Live Dungeon!

[…What now?]

Seated in his room, Tsutomu slumped into a chair as he stared down at the strange paper card he had brought back from Amy’s room.

To return to his world, he now needed at least two permissions, and only those who had gotten through the hundredth layer alongside him were even eligible, limiting his choices to Amy, Garm, Daryl, and Amira. Worse still, the card was cursed with a cruel stipulation: each denial would increase the number of required approvals, as if designed by a sadistic behavioral scientist.

He held no resentment toward Amy for unknowingly refusing it the first time. If anything, he suspected that God had handed her the card knowing she would react that way. But with Amy still unwilling to help, he could not afford another rejection. One more denial, and his return home would only become that much more difficult.

That left Garm or Daryl. Both had known him for a long time, but whether that familiarity would make them less or more likely to approve his departure… that was difficult to predict.

[Korinna and Xeno would probably let me go, though…]

Those two were the most mature members of Absolute Helix, were both educated in the Royal Capital, and possessed sound judgment. They were not particularly close to him, which might make it easier for them to grant permission without emotional baggage.

But they were currently attempting the hundredth layer with their own party. Even if he wanted to ask for their help, it was not an option right now. And if their other party members, especially Diniel or Leleia, caught wind of it, things would not be pretty.

[…Dammit. If I knew things would end up like this, I never would’ve done that.]

Tsutomu had used Diniel’s mistake back on the ninetieth layer to make her face the reality she was refusing to see: that she was not an ace Attacker, but rather a landmine that could always mess things up for everyone. In response, she had thrown herself into the role all the more fiercely, desperate to prove herself to him. She would not approve of his return until she achieved that goal, and might even sabotage him to stop it.

As for Leleia, there was no need to elaborate. Her pride was legendary, her pettiness even more so. If she discovered the truth, she would drag the situation in the worst possible direction. Hannah, the party’s final member, would almost certainly be easily swayed, like a chick latching onto the first thing it saw the moment it hatched.

[Come to think of it, maybe Daryl isn’t the best person to talk to first, either. If Garm finds out later and takes it the wrong way…]

He had originally thought to approach Daryl first, thinking the younger boy would be easier to convince. But if Garm heard of it afterward and felt betrayed, the damage might be irreparable.

Still, even if Garm did feel slighted, he was not the sort to retaliate. But why risk it? Tsutomu realized that going to Garm first and laying things out honestly might lead to a better outcome.

And Garm was the kind of man who, if given a proper explanation, would listen. If Tsutomu could secure his understanding, then Daryl, who held deep respect for Garm, would likely follow suit. That would give him the two permissions he needed, even without Amy’s help.

[…Which means I can’t risk a leak through Amy. For now, she probably still thinks this is our little secret. But who knows how long that will last?]

At the moment, she seemed content, perhaps even a little dazed, still caught up in her feelings for him. But Tsutomu had seen what happened when such affection curdled; Shirasaki had taught him that much. If Amy’s infatuation turned to spite, she could easily blow the whole thing open to the Clan.

The more he thought about the future, the deeper he felt himself sinking into a swamp of complications. It reminded him uncomfortably of managing interpersonal drama in Live Dungeon, back when he’d had to babysit clashing Clanmates over the smallest slights.

He let out a long, weary sigh… just as a knock came at his door.

“Tsutomu, Miss Ollie and Maribel are getting things ready for the celebration,” Garm’s voice echoed from the other side. “Korinna’s team is back now, too.”

“Ah… got it. I’ve just finished organizing some data on the hundredth layer. Give me a moment, and I’ll head down.”

“Great!!”

Garm’s voice, unusually cheerful, faded down the hall as he walked away. Tsutomu sat around a moment longer, staring at the closed door. Then, suppressing a pang of guilt, he stood up and left the room.

▽▽

“Oh! You finally came down!” Hannah beamed, springing up from below with such force she nearly headbutted Tsutomu’s chin. “Congrats on winning! That last [ of yours was amazing!”

“Yeah, yeah, thanks,” Tsutomu replied, placing a hand atop her head to hold her in place before she could launch herself again.

Then, after exchanging a few words with Xeno and Korinna, he made his way to his usual seat. From the lively atmosphere, it was clear that a celebration was underway, sparked by Amira’s suggestion to commemorate today’s victory. Ollie and Maribel were bustling about the kitchen.

“From what we’ve seen through the Pedestal, it seemed there was more beyond the hundredth layer,” Korinna said, sitting beside him. “But what did you make of it, Tsutomu?”

“I can’t say for sure, but… yeah, I think there’s more. Judging by the light on the Black Gate, it looks like once two more parties clear the hundredth layer, it’ll open. Probably a shared unlock condition.”

“Hmm… that seems to be the prevailing theory among the Dungeon Maniacs as well,” Leleia said, closing her eyes in relief as she helped rearrange some furniture to make space for the feast. “And if that is true, could the Dungeon go all the way to two hundred layers? And does that mean our level cap will finally break past one hundred?”

“Maybe,” Tsutomu nodded. “If you’re a Spiritualist, it could mean new Spirits and new skills to go with them.”

“That… would make sense, yes. Affinity with the Spirits might become more important than ever, too…”

The two of them, who had been sniping at each other quite a bit lately, were for once speaking like real Explorers. While they exchanged ideas, Diniel, who had been staring blankly at a nearby potted plant, finally reacted.

“New skills… ugh. Sounds like a pain.”

“I’m looking forward to it, though,” Amy said from across the table, her expression gentle and relaxed. Gone was the frazzled demeanor from earlier, and seeing her so calm brought a sense of relief to Tsutomu as well.

With nothing better to do, Tsutomu stood and began helping Leleia with her task.

“You’re as weak as ever, though.” She remarked with a sidelong glance.

“Nah, you guys are just freaks.” He shot back.

“With Garm’s training and Miss Ollie’s carefully balanced meals, it’s frankly impressive you’ve managed not to bulk up more. I’d say that takes a certain kind of talent.”

“Yeah, well, not my problem.”

Leleia was moving furniture larger than she was, as if it weighed nothing. Tsutomu, meanwhile, was still the physically weakest member of Absolute Helix. But even so, Garm’s training regimen had given him a decent layer of muscle. Compared to his sickly thin frame when he first arrived in this world, the difference was night and day. By normal standards, he was in good shape.

“But truly, you are versatile,” Leleia continued. “When you wrapped that Corroded Elder Dragon’s beam in a [, I was stunned. Even the other White Mages around us were going crazy.”

“That was the result of a lot of practice. Watching House Babenberg’s Shields up close helped me figure it out. I still can’t get that level of control, but I can fold one like a paper airplane now.”

“A paper… what now?” Leleia tilted her head.

[ was not meant to be that flexible. But by combining techniques like Eunice’s Dumpling-style [, kneaded like dough, and Smith’s easily malleable Shield magic, Tsutomu had learned to shape his [ in unconventional ways. That was how he had managed to encase the Corroded Elder Dragon’s massive [-like beam of light mid-cast.

“…Oh, I meant a glider. Here, check this out — [.”

To answer Leleia’s question, Tsutomu deployed a [, manipulating it with delicate, angular motions until it resembled a sharply pointed paper glider. Holding it between two fingers, he gave it a flick, sending it soaring gracefully through the air… then it struck Hannah square in the wing with a satisfying thunk.

“Wha–!?” She whirled around, startled. But by then, the [ had already been dispelled, leaving no trace. “Did someone just touch my back?”

“…No,” Garm replied calmly. “I didn’t see anyone.”

“…”

Trusting Garm’s deadpan honesty, Hannah’s face paled. She began glancing around nervously, scanning the room with wide, uncertain eyes.

Watching her reaction, Tsutomu and Leleia exchanged glances and grinned with matching, devilish smiles.

Korinna, having witnessed the whole scene, gave a helpless chuckle. When Hannah scurried over, seeking spiritual protection from her Channeler’s intuition, Korinna reassured her gently, leaving the truth unspoken.