94 Uncommon Intellec

Though they had procured two different rooms, Linnaeus had everyone gather to discuss everything that happened, starting by explaining Almas' Status.

Needless to say, everyone, even Krone, was surprised to learn that the rather unassuming woman was actually a powerhouse over Level 50. While this alone wasn't that terrifying, the fact she had hit the maximum number of Skills, increasing them all to LV99, made her a monster they couldn't hope to oppose without using underhanded means.

It wasn't particularly well known outside of the Tower, but, as you advanced to higher Floors, you would quickly learn about the 'limit' placed upon the number of Skills you possessed. Though it was possible to 'store' Skills using expensive items, the maximum number you could have active, with the exception of 'threshold' Skills, was twenty.

Generally, in order to become truly powerful, people would focus on obtaining Skills that enhanced the Parameters most suitable for their Blessing and combat style. It was best to sort this out early, as, the longer you waited, the less stable your foundation would become.

Unfortunately, while some Skills were relatively easy to obtain, others were notoriously difficult to develop. A good example of this was any type of weapons mastery, as it could take years of effort just to reach a decent level of proficiency. In exchange, the benefits they provided were often far greater than traditional Skills, but, considering how much effort was required to master them, most people only focused on developing a single type.

Linnaeus was something of an outlier when it came to Skill development, largely due to his lack of resources, but, due to the amount of effort he put into most things, he had been able to shorten the distance considerably. He was still behind those like Eliza, who had built a strong foundation over a very long period of time, but that was to be expected given the vast disparity in social status...

After discussing the terrifying nature of Almas' Status, the most important question on everyone's minds was verbalized by Emilia, who, with a slight frown, asked, \"Do you think we can trust her?\"

Without any hesitation, Linnaeus shook his head, explaining, \"I don't think she is an enemy, but it is obvious she has some kind of agenda. Everything lines up too perfectly, almost as if we were being baited into a trap. Though there is a fair chance they simply want to pull us to their side, we have to be cautious. We don't know what kind of backing the Porcello Company has, only that they are able to have conflicts with the Briggs Familia without facing any serious repercussions...\"

From the information he had gathered the night before, Porcello owned a surprising amount of property, yet, in spite of this, he was unable to obtain any holdings within the inner districts. While this wasn't all that uncommon among competing businesses, the fact he was able to create such a large foothold in the outer district said a lot about the man's power and influence. It was obvious he wasn't well-liked by those within the inner district, yet, in spite of this, he was still able to operate a sizeable number of properties with relative impunity.

Based on the Level and Status of Almas', it wasn't difficult to imagine that Porcello had a number of powerful subordinates on his side. There was a fair chance that the man himself was also powerful, as, more often than not, strong people rarely agreed to work for those weaker than themselves.

The question then became, was Porcello himself powerful, or did he simply possess a considerable amount of influence and authority? If it was the former, things would be relatively straight-forward, but, if it was the latter, that meant there was someone even more powerful backing him. This was often the case when it came to organizations that had 'uncommon' amounts of power, yet, in spite of that, weren't particularly well known for their strength.

If he was forced to guess, Linnaeus would venture to guess that Porcello was actually the 'face' of a powerful criminal enterprise, one with strong ties to the Guild branch office.

Assuming the drop rate of Potentiates was higher than average, it wasn't difficult to imagine people fighting to obtain them. This would explain the 'eagerness' present in so many people, giving them a bit of leverage if they were willing to remain 'loyal'.

With this in mind, Linnaeus explained his thoughts on the matter, concluding, \"We'll find out more in the morning, but I'm beginning to suspect that the person following me this evening had nothing to do with the person targeting me. The fact they allowed themselves to be detected so easily, despite leaving no traces, indicates they wanted me to know I was being followed. If our assumptions about the drop rate are true, I don't think the Guild would just sit idle as our lives are targetted. Everything seems to point toward this truth, especially when we consider the fire and Ms. Renka's behavior...\"

While thinking about the rather fiery redhead, Linnaeus' face formed into a frown as he added, \"It seems like she decided to use me as bait to deal with a personal matter. Someone of considerable status must have been bothering her so she decided to use our protected status in order to deal with them...haaaa...\"

Though he usually tried to stay calm, Linnaeus couldn't help but release a tired sigh. This wasn't due to the fact Renka had used him, however, but the reactions of Eliza and Emilia. The former had a look reserved for psychopathic killers, and, though it was relatively tame compared to her purple-haired counterpart, Emilia's expression made it obvious she wouldn't mind skewering Renka with her spear.

Before either of them could say something 'dangerous', Linnaeus made a pacifying gesture with his hands, saying, \"All of this is based on assumptions. Even if it is the truth, we would gain nothing from forming an antagonistic relationship with the Guild. Rather, if our speculation is correct, we would be able to benefit greatly by using our status as leverage. I understand your disdain for Renka, but there are more important things. Our ultimate goal is to leave the Crucible of Souls, not establish ourselves within the Fifth Floor. So long as we tide through this series of events, gaining a position in the main expedition is all but guaranteed.\"

Eliza was smart enough to see the reasoning behind Linnaeus' words, but, unable to forgive Renka, she stated, \"If we really do have a protected status, we should bring up this matter with the Branch Leader. If they were willing to cover up the cause of the fire, I don't imagine they would be happy with that vixen dragging us into her personal affairs. She is unnecessarily exposing us to danger, not for the Guild, but for her own personal gain. If your speculation proves true, promise me you will not just ignore the trouble she caused for us...\"

Though he wasn't the type that sought trouble, Linnaeus wasn't all that forgiving either. If he never sought some form of recompense against Renka, she might treat their Party like her own personal problem solvers. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing if there were benefits to be had, but, when the only person benefitting was Renka, herself, it was a serious issue.

Without having to think about it, Linnaeus nodded his head, saying, \"Once we learn more about the current situation, we can approach this matter from various angles. It will be necessary to learn what kind of status Renka holds in the Guild before we take action, but, based on her behavior throughout the day, the Guild Leader must have a lot of influence over her. We might end up earning the ire of Renka, but, if we can gain the backing of someone in a higher position, it will be worth it.\"

Satisfied by Linnaeus' response, Eliza nodded her head with a look of vindication on her face. She knew he had killed 'a lot' of people, but, contrary to expectations, Linnaeus was actually a very kind and gentle person. He wouldn't hesitate to resort to violence, but, more often than not, this was out of self-preservation and a desire to protect others. As contrary as it seemed, he was kinder than the vast majority of people she had met, making him seem somewhat naive and exploitable...

Fortunately, while it was easy to take liberties with him, Linnaeus was frighteningly intelligent. While he was prone to paranoia from overthinking things, his deductive reasoning and speculative abilities bordered on clairvoyance. He was able to extrapolate an incredible amount of information from even the smallest context clues, forming connections that left others slack-jawed in disbelief.

Though there was a chance he was wrong, Eliza felt Linnaeus' speculation struck close to the heart of the matter. His brain was somehow able to form everything into a logical sequence that was hard to refute, so, while it was slightly unnerving, she, Emilia, and even Krone couldn't help but acknowledge his intellect.

Unaware of what Eliza was thinking, Linnaeus went on to explain the plan of action for the following morning. This included waking up early, attempting to gather information from Khö, and, if failing in that, exchanging information with Almas.

The fact Almas had revealed her Status said a lot about her confidence, both in her organization and her ability to deal with the consequences of an information leak. At the same time, it also served as an anchor of sorts, preventing them from easily making contact with other organizations.

Even if Khö's situation had absolutely nothing to do with them, it would still shed some light on the powers at play behind the scenes. The fact they could protect a Bapho was a testament to the power behind the Porcello company, a power they may very well be a part of in the near future.

By obtaining information about Khö, it wasn't an exaggeration to say they would be forced to throw their lot in with the organization protecting her. She was likely used to lure people in as there simply no way an organization would share such sensitive information with unaffiliated people. Thus, unless they wanted to be labeled as criminals for violating their contract with the Guild, their fates would be bound to the organization supporting the Porcello Company...

While this was a textbook example of entrapment, the fact remained that the Porcello Company was able to protect a Bapho. They also had powerful Enforcers like Almas in their ranks, alluding to a very deep foundation within the Briggs Fortress City. This was an irrefutable truth, so, until their contract with the Guild had expired, there was virtually no method of escaping the current situation.

With this in mind, Linnaeus intended to reap as many benefits as possible over the next six months. He wouldn't simply take this matter laying down, and, if not for the existence of his Party, he would have readily become a criminal. It didn't matter how frighteningly powerful his opponents were, as, from the moment his parents had abandoned him, Linnaeus swore he would never be at the mercy of others unless it was to forward his own agenda.

The more people schemed against him, the more determined and focused Linnaeus became. They were like whetstones used to sharpen his senses and develop him into a more lethal existence. Thus, while he was willing to play along, at least for the time being, Linnaeus wouldn't hesitate to kill the people who thought they could freely exploit him.

Six months was a long period of time, plenty to gather an adequate amount of information about the structure of forces within the Briggs Fortress City. Once he had a better understanding of these things, there would be very little to stop him from meting out necessary justice. It wouldn't matter if his opponents were Level 30 or Level 50. Life was a surprisingly fragile thing, something that could be extinguished at a moment's notice. This was something he had learned a long time ago, and, if others thought they could take advantage of him, the only outcome was his, or their, death...