The relentless attackers voraciously bit and tore at the formidable defenses of the [Iron Bastion]. Flecks and fragments of mysterious mana crumbled apart, dissipating into the air as they industriously labored. With each [Attacker] feeding and expanding, they would divide when reaching a certain size, sometimes splitting into two or even three smaller, fervent [Attackers]. In a matter of minutes, the resplendent dome was engulfed with [Attackers] of varying sizes, all ardently committed to corroding the mana constituting the barrier.
The [Attackers], however, faced a critical issue—they weren't adapting. Instead of becoming more efficient as they consumed mana, they either remained the same or grew larger, becoming slower in the process. This unexpected flaw posed a significant problem. The [Attackers] were the primary means of breaching the seemingly impervious barrier, and their malfunction was an unforeseen setback. A quick examination of its [Mana code] yielded no abnormalities, leaving [Automata] puzzled. What could be causing this unexpected behavior?
[Automata] promptly initiated a three-way bridge with his other two minds and delved into a discussion about the [Attackers]. Both minds suggested that it was a bug, an issue related to the [Mana code] deviating from the pre-programmed instructions, leading to the unforeseen and undesirable behavior.
In an abrupt twist, the [Mana] underwent a substantial shift. A sizable section of the depleted barrier swiftly regenerated, expelling [Mana] in a ripple-like pattern that repelled all [Attackers]. Simultaneously, tiny spikes emerged, vibrating menacingly and shredding any [Attacker] that ventured too close.
With a swift command, [Automata] swept up the [Attackers] in a wave of [Mana]. A second later, the code within them dissolved, and the program made of [Mana] was shut down and removed from the [Central core]. [Automata] was cautious about potential malfunctions or bugs, not wanting to take any risks by keeping it running or near the [Central core].
That was where his soul was, after all.
With that done, he returned his attention back to the [Iron Bastion] and realized something rather unpleasant – it was moving, or something within it was. The air was vibrating with such intensity around the [Iron Bastion] that he would've thought it was charging up something, but that wasn’t the case, as he saw no currents of [Mana] flowing into it, or any dip or link to the perpetual storm of [Mana] that roared high overhead.
The ability to sense vibrations was a new addition to his ever-growing arsenal of abilities. After that battle, [Automata] realized that he was severely limited in his senses. The way that cursed [Noble Goblin] spoke to it made that abundantly clear. Apparently, there were other senses out there, a possibility he hadn’t really thought of. After all, [Mana sense] was the most superior sense of them all – that was what he thought for the longest duration of his existence.
The reason behind it was solid too. After observing that all things were made of [Mana] in some form or shape, it was only reasonable to conclude that the ability to sense and see all types of [Mana] would be the best of them all. After all, one with such a sense would be able to see all things, right? This was the logic behind him thinking [Mana sight] was superior. [Automata] now realized how wrong he was, though. [Mana sight] clearly had its advantages, but there was one glaring weakness that prevented it from being the best: Things could mask their [Mana] completely if skilled enough, rendering them completely invisible and non-existent to its vision.
[Automata] planned to conduct a comprehensive sweep of his domain using both [Mana sight] and [Vibration sense] once the battle had concluded. There was no telling how many entities might have concealed themselves and were now taking advantage of his domain without his awareness. That wouldn't do; [Automata] disliked having gaps in his knowledge. It made him feel uneasy and apprehensive—an unsettling sensation that he never enjoyed. Such realizations often accompanied the awareness that there was more out there or that he had overlooked something crucial for an extended period.
This was his first time turning on the sense on a battlefield, a decision he now regretted as he was bombarded with sounds of everything. His [V2 Combat Golems] were the second loudest of them all, their heavy and sinewy bodies crashing into the [Iron Bastion] relentlessly, producing a cacophony that was both annoying and fascinating. [Automata] had nothing in his [Database] to compare it to at the moment, but it was a unique sound. Coupled with the hundreds of thundering footsteps, it made him realize that the battlefield was quite noisy and was only getting noisier as the [Iron Bastion] moved, scraping against the ground and excavating massive chunks of raw, semi-rusted iron ore in the process.
When it was a kilometer away from [Iron Mine 1], it came to an abrupt halt, and for a fleeting moment, its shimmering shield powered down. In that brief span, it became engulfed in a frenzied swarm of [V2 Combat Golems] that descended upon it like a relentless storm, infiltrating its internal structure. At [Automata]'s command, they detonated, unleashing a cacophony of destruction and sending shattered remnants of rusted [Iron ore] hurtling toward the barrier. The airborne debris collided with it, creating a delicate yet intricate spiderweb of cracks that started to propagate. Despite the assault, the damage was swiftly mended through unknown means. Even as subsequent chunks relentlessly assailed the barrier, a substantial portion of the [Iron ore] beneath the [Iron Bastion] vanished, swiftly regenerating itself from the inflicted wounds.
[Automata] found himself at a loss, grappling with the impossibility of the situation. Was the [Iron Bastion] somehow transmuting mass directly into [Mana] without any discernible loss? It defied the laws as he understood them. Yet, how else could he explain such uncanny regeneration? His options dwindled, leaving him with only one remaining card to play— [Iron Mine 1]. However, this final gambit meant relinquishing it in the process, a sacrifice he was hesitant to make. Losing the [Iron Mine 1] would sever its connection to this place and eliminate its primary source of [Iron].
His contemplation was abruptly interrupted as one of his [Crystal Lenses] detected a swift yet potent ball of [Mana] hurtling toward him. [Automata] snapped into high alert; could it be another [Iron Beast]?
