Live Dungeon! Chapter 354: The Mystery of the Ninety-Sixth Layer

Ealdred Crow’s primary squad encountered a formidable obstacle on the ninety-sixth floor. For days, they had ventured into God’s Dungeon, seeking answers. Although some subtle clues were unearthed, a clear path forward remained elusive.

The design of this ninety-sixth floor presented a deceptive simplicity. Within the inner confines of the Ancient Castle, a vast, circular corridor unfolded, offering ample space for an entire party to traverse side-by-side comfortably. This looped passage bore a striking resemblance to a doughnut’s shape. Precisely positioned at the northern and southern arcs’ midpoints was a distinctive structure, noticeable even from the distant vantage point of the ninety-first floor.

[Without a doubt, this Dragon holds the key,] Stephanie mused, her gaze locked onto the stone-carved beast that protruded from the castle’s wall. Its head appeared more massive and formidable than that of an actual Fire Dragon. She idly chewed a cookie, one of Ealdred Crow’s specially prepared field rations, her eyes never straying from the colossal figure.

This imposing statue was situated on a panoramic platform, located midway along the floor’s circuit, making it visible from afar. Initially perceived as mere decoration, a closer inspection revealed it was unmistakably alive, or at least, gave the impression of breathing. It was likely a creature that merely mimicked stone, much like other monsters encountered previously within the Light and Darkness themed floors.

Two such entities were present: one situated at the northern midpoint and the other at the southern, as if their positions deliberately signified their importance. Predictably, the Dragons were attacked, presumed to be the trigger for progression, yet they offered no resistance whatsoever. The sensation was akin to striking the castle itself, yielding no reaction or discernible effect.

The corridors themselves lacked any distinguishing features. Standard monsters occasionally materialized, but none possessed significant strength, nor were any encountered for the first time. No clues were offered either; with the hope of uncovering a hidden passage, five days were dedicated to meticulously scrutinizing every inch of the castle’s walls, an endeavor that ultimately proved fruitless.

Ultimately, the most significant impediment was the dearth of information. Absolute Helix had imposed a stringent information blackout for this particular floor, a move that even the general populace found peculiar. Ealdred Crow’s network of informants had returned with nothing. The Monitors had only depicted Hannah engaging monsters solo within the corridor before, in the blink of an eye, Absolute Helix had already conquered the floor.

Even on preceding floors, Tsutomu had skillfully concealed vital information, causing considerable struggle for the informants. However, on this floor, he had implemented a complete information lockdown. Armed with only vague hints and misleading diversions, Ealdred Crow’s main party found themselves navigating in utter darkness.

With minimal progress being achieved, the team’s morale began to falter. The main party divided their focus: two members remained on the ninety-sixth floor for continued investigation, while the others concentrated on leveling up or rendering assistance to lower-ranked teams. Presently, Sova was observing the floor via the God Eye, idly manipulating a magical artifact that emitted small sparks as he murmured to himself.

"If only Absolute Helix would share some information, all our problems would be solved…"

"Mister Tsutomu is not that accommodating," Stephanie responded impartially. "He already issued a warning. I doubt you’ll receive a kinder reception, even with his past assistance in connecting you with Weiss. But by all means, go and beg him. I will feign ignorance."

"Shall I bring the God Eye over and broadcast this conversation live?" Sova retorted, his gaze sharp as any blade.

While practicing a swift, one-handed exchange of Magic Stones within his tool, he fixed Stephanie with a look of clear intimidation. Stephanie, in return, calmly conjured a few swirling wisps of [Qi] and [Dao] before her, seemingly unperturbed.

"In any event, it appears none of the other Clan members are likely to divulge any secrets. Apparently, the one individual most prone to revealing information hasn't been privy to anything significant in the first place."

Daryl, by virtue of being Cynokin, possessed inherent loyalty. Leleia, having been raised within a disciplined knightly order, would withstand torture before uttering a single word. Diniel, who occupied a unique position as a formidable fighter and was shrouded in considerable mystery, could not be expected to speak. The sole potential vulnerability had been Hannah, but she seemed entirely unaware, not even being privy to the sensitive details in the first place.

Stephanie let out a yawn as she reeled in the floating skills back towards her feet. Typically, she would never let her guard down within a Dungeon, but the absence of nearby monsters and the Pedestal displaying only the vacant corridors of the ninety-sixth floor contributed to her relaxed state. Sova, noticing her yawn, found himself mirroring the action before glancing around with a vigilant expression.

"The fact that the Pedestals are only showing that particular corridor basically confirms the Dragons' involvement," he stated, his tone laced with a hint of frustration.

"If we could figure that out with just the two of us, one of the informants would’ve already cracked it… We’ve covered enough of the layer by now. Time to return and level up. You especially, Sova. You’re falling behind."

"Tch, leveling’s just busywork. There are far more useful things I could be doing."

"If Dorssia were here, she’d be lecturing you."

"I swear, this Clan’s full of crazy women…"

"Did you say something?"

"…Nothing."

Their bickering might have sounded tense to outsiders, but the two had known each other since childhood. Though their friendship had suffered when Stephanie’s darker side emerged during her phase of Tsutomu obsession, it was gradually returning to something close to normal.

As the two returned to the Black Gate, having opted to avoid any monster encounters, Sova glanced sidelong at Stephanie, who was contently nibbling on some more cookies.

"You really get by on just that?" he asked, his tone equal parts disbelief and amusement.

"Healers don’t move around nearly as much as Attackers or Tanks," she replied, brushing a crumb from her lips. "This is more than enough for me. It’s nutritionally balanced, too."

"You’ve changed," Sova muttered. "Old Aunt Pei would probably cry if she saw you now."

"…Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen her in quite some time," Stephanie said with a tinge of melancholy in her voice. "Even when I visited home, I spent all my time training as a Healer."

They had both grown up in upper-class households, at least by commoner standards. Their childhoods were blessed with warmth, security, and sweets. Aunt Pei had often baked for them, her kitchen filled with the scent of sugar and spice. Remembering that, Stephanie let her gaze drift wistfully down to the cookie in her hand.

[‘Absorb the techniques of those around you,’ he says…]

Tsutomu’s words from some time ago remained etched in her mind, but she had yet to truly embody that advice. If she were honest with herself, she still found it difficult to care about anyone outside of her ‘Mister Tsutomu.’ Still, things within her own Clan had improved these days. She even held civil conversations with Kisaragi, Team 2’s Healer, something she wouldn’t have imagined not long ago.

Her relationships outside the Clan, on the other hand, had seen little progress since the incident. When she learned that Eunice and Lorena had participated in a social gathering organized by Absolute Helix, and the fact that she hadn’t been invited, she’d felt like her lungs had seized, as if she’d die simply from forgetting how to breathe.

Apparently, the gathering had been arranged spontaneously, and their attendance had been purely coincidental… or so she’d been told. Could she really believe that? Try as she might, Stephanie couldn’t stop herself from spinning dark and paranoid theories until she very nearly clawed at her own scalp in frustration.

[No, no, no…] she reminded herself firmly. [Sova confirmed it. That much is true. There’s no reason to doubt it.]

She wasn’t alone anymore. There were others — Sova, Bittman, even Dorssia, who had practically become her loyal servant, who could pull her back when her mind began to spiral. She had asked Sova to investigate, and he had confirmed that the gathering had been impromptu, nothing more. He had even lamented that he had missed the chance to drink the night away with Weiss.

[Perhaps… I should host a tea party myself,] she thought.

Of course, she would’ve preferred to invite only Tsutomu. But after being explicitly warned against isolating him, she couldn’t, in good conscience, exclude the others. She’d already been considering it for some time, but the mention of Aunt Pei had cemented her resolve. The woman had always loved afternoon tea, and those memories gave her a push.

[…Which means we must get through the ninety-sixth layer as soon as possible.]

If Tsutomu were to misunderstand and assume her tea party was just a front to glean information, that would ruin everything. All the more reason to move forward quickly and leave no room for doubt. With that thought firm in her heart, Stephanie passed through the Black Gate and returned to the Guild.

"You’re back," came a voice.

"Hmm?" Sova grunted in response.

Just beyond the gate, a figure greeted them, his face hidden beneath the deep shadow of a hood. It was the standard garb of an Ealdred Crow informant. Not all of them dressed this way, of course, but their leader did, and many had copied the look.

The gatekeeper cast the man an irritated glance, but the informant leaned in and lowered his voice.

"We may have found the method to progress through the ninety-sixth layer. Please come to the Clan House at once."