As Carn stepped inside the Pillars of the Sun Guild, he was met with a stunning sight. The interior was just as impressive as the exterior, if not more so. The marble flooring was polished to a high shine, reflecting the light that streamed in through the large windows that lined the walls. The walls themselves were adorned with intricate murals and paintings, depicting battles and legendary heroes.

The pillars that held up the ceiling were made of gleaming white marble, and each one was intricately carved with intricate designs and symbols. The ceiling itself was a masterpiece of architecture, with a stunning mural of the sun goddess spread out across its expanse.

As Carn walked further into the guild, he saw that the space was bustling with activity. Members of the guild could be seen practicing their combat skills, strategizing for missions, and discussing tactics. In the center of the main room was a large statue of the sun surrounded by columns made of marble.

Overall, the Pillars of the Sun Guild was a sight to behold. Its beauty and grandeur spoke to the power and skill of the guild's members, and it was clear that this was a place of great importance to those who belonged to it.

Carn heard a familiar British voice calling out to him, "Over here Carn!" Turning towards the source of the sound, he saw a towering figure waving him over to a group of coaches. The man, dressed in full white and gold armor, was none other than Shaun, a middle-aged white man with a buzz cut and a long scar running from his eye to his lip. Despite his rugged appearance, Shaun's eyes gave off a comforting vibe.

As Carn approached, he noticed how tall the man really was. Carn was well over six feet tall and Shaun seemed to be a head or two taller than him. The two men shook hands and sat across from each other. "So Carn, I heard you caused quite a stir at the ranger headquarters. I knew I had an eye for talent," Shaun said, his tone smug.

Carn let out a nervous chuckle. "I don't know about talent, but I did manage to pass the training."

Shaun's mustache twitched slightly as he smiled. "Modesty suits you, Carn. But Cap’n Rourke has said some bloody great things about you. He believes that you have the potential to become one of the best rangers out there."

Pride swelled within Carn at the compliment. "Thank you, sir. I'll do everything in my power to live up to those expectations."

Shaun leaned forward, his blue eyes meeting Carn's green ones. "That's what I like to hear, mate. The Pillars of the Sun Guild is always looking for talented aces like you to join our ranks. Normally, we don't accept anyone below the Mid-Iron tier. However, one of our higher-ups wants you to join us, if you're willing."

Carn was surprised yet intrigued. He had heard of the Pillars of the Sun Guild before, a prestigious organization of skilled warriors, mages, and all other classes under the sun. However, aside from the occasional news report about their accomplishments, he didn't know much about them. "I'm interested, sir. But what exactly does the guild do?"

Shaun's pride was evident as he explained, "Well, you've probably seen us on the telly, taking down massive monsters and exploring dungeons. As a top 10 guild, we participate in player vs player tournaments, own a few cities, have excellent blacksmithing and alchemy departments, and explore this vast world. We do many other things as well, but that's the gist of it."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "We're slightly smaller than the majority of other top 10 guilds because we have a stricter vetting process for members than most. However, in your case, my boy, you get to skip this process due to our higher-up's recommendation."

Carn pondered for a moment before asking, "Do you have any idea who my sponsor might be? I don't recall knowing anyone in the Pillars of the Sun guild."

Shaun shook his head, "Unfortunately, I have no idea. The branch manager simply informed me that someone higher up requested your recruitment, but they wished to remain anonymous."

Carn thought about it for a moment, considering the possibilities. He knew it couldn't be Hector as he would have boasted about being in the guild and Dr. Stevenson seemed unlikely given his personality, but the thought of Alicia being his sponsor crossed his mind. After all, she had mentioned being a commander of a large guild. However, he couldn't understand why she would invite him to a guild when he was still a novice.

He decided to play it safe and not bring it up to her. If she wanted to keep her guild affiliation private, he would respect that. "I see," he said simply. "Well, I'm grateful for the opportunity. I'll make sure to give it some serious thought."

Carn took a deep breath, considering the offer on the table. "If I join, what kind of duties would I have to perform for the guild, and what can the guild do for me?" he asked, trying to get a clear picture of the situation.

Shaun leaned forward, his mustache twitching as he spoke. "Well, as a guild member, you'll need to contribute 10% of your gold earnings to the guild. If you can't show that you're unavailable, you'll also be expected to participate in guild wars and complete tasks assigned by the Guildmaster or Vice-guildmaster," he explained. "But in exchange, we offer a lot of perks. You'll have access to our guild storehouse, where you can deposit gear in exchange for guild points. You'll be able to find mentors and form teams with other guild members. And if you need to sell materials, we'll buy them from you for 110% of the market price."

Carn listened intently, weighing his options. "What are guild points, exactly? And how do members move up the ranks?"

Shaun grinned, as if he'd been waiting for this question. "Guild points are the currency we use within the guild. You can spend them on equipment and materials in the storehouse, and they determine who gets priority when we're dividing up loot from dungeon raids. They can also be used to request services from our lifestyle classes, like blacksmiths and alchemists," he explained. "And as for moving up in the ranks, that's based on your performance and contributions to the guild. The higher your rank, the more privileges you'll have."

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Carn took a moment to mull things over. He could see the appeal of being part of such a prestigious organization. Carn wanted to be well known by the wider world and find good friends and this was the perfect opportunity to do both, "Okay," he said finally. "I'm in."

Shaun slapped him on the back, grinning widely. "That's what I like to hear, kid! Welcome to the Pillars of the Sun!"

- Captain Shaun Bradley has invited you to the guild: Pillars of the Sun -

Guildmaster: Ren Tatsuki | Vice-Guildmaster: Mary Gonzales

Members: 1,958,116

Guild Rank: #9

Cities owned: 21

Do you wish to join?

- Yes - - No -

Carn clicked yes and a notification rang in his ear, “You have joined the Pillars of the Sun guild! Please go to the guild page in the menu for more information on your new guild!”

“Welcome aboard, kid,” Shaun said, patting Carn on the back after confirming his membership.

Carn bowed and replied, “Thanks, I’m excited to work with everyone.”

“Every new member has to join a dungeon party within the first week of joining. It's to introduce them to some members of the guild and make them comfortable with how things work here. But I'm a little worried because you’re a low-wood tier and the lowest dungeon our members do is low-iron tier. You’ll be way out of your depth,” Shaun said with a frown.

“So what do you suggest I do instead?” Carn asked.

“You should level up to Low-Copper first; then, it shouldn’t be too tough for you. Wait, I have an excellent idea!” Shaun exclaimed before continuing, “There’s currently an event in the Exalt Kingdom centered around hunting different types of slimes. A massive wave of them is heading straight towards Exalt’s capital from the west of Sienna Village. Our guild has been fighting the slime wave for months now using Sienna Village as our forward operating base.”

“So, that’s why the guild buildings here are so impressive,” Carn said, putting two and two together.

“Exactly,” Shaun said, nodding. “The problem with slimes is that they multiply when they’re destroyed and reproduce quickly. To combat this, the kingdom has offered a bounty for each slime core you bring to the standing military here. You’ll receive gold and experience based on the amount and quality of slime cores you deliver. If you go to the barracks, they’ll give you a quest to defeat slimes that suit your level. You’ll be able to level up to low-copper tier in no time!”

“Before you go, let me clarify one thing,” Shaun said, interrupting Carn's departure. “To get to copper-tier, you need to reach level 30 and complete the three-day tier-up ceremony at the Creationist Church. After that, you can join a dungeon party with our members. Does that make sense to you?”

Carn nodded, understanding the process. “Yeah, that sounds doable. Thanks for explaining it to me.”

“Good luck out there,” Shaun said with a grin. “And if you need any help, just ask the pretty girl at the front desk. If she gives you any trouble, tell her that Shaun sent you. Also, feel free to rest up in one of the private rooms down that hallway. Just open any door, and it will form a private room for you.”

“I’ll do just that,” Carn replied. He was exhausted, from the duel this morning to talking with Shaun he wanted some rest. He walked into the hallway and opened the first door he saw and he was greeted by a small room with a decently sized bed, a closet, and a sturdy-looking desk.

“You have entered a private room, no one may enter unless you allow them to. This space can be personalized and more facilities can be added. Whenever you enter a private room you will enter this space, and treat it with care.” A voice said in his head.

“Sweet,” Carn muttered before unequipping his armor and crawling into bed. Sighing contentedly, Carn closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, excited for the adventure that awaited him tomorrow.

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Carn woke up in the hospital room, feeling rejuvenated and eager to start his new life. Alicia came in a while later with a new IV bag and two bowls of cereal. As she replaced his IV bag, she asked, “How are you feeling, Carn?”

“Much better, I think I’ll be out of here soon,” he said, beaming with a smile.

“That’s good to hear. I’m happy you’re feeling better,” Alicia said with a slightly melancholic tone.

“Is everything okay?” Carn asked, noticing the change in her voice.

Caught off guard, Alicia replied, “Oh, I’m totally fine! I’m just going to miss our chats.”

“You know we can keep talking after I leave. I’ll buy a communication pill when I leave the hospital. Just give me your number and I’ll call you right away,” Carn said. Thanks to Mr. Cho’s generosity, Carn had enough money to buy a communication pill and didn’t need to save up for a place to stay.

Alicia smiled and jotted down her number on a piece of paper before handing it to Carn. “Don’t forget to call me,” she said.

“I won’t forget, I promise,” Carn said, raising his hands.

“Okay, I trust you,” Alicia said, her mood brightening up.

The two of them finished their cereal in silence before Carn spoke up, “I joined a guild last night.”

Alicia’s eyes widened slightly. “Which one?” she asked.

“Pillars of the Sun. Apparently, one of the higher-ups scouted me, but I don’t know who it was,” Carn replied.

“That’s a great guild! I’m surprised you got scouted so soon after starting,” Alicia said, looking relieved.

So she really doesn’t want to talk about it, I guess I’ll let her tell me when she is comfortable.

Changing the topic Alicia spoke, “Dr. Stevenson talked to me last night and told me to tell you that Fen Tuolong should be here in the morning. So when they get here I’ll get out of here.”

“Great! I have wanted to talk to him, I’m glad he finally had the time,” Carn replied clearly excited.

----------------------------------------

Fen Tuolong strode into the hospital, dressed in baggy pants, an undershirt, and an unbuttoned shirt. His long hair flowed behind his back and a sword was strapped to his waist. Despite his casual attire, he looked like a supermodel plucked off the runway.

As he entered, a receptionist approached him, “Hello Mr. Tuolong, Dr. Stevenson has requested that I escort you to a patient's room. Is that alright with you?”

Fen's voice was smooth and warm, like a comforting hot spring, as he replied, “Yes, that would be great.”

The receptionist hesitated before speaking, “I'm sorry, sir, but our policy prohibits weapons beyond the lobby. Would you please leave your sword behind?”

Fen's expression turned icy, “No.”

The receptionist began to sweat nervously, “Sir, I understand your concerns, but it is for the safety of our patients.”

Fen's pressure was palpable, enough to crush rocks, “I will not leave my weapon. Do not make me repeat myself.”

The receptionist relented, “Very well, but please don't brandish it unnecessarily. Follow me, please.”

Fen and the receptionist took the elevator to the top floor, their journey quiet and uneventful. As they approached the room, the receptionist knocked on the door and announced Fen's arrival. She then bowed to him before quickly scurrying off.

Fen was just about to reach for the doorknob when it opened to reveal a familiar face. It was Alicia Williams, the White Mage. Fen was taken aback by her presence as a nurse, but before he could ask any questions, Alicia placed a finger to her lips and motioned for him to be quiet before leaving.

Nodding in understanding, Fen entered the room and fixed his piercing gaze on Carn, who lay in the bed with a contented smile on his face.