Synopsis

As Kudo wanders around town in the world of Do-Melta, thinking about what to do for the day, he gets kidnapped (again) by his mentor Beitreise. He gets taken to an undiscovered route and is told that hot springs lie ahead. Will he take the next step into adulthood? The third volume of this laid-back, otherworldly adventure story—brought to you by Hitsuji Gamei and Karei—is here! (Source: J-Novel Club)

Hot Springs, Honey, and Hard Levelling!

Fresh off of a kidnapping cliffhanger, After-School Dungeon Diver’s third volume is filled with fun new misadventures for Kudo.

Reaching its three-volume milestone, the series has found its rhythm for its episodic storytelling. Not accounting for any major storyline, the volumes now consist of a plot featuring Scrael, Eldrid, Kudo’s Sensei, an adventuring team-up, and a story following Kudo’s potion creations.

This volume begins with another storyline involving Kudo’s sensei, Beitreise Zuiventria. A strong start to the novel, it mixes the usual antics between them, but this time, the story slowly reveals hints as to why she chose Kudo as her apprentice. There are subtle inferences made after Kudo fights a relatively rare monster that those from other worlds influence the dungeon environment and the monsters within. 

Also experiencing strong continuances are Kudo’s potion-creation plot and his dungeon-diving adventures with other adventurers.

Kudo’s potion-creation antics this time around lead him towards an annual tournament. While competing, Kudo’s joke honey potion ends up having some unexpected benefits for a group known as the Adorners. Through their introduction, the series adds some interesting tidbits of world-building as the story offers a deeper understanding of the relationship between the species of Do-Melta and the gods they worship. For the Adorners, their god is unable to handle bitterness, which translates into the bitter taste causing them great harm. This is why Kudo’s potion is so revolutionary, as it allows the Adorners to heal without the use of magic.

As for Kudo’s new adventuring team-up, its advantages come from showing a differing adventuring style from the one shown with Miguel in the previous volume. Teaming up with Lion-Maru, Kudo quickly learns the problems that occur when you’re overwhelmingly powerful. An experience that earns him more than a few PTSD memories.

Finally, there are Scrael and Eldrid’s stories. Being potential romantic interests, they both end up on another date with Kudo during this volume. While their dates are always entertaining, they ended up being the weakest part of the volume due to their lack of development. As is often the case with pseudo-harem series, the author has put the romantic development in limbo for fear of what will happen if they choose a winner. Thankfully, there’s some good news on the horizon as the next volume teases another trip to Japan. 

Overall, After-School Dungeon Diver’s third instalment makes for another strong addition to the series. Do-Melta’s world-building is the biggest beneficiary of this volume, as several storylines create interesting possibilities regarding how outside influences affect the world. Moreover, this volume finally reveals more information about Kudo’s Sensei.

I Give Dungeon Diver Volume 3: 8/10