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

Gattychan released his divine aura flare with anger due to not being able to hold his anger within him. The tent’s air crackled with tension.

"You would threaten to have me dismissed for trying to save lives?"

"I would report that you’re incompatible with military operations requiring coordinated command." Elric stood his ground despite the divine pressure radiating from Gattychan. "This isn’t personal, Lord Gattychan. This is about maintaining an effective military force. If you can’t follow orders, you’re a liability regardless of your combat effectiveness."

The two men stared at each other for some few minutes , Commander Elric looked at Gatty right in his eyes without showing hints of fear, even knowing how strong Gatty is..

Finally, Gattychan stepped back, his aura settling.

"I hope your pride doesn’t get your army killed, Commander."

"And I hope your eagerness for combat doesn’t make you forget that you serve the Church, not command it." Elric’s voice carried quiet steel. "You’re on standby. You’ll be deployed if the battle requires it. That’s my decision as commanding officer of this campaign."

Gattychan held his gaze a moment longer, then turned and left.

Behind him, Elric returned to his tactical maps, but his hands trembled slightly as he picked up plotting tools. Captain Marcus, who’d witnessed the confrontation, spoke carefully.

"Sir, was it wise to antagonize him? He’s... powerful."

"He needed to understand the command structure," Elric replied, his voice steadier than his hands. "And I needed to establish that this campaign operates under military discipline, not heroic impulse."

"He could have killed you. With one thought, probably."

"Yes. But he didn’t. Because underneath the divine power and righteous certainty, Gattychan actually respects authority. He just needed to be reminded that I hold it." Elric studied troop positions. "Besides, if he’d killed me, the Pope would send him back to whatever god summoned him. The Church doesn’t tolerate heroes murdering commanders, regardless of disagreements."

"Still. That was... tense."

"Command is always tense when you’re balancing multiple power structures." Elric traced tactical markers. "I have military authority over conventional forces. The heroes have divine mandate for supernatural threats. The key is making sure those spheres don’t overlap in ways that create conflict. Today I drew that line clearly. Gattychan understands where it is now."

"And tomorrow, sir? When we assault Third Line?"

Elric considered carefully. "Tomorrow I’ll likely need them. Third Line will be fortified, defended by remaining settlement forces fighting desperately. The mathematics may require hero intervention to prevent excessive casualties." He paused. "But I’ll try conventional assault first. Give my soldiers one more chance to prove themselves. If it’s working, I’ll continue without heroes. If it’s failing catastrophically... then I’ll deploy them."

"That’s a reasonable compromise, sir."

"Compromise," Elric repeated tiredly. "The art of command in one word."

-------

Hour Thirty Through Thirty-Three: Individual Soldier Perspectives

Eastern Wall

Corporal Thrain had served in the Church’s military for sixteen years. He’d fought in four campaigns against demon incursions. He’d earned his corporal rank through valor under fire and leadership during the Darkwood Siege.

He would die on Second Line’s eastern wall without ever knowing why.

The demon warriors had withdrawn five minutes earlier. Thrain’s section—twelve human soldiers holding a twenty-foot wall segment—suddenly faced only regular settlement defenders. Goblins, mostly. Some orcs.

"They’re running!" one of his men shouted. "The demons are retreating!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Thrain didn’t celebrate. Sixteen years had taught him that battles weren’t won until objectives were secured.

"Press forward! Don’t let them reform positions!"

His men surged ahead, pushing goblin defenders back from the wall’s edge. They were winning. The wall was theirs.

Then reserve infantry arrived from behind—five hundred fresh soldiers committed to the assault.

And settlement defenders began their general retreat.

"They’re pulling back!" another soldier called. "Organized withdrawal!"

Thrain recognized the tactics immediately. This wasn’t panicked flight—this was tactical retreat conducted by trained fighters.

"Pursuit! Don’t let them reach Third Line intact!"

His section jumped down from the wall, joining the flood of human soldiers pursuing retreating defenders.

They crossed open ground between Second and Third Lines, moving fast, weapons ready.

Thrain spotted three goblin defenders helping a wounded orc. Perfect target. Isolated. Vulnerable.

"Javelins!"

Four soldiers hurled javelins. Two struck the wounded orc, killing him. The goblins dropped their burden and ran.

Thrain’s men pursued. They were faster. Armored, trained, professional soldiers against fleeing goblins.

They closed the distance to fifty feet. Forty. Thirty.

The goblins were cornered. They turned, weapons raised, desperation in their eyes.

Thrain was raising his sword to strike when an arrow hit him in the throat.

He’d never seen the serpentfolk sniper hidden in the tall grass. Never knew that Skar had positioned camouflaged marksmen specifically to target pursuing soldiers.

Thrain fell, blood pouring from his neck, trying to speak and managing only wet gasps. His men tried to help him, but the arrow had severed major arteries. He had perhaps thirty seconds of consciousness.

He died thinking about his wife and his daughters and sons back in the capital, wondering if they’d receive his final pay and pension, hoping the Church would honor fallen soldiers.

His men left his body and continued pursuit.

--------

Central Wall

Private Elise was nineteen years old. She’d joined the Church’s military six months ago, straight out of a rural farming village where nothing ever happened.

This was her first real combat. Her first siege. Her first time watching people die.

She stood on Second Line’s central wall, surrounded by screaming, bleeding, dying soldiers. Her hands shook so badly she could barely hold her spear.

A goblin attacked her. She managed to deflect the strike more by luck than skill. Another soldier killed the goblin before it could attack again.

"Stay in formation!" her sergeant shouted. "Hold the line!"

But Elise couldn’t hold the line. Every sound made her flinch. Every scream made her want to run. When a soldier five feet away took an arrow through his eye and fell dead, Elise lost control completely.

She dropped her spear and ran.

Just ran. Toward the rear. Away from the fighting. Blind panic overriding training.

Author Note:

Hello its author here , i just decided to give some of the human soldiers , little screen time ,what do you guys think , and sorry for the late replies in the Chapter comments , i will create time today to respond to all the past comments i didnt reply, have been busy these couple of days , thats why i have been uploading by this time sorry about that , but i will be done very soon and i will return to the normal upload time, thank you , i love you all