Babel

Contrasting his fortune in the first three months of his journey, Linneaus soon learned why most vagrants and vagabonds were never seen in the same place twice.Due to the sheer size of the slums, stretching out far beyond the horizon, it was exceedingly easy to get lost. Thus, after deciding to pass around some of the territories he had crossed when he first set out, Linneaus found himself wandering aimlessly for months. Though he had tried to approximate the location of his former home, heading toward the megacity nearly got him killed as, the closer you were to the colossal gates, the more powerful and influential the local gangs were.Having earned a bit of a reputation for himself, Linneaus was nearly captured the moment he began to head inward, forcing him to retreat at the cost of his left hand. Fortunately, even crippling injuries would slowly heal over time so, after two months, the stump had regrown into fresh tissue, causing his left hand to be slightly paler than the rest of his body.With no other options available, Linneaus did his best to find a landmark that would rekindle his memory before tracing his steps back to the territory he once called home. If not for the tireless efforts of the gangs trying to kill him, it might have taken him years just to pick up the trail again.Fortunately, with the immeasurable size of the slums, it was possible to gain your bearings just by following the rumors back to their source. All he needed to do was wander around a few territories, tracing a zig-zag pattern through the complex network of alleyways until people recognized him. After that, Bounty Hunters would begin to appear once again and, rather than kill them outright, Linneaus gave them a reprieve in exchange for information.Though he knew this could be used to track his movements, time was running out before his sister's tenth birthday. If he wasn't there to protect her, a tragedy could happen if she hadn't been fortunate enough to venture into the walls of the megacity. Thus, despite falling into several traps along the way, Linneaus continued forward, increasing the total of men and women in his death ledger to a frightening three-hundred-and-nineteen.Now, just over a year since his departure, marked by the fact he had turned eleven a week prior, Linneaus finally stepped into familiar territory. Unlike in the past, however, people looked at him with wide-eyes and pale complexions, giving him a wide berth despite the fact he walked nowhere near them. This included the Enforcers high atop the roofs, some of which prayed he would follow the rules so they wouldn't have to take action. After all, by walking through the alleyways, it was akin to saying he was just passing through, not seeking trouble.As his steps brought him closer to home, Linneaus noticed his feet began to feel heavy, not for fear of his life, but trepidation towards reuniting with his sister. He had left a relatively innocent boy who, unless forced, would never bring harm to another person. Now, however, he was a notorious killer. Though he never once sought out the life of another proactively, only killing those who had come after him, it didn't change the fact that he was a murderer.Imagining the disappointment in Rebecca's face and the frightened expressions of his fellow orphans made it difficult to pass over the small line denoting the Greyhounds' territory. He imagined that she wouldn't even let him into the house, barring passage with her calm, placid, yet unfathomable aura. If that were the case, he could only turn away and hope that Gwen came out to meet him, something that terrified him to the core. If she refused to meet him, Linneaus felt that something inside of him would break, never again to be mended...While he was lost in thought, a barely audible sound of wind tearing reached Linneaus' ears, causing him to instinctually use his [Barrier Aura] before erecting a meter wide [Barrier] directly behind him. Almost immediately following this, he heard the sound of glass fracturing but, despite this, the pale blue membrane only had a few cracks.Clicking her tongue, the assailant, none other than Skaadi, jumped to create some distance as she spat, "So it really was you, brat. What, now that you've made a name for yourself, you think you can come back to get revenge!?" With these words leaving her lips, Skaadi bent forward at a steep angle, her thighs and calves flexing before a burst of green Spiritual Power formed around her for a brief moment.Once again, accompanied by the sound of wind tearing, Skaadi lunged toward him with her dagger, aiming directly for the kill. She had heard about the Golden-Eyed Demon Child and, as might be expected from someone who had tormented another for nearly two years, she quickly recognized the identity of the mysterious killer. Pale-blue hair was very uncommon, especially in the slums, so Linneaus had always stood out, even as a lowly Street Urchin.What Skaadi could have never expected was, in the year that she hadn't seen him, Linneaus had not only caught up to her Level but exceeded it. His eyes could easily follow her speed and, by making a barrier in line with her shins, she went sent tumbling forward with her unarrested momentum. One of the major weak points of the [Child of Wind] Blessing, at least until it had been trained properly, was that it had incredible forward momentum, but significantly reduced your ability to slow down and change direction.After sliding across the ground for a few meters, Skaadi quickly bounded up to her feet, face covered in dirt with a large part of her tattered blouse torn to shreds. Though some might pause at the sight of exposed breasts, Linneaus has spent the last year of his life embroiled in life or death battles. Of his victims, ninety-seven had been female, some of which had tried to seduce or take advantage of him. Thus, without flinching in the slightest at the sight, Linneaus was already hot on Skaadi's trail, causing her face to morph into genuine shock as she turned to meet his gaze.With her pupils shrinking to the size of pinholes, Skaadi made use of her instincts and flexibility to twist her body back, nearly forming a full arch. At the same time, she kicked upward, attempting to catch Linneaus in the chin, only to find that her leg collided with a solid surface. Immediately after that, her vision was filled with a blue membrane that made it almost impossible to move without rolling to the side.Before Skaadi was able to fully process what was happening, Linneaus had struck down mercilessly with a baselard that he had pilfered several months prior. It was his strongest piece of equipment and, if fenced, would fetch upwards of five large silver pieces. Now, just as he struck down toward his own barrier, Linneaus allowed it to dissipate at the last moment, giving free passage to the blade while Skaadi continued to look upward with a blank mortified expression on her face.As he wasn't the type to toy with his prey in the slightest, Linneaus drove his dagger directly into the Vulna woman's heart, piercing just beneath her left breast and sliding the blade through her fourth and fifth rib. This caused her body to tense up as, from Linneaus' perspective, her health immediately fell into a critical level before greying out. After that, she fell limply to the ground, her appearance not all that dissimilar to other women who had lost their lives in the slums.Due to her pride as a Vulna, Skaadi had foolishly intercepted Linneaus on her own, following his smell from the time he had entered the adjacent territory. Though her fellow Enforcers hadn't been far behind, they arrived only to find her corpse littering the alleyway, a simple cloth covering her previously exposed chest. In the past, their fate had been interconnected over something as simple as a rat and a piece of cloth so, as if coming full circle, Linneaus brought it to an end by returning a cloth and leaving her to the rats...With Skaadi's death sending ripples through the Greyhounds' territory, Linneaus continued toward the orphanage, his steps even heavier than before. Though he had gotten used to it, the smell of blood was rather potent, even amongst the foul odors of the slums. Even taking a dip in the nearby waterway wouldn't be able to remove it completely, something he had learned long ago while trying to maintain his meager equipment.Despite his trepidations, Linneaus continued until he was just outside the orphanage, his gold-eyes reflecting the image of an elderly woman. She had come out to either greet him or bar his passage, causing Linneaus to immediately fall to his knees as tears he didn't know he had began to pour out.He suddenly felt inexplicably tired, as if he hadn't slept since he left the orphanage a year prior while the weight of his sins crushed his heart with even less mercy than he had shown Skaadi.Throughout his crying session, Rebecca just continued to stare back at him without moving from her spot. Her face was a perfect mask, showing absolutely no expression until, nearly ten minutes later, Linneaus finally ceased crying. It was only when he faced her directly, rather than averting his eyes, that Rebecca finally smiled back at him, saying in the same kind tone that had guided him during his past struggles, "Welcome back, little Lin. I see that your travels have not been kind to you. Come, let me hear all about your journey inside...I'm not the only one who is interested...fufufufu..."Just as Rebecca stepped aside to allow Linneaus entry, a pale-blue blur emerged from the interior, moving both swiftly yet in slow motion, at least from his perspective. Seeing who it was, Linneaus couldn't muster any strength at all, allowing himself to be tackled as he continued to kneel before Rebecca. As a result, he tumbled backward against the hard stone but, not minding it in the least, Linneaus wrapped his arms around the petite figure, fresh tears flowing from his already sore eyes.As if she refused to lose out against him, Gwen was also crying as she hugged him with a vice-like grip, her voice a sobbing choke as she stated, "You...you're late...you idiot...bully...jerk..." Since a year was a very long time for children as young as they, Gwen's nights had not been easy. Even as early as the first month of Linneaus' absence, she began fearing the worst, to the point it was hard to focus on her training. Now that she saw he was still alive, her first reaction was overwhelming relief before it immediately evolved into frustration, blame, and sadness.With less than a month left until her tenth birthday, there was a chance their time together would be cute short, regardless of their wishes. It didn't matter how strong Linneaus has become as, without territory and property of his own, it was impossible to protect anyone but himself. Even if they both wandered as vagrants, it wouldn't be long before they were either captured or killed while he tried his best to protect her. This was especially true since, over the last eight months, her progress had slowed to a crawl due to her worry, making her weaker than eight out of the ten girls residing inside the orphanage.For now, however, none of that mattered as, after a painful year for them both, the siblings were once again reunited. With Rebecca's reprieve, Linneaus was allowed to stay in the orphanage for the night, so long as he shared his tales and experience with the other orphanages. After all, hearing the stories of someone walking the path ahead of them would be a powerful motivator to those yet to come of age. Since she knew some of what Linneaus had been through, without losing the light in his eyes, Rebecca felt that he was a fine example of survival, even if the path he walked was one of the most difficult...

As promised, Linneaus shared his stories with the children of the orphanage and, though he could not stay longer than a single evening, he still enjoyed reuniting with his fellow orphans. Since he had saved up quite a bit of money on his journey, he even treated them to a feast, earning the gratitude of the newer orphans as well.By the time morning had come, Linneaus felt like a heavy weight had been removed from his heart as Rebecca, Gwen, and Saht escorted him outside. The latter's physical appearance hadn't changed much since the last time he saw her, making her seem shorter than he remembered. Despite this, she was strong enough to nearly defeat him in an arm-wrestling match, stunning Linneaus and the other children when she revealed her 17 Strength.What had surprised Linneaus the most, however, was that Saht wasn't acting as cold and distant as he remembered. By the time he had finished talking about his journey, she was seated next to him, asking various questions and even challenging him to contests of physical strength. Since it helped put things in perspective for the children, Rebecca allowed them to do some light sparring, resulting in Saht being tossed to the ground a few times before she ultimately gave up and started lingering around him.Linneaus was familiar with the Ba'haat race from the lessons Rebecca had given them in the past, so he had a basic understanding of what was going through her mind. It wasn't just him either, as Gwen kept teasing them both throughout the long night. Though this didn't seem to bother Saht at all, as her expression rarely changed, Linneaus was only able to calm down after leaving some money with Rebecca and departing the orphanage.After moving to a relatively isolated area upstream, Linneaus washed his face off as he began to consider what it would take to protect not just Gwen, but all the children of the orphanage. The way Saht was behaving made him feel pressure for a variety of reasons, primarily as a result of his lack of strength.Though he was much stronger now than a year ago, Linneaus had nearly lost his life after trying to move closer to the megacity's walls. The sobering part of this was the fact his attackers were just normal Enforcers from a medium-sized gang. He hadn't even experienced how powerful those in a large gang were. Since they were rumored to have connections inside of the megacity, it didn't take much in the way of imagination to know they had to be much stronger.Saht had said she wanted to join him when she received her Blessing as, according to her, she had no other kin besides Gwen, Rebecca, and himself. As the Ba'haat were very selective in the people they placed their trust in, it meant a lot to know she saw him in such a light.Because of this revelation, Linneaus couldn't help but feel a similar kinship towards the young pink-haired girl. The problem was, he wasn't even certain he could protect Gwen who, far more so than himself, had begun to blossom into a delicate flower. When she was finally required to leave the orphanage, there would be no end to the number of people trying to claim her for themselves. If he wasn't strong enough, the only fate that awaited both of them was death, something Gwen herself was fully prepared for...Releasing a tired sigh, Linneaus looked towards the infinitely vast sky above, the sounds of running water and pedestrian traffic creating a never-ending cacophony in his chaotic mind. In the end, it felt like the only thing he could rely on was fate, hoping that Gwen and Saht would both be able to enter the megacity when they came of age. He simply didn't have enough time to grow strong enough to protect them as, if he dropped his guard for too long, he might not even be able to protect himself.As if to drive this point across, a flicker of light appeared in the periphery of Linneaus' vision, causing his eyes to sharpen in an instant as he rolled backward. Faster than his eyes could follow, a silver bolt passed where his head had been previously before, less than a second after the first, another struck against his abdomen.Seeing a blue ripple spread across Linneaus' body, the assailant immediately disappeared into the complex maze of alleyways, moving like a phantom to escape any potential counterattack.Knowing the futility in giving chase to a cloaked figure, as they could just place the garment into their Inventory to blend in with the crowd, Linneaus just looted the two metal bolts before heading south until he was outside the Greyhounds' territory. He couldn't just linger in the area while waiting for his sister to come of age as, the longer he stayed in one place, the more danger they were all in. There was even a chance the Greyhounds would mobilize in full force to eliminate him, something he would rather avoid since their leader should be around Level 20.Thus, while paying close attention to the passage of time, Linneaus began wandering through his old skulking grounds. He was determined to grow even stronger in the seventeen days leading up to his sister's birthday, even if this was nowhere near enough time to increase his strength to the point of being able to protect them both...---In the blink of an eye, Linneaus had increased his kill count to a total of 333, a uniquely auspicious number, though he wasn't sure why. For some reason, it felt more meaningful than it actually was but, rather than focus on that, he was more concerned about what Blessing his sister would receive. Fortunately, Rebecca had once again allowed him to stay the night, the result of her trust in him and the fact he brought an entire sack full of apples for the children to partake of.This turning the evening into an even more festive event than normal, even though Linneaus felt like his brain was buzzing due to anxiety. Not only was he worried about his sister's Blessing but, in the short few weeks he had been away, Saht seemed to have grown more affectionate of him.While everyone awaited the sound of the clock striking midnight, Linneaus was fettered to his spot by the small figure sitting in his lap, treating him like the most comfortable piece of furniture in the entire orphanage. He also had to deal with the embarrassment and teasing of the other children on his own as, regardless of what was said, Saht continued to occupy his lap, completely unflustered.Eventually, despite the fact time seemed to have slowed to a crawl, midnight finally came, bringing with it a tense atmosphere as Linneaus watched with unblinking eyes at the pillar of light formed by his sister's Blessing. It was actually substantially large than his own, reaching between ten and fifteen meters, earning an approving nod from Rebecca.Seeing this, Linneaus felt as if the tension of his body drained away and, with Saht still seated in his lap, he couldn't help but hug the girl weakly as he rested his head atop her's. She didn't seem to mind this at all, adopting a rare smile on her face while patting the top of his head with her hand.After the light faded away, Gwen was in a stupor for several seconds until Rebecca began to chuckle after saying, "Child, tell us what Blessing you received. I'm certain everyone wants to know."As if broken from a hypnotic spell, Gwen nodded her head before opening her Status and freezing once again. This could be a good or a bad sign but, with her potential being so high, it shouldn't matter what Blessing she got. At least, this was the thought process Linneaus had before Gwen managed to stammer out the words, "I...I...I got the H-H-Healer Blessing...!"Following Gwen's announcement, absolute silence permeated throughout the entire orphanage until Rebecca loudly clapped her hands and said, "Children, it is time for bed. Please return to your rooms and stay there until morning."Once all of the other children were ushered away, Saht included, Rebecca quickly came to Gwen's side, saying, "Show me."Though it was impossible to view another person's Status without [Observe] and [Analyze], two of the most highly sought after Blessing, there was an exception if the other party willingly showed it to you. This was very rarely ever performed, as a person's Status was their most closely guarded secret, but Gwen obediently listened to Rebecca due to her stern tone.After confirming that Gwen did indeed have the [Healer] Blessing, Rebecca immediately pulled out a small stone tablet. It had the appearance of a piece of green jade and, at a glance, it was easy to see that it must have been very expensive. Despite this, Rebecca immediately shattered it into pieces before placing her hand on Gwen's shoulder, calming the panicking girl by saying in a soft tone, "It seems Akasha has truly blessed you, my child. In the future, please remember the pass on just a bit of your fortunes to other people..."Gwen was still struggling to accept the reality of her situation but, hearing Rebecca's words, she gave a sincere nod before looking worriedly toward Linneaus. Before she could ask, Linneaus preempted Rebecca by smiling as he said, "Do not worry about me, Gwen. One day, I will enter the megacity and we will meet again. The only thing that has ever mattered to me is your safety and happiness. Please, for me, be happy..."For the remainder of their short time together, Linneaus hugged his sister tightly until, a mere twenty minutes later, a middle-aged woman in a white robe appeared at the orphanage's entrance. Outside, a large group of individuals wearing ornate armor were present, all to escort the woman and Gwen. As awe-inspiring a sight as they were to behold, the most startling fact was, for the first time in his life, Linneaus couldn't hear a single sound from his surroundings, almost as if the slums themselves were hiding away...After a few more minutes had passed, during which time Rebecca received a hefty reward and a new jade tablet, Linneaus could only watch as his sister was escorted away by one of the most powerful forces in all of Lumen, the Paladins. They were the protectors of the single most important group of people in the entire planar world, those with the potential to be Healers, Priests, and Priestesses. Not only was this one of the rarest Blessing but, at high enough mastery, it was rumored that a trained Healer could even resurrect the dead.Throughout all of Lumen, there was a holy-trinity of Blessings, each representing the pinnacle of offensive, defensive, and utility Skills. These were the [Limit Breaker], [Aegis], and [Healer] Blessings respectively, meaning Gwen had immediately been elevated to the pinnacle of their society in less than an hour. Within the megacity, it wouldn't be long until she became recognized as a Saintess and, even though she didn't have any accomplishments to speak of, rumors of the miracles she had performed in the Slums would quickly propagate to guarantee her the Title.Of course, as all of this was happening, Linneaus would not just sit idle as, fully intending to keep his promise, he set about increasing his strength and building up his reputation once again. Though it was clear that his and his sister's paths were fundamentally different, as he seemed fated to walk in the darkness, that didn't mean they couldn't run parallel to each other. If only to ascertain whether or not she was living a safe and happy lifestyle, Linneaus was determined to enter the megacity and, even if it was for just a single moment, he would reunite with his sister.Thus, as the rumors of the slum-born Saintess began to spread, so too did a second rumor, this one far more sinister. It was said that a Golden-Eyed Demon had been born, almost as if to contrast the light produced by the Saintess. Then, a few months later, this Golden-Eyed Demon was rumored to have teamed up with another powerful figure, known to those unfortunate enough to encounter them as the Blood-Red Berserker. Together, they began to terrorize the people living in the area rumored to be the Saintess' origin. Then, slowly but surely, amidst a mountain of corpses and blood-red rivers, the duo began to move toward the tall walls protecting the megacity...

As remise as he was to admit it, Linneaus quickly learned that killing was a lot easier after the first time. Though he was plagued with nightmares for months after his first kills, he slowly became numb to the sensation of taking another person's life after several encounters with small gangs and other despots calling the slums their home.Though it hadn't come as a surprise, Linneaus found it was very difficult to actually rent a room in most areas without lowering your head to the local powers. This meant paying protection fees, which was impossible after just leaving the orphanage, or becoming a part of their gang. The only other option was living a vagrant lifestyle as, even if you rented a place to stay on someone's turf, it meant having your goods robbed the moment you stepped out or, in some situations, suffering an assassination attempt in the middle of the night.The one time Linneaus had thought he found a place to stay, operated by a middle-aged woman that gave off similar vibes to Rebecca, he awoke to feel groggy and lethargic. If not for the fact he had a light fever prior to retiring for the night, courtesy of sleeping outside for several days, he may have slept through the attempt at his life. The assailant has used a tuft of sleeping grass, wafting in the fumes from the adjacent roof to take advantage of his vulnerable state.That night served as the beginning of Linneaus' vagrant lifestyle while also marking the eve of his third kill. Since the assailant had been rather greedy, they had come alone in the middle of the night. As could be expected from someone who used herbs to take advantage of people, they had subpar strength so, even in his weakened state, Linneaus had managed to slip a dagger into the wiry man's gut before cutting his throat. After that, he left his room in the middle of the night, using the brisk air to sober up as he disappeared from the territory to avoid being forcibly recruited.Since then, more than three months had passed and, for better or worse, Linneaus had completely adapted to living without a roof over his head. He had also learned to sleep extremely lightly as the vast majority of slum dwellers and Street Urchins were just as homeless as he was. It was rare to find a kind soul like Rebecca who was willing to take children in and, with hundreds wandering around in each territory, the vast majority were forced to fend for themselves by forming small packs, generally between 4~10 children.Despite his diminutive size, it became increasingly clear to observers that Linneaus was no longer a child as, instead of rags, he had eventually outfitted himself with simple equipment consisting of a tunic, leather arm guards, a tattered mantle, and thick moccasins. Since a Street Urchin could never afford such luxuries, it meant the vast majority of children gave him a wide berth while his actions would be closely monitored when he passed through a territory.Showing any indication of weakness would result in being targetted by other vagrants while, if he displayed his capabilities openly, a group of Enforcers was sure to intercept him. This was due to his small size and lack of reputation, making it clear that he had only recently come of age. As a result, Linneaus had been forced to fight and, in many situations, kill.Though he did not enjoy violence, his entire life had been marred with physical abuse and other forms of mistreatment. Since he didn't want to become the type of person who perpetuated such violence, taking advantage of the weakness of others, Linneaus adamantly refused to become a part of any gang. Thus, as the months stretched on, his kill count gradually increased, his proficiency with his Blessing and other Skills improving alongside it.Now, after three long months, even though it felt like only a few days had passed since his departure from the orphanage, Linneaus found himself looking eastward once again. Ever since his third kill, he had started to wonder if he had underestimated his own strength a bit. Now that he had just claimed his fiftieth victim a few hours prior, alongside his forty-eighth and forty-ninth, he felt that Skaadi was not the terrifying entity he believed her to be.Though Skaadi could likely outpace him with her Speed, it hadn't taken Linneaus long to discover that there were many gaps to exploit in his opponents. If you could not find one readily available, you simply had to make one for yourself. This ended up being his preferred method of combat as, with his [Barrier Master] Blessing, he was not limited by the terrain while his opponents could only grit their teeth as their attempts to kill him ended in vain.While thinking it was time to start heading back east, as it would take at least two months to reach the orphanage once again, Linneaus' [Sense Danger] activated, causing him to roll back as a wispy blue flame impacted against the pipe he had been sitting on. Rather than explode, this peculiar blue flame began to eat through the pipe like a corrosive acid, causing a large plume of steam to erupt once the metallic lining had been completely eaten away.It would have been enough to boil and melt the skin of a normal person but, with his [Barrier Aura], Linneaus used the steam as cover while his eyes scanned the surroundings. He saw a man with blue fur covering most of his body, his eyes shining an ominous yellow against the backdrop of the night sky. With two pointed ears sticking out of the top of his head, combined with a thick tail wrapped around his waist, Linneaus knew the man was from the Wefram tribe, a species rumored to have descended from an ancient panther god.Knowing the steam cover wouldn't help him, especially with the man creating several small wisps of flame around his body, Linneaus bolted into action. He created several small barrier platforms the air, using them as steps to quickly close the distance between his opponent. This had surprised the man somewhat but, long before Linneaus reached his side, he shouted in a gruff and husky tone of voice, "[Will o' Wisp]!"After seeing the flames eat through solid metal, Linneaus knew better than to try and take them head-on as, even if his aura could protect him, it would take a massive chunk out of his SP. The moment his SP ran out, he would be plagued by a mind-numbingly painful headache and, though he could fight through the pain for a bit, it would almost guarantee his death.Since there were no ideal spots to evade, Linneaus created a platform to his left, forming it like a wall that he could jump to and slide across with his momentum. At the same time, he had created a second barrier, acting as a screen angled away from him, to eat the impact of the blue flames. Even if he only made a weak barrier, it was enough to arrest the momentum of low ranked spells, allowing him to direct most of the impact away from him, even if it had an explosive effect.This time, the man was genuinely surprised by Linneaus' actions and, with each of the [Will o' Wisps] eating up 100SP, he was already running on fumes as the former threw a set of daggers toward him. Since this seemed to be the only weapons on Linneaus' body, he used his forearm to block one while evading the second with a quick twist of his body. Then, believing the demon child to be unarmed, he swung a thick machete towards Linneaus' throat while simultaneously sending his final wisp forward.Though Linneaus had been preparing to duck under the man's swipe before stabbing him with a needle-like barrier, seeing him send forth the ball of flames caused him to feel a bout of incredulity. This wasn't derived from fear, however, but due to the foolishness of the man., While it might seem like a smart idea to cover his path of retreat, it was as if the Wefram failed to learn anything from seeing his Blessing in action.Rather than continue his pursuit, Linneaus created a small barrier in the path of the [Will o' Wisp], its surface angled towards the man's face. At the same time, he bent back, allowing himself to freefall toward the ground as a blood-curdling scream sounded from the rooftop. Moments later, all sounds had ceased but, due to his position, Linneaus couldn't be sure the man had actually died.This was a peculiar quirk of the Akashic System as, unless you could confirm the death visually, you wouldn't even get experience for a kill. Though he had never seen them personally, there were even Skills like [Play Dead] and [Wrath of the Undying], meaning the only guaranteed method to ensure the target was killed involved checking directly.Wasting no time, Linneaus bounded up to a nearby rooftop and, unless the man could fight without a head, he suspected the battle had ended in his victory. This was confirmed when he leaped over to the roof, quickly looting his daggers and any useful equipment he could pilfer before vanishing into the night once again. It wouldn't be long before more Enforcers or Bounty Hunters showed up, the latter of which had been increasing in number as of late.Though Linneaus has never gone out of his way to kill the innocent, he had racked up a sizeable number of kills in a very short period of time. Because of this, a few gangs had put a bounty on his head and, as it was impossible to operate within the territory of another gang, those chasing after him were bounty hunters wanting to collect. What annoyed him was the fact that his head was only worth five small silver, even if this was once an incredible amount of money to him...After retreating into the shadows of a bridge, drawing the attention of several other tenants in the process, Linneaus nestled into a pile of rubbish to recover his SP. With his garments, there were few people who would seek trouble with him from the outset, especially those roughing it outside like him. Thus, Linneaus had learned to seek groups of other vagrants when he needed to relax as, with how calm he behaved in their presence, it served as a powerful deterrent unless the other party was confident in their strength.With his SP slowly ticking up every minute, Linneaus took the opportunity to evaluate his growth, an eerie smile spreading across his face that caused those mustering their courage to avert their eyes. It was said that killers had an aura about them that could be detected by other people and, with four new victims added to his count, Linneaus suspected his presence was more than a little unnerving to some.----------------------------------------[Status]Name: Linnaeus FinnianTitle: Golden-Eyed Demon Child(+3 Dex, +1 Int, +1 Wis per Level.)Race: Hume(50%), Manalyte(50%)Age: 10Gender: MaleLevel: 11(516/1200)Health: 520/520Soul Power: 698/698Strength: 8~18Constitution: 14~25+1Agility: 19~27Dexterity: 21~30Intelligence: 7~22+4.4Wisdom: 15~29+7.8Spirit: 8~18+5.4Charisma: 13~15Luck: 5~6+1Free Attributes: 0Skills: [Kinu Comprehension:(-)], [Knife Mastery: LV5-&gt;LV8], [Throwing: LV6],[Sense Danger: LV17-&gt;LV21], [Presence Concealment: LV10-&gt;LV16], [Acrobatics: LV8-&gt;LV17], [Pain Tolerance: LV2-&gt;LV4], [Barrier Master:LV1-&gt;LV23], [Assassination: LV14](new)Abilities: [Steal: LV18-&gt;LV21], [Stealth: LV4-&gt;LV12]Magic: [Enhance: LV10-&gt;LV16], [Barrier: LV1-&gt;LV18], [Barrier Aura: LV1-&gt;LV20][Throwing: LV6(118/600)]Passive: Increases accuracy when throwing weapons and other items.[Sense Danger: LV21(98/3300)]Passive: Able to identify threats through intuition. (+1 Wis per Level)[Steal: LV21(664/3300)]Cost: 20~100Active: Allows the user to steal an item from a target's equipment slots or inventory. Success rate dependent on SKill Level, Dexterity, and Luck. (+1 Luck)[Barrier Master: LV23(2117/3900)]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.)[Enhance: LV10(227/1000)]Cost: 20~40 SPActive: Empower a single attribute by 10~15%[Barrier Aura: LV20(1856/3000)]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. (+2 Wis, +1 Con. Increases total SP by Skill Level*10)----------------------------------------Seeing how much he had grown in such a short period of time, Linneaus had long-since cast away the thought that his Blessing was weak. Rather, it had incredible utility and, if applied correctly, gave him an edge against the majority of opponents he had faced. Better yet, with the growth of his Skills, Abilities, and Magic, he had gained several boosts to his attributes, teaching him the importance of training them to certain thresholds.Though there were some exceptions, Linneaus noted that he could get bonus attributes per Level by increasing his Skills beyond LV20. The same applied to Abilities and Magic but, rather than boosts per Level, it gave a flat increase, meaning he would get marginally stronger the moment he reached a certain threshold. As a result, it felt like his capabilities had increased explosively, making the two years of training he had conducted seem wasteful.What Linneaus didn't realize is, due to his peculiar nature and obstinance, refusing to step in line with any of the local gangs, he had been increasing his Level much faster than the average slum dweller. As he would periodically be faced with an enemy at, or even above, his Level, he would gain a few hundred experience points in the confrontation. Now, he was already strong enough to rival against the Cadres of a small gang, putting him just beneath their leaders. Though he was still a ways off from being considered strong amongst the slum dwellers, a feat that required you to reach Level 20, he was unimaginably far beyond his peers at the same age.

Chapter 9: Wayward