Arthur slid the spear back onto his back. Without raising his voice, but with absolute certainty, he declared:
"Class is over."
He stepped back, his blue eyes gleaming through the mask as they swept across the crowd one last time. That gaze was like a seal carved into the very stone floor. The students held their breath, then slowly began to disperse in silence.
But silence didn't last long. From the crowd, whispers began to rise:
"He dropped Gilbert with a single move…"
"Who is this man? Nothing like this has ever happened before!"
"Why won't he take off his mask? Maybe he's a criminal hiding his face!"
A group of girls whispered excitedly among themselves:
"Did you see his eyes? They were so cold it stole my breath away."
"I… I was enchanted. But at the same time, terrified."
"I wonder if he's married… would someone like that even look at a student?"
Meanwhile, Gilbert's closest friends tried to lift him off the ground. He growled through clenched teeth:
"Master Gilbert was distracted, that's all!"
"Yeah, yeah! If he had another chance, he'd crush that masked man!"
But there was doubt in their voices. Even they couldn't ignore the difference they had just witnessed.
The Main Group's Reactions
The core group had gathered around a stone bench in the Academy's garden. Silence lingered until Amanda finally spoke.
Amanda narrowed her eyes.
"His words still echo in my head: 'You're not worthy to see my face.' Was that mockery… or a warning?"
Kevin crossed his arms.
"A warning. Gilbert acted like an idiot, and everyone saw it. To attack without knowing who stood before him… it was suicide."
Melissa pursed her lips, her tone sharp and cold.
"A B+ rank, defeated in a single move. That wasn't just power—it was technique, mastery. The masked man… he's on another level. Frankly, if he's going to teach us, we'd be fools not to take advantage of it."
Emma pressed her hands to her knees, whispering softly.
"But… his gaze felt… familiar. I don't know why, but… it was like I've seen it before."
Jin clenched his fist, his face twisted with anger.
"Familiar or not, I don't care. But I won't sit by while a stranger humiliates us all. This Academy is where we prove our worth, not where outsiders cast their shadows over us."
Amanda frowned.
"If you think it was humiliation, you're mistaken. It was a way of forcing us to accept the truth. The gulf between his level and ours is immeasurable."
Melissa added coolly:
"Jin, you're letting your emotions cloud you. The masked man wasn't trying to crush us—he was testing us. You know it too. Gilbert was simply the example."
Kevin's voice was steady, decisive.
"Say what you like, but don't forget this: if that man truly teaches us the art of combat, our chances of surviving this Academy will rise. That's what matters to me."
The group fell silent again. Each of them recalled the weight of that masked gaze. The pressure still lingered, heavy in their chests.
Ren's Inner Thoughts
Ren walked apart from the others, his head lowered, hands buried in his pockets.
"This wasn't in the novel… Gilbert's challenge, his defeat—none of it existed. My presence is breaking the chains."
He stopped for a moment, holding his breath.
"But the strangest part… that gaze. Cold, sharp… yet familiar. As if it touched my very heart. Why… why does it feel so familiar? Is my fate tied to his?"
Ren clenched his fists.
"I don't know… but if that masked man truly has a role in my destiny, then I won't run from it. No matter what."
Donna's Inner Thoughts
From the sidelines, Donna watched the students disperse. Though her lips curved in a mocking smile, her mind was far more serious.
"Douglas was right. This stranger is no ordinary man. His strength, his technique… he didn't just crush Gilbert—he put every student in their place. He didn't only inspire fear; he sparked curiosity and respect at the same time. Few masters can achieve that."
She tilted her head, her gaze fixed on Arthur's retreating back.
"I didn't expect him to reveal his power so openly in the very first lesson. But he did, and the impact was immense. In the eyes of the students, he's no longer just a teacher. He's become a figure… the Masked Spearmaster. But this power… why here? Arthur… what is your plan?"
Rumors in the Academy
An hour later, the halls, dorms, and cafeterias of the Academy buzzed with the same gossip.
"The new instructor wears a mask!"
"I saw it—he dropped Gilbert in a single strike!"
"He must be a criminal! Why else hide his face?"
"No, he's a hero! He's only protecting his identity!"
"At the end, he looked straight at me… I swear I'm still trembling."
"My heart's still racing. Training with someone like him… it's terrifying but exciting."
Students debated in their cliques, rumors spreading like wildfire. And so, within Lock Academy, a new name was born: the Masked Spearmaster.
AUTHOR NOTE:
You can motivate me to write more by giving me power stones