Live Dungeon!

The morning after Absolute Helix’s Team 1 challenged the hundredth layer, the Clan’s daily stamina training run began, as always, with the Tanks making up the majority of the participants.

Among them, Garm, who usually claimed the top position, was pacing steadily near the front, his gaze fixed on the figure of Tsutomu running ahead of him… or, technically, trailing a whole lap behind. Still, he was keeping a respectable pace; it was taking longer than usual for Garm to catch up, and Tsutomu did not seem to be struggling for breath. He was not pushing himself to the limit, just running with steady focus.

[So he’s fired up for the hundredth layer, eh? Makes sense.]

After all, this could be the end of the line, the final layer of God’s Dungeon. If they were the first to conquer it, their names might be spoken in Dungeon City for generations to come. For someone like Tsutomu, who had shown a near-obsessive devotion to the Dungeon, that sort of legacy would be a powerful motivator.

[And yet… no reaction today.]

Ordinarily, as soon as Tsutomu heard Garm’s approaching footsteps, he would turn around and wave him off irritably, or quicken his pace with a look that said ‘Don’t you dare.’ Their encounters during these runs had become something of a ritual. It was almost an everyday occurrence, considering how surprisingly often Tsutomu participated in the morning runs. Even Daryl and Leleia had begun running faster, if only to get the satisfaction of lapping Tsutomu at least once.

[Still… it feels a little lonely without it.]

When Tsutomu was physically worn down during these runs, he often became more goofy, in a good way. Sometimes he would pretend to trip, trying to provoke a reaction. Garm would typically pass him in silence, suppressing a sigh. But today, he had half-expected something ridiculous again and had looked forward to it. A small part of him was disappointed.

He came up beside Tsutomu, deliberately matching his pace.

”…”

”…”

In normal circumstances, Tsutomu would’ve made some sarcastic remark by now. Instead, he continued running, eyes vacant, focused straight ahead. He wasn’t too exhausted to speak; he just seemed lost in thought.

[…I’d only be bothering him.]

Garm had stuck with Tsutomu through all the twists and turns. The Lucky Boy fiasco, the unprecedented Stampede, the formation of Absolute Helix, and his own unexpected return to the Explorer scene from Guild Staff. But if the hundredth layer truly was the end, what would come after?

Tsutomu had said he would decide the future of the Clan after they cleared the hundredth layer and saw the outcome. Still, Garm could not help wondering: what then? Tsutomu disliked venturing into other Dungeons. There was a real chance he might retire from being an Explorer altogether.

Garm wanted to talk to him, to gently probe where things were heading, but now didn’t seem like the time. So he quietly picked up his pace and passed him. Even so, he found himself slowing again, casting glances over his shoulder in the faint hope Tsutomu would notice.

”…Wait, is that Sir Garm up ahead?”

Just as Garm resolved to leave the conversation for after the run and picked up his speed with a deep breath, a lazy-sounding voice called out from behind. It was Daryl, catching up in his heavy armor… thanks to Garm’s own reduced pace while watching Tsutomu.

”Heyyy! Sir Tsutomuuu!!”

[That fool…!]

Garm’s ears twitched. He caught Daryl’s voice with sharp precision, and mentally scolded him for his thoughtless timing. But it was far too late to intervene. Garm simply leaned forward and angled his doglike ears slightly back, secretly listening in.

”Sir Tsutomu? Wait, are you out of breath already?”

”…Hmm? Nah, I’m fine.”

”Thinking about something?”

”Yeah, you could say that.”

”Well, we ARE about to take on the hundredth layer, after all! I’ve been thinking about it a lot, too!”

”Right.”

[Truly lost in thought… Good thing I didn’t interrupt.]

Judging by his tone, Tsutomu was not exactly thrilled to be talking to someone else at this moment. Garm allowed himself a small smirk of vindication. Still, Daryl remained oblivious and continued speaking with his usual cheerful enthusiasm.

”Wasn’t Miss Diniel amazing yesterday? Her moves were so sharp, and how should I put it… she totally didn’t give up, not even at the end!”

”Yeah. That really did surprise me.”

”You lit that fire under her, didn’t you? Or maybe I should say… it was thanks to you?”

”Eh, just pick whichever one you like. Either way, she overcame one of her weaknesses, and that’s what matters.”

”I mean, I still think you might’ve gone a little overboard, though…”

”It wasn’t a calculated plan or anything. I actually was just super salty and threw anything I could think of at her.”

”Well, that’s kind of a problem in itself… But anyway, you’ve gotten a lot stronger, haven’t you? Before, you wouldn’t even be able to answer if someone talked to you during a run.”

”Nah, I just ignored you all those times.”

”…Seriously!?”

[…]

Garm, listening in from a few paces ahead, wore a look of mixed disbelief and amusement as he kept his ears trained on the gradually intensifying conversation.

”But now that we’re finally at the hundredth layer… do you think this is really the end of God’s Dungeon?”

”I’ve heard that question a million times already.”

”Surely it hasn’t been a million times.”

”You know what a figure of speech is, right?”

”All right, all right, I get it. So, what are you going to do, Sir Tsutomu?” Daryl asked, voice casual but full of genuine curiosity. ”If the hundredth layer really is the end. Oh, and by the way… Miss Diniel said yesterday that if you ever quit being an Explorer, she wouldn’t forgive you.”

It was the question Garm had been hoping someone would ask and Daryl, in his usual unfiltered way, had done it for him. Silently, Garm offered his thanks as he continued to listen in, ears angled to catch every word.

Tsutomu responded with a vague murmur, his attitude as evasive as ever.

”We won’t know until we get there. I mean, I am making a few preparations, just in case.”

”Preparations?” Daryl parroted.

”I can’t exactly call it quits out of nowhere and just say, ‘That’s it, Clan’s disbanded, buy guys!’ you know? Especially when Garm and Amy both quit their Guild jobs to come here. I’d at least have to give them enough Gold to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. Well… maybe not Amy, being an idol as popular as she is. She’s probably got all she needs already.”

”Still, I’d really prefer it if we didn’t disband…” Daryl muttered.

”By the way, I’m not giving YOU anything,” Tsutomu said flatly. ”You’ll probably end up freeloading off a rich lady anyway, so why bother, right?”

”What!? No way! I’m not going to be anyone’s freeloader!”

”Exactly what a freeloader would say… Ugh, okay, I’m really starting to feel it now. I’m done talking. Go on ahead already.”

With his breath getting rough from talking while running, Tsutomu waved his hand as if to shoo off a stray dog, making it clear the conversation was over. Daryl shot him a mildly irritated glare, then hurried to pass him, legs pumping hard to catch up with Garm.

”Sir Gaaarm!!”

”…”

”Wha– Sir Garm!?”

Daryl pushed himself to close the distance, but Garm, as if determined not to be caught, immediately accelerated. The gap widened, and no matter how much Daryl strained, Garm’s pace was relentless. Within moments, both figures disappeared from Tsutomu’s view entirely.

▽▽

After the morning run, the Clan members gathered to eat the breakfast prepared by Ollie and Maribel. As they dug into their meals, Tsutomu sat beside Korinna, reviewing the final strategy for tackling the hundredth layer. Amy, seated nearby, found herself distracted by something else entirely.

[Tsutomu smells a little sweaty… Did he skip his shower today?]

He usually headed straight to the second-floor baths after training, but today, the day of the hundredth layer challenge, he apparently hadn’t. Tsutomu had planned to return to his room, shower, and gear up as usual, but he had gotten lost in thought after the run and missed his usual window.

[…Not that I’m complaining.]

Tsutomu was normally fastidious when it came to hygiene. Seeing his black hair slightly damp with sweat, Amy felt a strange heat stir within her.

”Sniff– gyah!?”

She tried to calm herself with a deep breath, but it only intensified the scent, making her acutely aware of it. Needless to say, it was a spectacular self-destruction. Those around her gave her odd looks, but Tsutomu, more focused on his conversation with Korinna, did not comment on it.

”So, the hundredth layer, yeah? Big day, Hannie,” Amy said, abruptly turning toward Hannah in a bid to cover her awkwardness.

”…Huh? Well, I guess? I’m not the one going today, though…”

Amy stuffed a forkful of marinated red fish and olive oil-drizzled salad into her mouth, chewing furiously to distract herself. Her eyes still wobbled a little from embarrassment.

”Not to mention, Tsutomu’s got that first-clear streak to uphold. This one looks like it’s gonna be a real beast, though, so we’ve gotta give it our all!”

”Oh yeah, that’s right,” Hannah nodded. ”But what was up with you just now?”

”Now, listen well, Hannah,” Xeno interjected. ”Sometimes people just need to scream.”

”Well, you’re acting kinda weird today, Amy. Let’s hope you don’t screw something up on the hundredth layer, eh?”

”I’ll pray for her,” Diniel added, deadpan.

”Unnecessary! Thanks, but no thanks!” Amy shot back, flustered.

Hannah and Diniel made exaggerated prayer gestures in imitation of Korinna’s solemn expressions, prompting Amy to huff out a sigh as she looked away. Diniel, who had been eating more than usual lately, returned to her meal without a word.

[We’ve done everything we can… and Tsutomu’s here. That’s more than enough.]

Amy had always believed in his skills, but watching him resurrect all four of his teammates on the ninetieth layer had cemented that trust into something unshakable. That moment had practically sent a jolt through her brain. And when he had charged toward the Corrupted Shell, fully aware of the risk of death, she jad seen the strength of will he carried. He had never died once, at least as far as everyone knew, and while that fact occasionally sparked concern, his refusal to give in to despair even in the worst situations left no room for doubt.

To keep up with Tsutomu, she had pushed herself harder than any other Dualblader, bit by bit, day after day. And thanks to his guidance, she had reached a point where even without her popularity as a local idol, she was finally recognized for her skills as a proper Explorer. She could go toe-to-toe with the top Attackers now. She was not going to mess up, not on the hundredth layer. She believed that. She had to.

”Right then. Let’s head to the Guild.” Tsutomu said once everyone had finished eating.

”Roger that!”

Amy’s voice rang out with determination as she stood, pressing a hand to her chest as though to steady the excitement rising within her.