with barely contained power that resonated with his own void abilities.

I’m coming for you, Richard Clay. You just don’t know it yet.

The sun rose slowly over the forest, painting the sky in shades of orange and red.

And three hundred miles to the south, his settlement prepared for war under Seraphina’s command, trusting that he’d return before the human army arrived.

Trust them, Satou told himself firmly. Trust Lyra’s tactical mind. Trust Jessica’s compassion and healing. Trust Seraphina’s centuries of experience. They’ll hold things together. They have to.

Because if they couldn’t—if the settlement fell while he was here chasing Chronus’s vulnerability—then all of this would be for nothing.

But dwelling on that wouldn’t help. The only thing he could control was his mission: reach Richard Clay, kill him before he could escape, and cripple the Time Lord permanently.

Everything else would follow from that.

Four hours later, Sylvara woke naturally, her internal clock precise even without external cues. She sat up, immediately alert, scanning for threats.

"Nothing," Satou reported before she could ask. "Completely quiet."

"Good." Sylvara stood, working stiffness from her muscles. "Then we move. We should reach the monastery region by late afternoon. Find a position to observe from, confirm Richard Clay is still there, then plan our approach."

They packed efficiently, leaving no trace of their presence. Within minutes, they were moving again through the forest.

—------

Day Three

The terrain changed as they moved deeper into Valstrath’s interior.

The forest thinned in places, giving way to cultivated land—farms and villages connected by actual roads rather than just dirt paths. This was old civilization, established settlements where families had lived for generations.

Which made their infiltration significantly more complicated.

"We’ll need to stick to the forest edges," Sylvara said as they crouched on a ridgeline overlooking a valley with three villages visible. "Moving through open farmland would expose us completely."

"How much does that slow us down?" Satou asked.

"Maybe two hours. But it’s necessary—one farmer spotting us means soldiers mobilized within the hour." Sylvara pointed to a route along the valley’s eastern edge. "We follow the tree line there, circle around the largest village, then cut north through the old growth forest. That should bring us to the monastery by late afternoon."

They descended the ridge carefully, staying in the shadows where forest met farmland. The going was slower—they had to pause frequently as farmers worked fields or travelers used nearby roads. Every delay grated on Satou’s nerves, but rushing would be worse than patience.

Around midday, they had another close call.

A patrol—ten soldiers this time, properly equipped and moving with purpose—came down the road they’d just crossed minutes earlier. Satou and Sylvara pressed themselves into a drainage ditch, covered by tall grass and shadow, as boots tramped past less than twenty feet away.

"...supposed to reach the monastery by evening," one soldier was saying. "Captain wants increased security around the religious sites. Something about high-value targets needing protection."

"High-value targets at a monastery?" another soldier laughed. "What, are we protecting monks now?"

"Orders are orders. We patrol, we report, we don’t question."

The patrol continued past. Satou and Sylvara waited another ten minutes before emerging, both processing what they’d heard.

"High-value targets," Satou said quietly. "Could they mean Richard Clay?"

"Possibly. Or it could be unrelated—some visiting noble or church official." Sylvara’s expression was calculating. "Either way, increased security around the monastery complicates our approach."

"We adapt," Satou said. "Find out what we’re dealing with, then plan accordingly."

They continued, circling the villages and moving through increasingly dense forest. The sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon when the terrain changed again—the forest becoming more manicured, less wild. Signs of human cultivation without actual clearing.

"We’re close," Sylvara whispered, her entire body language shifting to maximum alertness. "The monastery maintains the surrounding forest as meditation grounds. If we’re seeing cultivated wilderness, the Sanctum of Eternal Wisdom is within a mile."

They slowed to a crawl, every movement now calculated for absolute stealth. Satou activated Perfect Stealth, his form becoming harder to perceive even in direct sight. Sylvara moved with her techniques, becoming nearly invisible through pure skill.