Glistening twin blades made of an unknown metal descended upon the [Traitor], expelling force and metal [Mana] as they made contact with the shimmering barrier that encompassed it. The attack dug deep into the barrier, cracking it just enough for King Osaf to slip through. However, a fist of rusted iron and bolts twisted itself from the air as soon as he was inside and slammed into the king, propelling him back through the crack he came through in an instant.
“Blessed one, do not test me, this is not your fight!”
The words slammed their way into Osaf’s mind, causing him to reel back and move away from the [Traitor] as a sense of doom enveloped his mind briefly. Swiftly, a thought activated his mind, shielding internal technique. His mind felt muted as a dome of [Mana] enveloped it, followed by three other soft domes of green and black [Mana].
Not a second later the king felt a forceful and dirty type of [Mana] claw at his mental shields but slid off harmlessly, the mana twisted and formed words at the edge of his consciousness.
“You seek to aid this creature, blessed one? You seek to go against his will?”
A myriad of emotions rapidly shot through King Osaf, this wasn’t a regular [Traitor] it possessed intelligence, and the ability to talk. Something Osaf had never seen before, its words made no sense though, blessed one? What did that even mean? Clearly this [traitor] knew something he did not, which troubled the king greatly.
There was also the fact that the [Traitor] managed to invade his mind—a possibility he hadn't considered until now. It wasn’t forceful or anything; one moment there wasn’t anything there, and the next there was, appearing as if it had always been there. It was only thanks to his internal technique that he maintained his sanity. The [Traitor] could have ended him the first time but didn’t, for which he was grateful.
Kicking off the ground, King Osaf channeled [Metal Mana] along with hints of [Force Mana] into his hand. He watched as a spear of shimmering [Iron] formed out of the [Metal Mana]. With a burst of [Force Mana], it shot off, whistling as it passed through the air at blinding speeds. It connected with the barrier of the [Traitor] and cracked it before passing through, continuing on its path unhindered as it tore apart anything in its way, only stopping when it came to a dense section of rusted [Iron].
The [Traitor] continuously reinforced this spot; this was evident by the fact that layers upon layers of rusted [Iron] that constantly appeared even as the [Iron spear] cut through it, King Osaf noted this, there must be something important here for the [Traitor] to be doing so much.
“Stop! Can’t you see? You are going against his will! The one above will not take kindly to this, blessed one.”
The traitor was definitely hiding something there, and a knowing grin spread across the king's face as he soared into the sky once more. Drawing deep from his reserves, he crafted five additional spears, infusing them with [Force Mana] before propelling them toward a specific location. The resounding boom that followed, coupled with the whistling that permeated the battlefield, temporarily drowned out all other sounds. Explosions echoed as the spears made contact, sending massive chunks of rusted [Iron] scattering in every direction as they collaborated to erode the [Traitor].
King Osaf, absorbed in maintaining his connection to the drilling spears, failed to notice when the [Traitor] retaliated by hurling a portion of itself at him. A colossal mass of rusted iron and metal bits gracefully soared through the air, rapidly closing the distance.
By the time he sensed its impending arrival, it was too late. His left arm lost all sensation, yet miraculously, the rest of his body remained unscathed. In the blink of an eye, a mysterious entity wrapped in strands of metal dashed past him, intercepting the incoming threat. A split second later, a powerful shockwave engulfed the savior creature, accompanied by a barrage of shrapnel and iron bits. The creature absorbed the brunt of the impact, leaving its body riddled with holes and a significant portion missing by the time the onslaught subsided.
The [Dungeon] had unexpectedly intervened to save him, a notion that felt almost surreal. Traditionally, [Dungeons] were known for destruction and consumption, not acts of salvation. Nonetheless, King Osaf harbored gratitude for the timely rescue. It signified that he had successfully conveyed the right impression, earning the [Dungeon]'s recognition as someone worth preserving. The [Traitor] had caught him off guard due to his singular focus on a specific task. If not for the [Dungeon]'s intervention, Osaf might not have lived to witness the current moment. He shuddered at the thought of leaving his people kingless once more, a fate he was determined to avoid.
With a silent promise to be eternally grateful to the [Dungeon], Osaf manipulated [Metal Mana] from his core, fashioning a crude and misshapen arm that he attached to the stump of his left arm. Sensation surged back into it as he refined and adjusted the makeshift limb until it became serviceable for battle without hindrance.
A burst of [Force Mana] propelled him into the air once more. The [Traitor] exhibited signs of distress; the damage inflicted by his spears seemed to have crippled some of its functions. The once formidable shimmering barrier around it now appeared feeble, and its healing process was sluggish. This sight brought immense satisfaction to King Osaf. However, his attention was abruptly seized by a thunderous rumbling to his left. There, he witnessed a horrifying spectacle: a multitude of peculiar metal creatures pouring out from a shimmering silver portal. They advanced towards the [Traitor], heedlessly throwing themselves at it before detonating. Each explosion chipped away at the shimmering barrier, orchestrated by the [Dungeon]'s strategic intervention. Grinning, King Osaf summoned his mana and plunged into the fray, relentlessly slashing and hacking at anything in his path within the [Traitor].
