Chapter 63: Turning Point
' I'm pathetic-' is what Rocky felt the second he was left alone, as despite his public image as a champion and a genius, Rocky understood that at his core he was a pathetic nobody.
His image as a great warrior was not backed by his own skills and no matter how calm or cool he pretended to be, when things went outside his control, he was left exposed as the fraud that he was.
'I fainted just from seeing Erin turn purple…. Let alone surviving a gore battlefield, I'm not even mentally strong enough to see a poisoned patient.
So much for being the champion of Gemini-' Rocky thought self-deprecatingly as he felt immense embarrassment for not having control over his emotions.
'I'm a fraud…. A pathetic fraud' Rocky thought as he bit his tongue hard in anger, reflecting upon how there was nothing that he had achieved by himself.
His martial arts were bestowed on him by the system alongside his sword skills, while his own accomplishments were next to nothing.
In the entire fight against the assassin's, he was able to do nothing at all but pathetically stand motionless as Sophia got stabbed in the chest.
If he did not have the bracelet at that moment, then Rocky would have most likely died right there, jeopardizing the lives of Sophia, Erin and Buhara as well.
'Once again, I did not survive on my own strength…. I only survived because Pope Cole gave me a very powerful artifact,' Rocky thought as at this moment all his arrogance that he had built over the past few days from feeling invincible within the academy went down the drain.
He was a nobody.
He was not the first choice of the Gemini gods to become a champion.
He was not the genius that his batchmates viewed him to be.
He was not the leader that Erin and Buhara hoped he was.
And he was most certainly not the brother that Riva deserved.
'Huh- what was I even becoming arrogant for? What have I even accomplished? SSS talent? Powers that are not mine? Is that even something to be conceited over?' Rocky wondered, as the more he thought about it, the more disgusted he became with himself as he realized just how delusional and narcissistic he really was.
' I need to work harder, I need to gain power that's mine. Not the system's power, not the power granted by an artifact. I need to become the man I pretend I am, and the only way to do so is by working hard-' Rocky thought, as he clenched his fists and looked towards the unconscious Erin and Buhara.
While it was Sophia who attracted the trouble this time and not him, the fact of the matter remained that whoever was close to champions of gods, was bound to be the target of many big organizations, who were going to try their best to suppress them at a young age.
Perhaps revealing his identity under such circumstances was not the best choice that he had made, however, since he could not go back in time and reverse it, the only thing he could do now was to keep his head low and grow.
" I dragged Erin and Buhara into this mess…. By just being around me, they will always be in danger.
I can't be so pathetic that I can't protect them.
If they're in trouble because of me, the least I can do is be strong enough to protect them-" Rocky murmured out loud, as he resolved to himself that what happened to Riva, he would not let it happen to Erin or Buhara.
As for Sophia and the identity of the true perpetrators behind this event, that question baffled Rocky a lot, as this event had shattered his world view.
Before this event, he was of the opinion that Sophia was a sly bitch who was hiding her true self.
That she was definitely involved in the kidnapping of his sister, if not directly then indirectly and Rocky wanted to eliminate her at the first chance that presented itself.
However, after today his opinion changed.
He now doubted if there was an internal conflict inside Olympus and perhaps Sophia was not an enemy but a victim.
If her innocence could be established then Sophia could potentially turn into an ally for Rocky as he could team up with her to take down the Olympian faction that was holding his sister.
'Foolish thoughts once again Rocky, you can't kill an ant with your current strength, let alone take on Olympian factions.
First fucking become capable of stepping into the tower, then think about things like saving Riva or bringing Olympian factions to justice-' Rocky thought as he slammed his own train of thought that suggested him to investigate this incident and ally with Sophia if it could be done.
[ Strongest System Notification - The strongest system has detected that the 'Host' has reached an important point in self reflection and has decided to help the host build confidence in his own skills.
It has been decided that, from this day till hosts university graduation, the strongest system will not impart any direct skills upon the host and shall allow the host to develop by himself ]
[ Strongest System Quest Notification - A new system quest has been issued.
Quest Title - Reach First Rank In The University For Nourishment Of Young Talents and become the Valedictorian.
Quest Description - Train hard and excel with your own merits within the academy for the upcoming semester to claim the top spot.
Quest Rewards - Crucial Hint about the kidnapping of your sister, +?????
Failure Penalty - ???? ]
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/// A/N - There will be a second chapter later tonight. ///