Babel

Before leaving for another long day of training and skulking about to secure a pittance, Linneaus spent a few minutes speaking with Gwen at the entrance to the girls' room. She had grown a lot over the last year and, after being treated, worked just as hard, if not harder, than the other girls.Everyone knew how hard Linneaus worked but, being the target of his protective natures, Gwen felt both guilt and gratitude for her older brother's care. Because of this, she had made a habit of giving him a bit of encouragement before he set out for the day.Today, Gwen handed over a small charm that had been sewn from a few pieces of fabric recycled from old garments. It had an anomalous shape but, according to Gwen, it was supposed to be a cat. Though they were rare, especially in the slums, it was rumored that the cats in the megacity were bearers of great fortune. She hoped the small black charm would increase his fortune as, when she saw him return at the end of the day with cuts and bruises, it always hurt her heart.Graciously accepting the charm, Linneaus placed it securely within one of his hidden pockets before affectionately ruffling his sister's hair. He promised that he would be more careful in the future but, immediately after leaving the orphanage, Linneaus continued his training with even greater intensity.At this point, his height had increased to around 130cm and, though he was very skinny, his body had become far more agile than in the past. He struggled to increase his Strength, primarily due to the lack of nutrition, but his other attributes were developing well, sans Intelligence.Intelligence required serious study and proper education, making it very difficult to increase without diligent efforts and mentorship. Fortunately, Wisdom could be increased by gaining life experience and making good decisions, making it one of the attributes most Stree Urchins had to spare. This was a great boon in some scenarios as, despite his limited Soul Power, Wisdom increased the rate of replenishment while also allowing him to stay focused under duress.The only attributes Linneaus really had trouble developing, much like everyone else, were his Spirit and Luck. These were both important attributes as Spirit was directly tied to willpower and mental resistance while Luck was rumored to influence your actual fortune in life.Curiously, though he understood the reasons somewhat, Linneaus had no trouble raising one of the other difficult to obtain attributes, Charisma. This was an attribute many wanted, as it was associated with skills like [Bartering] and [Leadership]. At the same time, it apparently had an influence on how other people saw you, increasing their favorability.Due to his uncommon appearance, complete with fair skin, light-blue hair, and golden eyes, he was able to passively increase his Charisma, despite the fact he generally kept to himself. There was even a chance that, once he hit puberty, the attribute would increase considerably, something that both excited and troubled him. After all, who didn't want to be at least a little popular? The only downside was, at times, he would be stared at with predatory eyes by both men and women alike...Because of his propensity for running around and skulking through the alleyways, Linneaus had even garnered a reputation for himself. Many thought he was just trying to show off so that he could gain entry into the Tower but, regardless of the truth, some had started to refer to him as 'Little Ghost'. If this name caught on, he might even be able to lose his Street Urchin Title, which could be a good or bad thing depending on the situation.In Lumen, Titles were one of the most important factors that determined a person's growth, even for those living within the slums. Though Titles like Street Urchin and Gutter Rat had a few downsides to them, they still allowed even young children to survive in the harsh environment of the slums.Linneaus was hoping that the Little Ghost Title would provide a boost to his Dexterity and Agility or, at the very least, remove the detriment of halving his Free Attributes per level. This would give him more freedom of choice come his tenth birthday. Since there was always a chance he would get a Blessing related to Magic or Martial Skills, he would need the extra attributes to correct the current imbalance in his Status. After all, it would be quite sad if he got a Blessing like [Fire Affinity], only to find he couldn't cast even a simple [Fireball] Spell.Though there were exceptions like [Enhance], which were common to the point that everyone could use it, many Spells required hundreds of SP just to cast a single time. For offensive spells related to the Elements, the most basic Spell required a total of 200 SP to cast, meaning Lumen was barely at the halfway point. Thus, in order to avoid becoming another one of the horror stories of a person who got a Blessing that contrasted their attributes, Linneaus really wanted to lose his Stree Urchin Title...To that end, he was running through the alleyways, vaulting over boxes, ducking under pipes, and cutting into corners by kicking off the adjacent wall to change direction. He wanted to at least get to the point that he could freely use the walls for movement, emulating the ability of some Enforcers to move several kilometers without having to step a single foot on the ground. This would allow him to evade pursuit more easily, especially if he used his small size to his advantage.Unfortunately, despite the good luck charm his sister had given him, it had been about a week since his last beating so, as Linneaus passed another corner, his [Sense Danger] triggered, albeit too late for him to do anything about it. The moment he felt the urge to evade, a foot was already hitting the bridge of his nose, stopping his forward momentum and causing him to flip backward in an instant.Staring down at him from above, the Vulna girl named Skaadi spoke in a harsh voice akin to a growl, "Still trying to escape to the Tower, Little Ghost...?" Then, without waiting for an answer, she pressed her foot against his abdomen before shifting her weight and causing him to groan out in pain.Like everyone else, Skaadi thought that Linneaus was trying to earn the right to enter the Tower but, unlike the others, she believed he was just trying to escape her. She had been tempted to kill him a few times at this point, especially after an especially rough night, but always held back in the end. If he had fought back at all, she probably would have gone through with it but, as there was simply no sport in killing someone who didn't fight back, she settled on tormenting him.As usual, Linneaus did his best to curl up and resist the pain, even allowing Skaadi to use her sharp nails to create a long incision along the back of his forearm. She would also stop after a few minutes before giving him a pat-down and taking any valuables he might have on him. Fortunately, due to the charm being made of simple fabrics, it went unnoticed during her search so Linneaus wouldn't have to explain to his sister what had happened to it...After the usual thrashing, Skaadi kicked a decent layer of dirt across Linneaus' body before stating in a sly tone, "You should get used to sleeping in the dirt. Soon, it will become your home..." With that said, she leaped towards the wall, a pale layer of green light forming around her legs as she quickly joined a group of Enforcers waiting on the roof. They had been jeering at him during the beating but Linneaus paid them no mind as it wasn't the first, or the last, time.Since the dirt actually did help to keep the cold at bay, Linneaus made no attempts to clean himself as he waited for his health to slowly regenerate. He kept himself calm by reminding himself that he got to see Skaadi's Blessing again, a relatively common Skill amongst the Vulna known as [Child of the Wind]. It provided bonus Agility with each level but the most useful aspect of the Blessing was its ability to passively increase Agility by at least twenty percent, despite costing nothing. If combined with the standard [Enhance], she could probably increase her total Agility by around 30~40%, the only downside being the fact high-speed movements were exhausting.With knowledge of her Blessing, Linneaus had already been thinking of countermeasures against her inevitable attack. His first plan was to use the Vulna's sharp sense of smell to overwhelm her senses and, if he could catch her by surprise, it wouldn't be too difficult to slip a blade between her ribs. He had never killed anyone before but Linneaus had seen others lose their lives in a similar manner and was confident he would be able to manage.The most difficult aspect of his plan, or any other plan he might come up with, was catching Skaadi by surprise or reacting to her attack. Since she was much faster than him, it meant there was a good chance she could kill him before he even realized what had happened. With her nails, she didn't even need a weapon to slit his throat in one fell swoop so he was banking on the fact that she, like other Vulna, liked to toy with her prey.Currently, Linneaus was building an expectation in her mind that he was just a vulnerable child that couldn't offer any resistance against her at all. Unless she was watching the orphanage every night, it would be impossible for her to know exactly when his tenth birthday was so there was a chance he could catch her by surprise. Though this still left the matter of dealing with her cohorts, he was more likely to be recruited than killed, especially if he proved himself useful. After all, there was no sense in fighting over a dead person when you could instead force the other party to work for you.The only questionable part of his plan was how the leader of the Greyhounds would react but, with how he allowed his men to treat Skaadi, Linneaus doubted he would care all that much. Their bond seemed to be simple acknowledgment of each other as members of the same tribe, not one of kin or genuine respect for each other. If Skaadi proved to be weak enough to die to a child, he probably wouldn't even mark her grave.After recovering his health, Linneaus wasted no time in continuing his training, acting as if he hadn't just been severely beaten less than an hour ago. Since his experience had gone up by three points, he even had a small smile on his face as it was very difficult to level up within the slums. It generally required that you fight against animals or monsters around the same level for any meaningful gains and, with even rats being killed almost instantly, there weren't many sources for experience in the slums.Though it was possible to gain quite a bit by killing other people, this wasn't really an option for him so he could only gain small benefits through training and the occasional beating. Even then, he was already at the 'average' level for a ten-year-old so, if he managed to reach Level 6 in the next few months, he would be ahead of the curve. With this in mind, Linneaus put more strength in his legs, enjoying the feeling of his muscles straining, the burning sensation helping to beat back the cold...

It so happened that, with something like death looming over your head, time seemed to flow a lot faster than normal.Though each day had been filled with small events and minor achievements, Linneaus was far from the goals he had set for himself, despite the fact he had managed to level up once again. Better yet, he managed to officially be recognized by the Akashic System as 'Little Ghost', granting him a few small perks.Even with these significant boons, however, he had no confidence in being able to survive against Skaadi as, two days prior to his tenth birthday, Linneaus noticed she was dressed better than normal and, rather than walk around unarmed, she now carried a dagger that looked like a long ice pick. He had even gotten to experience its sharpness as, presumably on the day she had received it, Skaadi tracked him down and stabbed him clean through the thigh.As if he hadn't already been fighting an uphill battle, Linneaus learned she was no longer a relief girl within the Greyhounds, for reasons he could only speculate. Regardless, she was now a full-fledged Enforcer, meaning the threat to his life had increased exponentially.Because of these rapid changes, Linneaus had a dull look in his eyes during the days leading up to his tenth birthday. If he failed to obtain a Blessing that would give him an edge in combat, his death was all but assured. Though he wouldn't give up until the very end, to the point he was considering running away to another region to lay low until his sister's tenth birthday, it was hard to imagine she wouldn't simply track him down.Despite these concerns, Linneaus did his best not to alert his sister to the impending threat to his life, even though she had shown signs of inferring the truth. Since she didn't want to worry him even more, they both pretended that the secret remained, all the way up until the small celebration on the eve of his tenth birthday.With the clock striking midnight, amidst the glimmering eyes of his fellow orphans, Linneaus felt powerful energy flowing through his body. It was like a rush of adrenaline, unlike anything he had ever experienced, giving him the illusion he would be able to take on any enemies. Despite this, the pillar of light from his body only extended to a meager six meters, the same as his level.Though it was slightly above average, Linneaus felt as if the pressure on his body had increased by several-fold, even as the children of the orphanage congratulated him. Then, without wasting any time, he looked at his Status, praying against all odds that his Blessing would make up for his lack of potential...----------------------------------------[Status]Name: Linnaeus FinnianTitle: Little Ghost(+2 Agi, +2 Dex, +1 Wis per Level]Race: Hume(50%), Manalyte(50%)Age: 10Gender: MaleLevel: 6(497/600)Health: 280/280Soul Power: 165/165Strength: 6~8Constitution: 11~14Agility: 12~19Dexterity: 16~21Intelligence: 6~7+0.7Wisdom: 12~15+1.5Spirit: 5~8+0.8Charisma: 9~13Luck: 5Free Attributes: 19Skills: [Kinu Comprehension:(-)], [Knife Mastery: LV4-&gt;LV5], [Sense Danger: LV15-&gt;LV17], [Presence Concealment: LV9-&gt;LV10], [Acrobatics: LV5-&gt;LV8], [Pain Tolerance: LV2](new), [Barrier Master:LV1](new)Abilities: [Steal: LV15-&gt;LV18], [Stealth: LV4](new)Magic: [Enhance: LV5-&gt;LV10], [Barrier: LV1](new), [Barrier Aura: LV1](new)[Pain Tolerance: LV2(11/200)]Passive: Ability to resist spontaneous and persistent pain while remaining clear-headed.[Barrier Master: LV1(0/100)]Passive: Allows the user to manifest their Soul Power and give it physical form. (+3 Int, +3 Wis, +2 Spi per Level. Additional 10% bonus to Int/Wis/Spi every ten Levels.)[Stealth: LV4(33/400]Cost: 10 SP per minuteActive: Allows the user to blend into the shadows and dull the sound of their footsteps.[Enhance: LV10(227/1000)]Cost: 20~40 SPActive: Empower a single attribute by 10~15%[Barrier: LV1(0/100)]Cost: Variable(Cost dependent on the size and durability of the barrier. Base: 50SP)Active: Create a barrier that is able to defend against both physical and magical attacks.[Barrier Aura: LV1(0/100)]Cost: 10 SP per minute. Additional cost dependent on amount of damage sustained.Active: Create a membrane to protect the body from both physical and magical attacks.----------------------------------------Seeing his Blessing was [Barrier Master], Linneaus didn't know whether to laugh or cry as, though it was somewhat rare, it wasn't considered particularly useful outside of the Tower. While it certainly increased his survivability in short fights, the drain on his SP would make it almost impossible to use other spells in conjunction and, from what he knew, the external barriers produced only lasted for half the duration of his Spirit attribute.With Linneaus Blessing being rather tame, the children all felt awkward congratulating him but, as if to cheer him up, Rebecca had her usual kind smile as she explained, "For those that want to protect others, there are few Blessings better than [Barrier Master]. You should also keep in mind that there are no bad Blessings, little Lin. The determining factor for how useful a Blessing is depends entirely on the creativity and willpower of the user..."Understanding her words might not get through to him, especially given his situation, Rebecca kept her smile as she did something none of the children had seen before. She began to move her boney finger in a nimble and dexterous manner that none of them could follow directly, causing a few small blue flickers of light. Then, with a smile on her face, Rebecca explained, "My Blessing was [Sewing], a Skill that most can learn rather easily but...when applied creatively, anything is possible~."After she finished speaking, Rebecca twitched her fingers, surprising all of the orphans as she forced Linneaus to take a step forward. As for the boy in question, he was completely paralyzed and, if you looked closely, there were blue lines binding his arms to his sides as nearly invisible strings caused him to move forward at Rebecca's behest. It was an admittedly terrifying experience, at least until she began to gently pat his head, allowing the strings of Soul Power to dissipate as if they had never existed in the first place.To give the boy one last push, Rebecca looked directly into his eyes, her smile causing the wrinkles of her face to increase exponentially as she said, "I once knew a man who was able to form his barriers into weapons. He could change their shape freely, becoming one of the most versatile fighters I ever had the privilege of Partying with..." Since she didn't want to set him down the same path as another person, this was the limit to what Rebecca was willing to say as, ultimately, the form and function of a Blessing depended on the individual.Hearing Rebecca's words, Linneaus' eyes began to blaze as he hadn't even thought about using the barriers offensively. He felt the Skill was only useful for defense but, with her hint, he suddenly felt like his Blessing was far more powerful than he realized. At the same time, he kind of felt guilty as, without her advice, he would have fallen into a state of self-pity, believing his fate had already been determined.With a confident nod, Linneaus met Rebecca's gaze before answering in a firm tone of voice, "I will not look down on my own Blessing. Thank you for your guidance..." Then, after looking toward his sister, Linneaus had a smile on his face as he said, "Please continue to take care of Gwen."The moment she heard her brother's words, Gwen began to tear up and, without wasting any time, she jumped toward him with enough force to tackle him to the ground. Since he was now ten years old, it meant he could no longer stay in the orphanage. He needed to set out and find his place in the world, giving other children the opportunity to be cared for in his stead.While Gwen was sobbing in his chest, Linneaus continued to lightly stroke her hair, doing his best to coax her by saying he would still visit often. He also promised to try and save up enough money for them both to live inside the megacity in the future, even if this was a near-impossible task. The best he could hope for was that Gwen's Blessing and potential far outstripped his own so that she could enter the megacity and avoid the terrible fate that awaited most females in the slums...Though the celebration had taken place at midnight, the hours leading up to sunrise felt both long and short. Linneaus had eventually managed to calm his sister down enough for her to fall asleep, albeit only lightly as she would periodically wake up to confirm if he was still there. Then, when it was actually time for him to leave, she began crying once again, fearing that the moment he left the orphanage, she would never see him again.Linneaus didn't know what to do with his sister in this state so he could only look toward Rebecca and Saht, the only two who had remained after the other orphans went to sleep. When the latter saw him look over, she gave a curt nod of understanding, even though he hadn't tried to communicate anything to her. Following this, Saht came over and wrested Gwen from his arms, an easy feat given her greater than average strength.Gwen began to panic at the unexpected separation but, before she could begin thrashing around, Saht suddenly shouted in a harsh tone, "If you keep him here, your brother will die! Be strong or you will insult everything he has done for you!" As she shouted this, Saht continued to hold Gwen in a reverse bear hug, lifting her off the ground slightly so that she could only struggle by thrashing her legs.Fortunately, her words seemed to have a big impact on Gwen as, instead of struggling, she bit her lower lip as tears continued to pour down her face. Linneaus did his best to put on a strong front for her, maintaining a calm smile, even though his heart was beating as if he had just sprinted more than a dozen kilometers.While Saht continued to hold his sister, Linneaus extended his hand to remove a few pieces of stray hair, a smile still visible on his face as he promised, "I swear to you. I will not die. I will not disappear. Until you are able to live a safe and happy life, free from the darkness of the slums, I will continue to protect you...always and forever..." With that said, Linneaus gave his sister a kiss on the forehead, causing her tears to more than double in intensity as he turned to walk away.Waiting near the door, Rebecca had two small pouches in her hands, one filled with enough small coppers for him to rent a room somewhere while the other was filled with rice. She handed them over to Linneaus before pulling him into a warm embrace as she whispered, "You are a good child, Linneaus. Do not let the darkness of this world taint your heart. I will look after your sister...now go, and may Akasha bless you..."Though he was very grateful for the kind words, Linneaus almost wished that Rebecca hadn't given him anything as he now felt an overwhelmingly sour sensation in his nose. It was fortunate that he had his back to Gwen and Saht, leaving only Rebecca to see the tears pouring down his face as he gave a curt nod and exited the orphanage. He now had thirteen months to come up with a solution to protect his sister, assuming he could even survive the next couple of days...

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)----------------------------------------

Chapter 5: Focus