Chapter 378: Even If Broken
“Shall we call it a day?” Stephanie said. “…This turned out to be a more meaningful session than I anticipated. I appreciate your time.”
Two hours had passed since Tsutomu had fled the battlefield, and still the feed on Monitor #1 remained unbroken. In a silence thick as mourning cloth, Stephanie, Eunice, and Lorena carried on with their Healer discussion circle. But unlike usual, the mood was subdued, and the air was heavy with unspoken thoughts. As the crowd thinned out around the Pedestal Market, the three exchanged opinions for an hour before Stephanie, her expression firm with resolve, rose to leave.
“…What will you do now, Stephanie?” Eunice asked quietly.
“I intend to take on the hundredth layer.”
“…And what about Tsutomu?”
“Much as I hate to admit it… it seems he won’t be reappearing anytime soon. He truly doesn’t want to die, does he?”
“…”
On Monitor #1, the only things visible were the aimless sparring of the undead Garm and Amy, and the now fully-revived Corroded Elder Dragon, looming in the background like a nightmare. Not once had Tsutomu’s figure reappeared, with him likely having intentionally directed the God Eye away from himself, and now word was spreading that the rest of his party had already been forcibly returned to the Guild.
For the first thirty minutes, many still believed his retreat was part of a greater plan. But as the minutes became hours and the return of his companions became known, that hopeful illusion shattered. The Pedestal Market erupted in boos, and the crowd dispersed.