Babel

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...

It was fortunate that, after being slain, the monsters killed within the Crucible of Souls would dissolve away into a peculiar kind of ash that was so fine it seemed to disappear completely moments later. It took with it everything from the bones, organs, and, to Krone's advantage, the blood.Were this not the case, the Party would have to deal with an even more pungent odor of blood as, when he fought, Krone often became covered from chest to thighs due to the brutal nature of his combat style. The [Barrier Aura] filtered out most of it but, perhaps due to the same functionality that allowed Krone to use his Blessing and breathe, some slipped through.Now, as the burly man lifted his body from the dissolving corps, there was a red mist rising from his body as the monster's blood seemed to evaporate. At the same time, Linnaeus and co came over to his side, the former commenting, "Brutal, but effective. Good work."In response, Krone gave Linnaeus a sidelong glance before ultimately shaking his head and asking, "What is the plan? Will we continue?"Originally, Linnaeus had intended to let Eliza killed the Wolf King on their way to battle against the Ape King but, after their encounter with a would-be assassin, his plan needed to change. They could either move to another territory to hunt down one final King or shore up their defenses somewhere to determine whether or not they were being pursued.The most sensible choice, however, seemed to be leaving the Floor as soon as possible. There was no sense in sticking around to fight an unknown enemy and, even if they could emerge victoriously, the benefits would be limited. After all, other than the equipment a person kept on their body, most items stored in their Inventory would simply vanish upon their death.As he had already been thinking about the best course of action prior to Krone's question, Linnaeus gave a curt nod before saying, "I believe it is best that we leave the Floor immediately. Eliza may lose out on some Soul Kindling but, with her power, she has the easiest method to earn more. I'm certain there will be ways to spend and transfer Kindling on higher Floors so there is no reason to stay and risk being ambushed."Krone crossed his arms upon hearing this, seemingly discontent with running away, but Eliza and Emilia seemed to be in agreement. The former had the most say in the situation so she added, "I'd like to teach our attacker a lesson as well but we have no way of knowing who they are. If we attack any random person we encounter, there is a chance it could be someone completely different. We weren't able to see their face or discover their presence so the only thing we know about them is the kind of Magic they use. Staying around just to fight an unknown force that might not even show up is a waste of time."What Eliza said struck at the very heart of the matter. There was a chance that their attacker actually had been alone so there was a good chance they would have fled without any intention of pursuing the Party. Though Linnaeus' instincts told him this wasn't the case, his rationale told him it ultimately didn't matter so long as they left the Floor behind.With Krone unable to refute Eliza's words, combined with Emilia not being fond of combat against other people, Linnaeus decided it was time for their departure. He didn't know for certain whether or not his previous speculation had been correct but, believing there was a fair chance, he inclined his head toward nothing in particular, saying, "Guardian of the Crucible of Souls, if you are listening, our Party believes we are ready to move on to the next Floor. Please transfer us..."Though there was a chance that passage to the next Floor required reaching a certain point, the fact that the Floor Guardian provided no information implied the method of ascending depended wholly on the person climbing. So long as they had sufficient achievements, Linnaeus believed that passage to the next Floor would be granted to them.Fortunately, he hadn't addressed the air in futility as, moments later, a chill descended upon the entire Party as a sensuous voice mused, "I see you found yourself some companions, little boy...and here I had been looking forward to seeing how far you could go on your own...well, it doesn't really matter, does it~?"While the feminine voice reached everyone, Linnaeus was the only one in the group that felt like a cold silk cloth was being draped across his body. He didn't know what the deal with the Guardian was but she seemed to enjoy teasing him more than necessary...Fortunately, without requiring a response from any of them, the presence seemed to drift away from him as the voice stated, "Parties are evaluated differently than those who seek to climb alone. You'll be rewarded for the individual actions you had taken prior to forming your union. The credit for the actions your Party has taken will be based on contribution while the majority of the reward is given to the Party Leader. Also, allow me to inform you that the Party System in the Crucible of Souls works very differently than the one in the Tower. How it differs, however, is something you'll have to learn on your own, ufufufufu~"Toward the very end of the voice's words, Linnaeus could swear he felt something moist trace across the top of his ear but, in order to not give the voice the satisfaction of a response, his face solidified into his usual mask of calm...Once the willowy words faded into the wind, everyone saw a personalized window in front of them while Linnaeus had two. The first detailed his accomplishments over the thirty-one days he had been alone while the second displayed the contributions of the Party members based on kill participation and various other factors.On average, a normal monster awarded around 41 Soul Kindling so Linnaeus had earned 4,838 total Soul Kindling just from his personal exploits. As for the total survival time, he was given a measly 1 Soul Kindling per day but, considering the plentiful resources in the forest, this wasn't too difficult to rationalize.What surprised Linnaeus the most was that he got a bonus of 1,000 Kindling for killing one hundred monsters and an additional 500 for defeating a Territorial King in individual combat. As the King had awarded a little more than three-hundred Kindling, this brought his total to 8,197SK.Linnaeus wasn't sure if this was a lot but, compared to the pittance he had earned on the Eighth Floor, it was a significant improvement. Now, he just needed to decide what to do with the rewards listed in the Party window as there was an option of either keeping everything for himself of giving it out based on contribution.The problem with this window was that the other people couldn't see it so, if they didn't trust each other, it would be easy to accuse him of skewing the numbers for his personal benefit. This almost made it a better option just to keep everything for himself and distribute it based on the needs of the Party but, as this could also cause some contention, the most sensible decision was to try and convince everyone he was being forthright with them...With this in mind, Linnaeus explained, "As a Party, we were able to accumulate 2,738 Soul Kindling. I have a window that shows me a list of variables that combine to create a contribution statistic using a percentage system. I'll be letting the interface auto-assign the rewards based on contribution. We don't have the time or resources to keep a proper accounting and, even if we did, it would cause a few problems if people started acting based on arbitrary metrics. I'd ask each of you to be content with what the system hands out as it is the determining factor behind how the points are assigned..."Fortunately, while there was still a bit of tension and awkwardness in the Party, Linnaeus had built up a decent amount of rapport with the group. Krone could be considered an exception to this but, as he had stopped being confrontational and accusatory, they had clearly made some kind of progress.Ultimately, Linnaeus had actually lied to the Party as, while it did show contribution values in the form of a percentage, it gave him 40% just for being the Party Leader. He decided not to point this out and, while splitting the Soul Kindling between them, he distributed his additional 40% as well. It seemed to serve as an incentive of sorts for the Party Leader but, as his actual contributions during combat were considerably lower, it would draw a lot of attention if he got the largest cut.Of the original 1,204 he was supposed to receive, Linnaeus only 383 of the total amount of Kindling. This brought his total to 8,580SK and, while it was impossible to know the value of this amount, he was still satisfied with his progress.Almost immediately after the distribution was completed, Linnaeus, Eliza, Emilia, and Krone felt a nauseating tug in their stomaches as they were all forcibly transferred to the Sixth Floor. This was never a pleasant experience and, as if to add insult to injury, they were all transferred several tens of meters above solid ground.With even Krone having LV51 [Acrobatics], it didn't take much effort for anyone in the Party to orient themselves properly but, as the only thing below them was endless sand dunes, their landing wasn't very stable. They impacted the fine sand, causing some of the granules to cascade down like a small avalanche as their bodies sunk several centimeters into the unstable terrain.Fortunately, with the [Barrier Aura] still active, they were able to land without injury, even if the sand itself would have cushioned their fall. Still, this didn't make any of them feel better as, even with the barrier preventing the hot sand from directly contacting their skin, it was still uncomfortable.While Eliza was cursing under her breath, Linnaeus and Emilia had already started to take in their surroundings. At the same time, Krone's body itself began to turn into sand and, after a minute or so had passed, he was able to mix into the ground itself. This had caught Linnaeus' attention but, as it was more important to get a handle of the situation, he didn't mind the peculiar sight too much.After an awkward climb to the peak of a sand dune, Linnaeus looked around to find that there wasn't a single visible landmark in view. It was just an endless ocean of pale gold sand being slowly pushed across the desert by a harsh and unforgiving wind. To make matters even worse, there wasn't even a single cloud anywhere in sight while, high in the sky, a blazing orb of fire and gas looked down on them like a tyrant from above.Linnaeus had expected another survival challenge as the resources on the Seventh Floor made the place a veritable paradise. Now, the only resources they had was themselves, the supplies they had stockpiled, and a very large quantity of sand. It was fortunate they happened to have someone with the ability to produce water as, without it, lasting more than a few days under conditions like this would be impossible...(A/N: Some people may not like the fact that the group escaped without facing off against the unknown enemies. To these people, I'd like to point out that no sensible person would just wait around and wait to be attacked. The plan was always to move on to the next Floor so, unless I was going to force plot and make it so that they couldn't leave, there was nothing preventing them from just moving on xD. Don't worry, as there will be more action after the Party has overcome some trials together (0w0)...!)

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...

Chapter 55: Tension