The sun burned low over the Wastes, casting long shadows across the jagged rocks. Kale stumbled forward, exhaustion weighing heavily on him. His throat was parched, his legs felt like lead, and the endless expanse of nothingness seemed to mock his every step.
"This is it," he muttered, collapsing onto the cracked ground. "I'm done."
A faint rustling sound caught his attention. Kale's eyes flickered open, and he saw a figure—tall and wiry, with a long cloak tattered at the edges. The man crouched a few feet away, poking at a fire with a stick.
"Finally decided to stop sulking, huh?" the man said without looking up.
Kale blinked. "W-who are you?"
The man chuckled, the sound dry and raspy like the wind. "Just an old fool who likes to keep his head attached. You looked like you were about to keel over, so I figured I'd stick around."
"Did you… save me?" Kale croaked.
"Save is a strong word. I dragged your sorry hide out of the sun before it roasted you alive. You're welcome." The man tossed a waterskin at Kale. "Drink."
Kale hesitated. "How do I know this isn't poisoned?"
The man raised an eyebrow. "Kid, you're dying of thirst. If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't waste good poison on you."
Kale reluctantly took a sip, then another, until the water ran dry.
"Thank you," he mumbled, sitting up. "I… I owe you."
"Damn right, you do." The man leaned back, studying Kale. "So, what's your story? Don't see many kids wandering out here for fun."
Kale's throat tightened. "It's nothing. Just… bad luck."
The man snorted. "Bad luck doesn't toss a kid into the Wastes. Let me guess. Something about your stats?"
Kale stiffened. "How do you know that?"
"Because I've been around long enough to recognize the look." The man gestured toward Kale's hand. "Let's see it."
Kale hesitated, then extended his palm. The Arcstone embedded in his hand gleamed faintly in the firelight, its surface smooth and blank.
The man's eyes narrowed. "Huh. No rank. That's new."
"New?" Kale's voice cracked. "You mean you've seen something like this before?"
"Not exactly. But I've heard stories. People with blank Potential... Let's just say they're not well-loved by the Statocracy."
Kale clenched his fists. "They called me cursed. Threw me out of my village. My own sister didn't even—" He cut himself off, the words catching in his throat.
The man leaned forward. "And do you believe them?"
"I… I don't know." Kale's voice was barely a whisper. "What else am I supposed to think?"
The man sighed, his expression softening. "Kid, the world's full of people who'll tell you what you are and aren't. But that doesn't make them right."
Kale stared at him, confusion and frustration boiling inside him. "Who even are you? Why do you care?"
The man smirked. "Name's Rheon. And I care because you're interesting. That, and you're sitting on something the Statocracy doesn't want anyone to know."
"What are you talking about?"
Rheon stood and stretched, his cloak billowing in the wind. "You think stats are everything, don't you? Strength, Speed, Intelligence—all that crap they shove down your throat from the moment you're born."
"That's how the world works," Kale muttered. "Without stats, you're nothing."
"Wrong." Rheon's voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. "Stats are a lie. A leash to keep people in line."
Kale frowned. "What do you mean?"
Rheon walked over and crouched in front of Kale, his eyes piercing. "You ever wonder why no one questions the system? Why everyone just accepts the ranks they're given?"
"Because… that's how it's always been?"
"Exactly. And that's the biggest scam of all." Rheon jabbed a finger at Kale's chest. "You? You're not bound by that system. Your blank Potential? That's not a curse. It's freedom."
"Freedom?" Kale shook his head. "I don't understand."
Rheon sighed and stood. "Of course, you don't. You've been raised to believe you're worthless. But out here? Away from the Statocracy's rules? You can become anything."
"How?" Kale's voice was desperate. "How am I supposed to do that when my stats are nothing?"
Rheon grinned, a wild glint in his eye. "Stat Forging."
"Stat… Forging?"
"An art lost to time," Rheon said, pacing around the fire. "The ability to grow your stats beyond their limits. While the rest of the world is capped by their rankings, you? You've got no limits. No ceiling. You can grow stronger, faster, smarter than anyone else—if you've got the guts for it."
Kale's heart raced. "Why hasn't anyone told me about this? Why doesn't everyone do it?"
"Because it's dangerous." Rheon stopped and turned to face Kale. "It's painful, brutal, and it can kill you if you're not careful. And the Statocracy? They've buried it for a reason. If people knew they could break free of their rankings, the whole system would collapse."
Kale's mind spun. "You're saying… I could actually become stronger? I could fight back?"
"Not just fight back," Rheon said with a smirk. "You could change everything."
Kale stood, his legs shaky but firm. "Teach me."
Rheon raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that, kid? This isn't some fairy tale where everything works out. Stat Forging will push you to your breaking point—and then some."
"I don't care," Kale said, his voice steady. "I'm done being weak. Done being nothing. If there's even a chance I can grow… I'll take it."
Rheon studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you."
He reached into his cloak and pulled out a small, jagged crystal. It shimmered faintly in the firelight, its surface etched with strange symbols.
"This," Rheon said, holding it up, "is your first trial. A Growth Shard. You'll need to absorb its energy to unlock your potential."
Kale reached for the shard, but Rheon pulled it back.
"Not so fast," he said. "Absorbing it isn't easy. It'll feel like your body's being torn apart from the inside. Most people don't survive their first shard."
"I'll survive," Kale said, his voice unwavering.
Rheon grinned. "We'll see about that."
He handed Kale the shard, and the moment it touched Kale's skin, a searing pain shot through his hand. Kale screamed, dropping to his knees as the energy coursed through him, burning and twisting its way through his body.
"Breathe, kid!" Rheon shouted. "Focus on the pain. Own it!"
Kale gritted his teeth, his vision swimming. Every muscle in his body felt like it was on fire, but he refused to let go.
Minutes felt like hours, but finally, the pain began to subside. Kale collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.
"Not bad," Rheon said, his voice filled with approval. "Looks like you've got some fight in you after all."
Kale looked at his hand, where his Arcstone now glowed faintly.
Strength: F ➡ E
Speed: F ➡ E
Endurance: F ➡ E
Kale's lips curled into a small, determined smile.
"Let's keep going."