CHAPTER 24: MY STEPSISTER’S BEST FRIEND IS MY NEW BIGGEST FAN

I sat in the living room, thumb flicking through a feed of Hunter gate clear live streams. The morning news murmuring about another Gate Break in the Agriculture District. All background noise to the real mission on my mind.

I wore simple workout gear – black compression shirt that showed off my rapidly improving physique, loose training pants, and new running shoes. The last physical traces of "Fat Fuck Satori" were melting away. I still had a way to go, but the transformation was undeniable.

The sound of a door opening pulled my attention from the tablet. Natalia emerged from her room looking like she’d been hit by a truck. Dark circles ringed her eyes. Her hair was pulled into a hasty ponytail. Her outfit – training leggings and a loose purple tank top – looked thrown together.

"You look like shit," I said cheerfully.

She shot me a venomous glare. "Shut up. I didn’t sleep well."

"Bad dreams?" I asked, my tone innocent while I remembered the noises coming from her room last night. The muffled moans. The crash of something falling.

Her cheeks flushed pink. "I said shut up."

I raised an eyebrow but didn’t push further. Her gaze darted to my chest, then away, her blush deepening.

"Ready to test that fancy new ring?" I nodded toward her hand, where the Cryo-Lich Ring glinted with an otherworldly blue light.

"That’s the plan." She fidgeted with the strap of her gym bag. "Look, about yesterday—"

The doorbell chimed. Natalia’s entire body went rigid.

"You expecting someone?"

"Um, yeah. My friend Emi might be joining us."

Might. Sure.

"Emi Aoyama? The one with the blue hair who’s always posting selfies from Genesis Gym?"

Natalia’s eyes narrowed. "How do you know what Emi looks like?"

I shrugged. "Your Snapgram. You tag her in half your posts."

The doorbell rang again, this time accompanied by rapid knocking.

"Nat! Open uuuup!" A voice sing-songed from the hallway.

Natalia closed her eyes briefly, like she was praying for strength, then moved to the door.

The moment it opened, hurricane Emi blew in.

"Nat! You ready to—" The blue-haired girl skidded to a halt, her sentence dying mid-word as her eyes landed on me.

Emi Aoyama was exactly what her social media suggested – vibrant, curvy, and radiating the kind of cheerful energy that usually made me want to find the nearest exit. Her sapphire hair bounced in a half-ponytail, and her workout clothes – pink sports bra and high-waisted leggings – showed off a figure that would’ve given the original Satori a nosebleed.

Her jaw went slack as she stared at me.

"Whoa," she breathed. "Are you really Satori."

I smiled, the predator in me recognizing potential prey. "And you must be Emi. Natalia’s mentioned you."

Emi broke into a dazzling grin. "All good things, I hope!"

"Absolutely not," I replied.

She laughed. "Honesty! I like it!" Her eyes scanned me from head to toe, making no attempt to hide her appraisal. "Nat, you didn’t tell me your stepbrother was hot now."

"EMI!" Natalia hissed, mortification written across her face.

"What? He is!" Emi circled me like I was a sculpture in a museum. "Seriously, what happened? Nat said you were... um..."

"A disgusting fatass?" I supplied helpfully.

Emi had the decency to look embarrassed. "I was going to say ’different.’"

"You can say it. I was a mess." I kept my tone light. "Decided it was time for a change."

"Well, mission accomplished." Emi grinned, then turned to Natalia. "Why didn’t you tell me? This is huge!"

Natalia looked like she wanted the floor to swallow her whole. "Can we just go? I booked the training room for nine."

"Yes! The ring! Show me!" Emi grabbed Natalia’s hand, examining the Cryo-Lich Ring with exaggerated awe. "Oh my god, it’s gorgeous! Worth every credit!"

I caught Natalia’s eye over Emi’s head. She looked trapped between irritation and relief at the change of subject.

"You’re the one with the healing Aspect, right?" I asked Emi as we headed for the door.

Her face lit up. "You know about my Aspect?"

"Natalia mentioned it. C-Rank supportive healing, area effect. Valuable as hell in a team setting."

"That’s right!" Emi beamed, clearly pleased to be recognized for her abilities. "Aura of Respite. It’s not flashy like Nat’s telekinesis, but—"

"But it’s the difference between a team surviving or dying in a high-level Gate," I finished. "Support Aspects are underrated."

Emi looked at me like I’d just handed her the moon. Natalia’s scowl deepened.

"Exactly! That’s what I always say!" Emi linked her arm through mine as we walked toward the elevator. "So, are you excited for the academy entrance exams? Nat says you’ve been training like crazy!"

Natalia made a strangled noise behind us.

"When I decide to do something, I commit. I’ve got a lot to prove."

The elevator doors opened, and we stepped inside. Natalia pressed herself against the far wall, as far from us as the small space allowed.

"So how did you lose all that weight so fast?" Emi asked, still attached to my arm. "You look completely different from the pictures Nat showed me from New Year’s."

"Diet change, consistent workouts, and pure stubbornness," I replied. "Plus, discovering I have an Aspect gave me extra motivation."

Emi gasped, her eyes growing impossibly wide. "You have an ASPECT? But Nat said you were a Zero!"

"I was. Late manifestation during our Gate run. Fire manipulation."

"No way!" Emi bounced on her toes. "Can you show me? Please?"

"Not in an elevator," Natalia snapped. "For god’s sake, Emi."

"Later," I promised. "It’s still new. I’m learning control."

The elevator reached the ground floor, and we stepped out into the morning sunshine. The transit station was a short walk away.

"So what’s your routine?" Emi asked as we walked.

"Morning cardio, strength training four times a week, martial arts three times a week. I’m making up for lost time."

"That’s amazing!" Emi gushed. "Most people wouldn’t have that kind of dedication."

Natalia walked a few steps ahead of us, her shoulders tight with tension.

"You said you felt fire during the Gate run?" Emi continued, her questions relentless. "What was that like? Was it scary? Did it hurt?"

I described the awakening of my "Aspect" – a carefully constructed story about feeling heat building in my palms, the surge of power, the instinctive release of flame. Emi hung on every word while Natalia walked faster, clearly trying to escape the conversation.

We boarded the maglev train to the training facility, Emi claiming the seat next to me while Natalia stood by the door, pretending to check her phone.

"So, Satori," Emi leaned close, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "What’s it like living with Nat? Is she as neat-freaky at home as she is at school?"

I chuckled. "Worse. You should see her organize the fridge."

"I knew it! She color-codes her notes in every class!"

"She color-codes the towels in the bathroom."

Emi giggled. "That’s so Nat!" She glanced at Natalia, who was determinedly ignoring us. "She complains about you a lot," she whispered playfully, "but I think she secretly likes the new you."

A notification appeared in my vision:

\[New target designated ’Emi Aoyama.’ Threat Level: Low. Potential Asset: High.\]

I had to suppress a smile. The System was getting ahead of itself.

"I don’t know about that," I replied, keeping my voice low. "We have a complicated history."

"History can change," Emi said with a wink. "Trust me, I know Nat better than anyone."

The train slowed at our stop. As we stood to exit, I caught Natalia watching us in the reflection of the door. Her expression was a storm of conflicting emotions – anger, confusion, and something else. Something that looked almost like jealousy.

Perfect.