"But there is a way to make this armor yours—and earn far more. If you have the tenacity."
And in that moment, the memories from before came crashing down; they knew this had to be another test of God.
For a heartbeat, silence gripped the crowd. Someone sucked in a breath. A child clutched a scrap of leather tighter, eyes round with fear and hope. This was not a gift—they could feel the challenge in his words, heavy as thunder in their bones.
"There will be sparring sessions, and competitions will be held by James to determine the top 3% of people with natural talent in combat. These people will have all the equipment provided to them free of cost—not just this armor, but even what they need in the future. However, that only applies to basic equipment, like the armor I've given you—not ranked weapons. Those can only be earned through your merits."
