Tsunayoshi didn't answer that question directly. His eyes slid instead to the more level-headed Tione. Receiving the signal, Tione immediately understood.
She grabbed Tiona—who'd leaned up into Tsuna's space—and pulled her back.
"Idiot, don't make a fuss. Some things aren't for the whole Familia to hear."
"Oh."
Tiona caught on right away. She knew certain matters weren't to be shouted about—especially things Finn and the others had agreed on. And Tsuna's silent response was basically telling her, "You guessed right."
"So, you're going to start prepping for the Dungeon too?"
"Mm. This time I'm more like an unexpected insurance policy—mainly handling support and rescue. I'm thinking through the contingency plans we'll need. You all know my ability makes that role easier for me."
Emergency planning was a headache in its own right. Tsuna looked at the three girls in front of him.
"Tiona, what do you think is the single most important thing during a Dungeon expedition?"
"The most important thing… hmm~ I'd say a place where you can relax and rest. Even the safe zones in the Dungeon aren't absolutely safe. Sometimes someone has to stand watch and you never really get a solid rest."
"Mm-hmm. A more comfortable rest area."
The Dungeon really wasn't a place you could rest well. Tsuna thought about the environment down there and the mechanism that constantly spawned monsters. No one could sleep soundly in that kind of danger.
A comfortable, secure rest zone was critically important. Tsuna picked up his pen and jotted that down quickly.
"Besides a comfy rest area, any other requirements for this place?"
"Mm~ If possible, it'd be great to have a bath pool. Water you bring into the Dungeon is precious, so we basically can't bathe during an expedition."
Water was a hard constraint—especially in the Dungeon.
Some floors did have water, but most sources came with danger attached—often the water itself was the biggest threat. That made adventurers extremely cautious with how they used it.
In a place where you had to ration water, extra for washing your body was a luxury—especially for girls.
Female front-line adventurers had it even worse. Tiona, Tione, and Ais were no exceptions. After high-intensity fighting with monsters, you were drenched in sweat, and not being able to clean up was a real hassle.
"Are there really no usable sources for washing down there?"
There should be, right? Tsuna vaguely remembered the anime having one of those fan-servicey scenes.
"Absolutely none."
Tiona shot that down without hesitation.
"Some floors do have water-terrain, like the weird 25–27F triple-linked layout. But most of those sources come with hazards. The Great Falls' water is drinkable, but the place is packed with monsters—no way to use it for bathing."
"And there's another reason. Our Familia usually only stops in safe zones. We jump past the Great Falls to rest on 28F. The 28F safe zone is great—there's plant cover, platforms, and fault lines that block most monsters—but it doesn't have water."
"The hassle really starts at 28F. From that floor on, everything gets inconvenient. Not just more frequent and numerous monsters— even the safe zones stop feeling safe."
"So during the expedition, what we want most is a rest spot where we can truly relax."
"Mm-hmm."
The expedition was even harsher than he'd imagined. Only now did Tsuna grasp the range of problems you ran into in the Dungeon.
Wanting a safe, water-equipped rest area wasn't much to ask in Orario, but in the Dungeon it was asking a lot. After all, the Dungeon isn't a vacation locale—it's a place saturated with danger.
Well—that was before. In Tsuna's head, an idea was already taking shape: a rest space that was safe and comfortable, with its own water for washing.
A zipper about the size of both his hands appeared, hovering in front of him.
Taking the zipper over to the wall, Tsuna gently pressed it in place. He tugged it down; space itself split along the line like it had been torn. After pulling it to the bottom, he pried the opening wider with his hands, then looked back at the three girls frozen in shock.
"Tiona, Tione, Ais—come in and see."
"Eh? Ehh!!!"
Tiona's eyes flew wide. They'd just finished talking about what they needed, and in the blink of an eye he'd made it real—by the strangest method.
That metal thing stuck to the wall, and with one pull the wall opened like paper. Through the gap Tiona could see grass, and she could even smell fresh green on the air.
"He… he actually made it?"
After shock came pure delight. Tiona rushed to the opening, tugged at the edges—now soft and cloth-like—pulled it wider, and leaned inside.
What she saw was a treehouse in a forest beyond imagination. The area around it was pristine; neat floor tiles were laid out with a ring of fresh grass around them. A round moon hung overhead. The sky looked real—like a genuine world.
"Amazing! It's like a real world!"
Tiona whooped and scrambled straight through.
"Tiona, wait for us!"
"Mm-hmm!"
Tione and Ais hurried after her. Only after the three had gone in did Tsuna step through last.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]