Live Dungeon!

”O-okay, this IS scary…”

Korinna, who had been tasked by Tsutomu with leading the effort to defeat the mutated Shell Crab, sat nervously in front of Monitor #30, her gaze darting around the plaza. On either side of her were Amy and Amira, whose presence alone drew plenty of attention from those nearby.

Amy, with her reputation as a local idol, was an obvious focal point, but Amira had also been gaining popularity recently. While her initial fame came from being the Guild Master’s Daughter, her slightly softened demeanor had made her more approachable, contributing to her growing fan base.

In addition to them, the group included Hannah, the first evasion-based Tank to achieve widespread recognition, whose adorable demeanor evoked protective instincts in others, and Leleia, whose refined manners and dignified beauty hinted at her knightly upbringing. With these four women gathered together, it was no wonder they commanded so much attention. For Korinna, however, sitting among them felt utterly out of place.

[I still can’t believe I’m here… It feels like a mistake.]

She had once been a mere member of White Strike Wings, a moderately-known mid-tier Clan. Korinna could not fathom how she had managed to join this one. When Tsutomu had personally scouted her, she initially thought it was some kind of misunderstanding, and even after joining, she could not help but suspect there might be an ulterior motive behind it.

She did not have the confidence to think someone like Tsutomu might value her for her skills or appearance. As an Explorer, she had only been competent enough to scrape by. While she was not outright called unattractive during her academy days in the Royal Capital, she was rarely complimented on her looks either. Compared to the other women in Absolute Helix, all of whom seemed dazzling, Korinna felt thoroughly out of her league.

At first, she assumed she’d been brought into the Clan as a placeholder to fill numbers, especially since she was a Channeler — a Job unlikely to ever make it into Team 1. Yet, Tsutomu had gone out of his way to teach her about healing techniques, and the other members of the Clan were shockingly kind. To top it all off, the meals, as delicious as anything served in restaurants, were a daily occurrence — a luxury that felt like Heaven to her.

While the rapid progress she made through Dungeon layers and the relentless challenges against bosses like the Winter General were grueling, there were no beatings when things went poorly. Arguments over the distribution of Magic Stones were non-existent. Compared to the suffocating environment Korinna had endured in her prior experience as an Explorer, Absolute Helix felt refreshingly free of tension.

Living this dream-like life, she sometimes wondered if she even deserved it. Would karma come for her? She was pondering such thoughts when Tsutomu dropped a bombshell on her.

”Korinna, you can’t just keep eating worry-free forever. I expect you to achieve results like my former apprentice Eunice. Also, once the ninetieth layer is cleared, you’ll be joining Absolute Helix’s Team 1 as a Healer.”

The sheer weight of Tsutomu’s expectations shocked her. Reflecting on it, though, she realized just how much time he had spent coaching her. Even her equipment, according to Ollie, was a custom set made from Dungeon-looted materials. Not to mention the generous portions of food Ollie always prepared for her. Given all this, it was no surprise Tsutomu would grow impatient if she did not start showing results.

He had even told her she was now the city’s top Channeler. That praise filled her with both disbelief and joy. Though doubt crept in at times, when she was alone in her room and recalled his words, she could not help but smile.

For a Channeler to be praised by Tsutomu — someone who had revolutionized the very role of White Mage and was still regarded as one of the top three Healers — it was impossible not to feel elated. His confidence in her sparked a determination to do her best, even if doubts lingered.

[But can someone like me really meet his expectations…?]

Those words, though encouraging, also placed immense pressure on Korinna. Up to now, she had always worked in Tsutomu’s shadow, supported by her Clanmates. Imagining herself standing at the frontlines, representing Absolute Helix as a Healer, was overwhelming.

As she sat there, the stares directed at her felt stifling. They seemed to ask, why is she part of the Shell Crab subjugation team? The weight of their expectations was suffocating, too much for her to bear alone.

”That Ancient Dragon said she’d be having her first run with the new team today, but she’s not showing up,” Amira muttered.

”If she appears at another Pedestal, there’d be some commotion. I wonder what’s going on?” Amy replied.

In stark contrast to Korinna, Amira and Amy appeared entirely unaffected by the attention. They were simply puzzled by Camille’s delayed appearance, having heard from the woman herself that her team would be challenging the mutated Shell Crab. It was then that Hannah pointed toward the distant Monitor #2.

”Ah! It’s Teach!”

”Hannah, focus on the Shell Crab, not Tsutomu. …But he does seem unusually low-energy, doesn’t he? And Diniel looks like she’s nagging him like an old maid.”

”Well, those two actually seem to get along in a weird way. Also, what a scene — She looks like the Clan’s princess, surrounded by all those guys.”

Though Monitor #2 was too far away to hear any sound, they could see Tsutomu clearly being scolded by Diniel. Around them, Garm, Daryl, and Xeno — who were notably popular among women — stood nearby, attracting a crowd of female spectators.

Amy and Amira glanced in that direction briefly but soon turned their attention back to Monitor #30, which displayed the battle on the fiftieth layer. They stared intently at the mutated Shell Crab.

”I’d heard rumors, but wow, it’s huge,” Amy remarked.

The Shell Crab, naturally large to begin with, now looked even more imposing. Its armored appearance was like a suit of full plate armor, making it seem larger than before. One of its massive claws was studded with mineral deposits, resembling a crystalline mace.

”That thing’s movement is insane. It’s not moving like any crab I’ve ever seen,” Amira said.

As its heavy armor was chipped away during battle, the Shell Crab’s movements became unnervingly agile. Its claws grew sharper, increasing its offensive power. In the past, stripping its armor made it easier to damage, and breaking its claws rendered it less aggressive, making the fight more manageable. However, this time, the situation seemed reversed.

Destroying the mineral-encrusted claw only fueled the Shell Crab’s savagery, as if avenging its fallen kin. Many parties had been brutally wiped out, unable to handle its frenzied attacks. Worse, the claw’s durability had significantly increased, and no party had managed to destroy it so far.

As Amira had pointed out, the Shell Crab’s movements were wildly unorthodox. It leapt around like a monkey and moved in spider-like fashion using sticky threads it spat from its mouth. It was clearly behaving more like an aberration than a crab.

While Amy and Amira observed the smaller Monitor #30, Leleia and Hannah joined them.

”…It seems the real challenge starts after the armor is stripped away,” Leleia noted. ”The Tanks can’t absorb the attacks, and the Attackers are struggling to find openings.”

”Yeah. I bet it’s even more intimidating in person…” Amy added.

”Still, it’s got nothing on the Winter General. At least they shouldn’t be as scared as they were against that thing,” Amira said confidently.

”Yeah, definitely not scarier than Diniel’s arrows,” Hannah joked.

”Even so,” Leleia continued, ”the parties fighting it now are all well-known, at least among Dungeon Maniacs. They aren’t amateurs…”

In recent times, mid-tier Clans had been flourishing thanks to an influx of noble funding, allowing them to cultivate talents capable of earning even Tsutomu’s respect. Some Clans, like Silver Beast, had even ascended into the ranks of major Clans. Despite this, the mutated Shell Crab remained undefeated, with no party able to make significant progress.

Much anticipation had been placed on the party composed of three unique skill users, who were supposed to challenge it today. However, since they had yet to enter, the Dungeon Maniacs spectating the fight looked disappointed. Korinna and her team, hoping to glean some strategies, felt similarly let down.

”Well, I think we’ve seen enough of its movements. Korinny’s notes should cover the rest,” Amy said.

”That’s true…” Leleia agreed.

Korinna had already compiled detailed information about the Shell Crab and distributed it among her team. After seeing the creature in action, there did not seem to be much point in lingering around the Monitors.

”So, what’s the plan? Should we head out early?” Amy asked.

”…Yes, I suppose,” Leleia replied. ”Tsutomu said he’ll observe from the Pedestal tomorrow, so it might be good to get used to things beforehand.”

”It’s a shame we didn’t get to see the rival party in action, but let’s treat this as an opportunity. Our performance here might influence the selection for the ninetieth layer team. There’s no harm in being the first to succeed,” Leleia added with a determined nod.

”That settles it, then,” Amira said with finality.

”Let’s gooo! We’re doing this!” Hannah cheered.

With that, Korinna and her party left the Pedestal plaza and began heading toward the Guild.