Babel

Linnaeus was not familiar with the origin of the phrase but, among those who lived in the darkness of society, there was a well-known creed. It stated that discretion was the better part of valor and, no matter how confident you were in your skills, bravery without due caution was akin to inviting death upon yourself.Only ten minutes after entering what he assumed was the Seventh Floor, Linnaeus pressed his body against the ground, his breathing withheld.Less than five meters from his position, a large quadrupedal creature that stood more than three meters tall and seven meters long idled about as it ate the fruit from a tree. Its body was covered in thick scales and, while it had a tapered waist, its limbs rippled with powerful muscles. What stood out the most, however, were its fierce claws and the terrifying reptilian maw at the end of its serpentine neck.If not for the fact it lacked wings, Linnaeus would have believed it if someone told him the creature lackadaisically eating some kind of gourd-shaped fruit was a Dragon. It even had a series of horns forming a crown-like shape above its brow, each covered in ridges that flared out before curving backward.Though you couldn't accurately determine the strength of a creature by appearance alone, Linnaeus' instincts told him the dragon-like monster to his front would tear him apart. He felt like a tiny animal in the presence of its natural predator so, despite his health slowly reducing, he continued holding his breath while doing everything in his power to conceal his presence...After eating all of the low-hanging fruits, the dragon-like creature nudged its head against the tree's trunk, seemingly without any strength behind its actions. Despite this, the tree fell over as if its roots didn't exist, allowing the monster to lazily begin eating the now-accessible fruits.At this point, Linnaeus could feel the veins in his face painfully pulsing as his health steadily neared a critical level. Since it didn't seem like the monster was going to be leaving any time soon, he had to decide whether or not he should fight, or flee. The latter seemed to be the most prudent choice but, with the dragon's muscles rippling with even small movements, combined with its streamlined form, he had no confidence in being able to outrun it.Just as he was psyching himself up for the coming battle, Linnaeus exhaled before drawing in a sharp breath as, right before his eyes, something inexplicable happened.Appearing from the sky like a meteor, a man with spiky blue hair and a muscular build landed on the unsuspecting dragon-like creature, his spear piercing through its lowered head in a single swift blow. Immediately following this, a shockwave rippled outward, passing over Linnaeus' body and sending a rustling wave through the surrounding flora.Linnaeus watched as the man extricated his spear from the monster's skull with a confident smile on his face. He then preceded to brandish his spear, discarding the purplish blood and creamy brain matter before shouldering it and waiting patiently.After a few seconds, the body of the monster began to lose its color before, moments later, it began to dissolve away into ash. When it faded away completely, a few items were left behind in its wake, the most notable being an orange gemstone. The rest of the items looked like materials that could be harvested from the monster, confusing Linnaeus as every other monster he killed had left an intact corpse behind...Fortunately, after looting the materials, the man closed his eyes for a few moments before looking toward the northwest. Then, leaving a stunned Linnaeus behind, he flexed his legs before leaping into the sky with enough force to cause the ground to erupt with a delayed explosion.Rather than assume he was in the clear, Linnaeus quickly bounded to his feet before running in the complete opposite direction to the man's leap. He didn't know the nature of the spear-wielding man but, if they were to come to blows, Linnaeus could easily imagine his body skewered on the end of his ornate spear.With his heart racing faster than a skittish rabbit, Linnaeus moved several kilometers before finding a small nook near the base of a large tree. He immediately slid into the shadow crevasse before taking several labored breaths to calm down.Though he was admittedly spooked, it wasn't fear that caused Linnaeus to behave this way. It was the overwhelming cocktail of chemicals and adrenaline pumping through his veins after mustering up his courage, only to have something completely unexpected happen. He felt like one of the trade vessels that would periodically pass through the main channels of the slums but, rather than swiftly coasting with the wind, it was like a large cannonball had smashed through his sails.After calming himself down, Linnaeus released a heavy sigh before muttering, "At least I was able to learn a lot..."Not only had he confirmed the presence of other people on this Floor but, with the strength of the man, he could assume that people from Floors higher than 10 were also trapped in the Crucible of Souls. His display of power and speed made Ryuuna seem like an actual child, dwarfing his own by several orders of magnitude.If his guess was accurate, Linneaus felt there was a chance he would be able to obtain information about the higher Floors and their challenges. Assuming he had to start his climb anew, it would be extremely useful to know what kinds of challenges awaited him. He could also further strengthen his foundation, putting him at, or even above, the Level of other Fledglings...Though he had already been determined to reach the top of the Crucible of Souls, Linnaeus now felt even more motivated than before. So long as he played his cards right, there was a chance he would even be able to reach the top of the rankings in his respective group. This didn't really matter all that much in the grand scheme of things but, if his ranking was high, that made it a lot easier to recruit other people into his own Party.After organizing his thoughts, Linnaeus began trekking through the forest once again. He wanted to try and find animals and monsters closer to his Level as, despite the color being different, he felt that the orange gemstone was fundamentally the same as the red. It was slightly bigger and seemed to be of a higher quality so he assumed it granted more than a single Soul Kindling.He never had the chance to use them, but Linnaeus felt that Soul Kindling was the same as Aether, meaning it was a currency that could be used if the circumstances allowed. He assumed this was the means by which those with support and utility Blessings climbed higher as, if they were able to set up shop somewhere, they could offer their services for Soul Kindling.While he had yet to see any signs that this was the case, Linnaeus felt that there had to be some kind of settlement on the Floor. There was no time limit given by the Floor Guardian so he assumed there were a number of people who had gathered together over time. As he went higher up, he imagined the number of people would gradually increase as it was undoubtedly more difficult to pass through higher Floors.Linnaeus didn't get his hopes up but, after growing up in the slums, he knew people could find a way to live in even the most inhospitable environments. This forest had food, water, and a means to earn Soul Kindling so, if his assumptions proved correct, it was only natural that people would have gathered together somewhere...Though his [Perception] was only LV14, Linnaeus was able to sense the presence of a relatively weak monster near his location. This brought his mind to a razor-sharp focus and, with his [Stealth] having been active from the start, he was able to near the unsuspecting monster undetected.Rather than a monster, the creature Linnaeus encountered looked like some kind of mutated deer with a complex array of antlers. If not for the scales covering the lower half of its legs, and the blood-red eyes, he would have assumed it was some kind of animal, not a monster.With a slight smile on his face, Linnaeus extended his hand, creating a spherical barrier within the complex antlers. In the same instant, he created a second barrier to use as a platform, exploiting its ability to completely nullify sound.After discovering a foreign object in its antlers, the monster began shaking its head to try and free the obstruction but, due to the small range of motion, it couldn't build up enough force to break the spherical barrier. Linnaeus had learned in the past that the shape of a barrier had a direct influence on its strength so, by creating a sphere, it was hard for a lot of direct force to act on the surface all at once.While the deer-like monster was distracted, Linnaeus thrust his shortsword into its soft-looking gut before shaking the handle with as much force as he could manage. This caused the monster's health to rapidly drop as blood cascaded down like a fountain due to the ever-increasing size of the wound.In response to the sudden attack the monster tried to buck and kick at Linnaeus but, while it did a surprising amount of damage, his [Barrier Aura] held up well. Thus, after a few seconds had passed, its legs could no longer support it as it collapsed to the ground.With the spherical barrier in its antlers, the head of the monster was still propped up, exposing its neck as it hung limply from the relatively small blue sphere. This allowed Linnaeus to cut across its neck.Before the monster dissolved away into ash, Linnaeus tried to cut out a large chunk of its flesh to see if he could deposit it into his Inventory. This experiment ultimately ended in failure as, rather than be placed in his Inventory, the cut of meat immediately burst apart violently, covering his barrier in fine white ash.Linnaeus wasn't upset by his inability to harvest additional resources from the monster as, with their bodies dissolving away, he didn't have to worry about dismantling their corpses. He also didn't have to worry about other monsters following the scent of blood to track him down as, despite a thick coating present on his sword, even that ultimately turned to ash.When the deer-like monster vanished completely, it left a perfect piece of brown hide behind. Far more surprising than this, however, were the three pieces of meat that were neatly placed on its surface. At their side, a slightly larger red gemstone than the one he had looted previously was present.After placing the supplies into his Inventory, Linnaeus picked up the red gemstone and, after it burst into small motes of light, his Soul Kindling increased by a value of 35. From this, he confirmed that, at the very least, his speculation regarding the orange gemstone was correct.Now that he knew there were monsters he could fight against on the Floor, Linnaeus was even more determined than ever before. He just needed to find a safe place to stay and a source of fresh water before this particular Floor became a veritable paradise to him. If he exercised due caution, he might even be able to increase his Level considerably before moving on to the next Floor...With expectation flashing across his ruby-red eyes, Linnaeus allowed a smile to spread itself across his face as he, once again, disappeared into the underbrush. While there were undoubtedly people and monsters that could kill him in an instant, Linnaeus felt that, more than most, he knew how to live and maneuver amongst entities far more powerful than himself. Thus, until the situation forced him to make a change, he decided this Floor would serve the purpose of stabilizing his foundation so that nothing could stand in his way in the future...Turning his head towards the direction where the spear-wielding man had killed the dragon-like monster, Linnaeus squinted his eyes slightly before muttering, "I'll set my current goal as being strong enough to kill one of those monsters in an instant...I wonder what dragon meat tastes like?"

Though he could take as much time as he liked, Linnaeus knew he couldn't spend too much time within the Crucible of Souls. After all, unless she died, Saht would undoubtedly be waiting for him on the first Floor where people could congregate. Even if she had to wait for several years, Linnaeus was confident she would continue to wait, refusing to believe he had died.Saht had trouble expressing herself but, even if she had never said it, Linnaeus liked to think that she loved him. They already made plans to stay together for the rest of their lives so, while it may not be the wisest decision, he was determined not to keep her waiting for too long.Despite this sense of urgency, however, Linnaeus wasn't foolish enough to walk about the Seventh Floor with impunity.After five days of venturing, he had learned that the Floor was divided into several territorial regions, each ruled by a 'king' or a small group of powerful monsters. Each of these was strong enough to kill him in an instant but, so long as he kept to the outskirts, it was possible to hunt weaker monsters without having to worry.By exercising caution, Linnaeus had been able to identify a total of thirteen king-class monsters, each belonging to a completely different race. He also learned that, when monsters killed each other, their bodies would not break down into ash. When he tried to scavenge the corpse of another monster's prey, however, it immediately lost its color before fading away. It didn't even leave behind a single drop item, indicating that he couldn't just take advantage of another monster's prey.Fortunately, by sticking to the outskirts of known territories, he had been able to hunt without any real difficulties. He had even managed to make a home for himself after killing a fox-like monster that had three small horns on its head. It had dug a den for itself between two large boulders and, though it was a little cramped in some areas, there were multiple entrances and exits that he could make use of in an emergency.With food, water, and shelter secured, Linnaeus spent most of his day drawing a rough map of the area and approximating the territories of surrounding kings. Throughout this process, he had seen several other people hunting but, after following one relatively weak-looking individual to a small hovel, he figured they were just as new to the Seventh Floor as he was.Since he had yet to establish himself and get a proper understanding of the surroundings, Linnaeus wasn't trying to Party up with anyone just yet. He didn't want to be responsible for another person and, after his experience with Ryuuna, he wasn't in a hurry to Party up with another woman.After observing the girl for several hours, confirming that she was indeed new to the Floor, Linnaeus returned to his own territory to rest and make plans. She actually had a very useful Blessing, allowing her to create and manipulate water, but he had already found a small stream around two kilometers from his den. Thus, for the time being, he left her to his own devices while spending his days hunting and training his Skills, Abilities, and Magic.Linnaeus quickly learned that killing monsters on the Seventh Floor awarded no experience toward his base Level but, as his attributes could be increased through training, he wasn't deterred. Instead, he was even more motivated than before since he could focus on strengthening his foundation. It was almost like the Crucible of Souls was made for this purpose, preventing people from arbitrarily increasing their Level and forcing them to instead put in more effort to refine what they already had.In order to take advantage of this fact, Linnaeus woke up long before the veil of the night gave way to the dawn of a new day. During these few hours, he would stretch his body before performing an exercise routine consisting of ten sets of 100 pushups, 100 crunches, 100 flex kicks, and 100 squats. He would rest between each set, allowing his body to regenerate his damaged muscles and stamina before moving on to the next set. After this, he would spend an hour checking the surrounding area, documenting any changes that might have occurred since the previous day.Until he had patrolled the area, Linnaeus would avoid combat with any monsters, even if they were much weaker than him. He didn't want to be caught off guard trying to procure food and resources when he already had ample supplies stocked up in his Inventory and den.After investigating any anomalies within the surrounding area, Linnaeus would then hunt between the borders of three different Kings. This was an area dominated by an eight-meter tall silver ape, a 20m long snake, and a family of lion-like monsters with pale white fur and dark blue manes. They were all very violent creatures but, as their borders all overlapped with more powerful creatures, he could hunt within the boundaries of their territories without having to worry about them venturing inward.This time around, Linnaeus was skulking through the forest without making a single sound as he crept up on a medium-sized monster that looked like a combination between a bear and a rabbit. It had light brown fur with a pock-marked pattern of dark brown spots on its back. What stood out the most was its large claws and, for the complete opposite reason, its rather docile-looing face.Linnaeus had been stalking the bear-rabbit for nearly twenty minutes as, while it didn't give off the same feeling as more powerful monsters, he wanted to increase his proficiency in, [Assassination], [Stealth], and [Presence Concealment]. They were his core techniques and, though he wanted to become strong enough to fight people head-on, there was no reason to simply abandon his existing skillset.After finding a relatively private area, the bear-rabbit sniffed around the area before hunching its body over and relieving itself. It was during this moment that Linnaeus decided to strike as, without waiting for it to fall asleep, this was the most exposed it would be...Using a series of three platforms like steps, Linnaeus leaped high into the air with two Horned Rabbit daggers in hand. The monster was completely unsuspecting as, not only had he been downwind, but his solidified [Barrier Aura] concealed his scent.Due to the difference in their size, Linnaeus landed on the back of the bear-rabbit, stabbing both of his daggers towards the sides of its neck. It felt like he was trying to stab through several durable pieces of leather but, with his surprise attacks dealing triple damage and causing Severe Bleeding, it was enough.With two daggers sticking in its neck, the bear-rabbit released a loud howl of pain as it swept its arm backward to try and cut him to ribbons with its razor-sharp claws. Linnaeus had already expected this, however, so he placed a barrier in the path of its joint while using the leverage provided by his daggers to stay on its back.After stopping its attack, Linnaeus pulled another dagger out of his Inventory and began stabbing it near the base of the monster's skull over and over. Without the benefit of a surprise attack, each stab only penetrated a few centimeters but, as he was doing persistent damage, it didn't matter.Once it managed to recover, the bear-rabbit did something Linnaeus hadn't expected as he had yet to see how it fought. It had a thick layer of fur so he was unable to see the powerful muscles in its legs. As a result, he was considerably surprised when the bear-rabbit suddenly leaped more than ten meters into the air as it attempted to crush him with its body weight.Though it likely wouldn't kill him, Linnaeus wasn't in the mood to see how well his [Barrier Aura] held up against the full-body slam of a monster. He quickly kicked away from its body before erecting a sloped barrier between them, diverting the monster's fall to the side as he dropped down.Due to the desperate nature of its attack, the bear-rabbit took a significant amount of damage from its own fall. It crashed hard into the ground before rolling to the side, a pitiful grown escaping its throat as it stared hatefully back at Linnaeus.For a brief moment, boy and monster glared at each other with murderous intent but, instead of colliding climactically, the former quickly spun on his heels before vanishing into the surrounding brush. He had already put the monster into a critical state so, with the Severe Bleeding status, it was only a matter of time until it fell.In response to its hated enemy fleeing, the bear-rabbit released a groaning roar as it made one final attempt to give chase. Unfortunately, it only made it a few steps before its legs smashed into a thin blue membrane, effectively tripping it to the ground. When it tried to stand up, another membrane kept it held down, preventing it from lifting its weakened body as a pair of ruby-red eyes stared at it from the darkness of a distant tree.After a few minutes of struggling, the bear-rabbit finally bled out, alerting Linnaeus to its identity via system notification. It ended up having the classification Lesser Ursiculus and, just like every other monster he killed, it awarded no experience towards his base Level. Instead, he got a few dozen in his [Assassination] Skill, bringing him ever closer to LV43 and the LV50 threshold.Once the monster had dissolved into ash, Linnaeus quickly looted the large red gemstone, earning an additional 59 Soul Kindling. This brought his total to 1391, indicating he had earned a total of 853 over the last six days. Since the majority of monsters within his means to hunt awarded between 30 and 50 Soul Kindling, he was earning between 160 and 200 each day.Linnaeus didn't know if he was making good progress but, until he had killed a total of one-hundred monsters and hunted down a King, he was determined to stay on the Seventh Floor. His reasoning told him that greater dangers were present on higher floors so, if he couldn't even take down one of the weaker Kings, proceeding further was the same as inviting death upon himself.So long as it wasn't hunted by another person, Linnaeus had already decided on which King he was going to hunt. It was a dragon-type monster located about six-hours due east of his den. Though he couldn't be certain, it gave him a similar feeling to the first monster he had encountered. Thus, with the latter already having died to the blue-haired spearman, it was the next best alternative.He would adjust his plans as needed but, for the time being, Linnaeus had given himself a month to hunt down one of the Kings. On average, he would kill around three monsters per day so he would be nearing his goal of 100 monsters around the same time. If the King ultimately proved too much for him, he would do his best to retreat to safety before trying to gain access to the Sixth Floor.After looting a large pelt, easily big enough to create a mantle from, Linnaeus retreated back toward his den. Before entering inside, however, he patrolled the surrounding area for over an hour to make sure there weren't any people nearby eyeing his domicile. He would never return straight home as there was always a chance someone could track him back, just like he had followed the unsuspecting water-girl previously.It was only after he was confident there were abnormalities that Linnaeus created a solidified [Barrier Aura] so that he could completely mask his scent. Then, while closely observing his surroundings, he very slowly backtracked until reaching one of his den's entrances. It was kept hidden by a large bush that could be moved aside to reveal a hole just barely large enough for his small frame.Despite entering his own home, Linnaeus was still very cautious as, while he was away, there was a chance someone else could have taken up residence inside. He made sure to check each entrance and exit for signs of entry. Since he had placed small stones near the mouth of the holes, he could be relatively certain no visitors had arrived.Once he had confirmed his den was secure, Linnaeus breathed a sigh of relief before plopping down on a large pile of animal hide. He was slowly building up a stockpile of fur in order to produce a set of makeshift clothing. Though he lacked the [Tanner], [Crafting], and [Tailor] Blessings, he could still develop a weaker version of the Skill. Since there were no guarantees he would be able to purchase equipment and supplies in the future, he felt it wasn't a bad idea to learn how to make his own...

Without a proper explanation from the Floor Guardian, Linnaeus needed to find some means to obtain information. The method to move on to the Seventh Floor had to be known by at least one person or the odds of moving up would be exponentially decreased.Thus far, the only clue he had was the Soul Kindling. It seemed to be a form of currency based on how it manifested in a similar way to Aether. From this, he could speculate that the means to reach higher Floors was wholly dependent on the amount of Soul Kindling you had in your possession.Since it was impossible to be certain, Linnaeus could only steel his resolve while continuing his trek towards the distant mountains. He assumed that, as one of the only visible landmarks, he assumed that most people thrown into this hellish landscape would head there.With this in mind, Linnaeus continued his journey at a steady pace, using his [Acrobatics] to navigate the rough and uneven terrain while keeping a low profile. There were very few places of cover in the desolate blackened landscape but, if he used the perpetual plumes of black smoke to his advantage, it shouldn't be difficult to avoid detection.The only things Linnaeus really had to worry about, at least for the time being, were the dangerous pools of yellowish liquid that produced a foul-smelling aroma. They were bubbling over like boiling water and would periodically erupt before peppering the rocky black terrain with corrosive fluids.Because of these constant eruptions, the landscaped was pockmarked with tiny holes that would have eaten away at his bare feet in normal circumstances. If not for his [Barrier Aura], Linnaeus felt that even walking through this unforgiving terrain would be very difficult.Fortunately, or perhaps not, Linnaeus had yet to encounter a single monster after more than an hour of traveling. He also hadn't come across any other people but, considering the words of the Floor Guardian, he assumed it wasn't that common for people to be sent here.Assuming this was the case, Linnaeus felt that encountering the bone-producing man was either an expression of misfortune or, as was far more likely the case, the machinations of the Floor Guardian. It was very likely that he and the man were both new arrivals on the Eighth Floor so they had been pitted against each other, much like how he had been tested prior to entering the First Floor...Thinking that he had killed someone who just got a second chance at life, Linnaeus could only shake his head while releasing an exasperated sigh. If the man hadn't suddenly attacked him, they could have worked together to try and make sense of their situation. The Tower didn't seem to require that you kill anyone so unless the rules had fundamentally changed, there was nothing preventing him from teaming up with others. With the man's ability to produce weapons from his bones, combined with his own ability to create barriers, they would have been a very strong team...Now that he had a second chance, or at least a chance to obtain one, Linnaeus was thinking about how he could change himself for the better. His passive nature had been the cause of his death so, this time around, Linnaeus felt he needed to be more proactive.Ryuuna had never pointed it out, but Linnaeus knew that his own attributes had nearly reached her own at the same Level. This implied that his foundation wasn't nearly as weak as he expected. While there were undoubtedly people more powerful than him, there was no need to just lay low and wait for others to act. If he was always at the mercy of other people's decisions, the odds of him reaching the Tenth Floor, and beyond, would exponentially decrease.Linnaeus couldn't see himself ordering people around and suppressing them but, after his trying experience with Ryuuna, he would never allow himself to be at the whims of another Party Leader. If he was going to Party up with anyone in the future, he would be the one extending an invitation.Though exceptions could be made, this would entirely depend on whether or not the person trying to lead him was worthy of his respect and trust. He would never join them just to preserve his life as, with his death as the best example, this was completely meaningless unless he was willing to lower his head and live by the whims of another.While he didn't consider himself an inherently prideful person, Linnaeus realized he had lived much of his life in a rather obstinant manner. He had always lived in opposition to the system designed to suppress and exploit him, to the point he had killed well over a thousand people.Though he didn't want to become an arrogant prick that took advantage of others, Linnaeus knew he needed to embrace his nature instead of suppressing it on principle alone. He had to be willing to fight for his beliefs at any cost, even if it ultimately resulted in his death. After all, it was better to die fighting for your life than to passively wait for a death imposed upon you by others...---If not for the Akashic System, Linnaeus wouldn't be able to accurately gauge the passing of time as, looking up, the only thing overhead was a perpetual layer of clouds. They would periodically rumble before spewing out terrifying bolts of purple lightning which, fortunately, had yet to strike anywhere near him.With the system, Linnaeus was able to tell that nearly thirteen hours had passed since his arrival on the Eighth Floor. Despite this, he felt no closer to the mountains than he was at the beginning of his journey. This implied they were impossibly massive, much like the Tower, or that something was actively preventing him from approaching them.For all Linnaeus knew, the challenge of the Eighth Floor was finding a way to reach the mountains in the distance so it was extremely vexing to have made no discernible progress.More troubling was the fact that, despite more than half a day passing, he had seen no signs of life, nor had he found any sources of freshwater. Though he had enough supplies to last him for several weeks, at the very least, this wouldn't matter if he never found the means to replenish them.Feeling frustrated, Linnaeus climbed to the top of a craggy mound, one of the highest points in the immediate area, to see if he couldn't get a better grasp of his surroundings. Unfortunately, the only thing he learned from this was the number of black plumes and the location of a few large pools of corrosive fluid.Seeing the seemingly endless stretch of wasteland, Linnaeus couldn't help but release a tired sigh as he sat down and decided to take a break. This caused his SP to drain a little faster but, with his regen outpacing it, Linnaeus didn't care. Others would have to tolerate the hot and abrasive stone directly so he couldn't really complain.Since he didn't know when he would find food and water next, Linnaeus decided to ration out his current supplies as much as possible. He could easily go days without eating so, while he was very tempted to fill his stomach to ease his frustrations, he managed to restrain himself.While looking out towards the horizon, Linnaeus adjusted his seated position before murmuring in a tired voice, "This place...how is anyone supposed to reach the Seventh Floor like this...?"Shaking his head in response to his own question, Linnaeus then looked toward the sky and asked, "Are you doing your job properly? I have no leads and there is next to nothing here besides a vast and inhospitable wasteland. Are you trying to imply that only those lucky enough to stumble upon the answer have the right at a second chance? What a farce...for all I know, you just want to watch people suffer futilely before giving in and accepting their death..."With nothing happening for half a day, Linnaeus had a lot of time to think about the purpose of the Crucible of Souls. Though the voice stated it was a means to earn a second chance at life, it provided absolutely no information on how to succeed. It almost felt like the true purpose of this Floor was to punish those who had died with a strong desire to live...or perhaps those with lingering resentments.Much to his surprise, Linnaeus felt a chill run up his back as a cold voice answered, "Come now, little boy, is this the limit of your perseverance? I had expected you to at least last for a few days before complaining...well, you are still a child, after all~"When the voice finished admonishing him, Linnaeus heard a ding within his mind as a series of words played across his vision. This included information about the distance he had traveled and the amount of time that had passed.Seeing this information, Linnaeus realized that the ambiguity of the Floor Guardian's words had been intentional from the start. She seemed to be testing their patience and tolerance, trying to determine how quickly they would break before lashing out at the 'unfairness' of their current situation.Linnaeus suddenly felt ashamed of his behavior as he could have easily continued forward for several days without issue. It felt like he had, once again, compromised himself. His obstinance and indignity had led to his death and, now that he was supposed to be vying for a second chance, he was already complaining about the system itself being designed to suppress him...After several seconds of silence, the voice began to laugh once again before whispering, "Do not fret so much, little boy. Though your results are lackluster, they are still better than the vast majority of people who find themselves here. With this unforgiving terrain and lack of resources, it rarely takes longer than a few hours for most people to break. After all, they don't have the benefit of your little Blessing, ufufufufu~"Hearing the voice, Linnaeus nodded his head in understanding as just walking through this Floor had been a tedious experience. Without his Blessing, he would have suffered quite a bit due to the heat of the abrasive ground, the pungent aroma, and the periodic showers of corrosive fluids. In truth, he had a significant advantage over others due to his [Barrier Aura], making his complaints seem even more childish...Rather than be allowed the time to brood, Linnaeus heard another ding in his mind that caused his Soul Kindling to increase to 538, ten for every hour he had lasted and one for every kilometer he had traveled. This meant he was averaging around 30km/h, a decent pace considering he was using his [Stealth] and constantly surveying the area.Immediately after receiving his rewards, Linnaeus felt his body tugged by an invisible force before his surroundings changed from a hellish landscape to a forest. Instead of a blackened sky, there was an endless expanse of blue above, marred by the existence of a few fluffy white clouds.Before he could take in his surroundings completely, the voice explained, "As you have suspected, the purpose of the Crucible is not to simply determine who is the strongest. It is a test of everything about a person, from their character to their creativity. Your only true goal is reaching the top Floor. How you get there, and how long it takes, is ultimately up to you. Just know that there are hundreds of ways to move up so do your best this time around, little boy~"For a brief moment, Linnaeus felt something nibbling on his earlobe, breaking his concentration and causing him to swat at empty air. The behavior of this Floor Guardian was troubling, to say the least, but he now had a basic understanding of what he needed to do.From what he could ascertain, there were a variety of different challenges but they were all kept hidden to see how people would act. In other words, he could set challenges for himself and, so long as he put in an adequate amount of effort, he would be able to reach the next Floor. This was likely a method to allow those without combat-oriented Blessings to ascend higher as, if everything was just predicated on survival and combat, the vast majority of people were doomed to failure.After releasing a sigh, Linnaeus slapped his cheeks with a bit of force, leaving two hand-shaped marks on his own face. This allowed him to better focus his mind as he began looking around the area, whispering in a determined voice, "No more complaining...I need to grow up and do my best from here onward..."With his convictions set, Linnaeus picked a direction and began walking once again. He assumed it was possible to move on to the next Floor after just surviving for a few days but, this time around, he was determined to find another challenge to complete. The Floor Guardian stated that there were hundreds of ways to move up so it was easy to guess that some offered much better rewards than others...

Chapter 35: Eye Opening