Reborn as God: The strongest system

"After my breakthrough I went on my own to investigate the Greendepth caverns."

Esdras told them and their attention was focused on every word, "however, I believe the goblins of the Redpeal tribe are actually no longer staying there. I discovered that they were moving many materials and building traps all over the place. So, I followed them until I discovered their real hideout, the giant ant nest."

"If this is true then, the goblins must have somehow discovered that we found out their location, how is that possible?" Daylen asked as he figured that there was something suspicious going on.

"I suspect that the Tigerclaw bastards are working with the goblins, probably for some time now." Esdras told them about his guess. "They probably alerted the goblins to our plans."

"Unbelievable!" The prince slammed his fist into the table, "humans working with the likes of goblins? Fucking unforgivable!"

No one doubted his words at all, at this point he became the one with the highest authority and say in the group because he was a True mage!

As for why he didn't tell them about Ilundar? He didn't want any of them to provoke him, with things being this way, he wouldn't get suspicious that anyone knew of him.

If he suspected that his cover was blown he might join with the goblins actively. The Tigerclaw mercenaries were definitely in cahoots with the goblins and a much easier target.

He would rather not have to fight him, their main objective was to retrieve the royal relic.

But, if there was no way around it, then Esdras was not afraid of a confrontation.

"But, we should not do anything about the Tigerclaw yet, we need to retrieve the relic." The Prince suddenly voiced his thoughts.

"They are too many, and I suspect this not the extent of their slimy dealings. I will deal with them as soon as I return to the capital. We have war on our walls and thugs who would rather thieve and scam rather than help they would rather betray."

The prince brought up a point that Esdras hadn't thought about, it was this whole banditry. The goblins stole wheat, what did they do with it? Eat it all? Could be.

But, what about the silk and clothes and such things? It was sold off, to whom? Interesting developments. And to think that all of it started with a goblin, Esdras was now really intrigued by this Redthorn.

"We will act like we are abandoning the relic and go out together and then split up." Esdras told everyone his plan, "after that the prince's group will wait for us at the contact point, while we go and get the item."

"Why do we have to do this?" Calvin asked.

"It's because of the people who are working with the goblins, who knows what they might do if you guys, who are injured and in no shape to fight stay here alone?" Dayeln answered oh his behalf.

He was quick to catch on.

"That's right, this way we might even be able to confuse them. In any case we brought all the supplies we need, so why risk staying here any longer?" The prince agreed.

Esdras nodded and with that they were about to start when Celine came downstairs. It seems she didn't sleep that well.

But everyone stopped whatever it is that they were doing to stare at her, after all as a woman they were bound to notice her more than Esdras.

"N-no, did, did she also...?" David, pointed with a trembling finger at her and couldn't even finish the question.

"Oh, I almost forgot, she also advanced at the same time as me coincidentally."

Esdras casually explained.

***

Right now they were overlooking the ant nest, almost everyone, had an ugly expression. And it was bigger than expected, and they also had to deal with the ants and the complex structure of the place.

As the ant nest was reinforced, or perhaps, combined with a wooden fort, built around it, and within it. How are the Redpeal goblins manage this was unknown.

But perhaps they have been underestimating them, and that is why most people fell victim to their schemes so far.

After all the traps they encountered when they chase the goblins was telling enough. The goblins must have someone who has some architectural knowledge.

Even the tunnels that they dug for escape were impressive. He was beginning to understand why the force behind Ilundar wanter Redthorn to join them.

"What's with the long faces?" Esdras laughed.

" did you see that structure even if we are able to get in it would be hard as hell to find the relic, not to mention the traps, and the goblins that we have to fight alongside the giant ants." David explained almost everything.

" why do we have to enter there first and then navigate our way? I will just break the wall. Causing a disturbance and then I will interrogate one of the goblins."

Esdras really thought that this was not very complicated, the ability of the goblins to understand, and speak in common could play to their advantage.

"But, what about the relic? Won't it be destroyed if we had bad luck?" Calvin added.

"No, the relic is very durable. It will be fine. If we played the way they wanted us to, then we might have to spend half a day just to search for it, and then navigate the complex tunnels, and so on and so forth. We can't do that."

Esdras had no intention to follow in the normal process of how other people did it, since he had enough power, why not use it?

The goblins had no idea that their trap in Greendepth cavern failed, and they were not expecting an attack. They were completely defenseless in the face of this ambush.

Esdras told the others to make way and close their ears, and then he summoned the power of the element of fire and condensed it into a fireball, kept growing, bigger and bigger.

It was not just big thanks to his free skills being level three the heat of the flames alone started to reach high levels, he was not sure just how hot it was, but he made it as hot as he possibly could.

After 10 minutes the fireball was more than 5 m in diameter and he was feeling that he was going to lose control of it if he made it any bigger. He thought that he could make a bigger one but after it exceeded 3 m became so hard to make it any bigger.