Citadel As Humanity's Pillars

"When you think that you possess enough power to defend your people, you can go to the Anthropocentric Order and have one of their Anthropriest assess your citadel if they meet the requirement for the Pillar of Aegis." Kuzunoha chuckled. "Most of the time, it will take a month before they deem that your citadel is safe enough to be one of the pillars."

"And after the security, we need a strong economy, huh."

After the Pillar of Aegis, came the second phase: Pillar of Forge, otherwise known as the Industrial & Engineering Tier.

The second tier of a citadel proved that the civilization has taken a great advancement on production, invention, and craftsmanship. The Pillar of Forge needed to have artisans, builders, and engineers who ensure that the Citadel remains self-sufficient and technologically advanced. Self-sufficient from weapons to infrastructure, ensuring that the Citadel doesn't just survive but thrives.