Babel

With the intent of saving money and ensuring the survival of himself and his sister, Linneaus spent each day following a similar, yet adaptive routine. In the slums, having a pattern that others could easily follow made you a soft target so he would always vary the times he left, where he would go, and the route he took to return.Because of his habits, the constantly fluctuating population, and the fact that most people lived in a similar way as himself, Linneaus very rarely met the same people twice. The only exceptions to this were the gang members belonging to various factions and the few businesses and stalls that operated around the orphanage.Though it was rumored that children within the megacity were friendly with each other, forming small social cliques as they romped around the paved roads and freely entered shops without having to worry about getting beaten, Linneaus didn't particularly care about such things.Linneaus was more focused on saving up money for his sister's treatment and, with 'friends' just increasing the chances he would be backstabbed, it was better to avoid forming any relationships with other children around his age. It didn't help that he was an outlier even within the slums due to his focus on surviving in the present rather than focusing on an arbitrary goal like climbing the Tower.It was for reasons such as this that Linneaus was surprised to see a familiar face a few days after the incident involving the rat. He had been walking down a side-alley, one of the thousands that made up the complex maze-like structure of the slums, when a bristly yet soft paw founds its way around his neck, lifting him from the ground and slamming him hard into the stone surface in an instant.By instinct, Linneaus found himself reaching for the hidden pocket inside his sleeve, forgetting that his knife had been stolen from him previously. This action didn't go unpunished, causing a set of sharp nails to pierce into his arm before his attacker confirmed he didn't actually have a weapon.Seeing his health take a sizeable chunk, Linneaus gave up trying to resist, appearing as harmless as he was able while chokingly asking, "Wh..at...do you...want from...me?" This question was given a prompt response in the form of a fist burying itself into his abdomen before he was left to crash to the ground immediately after.Since it was hard to tell at times, the girl, the same Vulna woman he had encountered previously, lifted him by the hair so that she could see his face, asking, "How old are you, brat?"Hearing her question, Linneaus did his best to resist the pain in his diaphragm as he answered, "I turned eight this year..." before curling up as she slammed his face towards the ground.Though murder wasn't that uncommon, especially in the slums, there were few who would go out of their way to kill a child before they were of age. In Lumen, there was a value known as enmity which, if you accumulated, gave pretty much everyone the right to kill you. Killing children would earn a large amount of enmity, especially if you were the attacker, so the girl could only grit her teeth as she warned, "I have remembered your scent. If our paths cross again in the future, I will peel the flesh from her body as bait for the rats..."With her warning issued, the woman left the alleyway by vaulting up the walls and bounding atop the roof. You could get in a lot of trouble for moving across the roofs of buildings, as that was the territory of the various gangs ruling the slums, but the Vulna girl didn't seem to care. From this, it could be assumed she was either a member of the local gang or confident enough to deal with any enforcers who tried to deal with her.As Linneaus waited for his health to recover, he recalled that she had previously run through the alleys on foot so, if his intuition was correct, she had been 'scouted' after that rat incident. This was likely the reason she was so angry with him as, with very few exceptions, this meant she was now either a prostitute or the 'relief' for the gang's crew members.Linneaus was really hoping she was just wantonly ignoring the rules as, if she was really part of the local gang, his life would be endangered in the future. Being marked by a Vulna was the same as being marked for death if you weren't stronger than they were. From how fast she moved, and the strength she had shown, Linneaus knew he wouldn't be her match unless Akasha, the name of the system everyone used, granted him a powerful Blessing on his tenth birthday...After waiting for a half-hour, Linneaus' health had recovered enough that he wouldn't have any difficulties moving around. He quickly lifted himself from the ground before, once again, setting off for his destination. Today, he was intending to travel a few kilometers east, a region he hadn't visited in a few months, to see if he couldn't earn any spoils.Fortunately, after the sudden attack and subsequent beating, Linneaus, for reasons he could only guess at, noticed his Luck parameter had increased from 3~4. Since Luck, along with Charisma and Spirit, couldn't be invested in, even small increases were meaningful. It was rumored that, if your Luck was high enough, it greatly increased your fortunes and, within the Tower, those with high Luck stats were heavily sought after.Feeling a little better about his odds of success, Linneaus quickened his pace, darting through the alleyways while simultaneously trying to conceal his presence. When he reached his destination, he immediately tried to put his Luck to the test, casing each person within the small marketplace, his golden eyes glimmering with renewed vigor.As if driven by some divine cue, Linneaus saw another Street Urchin attempt to snitch the contents of a man's pockets in passing. Since Inventory space was limited, and reduced your maximum SP, most people filled their slots with junk, a countermeasure against [Steal], while only keeping a few important items inside.With this being a marketplace, goods obviously exchanged hands and, in that brief moment, the most keen-eyed opportunists saw their chance. As for Linneaus, he focused more on the people doing the snitching than those they snitched from. Since there was always a chance his target was far more powerful than himself, meaning he could lose his life with just a swat of their hand, he would rather steal from other thieves. Though this didn't guarantee his safety, sometimes leading to rather fierce beatings, he found it was safer than the alternative while also providing slightly more experience than normal...Just as the unfamiliar Street Urchin activated his [Steal] skill, his hand filling with a small pouch, Linneaus' eyes flashed as he activated his own. Pouches generally indicated cereal or money so it was a mark he couldn't pass up, irrespective of the situation.With the other boy being around his age, Linneaus assumed he only had between 2~3 slots in his Inventory, meaning his chances were around 33%, assuming he was successful at all. This was a lot higher than normal, however, and, with a weight filling his hand, Linneaus plopped down on the ground inconspicuously as if he was still casing a target. If he ran at this point, he would draw a lot of attention to himself and, if the pouch truly did have money in it, confirming this in the open assured he would lose it.As could be expected, the boy that had snitched the pouch didn't get far before a group of three dropped down from the roof. These had to be the Enforcers that 'protected' the market and, due to the massive difference in strength, it wasn't long before the unfortunate Street Urchin suffered a beating before they took turns using [Steal] until he had nothing in his Inventory.From his perch next to a pile of rubbish, Linneaus could see the larger of the three men kick the Street Urchin rather viciously before they left him to regenerate. It didn't take the Enforcers long to figure out what had happened but, having missed the moment when Linneaus used his [Steal] skill, they didn't waste their time searching before returning to the roofs above.In order to make sure that he didn't lose the pouch, Linneaus didn't keep it in his Inventory and instead tucked it into the rubbish pile next to him. He assumed his actions were being watched at some point so, in order to remove any suspicion they would have, it was necessary for him to try his luck at snitching a few items. So long as he didn't get anything too valuable, they would just overlook him as he skulked away in the aftermath.Though 4 Luck didn't sound that impressive, Linneaus felt like it was a qualitative increase. His efforts to [Steal] had gone unrewarded but, much like the Old Crone a few days ago, an elderly man with eyebrows extending past his chin smiled at him in passing. There were so many wrinkles on his face that his eyes could hardly be seen through the aged flesh but this didn't seem to affect him as he looked directly toward Linneaus and pulled out a small potato.With his last meal nearly a week ago, Linneaus didn't waste any time before accepting the potato and pressing his head to the dirt. This earned him a light chuckle for the man who, understanding how the slums worked, kindly stated, "Go ahead and eat, child. I can tell you are on the verge of starving. Don't worry, I will not allow anyone to take it from you..."Since it was exceptionally rare to live into your twilight years, the elderly were both respected and feared. Even within the slums, anyone that looked sufficiently advanced in their years was given a wide berth as, despite their frail appearance, many of them were in their late twenties while some were even over level thirty. Age did provide debuffs to attributes but, despite this, they were all very powerful compared to normal citizens.Without worrying if the food he was given contained poison, as few people were foolish enough to waste such herbs and chemicals on a random Street Urchin, Linneaus quickly downed the small potato. He was surprised to notice there was a bit of salt and other spices that had been used to season the outside, giving him a strong urge to tear up as he licked his dirty fingers clean.Issuing another chuckle, the old man rose to his feet before saying, "Stay strong, child..." as he walked toward another youth perched in a different location. There were a number of Street Urchins in the area and, after seeing the man give away food, each of them had hungry eyes as the watched the elderly man make his rounds.They knew better than to crowd him, understanding well the repercussions if they managed to offend someone kind enough to pass out free food. Not only would they likely lose the chance of getting any free food in the future, but their fellow Street Urchins would severely beat them for ruining their own chances at a meal...With his previously empty stomach filled with a bit of warmth, Linneaus felt it was as good a time as any to make his way back. It was considered an unwritten rule that, if you received a handout, you should quickly vacate the area to allow others a chance. Since this wasn't his turf, Linneaus didn't want to make any enemies so, after bowing his head toward the man's direction once again, he stealthily snatched the pouch before taking a new path towards the orphanage.Resisting the urge to check his spoils until he was beyond the threshold of the orphanage's door, Linneaus felt like a marionette with its strings cut the moment he saw the aged face of Rebecca. She smiled in response to his antics, asking in a kindly tone, "I take it you had a good day, little Lin?"Hearing the question, Linneaus honestly answered, "I'm not sure..." before moving into a seated position and pulling out the pouch. Even if it ended up being completely empty, he was already happy enough just to have received a seasoned potato.Feeling the weight of the pouch, Linneaus felt that today was the luckiest day of his life. He quickly emptied the contents into his palm, not worried in the slightest that Rebecca would rob him. She was actually the one keeping his money stashed away from him and, with her reputation and the way she treated all of them, he believed she wouldn't betray him.With the characteristic sound of metal against metal, Linneaus couldn't help smiling, even before his mind processed just what exactly he was holding. When it finally hit him, he nearly dropped the small coins to the ground as, instead of a few dozen coppers, he saw a bit of murky silver in the mix. Though he would have normally counted each coin with care, Linneaus prioritized the few bits of silver in his palm which, much like his Luck, totaled four small silver, giving him more than enough to buy a simple Panacea for Gwen...Just as an urge to cry began to overwhelm him, Rebecca had soundlessly moved from her chair, appearing next to Linneaus in an instant. She gently placed her palm against his head, the same kindly smile she always wore adorning her face as she whispered, "It is okay to be happy, little Lin. Just remember you pay this fortune forward in the future..."Following this reminder, Rebecca collected the coins from Linneaus' hand before placing a small vial into his palm. She then pushed him towards the girls' room before sitting back in her chair, a thoughtful glimmer in her eyes. As for Linneaus, he didn't even quest why Rebecca already had a Panacea on her, assuming she had intended to give it to Gwen or himself on their next birthday. In truth, she had numerous potions and other valuables in her Inventory but, understanding that the children would only become victims if she pampered them too much, Rebecca silently supported their efforts unless it was absolutely necessary for her to intervene...

Though it was rare to celebrate anything but the changing of the year, especially within the slums, the evening of Linneaus' triumphant return and Gwen's treatment became a memorable event for the seventeen children living within the orphanage.By the time the other children had started to return in the evening, Gwen had already taken her medicine and, though they rarely left their room except to do chores or train, all of the girls came out to celebrate. Before that, Rebecca sent Juanis, a rotund boy that was already 170cm, despite being only seven years old, to pick up a few vegetables from the local market.Being of the Dahmpos race, a species known for their great strength and physical prowess, Juanis would have been even taller if not for being malnourished. At the age of ten, it wasn't uncommon for a Dahmpos to be well over 200cm tall, with some growing to well over 300cm by adulthood.Since Juanis already worked as a laborer for a small shop within the market, he was one of the few children associated with the orphanage who wouldn't be kicked out and beaten if he attempted to enter a shop. He had also been scouted as a future Enforcer for the local gang, despite the fact he was a gentle and kind boy by nature.When Juanis finally returned, carrying a sack of rice, potatoes, flour, and a bag of medicinal tea leaves, everyone was in high spirits. This was especially true for those who had been down on their luck in recent days, much like Linneaus had been previously, as some had already gone a few days without any solid foods.Because it was thanks to his contributions they were able to eat so well, Linneaus was the center of attention within the orphanage, despite the fact they were celebrating Gwen's recovery. She didn't seem to mind at all, however, as she enjoyed seeing her older brother fluster with a rare smile on his face as Sasha teased him. He did so much for her that she often felt guilty so, seeing him happy made her happy...After the festivities had come to an end, everyone went to sleep with full stomachs for the first time in months. Linneaus had to wash his face furiously after Sasha had snuck a kiss on his cheek but, despite how troublesome her behavior had been at the time, he now had a happy smile on his face as he looked towards the bunk above and listened to the silent sound of his brothers sleeping peacefully.Linneaus was currently thinking about the future for the first time in a while as, previously, he thought it would take him nearly a year and a half to finish saving up for Gwen's treatment. Now, other than the lingering threat from the Vulna woman, he didn't really know what the future held. He needed a new goal and, in order to earn even more money in the future, Linneaus decided to talk with Rebecca about what he should do. She was the one who trained the girls and, as they were all a fair amount stronger than the boys, as they would need to be, he felt she would have the answer.While thinking of what he should do next, Linneaus could hear the sound of someone crying to his right. This originated from the youngest boy within the orphanage, named Chen, who had only come to stay with them four months prior. He was currently five years old and, due to his parents being murdered, his nights were often plagued by nightmares while his days were largely fruitless.Though there wasn't much he could do for the young Hume, Linneaus still shifted out of his bunk before crawling next to the young boy and hugging him. This helped Chen calm down a bit and, after a few minutes of whimpering sobs, he finally managed to fall asleep again. Shortly after that, Linneaus also felt rather tired and, though some of the other boys might tease them later on, they had all gone through something similar in the past...Early the next morning, Linneaus decided to act on his decision the previous night, approaching Rebecca after everyone else had already left for the day. Generally, the boys were kicked out until later in the afternoon, giving the girls a chance to stretch their legs and conduct their training, but he wanted to ask for her advice before leaving.Rather than send him away, Rebecca had a kind smile on her face before he even spoke, saying, "I imagine you need a new goal for yourself, yes?" Then, seeing him nod, she handed him a slip of paper, saying, "You still have seventeen months before you come of age. I can see goodness in you, little Lin. Become someone strong enough to protect others, yourself included."Since Linneaus had talked to her about the Vulna girl marking him, Rebecca knew he would need to increase his strength if he wanted to avoid losing his life. She couldn't fight his battles for him and, as this world wasn't kind to the weak, Rebecca always encouraged the children in her care to seek strength and aim for something higher than the life of a slum dweller.After accepting the slip of paper, Linneaus noticed there was an exercise routine that emphasized a focus on Agility and Dexterity. Though it would be impossible for him to match the attributes of a Vulna, known for their speed, it would allow him to at least react when the time came. So long as he prepared properly, it wasn't impossible for him to come out ahead as, just like Rebecca had taught them, everyone had a weakness...From that moment onward, Linneaus dedicated his mornings to training his body by performing a series of pushups, crunches, and squats. In between sets, he would hone his agility by navigating the complex system of alleyways by sprinting at his maximum speed. Since there were all kinds of obstacles in his way, he would have to react quickly to avoid tripping or slamming into something. At the same time, he was able to hone his [Sense Danger] and [Presence Concealment] as, by running around, he drew a lot of attention from the gang members skulking about on the roofs above.Over the course of his training, there were several instances where Linneaus suffered a beating but, as this also helped to train his Constitution and Spirit, he suffered them in silence. Because of this, the local gang members eventually stopped paying attention to him, so long as they didn't catch him directly trying to snitch something.In this manner, nearly a year had passed when Sasha, having reached the age of ten, received her Blessing from Akasha. This was an important moment in everyone's life so, much like during the celebration of Gwen's recovery, everyone in the orphanage was present when the clock struck midnight.Though it wasn't his first time seeing it, Linneaus' eyes were round as saucers when he saw a pillar of blue light radiate from Sasha's body. It was generally believed that the size of the light was an indicator of your potential and, if it reached beyond a certain threshold, it was even possible to become a citizen of the megacity.On average, the pillar of light accompanying a person's blessing was around five meters in height, ignoring all obstacles as it extended into the night sky. Sasha's ended up being a little above average and, though he wasn't able to see it directly due to the ceiling above, Rebecca had a smile on her face as she stated, "Eight-hundred-and-seventeen centimeters...well done, Sasha. You have worked hard."It wasn't enough to get her a ticket into the megacity, but Sasha was still happy to receive a bit of praise from Rebecca. Then, knowing everyone was waiting for the big reveal, she looked at her Status before jumping for joy as she exclaimed, "I got the [Cartography] skill!"Hearing this, everyone present was quite surprised as, with the [Cartography] skill, Sasha could be a mainstay in a party and, despite her pillar of light not making the cut, she could still be groomed by a small to mid-sized organization. After all, if she managed to enter the Tower in the future, her ability to create a map of the floor was instrumental to the success of most parties.Amidst the congratulatory remarks and applause from the children, Rebecca had a larger than normal smile on her face as she said, "I will send a message to an old friend of mine who stays within the megacity. She is part of the Cartographer's Guild and will help you develop your skill further. Congratulations, Sasha."As becoming a student of a Guild meant being able to leave the slums, even if the treatment she received wouldn't be much better at first, Sasha still had a bright smile on her face. After all, it was almost impossible to leave the slums through normal means and, with Blessings taking on many forms, she was truly fortunate to have such an opportunity.The following day, a young woman with long red hair, accompanied by a large man with two horns and windswept hair, arrived to retrieve Sasha. They even brought a change of clothes for her so that she wouldn't stand out as much after passing through the massive gate leading into the megacity.By the time Sasha had changed, she looked like a completely different person as, compared to the rags and patchwork clothing from before, the tunic and trousers she had been provided were of incomparable quality. This even caused her to behave differently than normal and, though she said a few words of encouragement to the other children within the orphanage, there was already a glint in her eyes as if she looked down on them.The only exceptions to this were when she looked at Saht, who was now much stronger than she was, and Linneaus. Even then, however, she only gave them a thoughtful glance before sparing the latter a smile as she parted with the duo. In truth, she had a crush on Linneaus since he first arrived in the orphanage but, as they lived very different lives, nothing had ever come of it. Now that she was going to live in the megacity, it was unlikely their paths would ever cross again, even if he also entered in the future. After all, there were more than three-hundred billion residents in the megacity so, unless you were part of the same Guild or Organization, you very rarely met the same person twice.Seeing Sasha leave, everyone remaining in the orphanage felt a strong desire to improve so that they were also able to enter the megacity in the future. This included Linneaus, though he already held that conviction even before his training had started. After all, if he wanted to protect Gwen, it was necessary to gain access to the city, even if it was just to secure a place for her.Unless he got one of the rare combat-oriented Blessings, there was little chance he would be able to protect his sister if they remained in the slums. Though he didn't develop an ego because of it, Linneaus knew his appearance was abnormal, to the point that he would sometimes be solicited by women, both young and old. Since his sister was even more beautiful, there would be no end to the number of people trying to claim her for themselves.Knowing what happened to women and young girls who couldn't protect themselves, Linneaus was determined to do everything in his power to help her avoid such a fate. Hopefully, like Sasha, she would awaken a useful Blessing that allowed her access to the megacity without a fuss. If not, he prayed his own gave him enough power to protect them both as, on his tenth birthday, there was a good chance a certain Vulna woman would come hunting him.At this point, Linneaus knew the woman's name was Skaadi and, as he had expected, she had indeed become one of the various women serving the Greyhound Gang. Worse still was that she had been able to get close to the leader of said gang as, much like her, he was also a member of the Vulna tribe. Thus, while others would ignore him unless he caused trouble, she would usually track him down at least once a week to give him a beating before asking him how old he was...With eight months left until his birthday, Linneaus was determined to get as strong as possible before the penultimate moment. Fortunately, as she was beating him so routinely, he had a rough idea of how strong Skaadi was. He also knew what her Blessing was so, as long as he got any kind of combat-oriented Blessing, he was confident in his chances.----------------------------------------[Status]Name: Linnaeus FinnianTitle: Street Urchin(+1 Con +1 Dex, +1 Wis Per Level. Half Free Attributes Per Level]Race: Hume(50%), Manalyte(50%)Age: 9Gender: MaleLevel: 5(93/500)Health: 220/220 (Critical Health)Soul Power: 110/110Strength: 4~6Constitution: 6~11Agility: 6~12Dexterity: 11~16Intelligence: 5~6Wisdom: 8~12Spirit: 2~5Charisma: 6~9Luck: 4~5Free Attributes: 11Skills: [Kinu Comprehension:(-)], [Knife Mastery: LV4], [Sense Danger: LV14-&gt;LV15], [Presence Concealment: LV7-&gt;LV9], [Acrobatics: LV5](new)Abilities: [Steal: LV13-&gt;LV15]Magic: [Enhance: LV2-&gt;LV5][Acrobatics: LV5(431/500)]Passive: Able to navigate terrain quickly and agilely without losing balance. (+1 Agi per level)----------------------------------------

With an empty stomach and a shaken mind, Linnaeus entered into the hovel-like dwelling known as the Rahban Orphanage. It was a squalid little place that would have been uncomfortable for even a small family of three to reside. Despite this, the Orphanage packed a total of seventeen children into its two rooms while the Caretaker, a fat yet kindly woman named Rebecca, could usually be found in a rocking chair near the building's entrance.Despite her aged appearance, making her an ideal target for some of the most disreputable sorts in the slums, the Orphanage was able to exist without too many difficulties. This was due to the fact that Rebecca was a former climber in the Tower and, after a series of disputes in the past, she had come to an accord with the local gang to open an orphanage to care for Street Urchins.Seeing Linnaeus walk in through the padded sheets keeping the cold at bay, Rebecca opened one of her heavily lidded eyes, showing a frosty blue pupil that contained the wisdom and vicissitudes of several hundred years. Though her powers were restricted outside of the Tower, she was one of the only people over Level 40 in the entire Slums, making her a powerhouse despite the fact she was nearly six-hundred years old.With a kindly smile on her face, visible despite heavy wrinkles, Rebecca asked in a ragged yet gentle tone, "No luck today, little Lin...?"Hearing the question, Linnaeus released a heavy sigh, the only answer Rebecca needed before she began to chuckle lightly. Then, with the flash of her hand, a small cup of rice porridge, diluted from a single cup of rice that had been split between thirty servings, appeared from her Inventory.In the planar world of Lumen, everyone had spatial storage with slots equal to their level. Each was capable of holding a variety of items with the only real restriction being that it decreased your maximum SP based on the size and weight of items stored within.With an apologetic expression on his face, Linnaeus accepted the small cup of porridge, tears of shame building in the corners of his eyes. Rebecca just lightly chuckled in response before using her thin fingers to ruffle his pale-blue hair as she said, "You're a good lad, Lin. So long as you never give up, this world will eventually reward your efforts..."Nodding his head, even though he didn't truly believe such words, Linnaeus dragged his feet to the larger of the two rooms in the orphanage, reserved for the girls. Of the seventeen children residing in the Rahban Orphanage, nine were females, the oldest of which was a girl named Tiana, aged nine.In Lumen, though the age of physical maturity depended heavily on your race, the baseline when you were expected to take care of yourself was ten years old. This was because, on the eve of your tenth birthday, everyone would awaken an ability called a Blessing. If you were fortunate, this would be a powerful ability that could completely change your life, granting you immense power or one of a few 'trade' skills such as [Blacksmith], [Artisan], [Cook], or [Enchanter]. Though it was possible for anyone to learn skills related to these trades, only those who had a Blessing related to them were able to become truly skilled in their craft.It was for this reason that many people saved their Free Attributes as, if you invested all of your points into Strength and Constitution, only to awaken a Blessing related to Magic or Spirit Control, you could only live in regret as you worked hard to catch up with your peers. This was also the main reason why it was considered a grievous violation of the Law, even in the Slums, to kill or cripple a child before they reached the age of ten, despite the small and petty crimes they committed. After all, even the most humble Stree Urchin could become a powerhouse overnight if their fortune was favorable...After knocking on the door to the girls' room, Linnaeus waited for a series of locks to be undone before a girl with dirty pink hair, standing only 91cm tall, opened the door. She had a tiny white horn poking through the bangs of her forehead, pointed ears, and orange eyes that, when coming into focus, had vertical slits.The moment she saw Linnaeus, the girl turned around and exclaimed, "Gwen, your brother is here~!" in a chipper tune. Following this, shuffling was heard before a small girl with similarly pale-blue hair and golden eyes appeared, much of her body wrapped in stained bandages.Feeling his heart twist in his chest, Linnaeus furrowed his brows in concern as he said, "You shouldn't be moving around, Gwen..." If not for the fact boys weren't allowed into the girls' room, Linnaeus would have walked her back to bed before sitting at her side and feeding her the soup Rebeccas had given him.With a tired smile and just as much concern in her eyes, Gwen did her best to put on a strong front as she answered, "You worry too much, brother. If I don't move around at least a little, I feel that my muscles will stop working...fufu *cough* *cough*..." Though she had tried to dismiss his concerns in a lighthearted fashion, Gwen felt her throat begin to itch as her chest seized up. Fortunately, the same pink-haired girl had stayed close by, patting Gwen's back to help her breath as she sent a warning look toward Linnaeus.Understanding his presence would only cause Gwen to push herself unnecessarily, Linnaeus handed over the cup of rice porridge, his face forming a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he said, "Eat this...it will help you regain your strength..." Though this would be his fifth day without a solid meal, Linnaeus had long-since grown accustomed to an empty stomach. So long as he was able to drink water, just chewing on a piece of leather he had picked up was enough to keep him from thinking about it too much.Since Gwen rarely accepted the food he brought outright, the pink-haired girl, named Saht, was the one to accept it in her stead. Then, before the sickly girl could make a fuss, she gave a curt nod to Linnaeus, saying, "I'll make sure she eats properly. Now go, get out of here."Though she sounded abrasive, Saht was from a species known as the Ba'haat tribe, recognizable by their light hair colors and the ivory white horns that grew from their heads. More than their physical appearance, however, what they were most known for were their sharp tongues and cold natures. As one of the many warrior tribes, they only showed kindness to close kin and, in some situations, those who had defeated them in battle.Despite the fact she was a full head shorter than he was, Saht was the second strongest girl in the orphanage, just behind Sasha. There was a three year age between the two, putting Saht at only six years old, but that was one of the benefits of being born in a warrior tribe like the Ba'haat. Sasha was just a Hume and, though this meant her future paths were more varied than Saht's, they always had to struggle against some of the more physically superior races.With the door to the girls' room already shut in his face, Linnaeus moved a few meters toward the entrance before turning into the boys' room. Unlike the girls' room, theirs didn't have a lock, or a door for that matter, as boys were in considerably less danger than girls living in the slums. Even with several laws enacted to protect children, there were still plenty of groups and individuals who would pick up young girls off the street to train them as slaves or prostitutes in one of the myriad brothels surrounding the high walls of the megacity.If Rebecca wasn't strong enough to keep malicious forces at bay, the girls had a small stockpile of Dream Grass, a preserved herb that, when ingested directly, caused realistic hallucinations that were impossible to distinguish from reality. These often took the form of a pleasant fantasy, allowing them a final reprieve as their heart and mind quickly ceased to function. Though some of the more vicious slavers carried the antidote to Dream Grass on their person, the reinforced door would be more than enough for the herb to take full effect.Linnaeus wasn't surprised to discover that he was the first to return as, with the sky still showing a bit of light, his brothers would still be out trying their luck. The only reason he returned so early was to make sure he got the freshest rations, believing the first few batches of porridge had the highest nutritional value. This, combined with her other rations, should give Gwen a better chance to recover or, at the very least, help keep her alive until he reached ten years of age and had a chance to make enough money to buy her a Panacea.Gwen's illness wasn't actually that serious, at least within the walls of the megacity. There were many ways in which it could be treated but, here in the slums, it was considered a death sentence. It wasn't that the illness, known as Limit Bug, was life-threatening but, while afflicted, a person was unable to earn any attributes or Free Attribute points when they leveled up.Though it was possible to train and kill monsters to level up faster, most children, at least in the slums, got their levels simply from surviving. By the age of ten, the average Street Urchin would be around level five while, within the megacity, the average was closer to ten. Since it was much harder to increase your level beyond a certain threshold, at least without entering the Tower, this meant anyone afflicted with Limit Bug would be significantly weaker than their peers. Without the care of other people, it would be impossible for them to live as, even compared to much younger children, they would be extremely weak.Currently, Gwen was seven years old and, though she was only Level 2, this meant she had lost out on at least twelve attributes and four Free Attribute points. If he could not save up enough money to buy her a Panacea, which only cost five small silver, the equivalent of five hundred copper, she would have lost out on nearly fifty attributes and sixteen Free Attributes by the time she reached ten years of age.Fortunately, ever since they were left in the care of Rebecca nearly two years ago, Linnaeus had been able to save up two-hundred-and-nineteen copper. Since he was more skilled now than he had been two years ago, he was confident that Gwen would only be Level 3 by the time he obtained a Panacea for her. Then, if he was lucky with his Blessing, he would be able to earn even more money, hopefully enough to take care of her by the time she turned ten. Though the loss of twenty-four attributes and eight Free Attribute points would restrict her considerably, he would never abandon his sister, the only family he had left after their parents were selected to ascend the Tower...Though he was originally very depressed when his parents both vanished into motes of blue dust, as it had been a very shocking experience, Linnaeus didn't blame them for entering the Tower. Everyone dreamed of being able to earn wealth and power for themselves by venturing inside and, being the simple slum dwellers they were, it wasn't a surprise they would abandon their children for a chance at an even better life. His father had only been twenty-two at the time, while his mother was merely twenty years of age, so they both had potentially long lives ahead of them, meaning they could build a new family within the Tower.It was an established fact that the concentration of spirit particles was excessively high in the Tower and, as you moved up to higher floors, you were exposed to even greater quantities. As a result, just by surviving within the Tower, your lifespan would be greatly increased, allowing even Humes, who had a life expectancy of sixty years, to live for several hundred. There were even rumors circulating that some of the people who had entered tens-of-thousands of years ago were still alive, moving to progressively higher floors and gaining unimaginable power for themselves.Here in the slums, the life expectancy for a person was significantly reduced compared to those living within the megacity so, with the chance to extend their lives and obtain greater power, there were very few people, parents included, who wouldn't abandon everything for the chance to climb. As for Linnaeus, he was considered an exception as, after feeling betrayed by the parents who had shown him care and love prior to their disappearance, he decided he would rather just take care of Gwen. He could still vividly recall her crying face at the time and, even though he wanted to cry as well, Linnaeus had done his best to put on a strong front. Now, even if he was given the chance to climb the Tower, Linnaeus was confident he would refuse the offer...

Chapter 3: Skulking