Live Dungeon!

With neither Ealdred Crow nor Silver Beast descending into the Dungeon that day, all eyes were on Monitor #1, where the main party of Absolute Helix was being broadcast. The crowd’s attention was fixed on them, currently waiting on the eighty-ninth layer.

”C’mon, just drink some Blue Potions and get going already…”

”What’s the holdup?”

Grumbling to themselves, Dungeon Maniacs and casual spectators alike watched from wherever they found comfortable: some seated on benches near the food stalls of the market, nibbling at snacks; others standing with drinks in hand. Hawkers moved deftly through the crowd, uncorking small kegs strapped to their backs and pouring drinks for eager customers. With Tsutomu’s life on the line and the gateway to the ninetieth layer looming, the atmosphere was electric.

And then, as Tsutomu and his party finally rose and began their march toward the Black Gate, the crowd erupted — cheers, whistles, clapping. Some were devoted fans of Absolute Helix, others were simply drawn by the spectacle, and more than a few had wagered coin on whether Tsutomu would live or die.

In the designated spectator seating near Monitor #1, the Team 2 members of Absolute Helix had gathered to watch the first team’s attempt. Amy, Amira, and Korinna sat close together, their eyes on the screen.

”Ah, here we go!”

”Tch, took ’em long enough.”

”Now, now. Let’s just enjoy the show.”

”Piss off.”

Nearby, Xeno and Garm sat conversing in hushed tones, eyes fixed on the Monitor.

”I hope Daryl holds up well,” Xeno murmured.

”He’ll be fine,” Garm replied with certainty.

Onscreen, Tsutomu’s party stepped through the Black Gate and entered the ninetieth layer — where the Corrupted Shell awaited. Combat commenced.

”Area Attack, Pattern One!”

”Whoa, Tsutomu’s fast!”

”He’s not even looking at his skill shots while moving. That’s harder than it looks… though White Mages are apparently used to it.”

They had practiced evasive maneuvers based on footage from Ealdred Crow, and it was paying off. Despite being the slowest in the party, Tsutomu was reaching safety as quickly as anyone else. Perhaps that was thanks to the diagrams he had drawn up beforehand — summarizing every variation of the Corrupted Shell’s area attacks. His calls were precise, his movements calculated, each one based on a keen prediction of the enemy’s behavior.

Even as the battlefield grew chaotic, with forced movement and obstructed sightlines, Tsutomu never once let healing or support fall behind. It might have looked unremarkable to those unfamiliar with Healers, but the finesse with which he differentiated between normal shots and orb placements — tailoring his support to each teammate — was far from ordinary.

”Absolute Helix is doing surprisingly well,” one viewer remarked. ”They’re dodging the big hits, and Tsutomu’s not looking half bad.”

”Still not as quick as Lorena, though.” another replied.

Silver Beast had attempted the ninetieth layer just days prior. Like Ealdred Crow, they had studied the Corrupted Shell and managed to clear the early phase by dodging a fair number of area attacks. But once the creature began deploying its signature purple Mystic Eyes, their formation unraveled — and they were wiped out.

Lorena, Silver Beast’s Mobile Healer, had become something of a crowd favorite. She never stopped moving and avoided every attack to the very end. Her solo performance had earned her applause, and the party’s overall progress had matched that of Ealdred Crow, raising expectations that they might soon break through the layer.

”Looks like it’s gonna be a three-way race now,” someone commented.

”Think we’ll see another first-attempt clear?”

”Doubt it. This time’s different. Absolute Helix has always cleared layers by following in Ealdred Crow’s footsteps. But no one’s beaten the ninetieth yet. And honestly? They’re just copying Ealdred’s strategies.” ŗÂƝՕＢĚ𝐬

”Yeah, but they’re moving better than Silver Beast, at least. Feels more stable.”

”Sure, but the real test is when those purple eyes show up.”

While the Dungeon Maniacs debated, Daryl and Hannah were rotating aggro like clockwork — Daryl the physical Tank absorbing hits, and Hannah the evasive one darting in and out. Meanwhile, Diniel chipped away at the Corrupted Shell’s defenses.

Then, just as predicted, the purple Mystic Eyes began to appear.

”Now let’s see how they deal with those…”

It was a lethal setup: purple Mystic Eyes that killed on sight, wide-area attacks, and direct attacks from the Corrupted Shell itself. Ealdred Crow and Silver Beast had almost always failed at this point. The Mystic Eyes alone were enough to petrify a person in seconds, and their placement ramped up the pressure tenfold. Even seasoned Tanks couldn’t keep up with everything, what with claws, charges, and petrification to contend with.

This phase was also notorious for its unpredictability — like being knocked down and accidentally opening your eyes to a Mystic Eye’s gaze, or being slowed by petrification just in time to get caught in a separate attack. More often than not, it ended in disaster.

”Whoa… they survived that?”

Absolute Helix had taken a different approach. They accepted a certain level of petrification and focused entirely on dodging the Mystic Eyes and area attacks. It was a risky strategy, but it worked.

Hannah, quick to react, was nimble enough to dodge even after the Corrupted Shell threw out a hit. Daryl, on the other hand, intentionally kept his viewpoint fixed, allowing himself to Tank attacks rather than risk a fatal glance at the Mystic Eyes. The strategy worked only because of Tsutomu — calm, composed, and fully aware of the enemy’s patterns — directing the battle with confidence.

So far, the Healer closest to matching Tsutomu in this regard was Ealdred Crow’s Stephanie — who had the most real combat experience. Her adaptability left little to be desired.

”[ — Area Attack, Pattern Four! Daryl, hold position! Leleia, advance straight ahead! [! Hannah, over here!”

Yet when compared to Tsutomu — who had fought through hundreds of battles against Corrupted Shells in Live Dungeon and entered this world armed with that prior knowledge — the difference between them was stark and undeniable. Though he lacked firsthand experience battling Corrupted Shells in this world, Tsutomu had already grown fully accustomed to acting as a Healer here. He wielded his knowledge not as trivia to be wasted, but as a weapon — moving with a precision that far outstripped anything he had ever displayed in Live Dungeon itself.

The battle unfolded, and again and again, the Corrupted Shell’s triple-offense combos struck — but Absolute Helix’s party formation held firm. Their cohesion owed much to Diniel’s well-timed shots, interrupting the enemy’s movements, and to the Spirits who boosted Daryl and Hannah’s status ratings through well-timed contracts and support. And above all, it was Tsutomu’s healing and command — flawless, unerring, never a wasted word — that kept the team standing.

”Mm-hmm, yeah, Dini’s still scary strong, huh…” Amy muttered with admiration as Diniel’s image played across Monitor #1.

”Tch,” came a sharp exhale beside her.

In stark contrast to Amy’s impressed tone, Amira watched Leleia’s movements with a simmering scowl. Both women were highly accomplished Attackers, capable of dishing out damage without compromising their support for the Tanks and Healers — but in that moment, the tension between admiration and envy was palpable.

”Man, that’s insane. How’d they even come up with all these counter strats?”

”Tsutomu’s incredibly meticulous with his research. He even came to me with questions.”

”Yeah, he’s been watching the same damn fights every week. Can’t believe how far he’s taken it.”

”Well, looks like that puts Ealdred Crow and Silver Beast behind them. No surprises there.”

The Dungeon Maniacs had all seen Tsutomu’s face when he spoke about God’s Dungeon — that unfiltered joy, that childlike awe. Though they were Explorers themselves, there was something about him that made them feel like kindred spirits. So they nodded in admiration, smiling as if Absolute Helix’s success were their own. But among the crowd were those who had bet on Tsutomu’s death — and their faces were beginning to pale.

”…Huh? What’s it doing?”

”Whoa. That’s new. What’s it doing now?”

While murmurs of confusion spread through the audience — the monster’s Mystic Eyes glinting violet as they strained to follow — the Corrupted Shell suddenly bowed its head and began to float upward. Tsutomu’s team tensed, wary, even as the crowd buzzed with excited anticipation. And then, with no warning, it unleashed a wide-range petrification attack. The effect was instantaneous. Three of them — gone, frozen into stone.

”Holy–! Are they dead!?”

”Hannah, and… wait, Daryl too? Leleia’s down — definitely dead. But Diniel and Tsutomu — still up.”

”What the hell is that? That’s broken!”

The crowd could only gape, stunned, as three members of the party were turned into lifeless statues in an instant. Those who had bet on Tsutomu’s death looked rejuvenated. Amy clutched her head, overwhelmed by the sheer absurdity of what had just happened.

”You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

”This is… rough…” Korinna said. ”With two Tanks down, they’ll likely never recover… Though if anyone can pull something off, maybe Diniel could…”

”Nah,” Amy said quietly. ”She’s already given up.”

Amy knew Diniel well enough to tell — in her eyes, the fire had gone out. Just as Amy had feared, Diniel quietly gathered her equipment, then chose death on her own terms.

”What the hell!? She could’ve kept going!”

”Mmm… maybe, if at least one Tank had survived. But now…”

”That coward!”

Amira seethed at Diniel’s choice. Amy, too, thought it wasn’t the best call from one Attacker to another, but she understood. Better to withdraw now, analyze that terrifying new attack, and return better prepared — than to drag out a hopeless battle.

Still, everyone in Absolute Helix knew how much Tsutomu hated the idea of dying in God’s Dungeon. And watching him desperately try to stop Diniel from giving up, Amy’s heart sank. She lowered her brows, sympathy written across her face. Garm crossed his arms, his expression also tightening as he watched.

”All right, that’s that! Let’s hurry and cash out before the crowd rush!”

”Time for a good drink, eh? Gahahaha!”

”Here’s to Tsutomu’s first on-screen death!”

Until now, Tsutomu’s death had never been witnessed by the crowd — making this spectacle something of a twisted celebration. While all the other Explorers had died at least once, Tsutomu alone had eluded that fate — and many harbored envy, even resentment, because of it.

And when Diniel fell, her body torn down by the Corrupted Shell, nearly all eyes in the audience turned to the Monitor with a savage, gleaming interest — like spectators at an arena waiting for a gladiator to be devoured by beasts.

”[!”

But Tsutomu did not die.

Instead, he chose to fight. With a firm voice, he cast the resurrection skill — and brought Daryl back first, buying himself just enough time to weather the onslaught. The audience stared, half in awe, half in disbelief.

”Oh come on. What’s the point of struggling?”

”Buzzkill. Just die already so I can cash out.”

”Quit dragging it out. Lay down and die.”

The crowd jeered, eager to settle their bets. Even those not betting watched in silence, their expressions twisted with disdain. There was no salvaging the fight now. At best, he could revive two — any more would unbalance aggro and break formation. A three-man party was no match for a foe like this. And so, to keep clinging to the Monitor #1 slot felt, to the viewers, inconsiderate.

And yet, Tsutomu did not yield.

”It’s going to be rough without a Healer. Looks like they’ll have to fight with just three of them… but honestly, there’s no way they can win, right? I don’t see any chance of a comeback if they keep stalling here.”

”They’re probably just desperate to preserve their record. Let’s… just let them try, eh? More importantly, shouldn’t we be focusing on the attack that took down three of them?”

”…Yeah, you’re right.”

The Dungeon Maniacs made no mention of Tsutomu’s desperate attempt to salvage the situation. Instead, they turned their attention to analyzing the attack from the Corrupted Shell — an assault it had revealed for the first time just moments ago. Interest in Monitor #1 waned rapidly, the crowd’s mood shifting as if the battle had already ended.

Sensing the tide of resignation around her, one girl shot to her feet, her expression blazing with barely contained fury.

”STUPID @#!%(#^)^@^¥ MORONS! Why are you wishing so hard for a guy to die, huh!?”

”Hey! Don’t pick a fight with them!”

”P-please don’t make a scene!”

”…Tch. I know! You don’t have to tell me!”

Amy and Korinna had each seized one of Amira’s arms to hold her back. With her path blocked, all she could do was glare daggers at the spectators mouthing off behind her.

”[!”

”…Look. He’s not giving up yet. This is where it gets good,” Amira muttered as she watched Tsutomu resurrect Leleia, then dropped back into her seat.

Amy and Korinna exchanged glances before quietly sitting down as well. But still — the battle was as good as over.

Daryl was doing his best to draw aggro. With luck, they could afford one more resurrection. But beyond that, it would be impossible. They would be forced to continue the fight with only three members, and the odds would turn grim.

”[!”

”…What?”

But then, Tsutomu cast the resurrection skill again, bringing Hannah back to life — their ranks were up to four now. The act drew a surge of aggro from the Corrupted Shell, causing it to focus on him. Even so, just seconds later, he resurrected Diniel as well. Korinna gaped in disbelief, and the crowd of spectators and Dungeon Maniacs let out a collective groan.

”What the hell is he doing? There’s no way they’d beat the Corrupted Shell without a Healer.”

”Did he give up? I guess it’s better than dragging it out pointlessly…”

”Did he panic and cast [ without thinking? …No. Tsutomu’s not the type to lose his head.”

Currently, the only way to cure petrification was with a status effect recovery skill — a task exclusive to Healers. Once the Healer was down, a prolonged battle was no longer viable. Resurrecting someone might’ve made sense in a last-ditch push… but if Tsutomu were eliminated in this situation, the fight would end right then and there. Even casual viewers who had been following this boss battle through the Monitors knew that much.

So when Tsutomu began recklessly reviving allies, the audience criticized him. The Dungeon Maniacs, however, looked on with puzzled expressions and resumed their analysis.

Then Tsutomu took to the skies with [, weaving through the Corrupted Shell’s attacks with mosquito-like agility.

”…He’s good,” one of the Dungeon Maniacs murmured.

His movement was slick, fluid. And every so often, he would shift gears with sudden bursts of acceleration, mimicking Hannah’s erratic rhythm. The Corrupted Shell struggled to pin him down. Watching him, Xeno — who had taught Tsutomu flight control — raised an eyebrow in surprise, then cracked a satisfied smile.

But the Corrupted Shell quickly adapted.

…And as if waiting for that moment, Tsutomu dropped back to the ground and took off running.

”…Wait, is he–”

”Mobile Healer style, huh? Not quite up to Lorena’s level, though.”

He was imitating Lorena’s moves. But given the difference in physical capabilities, his movements looked far clumsier than hers. Even so, he had the fundamentals down. For all intents and purposes, he was a Mobile Healer.

After dodging several more attacks on the ground, he used the Undine for a burst of unorthodox movement. The audience, taken aback, slowly fell silent. Their earlier jeers were replaced by awe.

”Wait… he’s holding up better than I thought. I figured he’d be dead in seconds.”

”Yeah, but Daryl still can’t pull aggro for a while. I don’t think Tsutomu can last that long.”

”…Ah, he got hit. He was doing great, but that might be it.”

Tsutomu had lost his footing when the stretched-out Undine was sliced apart, exposing him to a follow-up strike. Hannah barely managed to deflect it with her Magic Fist, but the damage was done — Tsutomu staggered, pebbles falling from his abdomen. His VIT was low to begin with. Even a grazing blow from the Corrupted Shell was lethal.

He was in tatters, hanging on by a thread. But unlike before, the audience let out a collective sigh — not of scorn, but of regret.

Then Tsutomu’s expression hardened with resolve, and he charged straight toward the Corrupted Shell. His last layers of [ flickered and shattered as he closed the distance. The crowd held its breath.

”…He… he might actually do it.”

”Come on! You’ve got this! You can still turn it around!”

”GOOOOOO!! TSUTOMUUUUUU!!”

The man who usually kept his cool behind the frontlines, calmly supporting and healing, was now locked in a desperate struggle, clawing toward victory. That contrast only fueled the crowd’s excitement. Their cheers swelled as Tsutomu pressed forward — closer, ever closer — until finally he stood face-to-face with the creature.

”Ahhh!! It grabbed him!!”

”It’s over!? He actually got so close, too!”

”Man, he was doing so good, though… What a shame.”

And just like that, their hope was dashed. The Corrupted Shell seized Tsutomu in its hand, snuffing out the last flickers of resistance. The same white light it had used to wipe out the others gathered at its palm, engulfing Tsutomu completely.

The Corrupted Shell let out a low, guttural laugh — convinced, now, of its victory.

”Tsutomu!”

Amy could not help but cry out, eyes brimming with tears as her hands clenched tightly together. Korinna looked down, disappointment written across her face. Amira said nothing. She merely stared at the Monitor, not even blinking, as if frozen in place.

”[, [, […!”

”What…?”

To everyone’s shock, Tsutomu downed a gray-colored Potion and continued casting [, bracing himself against the petrification attack. The moment the crowd realized what they were seeing, the silence shattered — replaced by a roar that burst up from deep in their bellies.

”What the hell!? He’s still alive! How!?”

”WHOAAAAAA!!”

Nobody really understood what was happening, but one thing was clear: the fight wasn’t over yet. Hope reignited like wildfire. All eyes locked onto Monitor #1, and the arena erupted with a feverish energy.

”…[? Is that what did the trick?”

”No, there’s no way that’s the key. That last attack — it’s the same kind of move that petrified the others, right?”

”Yeah, but… what about that Potion? I’ve never seen anything like it. That color…”

The Dungeon Maniacs, who were more informed than most, stared in disbelief. Their faces betrayed confusion as they exchanged glances, utterly thrown off by Tsutomu’s inexplicable defiance.

Meanwhile, the Corrupted Shell shifted targets to Daryl. Tsutomu — flung into the air — was caught mid-fall by Hannah, who braced herself to take the impact for him.

”Wait, hold on. He’s brought the whole team back! Why’s nobody talking about this!?”

”Yeah! That’s insane! Nobody’s ever done that!”

”Even Stephanie only managed three, right…?”

Realization dawned across the crowd. Tsutomu had resurrected four party members — and survived. He had rebuilt his team from the brink of annihilation. Gasps turned to cheers as the audience erupted once again. Even the Dungeon Maniacs were too stunned to speak, and Korinna could only gape in awe.

Tsutomu was not done. As the Corrupted Shell began to shift its tactics, he responded in kind — adapting on the fly. He kept Daryl from collapsing, supporting and healing him without letting his vitality drop. Hannah stepped into the role of Attacker, trusting Daryl — despite the absurd level of aggro he had drawn — to Tank full-time. Leleia and Diniel joined in the assault, slowly chipping away at the monstrous foe.

”Holy crap!!”

”They beat it — on his first try!”

”No way — NO WAY!!”

”My money!! I bet everything on their loss!!”

”You’ve gotta be kidding me! I even used up all my savings!”

Jubilant cheers from the honest spectators mixed with the anguished wails of those who had placed unfortunate bets. Amidst the chaos, Absolute Helix Team 1 stood victorious. They had conquered the ninetieth layer.

”…Hell yeah,” Amira whispered.

She watched Tsutomu cast [ on himself one last time — deflecting Daryl as the latter was about to jump on him — before collapsing with a satisfied smile painted on his face even as his strength gave out.

”Damn it…” Amira muttered, eyes glassy with emotion. ”I wanted to be in the main party too. I want to fight by your side…!”

She clenched her fists, head bowed in frustration. Amy stood beside her, nodding with newfound resolve. Korinna stared ahead, still in disbelief. Next to them, Xeno grinned, the ends of his lips turning sharper, more daring. And Garm, fur bristling, his indigo tail standing on end, abruptly rose to his feet and strode away with solid, determined steps.

Silavin: Damn, the past few chapters have been a true highlight of this novel. Wish this novel was more popular, we are only halfway to catch up. But, the raws are still ongoing so…