Some faces tightened and some eyes hardened as Veylor continued.
"You have something now. A Talent. A choice."
His voice remained calm, steady, and impossible to ignore.
"If you return to the slums, nothing changes. You will still rely on others to protect you. You will still wait and hope the walls hold. You will still die when they don't."
A few people clenched their fists.
"You can choose a different path. To be an Explorer. A squad member. A Division asset."
He paused briefly.
"It's dangerous. You will watch people die. You may die."
His gaze swept across them.
"But you will be fighting for your own future. Not begging for it. Not waiting for it. Taking it."
The words settled heavily in the air.
"We move to Grimwatch at dawn, where you will be assessed and sorted into various divisions. Those who show discipline will be trained. Those who don't will still be used."
A blunt truth. No comfort. No false hope.
