My Goblin System : Levelling up with my SSS Class Devouring skill-Chapter 317

Cassius absorbed this, then smiled—genuine respect showing in his expression.

"Then let’s make sure you have every possible advantage." He returned to the maps with renewed focus, spreading them out across the table systematically. "We have three hours before you need to start preparing. Let’s use that time to go through every detail until you could execute this mission in your sleep."

He pulled out a smaller notebook filled with precise observations.

"First, timing analysis. The guard patrols operate on exact six-minute circuits—I’ve timed them over seventy-two observations and they’re consistent to within ten seconds. The patrols change shifts at eight PM, which creates a brief window of chaos as new guards take position and outgoing guards report. That three-minute overlap is when they’re least attentive because they’re focused on handoff procedures rather than actual security."

Cassius traced the patrol routes on the map with his finger.

"The best window for your approach is between seven thirty-two and seven thirty-five PM. That’s when I’ll create the distraction at the front gate—nothing dramatic, just a merchant complaint about damaged goods that requires multiple guards to witness and document. It’ll pull attention to the main entrance while you slip in through the service door on the west side."

"What about the moon phase?" Sylvara asked. "Lighting conditions matter for shadow work."

"Tonight is three days past new moon," Cassius replied. "Minimal moonlight, which works in your favor. The courtyard will be lit primarily by torches, creating strong shadows between buildings. Lord Satou’s shadow manipulation will have plenty of darkness to work with."

He pulled out a different map—this one showing the interior layout in even greater detail.

"Now, the approach route. You’ll enter through the service entrance here—" he tapped the western side of the building. "The lock is simple, I’ve already tested it. Three pins, standard mechanism, should take Lady Sylvara less than thirty seconds to pick based on her skill level."

"Twenty seconds," Sylvara said with quiet confidence.

"Even better. The service entrance opens into a storage room—about fifteen feet by twenty feet, packed with old furniture and boxes. The room is never used at night. From there, you access the servant’s staircase in the northwest corner." Cassius drew the path with his finger. "The staircase is narrow—maybe three feet wide—and climbs to the second floor in a spiral. Eighteen steps total. The fifth step creaks if you put weight on the right side, so stay left."

"Fifth step, stay left," Satou repeated, memorizing.

"At the top of the stairs, you’ll emerge into a corridor between bookshelves. This is the western section of the restricted library—ancient legal texts that almost no one ever accesses. The shelves are twelve feet tall, packed densely, and create a natural sound barrier. You can move through here with reasonable noise and Richard won’t hear from his position."

Cassius pulled out the detailed sketch showing sight lines.

"From the top of the servant stairs, you turn right and move along this corridor for approximately forty feet. There are three intersections where shelves create openings—first at fifteen feet, second at twenty-eight feet, third at forty feet. At each intersection, stop and verify Richard hasn’t moved from his table. His position should be visible through the gaps between books."

"What if he has moved?" Sylvara asked.

"Then you wait. Don’t advance until he returns to his table. Patience is more important than speed." Cassius’s expression was serious. "At the end of the forty-foot corridor, you’ll reach a small study alcove—four chairs, a reading table, usually empty at night. From that alcove, Richard’s table is fifteen feet away with only open floor between you and him. No cover, no concealment. This is where Perfect Stealth becomes critical."

He looked at Satou directly.

"That final fifteen feet is when you’re most exposed. If Richard looks up, if he senses something, if his paranoia triggers—you’re in his line of sight with nowhere to hide. Your shadow abilities need to be perfect here. Shadow Step to close the distance in seconds, Perfect Stealth to remain undetected even in that exposed space."

"I can handle it," Satou said.

"I know. But I want you to understand the geography so there are no surprises." Cassius pointed to specific details. "The floor in that section is old wood—it doesn’t creak under normal weight, but it does echo slightly if you move too fast. Slow, deliberate steps. Let your weight settle before shifting to the next foot. Think of it like walking on ice—smooth weight transfer, no sudden movements."

He traced the final approach.

"When you reach Richard’s position, you’ll be directly behind him. He’ll be hunched over his text, both hands occupied with the book and note-taking. His sword leans against the table on his right side—about two feet from his hand. You need to kill him before he can reach it. One strike, brain stem or soul, instant death. No second chances."

"Understood," Satou confirmed.

Cassius moved to the extraction routes. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"The moment Richard is dead—and I mean the instant you confirm the kill—you move to the emergency exit. It’s twelve feet from Richard’s table, directly behind his position on the north wall. The exit is a wooden door with a simple latch, no lock from inside. It opens onto a small balcony—maybe six feet by six feet—with stairs leading down to the meditation gardens."

He traced the escape route.

"I’ll be positioned in the meditation gardens below, hidden near the fountain in the northeast corner. When you exit onto the balcony, I’ll signal with a brief flash of red light—my blood magic creating a marker only visible from your position. You descend the stairs, move to my position, and I guide you through the gardens to the north wall."

"What about the guards in the gardens?" Sylvara asked.

"The meditation gardens are considered sacred space—guards patrol the perimeter but don’t enter the interior. The monks requested privacy for evening prayers, and the guards respect that. As long as we’re quiet and don’t draw attention, we can move through the gardens undetected."

Cassius indicated the north wall on the map.

"I’ve already positioned climbing equipment at the north wall—rope with grappling hook hidden in the bushes beneath the southwest tower. The wall there is eighteen feet high, but there’s a five-minute gap between guard patrols when the eastern and western teams are at opposite ends of their circuits. We climb during that gap, drop down the far side into the alley, and we’re outside monastery grounds."

"And then?" Satou asked.

"Then we split up. You and Lady Sylvara return to the inn via the market district—lots of evening traffic, easy to blend in. I return to my guard post via the barracks entrance—I’ll claim I stepped away to use the latrine. We reunite at the abandoned warehouse three streets north of here tomorrow morning after my shift ends."

He pulled out contingency notes.

"Now, let’s talk about what happens if things don’t go perfectly. If Richard leaves his table during your approach, you freeze in position and wait. Don’t follow him, don’t try to strike while he’s moving. Wait for him to return to his seat and resume research. If he doesn’t return within thirty minutes, abort the mission and extract via the service entrance."

"What if guards enter the library while we’re inside?" Sylvara asked.

"The restricted section has several hiding spots," Cassius said, indicating locations on the map. "Behind this large shelf here, there’s a gap about three feet wide where returned books are staged before re-shelving. You can fit two people in there comfortably. There’s also a document cabinet here—six feet tall, two feet deep, open on the back side. You can conceal yourself behind it. If guards enter, hide immediately and wait for them to complete their rounds."

"How long do the interior rounds take?"

"Two to three minutes. The guard enters the main library door, walks the perimeter of the ground floor, glances up at the restricted section from below, then leaves. They specifically avoid going upstairs because the monks complained about guards disturbing scholars."

Cassius’s expression became more serious as he moved to combat contingencies.

"If you’re discovered before reaching strike position—if Richard sees you, if he calls out, if guards spot you—then the mission changes completely. In that scenario, speed becomes more important than stealth. Satou, you go straight for Richard with maximum aggression. Kill him in the first exchange before he can organize a defense or activate temporal magic. Sylvara, you block the stairwell entrance. Guards will come up those stairs, and you need to hold them for the sixty seconds it takes Satou to finish Richard and reach your position."

"I can hold a chokepoint," Sylvara confirmed.

"I know you can. And if combat starts, I’ll hear it from my position at the front gate. I’ll create a massive distraction—probably trigger a false fire alarm or claim I spotted intruders on the east wall. That’ll pull guards in multiple directions and give you confusion to exploit during extraction."