The Rhytil’s Response

Far from sitting idly by, the Rhytil were preparing for their own counterattack. Their spies had been observing the movements of the alliance, and they were aware of the upcoming assault. However, they were not entirely prepared for the disruption Lena's team would cause.

In the Rhytil command center, High Command was already anticipating some form of assault on their supply routes. The Rhytil Emperor, who had been observing Lena's every move, saw the growing threat she posed. He had underestimated her once, but now he knew better. The core's influence was something to be feared, and Lena herself was more of a threat than he had initially realized.

"The humans and their allies will attack our supply lines within the next twenty-four hours," said Zhyran, one of the Rhytil commanders, to the Emperor. "We must be prepared for their interference. We cannot allow them to destabilize our supply chains."

The Emperor's eyes glowed a fierce green as he considered their next move. "Prepare the fleet for a counteroffensive. We will strike before they have a chance to reach Serai. Activate the Darknet—I want all communication lines scrambled. And make sure the Hunter Drones are ready. If Lena thinks she can disrupt our systems, she will regret it."

Zhyran inclined his head. "As you command, Emperor."

The Hunter Drones were the Rhytil's most advanced weapon—a swarm of autonomous, highly adaptable machines that could infiltrate and destroy with pinpoint accuracy. They were designed to hunt down and eliminate high-value targets, and Lena, with her connection to the core, was precisely the kind of target they had been designed to eliminate.