Babel

Though Blacksweed was relatively common along the periphery of the Monster Ant Colony, that didn't mean it was easy to gather. Hidden beneath the surface of the palm-sized leaves, there were vicious thorns that would afflict a painful numbness if you managed to prick yourself.To further complicate matters, Monster Ants communicated primarily through the use of pheromone trails but, when under duress, they emitted high-frequency shrieks that did a number on those with sensitive hearing. As a result, Emilia could be seen with a pouting expression, her ears laying flat as she cut through the reinforcements lured in by the shrieking Ants.In total, it took more than two hours to collect the 25kg of Blacksweed required to complete their assessment. This was primarily due to Eliza being the only one proactively harvesting the herb as, while anyone could pick it, quality could only be guaranteed by those skilled in their handling.Eliza's LV51 [Mixing] wasn't just for show so, despite never having worked with Blacksweed before, she was able to skillfully harvest them using a small sickle and a piece of tanned leather. The reason it took so long was due to the fact she also had to properly wrap and store each herb as, if they just threw them into a bag, there was no way the Guild would accept them. Not every Blacksweed was to be put to immediate use so, depending on the circumstances, high-quality herbs could be in storage for several months before being processed into their powdered form.Fortunately, Scouts and Workers relied purely on numbers to drive away enemies so, while Linnaeus, Emilia, and Krone were under a fair amount of pressure from the 1.5m long arthropods, it wasn't too much for them to handle. If they couldn't at least deal with these relatively weak ants, there was little chance they would be able to deal with the stronger variants as, from Soldiers onwards, many Ants were able to regurgitate pungent acidic bile that could cause crippling injuries and ruin weapons and armor.With his [Barrier Aura] to protect them, Linnaeus' Party wouldn't have to worry too much about the acidic bile. However, this required them to always be aware of each other's positions as, if the battle brought them more than 50m apart, he would be unable to shield them. This could lead to all kinds of issues as, if you assumed you were protected, there was less of an inclination to dodge dangerous blows...Though 50m seemed like a fair distance, it didn't amount to much when people could cover several hundred meters in a few seconds. During the chaos of battle, it was difficult to maintain a formation without a lot of practice and coordination as, more often than not, you were forced apart by enemy magic attacks.While it wasn't all that likely, there was a non-negligible chance they would come across someone with a similar Blessing to Eliza's in the future. Though she was required to strike a pose in order to activate her Magic, the actual effects took place almost immediately thereafter. This wasn't the only example of 'instantaneous' Magic so, in preparation for the future, Linnaeus had everyone fan out while taking into consideration everyone else's position. It was an extremely frustrating process but, as this was something every Party needed to master, none of them openly complained about it...Once Eliza had collected about 30kg of Blacksweed, just in case the quality of some didn't meet the Guild standards, Linnaeus used the Party Menu to issue a ping. This caused a chime to sound in all of their minds and, as a result, Emilia immediately pulled back while Krone, due to his transformation, only returned after dealing with the group of seven Scouts that had surrounded him.Though his Blessing allowed him to become a walking tank, the severe reduction in mobility, even after forming alloys, was something the Party would need to work around in the future. It was for this reason that Linnaeus, during their formation training, set Krone as the central pivot for all of their movements. Since he was the least agile amongst them, he was the least likely to accidentally wander outside of everyone else's range. It also helped that he stuck out like a sore thumb due to his height and the fact that, more often than not, he glistened with a metallic sheen.Once everyone had reformed, Linnaeus allowed Krone to set the pace while he and Emilia carried two large bundles of neatly folded herbs. As for Eliza, she followed closely behind, free from having to carry a load as she had been tasked with picking off the Ants trying to follow after them. Her use of the heavy crossbow had allowed her to reach LV4 [Archery] in just a few short hours, a testament to her keen eyesight and spatial awareness.Linnaeus suspected that Eliza was driven to become a competent archer so that he wouldn't need to scout a new member of the Party but, as two archers were better than one, his opinion on the matter hadn't changed. His SP reserves had been fluctuating considerably throughout their battle against the relatively weak Scouts and Workers so, when they faced off against Soldiers and Majors, it would be better to have as many ranged options as possible.Every Blessing had strengths and weaknesses and, through his use of [Barrier Master], Linnaeus had come to realize the least effective way to use his was in close quarters. Though it could easily catch people by surprise, those with considerable strength and speed could easily overwhelm him, taking large chunks out of his SP reserves with each blow.Where his Blessing truly shined was against ranged attackers and magic-users as, by simply placing a weak barrier in the trajectory of their attack, it was easy to deflect or interrupt their spell. Most Magic spells 'erupted' on contact, giving them great area-of-effect damage, so even a paper-thin barrier, if skillfully used, could completely offset their damage potential.While he would never abandon the skillset he had already accumulated, Linnaeus was beginning to realize his true specialties were support and control. He needed to get to the point where he could use his Blessing freely, erecting barriers to protect his allies while viewing the entire battlefield from a central point. To this end, he would need to master some form of ranged weaponry. If he played his cards right, it was even possible to reach a point where he could protect his allies and defeat his enemies from a distance, all without ever revealing himself.Though it was a relatively rare classification for anyone without a Blessing related to archery, there was a Class commonly referred to as the Sniper. These people were usually hunters outside of the Tower and, after spending years concealing their presence in order to hunt dangerous game, they had become specialists that fit the positions of Scout, Archer, and Assassin.Previously, Linnaeus had made good use of his small frame, enhanced mobility, and quick reflexes to excel at using daggers in both hands. This was extremely useful against humanoid opponents but, as the size and strength of monsters continued to increase, short-bladed weapons became less and less effective. He could cover for this by mastering the spear but, as this required considerable balance and finesse, it would take years for him to reach an adequate level in its use.Though he didn't intend to abandon learning the spear from Emilia, Linnaeus knew he wasn't the type that liked to fight enemies up close and personal. He was the type that did everything in his power to create gaps in their mentality, exploiting momentary weaknesses to kill in the quickest and most effective manner. He hadn't gotten his [Assassination] to LV40 by accident so, in order to make use of the Skill to its fullest, he needed a way to silently strike his enemies from a distance.Heavy crossbows were too loud and their recoil, though he would never admit it, caused him a fair amount of pain. The fact he had to use his [Barrier Aura] just to prevent his shoulder from bruising wasn't pleasant so, while it was still a viable option, he would need to purchase the highly expensive long-range version which, fortunately, made use of a small kickstand that could even penetrate hard stone.His only other options, besides training his [Throwing] Skill, were learning how to use a bow or one of the much smaller single-handed crossbows. The latter had very high penetration within a few meters but, once you moved beyond its effective range, the damage output and accuracy fell off drastically. As for standard bows, they had much greater range but, due to the nature of arrows, affected by drag, wind speed, and other factors, it took considerable skill to hit anything beyond a few tens of meters. He also lacked the Strength to draw the more powerful bows so, while it was the most economical choice, Linnaeus knew there was only one real option among the three.Once they returned to the settlement and registered with the Guild, Linnaeus decided he would find a set of one-handed crossbows to supplement his current loadout. Though neither he nor Eliza could replace someone with a Blessing related to archery, it could potentially increase their earnings by a considerable amount if he became proficient in hitting the nucleus located at the back of a Monster Ant's cranial plating.Like all monsters within the Crucible of Souls, Monster Ants turned into ash upon being killed so, if you were able to kill them in an instant, it was possible to prevent them from swarming you. As they were resistant to most physical and magical attacks, however, it required precision strikes to deal a lethal blow to them. This left crippling them as the only viable method as, unless you had enough raw power to simply crush their heads, like Krone, their numbers could become a very serious issue to inexperienced Parties.Linnaeus had learned a lot of the two hours they had been fighting so, once they returned to the Inn, he had a lot of things he wanted to discuss with everyone. This had become a routine for them after every major battle and, as they only had thirteen days to accumulate achievements, cooperation and coordination would be their keys to success. He was even willing to spend all of his remaining Soul Kindling to purchase equipment and supplies, knowing they could easily recoup the losses in under three days if they put in an earnest effort.One of the things Linnaeus had learned about being a Party Leader thus far was that his motivation and behavior greatly affected everyone. If he was cautious and reserved all the time, they would lose confidence in his decisions, just like in the Southern Forest. Inversely, if he showed a willingness to do whatever it took for the entire Party's success, they would act in kind. After all, nobody wanted to be the one behaving frugally when everyone else was spending in support of the Party.Linnaeus' acts of obtaining a spear for Krone, acquiring a heavy crossbow for Eliza, and procuring various foodstuffs for Emilia were all 'seeds' he had planted in the hopes of reaping greater returns, not simply for himself, but the entire Party. It also helped to reduce the feeling of distance between them as, by showing his attentiveness and willingness to invest in each member of the Party, he was hoping to build a strong foundation for future unity.Though his life in the Slums had proven that there were no lengths people wouldn't go to in order to take advantage of others, Linnaeus wanted to believe that, if he put in an earnest effort, those closest to him would reciprocate. If he couldn't achieve this, leaving the Crucible of Souls was nothing more than a pipe dream so, in order to return to the Tower and reunite with his sister and Saht, Linnaeus, for one of the few times in his life, chose to proactively compromise his personal gains for the benefit of others...

By the time Linnaeus' Party reached the Guild branch office, the day had started to gradually give way to the night. Despite this, there was still plenty of activity around the Guild as people which, in the evening, served as a tavern where people could celebrate the day's earnings.Since Parties affiliated with the same Guild often worked together in order to complete difficult Quests, building rapport was instrumental to most Party's success. As a result, it was common to find dozens of Parties mingling together, each discussing various tactics and bragging about their individual exploits.When his Party passed through the double-doors of the Guild office, Linnaeus noticed they had drawn a fair amount of attention but, after a brief moment, most people just ignored them. The only exceptions to this were men eyeing up Emilia, as she was quite the beauty, but the presence of Krone was enough to deter most of them.Though there were several stations to receive and report Quests, most of them were only open during the busiest times of the day. Since the evening rush had yet to kick off, there were only three stations open, one of which contained the same red-haired woman from before.Linnaeus would rather avoid trouble than go seeking it out so, despite Eliza's insistence to join the woman's line, he had them go procure a table while he lined up elsewhere. This didn't exactly sit well with Eliza but, understanding Linnaeus' character, she ultimately gave up her petty endeavor and instead alighted to secure them a table along the periphery of the room.With his diminutive size and his ability to obscure his presence, Linnaeus managed to approach the desk of a handsome man with fair skin and long, pointed, ears. Each was tipped with tufts of white fur and, though it wasn't noticeable at a glance, Linnaeus noticed the back of the man's neck was also covered in a similar coating, indicating he was a hybrid species between an Elvaan and one of the various bestial tribes.Seeing a little kid arrive at his booth, the receptionist raised his brow in curiosity before asking in a polite tone, "How might I be of service, young sir?"Just as Linnaeus was about to report the completion of his Assessment Quest, the red-haired woman located further down looked toward him. This caused Linnaeus to internally sigh as, after spotting him, she shouted, "Hey, Alexi, let me take care of that kid. I dealt with him earlier in the day."Hearing his colleague call out to him, Alexi turned his attention toward the woman and, finding her smiling, a shiver ran through his body before he turned to Linnaeus and explained, "It seems your matter will be handled by Miss Renka. Please, if you would make way for the next customer, I would be grateful..."Though he was tempted to just leave and come back in the morning, Linnaeus got the impression that 'Miss Renka' was an influential woman within the branch office. Thus, while internally cursing the fact he seemed to draw unwanted attention at every opportunity, Linnaeus trudged over to Renka's counter with a deadpan expression on his face.After basically shooing away her previous customer, Renka tapped the top of her counter with the palm of her hand, saying, "Place the goods on the counter. We have a pressure sensor built in that can check the weight of objects. Since you arrived late in the day, you'll have to wait until morning for the quality check to be complete."Without bothering to respond verbally, Linnaeus hefted the two large bundles of herbs onto the countertop. He was curious about the pressure sensor but, correctly assuming she wouldn't just let him inspect the counter's construction, he resisted asking about it.Seeing the weight displayed on the small dial beneath her dest, Renka gave an approving nod before saying, "Your Party seems pretty competent. Most idiots only bring in the listed amount, causing them to have to venture out a second time when the quality of their goods didn't pass the Guild's evaluation. Since all of your herbs are neatly wrapped, you'll be getting a bonus for any excess Blacksweed."Since this was within expectation, Linnaeus just gave a curt nod before saying, "We will return in the morning to learn if we have passed successfully. Thank you for your assistance, Miss Renka..."Hearing the unnaturally pretty boy refer to her by name, Renka blinked in surprise before realizing Alexi had mentioned it previously. She made a mental note to punish him the next time they went out drinking but, for now, she stopped Linnaeus from leaving by saying, "You know, it isn't a good idea to act cold toward Guild representatives. We don't just keep tabs on whether or not a Party is skilled enough to complete Quests but, as we often work with civil and military officials, we have the duty of ascertaining the character of our affiliates. Do you think you'll get a spot on the main expedition if nobody likes you...?"Though he hadn't particularly cared about the first part of her statement, Linnaeus couldn't help but frown slightly at the latter half. Even if it made sense from a broader perspective, it was easy to interpret Renka's 'advice' as a veiled threat. Thus, after taking a long and deep breath to keep his calm, he turned back to face Renka, saying, "I appreciate your counsel, Miss Renka, but I'd rather not keep the rest of the line waiting. Unless there is something important to discuss regarding the assessment, I should be going..."Linnaeus was doing his best to be as polite as possible, something he had gradually been picking up through his interactions with Eliza, but it seemed to backfire this time as Renka just smiled in a knowing manner before saying, "You're a really level-headed kid, ain't ya? Being cautious is good and all but, a word of advice, learn how to introduce yourself properly in the future. You called me by name without ever saying your own. If you want to pretend you have manners, learn the basics of etiquette first, okay?"Realizing he had, indeed, never introduced himself, Linnaeus made a show of exhaling before adopting his best 'apologetic' look as he said, "You're right...I guess I'm just a little stressed out at the moment. If I offended you, know that was never my intention...also, my name is Linnaeus. It is nice to meet you, Miss Renka..."Hearing Linnaeus' response, Renka gave an approving nod before picking up her journal and saying, "It's nice to meet you, as well, Linnaeus. I have some expectations for you and your Party so I'll be looking forward to your exploits over the next few weeks."With her words finished, Renka began writing something down in her journal, though not before waving Linnaeus away in much the same way she had her previous client. This made it seem as if she was lackadaisical about her work but, considering nobody stepped in to try and correct her, it was safe to assume her status was marginally higher than the rest of the Guild staff present...After parting with Renka, Linnaeus made his way over to where his Party was sitting, a small table on the far end of the Guild's dining area. There, Eliza could be seen watching his approach with a mildly annoyed expression on her face. When he finally got within comfortable speaking distance, she wasted no time in asking, "What did that vixen want? You didn't make any strange promises with her, did you?"Before responding to Eliza's interrogation, Linnaeus took a seat at the table, his back facing the wall so he could see out over the entire hall. Only after he confirmed there were no people trying to listen in on their conversation did he answer, "I can't be certain but she seems to have a higher status than most of the other Guild personnel. She noticed me when I approached the far counter and forced the man to defer me to her. If possible, you should avoid antagonizing her, Eliza. The thing you are worried about won't happen so don't let her rile you up so easily."Though he hadn't exactly been harsh with his words, Eliza couldn't help but pout after Linnaeus had basically reprimanded her for jealousy. She puffed out her cheeks slightly but, deciding not to make a scene, she opted to just flag down one of the waitresses to order something to drink.Linnaeus knew Eliza would have some choice words for him once they returned to the Inn but, as there really wasn't anything to worry about, he wished she would stop antagonizing others. Even if someone actually tried to seduce him, it wasn't as if he was easily taken advantage of. Rather, if they approached him with those kinds of intentions, the likelihood of them getting anywhere near him was slim.Though he had made a few compromises when it came to dealing with Eliza and Emilia, Linnaeus didn't particularly care about the relations between men and women. His experiences with Saht had left an admittedly positive impression on him but, generally speaking, sex wasn't considered a 'significant' thing to most Slum dwellers. Though there were some people that fully committed to their deviancies, these were generally perverse people who wielded more power and authority than they deserved.Since he was no stranger to being propositioned, Linnaeus had an extreme tolerance towards the seduction attempts of licentious women. He had come to learn that most women who behaved in such a way were either very powerful or, at least in the Slums, acting as an agent on behalf of the various gangs or criminal organizations. There had even been a few female assassins who tracked him down so, contrary to his exploitable appearance, Linnaeus wasn't exactly a soft target when it came to being wiled by women...After eating a small meal and enjoying a few drinks, all while discussing their battle against the Monster Ants, Linnaeus ended up having to carry a drunk Eliza back to the Inn. Krone had also gotten a little drunk but, with his Blessing, combined with the cool evening air, he sobered up pretty quickly. As for Emilia, she was virtually immune to ingested chemicals and toxins so, even though she had proactively participated in a drinking contest, she was just as alert as usual.Fortunately, the public order even in a frontier settlement was surprisingly good so, while it made him a little uncomfortable having half his Party under the influence, Linnaeus' worries ended up being for naught. They reached the Inn without incident and, after a small 'battle' to get Eliza to prepare for bed, he ended up sandwiched between her and Emilia shortly thereafter.While some men proactively sought a harem, as it was a sign of prestige for the powerful and affluent, Linnaeus couldn't really see the point. He wasn't even in a relationship with Eliza and Emilia but, in spite of this, they created a fair amount of drama. Even now, while it was somewhat comfortable, their combined body heat caused him to sweat a considerable amount. This could be prevented if they wore proper attire to bed but, after obtaining lingerie, both Eliza and Emilia generally wore nothing but their bras and panties to bed.Though he wasn't completely immune to their charms, Linnaeus never even considered having any untoward thoughts toward either woman. Until he returned to the Tower and discovered the fates of Saht and his sister, he couldn't afford to be distracted by such things. It wasn't difficult to imagine Saht trying to kill Eliza and Emili, as she could be very overprotected, so, in the hopes of avoiding unnecessary drama, Linnaeus resolved himself to remain chaste until they were able to reunite.Linnaeus didn't want to become the type of man who betrayed the people he cared about, so, unless Saht herself was okay with it, he would never give in to the passion and whimsy of other women...

Though not entirely unexpected, Linnaeus found himself on the receiving end of a lecture shortly after reuniting with Eliza back at the Inn. The fact he had thought about making such a decision on his own left a bad taste in her mouth and, though she didn't want to control Linnaeus' actions, she at least wanted him to consult her on such matters.Understanding why Eliza was upset, Linnaeus didn't hesitate to spend a fair amount of time coaxing her into forgiving him. In truth, he knew she would be upset even before he took action but, as it was often easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, he opted to follow his gut instincts on the matter. After all, he was now armed with knowledge pertaining to the Debtees, making it a lot easier to convince her of his rationale.After a long discussion, coinciding with Linnaeus being forced to brush Eliza's hair, the latter finally forgave him for going behind her back on the matter. It helped when Linnaeus admitted the only reason he was comfortable with potentially indebting himself was because he believed she would purchase his contract. He promised that, if it came down to that, he would dedicate himself to doing everything in his power to make her happy, even if it took the rest of his life...With his words basically amounting to a proposal, Eliza was beside herself for the rest of the night and, while she ultimately forgave him, things became pretty tense until she finally fell asleep. Even this took a lot longer than usual as, despite the relatively low temperature within the room, it felt a lot warmer beneath the blankets than normal.Fortunately, by the time Eliza was lazily waking the next morning, she seemed to have recovered completely. Though Linnaeus still had to help her prepare for the day, Emilia had started to help out once they all started living together. This left him with the singular task of helping to comb her ever-disobedient hair.Linnaeus had actually gotten pretty decent at combing and styling hair but, fortunately, he hadn't awakened any Skills related to the task. His current loadout was already rather unique so, even if it gave him benefits related to Dexterity or Wisdom, he would rather avoid obtaining such Skills. Just imagining how his future comrades would react upon discovering them sent shivers along his spine so, for the time being, he only absentmindedly helped the two girls rather than putting a concerted effort into improving...By the time everyone had gathered in the dining area of the Inn, it was a little after 0600, just after the first light of day. They had already discussed their findings the previous evening so, with their course already set, Linnaeus stated, "We'll make a detour around Briggs Fortress before exiting out on the north-eastern side of the settlement. There are eight Guild Branches where we can register, so, after securing temporary lodgings, we'll sign up and accept a few posted quests. Our goal is to increase our reputation within the Guild over the next two weeks so, please, everyone do your best. Depending on our results, we may not even have to venture to the Hell Hole..."Though they had varying levels of motivation, everyone had already agreed to Linnaeus' method so, after a brief exchange, they checked out of their rooms before setting out.Despite how early it was, the settlement was already alive with people making preparations for their own adventures. To accommodate them, various stalls and shops were already open, many leaving their doors or windows cracked in order to let the fragrance of various foodstuffs entice potential customers.Emilia, ever the glutton, was one of the people affected by this aroma so, despite their relative haste, they ended up stopping a few times when an especially sweet or savory aroma tickled their senses.Since there was always a chance they would find themselves stranded at some point, it was always better to prepare extra food. Thus, while it was certainly troublesome, it wasn't that big a deal that they made a couple of stops along the way. Eliza, in particular, didn't seem to mind and, after he got a taste of a buttery glazed doughnut, Linnaeus couldn't really complain either.Fortunately, despite their detour, it only took a little over an hour and a half to reach the Guild on the north-eastern section of the settlement. This ended up being for the better as, while there were still a number of people present, the morning rush had already faded. Most of the more proactive Parties had already set out early in the morning so, until around noon, the Guild would generally be pretty empty.As a result of their timing, there had only been two people ahead of them at the main registry desk so, after a few short minutes, the Party found themselves face-to-face with a rather intimidating red-haired beauty.Though looks could be deceiving, the woman's wild hairstyle, her confident demeanor, the sharpness of her emerald-green eyes, and her sunkissed skin all radiated strength. Even the men who had been speaking with her before Linnaeus' group had spoken in subdued tones, indicating the woman at the desk wasn't someone they wanted to antagonize.Linnaeus had heard the woman's voice during her conversations with the preceding groups but it was a very different feeling to be separated by nothing more than a desk. He suddenly felt smaller than normal as the woman briefly cast her gaze over his entire Party before asking in a confident and husky tone, "Another group eager to make a name for themselves before the next expedition? Well, if you want to join the Guild, even temporarily, you'll have to undergo a basic evaluation first."Without waiting for a response, the red-haired woman grabbed a piece of paper amongst a tall pile of documents, shoving it towards Linnaeus as she added, "You should at least be familiar with things like Guild Ranks and such, right? This is a D-Rank request. If you can't even do this much, don't waste my time. This isn't a Daycare Guild. If you've got the strength, prove it with your actions."Since he already knew about the assessment test from his previous investigation, Linnaeus retained his usual calm as he accepted the document without a word. The woman didn't seem interesting in conversing so, rather than deal with such an aggressive personality, he opted to just move on and complete the request.Though Eliza looked like she had a few choice words for the red-haired woman, she chose to follow Linnaeus' example and hold her tongue. Emilia and Krone followed immediately after her so, for a brief moment, it appeared as if the matter had been settled.Unfortunately, the red-haired woman hadn't missed the glance cast by Eliza so, after the latter had already turned away, she mused, "That's a good little girl. At least you have enough sense to avoid causing trouble for your allies~."Hearing the woman's remark, Eliza's pace slowed until she came to a complete stop. This caused the atmosphere within the Guild Hall to become palpable but, in spite of her fury, Eliza managed to keep her calm by taking a few deep breaths through her nose. It helped that, just as she was thinking of a response, Linnaeus smiled gently and said, "Come, we do not need the approval of someone we just met. Let our actions as a Party speak for us."As there were absolutely no benefits to making enemies within the very Guild they were trying to join, Linnaeus' words allowed Eliza to quickly regain her calm. Then, after a small nod, she accepted his outstretched hand before alighting from the Guild. This left the red-haired woman sitting at her desk, a smile on her face as she scribbled down a few notes into a journal she kept at her side.---Finding a place to stay when there was an expedition coming up was a bit harder than expected but, after spending most of the morning searching, Linnaeus and Co managed to find a place just outside a disorderly bazaar. Though it would be hard to get a peaceful night's rest in the area, as the market operated through the night, it was better than nothing.With their housing situated, Eliza was finally given the opportunity to release her pent up frustrations as, after an hour-long trek, they reached the destination mentioned in their request. Essentially, their only objective was to obtain a material known as Blacksweed, a medicinal herb that was mixed into wheat and grain stores to repel various pests.Agriculture on the Fifth Floor wasn't exactly easy so, when it came to making sure their harvest was well-preserved, cities and settlements spared no expense. After all, while not absolutely necessary, it was very unpleasant to live without a variety of staple foods.Though Blacksweed was relatively common throughout the entirety of the Fifth Floor, the Monster Ants actually cultivated the herb along the periphery of their territory. They used it in small amounts to prevent mites and other troublesome insects from infesting their own food stores. They were one of many monsters that practiced a form of nascent agriculture and, if not for them, early settlers of the Fifth Floor would have had a lot of trouble establishing themselves in the relatively inhospitable environment.Unfortunately for the Monster Ant Workers, Linnaeus' Party hadn't arrived to thank them for their contribution to the early settlers of the Floor. Rather, as a result of her earlier anger, Eliza was far more proactive than normal, using her [Crush] Magic to flatten a number of Workers that had been minding their own business.Monster Ants were surprisingly resistant to Gravity Magic but, with a few well-placed spears of ice, Emilia was able to finish off the majority of the crippled ants. This served as a learning experience for them all as, while Linnaeus had already asked about the various weak spots from Yorgen, theoretical knowledge was useless unless you could put it into practice.Though there were differences between each sub-species of Monster Ant, the vast majority had a weak spot between the plating between their head and alitrunk. It was also possible to cripple the ant if you cut them along their petiole, the section that connected to the abdominal region, known as the gaster.Monster Ants could be divided into Scouts, Workers, Soldiers, Majors, Super-Majors, Royal Guards, and Queens, each demonstrably more powerful than the group preceding them. As a result, it was pretty easy to determine which kind of Ants were suitable for your Level but, so long as you fought cleverly, even powerful Ants could be killed by relatively weak individuals.The key to success was understanding the habits of the Monster Ants and knowing when and where to strike their weak spots. These were things that could only be learned from personal experience so, after Eliza's preliminary onslaught, Linnaeus had everyone practice using weapons that allowed them to conserve SP.Since Emilia was skilled in the use of a spear, Linnaeus felt she would be a suitable teacher so, much to the Vangardandr's satisfaction, he elected to learn how to use one. It provided him with the reach he sorely lacked and, though it wouldn't be that useful within subterranean tunnels, it would be very useful against monsters on the surface.Though Eliza was initially tempted to try and learn how to use a spear herself, she quickly gave up that idea after stabbing into an ant's gaster. It had been filled with a viscous green liquid and, due to hitting one of the main tubes that fed nutrients into the ant's body, Eliza ended up getting covered in the pungent plant refuse. Afterward, she opted to make use of a heavy crossbow, borrowing the one Linnaeus had obtained after learning how to use it from Cyrus.Eliza had always been proficient at judging distance and trajectory so, while it took a bit of time to get used to, she actually managed to learn [Archery] in a relatively short period of time. This had dealt a small blow to Linnaeus' pride as he had actually been the one to show her how to use it, despite not having the Skill himself.With Eliza fitting into the role of a mid-range support specialist without much issue, this left only Krone to choose a weapon. He would normally never rely on such things but, after nearly losing his leg to the extremely powerful mandibles of the Monster Ants, he elected to use the Warhammer that Linnaeus had picked up in anticipation of this event. Krone had given him a hard stare when he first brought the object out but, rather than comment about Linnaeus being a busy-body, he ended up crushing the heads of a few Ants in silence...(A/N: We're back &gt;:D)

Chapter 80: Grasp