What is the last two digits of the decimal representation of $9^{8^{7^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}}$?

$ \textbf{(A)}\ 81
\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 61
\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 41
\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 21
\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 01
$
1. To find the last two digits of \( 9^{8^{7^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \), we need to compute \( 9^{8^{7^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \mod 100 \). Using Euler's theorem, we know that \( a^{\phi(n)} \equiv 1 \mod n \) for \( \gcd(a, n) = 1 \). Here, \( n = 100 \) and \( \phi(100) = 40 \), so it suffices to find \( 8^{7^{6^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \mod 40 \).

2. We need to find \( 8^{7^{6^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \mod 40 \). Using the Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT), we first find this number modulo 5 and modulo 8. Since \( 8 \equiv 0 \mod 8 \), we only need to find \( 8^{7^{6^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \mod 5 \).

3. To find \( 8^{7^{6^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \mod 5 \), we note that \( 8 \equiv 3 \mod 5 \). Therefore, we need to find \( 3^{7^{6^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \mod 5 \). Using Fermat's Little Theorem, \( a^{p-1} \equiv 1 \mod p \) for a prime \( p \), we have \( 3^4 \equiv 1 \mod 5 \). Thus, it suffices to find \( 7^{6^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}} \mod 4 \).

4. Since \( 7 \equiv -1 \mod 4 \), and any power of an even number is even, \( (-1)^{\text{even}} \equiv 1 \mod 4 \). Therefore, \( 7^{6^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}} \equiv 1 \mod 4 \).

5. Thus, \( 3^{7^{6^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \equiv 3^1 \equiv 3 \mod 5 \).

6. Now, we know \( 8^{7^{6^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \equiv 0 \mod 8 \) and \( 8^{7^{6^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \equiv 3 \mod 5 \). Using CRT, we solve the system:
   \[
   x \equiv 0 \mod 8
   \]
   \[
   x \equiv 3 \mod 5
   \]
   Let \( x = 8k \). Then, \( 8k \equiv 3 \mod 5 \) implies \( 3k \equiv 3 \mod 5 \), so \( k \equiv 1 \mod 5 \). Thus, \( k = 5m + 1 \) for some integer \( m \), and \( x = 8(5m + 1) = 40m + 8 \). Therefore, \( x \equiv 8 \mod 40 \).

7. Now, we need to find \( 9^{8^{7^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \mod 100 \). Since \( 8^{7^{6^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \equiv 8 \mod 40 \), we need to compute \( 9^8 \mod 100 \).

8. Compute \( 9^8 \mod 100 \):
   \[
   9^2 = 81
   \]
   \[
   9^4 = 81^2 = 6561 \equiv 61 \mod 100
   \]
   \[
   9^8 = 61^2 = 3721 \equiv 21 \mod 100
   \]

Therefore, the last two digits of \( 9^{8^{7^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{2}}}}}} \) are \( 21 \).

The final answer is \(\boxed{21}\).