Arthur spread his arms wide, encompassing the village, the players, the world they'd built together.
"When the merge completes, those with the highest levels will be the strongest. The most whole. The best equipped to protect others."
He leaned forward, intensity burning in his eyes.
"And the military knows this. They've been monitoring the strongest players, tracking their real-world locations. They want to control, contain, and utilize us."
A ripple of anger moved through the crowd.
"But they've underestimated us. Underestimated you." Arthur's voice rose. "They see weapons. Assets. I see people. A community. A family forged in shared struggle."
The word "family" hung in the air, unexpected and powerful.
"That's why I came back. Why I risked everything to warn you." Something in Arthur's voice cracked, just slightly. "Because what we've built here is worth protecting."
Silence held for three heartbeats.
