Damon's words struck the entire field like a meteor. Silence blanketed the three hundred thousand chaotic players. Then Damon slowly lowered his hand. "But let me make one thing clear."
A pulse of blood aura exploded outward from him. The weaker players collapsed to their knees. The stronger ones clenched their fists, teeth grinding, sweat pouring down their faces.
"You are not my soldiers," Damon said. "Not yet. You are candidates. Applicants. Strays looking for a home. I don't owe you anything."
His smile sharpened into something terrifying. "But if you can survive today, if you can prove you're more than deadweight and background noise, then I will make monsters out of you. I will turn you into something this world fears."
The cat purred ominously on his shoulder, her tail curling like a blade.
A collective shiver ran through the crowd.
"And if you give up, run, quit, or log out…" Damon shrugged. "Then you were never meant to stand with me anyway."
