[Commander drone N.O 123] Awakened from its millennia-long slumber, rust flaked away like the remnants of ages past as the drone initiated the intricate dance of its internal systems. Memories cascaded into its consciousness, a torrent of recollections as the myriad systems within interlinked with the outside world. The once desolate wasteland had metamorphosed into a teeming, verdant jungle, and the small metal city it had crafted for the [Humans], a species encountered during its surface visit, had blossomed into an expansive, sprawling metropolis of black stone.

Towering walls made of stone surrounded the entire city, along with towers placed strategically along the wall. A [Iron] gate allowed entry into the city, people and carriages constantly traversed the back and forth in a poorly constructed dirt road.

Miles away, from a spot it hoped to forget, waves of unknown mana spilled out into the world. It was barely a trickle but the fact that it was coming at all sent shivers down its metallic spine and wakened unpleasant memories. The [Traitors] were awakening, and the seal imposed upon them must have come into contact with [Dungeon Mana]. This occurrence, which should have been deemed impossible, as dungeons had long since ceased to form due to the scarcity of [Mana] on the surface. Even though it hadn't been underground for thousands of years, that should have been the case below ground as well.

The profound realization that [Mana] was seeping out, a concept utterly alien to its understanding, could only signify one thing: there was a nearby dungeon, or perhaps multiple dungeons. The prospect alone was sufficient to rekindle a sensation within the drone, something it deemed long extinguished. A palpable feeling of hope surreptitiously wormed its way into its cold and unyielding metallic heart.

When the traitor killed the great dungeon core god, the seven other great [Dungeons] united and cast a foul magic that drained the world of all its [Mana] and natural resources. They ravaged the world, nearly annihilating everything. Only it and some other creatures from opposing [Dungeon Cores] managed to prevent the total destruction of the world.

The intense battle had taxed it, promoting the drone to enter a deep slumber. It would only awaken now and then to check and keep in line unruly [Humans] who sought too much power. This marked its fifth awakening in thousands of years, witnessing countless [Human] cities and even empires rising and falling during this time. Sometimes, they were culled by its influence, while at other times, it was merely the natural cycle of a broken world.

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This marked the first time it woke up to a change in the world itself. A myriad of [Mana] types danced in the lush and vibrant jungle, even within the [Human] city, all emanating from the massive hole in the ground that was supposed to be closed.

The [Traitor] emerged from that hole, casting powerful magics to ensure it remained in its current state until the time was "just right," as the former angel had cryptically stated before ascending beyond the clouds. The fact that it was now open could only imply two possibilities. Either something equally powerful or even more potent than the [Traitor] came along and decided to undo the enchantment for some unknown reason and promptly departed, which seemed unlikely. Alternatively, the moment when everything was "just right" was swiftly approaching, and the [Traitor] would be returning soon.

Each possibility filled the drone with dread. Something more powerful than the [Traitor] was an eventuality the world couldn't handle at this moment. The world, in its broken and beaten state, had barely anything keeping it together.

The traitor was even more insidious; avaricious and possessing immense power, he would stop at nothing to hoard and accumulate more. Even if it meant desiccating an entire world of its precious [Mana] and orchestrating the demise of trillions, channeling their souls into his essence as the fallen angel ascended to godhood. They were fortuitous that the [Traitor] departed promptly afterward because there was no halting someone who wielded the power of [Dungeon Cores] with such efficiency. That day, he showcased to the world and the surrounding realms what unfathomable power truly entailed, and nothing remained the same since.

The world was further tripped as invaders from realms unknown descended, all in search of [Dungeon Cores]. The already broken world was left on its last legs after thousands of massive raids that stripped it bare of [Dungeon Cores] and everything else. At least, that was what it remembered the last time the drone was awake. Something had changed since then, something significant. This was evidenced by the fact that life now flourished on the surface, a development it believed would take millions of years to occur after the level of devastation the world had endured.

The world felt strange to its conceptual senses as well. The fabric of the surrounding space was intertwined with an unknown type of [Mana] that eluded its understanding. Even time felt peculiar; it flowed in all directions instead of one, a phenomenon that was supposed to be impossible. Reality felt firm, thick, and rich, akin to slowly cooling molten iron, a stark contrast to its previous state of being paper-thin after numerous dimensional surges and raids. A constant sense of being watched kept it on edge, unnerving it to a degree it hadn't experienced before.

It was a completely alien world. Currently, it felt as though it was within the domain of a [Dungeon Core], which seemed impossible. It refused to believe that one could grow so powerful as to cover the entire surface world and extend its influence below to claim the world beneath. That simply wasn't possible; every rational program in its mind denied the plausibility. It needed answers, and perhaps the hole it sensed and the [Human] city not too far from it held the answers it sought.

With a thought, the mountain under which it was sleeping slowly opened up as powerful ancient machines and principles worked. Stone and dirt fell away as the top cracked open, and a massive door flung open, allowing sunlight to hit its sleek and powerful body for the first time in thousands of years.