Sanctuary: Safe Haven

"Um, sorry, could you repeat that for me?" the guild attendant stammered, sweat forming on her forehead as she processed what Canna had just said.

"Sure," Canna said, his voice even and calm as before. "I'll have a thousand members in my clan, and the lowest ranked among them will be at least a low-transcendent."

The girl blinked several times, clearly struggling to understand the magnitude of his words. "Uhm, Mister Yakane, right? Did you say a thousand members for a start-up clan? Usually, a start-up clan only has around five or seven members, and you're saying you have a thousand?"

Canna nodded nonchalantly, his expression unchanged.

The girl's face shifted into a look of bewilderment before she spoke again. "Ahhh, I see! You must be a subsidiary or part of a larger, more powerful clan, right? A thousand members would make sense in that case."

"Nope. It really is a start-up clan," Canna replied matter-of-factly.

The guild attendant's face went pale. Her fingers fidgeted nervously with the papers in front of her. After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Mister, I'm not sure if you're aware, but if this is a joke, it's a very bad one. It could even get you banned from the Adventurer's Guild. In this village alone, we only have two mid-transcendents—the clan leader of the Silver Wolf Clan and the village chief. But you're saying you have a thousand members with the lowest being a low-transcendent?"

Canna, still unbothered by her concern, simply nodded again. "Yes, and don't worry. I also have a few hundred great-transcendents among them."

That remark finally caused the girl's strong professional demeanor to crack. She stared at him, mouth slightly open, clearly unsure of how to proceed.

"I'll… I'll need to call the guild master," she stammered, finally pulling herself together. "This might take a few minutes since the request is going through the Adventurer's Guild headquarters. Please wait here." She hurriedly walked away, her nervous pacing evident as she disappeared into the back room.

As soon as she was out of sight, a younger guild attendant replaced her, taking over and offering Canna a seat as they waited for the guild master to arrive.

Meanwhile, Canna sent a telepathic message to Noctis, his trusted shadow owl. "Noctis, I need you to gather a good group of sanctuary warriors. I need low to great transcendents , a thousand strong. No shock troops this time. Pick from both old and new sanctuary warriors, no race restrictions. Anyone who can join."

Noctis, always efficient, acknowledged the order swiftly and set out to relay the command. Across the sanctuary, preparations were immediately underway to assemble the requested group.

Back in the guild, Canna waited patiently, settling into a chair by the window. Time ticked by slowly, and after a while, the stillness and comfort of the room lulled him into sleep. He had been exhausted from all the back-and-forth discussions and planning.

He awoke to a gentle tap on his shoulder. The younger guild attendant stood over him, politely informing him that the guild master had arrived and would be coming down shortly. Canna nodded and stretched, wiping the sleep from his eyes as the attendant excused himself.

Moments later, the door at the top of the grand stairs swung open, and in walked a woman with an air of authority that instantly commanded attention. She was strikingly beautiful, with long, flowing violet hair that contrasted elegantly with the formal uniform of the Adventurer's Guild. Her skin was fair, and despite her delicate features, there was an underlying intensity in her eyes that made it clear she was someone of significant power.

Canna, who had seen many powerful figures in his life, immediately sensed the strength she possessed. Though she appeared fragile at first glance, something about her reminded him of Flora—silent but undeniable power resting just beneath the surface.

The guild master made her way down the steps with graceful precision, her gaze sweeping the room until it landed on Canna. Her eyes narrowed, studying him with quiet curiosity before she finally spoke.

"Good afternoon, adventurer. I am Elira, a representative from the Adventurer's Guild headquarters. I understand that you're here to form a clan, but your request... well, it's not exactly typical," she said with a slight, knowing smile.

Canna nodded. "Yes, I plan on creating a clan with a thousand members, and I've been told that's a bit unusual for a start-up."

Elira tilted her head slightly, as if weighing her next words carefully. "Unusual is an understatement. It's unheard of. Start-up clans rarely have more than a handful of members. But you claim to have a thousand, and based on what my attendants have told me, you say the weakest among them is a mid-transcendent?"

Canna's calm demeanor didn't waver. "That's correct."

Elira paused, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "And where are these members of yours, Mister Yakane?"

Without a word, Canna raised his hand, summoning the signature red portal of the sanctuary. The swirling energy crackled in the air as the portal opened, the ground beneath it vibrating slightly.

Elira took a step back, her expression betraying the slightest hint of surprise. This kind of magic wasn't something she encountered every day.

One by one, sanctuary warriors began stepping through the portal, each one clad in white robes that flared dramatically in the wind. Their presence was undeniable, their power palpable. As more and more warriors emerged, their sheer numbers and ranks became increasingly clear.

Each warrior exuded an aura of strength, and the gathering crowd of adventurers and villagers who had come to witness the scene stared in awe. Whispered conversations filled the air, people murmuring to each other about the impossibly strong warriors who were appearing right before their eyes.

For each one that stepped through, another followed. Mid-transcendents, great-transcendents, warriors of various races, all stepping into the village with quiet dignity, their robes fluttering in the breeze. They were a sight to behold, their ranks continuing to swell until there were hundreds assembled before the guild.

The village square, which had seemed large moments ago, now felt crowded as more and more people gathered to watch. The air was thick with the energy of the transcendent beings, and even the most seasoned adventurers in the village were visibly shaken by the sheer power they were witnessing.

As all of this unfolded, Canna stood by with a calm, almost indifferent expression. He yawned occasionally, looking tired despite the grand spectacle happening right in front of him. He was oblivious to the rising tension and awe in the crowd, his eyes half-lidded as if he might fall asleep again at any moment.

Elira, on the other hand, had fully regained her composure and watched the scene unfold with a more analytical eye. "Impressive," she muttered under her breath. When the last warrior finally stepped through the portal, she turned to Canna, her voice steady despite the surprise still evident in her expression.

"I see now that you weren't exaggerating," she said, gesturing to the massive group of warriors standing proudly before her. "I've never seen a start-up clan of this magnitude. This will certainly be... unprecedented in the history of the Adventurer's Guild."

Canna shrugged, uninterested in the formality. "I told you," he replied simply.

Elira smiled slightly, still trying to process everything she'd just seen. "We'll have to adjust some of the usual protocols for a clan of this size, but I believe we can accommodate your request. However," she added, her eyes narrowing playfully, "with such a powerful group under your command, I expect we'll be seeing your clan rise through the ranks very quickly."

Canna gave a small, noncommittal nod, clearly unbothered by the implications. His attention had already drifted, and he stifled another yawn as if all this commotion had tired him out.

As the village's people gathered around to get a closer look at the warriors, Elira took a step closer to Canna. "Before we go any further, though," she asked, her tone lighter now, "what will you call this new clan of yours?"

Canna paused for a moment, thinking over her question. "The Clan of Hope," he said at last, his tone resolute yet soft. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire

Elira nodded, smiling in approval. "A fitting name, I think. And how many members will you be registering to start?"

Canna glanced at the thousand warriors standing behind him, then back at Elira. "Just a thousand... for now."