Chapter 18 – The Unexpected Sister & The Crimson Sky

Day 1

Katsu lay in bed, his body still drained from his overuse of flames. Across from him, the "maid" sat on a chair, her small legs barely touching the ground. She had been staring at him for what felt like an eternity.

"…Uh, can I help you?" Katsu finally asked.

She said nothing, just kept staring.

Katsu, confused and a little unnerved, decided to get some answers. "So… what's your name?"

The girl responded in a calm, monotone voice. "Akiko Shepard."

Katsu blinked. That name sounded way too familiar. He thought for a moment, then his eyes widened in realization.

"Wait… Shepard? As in—"

"Yes," she interrupted.

"You don't mean—"

"Yes."

"Simon Shepard!?"

"Yes."

"His little sister!?"

Akiko sipped her tea. "Older sister."

Katsu's brain short-circuited.

The sheer shock nearly sent him back into unconsciousness. "Y-You're joking, right? That guy is like, twice your size! And you're—"

"Older."

Katsu felt like his soul was leaving his body. It made no sense! Was Simon cursed? Was she cursed? Was this some kind of illusion technique? His mind raced with theories, but Akiko didn't seem interested in explaining further. Instead, she casually stood up and began preparing a meal for him.

As the night fell, Katsu lay there, still trying to process what he had just learned. "I really need to ask Simon about this…"

⸻

Day 2

Morning came, and Katsu found himself dragged—literally dragged—out of bed.

"You need to learn how to move without relying on your flames," Akiko stated.

Katsu groaned. "Can't I have another day to rest? I—AHHHH!"

Without warning, Akiko tossed him across the room. Katsu barely managed to roll upon landing.

"Lesson one: walking."

"This is abuse!" Katsu shouted.

Akiko ignored him.

What followed was the most miserable day of Katsu's life. He stumbled, tripped, fell flat on his face—again and again. Every time he tried to cheat and use even a hint of his flame power, Akiko would give him a silent but deadly glare that made his soul shrink.

Hours passed.

Katsu screamed.

More hours passed.

Katsu kept screaming.

By nightfall, he collapsed on the floor, panting. Akiko simply nodded in approval. "Good progress."

Katsu, lying there like a broken man, groaned, "I hate this."

⸻

Day 3 

By the third day, Katsu could finally move his body properly. He stretched, feeling sore all over but at least functional.

Akiko quietly washed the dishes when the door opened.

Simon walked in.

Katsu, startled, sat up. "Oh, hey, you're finally back! Where the hell have you been!?"

Simon leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Had to take care of some business."

"WHAT!?!"

"Had to pay Akiko."

Katsu looked at Akiko, who casually kept washing dishes like nothing happened. "Wait, you charged him!?"

Akiko nodded. "My time is valuable."

Simon shook his head. "She drained my wallet dry. Had to take more missions just to recover."

Katsu still couldn't believe it. "That's insane! Why would you even—"

A loud trumpet suddenly blared across the city.

The three of them froze.

Akiko glanced out the window and, in an eerily calm voice, said, "It has started."

The sky turned red.

A massive crimson symbol appeared above, glowing ominously. Then, from the streets below, a massive army of over 3,000 Rankers stormed through the city. Their weapons gleamed under the blood-red sky as they spread out, attacking everything in sight.

At the front of the invasion, two figures stepped forward.

One was a man with gray hair, a blue shirt, and black pants. He looked to be in his late twenties. He gazed at the chaos with an amused expression before speaking.

"The government has sent us M-Rankers to wipe out this city, Ember city. Please refrain from attacking"

The name's Chad Kawasaki. Rank M-1.

Next to him, a more sinister-looking man smirked.

Bethalamoew. Rank M-3.

Katsu, still processing what was happening, muttered, "M-rank…"

The city erupted in screams. The invading Rankers mercilessly cut down citizens, buildings collapsed in flames, and bodies piled up in the streets.

Amidst the chaos, Simon observed the two M-rankers, a dangerous smirk forming on his face.

"…Interesting."

Akiko, still calm, turned to Katsu.

"Get ready," she said.

The war for Ember City had begun.