Tech Hero in Another World
Chapter 40: [39] Ren’s Observation

Chapter 40: [39] Ren’s Observation

Ryul gazed at Ren with hopeful anticipation, but the response he received was far from what he had expected.

"Of course not," Ren replied casually, a faint smile still lingering on his face.

Disappointment immediately clouded Ryul’s expression, but before he could voice any objections, Ren raised his hand to forestall any protests. "Hear me out first," he said. "This isn’t about being stingy or unwilling to share knowledge. There are things that simply can’t be taught, especially since this technology is far beyond the reach of this world."

Ryul narrowed his eyes, now more intrigued than merely disappointed. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Leaning back against the armor standing upright behind him, Ren began to explain. "Let me put it simply," he said. "At this moment, I’m the only one capable of creating this armor. Even if I provided you with all the information you needed, no one in this world could replicate something similar."

Ryul looked at him skeptically. "And why is that?"

Ren smiled, then tapped his own temple. "Because my intelligence operates on a different level," he said without hesitation. "I was born with a genius that perhaps emerges only once every few centuries. Moreover, I possess a unique ability, Material Transmutation, which allows me to shape and assemble materials in ways that even your best blacksmiths couldn’t imagine."

Ryul fell silent, attempting to digest those words. The soldiers listening also appeared puzzled, some whispering among themselves, trying to grasp concepts that felt so foreign to their ears.

"And even if you tried to imitate my technology, it would take at least four centuries for this world to catch up," Ren continued. "That is, if you found the right research path. If not, it might take even longer."

Ryul finally let out a long sigh, then offered a small smile. "I understand... though not entirely," he admitted. "But if that’s the truth, I can’t press any further."

He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Ren with a more relaxed expression. "Alright, I won’t ask again," he added. "Honestly, I’m astonished. I take back what I said earlier. You’re not just an ordinary human."

Ren chuckled lightly. "Well, at least you’re flexible enough to admit when you’re wrong," he said. "That’s a good trait for a commander."

Ryul only offered a thin smile at the compliment, but his eyes still studied Ren with curiosity. Clearly, even though he had accepted Ren’s explanation, there was much more he wanted to delve into. However, for now, he chose not to press further.

"Is there anything else you’d like to ask?" Ren inquired, his tone now more relaxed.

Ryul pondered for a moment before finally nodding. "Yes, there’s one more thing," he said. "What are you planning to do next?"

Ren folded his arms and sat on the back of the vehicle. "I’m heading to the Penal Plains," he said casually. "I need to return these kids to their natural habitat." His gaze shifted toward the five white tigers sleeping peacefully near the door.

Ryul observed them with a furrowed brow. "The great tigers from Penal?" he murmured, his voice tinged with curiosity. "Why are they here? It’s quite far from here... but I suppose, if you brought them, there must be a reason." He sighed softly, then continued, "Alright, I won’t ask further. But if you need assistance, I can escort you to the southern border."

Ren gave a slight nod. "Thank you."

Ryul offered a thin smile. "No, it’s us who should be grateful. Thanks to your help, the human forces have retreated. According to our scouts, they’ll need at least two weeks to recover before they can attack again. That gives us ample time to truly prepare for them."

Ren looked at him for a moment before saying, "So, you don’t need my help anymore, right?"

Ryul chuckled. "It’s a pity," he said, half-jokingly. "But for now, we can handle it ourselves. The hostages have been rescued thanks to you. That’s more than enough."

Ren sighed in relief. "That’s good to hear." However, before the conversation ended, he remembered something that slightly changed his expression. "By the way," he continued, "when I confronted the human soldiers at the border, I heard something interesting. They were talking about your princess. Is that true?"

Immediately, the room’s atmosphere shifted. The previously relaxed mood turned tense once more.

Ryul was silent for a moment before finally nodding, his face more serious than before. "Yeah..." he said softly. "We heard that news and were quite shocked. The situation is really difficult now." He took a long breath before continuing, "We were almost in despair... and the Queen is currently deeply depressed. Because of that, the government is temporarily being led by the Prime Minister."

Ren narrowed his eyes. "So... your princess was really captured?" he asked, seeking confirmation.

Ryul clenched his fists tightly. "We can’t confirm whether she was captured or..." he paused for a moment, then continued in a lower voice, "...killed."

Ren crossed his arms, his expression remaining neutral despite sensing the gravity of the situation. "How likely is it that she’s still alive?"

Ryul looked at Ren with eyes full of pressure. "We don’t know. The information we’ve received is still conflicting. What’s clear is that since that sudden attack, the Princess has disappeared without a trace."

Ren took a deep breath. "And you have no leads at all?"

Ryul shook his head slowly. "We’re still searching... but the humans have managed to seal their information very well."

Ren was silent for a moment, thinking. If the Elf Princess had indeed been captured, it meant the humans had a bigger plan than just attacking the border.

"In that case..." Ren finally spoke up, "maybe I can help a little."

Ryul looked at him with wide eyes. "What?"

Ren gave a small grin. "I have my own ways of gathering information. But I can’t promise anything. I’ll just look into it a bit... as long as it doesn’t interfere with my journey to the Penal Plains."

Ryul gazed at him with hope. "If you truly can find something... I will be indebted to you, human."

Ren chuckled. "You should have been indebted from the start."

For the first time since their meeting, Ryul smiled more broadly. "I’m starting to understand why those kids trust you so much," he said. "Alright, if you need anything before you leave, just let me know."

Ren looked out the window, where the sky was beginning to change colors, indicating dusk was approaching. "For now," he said, "I just need a short rest. After that... I’ll start moving."

As the night deepened, the elf fortress grew quiet. The soldiers who had previously watched Ren warily now seemed more relaxed, though some still glanced at him with doubt. However, that wasn’t a problem for him.

###

​Ren sat on a wooden crate near his electric vehicle, tinkering with a device in his hands. The bluish glow from a small screen reflected off his serious face. He had just completed two surveillance tools—Rat and Raven. Rat, true to its name, was a small rat-shaped robot capable of sneaking into tight spaces and recording audio with high precision. Raven, on the other hand, was a crow-shaped robot designed for aerial reconnaissance.​

"Good, the propulsion systems are functioning properly," he murmured, pressing a few buttons on the small holographic interface on his wrist. In the distance, Raven flapped its mechanical wings and soared into the night sky, while Rat darted swiftly through the shadows, slipping silently into narrow crevices.​

However, Ren was well aware of the limitations of his technology. One of the biggest challenges he faced was computational constraints. The system in his electric vehicle still relied on outdated computers by his world’s standards. He needed a more powerful processor to enhance the performance of his surveillance and automation devices.​

The smartwatch attached to his wrist was also his own creation from Earth, featuring holographic capabilities.​

Additionally, his combat armor had significant limitations. Despite its advanced appearance, the armor couldn’t move independently without him. All the agile maneuvers performed during previous battles were actually due to his own abilities. Without a perfect system, the armor was merely an inert hunk of metal, no more useful than a steel statue.​

Ren stroked his chin, contemplating. "Maybe I can find something here to upgrade the system..." he thought, while continuing to monitor the holographic screen displaying feeds from Rat and Raven.​

After ensuring both surveillance devices were operating smoothly, Ren finally reclined briefly in the car seat. However, before he could truly rest, his eyes caught something that made him let out a long sigh.​

In the back seat of his car, Shua was fast asleep, curled up like a kitten seeking warmth.​

Ren rubbed his temples. "Sigh... isn’t this girl looking for her mother?" he muttered.​

He considered waking her, but seeing the exhaustion on her face, he decided against it. Instead, he pulled a thin blanket from inside the car and gently draped it over her.​

Meanwhile, outside, Alfred and his family were sound asleep near the car, their white fur gently ruffled by the night breeze.​

Ren observed them for a moment, then rested his head back on the seat. "Alright... at least tomorrow I’ll start moving," he murmured. Tonight, he just needed to wait. Rat and Raven would be gathering information, while he prepared for the next steps.

###

At the basecamp of the Kingdom of Yordan—a nation small in size but boasting formidable economic power and a strong military system.

Recently, the king of this country, driven by greed, began expanding his territory. This sudden ambition was no doubt triggered by the summoning of a hero by the Kingdom of Eldoria. No one knew what might happen if Eldoria decided to bare its fangs at the comparatively small Kingdom of Yordan. And so, to secure his hold over newly claimed lands, the king knew he needed vast resources and more.

With that in mind, he ignored existing treaties and launched an attack on the Elven Kingdom without any declaration of war. A disgraceful move, perhaps—but also a calculated and effective strategy.

Inside a large, lavish tent, King Reginald Yordan sat on an ornate wooden chair, his face twisted in anger. The flickering light of an oil lamp cast tense shadows across his features, while his officers stood around him, their expressions grim.

"Damn it! If it weren’t for that person, the elves’ fortress would’ve already fallen into our hands!" King Yordan bellowed, slamming his fist onto the table, causing the cups atop it to rattle. Before him, the map of the elven territory was covered in strategic markings—now seemingly useless.

The officers exchanged uncertain glances, hesitant to speak. Finally, an elderly man with a long white beard—one of the senior military advisors—stepped forward and spoke cautiously.

"Your Majesty, we lost too many troops in the last assault. The elves’ defenses were far stronger than anticipated, especially with the appearance of that armored figure. For now, we need to revise our strategy before making another move."

King Yordan leaned back in his chair, frustration carved into his expression. "Of course I know that!" he hissed. "But we still have another trump card... What news of the Hornet Knights?"

The Hornet Knights—a squad of humanoid bee warriors known for their strength and speed—were once allies of the elves. However, due to current circumstances, they had no choice but to side with the humans, as their leader was in a dire situation.

Another officer spoke up. "They are still awaiting orders, Your Majesty. They’ll move as soon as the time is right."

King Yordan gave a slow nod, then his eyes sharpened. "And what of the elven princess?"

The officer in charge of the prisoners hesitated before replying. "She remains silent, Your Majesty. Even in captivity, her spirit has not wavered. We’ve tried several methods to break her will, but she still refuses to submit."

King Yordan sneered. "Hmph... A princess ought to understand her place. If she continues to be stubborn, we’ll just have to get a little more creative in making her surrender."

No one dared to respond. A heavy silence fell over the room, broken only by the crackling of firewood from the brazier in the corner of the tent.

Finally, the king rose to his feet, his gaze burning with ambition. "Very well. I won’t let those elves win. Prepare a new plan. This next assault—we make sure they don’t stand a chance."

The officers saluted and quickly exited the tent, leaving the king alone with his thoughts, full of ruthless strategies and dark plans.

A small white mouse darted nimbly between the officers’ feet. Though it appeared to be an ordinary creature, a closer look revealed a faint metallic gleam across its body—an extraordinary mechanical creation. No one in the tent realized that their entire conversation had just been recorded by the tiny spy, which then slipped through the folds of the tent and dashed off into the night, returning to its master.

###

Ren sat in the driver’s seat with one leg crossed over the other, while the screen on his electric car’s dashboard projected an audio recording from his mechanical mouse. His gaze was sharp, and his fingers tapped the steering wheel in a slow, steady rhythm. From beginning to end, he listened carefully to the conversation that had taken place in the tent.

Once the recording ended, he let out a long sigh. "Tch... I should’ve seen that coming."

To him, events like this weren’t anything surprising. History had proven time and again that in the midst of war, morality often eroded—replaced by cruelty and savagery. Humans, by nature, held moral boundaries, but when social structures collapsed, their true faces often emerged. It didn’t matter whether it was the people of his previous world or this one—the principle remained the same.

Still, one thing about the conversation left him slightly more disturbed.

"...And of course, the elven princess is beautiful," he muttered, leaning back into the seat. Though his tone was casual, his eyes stayed serious.

He didn’t know the princess personally, but judging by how she was mentioned and the situation she was in, it was clear she held a crucial role among the elves. If she really had been captured and broken down as they intended, it wasn’t just a personal matter—it was a strategic one.

With a deep breath, Ren reached toward the screen and began pulling up the data he had on the Hornet Knights. He needed to understand more about this force that had allied itself with the humans—whether they could become an asset... or a major threat in the next battle.

"All right, time to dig deeper..." he said quietly, before tapping his finger against the screen.