Live Dungeon!

“What a crowd…”

“Only for today, as an early celebration of the hundredth layer’s conquest! Bear Burgers, just 200 Gold!”

“Think they’ll win it on their first try again?”

“Can’t wait!”

“Please don’t run! The seating has been arranged by Master Smith, so there’s more than enough for everyone!”

The streets around the Monitor were packed to the brim as people poured in from all directions. The name of Tsutomu, the man who had conquered every layer of the Dungeon without a single known death, and the milestone of the hundredth layer had drawn an overwhelming number of spectators. The Security Team struggled to maintain order among the surging masses.

Even Explorers who usually wouldn’t bat an eye at a major Clan’s Dungeon exploration had set aside their own runs to watch the battle. For once, they weren’t thinking of loot or levels, but of fate. Of whether today marked the end of the Dungeon itself. With the Guild venue already overflowing, the spillover had reached the Pedestal Market, which buzzed like a festival.

The God’s Dungeon had become the economic heart of the city. Whether it ended today or continued would affect not just Explorers but also everyone else. And so, those who rarely paid attention to the Monitors’ broadcasts now found themselves jostling for a view, swelling the crowd to many times its usual size.

Fortunately, House Babenberg had anticipated the chaos. The day before, they had prepared a network of magic Shields suspended in the air, forming rows of floating bleachers. This stopped the crowd from devolving into outright panic, though public trust in those seats was still shaky. Memories of when such magic had failed during the Devourer Dragon’s Stampede had not faded.

Though, while most commoners still hesitated to climb aboard, it was not so for the wealthy. Surrounded by their hired Explorers and secured by [, the city’s elites had already claimed the best views. Thanks to a clever suggestion from House Babenberg, many famous Explorers were also seated in the Shield-projected viewing area. The plan was to put familiar faces in the seats to rebuild trust in their safety.

At the front sat Weiss, the famed solo Explorer who had made a name for himself even before the city was born. Beside him were Rook, Leon, and Misil, leaders of the major Clans, and, somehow, slipping in as though he belonged, was Xeno. Already raising a glass and sipping wine with his usual exaggerated elegance, Xeno drew a questioning glance from Leon.

“Hey, Xeno… are you like, the deputy Clan leader of Absolute Helix now?”

“I’m aiming for it!”

“No way that’s happening. But if anyone were to get it, who do you think it’d be?”

“My money’s on Amy,” Rook said. “She negotiates with sponsors on her own. We’d be lucky to have someone like that.”

“In my Clan, Garm would be picked, no question,” Weiss replied with a grunt.

A short distance away, the women of the major Clans had gathered as well. Alma, in her signature witch’s hat and carrying her Black Staff, spoke in hushed tones with the nervous-looking Korinna. Hanna was in high spirits, chatting animatedly between Rara and Riri of Silver Beast, both fellow evasion-based Tanks. Leleia had fallen into nostalgic conversation with members of her former Clan, Ealdred Crow. And Diniel, with her usual nonchalance, pilfered a spoonful of ice cream from Barbara, a Tank of Golden Tune.

Amid the idle chatter and loosened tension, one group of three stood out, drawing glances not just for their presence but their hostility.

“That tail of yours looks like it’d be a real nuisance when you sit.”

“And your dress looks way more annoying, you know.”

“…”

Stephanie, Eunice, and Lorena, three of the city’s top Healers, had taken seats side by side. Stephanie and Eunice were locked in a sharp-tongued spat, their tension manifesting in the skill wisps spinning ominously behind them. Lorena, ignoring the bickering, nibbled her bear burger with a perfectly straight face.

After Tsutomu had asked her to broaden her perspective and observe other Healers, Stephanie had taken his advice to heart. She had begun holding opinion exchange sessions within Ealdred Crow, seeking to build a broader understanding. Still, her real interest was rather in comparing notes with those who posed a true challenge: Lorena of Silver Beast and Eunice, whose innovations in skill development had made her stand out to informants.

But with all three constantly busy with work, finding time for a proper meeting had been nearly impossible. Stephanie had gambled that the day of Tsutomu’s challenge on the hundredth layer would bring them all to the Monitor… and it had worked, at least up to the part where they physically met. Her subtle airs of superiority clearly rubbed Eunice the wrong way, and their conversation had devolved into mutual bristling.

Perhaps due to the suffocating crowd below, a few brave members of the general audience had begun ascending to the empty Shield seats. Watching them with relief was Biancaea, the eldest daughter of House Babenberg. Beside her, Smith showed no particular reaction as he continued ferrying spectators into place via Shield manipulation.

Back at the betting zone near Monitor #1, beginner and mid-tier Explorers mingled with the general crowd, most of them placing the usual wagers. As with the ninetieth layer, the bets revolved around a single question: would Tsutomu die, or wouldn’t he?

“Doesn’t look like we’ll be cashing in big this time…”

“I’d say our chances are split about fifty-fifty.”

Though many still hadn’t recovered from their lost bets last time, the odds hadn’t shifted much. Once the betting flurry settled and the final tokens changed hands, all eyes turned to the screen.

Tsutomu and his party stepped onto the hundredth layer.

The opening moves weren’t all that different from what Korinna’s party had to face. Having already seen three attempts’ worth of the hundredth layer’s broadcasts, the Dungeon Maniacs paid less attention to the Corroded Elder Dragon and more to Tsutomu himself. To them, this battle carried the weight of an ending. If the rumors were true, that God’s Dungeon might end here, then Tsutomu stood at the brink of history. The rest of the spectators, many seeing the Corroded Elder Dragon for the first time, reacted with a visible shiver of awe and dread.

“Looks like organ destruction is going smoothly, thanks to Amira,” Alma remarked.

“That’s part of it,” Korinna replied, “but Amy’s work shouldn’t be overlooked either.”

Amira, harnessing both her draconic form and the skillset of a Greatsword Fighter, was tearing through the enemy with overwhelming power. Alma, herself a top-tier Black Mage and fellow Attacker, looked on with admiration. Yet Korinna’s attention lingered on Amy, watching how deftly she handled her blades, each cut expertly aligned with vital tissue.

“Garm makes it look effortless, as usual,” one of the Tanks from Ealdred Crow muttered with grudging respect.

“I just wish everyone would stop acting like that’s the standard for Tanks. Getting hit still hurts, you know…”

“Daryl and Hannah are freakishly good, too. I swear, Absolute Helix has too deep a bench in the Tank department. Xeno’s the only normal one among them.”

The Tanks’ murmurs spread among the veterans as they watched Garm calmly fend off wave after wave of blood weapons. He parried with his tower shield and absorbed hits he couldn’t deflect without so much as a flinch. From the crowd’s perspective, it gave the illusion that Tanks didn’t feel pain, that high VIT rendered them impervious. But those who knew better understood that, while Garm’s status ratings were high enough to bounce arrows off his chest muscles, each of the Dungeon’s layers brought monsters more ferocious than the last. Even Garm’s arm-blocks against those serrated weapons would’ve cleaved through ordinary Explorers like paper.

And so high VIT did not, in fact, mean immunity. Critical hits still almost always were fatal. To remain calm, controlled, and responsive in the face of such danger took a level of skill and resilience that only years of experience could instill. And ever since the monsters grew stronger from the ninety-first layer on, it had become increasingly frustrating for Tanks across the city to hear themselves unfavorably compared to Garm, as if he were the standard.

“How elegant his healing and support is,” Stephanie whispered, eyes sparkling. “Did you see that [ just now? So perfectly timed.”

“Hmph. His skill manipulation is what’s impressive,” Eunice countered. “Most people just toss out their skills, but Tsutomu uses the placement type to save on mental energy.”

“Wait… since when did this turn into a Tsutomu appreciation meeting?” Lorena quipped.

“I… don’t think it ever was…” Kisaragi chuckled.

“Well, he was their mentor. It’s only natural,” said Cecilia. “You’re just a little cold, aren’t you?”

“Ehh, I think those two are just built differently,” Lorena muttered between quiet bites of her bear burger.

While Stephanie and Eunice bickered like high-strung sommeliers over vintage wine, Lorena remained detached, engaging instead in a separate discussion with Scarlet Devil Squad’s Healer, Cecilia, and Kisaragi from Ealdred Crow.

…Then came the shift.

A blood clone emerged. The Corroded Elder Dragon had triggered a new phase. The Dungeon Maniacs gasped and scribbled furiously, while the spectating members of Absolute Helix leaned forward with widened eyes.

“…It’s going for Amira, not the one with aggro!”

“If that continues, organ destruction will slow. They’ll end up like Korinna’s team.”

“They’ll have to eliminate the clone first.”

Blood clones ignored aggro levels entirely. It targeted those damaging the organs directly, forcing Amira onto the defensive. With her focus split, she could no longer pressure the Corroded Elder Dragon.

“…Wait. Is he going to send Amy in?”

“She’s better as support. I wouldn’t risk it.”

Despite the doubts, Tsutomu called Amy over and exchanged a few words with her. A moment later, she leaped into the fray, taking Amira’s place.

The Dungeon Maniacs and Explorers reacted with surprise, and even skepticism. Among Absolute Helix’s Attackers, Amy had always been the all-rounder. Her charm brought fans, yes, but she wasn’t known for dominating the battlefields. She typically operated as the support striker behind someone else’s killing blow.

With Amira, she augmented power through [. With Leleia, she reinforced skill performance through a Spirit [ with the Sylph. With Diniel, their coordination was so seamless that they hardly needed to speak. Amy didn’t charge ahead; she elevated the team.

…But that didn’t mean she lacked fangs of her own.

“[, [, [, [!”

“What’s with that movement?”

“Hey, I’ve seen that at the training grounds.”

“YEEEAAAHHH!! GET ‘EM, AMY!!”

Using the boost-cancel technique Tsutomu had drilled into her, Amy unleashed a dance of slashes that carved through the battlefield like wind through silk. The crowd roared. Her fans were beside themselves.

Her intervention stabilized the pace of organ destruction. The blood clones now divided their attention between her and Amira, allowing the two to alternate and recover. Not about to be outdone by Amy’s display, Amira surged forward again, doubling down on her assault. The second round of organ destruction progressed smoothly.

“The liver isn’t regenerating,” one of the spectators noted. “Seems like destroying a part two times completely shuts down recovery.”

“That party… there’s not a single weak point. Could they actually do it?”

Everything seemed to be going perfectly… Until Garm and Amy, almost simultaneously, shouted a warning.

Moments later, a strange shift rippled through the Corroded Elder Dragon’s body. Blood weapons began to tremble midair. The blood clones behaved erratically.

And then, without warning, one of the now pitch-black clones exploded.

Amy was caught in the blast and killed instantly.

But rather than flinch, Stephanie drew a sharp breath through her nose and leaned forward, eyes blazing. Holding the party together was one thing. But pulling them back from the edge — that, too, was a Healer’s duty.

“One death here doesn’t mean much. Tsutomu hasn’t drawn any aggro at all.”

“If anything, this is where he shines. He can revive four people, so what’s there to be afraid of? I can watch this without breaking a sweat!”

The crowd, still riding the memory of Tsutomu’s miraculous four-member resurrection on the ninetieth layer, treated this development as little more than a dramatic twist, an added bit of spice to the main dish. The Explorers watching felt the same. Even Absolute Helix’s Clan members remained composed, almost as though they considered this the true beginning of the battle.

“…Wait a second.”

“Was Amy… still alive?”

The atmosphere shifted in an instant.

Amy, whose body had glowed with the unmistakable light of death, suddenly rose to her feet. That small flicker of confusion quickly ignited into unease. Then, without warning, she brushed past Tsutomu, who was clearly shouting a warning, and turned her blades on Garm.

“Wait, what!? Amy has betrayed them!? No way!! I know she holds a grudge against Garm, but come on!”

“Don’t be stupid. That’s not what’s happening. I’m telling you, she DID die. We all saw the light! So… is the Corroded Elder Dragon controlling her corpse?”

“Tsutomu tried to cast [, right? But it didn’t go off.”

“…You think she can’t be revived?”

“That’s a thing now!? What the hell!?”

The shock didn’t stop there: Garm was next to turn undead. His body shuddered unnaturally, and in seconds, he too had fallen under the same grotesque transformation. The crowd erupted in horrified murmurs. Hannah and Korinna, seated in the magic Shield area, jumped to their feet and stared wide-eyed at Monitor #1. Even Xeno had gone rigid, holding his breath.

“Party members can’t be revived, and what’s worse, they join the enemy instead… and they can still use all of their skills? That’s unheard of.”

“If it had ever happened before, people wouldn’t shut up about it. As expected of the hundredth layer… it’s got a monster worthy of the milestone.”

“Magnificent! What an abomination! So grotesque and wicked! Turn the rest of them undead, too!”

“Yeah, wipe them out! That’s what a final boss should look like!”

“Death to the Lucky Boy!”

“…Yeah, this is over.”

“Even for undead, something feels off. Their movements are way too human. Hey, Amy fans! What do you make of this?”

“…She was using that dual blade technique just ten days ago…”

The Corroded Elder Dragon had captured the attention of Dungeon Maniacs, Monster Maniacs, and every gambler who had bet on Tsutomu’s death. They were thrilled by the spectacle. But among those who had been rooting for him, the mood had soured. This was no longer exciting; it was just absurd.

“[!”

Amid the increasingly desperate situation, Tsutomu remained composed. Anticipating that Garm’s [ might draw Amira’s focus, he immediately cast [, snapping her back to her senses. Without missing a beat, he gathered the confused Daryl and Amira, and the three resumed their assault.

“Aaaaaahhh!? Mister Tsutomu!! Thank goodness you acted right away! Your judgment is divine!”

“Tsutomu will fix everything! I just know it!”

Stephanie and Eunice had long since forgotten their supposed discussion; now they were completely absorbed by the unfolding drama on the Monitor. Lorena, too, felt her heart stir with concern as she watched Tsutomu navigate the crisis. Yet, with the other two fanatics beside her, their sheer energy helped her maintain a surprising level of calm.

From there, Tsutomu took the stage alone. He drew the Corroded Elder Dragon’s aggro while delivering flawless support and healing to Daryl and Amira. At the same time, he disrupted the undead Amy and Garm using clever applications of his holy-type skills. It was as if he were playing both Healer and buffer roles simultaneously.

And so, even with allies turned traitor and an impossible situation laid before them, the tide began to shift in their favor.

“If they can take down those two, then they still have a shot!” Xeno exclaimed. “Tsutomu might be able to turn this around! They can win! They can still win!”

“Teach! You’ve got this!” Hannah cheered. “Daryl and Amira are holding strong!”

“His brain’s as messed up as ever,” Diniel grumbled.

“I don’t know how he didn’t panic back there,” Leleia remarked. “Most people would’ve cracked under that kind of pressure.”

“Everyone…! Please, keep going…!”

The members of Absolute Helix shouted encouragement as Tsutomu’s uncanny healing patterns took hold, and Daryl and Amira answered it with relentless drive. When Tsutomu finally exhaled just a brief sigh of relief, Stephanie threw her arms in the air, half-screaming with joy.

“Amazing! Absolutely amazing! Support, healing, disruption… he’s doing everything! How can he move so flawlessly in a situation like that? It’s as if he’s following an answer sheet!”

“This is only the beginning!” Eunice cried, gripping the magic Shield rail so hard her knuckles whitened. “The real fight starts now! Don’t stop, Tsutomu! Go, go, go!”

Half in tears, the two Healers clasped hands and embraced, their emotions bubbling over helplessly in admiration. Watching them, Kisaragi gave Lorena a look that seemed to ask, “Should we join them?”

Lorena responded only with a faint shake of her head.

But even that fleeting moment of hope did not last. The Corroded Elder Dragon brought it all crashing down. With a gesture that seemed almost sacrificial, it tore its own heart free and collapsed, groveling like a beast before a deity. In that instant, two pillars of light, eerily reminiscent of [, broke through the overcast sky. At once, the destroyed liver and lungs regenerated. Garm and Amy, whose bodies had also been devastated, began to knit themselves back together.

“…What in the world…?”

Pico, a Dungeon Maniac who had spent many hours researching the Corroded Elder Dragon, could not help but mutter aloud in disbelief. Even the audience, no strangers to the Dungeon’s cruel surprises, were struck dumb as the monster’s organs returned, and its healing accelerated by its now-functional liver. To make matters worse, the two undead allies rose once again.

Tsutomu immediately switched tactics, aiming to destroy the liver before it could begin the healing cycle anew. But with Amira targeted by the undead Garm and Amy, the strategy fell apart. Without her, their primary Attacker, there was no stopping the liver’s regeneration. Time was slipping through their fingers.

“It’s over, isn’t it?”

“If they’d found a way to reverse the undead status, maybe… But it’s too late now. Looks like this is the end of Tsutomu.”

“Still… even if they didn’t manage a first-try clear, his execution was near perfect. He’s without a doubt still the best Healer we’ve seen.”

The Dungeon Maniacs, recognizing the inevitability of the Dragon’s brain regenerating, began bracing for the end. Yet among the crowd and the Explorers, voices of support for Tsutomu only grew louder. But the cold reality remained: time was nearly up. The brain would soon heal. And once that happened, it would be checkmate.

“…Huh? Where’s he going?”

On Monitor #1, where Daryl and Amira’s fight still played out, a subtle movement at the edge of the screen caught the eye. Tsutomu was moving… but where? Minutes passed, then Daryl and Amira’s [ and [ buffs faded. From their perspective on the chaotic battlefield, it must have felt as if Tsutomu had vanished into thin air.

Daryl called out Tsutomu’s name, scanning his surroundings frantically, but no answer came. No sign of him at all.

Eventually, he came to his own grim conclusion: somewhere, out of sight, Tsutomu had fallen without anyone noticing. His voice heavy with dread, he relayed that possibility to Amira, who was still locked in combat against their former comrades.

They fought on, spending every last shred of their strength. And in the end, at Daryl’s suggestion, they allowed themselves to be killed in a way that avoided equipment loss.

And yet, even after both of them had died, Monitor #1 did not fade to black. The feed continued uninterrupted… One hour passed, then two. And still, the screen remained lit.