Island God: Going From Level 1 To World Ruler-Chapter 43: Armies Move

Five days had passed since the construction of the decoy base began. The base was finished now. It truly resembled a small goblin-style village with a wooden spike wall surrounding its perimeter.

Except the huts were human-sized, of course.

However, the entire location was currently deserted. Not a single soul lay within the walls.

Midas and his gang of goblins had started their journey to Sergalas’s Cavern a few days earlier. They were steadily approaching the Vineral mountain range in the east.

Several miles north, Erho’s army marched closer.

He remained at the forefront of the stampede, a general of the fleet.

Out of nowhere, another orc riding a half wolf, half hyena hybrid beast approached from the south.

Erho narrowed his eyes, raising his right hand as the entire force of white orcs behind him instantly stopped marching and remained in place.

As the orc arrived at his orc-beast’s feet, Erho hopped off the beast and walked closer.

"General Erho... I have news from the scouting expedition." The white orc facing Erho said, lowering his head.

"Go ahead... have you found the base?" Erho replied, his tone deep and serious.

"Yes... I can guarantee I have. It’s large, probably close to three hundred by three hundred meters in total perimeter. Within are houses that look to be... deserted. Bowls filled with food are dashed across the ground. There also seems to be a series of dozens of footsteps hastily leaving the premises." The orc was eager to reveal his findings.

Erho didn’t seem happy immediately, narrowing his eyes even more as a slight scrunch formed between his brows.

"How much farther?" He asked.

"About fifty miles, general." The orc replied.

"Hmm... that’s much closer than our reports. Maybe even a day’s worth of travel closer." Erho said, slightly skeptical.

The orc standing before him stared forward with worry.

"I-I can assure you, there is no doubt that this is the base of the player. After all, I sent my partners to scour the land all around the base location. There is no sign of intelligent life, of goblins, nor humans anywhere but right there in that general area. Above that... the base is fortified with a massive spike wall that would even take us orcs a few days to build. A bunch of goblins putting that together so robustly in nearly a week? I can not accept such a reality." The orc quickly replied, attempting to save his reputation.

He also believed wholeheartedly, however, that what he was saying was true.

After all, it would have been impossible for fifty or so goblins to perform such a feat in a small amount of time, such as this.

Erho paused and then smiled.

"Good..." He hopped back onto his boar, the beast roaring with a starving fury. "Pick up the pace! Let us trample all that lies in our path and burn Midas’s home to the ground!" He shouted a loud command into the crowd with his chest.

"Ouuuuf!" A loud roar of applause and malicious intent bounced back from the army of orcs before beginning to march forward again.

...

Days later, Midas sat atop a tree branch, gazing into a small hole between leaves at a scene unfolding below.

He was on the tree top with Gool, the rest of the goblins standing in the shade of the forest down below.

The forest lay atop a ledge. Two hundred feet below, Midas could peek right into Sergalas’s Cavern.

The entrance was massive, like the open maw of a dragon luring you in. Stalactites hung down from the ceiling, nothing but a dark void when peering within.

Outside of the cavern stood an army of orcs that Midas couldn’t even count.

’There sure looks to be hundreds of orcs... Yemo wasn’t wrong.’ Midas thought to himself, gulping. ’This is a lot more nerve-wracking once you see it in person.’

Each one of the orcs’ faces was different. Each one looked brutish and angry. Like all the orcs had a vendetta against this land.

A single orc stood at the front of the army, his skin a pale white and his torso covered with a circular red tattoo.

Midas’s attention narrowed to this one orc as he suddenly began to speak.

"For decades, we have prepared for this moment." Dorhal roared, "I will not accept defeat now! I will not accept anything except for an absolute and overwhelming victory! Do you understand!?" His voice was gorged in rage and a seething hatred.

"RRAHH!"

"ORUGHH!"

"YRAHH!"

The orcs let out warcries that spooked birds out of the trees.

Midas felt chills crawl up his spine. He could feel the raw emotion in the voices of the orcs.

’They are determined to win...’ Midas thought, ’But I am even more determined. I have to believe it... If not, what’s the point of all this?’ He turned, hopping down from the tree branches one by one.

Gool followed him as the two landed on the ground.

"You all will stay here." Midas said, glancing at Yemo, "You will be in charge, of course. The goal of this group is to ensure that when Gool leaves the cavern, there is a safe path for us to escape unharmed."

Yemo nodded, and the other goblins also accepted their master’s words.

They had already been informed of each step of the plan, so this was just a retracing of steps.

"Gool..." Midas paused, glancing at Gool.

"Let’s go already!" Gool retorted, "We mustn’t waste time. We need to be in the main chamber before the orcs get there. Thankfully, it will be pretty easy due to my expertise." Gool smirked. "As I said, I’ve explored Sergalas’s Cavern too, just like the War Pass. But... this place is a lot bigger. Nothing lives inside except for Sergalas, but that doesn’t make it even one percent less dangerous. I know the route to the main room, but if we get lost, only luck will be our guide. We must be fast."

Midas nodded, "If that’s what you say, I’ll trust it. Let’s go immediately then... lead the way." He said.

Gool turned, beginning to jog down the hill to the left. Midas didn’t stall, following right behind him.

Even though the task ahead was quite horrifying, Midas couldn’t help but smile slightly.

’At first, I wanted to somehow use Sergalas to destroy the orcs. To wipe them out within the very walls of the cavern. Now, however, I have more ambitious goals. I will do it... I’ll somehow make that serpent my follower!’