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

Katsu's hands tightened into fists, flames flaring wildly around them. His ears were still ringing from Reznor's sonic attacks, but there was no time to recover. Reznor was fast, and every second Katsu spent thinking was another chance to get blasted into a tree again.

Reznor cracked his knuckles, rolling his shoulders. "Still standing, huh? That's good. Would've been disappointing otherwise."

Katsu forced a grin. "Yeah, well… I like to keep things interesting."

Reznor smirked. "Let's see how long that lasts."

The shockwave ripped through the air, heading straight for Katsu.

This time, Katsu was ready. Instead of taking the hit, he threw himself sideways, rolling out of the way as the blast shattered the ground where he'd been standing.

Alright, he thought. Standing still is a bad idea.

He dashed forward, flames surging around his fists. He needed to get in close—if he let Reznor control the fight from a distance, he'd get torn apart.

Reznor clicked his tongue. "Bad move."

He stomped his foot—BOOM!—a shockwave exploded outward. The sudden burst of sound hit Katsu's legs mid-run, sending him tumbling.

Reznor was already moving, closing the gap before Katsu could recover.

A sonic-enhanced punch crashed into Katsu's ribs, sending him flying again. He hit the ground hard, rolling before slamming into another tree.

"Damn," Katsu groaned. "Could you not throw me around like a ragdoll?"

Reznor chuckled. "What's the matter? Can't handle the rhythm?"

Katsu coughed, forcing himself up. "Oh, I'm handling it." He wiped blood from his lip, flames crackling around him. "I just haven't turned up the volume yet."

Katsu took a deep breath. Think. Charging straight at him wasn't working. If he couldn't match Reznor's speed, he'd have to outplay him.

His eyes flicked to the trees around them.

A grin spread across Katsu's face. "Alright, DJ. Let's see how you like this."

He launched himself forward—just like before—but this time, when Reznor stomped his foot to create another shockwave, Katsu didn't try to dodge.

The explosion of sound ripped through the ground, but Katsu was already airborne, twisting mid-air to land on a thick tree branch above.

Reznor looked up, surprised. "Huh."

Katsu didn't give him time to react. He kicked off the branch, flames erupting from his feet, rocketing himself straight down.

His fist, wreathed in fire, came down like a meteor.

A sonic boom exploded from his palms—but Katsu was already bracing for it. He shifted mid-air, angling his flames to push through the shockwave.

A fiery explosion erupted on impact, sending both of them skidding backward.

Katsu landed, panting. "How's that for a beat drop?"

Reznor wiped a trickle of blood from his chin. Then he grinned. "Not bad." He cracked his neck. "Alright, kid. You've got my attention."

He took a step forward. The air around him hummed with energy.

"Let's see how long you can keep up."

Katsu gritted his teeth. Oh, this guy was just getting started.

Chapter 5: Burning Against the Beat