Babel

Going to sleep just after dark had the benefit of allowing you to get a full night's rest while still allowing you to wake before dawn. This was generally the best time for hunting as most of the nocturnal predators would be preparing to conclude their hunt and, feeling safe, animals would begin to emerge from their burrows to take advantage of the twilight hours.As was often the case, Linnaeus was the first to awaken and, after he sensed movement from the girls' room, he knew Emilia had awoken a few minutes after him. Shortly after that, she poked her head inside their room and, finding him already awake, poked her tongue out before retreating to prepare for the day.Linnaeus was slowly beginning to understand Emilia's nature so, while he was already a light sleeper, he needed to be extra diligent while she was around. She might not be directly challenging his place as Party Leader but it always felt like she was evaluating and observing his actions to form her own determinations...Once everyone was finally awake, they escaped the relatively muggy and humid air from inside the den to enjoy the crisp, early morning, air.The last to emerge was Eliza but she was a bit of a heavy sleeper due to taking longer than almost everyone else to actually fall asleep. This made it clear that she wasn't completely comfortable with the situation but that wasn't something that could be rushed.With everyone gathered, Linnaeus broke the silence, explaining, "From the information I've been able to gather, I believe the best option would be to head north. We'll pass through an area that is filled with a pack of wolf-like monsters. Fighting against them can improve our cooperation as a Party before we reach the territory across. Once we reach our destination, Krone will face off against the ape-like monster that rules the region further to the north...any questions?"As the most experienced when it came to hunting a variety of prey, Emilia didn't have a question but, rather, explained, "Bipedal and ape-like monsters can be very dangerous. Some are even capable of using tools so we shouldn't underestimate them. They also have abnormally high Strength so-"Before she was able to finish, Krone grunted in annoyance before saying in a stern tone, "I'll be fine. I am best against monsters that use brute force. Don't look down on my [Martial Arts] and [Grappling] Skills..."Emilia flared her nostrils a few times in response to Krone's statement but, before she could escalate matters, Linnaeus stepped in, explaining, "I chose the ape specifically because I believe that Krone is capable of defeating it. He has the highest Strength parameter amongst us should be able to adapt the traits of the monster for his own use. If their power is something unique to their species, there shouldn't be any issues when it comes to absorbing their Strength for himself."Krone nodded in affirmation, somewhat surprised by the thought Linnaeus had put into the proper use of his Blessing. This wasn't exactly something new but, over the last week, there hadn't been too many opportunities for him to make full use of it. After all, it wasn't exactly efficient to absorb the traits of weaker monsters as, the moment they died, he would lose the benefits. This meant it was a lot easier to just kill the monsters outright, saving both effort and SP...With Linnaeus stating his case, Emilia didn't have much room to say anything and, with Eliza giving her a warning look, she ultimately decided to just see how things went. If it was just one monster, it most likely wouldn't be an issue as most of the points she had made pertained to fighting against groups of ape-like monsters.---After formulating a basic plan of action, Emilia was sent to scout ahead of the group while Linnaeus did his usual of teaching Eliza and Krone how to move through the forest silently. Until they had the ability to pass through the woods without alerting everyone in a 50m radius, the effective range of most Blessings around their Level, he would not stop insisting that they improve.Fortunately for Eliza, as she really didn't care much for sneaking around, they heard a loud whistle that indicated Emilia had located an enemy. Since it was a two-tone whistle that increased in pitch towards the end, they knew she had encountered several enemies all at once.Without delay, Linnaeus gave the order to close the distance between themselves and Emilia. He took the lead to make sure there were no traps while Eliza followed close behind with Krone taking up the rear. This was due to his Agility being the lowest and, while he was their Vanguard in active engagements, his duty during travel was protecting the rear to prevent Eliza from getting sneak attacked.As they always stayed within a few hundred meters of each other, it took less than a minute for Linnaeus and co to reach the spot where Emilia was fighting. There, they found her skirting between a few trees, using her spear to prevent large wolves from attacking her. They were forced to try and go around the tree to get to her but she would always move to either keep it between them while never repeating the same pattern.At this point, there were already several corpses of large wolves on the ground and, while Emilia didn't really seem too troubled, there were still thirteen three-meter long wolves in the area. She would likely be able to defeat them without endangering herself too much but it was still much safer to call upon the Party.Without wasting any time, Linnaeus pulled out his shortsword and dagger, taking a defensive stance to protect Eliza while Krone caught up and assumed his own position. At the same time, he recast his [Barrier Aura] on Emilia before creating a bean-size spherical barrier in the path of a leaping wolf. As it didn't have nearly as momentum as the Territorial King he had fought, the wolf was only slightly injured by the sudden obstacle as its small size also made accurate interception difficult.Linnaeus knew he had a long way to go before he was proficient in using his barriers offensively but this didn't deter him in the slightest. Rather, his mind raced to think of ways to use his Blessing, all while he surveyed the battlefield and attempted to grasp the movement patterns of every single wolf.While this was going on, Eliza and Emilia weren't exactly idle as, with the [Barrier Aura] protecting her, the latter had essentially become a tiger with wings. She no longer relied on obstacles to try and protect her body and instead began to fight with ever-increasing ferocity. This was her attempt to try and increase her Agility and combat sense through actual battle, one of the most useful qualities of Linnaeus' [Barrier Aura], at least in her opinion.A stark contrast to Emilia, Eliza stayed relatively close to Linnaeus, her palms close together as she looked for the best opportunities to use her Blessing. When she found one, whatever unfortunate monster that happened to be in her sight was immediately turned into meat pulp, often without the opportunity to even cry out...By the time Krone showed up, less than ten seconds behind the rest of the Party, there were already three more wolves killed. He didn't want to miss out on another battle, as they often ended in a very short period of time, so he unhesitantly charged towards the biggest wolf while releasing a loud war cry.Though they were a little startled by the enraged man charging at them, the largest of the wolves and its two protectors bared their teeth as they adopted low pouncing stances. The moment he was in range, they immediately moved to attack him, the leader aiming for his throat while the other two moved to bite his right ankle and left wrist.Rather than evade, Krone used his right arm to protect his neck while letting the smaller wolf bite his left wrist. Their teeth were both met by a seemingly frail blue membrane that completely nullified the effects of their fangs. At the same time, Krone had barreled into the wolf trying to bite his leg, his foot angled to try and crush its neck as he willingly allowed himself to tumble with the wolves.Krone wasn't able to keep the leader of the pack pinned, as it quickly separated from him, but the two smaller wolves ended up getting brutalized by the grey-skinned man. He literally used nothing but his hands and feet to pummel them, each strike breaking bones and crushing organs. It was a rather intense sight to behold but, after fighting alongside Saht for a few years, Linnaeus only looked over to make sure he wasn't in danger before splitting his attention between Emilia and Eliza...After only two minutes, the only surviving wolf was the one that spontaneously fled just after Krone crushed the pack leader's head by squeezing it with his bare hands. The others were much slower to react so the final kill count was in favor of Emilia, killing eight, while Eliza was close behind with six kills. As there were twenty wolves in total, four were taken out by Krone and, as they were afraid to attack two people standing close together, Linnaeus was only able to take out two.Linnaeus was used to having the least number of kills but that didn't mean he wasn't bothered by it. He was determined to become much stronger in the future but, as his primary objective was to be a good Party Leader and leave the Crucible of Souls, there was time for him to improve. His battle with the Territorial King showed that he wasn't exactly weak so, by focusing on his strengths, he could still grow much stronger even without increasing his Level...Once everyone had finished collecting the loot, Linnaeus said, "We'll move a little slower from here onward. This was only a small group of the larger pack so there is a good chance the Territorial King of this area will lead an ambush against us. Emilia, stay within fifty meters as much as possible. You should be able to tell by the small flicker whenever your legs brush against the grass and twigs..."Emilia nodded her head in affirmation but, before setting out again, she explained, "My nose isn't that far off from an actual wolf. Even though their bodies have disappeared, the smell of blood and pheromones still lingers on our bodies. Your [Barrier Aura] can block most of it but I agree that there will be an ambush once the enemy realizes what happened. Good call, Lin~"Linnaeus was slightly surprised to hear Emilia say supportive words as, in most situations, she would just go with the flow. It felt like she was slowly beginning to recognize him as an actual Party Leader, most likely due to the previous night's conversation. This emphasized the importance of proactively communicating with your allies so Linnaeus felt a small amount of vindication as he answered with an affirmative nod and a very slight smile.With a much larger smile of her own, Emilia giggled for a brief moment before turning around and moving ahead of the group. This left Linnaeus staring at her retreating figure, at least until Eliza gave him a not-so-gentle nudge, saying, "Don't gawk. Come on, we should get going."Without waiting for his response, Eliza began to pull him along somewhat forcibly. This left Krone standing alone, his silver eye reflecting various complex emotions before he ultimately shook his head and began lightly jogging after the rest of the Party. He didn't envy the situation Linnaeus had found himself in but, after observing him over the last week, he had at least confirmed the boy was not using his [Charm] against the two girls...

As the group progressed further through the forested terrain, the usual sounds of life had all but vanished. A tense atmosphere had continued to build and, even without him telling her to do so, Emilia had slowed her pace to stay a little closer to the Party.Linnaeus couldn't help wondering if monsters knew how to scare people. While he remained calm and focused on the outside, he began to feel increasingly unnerved in the more primal areas of his mind. It felt like his instincts were warning him to flee yet, in spite of this, his [Sense Danger] was just as silent as the surroundings...For a brief moment, Linnaeus was reminded of the time when he and Saht were being hunted by a group of elite bounty hunters. Their leader had managed to get right next to them without a single hint provided by their usually reliable Skills and instincts...Giving a small gesture for Eliza and Krone to speed up, Linnaeus quickly caught up to Emilia who, even more so than him, seemed concerned about their present situation. This made it even more important for him to stay composed so Linnaeus was forcing himself to take even breaths, his face an absolute mask of calm.Once the Party was together, Linnaeus immediately explained his conjecture, stating in a hushed tone, "The enemy should have the [Stealth] Skill. There may be more than one. Stay close and on alert at all times."Even as he spoke, Linnaeus never stopped observing the surroundings, an action that was repeated by Emilia. She had made the same assumption so it eased her mind a bit to know that Linnaeus had been on the same page.Linnaeus could see Emilia visibly relax but, in the back of his mind, he was focused on other matters. He knew they would need to develop a signal to alert each other to any invisible enemies as it was very dangerous to group together like this during tense moments...As if to emphasize why grouping close together was bad, the ground beneath them began to vibrate and, immediately after, thin stone spike penetrated through the dirt and attempted to skewer them.The moment Linnaeus realized what was happening, his eyes sharpened as he shouted, "We need to get into an open area! Stay close but don't get within five meters of each other...!"Fortunately, as they all had [Barrier Aura] on them, the only loss was around 900 of Linnaeus' SP. The surprise attack also taught them a very important piece of information as, despite having climbed a lot higher than the rest of them, Eliza had never encountered monsters that could use Magic.While some monsters had unique racial abilities, such as venomous spit or flame breath, most Magic was either derived from a Blessing or arduously practiced over several years. This required both hard work and comprehension of what you were trying to learn so, with most monsters having a middling level of intelligence, at best, they were fundamentally incapable of using complex Magic spells.Understanding this, Linnaeus knew that haste was their friend as, unless they had a Blessing that had broken through the Level 100 threshold, invalidating the need for surprise attacks, their Magic would be useless outside of a 50m range. [Stealth] also reduced your mobility considerably as, if you made a lot of noise and bumped into various objects, it would obviously break.This wasn't knowledge unique to him so, understanding what was going on, everyone else in the Party had equally hardened expressions. If their opponent dared to give chase, Emilia, in particular, was fully intending to teach them how terrifying Magic could be...Unfortunately for her, most proficient [Stealth] users weren't the type to haphazardly pursue a group of enemies.By the time the group had run for a little under two minutes, the uneasy feeling that had plagued both Linnaeus and Emilia began to fade away and, when the entered a clearing, it had vanished in its entirety. There was still a chance their enemy could be tracking and skulking after them but, after the failure of their surprise attack, it was far more likely that they had retreated in the complete opposite direction.Eliza reached this same conclusion so, much to Linnaeus' surprise, she stomped on the ground a few times, her face showing clear frustration before she noticed he was looking at her. This caused a rosy blush to spread across her cheeks but none of them were foolish enough to point it out.To help cover for her senior, Emilia cautiously observed the surroundings while stating, "That attack definitely came from a person. Unless they have allies, we most likely won't have to worry about any other attacks from them..."Linnaeus nodded his head upon hearing this, adding, "The safest assumption is that your enemy is always at a maximum level of preparedness. We'll proceed on the basis that they retreated to gather allies. It is fortunate that we're intending to leave this floor today as it would be too dangerous to return to the den."As their den was located beneath a rock formation, it was basically suicide to enter inside if you knew an enemy capable of using earth magic was around. It was the same as inviting them to crush you into oblivion so, without arguing at all, everyone in the group gave an understanding nod.Seeing that they were all on the same page, Linnaeus was tempted to smile as it was very helpful to have allies capable of understanding things without needing to go into greater detail. This had been one of Saht's greatest weaknesses and, though they had learned to work with each other, her failure to understand strategy had almost gotten them killed on several occasions.Remembering his partner reminded Linnaeus of the urgency of the task at hand so, in order to put even more distance between themselves and potential ambushers, he gave the order to double the usual pace as they proceeded toward their destination. He didn't even bother having Eliza and Krone move cautiously as their enemy would still be able to track the duo's best attempts...Without ever encountering another group of wolves, despite passing through the very heart of their territory, it became pretty clear that the King of the region had been dealt with. They had either been lured elsewhere or, as was the far more likely scenario, had been killed by the earth mage. Linnaeus had never seen the 'Wolf King' use an Ability like [Steath] during his preliminary investigation so, in hindsight, he realized that should have been a red flag.The most likely scenario was that they encountered their enemy as the latter was leaving the heart of the region. This had caused them to hide their presence away and follow after the group. Since they weren't moving too quickly due to their heightened state of awareness, it wouldn't have been taxing to keep pace, even with [Stealth] active.What concerned Linnaeus the most wasn't the sneak attack itself but the reaction of the wildlife in the forest. It didn't make sense for them to fall silent in response to a single person using [Stealth]. In fact, it would be a huge tell to anyone with even a basic amount of attentiveness as the absence of animal sounds within the forest was extremely unnerving.This was the main reason Linnaeus urged the group forward. He suspected that their hidden enemy was paired with someone far more powerful so, being the cautious person he was, Linnaeus decided it was for the best to open up as much distance between themselves and their would-be attackers as possible.Fortunately, even after crossing into the territory of the monster ape, there hadn't been a single sign to indicate they were being pursued. The appearance of monsters allowed Linnaeus' nerves to ease a bit so he finally gave the order to reduce their pace and resume their usual formation. Only this time, he would be the one to take up the rear as he wanted to see if it was possible to obscure the tracks left behind Eliza and Krone as they awkwardly passed through the forest.Eliza was a little bothered to have Linnaeus following in her wake as it made her feel self-conscious, for a variety of reasons. Still, she tolerated the complex feelings as she tried her best to leave behind as few traces of her presence as possible, all while periodically looking back to make sure he was still there.Unlike when Krone followed behind her, Linnaeus' movements were completely silent. This was the main reason why she felt unnerved as it felt like, at any given moment, he would just disappear into the forest, never to be seen or heard from again. He might not be aware of it but Eliza was using him as an anchor of sorts so, if he were to suddenly vanish, she felt like any motivation she had to climb higher would vanish with him.Linnaeus didn't know the truth behind why Eliza would periodically look back at him but, as he could tell she was nervous, he did his best to appear calm. He just assumed she was afraid that he, being the weakest in the Party, would be picked off by the enemy before she was able to react. This wasn't really a rational concern but, so long as she was doing her best to fix her bad movements habits, he was content...---After half an hour passed without instant, the Party regained its usual atmosphere. Linnaeus knew this was the opportunity he would be looking for if he was going to assassinate someone but, as he would never attack a group of people with unknown strength, he assumed this was an unnecessary concern.Eventually, the group had finally reached the area where the monstrous ape had resided so, with even more motivation to succeed than before, Krone placed his palms against a dark grey stone to absorb its traits before moving forward without hesitation. He was the type that could follow a plan without issue but, when it came to battling against a monster on his own terms, he chose what could only be described as the 'direct' method.Sensing its habitat had been invaded, a primal roar escaped a cave located on the upper slope of a small mountain. It took less than ten seconds for a 4m tall ape-like monster to leap out of the hole, its black fur glistening like metal in the nascent sunlight. It had all the basic features of an animal known as a Gorilla but, at the top of its head, there was a large bald spot that was covered in scars. It also had a striped pattern along its muscular arms and legs, despite no apparent need for any kind of camouflage.Without shying away, Krone released a war cry of his own before bending his body low and tackling the ape as it attempted to swipe at him. The thing had much smaller legs than arms so this put the grey-skinned man in a rather awkward position, at least for a while. Fortunately, his Skill wasn't just a number within his Status so, as the ape tried to use its greater strength to its advantage, Krone was able to keep it off balance. He even managed to get the monster onto its back, his heavy fists hitting into the neck and jaw as his previously stony skin gained a thin layer of metallic fur.Emilia wasn't wrong when she said the ape was physically stronger than Krone but, as was often the case in such situations, combat experience made a massive difference. The ape only knew how to use brute force while Krone, having advanced knowledge of [Martial Arts] and [Grappling], was able to use the monster's weight and strength against it. He even managed to break one of its arms by putting pressure on the joint when the monster hyperextended its arm in a vain attempt to dislodge the man pummeling him to death.Unfortunately for the ape, Linnaeus' [Barrier Aura] prevented it from getting any advantages and, by the time Krone managed to absorb its traits, the battle had already been decided. His Strength had spiked from 232.2 to 270.9, a thirty percent increase on his base parameter. Since parameters gave higher returns at higher levels, an additional 38.7 points of Strength almost negated any difference between Krone and the much larger ape.The battle ultimately came down to a contest where both parties had similar strength but, as a result of Krone's experience and Linnaeus' [Barrier Aura], one side was unable to gain any advantages. This turned the battle in a one-sided slaughter, one where Krone used his bare hands to bash the ape's face until it had caved in completely. It was an extremely brutal method of fighting but, based on the results, the effectiveness couldn't really be argued...

To save time on their return to the den, Linnaeus and Emilia had come up with a system to circle the perimeter in opposites directions. They will still have to complete a full circle and, by looking for the subtle signs each left behind, their tracking and attention to detail were steadily trained.Once they had regrouped together with Eliza and Krone, the entire Party returned back to the den to prepare food and discuss their plans.Needless to say, Krone was still in a bit of a dour mood but, once he started cooking, his mood gradually improved. He seemed to genuinely enjoy cooking and, as this was the only time he really interacted with the other members of the Party, his rough exterior would crack slightly.This was largely due to the fact that Emilia was learning to cook from him and, with her Skill already being Level 51, she was a very quick understudy. As for why she helped out, this was to be expected since she ate more than the three of them combined...With Krone's knowledge and experience, combined with Emilia's skill, the food they had been eating recently was better than anything Linnaeus had ever eaten. He was actually enjoying their little Party a lot more than he originally expected and, though it was very rare, a genuine smile would creep its way onto his face every now and then.The only one who ever really noticed this was Eliza but, as she had slowly been learning how to not startle him, she had the wherewithal not to point it out. Rather, as the days passed, Linnaeus almost felt like she was training him to be more social and confident around other people...---Their bellies filled and the light of the den diminishing, Linnaeus, Eliza, Emilia, and Krone gathered in the largest chamber to discuss whether or not they wanted to leave after everyone killed a Territorial King.None of them were really worried about the success of Eliza, as her [Crush] Magic was just unfair in most situations, so Linnaeus had turned to Krone, asking, "How confident are you in defeating one of the Kings...?"A week ago, Krone wouldn't have been able to answer confidently but, after seeing Linnaeus and Emilia, both around ten Levels lower than him, he had a stern expression as he stated, "I will win. If I can't even do this much, I will not be able to raise my head in the Party."Seeing the conviction in Krone's gaze, Linnaeus gave an understanding nod, saying, "I'm confident you will be able to emerge victoriously, even without my Blessing. With it, I can't imagine too many monsters on this Floor being able to get an advantage against you."Though he crossed his arms after hearing what Linnaeus said, Krone didn't refute his words. He had learned over the last week that the compatibility between their Blessings was high. Linnaeus' [Barrier Aura] made it a lot easier to activate his own Blessing and, even when he became immaterial, it was still able to protect him somehow.Eliza never liked the way Krone behaved around Linnaeus but, as the latter had asked her to stop pressuring the grey-skinned man, she just gave him a pointed stare before averting her eyes in the next moment. As for Emilia, she was leaning against the wall with a tired expression on her face, her hand resting on her belly after a very large meal...Linnaeus observed the reactions of everyone in the room, his usual calm forming a mask that made it difficult for his thoughts to be seen through. He was doing his best to understand the character of every member of his Party so that he could establish a proper baseline for each of them. This would allow him to quickly realize if they were plotting something as, unless a significant event occurred to change their behavioral pattern, people were creatures of habit.After a momentary silence, Linnaeus said, "I think it would be for the best if we finish hunting before noon tomorrow. Though it could be better to move up to the next Floor at dawn, we have no way of knowing what awaits us. It would give us more time to seek shelter but I feel we'll be more prepared to face potential threats after hunting a King. People are always a little slow when they first wake up in the morning...lacking the proper edge could cost us our lives..."As usual, Eliza took it upon herself to support Linnaeus' decision, adding, "The longer we stay on each floor, the less momentum we will have for reaching higher floors. It will be a lot easier to leave if we've only spent a few months here. If we get too acclimated to life within the Crucible, it is only natural that our motivation to leave will diminish."Using Eliza's words as a segue, Linnaeus nodded his head before explaining, "There is a chance that the rules will change in higher Floors but, for the time being, it is safe to assume we will not be able to increase our Levels. Unless the Crucible is designed to only allow those that are strong to return to the Tower, it must be possible for even low-leveled individuals to reach the top. Though the Tower has a lot of incongruous rules, I don't believe it will only reward those that were already strong prior to their deaths..."Though he didn't often agree with what Linnaeus said outright, Krone issued a grunt that, over the last week, came to represent he was in agreement. After all, even amongst their own Party, there was a sixteen Level difference between their weakest and strongest member. If someone from the higher Floors ended up in the Crucible, they would be able to completely crush everyone else.With even Krone in agreement, Linnaeus was tempted to smile but ultimately managed to keep his composure. Still, he used the opportunity provided to explain, "Our greatest strength will be how well our Party works together. We'll focus on information gathering and avoiding conflict until we are forced into a situation where we have no choice. If possible, we should consider expanding our Party into a Company in the future. That isn't really something we should focus on, however..."Here, Emilia decided to add in her own input, saying, "If we find other members of the Vanargandr tribe, we should be able to safely recruit them. I can't speak for other races but my people have been able to coexist with the other tribes for thousands of years without any significant conflict. You still have a long way to go but you should be able to earn the respect of most Vanargandr Huntresses so long as you have the confidence to keep them in line~"Hearing Emilia's remark, Eliza asked, "Oh? Does that mean you're finally learning to respect Lin? And here I thought you were going to continue being foolish until the very end..."Rather than be offended, Emilia laughed off Eliza's words before saying, "It is just really weird for me to have a male in charge. I'm so used to them requiring protection and lowering their heads every time I make eye contact with them. I still don't understand why Lin is the one in charge but I can tell he is a good Party Leader based on his decision making. If he was a little stronger, I would be able to respect him more without it making my stomach feel fluttery and weird."Eliza raised her brows in response to Emilia's words, asking, "Your entire existence revolves around that stomach of yours, doesn't it...?"Smiling, Emilia happily pat her stomach a few times, boldly proclaiming, "Satisfying our hunger is the most important thing to ensuring we can live happy and healthy lives. Ever since I was just a pup, I've always trusted in my gut and it has never let me down! It tells me that Lin isn't bad but he still has a long way to go if he wants to be a real Leader. He currently feels like someone that still needs to be protected. If he were a Vanargandr, I might even make him one of my mates~"Though she had a relatively neutral expression at first, Eliza deadpanned after hearing Emilia's final remark. She gave the smiling Vanargandr a hard stare, muttering in a dull tone, "If you try to lay your paws on Lin, don't blame me for being rude. He has people precious to him that he wants to protect. The last thing he needs is some senseless woman trying to influence him in a weird way...!"Emilia's ears had lowered a bit after sensing the hostility in Eliza's tone but she didn't seem entirely deterred as she stated in a somewhat demure tone, "See, this is what I mean. If he was a real Party Leader, he wouldn't need others to speak for him. You are always protecting him, even though it is the duty of a good leader to protect everyone else..."Here, Linnaeus decided it was time to step in before things got any further out of hand. He raised his hand to catch the girls' attention before calmly explaining, "There are more ways to protect people than simply relying on strength. Though it certainly helps, I believe that proper decision making is far more important than raw power. If you are clever and make the right decisions, it is possible to lead a small group to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Still, I will never stop trying to become stronger so, if there is anything you think I could do to improve, please, let me know..."With her ears now perked up once again, Emilia smiled radiantly as she exclaimed, "This is one of your better qualities. You are so eager to improve that it is hard to really fault you for anything. It is still a little weird to me though, as the leaders in our tribe are the type that have already worked to become strong. They rarely need other people to give them advice so I feel like you are a young pup that is still learning how to be a leader~"Hearing Emilia's remark, Linnaeus shrugged his shoulders dismissively, reminding her, "Well, I am the youngest in the group. I'm certain that you would be able to give a lot of good advice to your past self if you were able to travel through time. I am not afraid to admit that I have a long way to go as a leader but, for the purpose of fulfilling my dreams and aspirations, I will never stop trying to better myself."Feeling very proud of her 'little brother', Eliza had a happy smile on her face as she raised her chin slightly. As for Emilia, she bobbed her head a few times in an approving manner, saying, "You aren't wrong. If I could teach my past self, there is a lot I would want her to know. I will keep that in mind while we are in the same Party. In order to help you become a better Party Leader, I will do my best to try and give you good advice. I already know you will do the same if you think there is something I can improve on so I'm looking forward to seeing how far we can go~"As it seemed like a good opportunity, Linnaeus did his best to adopt a smile as, in more ways than one, he was actually happy with how things had turned out. Eliza and Emilia were both sensible girls and, though the latter had a very unique way of thinking, she didn't completely resist new ideas. If you could word a concept into a way she could understand, it didn't take much effort to convince her to go along with your views...With the light in the den steadily diminishing, Linnaeus decided it was about time for them all to turn in for the night. He gave his usual refusal to Eliza's offer to share the same room, something Emilia was seemingly okay with, before holing up in the smaller chamber that served as his and Krone's rest area. The girls naturally needed more space so he had elected to share a room with the brute after everyone had moved in together.At first, Krone's presence made it very difficult to fall into even a light slumber but, over the course of a week, he had stopped giving off threatening vibes in the middle of the night. Tonight, he even rolled over, exposing his back to Linnaeus as if to emphasize that he no longer viewed the latter as a threat. This almost brought another smile to his face but, as there was always a chance that Krone was just trying to lure him into a false sense of security, Linnaeus sat in his usual spot with his back to the wall...

Chapter 54: Cooperation