Live Dungeon!

[Man, our Clan really does look like a bunch of try-hard roleplayers…]

Tsutomu adjusted the shimmering folds of his Sunrobe, its fabric designed to ward off both Light-element attacks and the Silence status effect. His eyes swept over his Clan, observing their equipment. Clad in gear sourced entirely from the treasure chests of the Light and Darkness layers, the members were decked out in stark whites and deep blacks. The monochromatic ensemble gave them an air that hovered between enigmatic and outright suspicious.

”Heh, not a bad look for me, right?” Xeno, a Paladin with a preference for Light-element gear, had decided to don black armor this time to counter Dark-element weaknesses. He was clearly reveling in the dramatic shift, much to Tsutomu’s chagrin — it suited him far too well.

Sitting next to him, Daryl seemed lost in some nostalgic reverie, his expression softening as if recalling childhood fantasies of knights and heroics.

”And here I am, back to wearing frills…”

Hannah sighed, her tone resigned. She had swapped out her heavy Snow Field gear for something resembling her earlier folk-style costume, though the new outfit — plucked from the same Light and Darkness layers — clung scandalously to her curvaceous figure. Its exceptional status boosts left her little choice in the matter, though she looked thoroughly unamused.

Amy had commissioned alterations to her gear for aesthetics while maintaining its practicality, while Amira had customized hers to accommodate the wings that emerged in [. Every member, it seemed, had put their own stamp on their equipment, personalizing it in their own ways.

The updated gear lifted the group’s morale — except for one person.

”…Ugh.” Diniel’s expression was as dark as her new bow. Known for her almost supernatural accuracy, she had long relied on the familiarity of her old weapon. Now, she found herself struggling with the sleek black bow she had recently acquired. Her fingers plucked at the string, producing a low, despondent twang that mirrored her mood.

Even after a trip to an Elven bowyer for adjustments, the bow still felt alien in her hands — the grip and the string’s tension all wrong. Yet despite her frustration, her skill as an Attacker had only sharpened with the upgrade. Watching her from the sidelines, Tsutomu saw no drop in her performance. If anything, the bow’s increased power left Hannah visibly on edge, solidifying Diniel’s place as the Clan’s most dangerous damage dealer.

”By the way, Tsutomu, aren’t you coming to the fiftieth layer?” Hannah asked.

”I’ll pass. I get the excitement, but it’s not my thing. You all can go if you’re interested. Korinna, what about you?”

The recent discovery of a mutated Shell Crab had sent ripples through the Dungeon Maniac network, stirring excitement across the dungeoneering community. Many in Absolute Helix were eager to take on the challenge, but Tsutomu opted to trust his instincts and stayed out.

”Well, I don’t mind either way…” Korinna’s voice faltered, her cheeks tinting as she recalled a previous conversation with Tsutomu.

Misreading his reluctance as a considerate gesture, she fidgeted awkwardly. Tsutomu caught her hesitation but decided to let the misunderstanding slide.

”All right,” he said, turning to the group. ”Who’s up for taking on the Shell Crab? Show of hands.”

”Me! I’m in!” Hannah’s hand shot up without hesitation.

”I’m definitely going,” Amira added, her eyes alight with determination. Perhaps it was personal — her mother, Camille, had been the first to defeat the Shell Crab years ago.

Korinna, Amy, Xeno, and Garm followed suit. Leleia hesitated, only to raise her hand when Tsutomu mentioned that enthusiasm might influence the roster. Diniel, predictably, stayed silent, while Daryl appeared lost in thought, likely strategizing for the fight ahead.

”All right, Korinna, you’re in charge of assembling the team.” Tsutomu announced with a nod.

”W-what!?” Korinna’s startled cry rang out, drawing every gaze to her.

She froze under the weight of expectation, her mind racing. After a moment’s hesitation, she forced herself to survey the gathered members. What followed was a series of tentative glances and hurried discussions as she struggled to settle on a strategy for the mutated Shell Crab.

”…All right, so the plan is to mostly stick with what worked before — focus on overwhelming it with our Attackers.”

In the end, her suggestion mirrored the approach used before Tsutomu had arrived in this world: prevent the Shell Crab from retreating to its nest for healing. If they could overpower it before it fled, victory would be theirs. Naturally, the tactic also dictated her roster choices.

”In that case, I’ll sit this one out. Xeno, you should too.” Garm said.

”No way! Korinna wouldn’t dream of leaving me out!” Xeno declared with infuriating certainty.

”Where do you get that confidence…?” Korinna muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

With Garm and Xeno sidelined, the final team consisted of Korinna, Hannah, Amira, Amy, and Leleia — a lineup brimming with firepower.

”I’ll stay back with the leftovers and help Diniel get used to her new bow.” Tsutomu said.

The leftovers, as he dubbed them, included himself, Daryl, Xeno, and Garm. They’d accompany Diniel for some much-needed practice. Diniel, only half paying attention, glanced up with a disinterested hum before returning to adjusting her bow. ꞦＡNǑᛒËS̩

”Just focus on acclimating to your gear,” Tsutomu reminded Korinna. ”No pressure. Besides, someone’s bound to take down the Shell Crab within two weeks. If you’re aiming to be first, though, you might want to hurry.”

”R-right!” Korinna stammered.

”Hey, relax,” Tsutomu said with a reassuring smile.

Korinna nodded stiffly, though her tension was evident. Meanwhile, Tsutomu turned his attention to the ‘leftovers’.

”So, what should we do while the Shell Crab team is off being heroes?”

”T-Tsutomu! That’s a terrible way to put it!” Korinna exclaimed, scandalized.

”I mean, it’s not wrong,” Tsutomu replied, laughing softly.

”Why? Why wasn’t I chosen…?” Xeno lamented dramatically, his shoulders sagging.

”What a pain…” Diniel muttered, rolling her eyes as she reached over to pinch Tsutomu’s cheek.

”Hey, quit it,” he said, swatting her hand away.

Perhaps thanks to these lighthearted squabbles, Tsutomu seemed at ease — the dynamics of being part of the leftover team turned out to be oddly enjoyable.

”So, what’s our plan?” Daryl asked.

”You know, maybe we should check out the Pedestals?” Tsutomu suggested.

”Hmm… I think that’s a good call. We’re short on reliable intel, so it’s worth investigating.”

”Don’t worry — my fists will handle anything!” Hannah boasted, cracking her knuckles.

”There’s no way I’m losing to the ancient Dragon! If she could take first, so can I!” Amira declared.

”Ahh, I’m so nervous…”

Meanwhile, Korinna struggled to steady herself. Her teammates’ energy was infectious, but the weight of leadership bore down heavily on her.

▽▽

In one of the rooms of the Scarlet Devil Squad’s clan house — a building that could have easily been mistaken for a typical single-family home — five Explorers had gathered. At the head of the group was Weiss, the Clan’s leader. Beside him was Alma, their ace Attacker, along with Leon and Eunice, representatives from their current alliance with Golden Tune.

…And then there was the striking woman with red hair who sat among them like a blazing ember. This was Camille; she was no ordinary Explorer, but the Guild Master who still made her mark on the frontlines.

”…Just to confirm,” Camille began, her tone measured, ”you’re asking me to temporarily join your party?”

”That’s right,” Weiss replied, his voice steady.

”Well, I must say, I’m honored.”

Camille cracked a little grin as she turned her gaze to Weiss. Weiss, wearing his usual impassive expression, met her eyes and offered a slight nod in return.

The dungeoneering community had been set alight by talk of the mutated Shell Crab — a monstrous anomaly so formidable it had repelled even the elite Ealdred Crow teams. The story spread like wildfire, drawing the attention of spectators to lower-ranking Monitors that usually were left in obscurity.

For mid-tier Explorers and their Clans, this shift in attention was a rare blessing. Suddenly, they found themselves basking in an unexpected spotlight. The buzz only grew as the race to claim victory over the Shell Crab became the talk of town.

Ealdred Crow’s shocking defeat at its claws had left the field wide open. Now, speculation swirled around whether Absolute Helix or Silver Beast would take a crack at it next. As for Scarlet Devil Squad and Golden Tune — both once-proud Clans now teetering on the edge of irrelevance — they were not even part of the conversation.

”We want to be the first to bring down that Shell Crab,” Weiss explained. ”For that, we need someone still at the top of their game.”

”Ah, and maybe to breathe some life back into your Clans’ reputations while you’re at it?” Camille teased.

”…” Weiss held his tongue, but Leon, never one to let silence linger, filled the gap with a wry grin. ”Yeah, that’s about the gist of it. I’ve been a walking disaster lately — live on the Pedestals, no less — and if we don’t turn things around soon, people are going to start giving up on me altogether.”

”That might actually be a mercy — for the women in your life, at least.” Camille quipped, her tone dry.

”I’d have to agree,” Alma added, smirking as she flicked a strand of glossy black hair over her shoulder.

”Hey, come on! Miss Camille, Alma, cut me some slack!”

Alma merely nodded to Camille, her smirk deepening, while Leon flailed in exaggerated desperation. Eunice sighed softly, her expression one of resigned familiarity with his antics. Through it all, Weiss remained silent.

”All right, I understand your goal,” Camille said finally. ”In fact, I’ve already secured the Guild’s approval to join you. If you’ll have me, I’m happy to help — though I do wonder if I’ll end up being a hindrance.”

”…That doesn’t sound like humility,” Weiss murmured, his words unexpectedly bold.

Camille’s eyes widened slightly, caught off guard.

”Oh? That’s a surprising comment coming from you, Weiss. Did you eat something weird today?”

”…I’ve had to toughen up to keep our Clan running,” he admitted quietly. ”If I was out of line, I apologize.”

”Not at all. It’s good to see you’ve grown. And it’s clear you’ve found some good allies.”

Weiss said nothing more, though a flicker of gratitude passed through his usually impassive expression.

Since Weiss’ social awkwardness had come to light within the Clan, Alma had taken to teasing him mercilessly. As a result, he had grown more adept at handling such situations, even becoming comfortable enough to exchange light banter with old friends like Camille.

Alma, catching Camille’s gaze, toyed with her hair absently as her lips formed a small, self-satisfied smile. Once plagued by self-doubt when she first wielded her Black Staff, she now carried it with unshakable confidence.

”With three Unique Skill holders in one party, we’d have been called unstoppable not too long ago,” Camille remarked.

”And now look at us,” Leon said with a self-deprecating laugh. ”Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise — forces us to get back to the basics.”

”…I’m sorry for dragging you all into this.”

Camille shrugged. ”Don’t be, Weiss. I’m in the same boat, really. Even my daughter already thinks I’ve retired.” Her gaze flicked briefly to Alma and Eunice. ”Besides, this party has a promising Attacker and Healer. There’s hope yet.”

Alma gave a wry smile, tapping her Black Staff against the floor. ”Don’t worry. With this thing, we’ll be fine.”

”And I’ll give it everything I’ve got!” Eunice added.

Between Alma, famed for the devastating firepower her staff unleashed, and Eunice, celebrated for her peculiar yet effective Dumpling [ skill, radiated quiet determination. Camille seemed pleased by their spirit and prompted the conversation to move on to strategy.

”For all we know, its nests have become impossible to find now,” Weiss started explaining ”So brute force remains our best option. That’s why I wanted every role except Healer to be filled by someone strong. This time, though, we’ll add Tanks to the mix.”

”Let me guess,” Camille said with a smirk, ”You and Leon?”

”Exactly.”

Weiss, armed with [ and its self-healing properties, would serve as the primary Tank, while Leon, with his agility-boosting [, would act as an evasion-based Tank. Their combined roles were crucial in creating openings for Alma and Camille to unleash their full offensive potential.

”There’s a chance the Shell Crab will use unavoidable area attacks,” Weiss added. ”That’s why I’ll probably be the first to die. Eunice will need to use Dumpling [ as a failsafe.”

Many aspects of the mutated Shell Crab remained a mystery; no party had ever successfully tracked it back to its nest, let alone witnessed its final-phase behavior. Eunice’s ability to prepare Dumpling [ on demand made her indispensable as the party’s Healer.

”We’ll practice coordination in the earlier layers,” Weiss continued. ”But the strategy is simple: just push fast and don’t overthink it. We have nothing to lose.”

”Straightforward. ” Camille nodded. ”I like it.”

”Do you?” Alma interjected, exasperation evident in her voice. ”Just hearing it is exhausting.”

”Still, isn’t it fascinating? The Shell Crab only mutated because of overhunting. A purely human problem.”

”‘Fascinating’ isn’t the word I’d use,” Alma shot back, shaking her head. ”It’s just hubris, plain and simple. And it’s gotten so popular that if we treat it like bait now — like when we fought the Devourer Dragon — we’ll be crucified by public opinion. Can you imagine the backlash? Selfish, isn’t it?”

”No argument here,” Camille said with a soft chuckle.

”……”

The conversation drifted, moving from tactical deliberations about the fiftieth layer to broader musings on the Shell Crab and the public’s sentiments. Weiss, having said all he needed to, fell silent.

Camille and Alma carried on the discussion effortlessly. Meanwhile, Eunice remained quiet, her fox ears twitching slightly, as though waiting for the right moment to speak.

”Eunice?” Camille called gently, tilting her head. The motion was unassuming, but her gaze held a knowing weight. She had seen this kind of hesitation before — Amy had the same look whenever she was working up the courage to speak. ”Looks like you have something on your mind. Care to share?”

Startled, Eunice’s ears twitched, her tail flicking faintly behind her.

”W-well, yes, Guild Master,” she stammered. ”There’s something I’d like to ask.”

Camille gave a nod of encouragement. ”Go on.”

”What do you think of the Dumpling [?”

The question caught Camille off guard, her brows lifting slightly. It wasn’t what she’d expected.

”I’m no Healer myself, so I can’t claim expertise,” she began, choosing her words carefully, ”but it’s an extraordinary skill — that’s without question. A technique that allows someone to resurrect themselves would be invaluable. Wasn’t it even featured on the front page of the newspapers?”

”But Tsutomu doesn’t seem interested in practicing it. He hasn’t even thanked me for creating it… Sometimes, I wonder if it’s not such a big deal after all.”

There was something raw in her tone, a vulnerability that made Camille pause. She had assumed Eunice’s sharpness toward Tsutomu came from arrogance — something she thought would only amplify with this newfound fame. Yet here Eunice was, less a celebrated prodigy and more a lost cub, her wide eyes pleading for validation.

”Even if he doesn’t acknowledge it, that doesn’t diminish what you’ve accomplished. The Dumpling [ is remarkable, no matter who does or doesn’t praise it.”

Eunice’s lips twitched into a tentative smile, though her gaze remained uncertain. ”…I suppose you’re right.”

Camille studied her expression for a beat longer before making a mental note to have a word with Tsutomu the next time their paths crossed.