Live Dungeon!

In the newspaper’s front-page photo, Eunice’s face bore a faintly self-satisfied expression. On the other hand, the newspaper itself, the one Stephanie held with a grip tighter than she had intended, was visibly creased and crumpled, as though it had been balled up in frustration and then hastily smoothed out. Stephanie’s gaze stayed glued to the image, her bloodshot eyes barely blinking.

[This had to be some kind of mistake! It couldn’t be true… could it?]

After reading and rereading the article, searching every line for some hint of an error, Stephanie had no choice but to accept the truth of it: a groundbreaking technique, the Dumpling [, had been revealed to the world by none other than Eunice. A technique that could resurrect a fallen Healer without the help of another Healer — it was a feat previously considered impossible. That Eunice, of all people, would be the one to develop it — it was unthinkable, utterly unacceptable.

If the inventor had been Lorena, Stephanie might have managed to swallow her pride. Lorena flashed across the battlefield like a living spark, and Stephanie kept herself levitating firmly above, providing support, healing, and guidance — Their styles differed, but Stephanie had never questioned Lorena’s skill or tenacity.

Besides, Lorena at least held a certain respect for Tsutomu, their teacher. Disregarding one particular story, where Lorena had gotten a little too excited when Tsutomu had patted her head, much to Stephanie’s disgust, it simply would make sense if Lorena was the inventor of the Dumpling [. In fact, if that were the case, Stephanie would have already started testing it, utilizing it for herself without a second thought.

But no — it had to be Eunice, the weakest, most unremarkable of Tsutomu’s students, devoid of even a trace of talent or loyalty. Stephanie had scarcely given Eunice a thought in recent memory, save perhaps to dismiss her as insignificant. And now she was supposed to adopt a technique crafted by her? The very idea was revolting.

[If only there were a way to replicate it mechanically instead of having to use […]

As distasteful as it was to admit, Dumpling [ was essential. Mastering it would give her team the breakthrough they needed to push past their deadlock on the eighty-fifth layer and would almost certainly be invaluable in future dungeoneering endeavors. She could not just ignore it, even if it burned her pride to consider it.

Still, the notion of mimicking Eunice’s innovation gnawed at her, and for a time, she weighed the possibility of finding an alternative. Surely, she reasoned, some other approach would emerge if she was patient enough.

[…No, I can’t think like that. Someday, perhaps, but time is not on my side — it’s obvious I’d master this technique faster than finding anything new.]

But, inevitably, Stephanie arrived at the cold, rational conclusion she’d known was waiting. The Healer from her Clan’s second-best team was probably already rushing to master Dumpling [, eager to secure their standing. This technique, whoever its creator, was bound to draw a clear line between top-tier teams and the rest. She had no time to waste on petty grievances.

[A useful technique is a useful technique,] she reminded herself, bitterly. [It doesn’t matter who invented it.]

With a sense of grim resolve, Stephanie turned her focus to shaping a spherical [. [ manipulation posed no difficulty for her; she had practiced everything she had seen Tsutomu do, perfecting and adapting each maneuver until it became her own. Now, despite every nerve in her body rebelling, she prepared herself to replicate Dumpling [, a tool devised by the one person she least wanted to emulate. Forming the [ into a perfect sphere did not take long.

”Gah! Aah!? Aaagh!”

Stephanie’s exasperation erupted as she drove the newly crafted Dumpling [ straight into the floor, her foot crushing it with all the force of her resentment. The [ shattered instantly, its pieces flying out before dissipating in wisps of mist. Still seething, she stomped on the remnants with even greater ferocity, her face contorted in a ghostly rage.

There was no hesitance in her movements as she immediately began crafting the [ again. For Tsutomu’s admiration to belong to her alone, she knew she could not afford to cling to her own methods. She would need to take in and refine every worthwhile technique she encountered, no matter the origin. She had already absorbed skills from her fellow Healers in Ealdred Crow before; Dumpling [ would be no different. And with it, she would finally overcome the eighty-fifth layer.

Even so, a part of her resisted every step. She loathed having to adopt Eunice’s invention, however groundbreaking it might be. As she began practicing the Dumpling [, her face twisted into an agonized grimace.

[This is all to get myself closer to Mister Tsutomu…] She thought, her mind circling back to him with a force that was both reverent and desperate. [Mister Tsutomu, oh Mister Tsutomu…]

In the eyes of the world, she was already the pinnacle of Healers, the one others sought to emulate. And yet, whenever she observed Tsutomu on the Monitors, his techniques took on a divine quality that made her own achievements seem insignificant. She could feel herself drawing closer, inching toward that almost godlike presence he seemed to embody, but no matter how close she got, she could never feel herself surpassing him. Every inch forward felt like it was tearing her apart, yet she couldn’t let herself stop.

Nearly every waking moment was given to relentless training, each movement honed and polished with obsessive precision. The only fuel keeping her going was the desire to reach Tsutomu’s level, and yet, she could feel the weight pressing in on her, the unbearable pressure of trying to close a gap that seemed unbridgeable. The humiliation of mimicking Eunice’s technique only intensified her inner turmoil. The thought of it made her grind her teeth, her jaw clenching tighter and tighter as the tension mounted.

Crack.

”…[.”

Her molar shattered under the pressure, and without missing a beat, she cast a quick healing skill, assembling the tooth back together as she wiped a thin trail of blood from her lip. Silently, she resumed practicing the Dumpling, each failure only fueling her determination to succeed.

▽▽

Following the publication of the article on Dumpling [, Healers everywhere threw themselves into mastering this challenging new technique. On the Monitors, flashes of [ spells sparkled like fireworks as each Healer worked to perfect the art of containing the spell effectively.

Amy, taking in the sight, turned to Tsutomu with a smile, her curiosity getting the better of her.

”Looks like everyone’s getting fired up about this Dumpling [ thing, huh?”

”That’s right,” Tsutomu replied with a faint smile.

”Honestly, it’s amazing that Euni-nie developed it! Really impressive.”

”Yeah, it is.”

”So, are you going to practice it too, Tsutomu? [ only works if there’s a dead party member, right? If you need someone to test it on, I’d totally volunteer to die for you!” Amy teased, giving him a mischievous grin.

”Why so dramatic? What are you, Xeno?” Tsutomu rolled his eyes. ”…And no, I won’t be practicing Dumpling [.”

While Healers across the city were dedicating every spare moment — even during breaks — to mastering Dumpling [, Tsutomu was content to observe them.

Amy tilted her head, the faint glow from Monitor #1 illuminating her curious expression.

”Huh? You’re not?” she asked, genuinely surprised.

”I don’t feel it’s necessary for our team. Sure, it’d be vital for brute-forcing through the eighty-fifth layer, but we’re working on gathering equipment to avoid relying on it. I’ll practice [ containment techniques at the Guild training grounds, just in case, but I don’t see myself needing to use it in the Dungeon.”

”Oh?” she replied, her brows lifting.

”Something on your mind?” Tsutomu asked, noticing her contemplative look.

Amy shot him a sly grin. ”Just thinking… If Euni-nie saw you practicing Dumpling [ on the Pedestal, I bet she’d be over the moon.”

Tsutomu sighed, his exasperation obvious as he caught sight of her knowing smile.

”I guess that’d be a nice bonus, but honestly, it’s not a skill I need. I’m not planning on dying in the first place, so a death-dependent technique like that doesn’t fit my style.”

”Oh, now that you mention it… I’ve never actually seen you die once — not even after a year into your Explorer career.”

”Yeah. Ideally, I’d like to go without dying… well, forever, if I can help it.”

”Oh, don’t worry about that! Die a few times, and you’ll get used to it,” Amy joked, giving him a cheerful slap on the shoulder. ”Besides, if we go down together, it’s not even scary. I’ll go down with you, Tsutomu!”

”Now that…” Tsutomu said, pulling back with a slightly wary glance, ”…is actually terrifying.”

While Amy’s offer was a little too enthusiastic, Tsutomu could not help but smile, even if he shifted a bit away from her. He turned his gaze to the array of Monitors spread out before them, letting his eyes roam from Monitor #1 to #5.

With both Absolute Helix and Silver Beast off for the day, the screens were dominated by Ealdred Crow’s best parties. On Monitors #6 and above, he could see the allied Clans — Golden Tune and Scarlet Devil Squad — working side by side in mixed teams.

On one of the Monitors, Eunice was explaining the Dumpling [.

”…And so, this is how you perform the Dumpling [!”

She was taking the role of instructor, a rare move for her, as she typically avoided the spotlight. Now, however, she seemed to have embraced it with gusto, guiding Healers through the technique with a calm authority and an unmistakable smug smile. She had started this explanatory series the other day, claiming in an interview that it was her contribution to the development of Healers everywhere. The Dungeon Maniacs praised her as a model Healer for her efforts.

”Well, even if you can’t do it perfectly right away, that’s okay. Remember, even my own mentor, Tsutomu himself, hasn’t managed to master it yet. So take it slow — there’s no need to rush. After all, Tsutomu can’t do it yet!”

Unbeknownst to most, Eunice’s motivation was not simply to educate others; it was her thinly veiled frustration at not having seen Tsutomu practice Dumpling [ even once. She had decided that if he was not going to put in the time, she would be the one to take charge and share her ‘secrets’ with the world. Now, with a triumphant grin, she explained the intricacies of Dumpling [ to the God Eye as though she were imparting rare wisdom to Tsutomu himself.

”By the way,” Amy piped up, glancing sideways at Tsutomu with a mischievous glint, ”Aren’t you going to say something to Euni-nie?”

”Do you think I should?”

”Well…” Amy paused. ”I dunno… maybe it would be a little awkward, actually.”

”She’s got enough people praising her already. I don’t think she needs to hear it from me,” Tsutomu replied with a faint smile. ”By the look on her face, I’d say she’s more than satisfied with the way things are.”

He watched with an amused smirk as Eunice continued to bask in the attention, clearly relishing every second she spent in the spotlight. After a moment, he turned his gaze back to Monitor #1, where Ealdred Crow’s top team was in action.

”Their newly appointed Dualblader recruit, Haltto, is worth watching closely,” He noted. ”But also take a look at the other Dualblader on Monitor #3. Those flow and skill rotations — excellent form. You should take some notes, Amy.”

”Got it.”

”You’ve come a long way on your own,” Tsutomu continued, ”but I’d like you to observe some of the key synergies they’re using here. Ealdred Crow’s teams have refined these techniques to an impressive degree, so they’re a good reference point.”

Their conversation shifted seamlessly from Eunice back to the training on the screens as Tsutomu redirected their attention to the day’s real goal: helping Amy better analyze and emulate advanced Dualblader techniques. Without another mention of Dumpling [, the two spent the rest of the time studying the Monitors, trading insights and discussing finer points of technique and skill combinations.