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 groaned as his senses slowly returned. His body felt like it had been set on fire—which, given his last memory, wasn't far from the truth. His eyelids felt heavy, his muscles ached, and his head pounded like a drum.

He forced his eyes open, blinking against the soft glow of lantern light. The scent of tea leaves and herbs filled the air. He was lying in a bed, a thin blanket draped over him, in what looked like—

A voice from across the room answered, smooth and calm.

"Morning, sleepyhead." A pause. "Or should I say afternoon?"

Katsu turned his head—Simon was sitting at a small wooden table, casually pouring tea into a cup. He didn't even look up as he spoke.

"Wha—" Katsu groaned, trying to sit up. "How long was I out?"

Simon took a slow sip before answering. "A week."

Katsu froze. "A week?!" He almost shot out of bed, but his body immediately protested. "Ugh—no way. That's—wait—" His eyes widened. "Reznor! What happened to—?"

Simon sipped his tea again. "I killed him."

Katsu stared. "…Oh." A pause. "Well, thanks for catching me, I guess."

Simon smirked. "Of course. Can't let my new teammate die before he's useful."

Katsu frowned. "Wait, what do you mean by—"

Before he could finish, Simon suddenly looked at him with a curious expression. "That reminds me. What's your rank?"

Simon nodded. "Yeah. Rankers all get assigned one. The stronger you are, the better your rank."

Katsu sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Uh… well, I just registered before heading into the forest, so… I got the lowest possible rank."

Simon raised an eyebrow. "How low?"

Katsu groaned, muttering under his breath.

Simon blinked. Then blinked again.

"Hey, shut up!" Katsu snapped. "I just started!"

Simon smirked. "Yeah, yeah. Relax. Not like ranks matter too much yet." He leaned back in his chair. "Still, since you're new, let me explain how it works."

He took another sip of tea before continuing.

"There are 26 rank sections, starting from Z (the weakest) all the way to A (the strongest). Each section has 10 tiers, from 10 (lowest) to 1 (highest)."

Katsu nodded slowly. "Okay… so someone who's, like, A-1 is basically a god?"

Simon chuckled. "Pretty much. A-1s are the strongest people alive—rulers, legends, monsters. Even A-10 is leagues above normal rankers."

Katsu sighed. "And I'm literally at the bottom."

Simon leaned forward slightly. "Me, on the other hand? I'm M-2."

"That means I'm a country-level threat." Simon smirked. "People call me Sheep of a King."

Katsu frowned. "…That's the dumbest nickname I've ever heard."

Simon's smirk faltered. "Shut up."

Katsu chuckled before sighing. "Alright, alright. So, what now? Am I just supposed to rank up?"

Simon finished his tea and stood. "Pretty much. But I have a better idea."

Katsu raised an eyebrow. "…What?"

Simon crossed his arms. "We make a party."

Katsu blinked. "Like… a Ranker party?"

Simon nodded. "Yeah. Think about it. Rankers team up all the time, and you're not half-bad. With training, you might actually be worth something."

Simon ignored him. "We need a name."

Katsu thought for a moment. Then, he grinned. "How about… Raiders?"

Simon smirked. "Raiders, huh?" He thought about it for a second, then nodded. "Alright. Sounds good."

He extended a hand. "Welcome to Raiders."

Chapter 7: The Lowest of the Low