Babel

Though there was still a bit of light left in the day, Linnaeus' Party returned to the Briggs Fortress Settlement in the hopes of bypassing the evening rush. This ended up being a small blessing, at least from Eliza's perspective, as, for the first time since their registry, Renka was absent from the various reception and exchange booths.Seeing the troublesome redhead was missing, Eliza's mood had improved considerably, so, with Linnaeus and Emilia in tow, she happily dragged them off to secure a table. As for Krone, he had volunteered to exchange their materials, insisting that they should all take turns to avoid any kind of issues.Linnaeus didn't completely agree with Krone, but, as the man was trying to repay him in his own way, he elected not to mention the flaws in such an arrangement.Fortunately, contrary to Linnaeus' expectations, none of the other Adventurers gave them any real trouble, but, considering they were still inside the Guild, this wasn't all that unexpected. Though a few people had eyed Emilia from a distance, only one man had enough gall to actually approach the table in an attempt to proposition her. When she glared back at him, however, he was quick to depart, his own ears flattening as he awkwardly returned to his boisterous Party.Linnaeus had noted the man's wolf-like ears and a tail, but, based on the color of his fur, it was safe to assume he wasn't a Vanargandr. According to Emilia, the fur of every Vanargandr was a shade of blue, the only exception being the elderly and the so-called 'Children of the Moon'. The latter consisted of Vanargandr that had been born with pure white fur and, though there were a few exceptions, the vast majority also had moon-like eyes. They were greatly respected by every tribe, as, in exchange for significantly reduced physical prowess, the Children of the Moon often developed Blessing related to prophesy and foresight.The Vanargandr also lacked have the concept of prostitutes, even if it wasn't their intention, she felt greatly insulted by any man who thought they could mate with her for no better reason than her appearance. She was a huntress and a warrior before anything else, so, from her perspective, she should be the one selecting and protecting her mates, not the reverse.As a result of her frustration, Emilia made a show of sticking close to Linnaeus for the rest of the evening, souring Eliza's otherwise good mood. This resulted in the latter spending a little too much of her earnings on alcohol, so, for the second time in as many nights, Linnaeus was forced to piggyback her to the Inn, much to the amusement of various passersby...All-in-all, it was turning out to be a relatively uneventful evening, but, even before reaching their Inn, Linnaeus had the sinking suspicion things were about to become more complicated. There was more foot traffic than normal, and, even from a distance, he could see black smoke billowing from the direction of their temporary residence.Upon reaching the district where their Inn was located, Linnaeus, Emilia, and Krone stared blankly as several people worked together to put out a fire that had spread to several buildings, their Inn included.Based on the conversations in the surroundings, it seemed that a group of drunkards had tried to accost a young woman, who, in her rage, used her Blessing to severely injure her four aggressors. Unfortunately, as was often the case with fire type Blessings, she also ended up setting fire to the surrounding buildings and, despite a concerted effort to extinguish the flames, things got out of hand pretty quickly when a wagon carrying undiluted alcohol caught fire.Linnaeus' first instinct was to assume this was some kind of scheme, but, as it didn't make sense for anyone to go out of their way to cause so much collateral damage just to inconvenience his Party, he discarded the thought. The original attack happened within an alleyway connecting to the nearby bazaar, not their Inn, so, while it was frustrating and inconvenient, the likelihood it had any relation to them was small.Since it was rather loud in the surroundings, Eliza ended up opening her eyes groggily before asking in a slurred tone, "Wash goin' on...? Fire...?"Knowing she wouldn't really be able to hold a conversation in her current state, Linnaeus shifted Eliza so that she was properly situated on his back before softly muttering, "It's okay. You can go back to sleep. There is nothing to worry about..."Though the settling blaze served as a stark contrast to Linnaeus' words, Eliza didn't seem to care all that much, as, in response to his assurance, she just tightly hugged him before dozing off once again. This caused Emilia to issue a light hum at the side, drawing Linnaeus' attention to her eyes, which, due to the flames, reflected an eerie glow as she mused, "How envious~." while biting the end of her index finger.Since there was no sense in just standing around, Linnaeus elected to ignore Emilia's comment as he said, "We should find a place to stay for the evening. I doubt the proprietor of the Inn will be returning our booking fees so there is no reason to stick around."Hearing Linnaeus' remark, Emilia nodded her head in understanding, but, despite knowing the answer, Krone still asked, "Do you want me to carry her...?" in regards to the slumbering Eliza.Though he was beginning to grow a bit, Linnaeus was still around the same size as Eliza, so, when he carried her, it looked like a younger brother carrying his much older sister. Fortunately, even if it was his lowest Attribute, his Strength allowed him to carry Eliza without too much difficulty, so, without even having to consider it, he shook his head and answered, "She would be upset if she learned I let someone else carry her..."Krone already expected Linnaeus' response, but, as he could tell the latter wanted to go around collecting information, he felt obligated to offer. They could easily find each other using the Party function so it would have been more efficient to split up, even if it was also marginally riskier.It was difficult to guess what Krone was thinking. However, considering Eliza's character, things wouldn't end well if she awoke to find someone else carrying her. Emilia might be acceptable, to an extent, but, she would never accept Krone being the one to carry her unless it was an actual, life-threatening, emergency.Since he couldn't readily discard the slumbering Eliza, Linnaeus dutifully carried her during their search for a place to stay. She was actually a lot lighter than she looked, and, though it was a little awkward, the soft feeling against his back wasn't exactly unpleasant.The only real complaint he had about the situation was the fact that Eliza was drunk at all, so, in the future, he intended to address her developing habit in the hopes of nipping it in the bud. It might not matter all that much at normal times, but, during situations like this, she was a major liability to the entire Party.Fortunately, despite wandering around for nearly two hours, nobody tried to bar their passage or cause trouble. This coincided with the idea that the fire was completely unrelated to them, as, if it had been part of some grand scheme, someone should have appeared to at least lure them into a trap.Instead, Linnaeus and Co found a place pretty close to the actual gate they exited through when heading out for the Monster Ant Colony. There weren't any important buildings here, but, as they also served as the first line of defense when the Monster Ants assaulted the fortress, they were all very durable. The only problem was, in exchange for relatively low rates, you also had to sign a basic contract that stated you would directly assist in the defense of the premises should an attack occur.Though it was a mild inconvenience, the contract only applied when they were actually staying in the hostel-like dwelling. When the moved out, the terms no longer applied to them and, while they were outside the settlement, they obviously wouldn't be expected to defend the property. It was more of a way for the owners of the hostel, a portly merchant, to protect his assets.From the information Linnaeus was able to purchase, the same merchant owned most of the buildings and businesses within the area, so, in a way, he had his own small army for whenever an attack occurred. Despite this, he wasn't actually all that well off as, for the last couple of years, he had been trying, and failing, to secure a position within the Inner District.While this information wasn't exactly relevant to Linnaeus' Party, understanding the balance of power in the region was never a bad thing. After all, the clause within the contract hadn't stated they would only be required to protect against monster invasion, so, if there was any discourse between the merchant and surrounding businesses, there was a chance they would get wrapped up in the conflict.Fortunately, such conflicts usually took place behind the scenes, so, even if the merchant had the idea of using his guests as soldiers, it would be at the expense of their reputation. The fact he was unable to secure a place within the Inner District showed he hadn't made the type of connections that would grant him impunity, so, at least for the time being, there was no cause for concern...With his information gathering complete, for the evening, Linnaeus made his way back to their shared living space, a circular residential wing that connected a total of ten rooms into the same common area. This was one of the downsides to staying in a hostel as, not only were the rooms small, but even the bathrooms were communal in design, split between gender.Linnaeus didn't particularly care about bathing amongst strangers, as he had been forced to wash in public since he was a young child, but Eliza would undoubtedly insist they move out. It was for this reason he had been willing to sign the temporary contract, as, once Eliza finally sobered up, they would undoubtedly be moving to stay elsewhere.For now, however, Linnaeus checked in on Eliza and Emilia, finding the former sprawled out in a rather slovenly manner on the bed while the latter was performing routine maintenance on her spears. The fluid contained within a Monster Ant's body, known as hemolymph, could quickly rust weapons if they weren't properly cleaned. This would drastically reduce the sharpness and attack power of a weapon, so, unless you wanted to fight with your bare hands, routinely cleaning and oiling your weapons was necessary.Since it was a good opportunity, Linnaeus decided it was a good time to perform maintenance on his own gear. It didn't really bother him that she was only wearing her nightwear, so, after a quiet exchange of greeting, he sat down next to her before pulling out his own spear, following Emilia's example while also incorporating the techniques he had learned from Baro, the kindly Blacksmith that had provided him important information about the Fifth Floor.In this manner, the two sat in relative silence, but, even without looking, Linnaeus could hear the gentle thumping of Emilia's tail. She was, in many ways, a very honest woman, so, while she had a number of troublesome quirks, it wasn't difficult to get along with her. He also got the feeling that, even if the situation became life-threatening, she wouldn't abandon their Party. This was a trait he respected a great deal and, though it wasn't very realistic, this peculiar racial trait often made him think about trying to recruit other Vanargandr to their Party.Unfortunately, the Vanargandr were relatively rare, even within the Tower, so, even if they could find a few on the Fifth Floor, there was a very good chance they were already part of a 'Pack'. If Emilia's words were to be believed, members of the Vanargandr tribe would fight to the death for the Pack they had joined and, while smaller Packs often joined to form larger groups, the idea of betrayal was so frowned upon that it might as well be a foreign concept. This made them highly sought after companions when forming a Party, so, in many ways, Linnaeus had been fortunate to acquire just a single member of the gluttonous species for his own...

After awakening uncharacteristically early, Eliza groggily took in her surroundings, noticing they were different from the usual accommodations. This made her feel slightly alarmed, but, seeing Linnaeus and the 'hateful' Emilia curled up at the side, both staring back at her, she was able to breathe a sigh of relief.It was pretty rare for Eliza to wake up on her own so Linnaeus couldn't help but feel a brief moment of shock. Fortunately, this didn't show on his face, so, knowing she would want an explanation, he moved to a seated position and said, "There was a fire in the district our Inn was located in. It wasn't the origin of the inferno, though, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about."Though she didn't remember much from the previous evening, Eliza could vaguely recall waking up a few times to discover that Linnaeus was still carrying her. From this, she could guess they had been looking for another place to stay for a considerable amount of time, filling her with enough guilt to blush slightly as she said, "I think I'll stop drinking so much from now on..."As he had been intending to talk to Eliza about her drinking habits, Linnaeus concealed his surprise with a smile as he replied, "That is probably for the best...thank you, Eliza."Hearing Linnaeus suddenly thank her, Eliza was a little confused, but, as Emilia had been using their conversation as an opportunity to nuzzle inside Linnaeus' thighs, her annoyance had been swelling quickly...Sensing the 'killing intent' directed her way, Emilia's ears perked up and, before Eliza could smack her head, she quickly dodged to the side, laughing like a child who had successfully completed a prank. This only served to increased Eliza's frustration, but, before she could say anything, Linnaeus suddenly placed his hand on her head, gently stroking her messy hair as he explained, "Don't let her get to you. We're staying in a hostel so we should avoid causing a scene..."Since Eliza had fallen silent under his caress, Linnaeus felt as if his attempt to pacify her had been a success. This was only part of his job, however, so, while dutifully fixing Eliza's bed-head, he looked toward Emilia and added, "You know how your actions affect Eliza...at this point, your behavior will reach the point of becoming antagonistic by default. Please, show more consideration in the future."In response to Linnaeus' words, Emilia's ears drooped slightly, not because he had admonished her, but because she was envious of the face Eliza was getting her head rubbed.Seeing Emilia's reaction, combined with the fact she would periodically glance at his hand, it wasn't difficult to imagine what was going through her mind. As a result, Linnaeus internally sighed while externally smiling as he said, "Get dressed and ready to go. I'll help brush your hair after I finish with Eliza's."As if her previous melancholy had been an act, Emilia's ears perked up spiritedly, followed by her basically leaping out of the bed to grab her clothes. Watching her shimmy into form-fitting shorts would be a sight to behold for most people, but, with his focus on the tangled mess that was Eliza's hair, Linnaeus only spared Emilia a momentary glance before pulling out a comb and beginning his morning routine...---Perhaps as a result of their spontaneous change in residence, Linnaeus emerged from his room to find that even Krone had awoken earlier than normal. He was standing outside in the common area that connected the other eight dwellings, his expression just as distant as usual.Seeing Linnaeus emerge alongside Eliza and Emilia, Krone gave a small nod to acknowledge their presence before turning his back and heading outside. This earned a lighthearted laugh from Emilia, a harumph from Eliza, and light hum from Linnaeus, just to express solidarity.After following Krone into the dining hall, an area filled with a few long wooden tables with attached benches, they all sat down together. This drew the attention of the hostel's waitress, a petite girl with platinum-blond, almost white, hair. Like Eliza, her hair seemed to fluff up more than normal, but, with two curled horns at the side of her head, hooved feet, drooping ears, and a lion-like tail poking out from the ribbon tying together her apron, it was easy to deduce she was a member of the Bapho tribe.With a wide smile and large eyes, the young woman happily made her way over to their table, a pad in hand as she asked, "Good morning, everyone! My name is Khö and I'll be taking your order~! If you're in a rush, I can suggest warm rice pudding and freshly-baked bread. We have a pot that just came out ten minutes ago, and, with our famous Honeydew Jelly, you'll be ready to take on the day with a smile~!"To emphasize her words, Khö used her index fingers to push up the sides of her smile, showing off her pearl-white teeth. While this certainly made her smile bigger, it created a bit of a different impact than intended due to the fact that most of her teeth were sharp and angular...In response to the bubbly girl, Linnaeus did his best to return a smile as he answered, "Please bring as much food as 300 Soul Kindling can purchase. If the Honeydew Jelly isn't too expensive, we'll also take a small container to go."Knowing how much Eliza and Emilia liked sweet, Linnaeus didn't mind 'investing' into the rather well-known condiment. They, or, more specifically, Eliza, had a propensity for getting upset, so, if he could use sweets to pacify her, it would make his life a little easier.After scribbling down Linnaeus' order, Khö showed off her radiant smile once again, saying, "I'll have your food out as soon as possible~!" before turning tail and retreating into the kitchen. She seemed to really enjoy her work, but, based on the large collar that was visible around her neck, there was a good chance this was just a very practiced act.Though they weren't truly slaves, the way some Debtees were treated made it difficult to discern the difference between them and actual slaves. The vast majority wore collars to denote their status, so, even if there was little reason for Debtees to be treated poorly by unrelated people, many still went out of their way to mistreat them.Since the Bapho tribe was even rarer than the Vanargandr, a combination of their inordinately long loves and famously low fertility rate, very few people ever had the chance to encounter one. It was for this same reason that, even outside of the Tower, many Bapho were treated as 'rare goods', often forced to become the slaves and pets of the noble families.Eliza was the only one at their table who had actually seen a Bapho in person, but, in spite of this, even Linnaeus and Emilia could identify Khö's tribe. After all, the Bapho tribe was actually considered one of the strongest in terms of physical might and durability. Though they often appeared rather unassuming, due to their slow development, some were capable of transforming into mighty beasts that could even dominate members of the various draconic tribes.As a result of these factors, Khö's presence within the hostel was rather anomalous, causing Eliza to hushedly ask, "Didn't you mention that the owner of this hostel has been having trouble finding their footing in the Inner District? How could someone like that have a Bapho in their...employ?"Since it was Linnaeus' first time meeting Khö, he didn't really have an answer to Eliza's question. He couldn't deny that it was a 'very' strange circumstance, as, unless someone with considerable status was protecting her, Khö should be the target of various affluent people that wanted to 'collect' her.Though Leveling was near-impossible within the Crucible of Souls, meaning there was little value in raising her as a powerful bodyguard, the rarity of the Bapho tribe wasn't something affluent people could simply ignore. Obtaining her was a way to increase their status, and, while she might not be in possession of the coveted [Behemoth] Blessing, that didn't mean her offspring wouldn't possess it.With his instincts ringing alarm bells inside of his mind, Linnaeus quickly shook his head in response to Eliza's question before saying, "We should check out of this hostel and look for someplace else to stay before heading off to the Guild. Whatever the circumstances, getting involved with anyone that can openly parade around a Balpho doesn't seem wise..."Without even needing to discuss the matter, both Eliza and Emilia nodded their head in agreement, even if the latter also commented, "I feel bad for her tribe...our Elders tell us stories about how, even in the Tower, the Bapho are treated like slaves and forced to fight as Vanguards, even if their Blessing is better for support..."In response to Emilia's words, Eliza nodded her head, a melancholic expression marring her face as she added, "Every time a Bapho appears in the Tower, several Companies and Organizations end up fighting over them. Because of this, they are said to be a cursed tribe that heralds the beginning of conflict, delivering death and destruction everywhere they go. Some information brokers even claim that, in the distant past, the Bapho tribe was cursed by the God of Dragons after a massive war more than forty-thousand years ago. Since then, while other powerful races have thrived, they have been pushed to the brink of extinction...females are exceptionally rare so it is somewhat unbelievable to encounter one here on the Fifth Floor..."Hearing Eliza's words, Linnaeus could feel his pulse begin to accelerate and, though it didn't show on his face, he began feeling anxious. He was normally very curious, as knowledge and power were two sides of the same coin, but, with Eliza's reminder, it was obvious that this wasn't a 'normal' situation.Without knowing what the party of four had been talking about, Khö emerged from the kitchen with a smile on her face. She looked around the area to see if there were any new customers, but, seeing only Linnaeus' group still present, she smiled radiantly before waving back at them and shouting, "It will be out in just a moment~!"Remembering that Khö had told them the food was already ready, and that she just needed to grab it, Linnaeus felt his heart begin to accelerate even faster. It wasn't just him, either, as Eliza, Emilia, and Krone all fell silent, the atmosphere around them becoming tense in moments.After Khö vanished back into the kitchen, it was Krone who said, "We should leave..." while rising to his feet. They had already forked over 150 Soul Kindling, as most places required you to pay at least half up front, but, without even considering asking for a refund, Linnaeus nodded his head and said, "I agree. This situation doesn't feel right at all..."Immediately after Linnaeus' statement, the swing doors connecting to the kitchen burst open rather violently. This was enough to cause Linnaeus to pull out his daggers, but, to his and everyone else's surprise, Khö could be seen pushing a metallic service cart filled with several large bowls of food and a few trays of fragrant bread.Seeing Linnaeus suddenly pull out weapons, Khö stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening into full circles as her mouth gaped open. Then, in a sheepish voice that could inspire guilt in even inanimate objects, she stammered, "Y-y-you s-said you wanted a lot of food...I...I tried to be quick...I'm sorry if I upset you...please..."Even before Khö had finished speaking, Linnaeus put away his weapons, his expression losing the calm he had been trying to cultivate as he awkwardly answered, "Sorry...I was just a bit tense...the loud noise startled me..."Though he still felt a strong urge to leave, seeing how much food Khö had prepared for them made it a lot harder to just up and leave. Fortunately, Eliza was there to ease the tensions, so, while he was struggling to find the right words, she adopted a 'natural' smile and explained, "We need to depart soon, so, if you would be so kind, please ready our tab. Also, don't mind Lin. Our Inn caught fire last night so he is still a bit shaken. It wasn't his intention to scare you..."Eliza also felt like there was something wrong with the current situation. However, when she thought about it, the likelihood of it having anything to do with them was slim. It wouldn't take much effort to learn about Khö's circumstances later on, so, for the time being, she decided to ease the tensions so that they could leave without causing a scene.Hearing Eliza's explanation, Khö showed an expression of surprise before looking toward Linnaeus with pity and concern visible in her pink eyes as she said, "Oh, you poor thing...you must have been through a lot..." Then, like the flipping of a switch, her smile immediately returned as she added, "I know~! As an apology, let me talk to the Rhea about giving you a discount on the Honeydew Jelly!"Without waiting for their response, Khö, once again, disappeared into the kitchen. This left Linnaeus, Eliza, and Emilia gawking in their respective positions while Krone, wordlessly, made his way over to retrieve the service cart full of food...(A/N: Some people have pointed out the sporadic release rate, but, from the very beginning, this has only ever been a side project. Writing a novel actually takes a fair amount of effort and planning, so, with my focus being EPIC, I don't always have the time to dedicate to Babel. The donations I receive from my readers are literally what pays my bills so, unless I monetize Babel, it would always be just a side project. To that end, I actually got a contract invite back in December, so, if you would like daily updates on Babel, please express your opinion regarding the novel going premium in the comments section. The other option is to create donation options for Babel on my *******, but, as there aren't very many readers of this novel, at least for the time being, I worry about idea of self-publishing.)

Though it wasn't impossible to find Ebony Glowshroom in crevasses and large areas of persistent shadow, the vast majority could only be found within the Monster Ant tunnels themselves.The Monster Ant tunnels were a complex subterranean network that consisted of countless tunnels of various shapes and sizes. These came together to form a labyrinthine structure that, even after hundreds of years, had never been fully mapped.Venturing into the tunnels required a completely different skill set than what was required to fight on the surface as, outside of the main channels, it was possible for even Linnaeus to graze the ceiling if he put enough strength into his legs. For those like Krone, the tunnels felt claustrophobic and, if he had been the type to rely on speed, rather than power, the complex labyrinthine structure would be a true hell.For this reason, many Adventurers referred to the Monster Ant Colony's underground network as the 'Ant Hell', a place that represented a nightmare for both explorers and the Ants themselves. After all, these tunnels had served as the burial grounds for millions of Ants over the years, giving it a ghostly chill despite the palpable humidity.It was this combination of darkness and humidity that made the tunnels a veritable paradise when it came to cultivating various fungi, many of which had bioluminescent properies. In fact, without these mushroom colonies, visibility within the tunnels would be an absolute nightmare as, without [Night Vision], or a related Skill, seeing more than a few meters was impossible.With thirteen identified types of bioluminescent fungi commonly found within the tunnels, it was a lot easier than expected to find the type you were looking for. After all, while many mushrooms had a similar glow, the rarer variety had a slightly different hue, often coinciding with the names they had been given.Though it didn't exactly look black, Ebony Glowshrooms emitted a mysterious purple light that made other things in the area glow with false bioluminescence. This was the method they used to try and camouflage themselves, but, so long as you knew how to identify the pattern on their shrouds, it was easy to pick out Ebony Glowshrooms among the star-like ocean of fungi.The hardest part of collecting the coveted mushrooms was, as could be expected, venturing into the tunnels themselves. Most people were accustomed to fighting in open areas, so, to be forced into a confined network of tunnels and fight against monsters that could easily traverse the floor, wall, and ceiling, in equal measure, wasn't easy.Eliza's Magic was almost useless within the tunnel system, forcing her to rely on her heavy crossbow, but, fortunately, Linnaeus' and Emilia's Blessing were easily adapted to fighting in confined areas.Having lived most of his life fighting within confined alleys and navigating underground waterways, Linnaeus was like a fish being returned to the water. His small stature made it easy for him to bound around the tunnels without suffering a penalty to his Agility, and, while it ate into his reserves a bit, he could easily form a [Barrer] to block off sections of the tunnel system if too many enemies arrived.Though she had never fought underground, Blessings related to water were exceptionally powerful in confined spaces. The Monster Ants had virtually nowhere to flee to and, though she far from the Level required to flood the cave system, Emilia's freezing attacks were doubly effective against the majority of Monster Ants, creatures that relied on hot and humid places to live comfortably.The only one to really struggle with fighting in the tunnels was Krone as, after trying to steal the traits of the Monster Ants, he realized they didn't actually have [Night Vision]. Rather, they relied more on their sense of smell to navigate, revealing countless pheromone trails that made little sense to the burly warrior.If Krone could learn to read the pheromone trails properly, Linnaeus felt it would provide them with an extreme benefit, but, as this wasn't exactly a reasonable expectation, he didn't both mentioning it. Instead, he had Krone watch their back, using his bulk and raw power to prevent any Ant from trying to ambush them.Fortunately, they had yet to encounter any of the more troublesome variants, which were typically found much further in, so Krone wasn't suffering too much. Had they encountered actual Soldiers or Majors, Linnaeus had little doubt that his [Barrier Aura] would be put to the test.While Krone could emulate the carapace of the Monster Ants, which reportedly had some resistance against the chemicals expelled by the Ants, it wasn't exactly wise to rely on such things. After all, no matter how many traits he borrows, Krone was still a humanoid, so, if he took acid spittle to the face, it would undoubtedly blind or suffocate him.If his [Barrier Aura] proved ineffective against the Monster Ants, Linnaeus would have little choice but to reconsider their approach. Currently, they were a little too reliant on his Blessing and, while it had been useful in most situations, it would be foolhardy to assume this would always be the case...Fortunately, at least for the time being, his Blessing was proving exceptionally useful as, despite their ability to traverse the walls and ceiling, the Monster Ants didn't have an easy way to circumvent his [Barriers]. They didn't actually seem to recognize them as an attack so, instead of trying to destroy them, they would often just pause in place, flicking the [Barrier] with their antennae as if they were confused.Since the Monster Ants relied more on pheromone trails than their eyesight, Linnaeus assumed his [Barrier] effectively 'cut' the pheromone trail. While they would quickly latch on to a different trail, a momentary pause was all he needed to bury his spear into one of their weak spots. This also taught him that, if he cut off the antennae of the Ants, they were virtually blind within the tunnels and, as a result, they would either stop moving or indiscriminately attack anything that moved.The person to benefit the most from this discovery was none other than Krone. It wasn't easy to swing around a large warhammer within the confined tunnel system so, after learning he could blind the Monster Ants, he began ripping off their antennae, to great effect.With their primary sense robbed from them, the Monster Ants would rip each other apart, grappling each other while using their fierce mandibles to cut through the limbs of 'enemy' Ants. This resulted in Krone releasing a rare laugh, but, as he had been growing increasingly annoyed at his situation as the rearguard, even Eliza didn't mind his outburst...Every time Linnaeus' Party stumbled across an area where the mushrooms glowed a distinctly purple color, he would do his best to seal off every access tunnel while Eliza dutifully harvested the requisite caps. They weren't just after Ebony Gloomshrooms, however, so it would take her several minutes to harvest and package everything. Emilia had tried to help, but, even with her powerful nose, she had a lot of trouble trying to distinguish between the different types of mushrooms.With practice, Emilia was confident she would be able to identify the mushrooms, not only on sight, but, from a great distance as well. She could already smell where Monster Ants would appear from, so, with a bit of time, she would be able to track down individual herbs and mushrooms, preventing them from having to wander around aimlessly.For this reason, Eliza tolerated Emilia's presence while she was trying to harvest, periodically forcing unusable caps towards the lingering Vanargandr for scent recognition and consumption. Since Emilia could eat virtually anything, she had effectively become Eliza's temporary disposal chute, destroying the evidence of her periodic failures.---Though their original intention had been to save time by collecting the rarer Ebony Glowshrooms, it took nearly six hours for Linnaeus' Party to retrace their steps and exit the subterranean system.Upon surfacing, Krone could be heard releasing a heavy, audibly relieved, sigh. He didn't proactively complain, but, fighting underground hadn't been easy on him. Without his [Perception] and the little light cast off by the various fungal colonies, he would have been fighting completely blind. While he hadn't taken much physical damage, there was a certain psychological strain present when fighting under such stressful circumstances, so, seeing the sky overhead, he couldn't help but feel relieved.Understanding his silent counterpart's anxieties, Linnaeus turned to Eliza and Emilia, stating in a voice he knew Krone would be able to hear, "We should avoid fighting underground too often. It might be different further in, but, along the periphery, the systems are too tight to fight freely."Though she understood what Linnaeus was trying to do, it would be too obvious if none of them offered their input. Thus, in response to his statement, Eliza issued a ruminating hum before nodding her head and saying, "I'm not particularly fond of fighting in confined quarters, but, if we keep at it, I should be able to awaken the [Night Vision] Ability. It's a little annoying that only you and Emilia are able to see in the dark..."Hearing Eliza's response, Emilia giggled playfully, her hand behinds her head as she mused, "Lin and I have a lot more in common than our [Night Vision]. Once he learns how to use the spear properly, we'll be able to bully all of our enemies together~."Even if Emilia was playing along with their skit, Eliza's brow began to twitch in response to her biting remark. To make matters even worse, Emilia 'hid' behind Linnaeus, a cheeky smile on her face as she mischievously giggled.Before the two girls could enter a spat, Linnaeus pointed out, "We should consider heading back to turn in our bounty. The other option is to hunt a few Monster Ants along the periphery, waiting until the sky begins to dim before our return. There are plenty of materials and Kindling to collect, even on the surface. Besides, I want to continue practicing my archery...will you help me out, Eliza?"Hearing Linnaeus asking for her assistance, Eliza immediately felt better, dismissing Emilia's earlier words as she adopted a haughty smile and answered, "Of course. My own Skill is lacking, but, if we work together, I'm certain we can both improve rapidly~."Without waiting for Linnaeus' response, Eliza began to pull him along by his wrist, seemingly with the intent to separate him from Emilia. As for the latter, her ears twitched a few times but, the smile on her face never faded away. Instead, she turned to Krone, saying, "We should catch up before they get themselves into trouble."With her words finished, Emilia pulled out her spear and, with characteristic swiftness, pursued the retreating figures of Linnaeus and Eliza. This left Krone standing alone, his dark eyes revealing a mix of emotions before he ultimately released a profound sigh and began trudging after the agile trio...---Under Eliza's guidance, Linnaeus actually managed to obtain the [Archery] Skill before it was time for them to head back. She had been 'very' insistent on teaching him, obviously intent on making them have more in common with each other, so, with a concerted effort on his part, Linnaeus managed to advance the Skill to LV1. This provided no discernible difference in his accuracy, but, it could become one of the foundational Skills that provided him a considerable attribute increase with every Level.Since he had the opportunity to increase his Skills, Abilities, and Magic without having to worry about increasing his Level, Linnaeus intended to take full advantage of it. While it might not seem like a good idea to have a variety of Skills, each requiring a serious effort to advance, the benefits they provided were too good to pass on. So long as he got them to LV20, they would provide bonus attributes with each Level, meaning he could, theoretically, reach a point where simply Leveling up made him more powerful than his peers.Fortunately, Linnaeus had Eliza, Emilia, and even Krone to help him develop his Skills, so, by the time he returned to the Tower, there was a chance he would develop upwards of seven different Skills. At the very least, this was an additional seven attributes per Level and, if he managed to get them all to LV50, he would be earning double that. All he needed to do was put in the requisite amount of effort to improve, but, considering what was at stake, Linnaeus had more than enough motivation to reach the top...no matter the cost.

Chapter 84: Displaced