Damned Healer

Darian got into the car and was taken to the part of the city where the nine smaller clans lived. As they drove, the scenery slowly changed. The endless luxurious houses gave way to a more organized area, where each clan had its own clearly defined territory.

When they reached Rhea's clan area, Darian noticed two tall buildings that stood out from everything else around them. Most of the other structures were much lower.

"That taller one is the main building," Rhea explained, pointing at the imposing structure. "That's where everyone gathers, organizes their squads, and discusses strategy with their groups. The smaller one is our marketplace and where we store our most valuable stuff."

Darian looked around. Surrounding the two central buildings were five larger houses, each three stories high. Their façades had lots of little sections, making them look more like hotels, with several small rooms per floor.

"Those are where our people live," Rhea went on, casually. "We've got 90 people living here, plus another 30 who work and stay in other parts of the Empire. I know they look small and simple, but they're just personal rest spaces. No one spends much time in them."

Further out, scattered across the clan's territory, there were dozens of strange, low, cylindrical buildings with few windows. They didn't look like houses at all—more like warehouses or specialized facilities.

Rhea pointed at them. "Those are open on the inside. They have special training areas, reinforced with artifacts and tech. Everyone here lives to train, day and night. That's why nobody cares about having a big comfy house."

Darian listened while looking around. The purpose behind everything was clear: every inch of the place was built to make the clan stronger—no luxury, no excess.

"Our clan's called Azure Haven. We're a Rank C-D clan, and we've only got 120 members. That makes us the smallest by number compared to all the others. But every member was hand-picked."

She paused a bit before going on: "Our criteria aren't really about power. We focus on teamwork and trust. We'd rather have a mid-level squad that's well-trained and willing to trust each other with their lives than a bunch of overpowered egomaniacs who only fight for themselves."

"Even though we're small, we've been able to complete every mission with little to no casualties—something even clans five times bigger can't always do. Our individual teams are seriously competent. No one dares to look down on us just because of our numbers."