Sanctuary: Safe Haven

In the world of Sepra, monsters were categorized by an intricate ranking system, and their power levels were assessed based on how much destruction they could potentially cause. There were 10 ranks for monsters, starting with the low, medium, and high ratings. These were the most basic ranks, the entry-level power indicators for creatures across the land.

As monsters grew stronger, they ascended to the next set of classifications known as the calamity stages, which included four sub-levels: low calamity, mid calamity, great calamity, and true calamity. Monsters at these levels were forces to be reckoned with, powerful beings capable of terrifying destruction.

But even within the calamity ranks, the true powerhouses were those at the great and true calamity levels. These creatures were titans of their kind, beasts that could change the landscape with their might. Yet, even these fearsome beings paled in comparison to the final three ranks: disaster, catastrophe, and apocalypse.

Disaster rank monsters were exactly what their name suggested. They were akin to natural disasters like typhoons or earthquakes, capable of leaving behind utter ruin. Above them were the catastrophe and apocalypse ranks—creatures so powerful they were practically off the scale.

In human terms, a catastrophe-ranked monster was equivalent to a demigod, while apocalypse-ranked monsters were akin to full-fledged gods, capable of reshaping continents or altering the very nature of the world itself.

And right now, Canna stood face-to-face with one such being: a catastrophe-ranked monster.

"So you're a catastrophe rank?" Canna asked, trying to steady his voice despite the overwhelming pressure he felt.

The small turtle looked at him and nodded. "Of course," it replied calmly. "But this body you're seeing? It's just a small fragment of my consciousness. Come, let us speak more with my actual body. I also need to heal some of the people who were harmed by Tonitrum's roar."

The tiny turtle began to float in the air, its movements so comical that Canna might have laughed had he not known how dangerous this creature truly was. The contrast between its appearance and its destructive potential was almost absurd. Yet, he reminded himself, this was no ordinary turtle. This was a being capable of wiping out entire kingdoms.

The tiny, floating turtle made its way toward the gate, gliding through the air as if weightless. As it exited, it saw the people who had been knocked unconscious by Tonitrum's roar. Some of them were struggling to breathe, while others were lying still, barely hanging onto life. Vines erupted from the turtle's shell, spreading out like a web across the area.

As they made contact with the injured, small pores in the vines began to release a healing mist, slowly rejuvenating the people in its vicinity. Even the once proud and regal king, who was now a disheveled mess with saliva and snot covering his face, was restored to his former state with just a flick of the turtle's magic.

Flora, who had been sitting nearby to recover, nodded toward Canna. Even with her impressive defensive stats, she had been shaken by Tonitrum's roar, but she managed to regain her composure and quickly moved to stand beside him.

Once the turtle finished healing the people in the room, it floated out of the nearest window, shattering it in the process. Canna and Flora followed closely behind, watching in silence as the turtle drifted into the heart of the village.

In the streets, the chaos was palpable. Many of the inhabitants were either unconscious, clutching at their ears, or sobbing in fear. The turtle turned its head to Canna and said, "Wait here." Then, without further explanation, it shot off into the sky, moving faster than anything Canna had seen before.

Minutes passed, and a strange calm settled over the village. Just as Canna was beginning to wonder what was happening, the ground beneath him began to tremble. The rumbling grew louder, stronger, as if the very earth itself were waking up. At first, Canna's instinct was to brace for some form of attack, but the reactions of the villagers told a different story.

Instead of panic, they began to cheer and rejoice, their cries of relief echoing through the air.

"The Protector! He's awake!" shouted one villager.

"He'll save us all!" cried another, tears streaming down their face.

The whispers of excitement spread like wildfire as the earth continued to rumble, and then Canna saw it. His eyes widened in awe as a massive shape emerged from the forest in the distance.

It was the most enormous creature Canna had ever laid eyes on. Towering above the trees, its form slowly took shape—a colossal turtle, its shell covered in vines and foliage that made it look like a walking forest. Trees grew on its back, their branches reaching toward the sky, as if this creature itself was part of the natural landscape.

The ground shook with every step it took, the vibrations rippling through the earth like an earthquake. Its sheer size was unfathomable—at least 300 feet tall. Even Stormbringer, with his 190-foot height, would have seemed like a mere insect compared to this giant.

This was the true form of the protector—a Terrafort Colossus, a living embodiment of the earth itself. Its eyes glowed with an ethereal light, and its steps were slow but deliberate, each movement causing the ground to tremble beneath it. Vines extended from its shell once again, releasing the same healing mist that had saved the royal guards and villagers earlier.

The inhabitants who had been shaken or unconscious moments before were now standing, their color returning to their faces. Those who had been crying were now breathing easier, and even the most exhausted among them were starting to regain their strength.

Canna stood there, speechless. He had seen many incredible things in his time, but nothing could have prepared him for this.

The protector—this Terrafort Colossus—was not only a catastrophe-ranked creature; it was a living force of nature. A being so vast and powerful that its very existence seemed to defy logic.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"That... is the protector?" Canna whispered to himself, still in awe.

Flora, standing beside him, nodded. "Yes, Master. This is the true form of the protector. He has watched over this land for centuries, healing and protecting its people. And now... he stands before us."

The colossus continued to heal the villagers, its vines spreading throughout the streets like a web of life. In mere moments, the entire village seemed revitalized, as if the devastation of Tonitrum's roar had never happened.

The protector turned its enormous head toward Canna, its glowing eyes locking onto him with an intensity that sent a chill down his spine.

"We can speak now, Harbinger," the colossal turtle rumbled, its voice reverberating through the air like the deep groan of the earth itself. "Come closer, for there is much we must discuss."

Canna swallowed hard, steeling himself for what was to come. Whatever conversation awaited him, he knew that this was no ordinary negotiation. He was standing in the presence of a being that could reshape an entire land in mere seconds.

And now, it wanted to talk.