His body felt like it was on the verge of freezing solid, but he held his ground.
"Are you ready, Zera?"
he asked through gritted teeth.
[Affirmative,] Zera responded.
Seth took a deep breath, steadying himself as he reached for the dungeon core.
The moment his hands made contact, a thin, translucent barrier repelled him with a slight jolt, as if an invisible film shielded the core.
Gritting his teeth, he didn't pull back.
Instead, he pressed his palms firmly against it, refusing to let go.
Zera's voice cut through the tension.
She immediately began working on the barrier, her unseen efforts causing it to waver and deteriorate.
However, just as quickly, it began to recover.
Seth noticed the cycle, deterioration followed by regeneration, but he didn't falter.
He held on tighter, his resolve unyielding.
