Babel

Due to the fact they showed up around noon, it would be some time before the girl with the water Blessing returned to her abode. She wasn't very proficient when it came to hunting and, due to the ongoing territorial dispute between local Kings, the majority of suitable monsters had migrated to less tumultuous regions.Since it would probably scare her away if they just idled around the girl's encampment, Linnaeus guided the group to a region where they could lay low while waiting for her return.Once everyone had settled in, Linnaeus pulled out a bundle of twigs that he had harvested recently. Eliza had taught him how to make cord and rope using plant fibers so, with nothing better to do, he decided to add to his ever-growing stockpile of supplies.Krone wasn't the most sociable person so, after seeing Linnaeus busy himself, he decided to pull out some of his own tools to perform routine maintenance. Though he used his body as a weapon for combat, he had developed a few tools to make his life a little easier. This included a pick made from the curved horn of an Axtola and a bone hatchet produced from the shoulder blade of a monster that Linnaeus couldn't identify.Seeing her two companions at work, Eliza didn't want to be the odd one out so she pulled out a simple pestle and mortar to grind down some medicinal herbs. This had been her primary interest outside of the Tower so she could easily produce a few simple medicinal pastes. If she had the proper instruments, she could even create various potions, some of which could even regrow lost limbs in a very short period of time.Despite being much weaker than Eliza, Linnaeus took it upon himself to be the one to hunt for most of their food. He also gathered the majority of their supplies as, with how much noise even walking produced, it was less efficient for them to go together. The only time they hunted together was to improve their teamwork and cooperation, something that was relatively easy considering the versatility of her Blessing.During the moments when Linnaeus went out by himself, he would gather up anything that seemed remotely useful as, over the course of her lifetime, Eliza had committed thousands of different plants and other materials to memory. Even if he brought back something she didn't understand, it didn't take long for her to discover its properties.It was at times like this where [Iron Stomach] showed its true prowess and, while it seemed extremely dangerous, most people that grew up in the megacity had trained the Skill during their primary education. As for Linnaeus, he didn't have the skill at all as it typically required you to ingest a few potent poisons before awakening. This was also how the [Abnormal Status Resistance] was learned, meaning he was at a distinct disadvantage when it came to poisoning and other ailments.Fortunately, Linnaeus had a few innate abilities that had escaped his notice before entering into the Tower. Though his Hume side didn't really provide him too many boons, his Manalyte blood allowed him to perceive the flow of Spiritual Energy better than most. It was because of this reason that most Manalytes born inside the megacity became proficient Mages or Artificers, two things Linnaeus had never even considered while struggling int he slums.Linnaeus didn't know how to identify each kind of plant but, with his extrasensory abilities, he was able to feel whether or not something should be useful. This had come as a surprise to Eliza as, even with the ability to view his Status at her leisure, she had never put a lot of thought into his race.While some tribes hated each other to the core, most people didn't discriminate due to the existence of Blessings. There were rumored to be more than 1500 different tribes and, while you may have an advantage against one, you might be at a distinct disadvantage against another tribe. Weaker tribes often bred with those much stronger than themselves and, though there were some restrictions, a few powerful hybrid races had come into existence over the years.What surprised Eliza wasn't the fact that Linnaeus had a dual heritage but, with very few exceptions, everyone with Manalyte blood was female. They were one of the dozen or so races that were wholly female and, though they could interbreed with other races, the result was almost always a member of the Manalyte tribe, not a true hybrid.When he heard Eliza's explanation, Linnaeus was also a little surprised but, as it really didn't matter all that much, he decided not to mind it. After all, it wasn't like he had any choice regarding his own race so, while it may be exceptionally rare, it ultimately had no bearing on their situation. Still, if he had the opportunity in the future, Linnaeus wanted a compendium of all the tribes so that he could make better decisions. After all, knowledge was one of the most intrinsic parts of power and, if you knew the strengths and weaknesses of everyone else, there were few enemies beyond your means to defeat.---After around four hours, the light in the sky began to dim and, with it, a distant rustling reached the ears of the trio. They had only moved a few tens of meters away from the small hovel so, while it was almost inaudible at first, it didn't take long for the sound of movement to reach them.Deciding to take the initiative, Eliza hopped up to her feet and, after dusting off her backside, she looked toward Krone and said, "You should stay here. Lin and I will go and try to recruit our next Party member. Since you have a scary face and a cold demeanor, it is better to wait until we get an answer before she has to meet you."Krone just shook his head without comment, earning him a pointed glare from Eliza as Linnaeus rose to his feet and added, "Eliza is right. Sorry, but you do have an intimidating appearance. For better or worse, mine is pretty disarming...the chances I'll scare someone off are pretty slim."Hearing Linnaeus' words, Krone snorted through his nose while Eliza released a pleasant-sounding giggle before pulling the former along by his hand. She wanted to comment that, if he was wearing thicker clothes, it would be almost impossible to determine his gender but, as most men wouldn't want to hear such a thing, she ultimately resisted the urge to tease him.As could be expected, Eliza made a lot of noise while walking through the forested area so, by the time they reached the small hovel, the girl they were intending to recruit had already exited. She had a long spear formed from some kind of bone in her hands which, curiously, had an orb of water near the base of the sharped point. It would move around with the spearhead and, though it was hard to imagine just what purpose it served, Linnaeus' imagination ran rampant with possibilities.Despite how amicable Eliza and Linnaeus appeared at a glance, the woman didn't drop her weapon as, even outside of the Tower, appearances could be deceiving. It was possible for a petite woman like Ryuuna to obliterate boulders and overturn trees while, in some situations, even the burliest men could be overpowered by an opponent with greater physical attributes.Stopping a respectable distance away from the girl, Eliza pulled Linnaeus to her front before giving him a supportive smile as she lightly pushed against his back. This caused him to take a few awkward steps forward and, due to the peculiarity of the situation, even the spear-wielding woman tilted her head to the side slightly, confused.Linnaeus did his best to put on a smile while raising both of his hands in a placating gesture, palms forward and fingers wide. This actually caused the woman to grip her spear a little tighter but, rather than attack, she asked in a hesitant voice filled with the pretense of courage, "W-Who are you? Why have you come here...?"In response to the woman's question, Linnaeus answered in as calm a tone as he could manage with a spear angled toward his neck, "My name is Linnaeus...my friends call me Lin. The one behind me is Eliza...my friend and companion. We also have another person waiting for us. His name is Krone. He has a pretty scary face so we had him stay back so you weren't spooked..."Hearing that there was a third person, the woman began to breathe a little quicker but, as Linnaeus seemed to be forthright with her, part of her subconscious mind began to relax. If they had wanted to attack her, it wouldn't take much effort for three people to overwhelm a single person so, at the very least, she could assume they came with good intentions.Even without being asked, the woman took it upon herself to say in a subdued tone, "My name is Emilia..." before following it up by, once again, asking, "Why are you here...?"Understanding that the girl was beginning to drop her guard, Linnaeus slowly lowered his hands as he answered in the same calm tone as before, "We wanted to scout you for our Party. Our ultimate goal is to reach the top of the Crucible of Souls. For now, however, we're looking for people that can help us survive on each successive floor."The moment Linnaeus mentioned scouting her for his Party, the woman released a tired sigh as she aimed the tip of her spear to the side. She didn't completely drop her guard but, as the two people before her seemed friendly enough, Emilia didn't want to antagonize them.Without taking much time to consider her options, Emilia simply asked, "What kind of position do you want me to fill in your Party? My Level isn't that high and I don't like fighting..."In response to the question and subsequent remark, Linnaeus kept his calm as he answered, "I would want you to stay in the back-line to support Eliza. Most of the fighting will be handled by myself and Krone. I can't promise that you won't have to fight but, in this world, you rarely have the opportunity to completely avoid conflict..."Hearing that she wouldn't be forced to fight up front, Emilia didn't take any extra time to think as she answered, "I'll join you. I'm tired of living in this forest on my own...I feel like every day brings me closer and closer to death..."Despite having numerous inhibitions, Emilia still wanted to join the duo's Party as she had become very lonely over the past month. The only other person she had met tried to attack her and, if not for the fortunate intervention of a large Bear Rabbit, she might not have had a choice in how she spent her second life. At the very least, Linnaeus and Eliza put on a pretense of being good people so, for the time being, she would rather entrust her fate to them than continue living alone.Linnaeus and Eliza both saw through Emilia's intentions but, as the latter could empathize with her, she wasn't going to say anything. As for Linnaeus, he knew loneliness was a very painful thing for most people and, though he had grown accustomed to it, being apart from Saht for such a long period of time had weighed heavily on his heart and mind...Without much of a delay, Linnaeus extended a Party invitation to Emilia who, after accepting the terms, removed the makeshift hood she had been wearing. This allowed Linnaeus to get his first full view of her features and, even without looking at her Status, he knew her Charisma had to be rather high.Eliza promptly frowned when she saw Emilia with her hood off, despite having already determined she was a beauty just based on what little of her face and body was visible. She had rather delicate features, a common trait among those with water-oriented Blessings, while her hair cascaded down in silky blue locks. Though it was very apparent she hadn't been able to care for it properly, it still had a healthy luster while, at the very top of her head, two pointed ears with tufts of white hair on the inside stood perched proudly.Even without looking at Emilia's Status, Eliza gave a small sigh of her own before muttering, "She is a Vanargandr of all things...haaaa..."

With more than fifteen-hundred base species, animalistic traits like tails, ears, or even wings, were not that uncommon within the planar world of Lumen. There was even an entire subset of people known as Demibeasts due to the fact they often had a real-world counterpart in the form of some kind of mammal.Among the better-known Demibeasts, the Vanargandr were very near the top as, while they were not the most powerful, they were rather unique amongst the other tribes.Unlike the vast majority of people that called Lumen home, the Vanargandr had separated from the common sense of the world.Rather than congregate around the Tower, the Vanargandr were one of the nomadic species that had ventured toward the endless horizon innumerable generations ago. As a result, they were rarely seen outside of the Tower and, while tales of their existence had been passed down from word of mouth, it was nearly impossible to find a single Vanargandr within the Megacity and surrounding slums.This, however, wasn't the most interesting fact about the Vanargandr as, while they may not be the strongest race by default, they had incredible potential.While most other tribes could go for increasingly long periods of time without eating, especially with high Constitution, the Vanargandr tribe were one of the few exceptions. They required sustenance or they would experience a significant reduction in their attributes. Inversely, the more they consumed, the stronger they would become.This inherent ability was wholly dependant on how much they had eaten so, while it may seem like an incredibly powerful boon, it was only temporary. What was more important was the fact that, as a failsafe of sorts against starvation, the Vanargandr tribe was able to eat virtually anything, even solid metal, to sustain themselves.Linnaeus may not realize the implications of picking up a Vanargandr but Eliza couldn't help but feel as if they had just acquired a major liability. Keeping the woman fed would be a major undertaking and, even if they could pull it off, there were a variety of complications associated with doing so.Unfortunately, they had already accepted Emilia into the Party so, while she had inhibitions, Eliza just smiled knowingly while Linnaeus perused the woman's Status. He was the type to analyze things on the spot so, while his guard hadn't really been lowered, it looked like he had spaced out for a brief moment...----------------------------------------[Status]Name: Emilia StarseekerTitle: Gluttonous Fledgling(+3 Con, +2 Spi, +1 Luk per Level)Race: VanargandrAge: 18Gender: FemaleLevel: 25Health: 4260/4260Soul Power: 2573/2573Strength: 79Constitution: 142+71Agility: 138+69Dexterity: 103+30.9Intelligence: 51+23.3Wisdom: 48+14.4Spirit: 60+21Charisma: 23Luck: 20Free Attributes: 0Skills: [Kinu Comprehension:(-)], [*Phase Master(Water):LV52*], [Spirit of Gluttony:LV55], [Healthy:LV20], [Vital Spirit:LV13], [Fleet-Footed:LV28], [Swift: Lv16], [Nimble Fingers:LV23], [Sense Danger:LV44], [Martial Arts:LV38], [Spear Mastery:LV41], [Hunting:LV53], [Acrobatics:LV51], [Presence Concealment:LV39], [Dismantling:LV51], [Cooking:LV11], [Taste:LV53], [Trap Set:LV51], [Trap Disarm:LV51], [Flexible Body:LV35], [Footwork:LV29], [Perception:LV28]Abilities: [Night Vision:LV51], [Enhanced Hearing:LV51], [Olfactory Sense:LV51]Magic: [Create Water:LV51], [Phase Change:LV51]----------------------------------------Emilia was an example of someone who, despite having a Blessing related to Magic, didn't diverge from her original path. Since she was from a nomadic tribe of hunters and gatherers, her Blessing was secondary to everything else as, with no real enemies to face, it didn't particularly matter how strong you were. Rather, as a tribe ruled by a matriarch, the females had the duty of hunting while the males often took care of the caravan processing goods for consumption.Linnaeus knew nothing about this but, seeing Emilia's Status, he couldn't help comparing her to himself as they were nearly the same Level. From this, he could tell that she actually had a much stronger foundation than even himself and Eliza.Despite appearing relatively weak at a glance, it could be seen from Emilia's Status that she was not even remotely powerless. Rather, she was quite obviously a hunter and, though Eliza would win most certainly win in a battle, it was apparent that Emilia was the more talented between them. This was likely due to the fact that she spent her entire childhood hunting while people like Eliza, even with all the benefits of belonging to one of the Eight Heavenly Families, spent most of her time focusing on theory and living a relatively stress-free lifestyle.Though he couldn't be certain, Linnaeus could tell from the comparison between himself, Ryuuna, Eliza, Krone, and now Emilia that practical experience could surpass given benefits. This affirmed the notion that, if you worked hard, the Akashic System would reward your efforts. Those that were born into status and wealth often had a significant advantage early on but, if you could tide through the lower Levels, it was becoming increasingly apparent that the gap could not only be closed, but overcome entirely.At this point, Linnaeus' primary regret was that he hadn't put any focus into his Constitution as, with Emilia as another example, he was beginning to feel a little anxious about his pathetically low Health. While his SP could be considered a secondary Health pool, it was also his primary method of dealing with enemies so he needed to find a solution before it became an even bigger issue.Deciding to shelve the matter, as there were more pressing things to attend, Linnaeus broke from his momentary reverie, stating, "It seems you are even more suited to the position of Scout than I am. I won't go back on my previous words but, depending on the circumstances, I may request that you help conduct reconnaissance with me. Having a second set of eyes and ears will be a tremendous boon when we have multiple enemies to case."Hearing Linnaeus' remark, Emilia's ears twitched slightly before she suddenly smiled and said, "I'm good at hunting and scouting. Tracking people is a little harder but I'm usually able to avoid giving myself away...actually, I'm surprised you managed to track me without my notice. How did you find my hut...?"Knowing she had seen his own Status, Linnaeus didn't bother beating around the bush as he calmly stated, "I discovered you more than a month ago. I may not be able to measure up to you when it comes to hunting but, when it comes to casing people and locations, I have complete confidence in my abilities. I've already dealt with people that have powerful senses so it isn't simple to trace my location if you don't know to look for me."Seeing that Linnaeus had higher [Presence Concealment] than her own, combined with his [Stealth] and [Assassination], Emilia couldn't really refute his claims. She could learn a lot from him and, as they had similar paths, there was much she could teach him in exchange. Before that, however, there was one important thing she wanted to know so, without footing around the issue, she asked, "Do you have anything to eat...?"Linnaeus experienced a momentary pause when he heard Emilia's question but, before he could fall into a complete stupor, Eliza explained, "The Vanargandr tribe are known for their appetites. Though they can eat virtually anything, they prefer nutrient-rich foods since it provides them a considerable increase in power and speed. From what I can tell, she has had trouble hunting due to the chaotic state of this territory. Also...it seems she has had trouble preparing the food...?"Emilia issued a dry laugh in response to Eliza's words but, rather than refute them, she sheepishly explained, "I learned the basics when I was just a cub. I've tried to practice a bit while I'm here but it hasn't gone well. Most of the cooking was left to the males in my tribe, hahahaha~"In response to Emilia's words, Eliza just lightly shrugged her shoulders before smiling in a casual manner and added, "Well, I can't say I'm any better. I know how to bake things but that is about it. Most of my food was prepared by others so I'm in the same boat. Fortunately, Linnaeus isn't that bad at cooking. We also picked up another ally just this morning and his [Cooking] is LV28. Though I've yet to taste any of his food, I have high hopes."Hearing Eliza's words, Emilia's face blossomed into a smile that seemed to make the surroundings brighten up slightly. Despite this, Linnaeus' expression remained unchanged, something that Eliza had made a point of confirming. She didn't doubt him, especially after hearing about his past, but she was still inclined to watch and see if he ever tried proactively developing his [Charm]. Since he was like a little brother to her, she didn't want him to become another egotistical despot who cared more about his own ego than the women whose hearts were broken by his actions.Feeling Eliza's gaze on him, Linnaeus looked in her direction only to find her averting her eyes just as soon as their gazes met. This wasn't the first time she had done this but, remembering how she had behaved during their first meeting, he believed it was just part of her nature. She didn't give him the same impression as Saht so, while there were undoubtedly complex thoughts running through her mind, he wasn't too worried about her.So as not to keep Krone waiting the rest of the afternoon, Linnaeus kept the line of conversation flowing, stating, "I have a few smoked and grilled rations in my Inventory. They have light seasoning, courtesy of Eliza. If you want anything more complicated, it will have to wait until we reach the den. It is safer than this little hovel you have created so we'll retreat there to gather our bearing and get acclimated to each other."As grilled meat was the staple food source for her people, Emilia wasn't shy at all when Linnaeus offered her a skewer of medium-rare venison. She hadn't eaten in almost an hour and, while she had collected some meat during her latest hunt, it needed to be treated to remove some of the gamey smell and foul taste. Even though her tribe was rumored to have descended from wolves, they did not eat their prey raw as the taste and smell were simply terrible.After handing over a skewer for Emilia's consumption, Linnaeus and Eliza watched in abject horror as she bit into the meat like a person who hadn't eaten in weeks. For a brief moment, her ivory white teeth had become noticeably sharper and, while it was difficult for most people to chew, Emilia ate, not only the meat, but a part of the rabbit horn he had used as a skewer.The horn of a Horned Rabbit was nearly as strong as iron so it was quite the sight to see someone take a bite out of it, seemingly without noticing they had done so. It wasn't until Emilia was licking the horn clean, earning Linnaeus another glance from Eliza, that the voracious woman noticed what she had done.With her ears laying flat in a dejected manner, Emilia handed the skewer back to Linnaeus as she stated in a somber tone, "Sorry...it was just too good...I couldn't help myself...I will make you a better one in the future..."Rather than reprimand Emilia for her actions, Linnaeus just inspected the horn for a few seconds before tossing it into his Inventory and saying, "It isn't an issue. I have a few spares back in the den. Just try and avoid a repeat of the same incident and there won't be any problems..."As she had expected to be berated, Emilia couldn't help but smile radiantly when she heard the words of her new Party Leader. Her ears perked back up and, if not for the fact it had been tucked away beneath her makeshift skirt, they would have been able to see her tail waggle slightly. Since this would have been very embarrassing, Emilia was grateful for her past self's foresight as she was already an adult and it wasn't appropriate to expose your tail except to kin and close friends.Feeling a little unnerved by Emilia's gaze and close proximity, Linnaeus decided it was time for them to pick up Krone and return. He didn't know why but Emilia made him feel a little uncomfortable as she didn't seem to have a proper sense of boundaries. Since he really disliked having people in his personal space, it took a lot of self-restraint to prevent himself from immediately stepping back and pulling out a dagger...

While Krone's [Mimicry] seemed to be a truly envious Blessing, Linnaeus quickly learned that, while some Blessings seemed exceptionally useful, the reality was not always what it appeared to be.Along the way to meet up with their prospective members, the trio encountered several individuals and a few small groups of monsters. This was largely due to how the noise of three people was far greater than what would have otherwise been generated.Even when Linnaeus tried to scout ahead and mark potential noise hazards, both Krone and Eliza would invariably trigger them. This caused Linnaeus to feel like he was developing the twitch characteristic of drug users as, every time they broke a twig or passed through rustling brush, his body would convulse slightly.One of the very first monsters they encountered was a large behemoth of a creature known as a Rynadon. It was around 3m tall, standing on stump-like legs, while its body was around 4m in length. At the center of its large and extremely durable head, a large horn that extended upwards of 20cm in length could be seen. They used this protrusion to dislodge rocks and scrape away at tree bark but, if you antagonized them, they would not hesitate to charge with surprising speed in an attempt to impale you.As the Party's Vanguard, Krone wasted no time in putting himself directly in the charging line before adopting a wide and stable stance. While this seemed to be commendable behavior, Linnaeus paled slightly when he saw this because there was simply no need to take the hit directly.What Linnaeus hadn't really thought about previously was that, while Krone's Blessing seemed to be one of the most versatile, it actually required several seconds of direct contact to take full effect. This had caused him to develop a habit of trying to deflect charges and latch on to monsters, using his [Grappling] Skill and durable physique to the fullest.Fortunately, due to Linnaeus' support, Krone was pleasantly surprised when the Rynadon slammed into him but, rather than impale or push him back, a blue membrane just flashed across his body. At the cost of nearly 700 of Linnaeus' SP, he had been able to completely stop the monster's charge.Krone released a loud 'Ha!' as if he were about to laugh but, after that outburst, his face became a mask of pure exertion as he grabbed the monster's ears and began rocking its head to the side in an attempt to imbalance it. The ears were very important for most creatures when it came to staying upright so, by yanking on them, the head was inclined to follow the path of least resistance.Seeing a 200cm tall man knock over a 3m tall monster, which had to weigh at least a thousand kilograms, was quite a sight to behold. The Rynadon struggled for a bit but it was the type of creature that actually slept standing due to the inflexibility of its legs. This allowed Krone enough time to absorb its trait, gaining thicker skin and bulkier muscles as he began punching under the eye socket of the monster in an attempt to at least blind it before it managed to recover.The best way to describe how Krone fought, at least in Linnaeus' opinion, was 'excessively violent'. It would have been much easier to deal with the Rynadon by dodging its charge as it took them a long time to turn around and line up for a second attack. Their belly and backside were much weaker than the veritable armor around their head, back, and shoulders. If they had fought smartly, he wouldn't have needed to expend a chunk of his SP in one go as Eliza's Blessing was the ultimate counter to most heavyweight monsters.Despite all of this, Krone was still able to take down the monster largely on his own as, with his high Strength attribute, enhanced by his absorption of the Rynadon's traits, he was leaving dents in its head with each successive blow. Before the monster was able to recover, the right side of its head had caved in, leaving behind a bloody mass of pulpy flesh before it ultimately dissolved away into ash.When the brutal scene came to an end, Krone heaved a few times in an effort to calm down as there was always a rush of extra adrenaline when he absorbed the traits of violent monsters. In truth, while his combat style may not be the most efficient, it was largely due to this enhanced emotional state that he fought like a berserker.Noticing how Linnaeus and Eliza were looking at him, Krone just averted his eyes before remarking, "Your Blessing is very compatible with my own. It protects my body without interfering with my own abilities..."After finishing his words, Krone left the distribution of items to Linnaeus as it was one of his duties as Party Leader. He needed to decide who held onto what and, in the case where they could not take it all with them, he had to choose what was left behind.Once the item distribution had completed, Linnaeus took a moment to address Krone, looking up at the much taller man as he said in a calm tone of voice, "I will not tell you how to fight. You seem far more adept at direct engagements than I am. All I want you to keep in mind is that our reserves are not without limit. I'll do my best to prevent any harm from coming to you but you shouldn't develop a dependency on my [Barrier Aura]..."Krone just rubbed the back of his head in response until Eliza crossed her arms and glared at him with her violet eyes. After this, Krone released a grumbling sigh before giving an understanding nod as he passed by Linnaeus to begin blazing a trail through the underbrush.Linnaeus felt like Eliza was going too far in her support of his position but, as she was doing it for him, he didn't want to correct her at the moment. When they returned to the den, later on, he would speak with her in private as, while it might earn him a bit of respect from Krone, it might also cause the latter to lambast him while also damaging his peculiar relationship with Eliza.Eliza just answered his stare with a smile before pulling him along so that Krone didn't get too far ahead of the Party. She was the most aware of her own behavior but, as she noticed the look in their so-called Vanguard's eyes when he first received the monster's charge, her distrust for him had only grown. Mid-combat was not the time for rumination but she noticed his eyes become thoughtful for a brief moment, just like when someone suddenly came up with a scheme.For the time being, Eliza was still going to allow Krone to remain in the Party but, if he did anything to sew discord or undermine Linnaeus' position, she would campaign to have him expelled. Even if it created problems all its own, she would rather build a Party of all women around Linnaeus if it meant they could avoid some of the more troublesome aspects of having multiple men and women in the same Party...Without understanding what each member of their Party was thinking, the trio continued on their way at a steady pace. Krone seemed to consider Linnaeus' words a bit so, rather than just take on a full-frontal charge, he would try to tackle the monster's flank. Since Linnaeus would also trip them up or divert the force of their blows, most of the battles ended almost as soon as they had begun. If not for Krone's refusal to use weapons, as he preferred to use his body itself as a weapon, things would have gone much faster.In less time than anticipated, the group reached an area with a hovel that had been formed from natural materials. It was mainly comprised of sticks and shrubbery but, to keep it all together, some kind of clay and mud had been used as a binding agent.Upon seeing the cacoon-like structure, Eliza had an awkward expression on her face as she lightly mumbled, "How did this girl survive here on her own...?"Since aboveground structures with no defensive capabilities were like painting a target on you for a monster attack, most schools taught children to seek elevated or subterranean shelters. The former was the most preferred, as it provided a good vantage, but the latter could be extremely useful when the elements were against you. After all, it was difficult to build atop a ridge while the only thing you had to do to expand an underground shelter was dig.In response to Eliza's question, Linnaeus slowly surveyed the surroundings while explaining, "This is an area that serves as a neutral zone of sorts. The Territorial King to the west had been killed a little more than a month ago. There has been a bit of fighting since then but it mostly takes place away from this spot..."Looking back at his two companions, Linnaeus could see that his explanation wasn't enough so he then added, "Since the stronger monsters are butting heads, the weaker monsters have avoided this area. A few stray in every now and then but there hasn't been anything particularly dangerous from what I have seen."Eliza wanted to ask why Linnaeus didn't claim this territory for himself if that was the case but, as she had spent the last few days with him, she already understood why. He wasn't the type to try and take advantage of others just for his own benefit.While Eliza's impression of Linnaeus was gradually improving, Krone stared back at his new Party Leader for several seconds before remarking, "You're the type that plans out everything...tell me, how long were you aware of our positions before coming into contact with us...?"Linnaeus and Eliza both knew what Krone was implying, causing the latter to frown slightly. Linnaeus, however, kept his composure as he plainly stated, "I hadn't been specifically observing anyone. If you think I had come up with some grand scheme to try and form a Party, you are wrong. The only thing that crossed my mind at the time was making sure there were no threats around my own den. It was only after I had secured my own position that I began to think about allying with other people to try and reach the top of the Crucible..."Though Linnaeus remained calm through his explanation, his expression became exceptionally sharp at the very end. Killing so many people had certain effects on an individual so, when he wanted to, it was possible to focus his killing intent to the point that people would feel as if they had a blade at their neck. This caused Krone to tense up and take a step back, all while Linnaeus stood his ground and added, "It wasn't even a few hours ago that you agreed to stop jumping to conclusions. Is this what your word amounts to...?"Krone hadn't expected the petite boy to suddenly give off the impression of a feral tiger so he was at a loss for several seconds as to how he should respond. His first instinct was to fight, as his instincts told him that Linnaeus was very dangerous, but he was kept at bay by the icy glare of the woman at his side.After swallowing audibly, Krone averted his eyes once again as he mumbled, "Sorry...I just can't trust other people so easily...I'll get better after a few days. I swear it..."While neither Eliza nor Linnaeus accepted Krone's words at face value, the latter gave a nod before pulling back his killing intent and turning his attention back to their surroundings. He still didn't even trust Eliza so he couldn't really blame Krone for not trusting him after only a few hours. Rather, the man seemed predisposed to distrust him so, for the time being, Linnaeus would allow him time to acclimate. This was his first time leading a Party that consisted of more than just himself and another person so he needed to practice dealing with the more difficult members of a Party before it became a bigger issue in the future.Krone visibly relaxed when Linnaeus pulled back his killing intent but his body was still tense due to the fact that Eliza continued to glare at him for several seconds longer. She had rarely killed so, while she was much stronger than Linnaeus, her 'presence' seemed minuscule in comparison. This put a lot of things into perspective for Krone, including the fact that his obstinance may very well result in his second untimely death...

Chapter 46: Disarming