Thora waited a whole month before finally walking up to Hugo and laying her plan out. Looking into her steady, confident eyes, he frowned. "You mean Wolffang should operate completely outside the normal chain of command? No restrictions, acting worldwide as an independent force?" "Exactly." Thora clasped her hands behind her back, standing perfectly straight like a soldier. "Wolffang is already a special ops unit," she continued. "We're off the usual admin grid, lean, and every member is top-tier. What we need now is real combat experience—time to work together and actually do special operations." She ended her statement seriously, then softened her expression and locked eyes with him. "Real enemies don't line up right in front of you. If your only goal was Astralis from the start, I'd be disappointed." Hugo went quiet for a beat. Finally, he said, "Wolffang exists for the whole Blue Star, of course." Thora didn't hesitate. "Then here's what I want. First, remove all surveillance. I need total, independent military confidentiality. Second, I control every Wolffang operation, no system limits, and I recruit whoever I need. Third, Wolffang goes global, and our missions stay classified." Hugo listened quietly, then spoke deeply. "Thora, that's a bit much." She stared back coolly. "No elite unit ever thrives under watchful eyes. A real ace hits where no one expects and can't be predicted." Her smile was slow and sharp. "Mystery and unknown—that's what scares people. Don't you agree, General Stanton?" Hugo's brows twitched. She had him. There was no doubt. He still hesitated. "But you need to know this. Going off the empire's radar means your gear will be limited. Even if I fund you, weapons might be blocked. And if your missions cause trouble for Astralis ... "Without realizing it, Hugo had shifted from outright refusal to carefully weighing the risks. Thora kept her gaze steady. "If a unit can't stand on its own, it's doomed. And about that 'trouble'—if no one knows we're Astralis's unit, how is it trouble?" Hugo held her stare. She was just 16. From the moment she drew attention to now, standing in front of him like a seasoned soldier, only three months had passed. He wondered if his memory was wrong. Had she been in the military for years, hiding it all? She was too sharp and precise, her goals nailed down. "I have to report this to Lycan King. Surveillance can be removed, but you'll still submit regular fitness data. The project team tracks your stats to coordinate with Skybound Group for proper gear." Hugo straightened up and spoke formally. Thora nodded. "Fine.""How long do you want for Wolffang to mature?" Hugo asked, adding, "Blue Star Military Academy only takes recruits starting at 18." Clearly, he wanted her to go there. "One year," Thora said firmly. "I'll give you an answer in half an hour." Even Hugo seemed surprised at how fast he'd agreed. Thora saluted, snapped her heels together, and started to leave. At the door, she glanced back with a small, sly smile. "Know how long I've been mad about your surveillance?" And just like that, she walked out without another look. Hugo's face fell. He was an empire general, respected throughout the military. When had a kid with a sergeant's rank ever left him speechless? And yet, he realized he was starting to get used to it. He'd watched Wolffang change with his own eyes. In less than a month, every training track was running smoothly. ... Right after the meeting, before Thora even reached the base gate, her phone rang. Two minutes left of the promised half hour. She answered the call. Hugo's serious voice came through.