Live Dungeon!

During the walk to the Guild, the group discussed the coming battle.

”Think we’ll manage a first-try victory on the hundredth layer too?” Garm asked.

”Well, guess even you can’t help but be curious, eh?” Amy said with a casual shrug.

”…I’ve been thinking about that as well,” Daryl added. ”If the streak ends with us, I feel like people might blame us for it.”

[I don’t have the luxury to worry about records right now, though.] Tsutomu thought, keeping himself distracted by flying various skill wisps across the rooftops of nearby homes.

Tsutomu’s steps were heavy. The hundredth layer had proven unlike anything before, with its Boss monster behaving in unprecedented ways. Korinna’s unexpected success in finding some of its weaknesses and Stephanie’s looming threat from the rear had thrown everything into disarray. If they retreated now, his chance of ever returning to reality might be lost. If they pressed forward, the risk of death loomed large. Cornered from both ends, they were one step away from catastrophe.

No matter how hard he tried to avert his eyes from reality, he couldn’t. And even if he’d already come to terms with the idea of dying, that didn’t make walking toward the hundredth layer any easier. He felt like a miner being sent into a collapse-prone shaft.

Then, a strong arm suddenly slung around his shoulder.

”What’s with the long face?” Amira said, grinning. ”The man of the hour’s not interested in first-try wins anymore?”

”I’d like to, sure. But judging by what we saw yesterday, it’s not going to be easy.”

”Wow. That’s the most pessimistic thing I’ve ever heard you say. You? Struggling? Please.”

”That’s the thing, though… I’m ALWAYS struggling.”

Still leaning on him like an overfamiliar comrade, Amira chuckled, clearly recalling the awe she’d felt during Tsutomu’s heroics on the ninetieth layer. Meanwhile, Tsutomu, unamused and weary, continued the back-and-forth with her as they reached the Guild. Daryl, walking ahead, gave the two of them a mildly exasperated glance as he pushed open the door… only to freeze as a dozen eyes snapped toward him.

”Eep!”

”Keep walking,” Garm grunted, giving Daryl a firm push forward.

Tsutomu and the rest followed behind. The attention lingered on them, and especially on him. And Amira, still annoyingly upbeat, leaned in again.

”C’mon, you oughta carry yourself with more pride. You’re at the top! Act like it!”

”Yeah, yeah. What an honor to receive such extravagant praise,” Tsutomu muttered, clearly not in the mood.

As soon as he stepped inside, he scanned the area for Camille. Sure enough, there she was, posted conspicuously in front of the Black Gate. She gave him a pleased little wave, clearly having stationed herself there so she wouldn’t miss their arrival.

Seizing the opportunity, Tsutomu nudged Amira in Camille’s direction, gesturing for her to go say hello. He sent Garm and Amy off with her too, leaving only himself and the ever-nervous Daryl to line up at the reception desk.

Ahead of them was a five-person party that looked to be somewhere in the lower-mid tier, judging by their gear. At the sight of Tsutomu, they grew visibly restless, casting glances at one another. Then, one of them, a small Healer-type dressed in male-coded White Mage-style equipment, timidly addressed him.

”Um… would you mind if we let you go ahead–?”

”It’s okay. I’ve still got some things to think through,” Tsutomu replied curtly, eyes forward.

He didn’t even look at the speaker. Daryl, taken aback by his tone, gave him a light jab on the shoulder.

”…? What’s up?”

”That was kind of cold, Sir Tsutomu. Poor guy look crushed.”

”…A friend of yours?”

”No, but… aren’t you a little too tense today? And you’re usually nicer to other Healers, too. What, is it because he’s a guy?”

”…What? No! And what do you mean, a guy? I’d probably already know if there were any male White Mages in the mid-tiers…”

Tsutomu squinted, giving the White Mage a closer look with the expression of someone running on no sleep. Male Dungeon-looted robes, short bowl cut hair… still, something didn’t quite fit.

He scanned the rest of the party: four well-groomed young women, each wielding a different type of weapon, clearly assembled with tactical efficiency in mind. From their loadout, it was likely they’d geared up by looting the Valley biome, meaning they’d made it to around the sixtieth layer. A party like this, a male White Mage surrounded by female combatants, should have sparked gossip. Yet Tsutomu had heard nothing of them.

Squinting again at the ‘guy’ in question, Tsutomu murmured as understanding dawned.

”…Oh c’mon, Daryl. Don’t scare me like that. She’s a girl! Must’ve settled with a modified male robe for budget reasons, that’s all. Actually, now that I think about it, this group is probably from that one women-only Clan…”

”Huh!? I… I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to offend!”

”Tsk, tsk. The nerve of you, speaking so rudely to such a delicate lady. How will you atone?”

”Hey! That’s not fair, Sir Tsutomu! Don’t twist it like that!”

As Daryl flailed to defend himself, the small White Mage he had mistaken for a boy looked moments away from tears. And no matter how much Daryl pleaded for help, Tsutomu left the damage control to him and turned inward, mentally rehearsing strategies for the hundredth layer while waiting for the others to return.

Just then, Camille’s voice called out,

”So, Tsutomu… today’s your turn on the hundredth layer?”

He gave a brief nod as their party, now officially contracted, began heading toward the teleportation magic circles. Amira scowled at Camille as if telling her to stay away, but Amy and Garm gave her friendly nods.

”We’ll be hoping for another first-try clear,” Camille added.

”Please don’t get your hopes up,” Tsutomu replied.

He offered no further conversation. As the others stepped into the magic circle, he followed, and a heartbeat later, they vanished, transported to the ninety-ninth layer.