Martial Demons Ascension

The classroom was already alive with low chatter when Millis settled into his seat. He leaned back casually, half-listening to the conversations flowing around him A few students at his table were speaking in lowered tones, their eyes darting toward him now and then He didn't need to strain to catch the gist it was the same mix of awe and wariness that had started following him around.

The incident with Rhyka had only been two days ago, but that was more than enough time for the story to spread, warp, and settle into a comfortable narrative. Rhyka's name had been dragged through the dirt in every hallway and lunch break People whispered it like it was a punchline, sometimes not even whispering.

"Magicless mutt," one boy had called him yesterday in the corridor, loud enough for half the class to hear.

"Poor pup finally got put down," someone else had laughed during lunch.

Millis hadn't started those comments, but he hadn't exactly stopped them either At first, the surge of attention had been intoxicating. The same students who used to treat him like just another face were suddenly making space for him, watching him when he spoke, waiting for his reactions The air around him felt different charged.

But now, sitting there and feeling the low hum of unease that came whenever his name came up, he realized it wasn't all enjoyable The complete dismantling of Rhyka's standing almost made him feel… bad Almost.

So, he'd found himself using a neat little excuse "Don't even bring up that magicless pup around me" It let him pretend he was above it all, that he wasn't interested in the humiliation In reality, it kept the dirt from splattering on him.

Hella, on the other hand, had no such reservations.

She was seated just a little closer to Millis than usual today, her chair angled toward him Every so often she'd lean in, making a small comment or asking some harmless-sounding question The corners of her lips were always tilted in that sly, knowing way that told him she was enjoying this far more than she let on.

Millis wasn't used to this kind of attention from a girl The light brush of her arm against his when she leaned closer, the way her gaze lingered just a beat longer than normal it all made him feel strangely unsteady And he folded almost instantly He started talking more than he meant to, doing little things to keep her focus on him.

It didn't take much Just enough to keep the connection alive, to let her slip deeper into his orbit.

And it worked for her.

With Millis as a visible ally or at least a partner in conversation Hella's own social standing had only solidified The little cuts she delivered to others, the subtle digs and open jabs nobody had pushed back in the last two days Her bullying had met almost no resistance, and she took full advantage

Rin, sitting a few rows away, was in her own quiet good mood.

Her pen tapped lightly against her notebook as she glanced out the window. The day was bright, and so was her mood The memory of Eto lying for her still warmed her from the inside, that little moment where someone had taken her side without hesitation. It had shifted something in her, made the classroom feel just a little more comfortable.

And then there was the matter of Rhyka the so-called lone wolf whose pride had been stripped clean in front of everyone Without his usual presence, without the bite in his voice or the edge in his gaze, the class felt different Lighter Rin wasn't one to say much openly, but she could admit to herself that she enjoyed this new atmosphere.

The wolf had lost his fangs, and no one seemed in a hurry to give them back.

At the very back of the classroom, Rinnte sat alone.

His face was calm, almost expressionless, but the air around him carried a weight that made people keep their distance.

He'd become something of a pariah in the last two days Not because of anything he'd done to them directly, but because everyone knew he'd been the one to inform Professor Emmet about what the class had done to Rhyka Worse, when the rest of the students had banded together to protect each other by lying, he'd refused.

The unspoken rules of the classroom were clear: you don't turn on your own But Rinnte had done exactly that, and the result was that no one trusted him now Conversations stopped when he passed Chairs were angled slightly away from him Even his desk felt like an island at the far edge of the room.

Still, that wasn't what was weighing on him now.

His mind kept circling back to the things he'd said to Rhyka.

He'd told Rhyka to keep trying. To push forward despite everything the insults, the humiliation, the way the world itself seemed determined to crush him On the surface, it had been encouragement But if he looked at it honestly, maybe it had been something else Maybe it had been just another obstacle, another reminder of how far behind Rhyka really was.

The truth was cruel, but Rinnte didn't believe in softening it. And yet… even knowing that, he couldn't shake the guilt He had asked someone he admired truly admired to keep trying in a situation where the odds were so stacked against him that most would have walked away.

Of course, admiration wasn't something he gave out freely And some people had proven they didn't deserve it.

His gaze shifted across the room, landing on a girl sitting with her friends. Brownish-blonde hair fell in soft waves to her shoulders Her face was open, almost glowing radiant in a way that drew the eye She was only eleven, but she already carried herself like someone used to being noticed.

Eto.

Once, Rinnte had thought highly of her. She'd seemed eccentric, yes, but in a good way a hardworking girl who genuinely tried to connect with everyone, no matter their standing Someone who was willing to bridge the gaps others ignored.

That image was gone now.

In his eyes, she had revealed herself as nothing more than an attention-seeker. A person without real conviction Someone who would roll in the dirt if it meant keeping the admiration of her little clique.

Eto, for her part, didn't look radiant today.

She felt awful The guilt sat heavy on her shoulders, slowing her movements and twisting her stomach She could still picture the moment how she had frozen when she could have spoken up for Rhyka How she'd chosen her friends over justice for him.

It had been quick She hadn't had much time to decide Either her friends didn't get in trouble, or Rhyka got justice In her head, she'd told herself they could sort it out afterwards That there'd be time to explain, to repair But there hadn't been.

She had tried to speak to Rinnte after the incident, hoping to… she wasn't even sure. Explain? Apologize? But he had brushed her off without hesitation, his expression closed. That cold dismissal had stung more than she'd expected.

Eto knew Rinnte and Rhyka were two of the students she'd never really understood Both kept to themselves in different ways, both walked through the school as though on some private path no one else could follow. She'd always given Rhyka the benefit of the doubt his behavior was sharp and guarded, but she knew he had a difficult situation.

And now she wanted to apologize. Not just for herself, but on behalf of all of them She'd even beg if she had to.

But Rhyka hadn't returned to school since that day And until he did, all she could do was sit with the weight of her choice.