Martial Demons Ascension

The next morning the classroom felt strangely heavy

Most of the students came in buzzing half expecting more tension to spill over after yesterday's sparring They whispered about who would have fought next how far Rhyka could've gone if Emmet hadn't stopped things whether Eto and Rinnte would have finally clashed

But when Emmet walked in Rhyka was with him

That alone was enough to make everyone fall silent

Rhyka wasn't sitting in his usual place He wasn't even holding his notebook He stood beside Emmet at the front of the room mask dangling loosely in one hand curved blade slung casually over his back His expression was unreadable but his posture was straight his chin tilted upward just slightly calm but carrying weight

Emmet cleared his throat gaze moving across the room

"There's something you all need to hear" he said his voice steady "Rhyka won't be continuing these lessons Effective immediately he is withdrawing from class"

The silence broke instantly

"What"

"You're kidding"

"Why would he after all that"

The room erupted in disbelief Faces twisted between shock confusion and anger

Yesterday Rhyka had walked out undefeated He'd stolen the spotlight from everyone He'd beaten opponents with no magic He'd mocked Hella scared Millis into silence and even forced Emmet to intervene Everyone had assumed he would bask in that aura for as long as possible squeezing every drop of superiority out of it

The idea that he was leaving simply leaving didn't make sense

Eto shot up from her seat palms pressed against her desk Her voice rose over the commotion

"Wait That doesn't make sense" she said eyes flicking between Rhyka and Emmet "We… we know things got out of hand before but if everyone apologises if we just set things right you don't have to do this You don't have to leave Just…" she faltered her voice dipping "…stay"

There was a faint pleading note at the end one that made several classmates glance at her uneasily

Rhyka finally moved

He raised his mask sliding it back over his face with deliberate calm then lifted his chin to address the room

"You still don't get it" he said flatly His voice carried not loud but clear enough that every corner of the classroom heard him "This was never about your apologies Not yours" he looked at Eto then swept his gaze across the others "not anyone's"

Some students bristled others shifted in their seats uncertain how to respond

"I'm not here to sit in this little room trading half hearted fights for the rest of my life I'm not here to fight for an ounce of respect or be the punching bag you all pat on the head after feeling guilty" His tone sharpened with every word "The world is bigger than this mountain Bigger than this village I've already seen the path ahead of me And that path doesn't run through this place"

His hand dropped to the hilt of his blade resting there casually as if to punctuate the statement

"I'm leaving the village Not today Not tomorrow But when the chance comes I'll be gone Out there on my own Living the way I choose Fighting the way I choose"

The room went deathly quiet

Some of the students stared at him with wide eyes their expressions caught between awe and disbelief Others scowled muttering about arrogance about how he thought he was too good for them A few actually looked uneasy as if his words had cracked something inside them the certainty that they'd all grow up in the same routines in the same small bubble of safety

Eto's hands tightened into fists at her sides She wanted to argue to insist again that if he just gave people time they would come around But when she looked into his eyes saw the calm certainty there the words withered on her tongue

Millis shifted uncomfortably relief warring with irritation Part of him was glad if Rhyka was leaving that was one less rival to humiliate him But another part bristled because Rhyka leaving meant Millis wouldn't get the chance to prove himself against him

Rinnte in contrast didn't move at all His eyes lingered on Rhyka longer than anyone else's studying the boy's face and stance watching not for words but for conviction And what he saw he respected Quietly

Emmet let the silence stretch before finally speaking again

"You've all heard it" he said "Rhyka's decision is his own Whether you respect it or not is irrelevant He won't be returning to these lessons"

His gaze flicked across the students one last time sharp as steel daring anyone to interrupt None did

Rhyka adjusted the blade across his back the mask catching the morning light as he turned toward the door

"This class has nothing left for me" he said not unkind but final "Try not to waste your time thinking otherwise"

And with that he walked out

The room stayed frozen for several long breaths after the door shut

Then the whispers began again louder than ever Speculation anger admiration denial His name filled the air like smoke that wouldn't clear

But for all their words the truth was simple

Rhyka was gone

And whether they admitted it or not that absence left the classroom change

The door had barely shut behind Rhyka when the room erupted

It was like a dam breaking voices crashing over one another students shouting from across the rows of desks no one waiting for anyone else to finish

"Is he serious He's really just leaving"

"He won't survive two days outside the village without magic"

"Why throw away the chance to be here just to wander off like some vagrant"

"I thought he wanted to prove himself here What changed"

The disbelief mixed with panic Some students laughed nervously others whispered in genuine concern their expressions tight Even those who had mocked him relentlessly before were unsettled The thought of someone their age someone who had no core trying to face the world alone was absurd

Eto stood quickly her voice carrying over the chatter

"Everyone stop"

She looked around the room her cheeks flushed eyes wide with urgency "Don't you get it He wouldn't have left if we hadn't pushed him away This is our fault my fault If I had said something that day if I hadn't…" her voice cracked for a moment before she forced it steady "…frozen things might be different"

She turned toward the back her gaze locking on Rinnte "Rinnte… I'm sorry I know I tried to explain before but I should've been braver I should've stood with him"

The class shifted uncomfortably at her outburst A few nodded but most simply looked away unwilling to confront the weight of what she was saying

Loretta sat straighter in her seat her arms folded tightly across her chest Her eyes had lost their usual glow

"I don't understand him" she muttered voice quieter than Eto's but carrying in the hush that followed "To have that much talent that much control and to throw it away like this He should have stayed He should have fought"

There was real disappointment in her tone but not just for Rhyka It was the disappointment of someone who wanted a rival someone who saw her own reflection sharpened in him and felt cheated when he stepped away

"Safety" one of the younger boys piped up nervously "What about his safety He's strong sure but without magic He won't last against real monsters or bandits or…"

"Yeah" another added quickly "We mock him but out there People won't care how good his footwork is Without magic he's meat"

A ripple of agreement spread Even those who disliked him nodded Concern began threading into their words even if none of them would call it caring

And then Rinnte spoke

He didn't raise his voice but the weight of it cut through the noise like a blade

"Hypocrites"

The room froze

Rinnte's sharp eyes scanned the rows of faces his expression calm but edged "You spent weeks mocking him You stood by while he was beaten down laughed at treated like less than human And now now you want to pretend you're worried for him"

A few students tried to speak but his glare silenced them

"You don't get to switch sides just because he walked away on his own terms" Rinnte continued his voice low but steady "You didn't respect him when he was here Don't start pretending now"

Silence fell heavy after his words

Several students looked down at their desks unable to meet his gaze A few shifted uneasily frowning but saying nothing Eto bit her lip guilt written across her face Loretta's arms tightened her eyes closing briefly

In the back Hella scoffed under her breath her smirk faint "Please He's just running away That's all he's good for"

But her words rang hollow in the stillness Rinnte had left behind