Disciple Cultivation System:All my students are legendary.

Art POV

"You are your own enemy."

My brother, a gentleman man, once uttered those cruel words to me.

I was at that stage of my life where I thought nothing mattered.

My siblings had far suppressed me and I had become the black sheep of our successful family.

My brother Lucas and his brilliance had long climbed the corporate ladder in his late twenties.

My sister Evelyn was following in his footsteps; as for me, I had no ambition or obligations to do so.

Riches, fame, and success never sounded interesting to me.

I would have rather preferred living a simple life, just lost in my own delusions.

I never lived up to my parents' expectations and finally, after years of being ignored, my brother finally spoke out.

"It wasn't our parents' expectations that crushed you… you're just a lazy bum. A fool who doesn't want to achieve his own potential because you're afraid of leaving your comfort zone."

Maybe back then, if I had listened instead of lashing back at him, it wouldn't have meant that witch.

I wouldn't have caught her interest.

I wouldn't have been sent to this world.

And I wouldn't have ruined it.

Leaning against the cold wall of the room, my heart ached and my tears spilled.

I wasn't particularly close to Cheshire, I had made sure she would hate me and grow through it.

I was a hypocrite who forced her out of her comfort zone, something I couldn't do.

And now she was dead… all because of me.

"You were right Lucas… I am a bum."

My legs collapsed as I fell to the ground in despair.

Kiara, still around, watched me with unmoving eyes.

She too thought the same.

Those cold eyes of hers were degrading me but…

"You aren't any better!" I spat out.

"You also ran."

"So I could…"

"So you could delegate your responsibility to me." I intervened before she could finish.

With her magic, she could have saved so much had she stayed back but she was a coward, just like me, who didn't want to put in the effort.

"I can't save anyone…"

I paused and flopped over from the floor to stare at the ceiling.

Kiara's gaze was still on me and I sensed there was more she wanted to say, but she couldn't without outing herself as a hypocrite.

"You can try Excalibur Institute. They got Sir Lancelot… heck, the crazy Mordred can pull his weight when he's serious, their sister school Arcane should have some powerful mages also."

The more names I recommended, the greater her anger grew.

Simply because none of them would help Legacy.

It wasn't because they were cruel but because they were wary.

If they so much as stepped out of their territory, they were afraid Pathfinder might wreak havoc, so they stayed back to guard their homes as they watched Legacy burn.

Folks who had known the headmistress for decades had turned their backs—what more me, who did so mere weeks or a few years if I counted the time where I thought of this world as a game.

"You know I've been watching you ever since your display against Miss Grim."

Raising off the couch, she strolled towards my body and sat beside me.

I kept my gaze fixated on her, pondering whether to respond or not… eventually I chose to.

"I know."

I didn't try to hide it.

From the moment I awoke my intent during my battle with Grim, many gazes landed on me.

Among them was Kiara, the granddaughter of the God of Magic, Magus.

She and Trish were two sides of the same coin, the only thing separating them was their role models.

One grew up with affection, breeding arrogance and cowardice.

The other was nurtured in disdain, birthing endurance and negativity.

Kiara was in a way my opposite… she never tried because people always saw her achievements as great.

While Trish was like my past self, she did her best yet never met the expectations of others.

"Trish!"

As I thought so, my mind wandered back to her confession.

"She liked me."

I didn't feel the same way… probably never would, but the thought of the girl who saw me as her object of affection dying scared me.

For the first time since Cheshire's death, I was filled with a desire to fight back.

"You're thinking about Trish, aren't you."

Perhaps by my mannerism, Kiara was able to deduce my thoughts.

Noticing she was about to continue, I found myself unable to speak.

I couldn't refute her statement nor challenge it.

"Ironic isn't it, she once betrayed the love and affection a poor girl gave her and now she will die, but this time betrayed by the only person she would ever love."

---

Art's pupils shrank after Kiara's statement.

His lips quivered and a haunting scenario rushed into his mind.

[Trish fatally wounded.]

A searing hot pain throbbed in his left eye followed by the flickering of his system.

[…???….. interve….. intervening….. altering scenario to preserve available assets.]

"…."

Kiara, watching Art grasp his right eye, paled but didn't stop.

The only way to convince him was via Trish, so she used it.

"How do you think your precious student will feel at the end? Hatred for you not coming to save her like that white-haired girl? Regret for ever loving a coward? Or disappointment, the kind she felt for her… argh…"

Before she could continue, Art's right hand snapped forward and grabbed her neck.

"…ugg…"

Tightening his hold until she began to choke, he glanced at her without warmth, his sapphire eyes glowing eerily.

"Fine, I'll play your game."

Releasing her just before she could pass out, he activated his skill [Med Kit] and healed the bruises his grip had made on her neck.

Just as he was done, Kiara gasped heavily for air before rubbing her neck in discomfort while staring at Art in anger.

Before she spoke, Art continued.

"You said there was a dent at the apex of the barrier, right?"

Kiara nodded.

"Good, I want you to teleport me to exactly that place and I'll handle the rest."