First Steps

* Front
* Lounge
* Laboratory
* Clan Master Office

**First Steps** also known as *Footprint of the Beginning* is founded by group of notable party leaders: Krai Andrey, Ark Rodin, Sven Anger, Lapis Frugol and Touka Kongouin. It is the most powerful, unique and influential clan in the Empire.

Krai Andrey is the 'elected' clan master and the first leader of the organization. He's currently the de facto and de jure of the organization for three consecutive terms.

## Information

### Origin of Name

In Eva's perspective the meaning of its name meant: “This clan name has a strong desire to make this clan a 'First Steps' for young parties”. But it contradicts of what Krai wanted it to be. As he stated inside his head: “that I am taking 'First Steps' of retiring from being a hunter”.

### History of its Origin

The clan is founded between Krai Andrey and the other notable powerful parties (most are their rivals) in the Empire. This idea comes from Krai, who proposed the plan of building it with the other elite and rival parties under his rule with a single motive: to become the strongest alongside with them. However, it is only 'part of his retirement plan' because he is worried that once he left the party, his friends has no place to stay in.

Aside from that, his ulterior motive is to reform or rehabilitate his monstrous friends who turned into an uncontrollable beasts, and he is hoping that they could get along with the other people aside from them.

Despite the clan is new, they are considered as the strongest clan of treasure hunters.

The clan has been transformed into the most prestigious, topnotch, and rising tiger in his country within five years after its founding.

Every year the associated members of the clan conduct an open recruitment. In their rules, the farther back the party's table is, the higher level they are.

Eva Renfied, the Deputy Clan Master, uses her knowledge and connections as a former merchant apprentice to strengthen their communication, spy network and influence, whilst, Ark Rodin, the most powerful clan member increases the prestige, popularity and establish a good relationship with the nobles residing in the country with the organization.

Despite Krai intended to stay low profile as a member of the guild, the clan members including the leaders of each elite parties and non hunters voted him as the clan master repeatedly. Thus, he had still no other choice but to play along.

So far, the clan has been experienced a bad reputation because of Krai's party, but still, they remains stand strong together and active because of the contributions and efforts of his people.

This gravely increases not only his responsibility but also his anxiety.

### Building Structure

The main building has a spacious, clean, modern and beautiful design.

**Lounge** is the main gathering hub of the members. The place is spacious that makes everyone feel at home and comfortable. The mess hall could be freely visited in this area. It serves as one of the main defense area against invaders.

**Alchemist Laboratory** is the largest room in the building aside from the lobby. It is the reward for Sitri Smart, the main sponsor and shareholder of the place.

**Underground Training Ground** is located in the lowest floor of the building. It is the main training place of the members.

**Clan Administrative Office** is located in the top floor. Inside of it, the nonhunter staffs have a secret access in the escape route for their evacuation.

**Clan Master Office** is located next to the administrative office. Inside of it, there is a secret room that's exclusively used by the clanmaster, Krai Andrey.

**Hidden Room** is a secret and exclusive place of Krai Andrey. Inside of it, it is pummelled with his relics all over the place, it has a toilet, and other essential rooms for a man outright.

### Establishment

**From Japanese:** *"His party revolves around him, and this clan revolves around for him too," Sven explained to Henrik before the White Wolf's Den expedition.*

**From English:** *"Henrik... You're still new, so there's a lot you don't know yet. But Krai keeps the parties moving, which keeps the clan moving," Sven explained to his comrade before the Obsidian Cross joined the White Wolf's Den Vault expedition.*

『First Steps』 has a large amount of registered treasure hunters belonging to it, putting it among the biggest clans in the Capital. But it is rarely happening for such a large crowd of these hunters to assemble together at one place. Primarily, the clan is organized to be mutually beneficial. It doesn't restrict the actions of its registered members.

The clan master who holds the position of top convenience doesn't hold a strong and absolute authority. Their rules are different from the other registered clans where the 'words of the master is law' . In regards to『First Steps』, the clan master doesn't have the absolute power to 'coercibly' enforce and issue his orders to his clan members. That could be said to be one of the positive reasons for 『First Steps』 growth.

The administrative staffs basically hold more authorities than the hunters.

At the time the clan is founded, it is decisively anticipated that there is a calculated future troublesome 'headaches' will come -if these Hunters didn’t waver to the office staff- once they announce an issuance of an important orders. So in order to prevent that, some rules are established and signed as a permanent decree by Krai Andrey.

**The First Steps' Creed:**

1. Everyone must get along with each other.
2. No one shall involved the normal people.
3. Democracy

In addition to those rules above the list, the administration updates or inputs more rules occassionally that are carefully studied, examined, amended, and improved based on the 'statistical efforts' of Eva Renfied before Krai signs it and implements those rules within the organization.

It is also mandatory to wear their official uniform -white with black alignment- and insignia -a big one footsteps mark engraved in.

### Election

First Steps is renowned for its unique structure. One of which is, the clan always conduct a democratic election. The clan members has the right to impeach the clan master, and they can dismiss him/her from his position unanimously.

This special event holds once a year.

According to the rules, the party leaders retain their leadership in their own group, but they must participate to select the clan master who should lead the guild. In addition to that, they are free to run for the 'office of clan master' to challenge the authority of the current leader. Every members has a right or privileges to vote their running candidate as the new clan master anonymously. Unfortunately, Krai Andrey is always their pick, so he always won the election in landslide.

Krai couldn't believe they'll trust his leadership. He is originally positive that they would run against him and won because Grievers is considered their greatest rival. But their decision to pick him betrays his expectation in hopeless bewilderment.

Krai is also surprised he has a lot of anonymous supporters.

One of the several reasons of his landside winnings is stated the main reason: the employees (the non-hunter staffs) including Eva Renfied supports him as their admin superior. Plus, the civilian staffs outnumbers the active treasure hunters. Last, it alledgedly speculated that Eva Renfied is always behind of his winnings to keep him within the clan. Because once Krai Andrey lost the clan master election, he could finally hunt together with his party, and Eva will lost her reason to stay.

Thankfully, it is different from before where his party will protest aggressively, rig the election secretly, and if it is not enough, they will force everyone to submit under him.

Nevertheless, no matter how much Krai has done to escape the position, most of the clan members will always vote him because of a simple thing: the ***thousand trial***.

### Thousand Trials

Every clan members, except the Grievers, is already traumatized to face his trial of fire or spartan program. That every quests they received from the clan master is already beyond their standard of living.

That's why it is already added in the rules to write their 'last will' and 'testament' just in case they died in their expedition. Only a few young recruits are still unaware of his game. Thankfully, there is still zero casualties in the record.