The cool morning air blanketed the elven fortress, with dew still clinging to the tips of leaves and the scent of damp earth after a long night lingering refreshingly in the air. Ren had already finished his morning routine—working out before six, grabbing a light breakfast, and continuing his work on upgrading his advanced armor. With each modification, he ensured that the technology he relied on was not only powerful but also efficient in this world’s conditions.
At exactly seven o’clock, the smartwatch on his wrist vibrated gently. When he looked over, a small girl with slightly messy blonde hair was walking toward him, yawning. Sleep still lingered in her eyes, but her steps were light as she approached.
"Morning, you little slacker," Ren teased casually, smirking as he caught Shua’s half-asleep expression.
Shua paused mid-yawn, then her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She hurriedly rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the remaining drowsiness. "U-uum..." she murmured softly.
"Hehehe... So, what do you want to do next?" Ren asked, still in a playful tone. "Going to see your mom, right?"
The girl gave a small nod. "Huum..."
Ren sighed and leaned back against his electric car, now parked inside the fortress. "I’m heading out too, but not just yet. I might spend some time in this elven city first, looking for materials to strengthen my armor."
Shua’s eyes widened slightly. "You’re leaving, sir?" she asked, a hint of hesitation in her voice.
"Yeah, but not right away," Ren replied casually. "I want to see if there’s anything useful to find in this city before I actually go."
Shua seemed to ponder this for a moment before nodding firmly. "Shua understands... In that case, Shua will go find Mama first!" she declared with newfound energy, as if her morning strength had just kicked in.
Ren raised an eyebrow as the girl turned and prepared to leave. "Hey, don’t go looking for your mom alone," he called out, his tone turning a bit more serious. "Go to one of the guards or soldiers nearby and ask them. Don’t wander off by yourself, got it?"
Shua paused, then glanced back at Ren before trotting off toward a guard stationed near the fortress gate. Though she didn’t respond, Ren knew she’d heard his warning.
Taking a deep breath, Ren looked up at the clear morning sky. It was going to be a long day. Now, he just needed to gather more intel, prepare himself, and wait for the right moment to move forward with the next phase of his plan.
After making sure Shua was in safe hands and feeding Alfred and Bella’s family, Ren decided it was time to see Commander Ryul again. His steps were steady as he walked down the fortress corridors, passing elven soldiers who no longer looked at him with the suspicion they once held. The atmosphere within the fortress was still tense from the recent war, but at the very least, there was a momentary calm.
Upon arriving at the commander’s room, Ren entered without ceremony. Ryul was already waiting behind a desk cluttered with maps and battle reports. Without wasting time, Ren pulled out one of his devices and projected the audio recording he had acquired from his mechanical mouse.
The once-quiet room was now filled with the sounds of the enemy command tent. The voices of King Yordan and his officers came through clearly—discussing their plans, the Hornet Knights, and the status of the elven princess they held captive.
Ryul listened intently, his expression growing harder by the second. His jaw tightened, and his fists clenched atop the desk. While he didn’t fully understand the device Ren had used to gather this intel, he couldn’t deny its extraordinary function. A listening device... but how and when had Ren managed to place it so close to the enemy?
The elf let out a long breath and leaned back in his chair. "So this is how it is... I don’t know what kind of device you used, but one thing’s certain—this is incredibly valuable information," he said, his voice heavy. "With this, we now know for sure that they’re using our princess as a bargaining chip. And about the Hornet Knights..."
Ren crossed his arms and gave Ryul a sharp look. "Yeah? Can you tell me more about them? I want to know just how dangerous they are in battle."
Ryul paused for a moment, as if carefully choosing his words. "The Hornets are an independent tribe that lives in the mountain regions near the border between elves and humans. Their social structure is similar to bees—highly organized, with a queen leading them and knights serving as the tribe’s protectors. Historically, they’ve maintained a good relationship with the elves, as their ancestors once swore to protect the World Forest."
Ren nodded slowly, taking in the information Ryul had just shared. "I see... So, based on what King Yordan said in that recording, it’s likely that the one they captured isn’t the current Hornet queen, but rather the heir—her successor, right?"
Ryul let out a long sigh, his expression turning even more serious. "That’s what it sounded like to me. Haah... This is getting more and more troublesome." He rubbed his temples, clearly frustrated with the unfolding situation.
Ren leaned back in his seat, arms still crossed. "So, what’s your plan?"
Ryul glanced down at the map spread across the table, as if trying to find answers hidden between the strategic lines etched into it. "For now, I need to report this to the main command in the elven capital. After that, I’ll request reinforcements. We can’t underestimate the Hornet’s strength—especially if they’re forced to fight on the humans’ side."
Ren gave a thoughtful nod. "Makes sense... But there’s one more thing I’m curious about. Is there anyone in the Hornet knight ranks who really stands out? I mean, someone... exceptional?"
At that, Ryul’s expression changed. His brow furrowed deeply as he seemed to search his memory. "Now that you mention it... Yeah, there’s a chance he’s involved in this battle too." Ryul sighed heavily and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Aah! This just keeps getting worse!"
Ren looked at him with growing interest. "What do you mean? I don’t follow."
Ryul finally met Ren’s gaze with a heavy look. "I’m talking about the strongest mutation in the history of the Hornet Knights. If he’s truly involved, then this situation is far more dangerous than we originally thought."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "The strongest mutation?"
Ryul nodded. "Yeah. He’s not just a regular Hornet knight. He’s a special individual among their race—basically on par with a mid-to-high-tier dragon. His power is nothing like the average Hornet. If you measured him by human standards, he’d be ranked as an S-class monster—strong enough to destroy a small nation on his own."
Ren narrowed his eyes, trying to imagine what kind of monster that would be. "That sounds insanely powerful... But if he’s that strong, how did their queen-to-be get kidnapped in the first place?"
Ryul exhaled and shrugged. "That’s what’s puzzling. Normally, that knight would never leave the queen’s side. Maybe the heir was outside the nest—playing, or dealing with some kind of business—so she let her guard down and got caught. But that’s just speculation."
Ren tapped the table with his fingers, deep in thought. "If that’s the case, then there’s a good chance he’ll do whatever it takes to get her back. Which means we’re not just dealing with the humans—we might have the Hornets’ strongest knight breathing down our necks if we’re not careful."
Ryul nodded grimly. "Exactly. We need to be extremely cautious with our next move. If we can rescue the heir without provoking that knight, the Hornets could become a powerful ally. But if we mess this up... we might end up fighting a foe even scarier than the human army."
Ren smirked slightly, his eyes glinting with anticipation. "Interesting..." he murmured, more to himself than anyone else.
Ryul looked at him, clearly baffled and a little annoyed. "Seriously, I don’t know what part of this you find interesting," he muttered, sighing.
Ren shrugged nonchalantly. "Eh, you don’t need to understand. Everyone has their own way of enjoying things. For me, this is a rare chance to gather new data for my armor."
Ryul rolled his eyes, clearly tired of Ren’s unpredictable logic. "Whatever... if that gets you fired up."
Ren chuckled lightly and leaned back in his chair. "Anyway, this isn’t just about war. My tech’s still in development. Every battle gives me new insights on how to improve it. Besides, the better my armor performs, the more effective I’ll be at helping you guys, right?"
Ryul snorted, then stood and straightened his cloak. "I’m not sure whether I should thank you or be worried about that statement." He reached for a smaller map on the table, rolling it up and tucking it into his satchel.
Ren glanced at him. "Where are you headed?"
"I’m going to the capital to deliver this report to command in person," Ryul replied. "This situation is too serious to send through letters. I need to make sure the request for reinforcements is approved as fast as possible."
Ren gave a slow nod. "I see... Well, be careful out there. Don’t get yourself caught before the backup even arrives."
Ryul gave him a sideways glance before flashing a faint smile. "I’m not someone who gets caught that easily."
Ren chuckled. "Alright then. Safe travels."
With a nod, Ryul turned and walked out of the room, leaving Ren still seated, his eyes focused on the small screen displaying data from his surveillance device. He took a deep breath, eyes narrowing sharply.
"Now then... let’s see what else I can dig up on our enemies."