Babel

Having already paid for their rooms for several days, Linnaeus and co decided to use their remaining time gathering more information and making preparations for their journey South. They were strong enough to visit the other regions but, knowing how useful the Slime Gels could be, Linnaeus elected to make the Southern Forest their first destination.Though he felt a strong urge to leave the Crucible as soon as possible, Linnaeus' cautious nature was still a core part of his character. He wasn't going to risk rushing things, at least until he had a better understanding of the situation.Fortunately, while it would be a little dangerous, their Party had the option of venturing into the Hell Hole without too much difficulty. So long as they were strong enough to defeat most foes without taking damage, they would be able to harvest the valuable resources in the depths without having to worry about the toxic fumes and acid pools.After a cursory exploration of the Southern Forest and Monster Ant Colony, they would immediately move to the Hell Hole to find their fortune. This was the most efficient method available to them so, if everything went as planned, Linnaeus expected to leave the Fifth Floor within two months.Most people would scoff if they heard this estimate but, after gathering more information about the Fifth Floor, Linnaeus learned that a capable Party could earn several tens of thousands of Kindling even in the Southern Forests. As for the Hell Hole, it was considerably more dangerous but, if you had the capabilities to venture into the lower levels, earning upwards of 50,000 Kindling a day wasn't impossible.Though it would be cutting it close, Linnaeus was confident they could earn the four million Kindling necessary for their entire Party within the two month period. The only thing that would set them back, outside of personal motivation, was general expenses related to equipment and supplies.Linnaeus was hoping their trip to the Southern Forest and Monster Ant Colony could offset these expenses but, by the time they began their trip South, Eliza and Emilia were both broke. They had both purchased satchels that had dimensional pockets inside, each filled with items they believe to be essential for future travels.Since he couldn't really control how the girls spent their Soul Kindling, Linnaeus, at the time, could only stare back at them with a blank face as Eliza complained about not having enough Kindling for a room. Fortunately, she didn't nag him after he found a relatively cheap Inn to stay at, one that had group rooms with thin cots instead of beds.Eliza, fortunately, had enough wherewithal to know better than to pressure Linnaeus into spending his Soul Kindling for no better reason than to pander to her. Her intention was to spoil him a bit, not be spoiled by him so, while she was obviously bothered by the arrangements, she didn't complain in the slightest. As for Emilia, she grew up in a nomadic tribe that used hammocks and sleeping bags in lieu of actual beds so she didn't mind roughing it at all.With neither girl having a problem with arrangements, combined with the fact that Krone had opted to stay in the group room as well, Linnaeus felt that their Party wasn't completely hopeless. Krone's display of solidarity was greatly appreciated by him as, rather than offer up his Soul Kindling to pay for Eliza to have a better room, he went along with the initial decision. Though it was obvious he had been tempted to make the offer, Eliza's silence on the matter had likely kept him from speaking out...---As a result of their preparations, the Party reached the Southern Forest the evening of their sixth day on the Fifth Floor. There, they found a small settlement almost entirely comprised of Inns, Taverns, and, at the very center of the settled area, a massive four-tiered building that said 'Hunting Guild' in bold letters at the very top.Linnaeus had already gathered information on the various organizations and Guilds on the Fifth Floor so, as a form of insurance against predation, their Party ventured into the massive building to register as a Free Party. Becoming an official member would require a monthly fee but, by agreeing to a relatively loose contract, they could avoid being attacked by members of the Guild in exchange for a much smaller fee. This would prevent them from attacking other Parties associated with the Guild but, considering they had no intention of causing any trouble, Linnaeus didn't consider this a detrimental arrangement.The first floor of the Hunting Guild was a large open area, more than half of which seemed to serve as a tavern for official members. There were various groups, some looking roughshod while others appearing to be just as new as Linnaeus' Party based on their equipment.Knowing how to carry himself without appearing as a 'soft' target, Linnaeus made brief eye contact with various people that looked at his Party with interest. He made no effort to conceal his blood lust so, unless they had a strong enough willpower, most people were cowed by a single glance. As for the rest, some senior members of the Guild seemed amused by his display but, understanding there was no merit in causing a scene, they made no effort to bar the group's passage.With the way largely cleared, Linnaeus and co made their way to a reception desk, one of twenty that lined the far side of the first floor. He could tell that some were specifically for the exchange of materials while only the central stations were for registration, accepting, and reporting on various tasks.Manning the desk was a woman with olive-brown skin, dagger-like ears, and sleek black hair. Rather than a delicate maiden, however, she gave off the feeling of an unsheathed blade as her hair, apart from a series of angular bangs partly covering her right eye, was done up in a rather wild ponytail.To complete the look of a seasoned veteran, the woman wore form-fitting leather equipment that was both stylish and functional. She clearly didn't worry about anyone gawking over her figure and, rather than hide her 'charms', it seemed like she wanted people to see the various scars that covered parts of her body, some belonging to blades, others clearly the result of vicious monster attacks.Though he didn't gawk in the slightest, Linnaeus did wonder about the practicality of allowing her cleavage to be on full display. He imagined it was a useful distraction against male opponents but he couldn't really imagine being able to pull his eyes away from the woman's face if they were to fight against each other. She had angular eyes with dark red irises and, much like Krone, black sclera that gave her a distinctly predatory gaze...While leaning somewhat lazily on her countertop, the receptionist woman eyed Linnaeus' entire Party before turning her attention back to him and asking, "How did you manage to become the leader of this group, squirt? From what I can tell, you should be the weakest among them, right?"Without showing any sign of the indignation he felt deep inside, Linnaeus kept his composure as he plainly stated, "We would like to register as a Free Party."Rather than be offended by Linnaeus outright ignoring her questions, the receptionist woman gave a light chuckle as she pulled out a stack of documents and a crystal ball. Though she was tempted to tease him a bit, the Guild Leader would give her an ear full if she caused trouble while on duty.After reading through the contract to confirm its contents, Linnaeus and co signed the documents before the former dripped his blood onto the crystal ball. The paper documents affected them as individuals while the crystal ball was intended to register their Party itself through Linnaeus as the proxy.Once the process was completed, Linnaeus gave the sharp-eyed woman a simple nod before he turned away without further comment. This caused her to lean against the table, elbows supporting her body while simultaneously pressing her less-than-modest breasts together as she mused, "Hey, try not to get yourself killed out there, squirt. If you have any trouble, don't be afraid to come and ask for advice. If the price is right, I don't mind teaching you for a bit~."Hearing the woman's words, Linnaeus' steps slowed to a stop. He had to resist an overwhelming urge to sigh as he looked back, his expression affixed in the same unperturbed visage as he said, "I'll keep that in mind..." before turning away.Though his remark earned him a pointed look from Eliza, Linnaeus knew he would become a mark for opportunists if he acted flustered or dismissive. He knew the woman was trying to feel him out as, in her line of work, understanding your clientele was extremely important. She wasn't actually trying to seduce him, rather, much like the other people within the Guild, she was merely testing his character.Eliza understood this as well but, as was often the case, she didn't appreciate Linnaeus' choice of words. She knew he wasn't trying to flirt but, for reasons she couldn't quite understand, he seemed to be a natural at it when the situation arose. It was this quirk of his that likely led to him developing the Skill in the first place, irrespective of his actual intent...Linnaeus, unaware of what was going through Eliza's mind, led the group to the western part of the settlement to secure lodgings. They had arrived in the evening and, while hunting at night was one of the things their Party may very well specialize at in the future, it was still better to head out early in the morning.Understanding they would pay him back the following day, as monsters still dropped Soul Kindling, Linnaeus elected to pay for Eliza's and Emilia's booking. They had already tolerated staying in a sorry excuse for an Inn so, in order to increase Party morale, forking over a few hundred Kindling wasn't a bad investment.As they could have just as easily spent the night in the forest, Eliza's mood improved noticeably the moment Linnaeus led the group to an Inn. Though she also felt a little guilty, believing her previous mood had pressured him into the decision, she wasn't going to refuse Linnaeus' good intentions.Since he could be a little awkward when it came to socializing, Eliza made a point to thank Linnaeus in a very open and direct manner. This caused him to tense up slightly but, much like their previous interactions, she was eventually able to get close enough to give him a hug, gently patting his back as she whispered, "Thank you, Lin..." in a gratified tone.Seeing this rather common interaction between Linnaeus and Eliza, Krone largely ignored them as he made his way toward his own room. As for Emilia, she patiently waited at the side, earning a pointed look from Eliza who reluctantly released Linnaeus from her grasp.As if it was the most natural thing in the world, Emilia hoped over to Linnaeus' side, triggering a statuesque response from him as she unabashedly hugged him with enough force to lift him off his feet. This kind of skinship was becoming increasingly common between them, not because Emilia had any intimate feelings for Linnaeus but due to her pack mentality and a building recognition that he and Eliza were 'family'.The most obvious indicator of Emilia's acceptance of the Party was that, when they were among just themselves, she would openly display her tail. This indicated both trust and familiarity as the tail of a Vanargandr not only made their emotions transparent but, if it was targetted during combat, they would effectively be crippled if someone managed to get a firm grip on the paradoxically fluffy yet sleek appendage...(A/N: Sorry for the drop in chapter releases. I had a very bad ear infection that essentially took me out of commission for a full week. Even now, I still have pressure and discomfort in my ears but I can at least think clearly. Unless something else happens, I'll be back to the normal release rate now that I'm on the mend.)

After a relatively uneventful night, Linnaeus was performing maintenance on his equipment when an incongruous feeling passed over him. At the same time, Emilia, who had been sleeping at the side with Eliza, twitched awake and, a stark contrast to Eliza, seemed completely awake in an instant.Without the need for words, Linnaeus made a small hand sign before using a small cloth to wipe the oil from his daggers. He pretended not to have noticed the presence outside while Emilia, following his orders, snuggled up next to Eliza, albeit with a tense body...Just as Linnaeus was considering whether or not he should take proactive action, a loud knocking was heard against the door. Immediately after, a slurred yet feminine voice shouted, "Hey, ey tol' you notsch to locksh the doooooooor~" while wiggling the doorknob.Though it seemed like a misunderstanding, Linnaeus didn't drop his guard at all. Rather, the feeling on incongruity was even stronger than before and, never doubting his gut, he stood up silently with both daggers in hand as he stared back at the door.Eventually, the abrasive and annoying noise awoke Eliza and, as if she had no sense of tension at all, she shouted in an even louder voice, "This isn't your room you dumbass...!" in a sleepy tone.In response to Eliza's outburst, the shaking of the door ceased in an instant. Then, after several seconds of silence, an awkward laugh rang out from the hallway. Based on the sound, it could be inferred that the person outside was walking away but, even after the sound had faded entirely, Linnaeus kept in a battle-ready stance as Emilia helped Eliza come to her senses.It was only when she was wiping the sleep from her eyes that Eliza realized the state Linnaeus was in. This caused her to stare at him for a brief moment before all the tiredness faded from her body and mind. She became significantly more serious as she asked in a low whisper, "What happened? That knocking...did someone try to break into our room...?"Without taking his eyes away from the door, Linnaeus lightly shrugged his shoulders as he didn't really know the other person's intent. He couldn't even be certain she was a female as it wasn't all that difficult to mask your voice if you put a bit of effort into it.Realizing that Linnaeus and Emilia weren't saying anything, Eliza ultimately decided to stay quiet as well. She quickly readied her own equipment without bothering to fix her hair. It was only when she was prepared that Linnaeus finally moved from his position, his steps absolutely silent as he stalked toward the silent door...Once Eliza and Emilia had fallen into their own positions behind him, Linnaeus reached for the door's knob after deftly disabling the series of locks. Then, with a single motion, he swung the door open as he lifted up the dagger in his left hand, the point facing outward as a young girl with pale blond hair set into two parted braids walked by with a pile of linens.Seemingly very surprised, the young girl startled like a cat with its tail stepped upon, the linens in her hand being thrown upward like an eruption. At the same time, Linnaeus formed a barrier to separate his body from the young girl just as a thin-bladed weapon, much like an ice-pick, stabbed toward his neck.As if his barrier was completely useless against the highly penetrative weapon, Linnaeus twisted his body to the side as the thin blue membrane shattered like a piece of glass. At nearly the exact same moment, Emilia emerged from behind him, spear extending outward toward the seemingly young girl with an average and homely appearance.Rather than try to defend against the attack, the young girl rolled in the opposite direction from Linnaeus. This was around the same time that the linens began to settle so she grabbed one in a single swift motion, throwing it between herself and Emilia as she tumbled several times in a deft and controlled manner.Since bundled cloth was surprisingly difficult to cut through, Emilia's spear tip ended up being wrapped by the fabric but, rather than hold on to an entangled weapon, she placed it back into her Inventory before pulling out a second one without any delay. This caused the homely girl who, upon closer inspection, had two curved horns at the side of her head to muse, "You all aren't bad at all~."Knowing the foolishness of communicating with an enemy mid-combat, Emilia largely ignored the girl's words as a ball of water formed at the base of her spearhead. She moved fast enough to vault over a thin piece of metal that had been thrown out by the girl then, using the roof as a footstool, lunged down with lethal momentum.Now with a smile on her face, the homely girl squat toward the ground as if she wasn't even going to try and dodge. The hair on Emilia's neck stood on end in response as she had yet to identify what kind of Blessing the opponent had before charging into her range.As if having read her mind, a thin blue membrane appeared in front of Emilia's trajectory, allowing her to quickly change direction in exchange for considerable discomfort and a bit of joint pain. At the same time, the girl released a light chuckle as, instead of attacking, she sank into the shadows beneath herself...With the incongruous feeling fading away in an instant, Linnaeus furrowed his brows while Eliza, having just left the room moments prior, muttered, "So much for laying low." in an annoyed tone.Hearing her remark, Linnaeus shrugged his shoulders before placing his daggers into the sheaths at his lower back. There was a lot he wanted to say but, seeing several people exiting their rooms while the Inn's owner quickly ascended from the lower floor, he knew it wasn't really the time to talk about the identity and purpose of their attacker.Unlike the kindly Sara, the owner of the Inn was a mountain of a man with a 'mane' of blazing red hair. The muscles on his body rippled with each of his movements yet, despite his rather bulky figure, he moved with precise and smooth movements. It would be impossible to run a business if you lacked connections and individual power so most established business owners were retired Hunters or high-level craftsman.Fortunately, the man didn't immediately accuse Linnaeus' group of causing trouble as there was no reason for them to stay behind if that were the case. He could tell they were all extremely tense so, while he did question them, it wasn't difficult to guess they were the victims. Since this type of event wasn't all that rare outside of Central City, he even offered them a free meal as an apology for the inconvenience.Linnaeus was honestly surprised by this reaction as he was used to people using any opportunity to con others. If not for the casual demeanor of Krone and Eliza, he would have refused the offer as he would have instinctually assumed the owner of the Inn was related to his attackers...Once the questioning had come to an end, Linnaeus and co were gathered around a circular table at the corner of the Inn's floor room. They had a massive amount of food piled before them, much to the satisfaction of Emilia, but Linnaeus elected not to partake as he quietly explained, "I believe the purpose of our attackers was to collect information, not assassinate us. That girl was extremely swift and it's not the first time I've seen someone use [Shadow Step]. If her purpose had been to kill us, it would have been easier to attack us a few hours before sunset. There would have been no reason to use such a roundabout method..."With her cheeks stuff with food, giving her an appearance similar to a small rodent, Emilia nodded in response as she added, "She was watching us all closely. Her speed was also similar to mine but she chose to keep a distance, despite having short-range weapons. Based on her movements, she wasn't inexperienced in intrapersonal combat. If she was serious, fighting inside of my range would give her a big advantage."Though she didn't disagree with Emilia's analysis, Eliza picked at the food on her plate as she lightly muttered, "We can't dismiss the possibility that she fought in such a way as a result of not knowing our capabilities. Like Lin said, it is obvious they were just feeling us out...if I'm not wrong, we'll learn her intentions in the near future...haaaaa...."Eliza was actually very accustomed to people targetting her and the people around her but, now that she was living a second life in the Crucible of Souls, it was disheartening to have people targetting her again so soon. It hadn't even been two full months since she died yet, despite making an effort to lay low, people came seeking trouble with her...Unaware of the fact that Eliza had essentially condemned the people targetting them to death, Linnaeus mulled over the event within his mind. He considered everything Eliza and Emilia had said before hanging his head in a thoughtful manner and whispering, "It is impossible to be certain but the most likely motive seems to be recruiting people. If we're weak, they would probably suppress us and force us to pay a protection fee. Now that they've confirmed we're able to protect ourselves, the odds of a secondary force being sent to...negotiate...are pretty high."As they had already come to similar conclusions, Eliza and Emilia nodded their heads while, at the side, Krone had his usual stern expression as he remarked, "If we leave the Southern Forests for another region, I doubt they would follow us. To use these kinds of methods, our enemies must be cowards who rely on a few powerful individuals to exploit anyone weaker than themselves. Staying here will just make us a target, either for recruiting or showing off their power..."Linnaeus could understand Krone's point but, considering they had traveled more than half a day just to reach the Southern Forests, combined with the fact they had diminishing Kindling reserves, it would be extremely detrimental to leave so soon. There was also the simple fact that, if they couldn't even move freely in the 'weakest' territory, how could they expect to carry themselves confidently in other, markedly more powerful, regions?In spite of his usual caution, Linnaeus shook his head, not to disagree with Krone but to deny the underlying suggestion contained within his words. Then, crossing his arms to put on a confident air, Linnaeus explained, "I don't want to stick out too much but, if we hang our heads and let people push us around, even living on the Fifth Floor will be made difficult. I say we focus on our original purpose while coming up with a solution to this problem...based on how the Proprieter behaved, this isn't the first time something like this has happened."Remembering how the man had acted, Linnaeus was certain this was an arranged scheme, one that was directly supported by the Hunting Guild. They likely had a shadow organization that dealt with any troublesome elements that threatened the Guild's interests. For now, it was clear their intention was to simply gather information but, depending on how things developed, they may very well be targetted for elimination.For now, Linnaeus wanted to gather information and, if possible, recruit people in a similar situation as them. Unfortunately, this would be very difficult as, if they approached people immediately after they were attacked, the logical conclusion was that they were the perpetrators behind the attack.With this in mind, Linnaeus began to lay out a plan with his Party, one that focused on playing the part of bait as he gathered what information he could. They would keep Eliza's power concealed for as long as possible and, in order to trick the enemy into mislabeling his ability, Krone would only absorb the traits of his gauntlets. There were very Blessing that allowed a person to change the basic composition of their body so it wasn't difficult to mislead observers...

Linnaeus had already noticed this the previous night but the food cooked by the Inn's workers was truly phenomenal. Even though they had been served relatively staple foods, such as sausage, eggs, and pancakes, it was all much higher quality than anything he had ever eaten before. This sentiment seemed to be shared by everyone else seated at the table so, her curiosity getting the better of her, Emilia outright asked the Proprietress what the [Cooking] Level of the chef was.What none of them expected was for her to plainly answer, "Oh, that is Sherry's cooking. She's been at the mastery bottleneck for the last few years so her [Cooking] is Level 99. A lot of the people here in the central district are in the same situation as it is impossible to surpass the Level 99 bottleneck in the Crucible."This was the first time any of them were even hearing about such a bottleneck so Linnaeus couldn't help but fork over a few Soul Kindling, asking, "Please, tell me more about this mastery bottleneck. I want to know everything you know about it."As most new arrivals in the Crucible were pretty young, Sara, the Proprietress, wasn't at all surprised that Linnaeus' Party didn't know the finer details about the Tower. Even she had been unaware of the information prior to nearing the bottleneck herself, a common occurrence unless you had surpassed the Twentieth Floor.In order to encourage the new Party to pursue their dreams, Sara happily accepted Linnaeus' gesture before explaining, "I doubt I need to explain to you all about the Level 50 restriction prior to entering the Tower. This is referred to as the Incubation Phase by those who like the Tower's system but, more often than not, people just call it the Apprentice Levels. Everything beyond that, until you reach Level 100, is known as the Fledging Phase or, to simplify, the Journeyman Levels. This is the period where you begin to work on the foundation you built as an Apprentice, shaping how you climb the Tower for the rest of your life. Some argue that this is the most important phase as, when you reach Level 100, becoming a Skyfarer or Master, your path has already been determined. Though nobody knows what the maximum Level is, it is rather common knowledge in the higher Floors of the Tower that it is impossible to have more than 10 Skills, Abilities, and Magic over Level 100. Everything else will be frozen at Level 99 and, unless you use certain treasures or items, you are stuck developing the Skills you had chosen to master."Listening to Sara's explanation, Linnaeus' mind had already started to race as this was extremely important information. He had already assumed there were further evolutions and thresholds for Skills and Abilities but having confirmation was extremely important. Now, he would need to focus on a specific combination of Skills, Abilities, and Magic in order to maximize his potential.Most importantly, Linnaeus realized another one of the Crucible's 'traps' as, with this information in hand, he knew a lot of people would be tempted to maximize their Skill and Ability growth while it was impossible to increase their base Level. After all, you received a significant increase in attributes based on the Level of your Skills and Abilities even at LV20 and LV50. He imagined the bonus at the next threshold was even more powerful so, if he wanted to protect the things that mattered, early mastery would be necessary.Realizing this, Linnaeus gave up even more of his Soul Kindling to inquire about the surrounding regions. He had already learned about the Familia that ruled the five districts from Baro but there was never any harm in getting a second person's perspective. Sara undoubtedly had her own set of experiences in the Crucible so any information she could provide would be extremely beneficial for them in the interim.True to her word, Sara didn't mind answering any of their questions as she quite liked conversing with attentive listeners. Though the others weren't nearly as focused, Linnaeus hardly even blinked as he waited on her every word as if it was a precious resource that he dared not squander. She knew it required a lot of focus and resolution to overcome the Crucible so, seeing how determined he was, she couldn't help but bare her heart to the young boy in the hope that he would succeed where she had failed long ago.From Sara, Linnaeus learned about a few of the hunting grounds surrounding the five districts, many of which she had visited in the past. Unlike Baro, she had a combat-oriented Blessing so, when she was still active, Sara had ventured outside the relative safety of the city, risking life and limb to earn the necessary Soul Kindling to purchase her life from the Goddess of Darkness, Tenebrae.According to Sara's information, the best option for people that had just arrived on the Floor was to first head South as, after exiting the city and traveling for half a day, you would reach the Southern Forests. There, a small settlement had been established where you could get some rest while, in the surrounding areas, various plants, animals, and relatively weak monsters could be found. This was an area where Slimes spawned regularly so, while not ideal for increasing your proficiencies, their Gels could be exchanged for a few tens of Soul Kindling each.For those more confident in their capabilities, they could travel to the East and, after five days of travel, you would eventually reach a large mountain range. This was the territory of a Monster Ant colony and, if you could reach the innermost regions, highly sought after materials could be found. There, near the brood chambers, extremely valuable Golden Honey could be found while each of the Majors, the larger variation of Monster Ants, had gemstone-like eyes. Both of these materials were used in the synthesis of extremely valuable Elixers so there was a constant demand for them.Fortunately, due to this constant demand, a Guild had been established near the outskirts of the mountain range. There, you could sign up for one of their monthly expeditions and, while the total payout would be significantly reduced, it was a relatively safe option for those with higher combat proficiencies. The ants themselves provided a decent challenge so people would generally train in that area until their Levels reached around 70.These were the two places Sara suggested Linnaeus' Party should visit but, knowing they would want more information, she told them about the other major hunting and gathering areas. This included a frozen wasteland to the north, where Frost Wolves, Snow Yeti, and Ice Drakes could be found. Most people outright ignored this region as the combination of cold, troublesome enemies, and difficult to find materials made it largely unpopular. Only those that accepted commissions to visit the region dared venture inside as, near the center of the region, a Frost Dragon had established its territory...A little bit to the Southwest of this tundra, however, you could find a deep chasm that was filled with toxic fumes, brimstone, and acid geysers. The conditions were similar to those of the Eighth Floor so it was an extremely inhospitable environment that invited only the bold into its depths. Those that managed to enter the lower layers of the region could find Salamanders, Fire Wisps, Magma Slimes, and, most importantly, extremely valuable mineral deposits. If you had the necessary capabilities to venture even deeper, even resources like Mithril, Orichalcum, Jade Malachite, and Magnanium could be found in small deposits. Just a single kilogram of the latter could be auctioned off for upwards of 100,000 Soul Kindling so the truly desperate often met their end trying to probe the infamous 'Hell Hole' to find their fortune.When Linnaeus heard about the Hell Hole, he couldn't deny that he was highly tempted to pay the region a visit. His Blessing was almost perfectly suited for the environment but, with four people, it would be extremely taxing on his reserves, even outside of combat. Still, depending on how things turned out, he may very well be forced to enter at some point so it was useful to know the option existed...What surprised him even more, however, was the next region Sara talked about as it was the only territory where you needed permission to enter. This area was known as the Western Kingdom of Vale, a vast expanse of forests where, in the distant past, the various Elvaan tribes had made their home. They typically only allowed those with more bestial traits to enter the region and, unless you had permission to hunt inside, you yourself would be hunted.The reason for Vale's establishment was due to the existence of a unique type of flora known as a Genesis Tree. It was a massive natural structure with a maze-like interior that could reach upwards of six kilometers in height. This tree produced extremely rare materials that were highly nourishing to a certain subset of tribes while, in the surrounding areas, various plants and animals benefitted heavily from its presence. In fact, the region was so rich in resources that wars had occurred in the past over control of the region as it was one of the few places viable for agriculture.This wasn't the biggest reason behind the conflict, however, as the region was also the sole producer of the most important item on the Fifth Floor, the sap of the Genesis Tree. As for why it was so highly sought after, this was due to pregnancy, regardless of a race's natural fertility, being nigh-impossible to achieve within the Crucible. After all, everyone inside had already died once, something that could be confirmed by their pale complexions, muted hair colors, and unnatural eyes. Even Linnaeus' light blue hair and golden eyes had turned pale white and dark red respectively, giving him a somewhat ghoulish yet ethereal quality...By consuming medicine produced from the Genesis Tree's sap, you could regain enough Life Essence to achieve fertility and completely offset the need to consume Soul Kindling. This made it highly sought after since children were an extremely important component of a peaceful society. As a result, conflict regarding the coveted medicine was extremely common, to the point that small-scale skirmishes would regularly break out when the Western Kingdom reduced exports of the sap.According to Sara, however, this was largely a ploy by leaders of both factions as, without a means to cull the population, things could become even more chaotic after a certain period of time. After all, there were a limited number of resources on the Fifth Floor and, as more people failed to reach the top Floor of the Crucible, it became necessary to reduce their numbers a bit. This was something that everyone was secretly aware of but, understanding the necessity of the arrangement, those that had lived in the city for a few hundred years would often volunteer during the campaigns.Fortunately, the last conflict was only thirty years ago so there were close to seventy years before the cycle would repeat itself. Since Linnaeus and co only had a little over ten months to exit the Crucible, they didn't really have to worry about being involved in the large-scale battle unless they, like many others before them, gave up trying to return to the surface. Still, Sara encouraged them to at least give it their all as, when you lived for centuries after the fact, you would regret not doing everything you could have.Linnaeus was extremely grateful that she had said this part as, from the previous night's dinner, he could tell that Eliza, Emilia, and Krone seemed less inclined to continue their climb. Though Emilia would obviously keep trying, as exiting the Tower was kind of like a Coming of Age Ceremony for her species, Linnaeus was very aware of the fact that Eliza wasn't nearly as determined. As for Krone, he had made it clear from the start that he considered his life in the Crucible a penance so, while he would stick with them until the end, his desire to leave was non-existent at the present moment.Now, with Sara's guidance and wisdom regarding the matter, he could sense a discernible change in the trio. They suddenly seemed marginally more focused and, considering it was only one year out of potential centuries of their life, it was all but guaranteed they would have regrets if they didn't do their best with the one chance they had. Thus, after a delicious meal and a life-changing discussion, the group began making plans for the challenges to come. Since they could still return to the Fifth Floor even after reaching the First, there was literally nothing to lose...after all, they had already lost their lives...

Chapter 63: Familiarity