The Salt-Stained Star
By @john1208
At the Sunstone Spire, culinary arts are a form of combat magic, and Iktan of the Low Quarter was once a prodigy. That was before Ixchel, the noble-born swordsman he served, stole his signature technique and framed him for treason, leaving Iktan publicly shamed and stripped of his status. Now, exiled to the academy's scullery, Iktan discovers a new power: the ability to see the stats, skills, and even the pre-written 'fates' of everyone around him. Armed with this knowledge, he begins a calculated revenge, using his anonymous, god-tier meals to secretly empower Ixchel, pushing the arrogant hero towards a glorious destiny that Iktan plans to shatter at its peak. He carefully cultivates a found family in the shadows, allies who see his true worth. But when a calamitous entity from beyond the known world ignores the celebrated hero and targets Iktan as the only real threat, he is forced to question everything. What if the fates he's been reading aren't prophecies, but shackles placed upon the world?
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