Tech Hero in Another World
Chapter 43: [42] Escape

Chapter 43: [42] Escape

That night, in the human army’s basecamp roughly ten kilometers from the elven kingdom’s fortress, a black bird glided silently through the darkness. From afar, it looked like an ordinary crow. But up close, its smooth metallic body and glowing red electronic eyes revealed the truth—it wasn’t a real bird at all, but an advanced mechanical drone built by Ren.

Inside his car-turned-portable-workshop, Ren lay back casually, one hand holding a small remote, while his monitor displayed a live feed from the mechanical crow’s point of view.

(I thought it’d be tough controlling this thing without a stable communication network. Thankfully, I installed a mini beacon earlier. With that, the signal range goes up to fifty kilometers. Lucky me.) Ren grinned slightly to himself, his fingers dancing over the controls with ease.

On the screen, his mechanical crow flew low between the tents of the human army. At a glance, everything looked like routine—soldiers standing guard, torches lighting the pathways, and the steady sound of boots on the ground as patrols moved through the camp. But soon, something caught his attention.

A closed casket was being carried by a few soldiers toward one of the main tents. Not far behind, a helpless-looking woman was being roughly dragged along by two armored men.

(Hmm... suspicious.) Ren narrowed his eyes as he watched the scene unfold on his monitor. He shifted the remote, guiding the crow in closer, careful not to draw any attention.

(Alright, let’s get a little closer... I want to know what they’re planning.)

The mechanical crow drifted lower, gliding silently past tent poles and over ropes. Its optical sensors zoomed in, picking up more details from below. The longer Ren watched, the stronger his unease grew.

Inside a dimly lit tent, harsh voices rang out, interspersed with disgusting laughter that made the atmosphere feel suffocating. Three men in worn uniforms sat around a bound elven woman, her body trembling as her beautiful face was marred by dirt and bruises.

"Hahaha, finally our turn!" one of them shouted, eyes gleaming with lust.

"I’ve been holding back all day. Now it’s time to have some fun," said another, rubbing his hands together eagerly.

"Don’t rush," the third man said with a sneer. "The night’s still young... Let’s take our time."

Perched quietly on a wooden beam in the corner of the tent, Ren’s mechanical crow watched it all, its sharp optical sensors recording every movement and word in crystal detail.

Back in his mobile base, Ren’s eyes narrowed as he watched the scene unfold on screen. His jaw clenched, and his hand tightened around the remote.

The elven woman whimpered softly, her body shaking with fear and exhaustion. Yet despite everything, the fire in her eyes remained unbroken, refusing to give in to the horrors awaiting her.

One of the men grabbed her chin roughly, forcing her to look up as he sneered down at her. "Heh, look at those eyes... still full of fight."

"Doesn’t that make it even better?" another replied with a twisted grin.

"Yeah... We’ll teach her to know her place." The third man stepped closer, laughing vilely, his hand reaching out to touch her.

But before his fingers could reach her skin, a sudden bzzt! crackled from outside the tent.

In the blink of an eye, all three men convulsed and collapsed to the ground, their bodies seizing violently before falling still. Their eyes bulged, limbs stiff like statues—completely paralyzed.

The elven woman’s eyes widened in shock and confusion. Something had just happened, but she had no idea what.

Suddenly, a black crow with glowing red eyes drifted into the tent. But this was no living creature—it was a machine.

The mechanical crow tilted its head sharply, its red eyes scanning the room as they pulsed with light. From its beak came a calm, mechanical voice.

"Don’t be afraid. I’m here to help."

The elven woman flinched, her body still trembling from the horror she’d nearly endured. But something in her instincts told her this strange bird wasn’t a threat. Cautiously, she looked at it, her emerald eyes filled with confusion and the faintest flicker of hope.

"W-Who are you?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

"Who I am doesn’t matter right now," the bird replied quickly. "You’re the elven princess, aren’t you?"

The elf swallowed hard, hesitating for a moment before nodding. "Yes... I’m Princess Elaria."

"Hm. Then you must know about the Hornet princess being held here as well. Have you seen her?"

Elaria’s eyes widened at the question. "Eh...? Yes, I saw her. But she was moved to another tent a few hours ago. I don’t know exactly where."

The bird fell silent for a moment, then spoke again. "I see... In that case, can you help me rescue her too?"

Elaria’s breath quickened, her heart racing. She had only just barely escaped a fate worse than death, and now someone—or something—was asking her to go back into danger to help another captive.

But... how could she refuse? If someone had come to save her, didn’t that girl deserve the same chance?

The elf clenched her fists, a quiet resolve settling in her heart. "Alright... I’ll help you."

"You’re quick to understand. Good. Close your eyes for a moment," the bird said.

Elaria looked at the mechanical creature in surprise. "Close my eyes?"

"Yes. Trust me," the mechanical voice came again, calm yet firm.

Though hesitant, Elaria obeyed. As soon as her eyes shut, she heard a soft whirring sound, followed by the click of metal being undone. She felt the weight binding her wrists suddenly vanish. When she opened her eyes, the iron shackles that had restrained her now lay on the ground with a faint clink.

She stared at the marks on her wrists, the pain and memories of her captivity still lingering. But this wasn’t the time to dwell on sorrow. She lifted her head, meeting the glowing gaze of the mechanical crow watching her.

"Can you walk?" asked the bird—or rather, Ren, controlling it from afar.

Elaria tried to move her legs, but as she stood, a jolt of pain coursed through her worn-out, tortured body. She bit her lip, stifling a groan. "I... I should be able to... Ugh..."

"Don’t push yourself. Tell me if you need help."

The elf took a deep breath, then shook her head with determined eyes. "No... I don’t want to be a burden anymore... I can do this..." With effort, she finally managed to stand, though her legs still trembled slightly.

The mechanical crow stared at her for a moment, then spoke again. "Alright. Now listen carefully. I’m going to guide you to a safe location."

Elaria nodded. "Where should I go?"

Ren quickly activated his two scout units—Raven, the mechanical crow currently with Elaria, and Rat, the nimble mechanical mouse that darted through the shadows, searching for the Hornet princess’s location.

"Raven will guide you out. Stick to the path it shows and don’t make a sound."

As Elaria began moving cautiously, Ren monitored the screens inside his car, watching the map being constructed from the data Rat gathered. If they could find the Hornet princess’s location before the enemy realized someone had escaped, this rescue mission might just succeed.

On the other side of the camp, in front of a large tent with significantly tighter security than the rest, two human soldiers stood on guard, chatting idly. One of them, a lanky man with a tired face, let out a long yawn and muttered under his breath.

"Ugh... Why the hell are we stuck guarding that damn Hornet princess while everyone else gets to mess around with the elf?"

His partner, a stockier man with a lazy expression, just sighed and shrugged. "Come on... We’ve all got our assignments. Besides, guarding prisoners is just as important in this war."

"Still!" the thin man spat on the ground, clearly irritated. "You know this princess isn’t nearly as glamorous as the elf! We’re stuck babysitting a monster that lays eggs like some disgusting bug! Just our luck."

The stocky man let out a short laugh, his eyes glancing toward the tent where the Hornet princess was being held. "That’s what you don’t get. She’s actually worth more than you think."

The skinny one rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. You trying to tell me she’s more important than the elf princess?"

The bigger man grinned confidently. "Of course. There’s a reason our king dared to launch a full-scale invasion into elven territory." He crossed his arms over his chest, his voice tinged with a hint of pride. "They’ve got a trump card that could turn the whole tide of the war."

The skinny man still looked skeptical. "A trump card? What’re you talking about?"

The larger man leaned in, lowering his voice. "It’s not just about the Hornet princess... We also have a soldier—one with enough power to rival a natural disaster. If that one gets unleashed on the battlefield, a small kingdom could be wiped out in days."

The lanky soldier swallowed hard. "You serious? One soldier can be that strong?"

The other nodded. "That’s why this mission is so critical. If we can keep hold of the Hornet princess and harness that soldier’s power, this war is as good as won."

While their conversation continued, a small, mechanical mouse crept silently between the crates stacked near the tent. Rat, Ren’s miniature reconnaissance unit, slipped in deeper, its sensors capturing every word without being detected.

(Found her... I finally found her location.) Ren thought, watching intently through the monitor inside his mobile base.

---

Rat slipped into the tent unnoticed by the two guards still deep in conversation. One of them briefly sensed something moving nearby, but after a long yawn, he brushed it off as a trick of the light or a stray animal.

Inside the tent, the air was thick and musty, with stacks of supply crates piled in the corners. Rat moved swiftly, its small glowing red eyes scanning for anything out of place. So far, the place looked more like a storage depot than a detention area.

(Could this really just be a supply tent? No way... Those guards clearly mentioned the Hornet princess. She’s got to be here somewhere...) Ren thought, controlling Rat remotely.

As the small scout moved deeper into the tent, moonlight pierced through a gap in the canvas, illuminating a shadowy corner. There, something strange caught Ren’s attention—a large white bundle trapped inside an iron cage. Its shape was bizarre, like a giant cocoon, with a surface that gently pulsed as though something alive was inside.

(So that’s her... the Hornet princess? They said she was still in her larval stage... Is she really mid-metamorphosis?) Ren frowned, trying to make sense of the situation. If she was still in such a vulnerable state, freeing her wouldn’t be as simple as opening a cage and running.

(Good thing I freed the elf princess first. Alright, let’s guide her in.) Ren typed a few commands into his system. "Raven, lead her to the target location."

Elsewhere, Elaria moved carefully under the night sky, following the guidance of the mechanical crow, Raven, hovering silently above. With its sharp eyes, Raven scanned the surroundings, ensuring the safest path for the elven princess.

Within the enemy camp, guards remained at their posts, but weariness dulled their vigilance. Some leaned lazily against their spears, others whispered quietly to keep from dozing off. None of them noticed Elaria slipping through the shadows, moving through blind spots Ren had identified in advance.

(Good. There are plenty of blind zones in this area. Especially at night, their surveillance is full of gaps.) Ren watched the map displayed on his monitor. Every step Elaria took had been carefully calculated to avoid detection.

She held her breath as two soldiers passed in front of her, waiting until they were gone before continuing. Her heart pounded, but her resolve didn’t waver. If she was going to save someone else, she had to reach the target without making a single mistake.

Elaria swiftly leapt through a small window at the back of the supply tent, following behind the mechanical crow. She landed softly, holding her breath to make sure no one had noticed. Outside, the guards remained clueless, chatting idly.

Her eyes quickly locked onto the figure lying within the cell—the Hornet princess, still in the midst of metamorphosis. Her form was enclosed in a glowing white-gold cocoon, its surface pulsing slowly as if something inside was growing. Unlike Ren, who had been surprised by the sight, Elaria already knew about this condition, having seen it when they were held captive together.

Rat moved toward the iron lock securing the cage. A red laser beam projected from its tiny eyes, slicing through the metal with pinpoint precision until the lock melted and snapped. Elaria flinched slightly, but quickly regained her composure. Without wasting a moment, she pulled a large cloth from atop a nearby supply crate and carefully wrapped the cocoon to hide its glow.

Cradling the cocoon in her arms, she made her way to the exit, following the path Ren had mapped via the crow. Her steps were swift but silent, careful not to alert the enemy. Rat perched on her shoulder, its sensors constantly scanning for danger.

Once outside the tent, Elaria slipped into the cover of the surrounding trees. Her breath steady, she ran toward the forest, following the path indicated by Raven, which flew high above. The night wind brushed against her face, but she didn’t stop. They had to escape before anyone realized two high-value captives had vanished.

Inside his portable workshop, Ren quickly suited up in his advanced armor. The mechanical sounds of shifting metal echoed in the confined space as each piece locked into place. He checked his helmet systems—sensors, aerial map, and communication links to Raven and Rat. Everything was working perfectly.

"Hmph... Alright, time to pick them up," he muttered, activating flight mode.

With a powerful burst from the jet boosters on his back and legs, his body shot into the night sky, trailing a faint blue glow. From above, he could see the dark landscape, the trees swaying in the wind, and the distant flicker of campfires from the human base.

His eyes locked on the HUD in his visor, which displayed a 3D map of the terrain and the precise locations of Elaria and the Hornet princess. They were moving fast, but there was still a chance enemy patrols might spot them at any moment.

"Hold on... I’m almost there."

With full speed, he dove toward the rendezvous point at the forest’s edge, ready to secure the two fleeing captives from the clutches of their enemy.