Faithless_reader

In a world where strength determines status, Katsu Blazewood dreams of climbing the ranks and proving himself as a powerful fighter. With his fire abilities, he steps into the dangerous world of rankers—warriors who battle for prestige, wealth, and survival. But just as his journey begins, he’s nearly robbed by bandits, only to be saved by Simon Shepard—a ridiculously strong fighter with no elemental powers but enough brute force to flatten mountains.

Simon sees potential in Katsu but quickly realizes the rookie is reckless, cocky, and in desperate need of guidance. As Katsu fights to rise through the ranks, Simon begrudgingly takes him under his wing, helping him navigate rival rankers, deadly creatures, and the ever-growing threats lurking in the wild forest.

With each battle, Katsu gathers allies, faces unexpected enemies, and discovers that power isn’t just about flames and brute strength—it’s about strategy, determination, and a bit of luck. But as stronger foes emerge and hidden forces begin to move, Katsu will need more than just fire to survive.

His journey has just begun, and the road to the top is anything but easy.

The Stone Mask

The dense forest rustled with the whispers of the wind, sunlight peeking through the leafy canopy in flickering golden patches. Birds chirped above, unaware of the scene unfolding below—a young man, barely out of his teens, stood frozen as a trio of scruffy bandits circled him like wolves.

Katsu Blazewood clenched his fists, his fiery-red hair swaying with the breeze. His new ranker registration badge hung from his belt, a sign of his ambition to climb the ranks. Too bad his journey was off to a bad start.

"Hand over the coin, kid," one of the bandits sneered, twirling a jagged knife between his fingers. "It's a toll fee."

"For existing in our forest," another bandit grinned, showing off his missing teeth.

Katsu exhaled sharply, flames flickering at his fingertips. "You really wanna do this?"

The bandits hesitated. Fire users weren't common, and certainly not ones with confidence. Still, they had numbers on their side.

"Cocky little—" the leader started, but before he could finish, a whoosh cut through the air.

A figure blurred past, and in an instant, the bandit leader was on the ground, groaning.

"Y'know," a smooth voice said, "you guys really need better hobbies."

Katsu blinked. Standing before him was a man with messy silver hair and a casual smirk, dressed in a dark coat and wielding a wooden staff slung lazily over his shoulder.

"Who the hell—" One of the remaining bandits lunged, only to receive a swift kick to the gut. The third barely had time to react before he, too, was sent flying into a tree.

"No problem." The man extended a hand. "Name's Simon Shepard."

Katsu shook it hesitantly. "Katsu Blazewood."

Simon tilted his head. "Fire user?"

Simon's smirk widened. "You're gonna need some help."

Katsu crossed his arms. "I had it under control."

Simon glanced at the unconscious bandits. "Sure you did."

Katsu's eye twitched. "You wanna say that again?"

Simon shrugged. "I mean, I could. But honestly…" His smirk turned into something more thoughtful. "I kinda just wanna beat you up."

"You talk big, but you didn't even see me move back there." Simon cracked his knuckles, his eyes narrowing as if assessing Katsu's worth. For a split second, the air grew tense.

Then, just as quickly, Simon exhaled and shook his head. "Nah. Not worth it."

Katsu frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

Simon grinned, already walking ahead. "C'mon, hothead. If you're serious about ranking up, you'll need more than flashy fire tricks. Stick with me, and I might just make you useful."

Katsu scowled but, after a brief hesitation, followed.

Chapter 1: A Fiery Entrance and an Unexpected Ally