The sun had barely crested the jagged mountains surrounding the village when Leonidas stepped outside. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine and smoke from nearby hearths. His first chore of the day awaited: fetching water from the stream. The cold, rushing current bit at his bare feet, and the bucket he carried threatened to spill with every step.
Most children would have groaned or faltered, but Leonidas's vision overlaid the familiar system interface, the numbers and charts glowing faintly in his sight.
Marcus: Strength 7 / Agility 6 / Intelligence 5 / Luck 4 / Potential: S / Loyalty 60%
Lena: Strength 3 / Agility 8 / Intelligence 6 / Luck 5 / Potential: A / Loyalty 65%
Leonidas: Strength 2 / Agility 3 / Intelligence 9 / Luck 5 / Potential: B / Loyalty 75%
Theron: Strength 1 / Agility 4 / Intelligence 6 / Luck 10 / Potential: SSS / Loyalty 55%
Even at this early hour, Leonidas scanned his friends and siblings with a strategist's eye. Strength and agility were easy to see. Potential required more attention; loyalty and intelligence were subtler, observable in hesitation, willingness to cooperate, or creative thinking. Theron's SSS potential flickered faintly—small, but brilliant. This boy could become a cornerstone of the village if guided correctly, Leonidas thought.
The stream was treacherous. Loose rocks shifted underfoot, and the current threatened to knock smaller children over. Leonidas calculated trajectories and timing instinctively. When Lena slipped, he extended his hand, catching her before she fell. [Agility +1 for teamwork; Loyalty +2]
On the return trip, he observed how different children reacted to obstacles. Marcus, naturally strong, carried the heaviest bucket, but his impatience caused splashes and lost water. Theron, small and frail, managed his balance perfectly and even found clever shortcuts around rocks, though he struggled with the weight.
"Why do you always think so much?" Marcus grumbled, wiping sweat from his brow.
Leonidas shrugged. "If I plan my steps, I don't fall. If I plan yours, neither do you."
It was a lesson in strategy, even if Marcus didn't realize it yet.
Back in the village, Leonidas watched as the children organized their day. Some ran errands, some tended animals, and some practiced basic combat drills with sticks and wooden swords. Each action was an opportunity: Strength, Agility, and Intelligence could all increase slightly through training; Loyalty responded to guidance and encouragement; Luck flickered rarely, unpredictable yet vital.
Theron, despite his frailty, continued to impress. Even when struggling to lift a heavy log for practice, his system panel glowed faintly, signaling hidden potential activation. Leonidas smiled internally. With proper mentorship, Theron could become a decisive factor in future battles.
By the time the sun reached its zenith, Leonidas had begun organizing informal training exercises. He paired children strategically: strong with weak, fast with slow, intelligent with impulsive. The system highlighted growth:
Marcus: Intelligence +1, Leadership flicker
Lena: Agility +1, Coordination +1, Loyalty +2
Theron: Strength +1, Agility +1, Potential flicker
Leonidas: Intelligence +1, Observation +1
Even simple exercises like lifting logs, climbing small walls, or running obstacle courses became measurable progress. Leonidas noted patterns: children with high loyalty and potential responded fastest to guidance, while those with low loyalty required constant oversight.
By evening, the children gathered near the village center to rest. Leonidas reviewed his observations:
Theron's SSS potential remained untapped but promising.
Marcus showed natural leadership but needed patience.
Lena excelled in agility and coordination but needed confidence.
Demetrius, not yet fully included, had sparks of both strength and rebellion—a future rival in training and strategy.
Leonidas felt satisfaction. Even as a child, he was laying the foundation for a capable, loyal unit, and the system allowed him to see possibilities that would otherwise remain hidden.
As twilight descended, he glanced at Theron, whose Luck stat of 10 flickered faintly as he played near a shallow stream. The boy was small, seemingly insignificant, but Leonidas already recognized the glimmers of greatness. This is only the beginning, he thought. Every action today plants seeds that will bear fruit in tomorrow's battles.