Live Dungeon!

”…A-anyway, I think we’re done here. Please take her back with you,” Tsutomu said, his voice carrying a mix of exhaustion and relief.

”…U-uh, sure,” Leon replied, still processing the situation.

Eunice, who had been struggling with restless nights, was now fast asleep, her breathing calm and even. As Tsutomu gently handed her over to Leon, he did his best to ignore the curious, probing stares of onlookers. With his task done, he quickly gestured for his party members to follow. Watching their retreating figures, Camille wore a smug grin, while Alma’s furrowed brow betrayed her irritation.

”Ah, sorry, but can you let her rest for a bit longer?” Leon asked tentatively.

”I don’t mind,” Camille replied.

”…I guess there’s no helping it. It’d feel wrong to wake her up now,” Alma said after a moment of hesitation. Her initial annoyance gave way to reluctant acceptance as she observed Eunice’s serene face.

And so the mixed group of the Scarlet Devil Squad, Golden Tune, and the Guild Master disbanded for the time being, agreeing to reconvene in the afternoon to observe the mutated Shell Crab through the Monitors.

▽▽

”Are you enjoying using those petting techniques Amy taught you to charm other women?” Diniel asked, her tone dripping with dry amusement.

”…Please don’t say strange things like that,” Tsutomu replied, flinching slightly.

”At this rate, you can’t complain if Amy decides to stab you. I’d back her up — with my arrows.”

Diniel’s sharp words, delivered in her usual languid tone, were relentless. She was clearly unamused that the squabble had ruined a precious day of training for the other party — the party poised to rival Absolute Helix.

The group’s male members, apparently unwilling to defend Tsutomu this time, stayed conspicuously silent. Their unusual inaction mirrored Diniel’s typical aloofness, making her barb sting all the more.

[Man, why does my list of embarrassing moments just keep growing here…?]

Regret churned within Tsutomu as he replayed many of his earlier actions that had led to his. He couldn’t help but scold himself for not learning from the countless awkward blunders already etched into his memory from his time playing Live Dungeon.

Around him, the gazes of Explorers and Guild staff felt pointed and cold, as though they were silently judging him. Overwhelmed by a growing desire to crawl into a hole and disappear, he forced himself to straighten his back and look forward.

”…Anyway! Let’s head down to the eighty-fifth layer to check on the Fallen Lich! I also want to test the new equipment and strategies,” he suddenly declared.

For all his bravado, the truth was simple: the Dungeon offered an easy escape. The needle mat of social discomfort he found himself in now was far worse than any battlefield. The eighty-fifth layer, rarely visited except by the likes of Ealdred Crow or Silver Beast, promised solace. As a Healer, he could focus entirely on his role, free from extraneous thoughts. With this in mind, he pushed himself to propose the plan — which, thankfully, Garm and Daryl followed without question.

”…All right, let’s do that,” Garm said.

”Y-yes! Let’s go!” Daryl added, his enthusiasm forced but earnest.

Diniel, however, saw through Tsutomu’s transparent attempt to flee.

”Don’t think you can run away,” she quipped.

Xeno, too, responded with a faint, wry smile. ”Diniel, just let him be,” he said, his tone almost pitying.

Ignoring all their remarks, Tsutomu hurried to complete the party’s registration. Before anyone could say more, he stepped onto a teleportation Magic Circle, vanishing with an almost desperate swiftness.

▽▽

The eighty-fifth layer greeted the team with its dim atmosphere, the ominous red moon casting a foreboding glow over the desolate landscape. Yet, as Tsutomu stretched and took a deep, steadying breath, he seemed momentarily at peace, as though the dark surroundings were paradise.

Diniel, who had been observing him with her usual detached demeanor, chose not to comment further. Instead, she busied herself with adjusting her bowstring. Garm and Daryl, meanwhile, stood still as Xeno powered up their equipment with [.

[It’s been a while since I’ve gone without a Spirit,] Tsutomu thought, his mind briefly drifting to his recent explorations with Leleia.

Contracting with Spirits had become second nature, with how their abilities enhanced his capabilities in so many ways. For now, though, Tsutomu embraced the change — acting solo felt oddly refreshing.

Among the Spirits, the Undine stood out as the most versatile, its blend of offense, defense, and boost to mental strength proving invaluable. The Gnome was another solid choice for the current set of layers, with its compatibility with light-based monsters offering a distinct advantage. The Salamander’s fire magic and STR boost also had their merits. However, the Sylph, with its buff being AGI — a status he couldn’t fully utilize — and lack of elemental advantage, made it a less appealing option; it was usually reserved for Leleia’s use.

”All right, Garm and Daryl, stick to the usual roles. Xeno, I’d like you to take on a more Attacker-oriented approach this time. As for me… I’ll lean more toward offense as well,” Tsutomu instructed.

”Understood!” Daryl responded immediately.

”Got it,” Garm chimed in.

With three Tanks forming the backbone of their team, Tsutomu had adjusted Xeno’s role, assigning him to exploit his light-element skills offensively — a shift that maximized the group’s versatility. For his part, Tsutomu was determined to push himself beyond the safety of his usual support-heavy style, taking a more aggressive stance.

This evolution wasn’t without reason. Collaborative explorations with Silver Beast had yielded more than just progress for the team. Lorena, the Mobile Healer from Silver Beast, had honed her craft significantly, swiftly integrating Tsutomu’s aggro management into her own style. But the learning had been mutual. Watching Lorena dart across the frontlines with deft precision had inspired Tsutomu to adapt his own practice sessions, rethinking how a Healer might operate dynamically in the thick of combat.

”[.”

As such, Tsutomu had devoted considerable effort to mastering aerial mobility, rebalancing his training regimen to include not just healing skills but also the intricacies of [. He’d sought guidance from Xeno, whose aerial control was reliable if not dazzling, and studied Hannah, the most gifted flyer of Absolute Helix.

[Well, there’s no way I could ever move like Hannah, though… She’s just on a completely different level.]

Hannah’s talent bordered on the supernatural. A Birdkin by heritage but born without the innate ability to fly, she had developed an obsession with mastering [. Her relentless practice had propelled her to astonishing heights — figuratively and literally. With the spell active, she performed jaw-dropping aerial feats: sudden, hairpin turns; lightning-fast accelerations; and abrupt halts that almost defied inertia.

Tsutomu had once attempted to replicate her maneuvers — and immediately realized they were beyond him. The memory still sent shivers down his spine. The unsettling sensation of his organs shifting unnaturally within his body, the nausea and dizziness from rapid direction changes — it was an ordeal he’d quickly sworn off repeating. Even if he could suppress the physical discomfort, there remained the bone-deep fear of high-speed flight. Going fast was one thing; the thought of colliding mid-air with an ally or monster at such speeds, especially given his low VIT, was another entirely. One bad hit, and it could mean serious injury.

And yet, Tsutomu persisted — in moderation. Not because he wanted to emulate Hannah’s daredevil stunts, but because he recognized the practical necessity of improving his aerial control. Under Xeno’s patient guidance, he gradually achieved smoother trajectories and fewer instances of vertigo. As his confidence grew, so too did his appreciation for the sheer skill that Hannah brought to the table.

[Even among Birdkin, only a handful could pull off maneuvers like hers. Her fellow villager, Haltto, has similar skills. Honestly, maybe everyone in their village should just become Explorers…]

Before delving into this training, Tsutomu had assumed that all Birdkin possessed Hannah’s brand of aerial mastery. As it turned out, however, few Birdkin could replicate her movements or even had the audacity to try. He realized he should have seen the signs earlier, particularly with how she was crazy enough to continue training in Magic Fist techniques. Hannah was simply built differently — fearless to a fault. Where others instinctively hit the brakes, she floored the accelerator without a second thought.

[Well, I’ll just make sure to stack all the safety nets before I hit the gas…]

Tsutomu, by contrast, had always been cautious by nature. His style was methodical, reliant on planning and preparation rather than raw instinct. He wasn’t about to risk life and limb imitating Hannah’s reckless brilliance. But he could pave the way for safer maneuvers — layering protections and fail-safes so that even someone as risk-averse as himself could push the limits.

While carefully monitoring the levels of aggro between himself and the Tanks during battle, Tsutomu cast [ on himself. The skill bolstered his defenses considerably, providing the reassurance he needed to move with confidence — even if he were to collide with something while flying at high speed, the [ would spare him from serious harm. This insurance allowed Tsutomu to set aside his lingering fears and develop a flying style refined enough to earn a nod of approval from Hannah.

”[!”

The fruits of his effort were evident. Even here, on the dim and perilous eighty-fifth layer, his adaptation to a flying Healer role proved effective. By combining his deep knowledge of the local monsters’ attack patterns with his improved flight skills, Tsutomu was able to evade strikes that would have been unavoidable in Live Dungeon.

”My [ is about to wear off. Daryl, take over aggro control!” he called out.

”Yes, sir!” Daryl answered promptly.

But once his protective [ expired, the confidence Tsutomu had while flying began to waver, forcing him to pull back and adopt a more cautious approach. This limitation meant he couldn’t sustain his flying style indefinitely.

In such moments, Tsutomu couldn’t help but reflect on Stephanie, the Healer whose mastery of her craft extended seamlessly into aerial combat. With her more extensive experience and mental fortitude, Stephanie seemed naturally suited for the role of a flying Healer in situations like this.

[With my mental energy running low, maybe it’s better to stick to cycling [ and support-healing while managing aggro… Chugging Blue Potions like crazy would be the last resort — basically I-need-a-diaper territory,] he thought with a grimace.

While Blue Potions could replenish mental energy in an instant, over-reliance on them came with a notorious drawback — unfortunate bladder issues — a situation Tsutomu preferred not to dwell on, especially during grueling boss battles where retreat was not an option. The image of such a catastrophe was enough to make him cringe.

And so, determined to push past his lingering awkwardness and insecurities, Tsutomu buried himself in his role as a Healer, steadying his focus and preparing himself for what lay ahead.