Tech Hero in Another World
Chapter 65: [64] Something is moving

Chapter 65: [64] Something is moving

Without wasting any time, Ren quickly prepared to depart for the Hornet Wasp Kingdom by midday. Elaria stood by his side, her face calm though her eyes betrayed a mix of excitement and a hint of worry.

Meanwhile, Veskar, having just concluded diplomatic talks with Queen Beatice, offered a formal apology for the chaos that had unfolded during the conflict. He knelt once again before the queen, showing the deep respect characteristic of hornet knights who held honor above all else.

Ren himself chose not to bring much. He entrusted Alfred and Bella—the two massive Penal tigers—and their three cubs to the palace staff, with the queen’s direct approval. He knew they would be well cared for.

His vehicle was left behind, neatly parked within the inner courtyard of the palace. Ultro switched into full standby mode, linked only through an internal device Ren carried with him.

For this journey, Ren didn’t use his advanced technology. Instead, he and Elaria rode atop one of the giant wasps that served in the hornet kingdom’s forces. The creature’s body gleamed gold under the sunlight, its transparent wings humming with a low but powerful vibration as it lifted them into the air.

As they rose above the palace grounds, the midday wind swept across their faces. In the distance, the tall trees of the borderlands stretched toward the horizon.

---

Elsewhere, far from the cheers and celebrations of victory, a lone figure moved slowly down a long-forgotten castle corridor. The stone walls were damp, moss-covered, and heavy with the scent of wet earth. The former head of the Department of Magic, cloaked in dark robes and face hidden beneath a deep hood, walked the narrow passage with measured steps.

He stopped before a large door that looked like it hadn’t been opened in decades. With a wave of his hand, ancient magical seals vanished, and the door creaked open, revealing a vast, dark room. Inside, several figures already waited, each seated on stone chairs, their faces shadowed beneath black hoods.

"You’re late, X," said one, his voice cold and sharp. He was known as Z.

X gave a small, lazy smile and stepped inside without hurry. "Well, business in the southern territories was a bit... complicated. Sorry to keep you all waiting."

"Did you succeed?" asked another figure, sitting casually but with clear vigilance.

X shook his head, letting out a heavy sigh. "No. I was thwarted... by someone. A man wearing strange flying armor and moving at unnatural speeds. He broke my control over Veskar."

"What?!" snarled the hooded figure called V, his voice thick with anger. "So you wasted our time and resources only to come back empty-handed?"

X raised an eyebrow, maintaining his nonchalant tone. "Relax, V," he said, raising his hands beneath his cloak. "I still got what we needed most."

Slowly, he pulled a long, oval-shaped stone from his pocket. The stone was old and cracked, yet faint light seeped from the ancient rune carvings etched into its surface—symbols not found in any modern magic book.

Z leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "That’s... one of the Primordial Runes, isn’t it?"

X nodded. The faint glow from the stone partially illuminated his face, revealing a thin, victorious smile. "This rune is a fragment of the world’s original creation—a symbol of power from before recorded history. There are seven of them... and now we have three."

V clenched his fists, still visibly dissatisfied. "But we were supposed to secure Veskar’s too. Didn’t he have one inside him?"

"That’s correct," X replied, his voice turning serious. "But unlike the others, the Rune inside Veskar can’t be forcibly extracted. I tried while he was under my control... but the power is too deeply embedded within his core. The only way to retrieve it would be to kill him."

"And you didn’t," Z muttered sharply.

"Hey," X shrugged, his tone casual but with an undercurrent of tension. "I also wanted to stay alive. That armored guy—’Nico Mustang’ or whatever his name is—is no pushover. You think I could take on two monsters at once?"

Silence filled the room. One by one, all eyes turned toward a shadowy corner of the room.

"And what about C?" X asked, shifting the topic.

The hooded woman sitting alone in the shadows remained silent. She didn’t move, her posture straight as a marble statue, barely even breathing. But beneath the hood, her eyes glowed faintly red—cold, deadly, and terrifyingly calm.

"Still as frosty as ever, huh..." X muttered, half-joking, though his gaze was wary. Everyone in the room knew—silent or not, C was not someone to underestimate.

"We don’t have time for jokes," Z cut in sharply, pulling the atmosphere back into focus. "With three Primordial Runes in our possession and the others scattered across the world... we can’t afford to lose momentum."

He stared at the rune in X’s hand. "We’ve already opened one gate. And once all the runes are brought together—history itself will be rewritten."

In the heart of that ancient room, the air grew thick with the scent of magic. A grand conspiracy moved quietly in the shadows of the world, and everything was only just beginning.

---

Ren gripped tightly onto the back of the giant wasp carrying him high through the sky. The wind lashed against his face, and a faint, sweet scent of beeswax drifted in the air as a colossal hive came into view in the distance. It resembled a wasp nest from Earth, but scaled up hundreds of times. Golden wax coated the hive’s surface, glowing softly under the morning sun. The massive structure clung to the side of a great cliff, lined with circular pathways and entrance holes constantly being tended by winged guards.

"Wow..." Ren muttered, pulling up his flight goggles to get a better look. "I’ve seen plenty of ’insect kingdoms’ in isekai stories, but this? This is premium tier."

Beside him, Veskar flew alongside without the need for a mount, his thin wings buzzing rhythmically with a hum that wasn’t unpleasant to the ears. He glanced at Ren, his voice steady yet commanding.

"Make sure you don’t touch the wax walls with your bare hands, human. They’re part of our communication and identification network. An unfamiliar touch could be seen as a threat."

Ren quickly tucked his left hand back into his belt. "Noted: don’t get too friendly."

Behind him, riding in a specially modified saddle pod, Princess Elaria and the Wasp Princess sat side by side. Though the wind was strong, the two managed to keep their balance, albeit not in perfect harmony.

"Could you scoot over a little? Your wing is tickling my ear," Elaria grumbled, gently pushing the Wasp Princess’s small wing.

"I can’t! This is the best position for stability! And these aren’t just wings, they’re noble symbols!" the Wasp Princess retorted, pouting adorably.

"I’m a noble too. But you don’t see me poking people with my wings!"

Ren turned and chuckled. "Easy, you two. We’re heading to the insect kingdom, not a fashion show."

Elaria folded her arms and huffed, though a small smile broke through. "You should have sat between us, Nico. That way we wouldn’t be fighting."

"No, thanks. I’m already stressed enough riding a wasp the size of a pickup truck," Ren replied, facing forward again.

Veskar nodded approvingly at Ren’s ability to adapt. "You’re handling the altitude and aerial currents well. Most humans would be vomiting before making it halfway."

Ren patted his chest lightly. "My armor’s equipped with anti-vertigo stabilizers. Plus... I’m kind of used to falling from the sky."

"A dubious but effective statement," Veskar replied dryly.

As they neared the hive, the hum of other insects grew louder—the synchronized buzzing of thousands of wings in motion. The kingdom’s guards stood lined up at the entrance, holding slender, golden spears. Worker wasps zipped along designated aerial lanes, keeping airborne traffic flowing smoothly.

The Wasp Princess leaned forward slightly, grabbing Ren’s shoulder to steady herself in her excitement. "Finally, I’m home! They’re going to be so shocked seeing me return with a human!"

"Yeah, I’m shocked too. Especially after you kissed me and called it a ’royal ritual,’" Ren replied flatly, his face nearly flushing.

Elaria heard that and immediately turned. "You kissed who?!"

"Not me! I mean—yeah, her, but not in... ah, forget it!" Ren smacked his forehead in despair. "Please, let’s just land before my reputation turns into some legendary folklore."

A soft chuckle came from Veskar. Though his face showed little change, his tone carried a slight warmth. "You’ll get used to it."

"Yeah, right," Ren muttered, half grumbling, half resigned.

Their flight ended at the main entrance of the hive. A massive corridor opened slowly, bathed in golden light that looked like frozen sunset at midday. As they entered, the wasp guards gave signals of respect, bowing their heads toward the princess and Veskar. Some glanced curiously at Ren but none dared approach.

The main rule inside the hive was simple: no flying in the central areas. The hive’s air circulation was finely tuned to control temperature and pheromone communication. Because of that, Ren and the group dismounted and continued on foot down a spiraling corridor.

The moment Ren’s boots touched the elastic wax floor, he realized something.

(Okay... this feels like walking on an overpriced mattress. But... how is it this stable and not sticky? Who designed this place? Genius.)

The hive walls were filled with massive hexagonal patterns, though unlike the empty ones Ren had seen in biology books, these weren’t hollow. Some served as rest chambers, others as communication hubs where guards directed traffic and relayed information through complex vibrations and pheromone signals.

Off to the sides, Ren saw workers—human-sized wasps—carrying wax materials on their backs, while others constructed structures along the hive’s inner walls. The golden light came from glowing stones embedded in the walls, creating a soft, warm lantern-like effect.

(This... This isn’t just a hive. This is a city.) Ren swallowed hard as he continued walking. (A living, breathing underground civilization. I think I just stumbled into the insect version of a futuristic world.)

The Wasp Princess walked ahead of Ren cheerfully, waving her tiny hand at workers who bowed or twitched their antennae respectfully in response.

Elaria, meanwhile, looked a bit nervous—clearly her first formal visit here. Yet she kept her posture graceful like a true princess, even though Ren could catch the flickers of curiosity in her eyes every time they passed a new corridor.

"You alright?" Ren whispered, keeping his voice low.

Elaria nodded slightly. "A little nervous... but I won’t let it show."

Ren chuckled quietly. (Classic elf princess—grace under pressure, even with her heart probably pounding twice as fast.)

After descending several levels, Veskar stopped before two grand doors layered with transparent, reddish-gold wax. Light blazed from beyond them, and the sweet scent of honey grew stronger.

"Beyond this door lies the Queen’s audience chamber," Veskar said, glancing back at them.

"Alright... time to meet the Queen Bee," Ren muttered, taking a deep breath.

(Come on, Nico Mustang. You’ve fought mutant insects, survived total war, and endured a nectar kiss from a tiny bee girl. Meeting the queen should be a piece of cake.)

But as the doors slowly opened, Ren’s heartbeat quickened just a little.

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