William narrowed his eyes, mentally filtering through the faces of the disciples who had stood their ground when the scarlet bears had breached the perimeter. While hundreds had participated, only a handful had shown the specific spark of potential—the raw, unyielding grit—that William required for his future inner circle.
"Not all of them, of course," William said, rolling his eyes in a way that made his youthful face look momentarily comical, despite the gravity of the conversation. "I want to meet specifically with Kong, Lang, and Claine."
He mentioned the three who had carved the deepest impressions into his memory during the chaos. Kong had been a revelation. After William had coached him on the heavy hammer technique, the boy had displayed a natural affinity for kinetic force and structural destruction.
William liked the kid's steady temperament and raw power; he was exactly the kind of foundational pillar a guild needed.
