After 30 minutes more of waiting, more students came to class. Since there is no teacher, they clamored and shared stories among themselves. It has always been like this for the class, their instructor-cum-professor doesn't attend his classes. He only met his class on the first day, then neglected the rest of the month.

I can't sleep with the noise, so I chose to idly train myself inwardly— to move the organs inside my body as some form of exercise: moving the heart from left to right, artificially breathing through the skin, and reciting the plots of Mutagenic Medieval with superhuman speed.

The time Alfir finished his exercise, a teacher suddenly appeared in front of the class. His choice of clothing is unrefined and far from dignity. He wears a loosely tied necktie over his untucked polo shirt with a mismatch of black pants and gray shoes.

Professor Marius, the illusionist, is a Magical-grade hero that uses the power of misdirection. He is an intuitive type that specializes in martial arts, power interference, trap making, and infiltration. He is another outlier that defies common sense.

What's up with this school? Is it a tradition to produce outliers in this place?

Marius is Merrick's rival, a black-haired slacker from the imperial family. He is a problem child, but it's not his attitude that's the core of the problem but his black hair. Despite being a son of the emperor, born of a mother from a ducal house, Marius was born with black hair. This is nothing but a disgrace for the imperial family.

"You wannabe heroes are a disappointment." He said in a domineering tone. He sat at his chair, then placed his feet on top of it.

His sudden appearance caused the students to stir. They are for once, are angered by an academy instructor, someone they should respect to great extent. I am also stirred, but for a different reason. The villainy speech event is happening.

Marius is Merrick's total opposite, rival, and counterpart. While Merrick has a strong sense of justice, Marius is a total jackass. While Merrick is a competitive professional, Marius is an abhorrent incompetent. Though it's a facade, this character of Marius is not baseless at all. Even as an illusion, it also possesses truths that speak poorly of Marius's attitude.

"Did you not remember the orientation, my orientation? There are only two rules to this classroom. One, the moment you enter this room, you are expected to self-study. Two, you are not to disturb the self-studying sessions of others, so you are expected to be QUIET in the duration you are here... Look, that guy with the pillow gets it—"

My fellow students looked at me with contempt thinking that I am responsible for fueling Marius's shenanigans.

"My dear students, everyone in this class failed to do the first and the second, such a disappointment," Marius said in a playful voice, successfully irritating its listeners.

"But you didn't even attend our classes!"

"Yeah, how would you know that?"

The students started a ruckus, with Lorie at its center.

"You don't even care if we learn or not. You are the worst. What kind of teacher doesn't even attend his own class?"

Lorie said with gritted teeth. She must be scared since she is aware of how dangerous Marius is... To my mind alone, I felt blondie is still underestimating Marius.

Marius, that guy, made the Imperial Palace vanish with a thought— he is at that level of monstrosity. He made the Imperial palace invisible leaving its inhabitants panicking. Marius did it when he was just a juvenile, a 15-year-old who doesn't give a damn about his reputation.

Marius stared at Lorie so hard, I thought I heard Lorie squeak like a rat. It was a funny sound.

"Is that how you talk to your uncle, Lorie?"

Lorie backed away a step in fear. She should be, her luck won't save her if Marius decides to abracadabra her.

"You kids are lucky. You have an academy to go to... To learn stuff that experience can't teach you alone."

"Tsk. Says the man who teaches nothing." Pierre said in derision. Marius simply glanced at purple hair, then he was gone. The class was forced into silence.

How did he do that?

Where is Pierre?

I know that wherever it is... It's not a fancy place, the world of darkness isn't a good place to be at.

"There are three types of villains in this world: monster, human... Then there is me..."

His voice sounded illusory just like the ephemeral visage he is displaying. Just a while ago, he was sitting there. Now, he is standing on top of the table. Marius loved theatrics even though he lacks style. He is incredibly meticulous contrary to the lazy persona he usually displays.

"Villains are something we blame for a particular problem or difficulty, this is the monster definition."

Marius smiled with his white teeth showing. It was a reassuring sight if you can ignore the fact Marius is deriving amusement from fooling everyone's eyes. Too bad they thought wrongly. This won't be as religious as a lesson should be.

"Monsters are creatures of mysterious origins whose humanity is either revoked or inexistent in the first place. They are villains because they pose a great threat to humanity."

To show a demonstration, Marius summoned a projection screen just below him. It was a white sheet of tarpaulin, a projector screen. There, images of monsters devastating the people, goblins committing rape, slimes devouring villages, and all sorts of heinous acts are played in motion.

"Villains by definition are evil. They are a person who does bad things, thus explains the human definition."

The video changed to humans of various origins, tyrants and criminals alike. They wage war, sow strife, and contribute to chaos with a mindless desire for self-interests.

"They come in all kinds of skin be it a terrorist, revolutionary, corrupt rulers, or even the smallest thief."

The light dimmed further showcasing Marius's smile. I looked where the light is coming from, it is to our rear, hung in the ceiling. The box, projector, emitting the light continued to roll its tape. It looked like the old model of projectors in my old world but its performance trounces many HD projectors I know.

"Then there are antagonists, villains, a character in a story whose very existence detests heroes— that's me."

This is Marius speaking from his experience. Marius's beliefs are a complicated paradox of villainy and heroism into one. He perfectly fits an anti-hero, and sometimes, an anti-villain.

"In the duration of the year, you maggots will be staying with me, I shall become the villain that you shall strive to slay."

It's here... It's finally starting. I took my pillow, then opened the biggest cabinet in the back inconspicuously. The academy has big cabinets like this that can fit people inside. Nice, the cabinet is empty. I went inside, then left the cabinet open by a centimeter. This way, I will have enough air to breathe. I laid my pillow while I slept in in a C, then fell asleep with a speed worthy of a sloth.

***

"Land a hit on me, then I will let you pass with a perfect grade. I will call it the sole exam of the year. I won't fight back. I will just stand here, unmoving, and will receive your attacks without retaliating."

The students shared curious looks among themselves. Lorie stepped forward—

"Let me try."

"Hahahaha! I would still be fine if all of you attack at once."

Marius gave a condescending look to Lorie.

Lorie found strength in herself to oppose this enigma. Lorie is aware that Marius is a mischievous deceiver. What makes Marius a dangerous liar is that despite all of his deceptions, he never even once broke a promise in his lifetime. So if Marius made a promise, it is almost a guarantee that he will never break it.

She breathed in and out. The assessment didn't allow the use of special artifacts, so Lorie wasn't able to exhibit her full power.

As a specialized artifact user, she felt immense joy that she is now able to showcase her abilities as one. Her compatriots have special moves featuring their Special Abilities, while Lorie remained to be the girl without any flashy moves.

She summoned her Emerald Estoc from her inventory necklace. An Estoc is an edgeless sword, but its tip is quite deadly given its piercing properties. Of course, it can also cut but to a standard human, Estoc for cutting is too inefficient. But Lorie ain't any normal human, like how her sword isn't any normal weapon.

EMERALD DRAGON'S THRUST!

Lorie's luck enveloped her thrust. It's as if an almighty dragon is rushing toward Marius. This is an extension of Lorie's Special Ability, which allows her to summon inherent forces from the materials used in her weapon. Her swordsmanship is called Artifact Assimilation, it is swordsmanship that perceives every human tool as a sword.

Her Emerald Estoc is made from an Emerald Dragon's lifeblood and bones. Plus several more legendary ingredients.

It was such a devastating attack. But it can't reach Marius. The thrust miserably missed destroying half of the blackboard just by Marius's rear. Cracks started to appear from the center of collision to the walls.

The students guffawed at the sight, not because of Lorie's destructiveness but because of Marius's calm. That sight resembles how Lorie's opponents keep on missing their targets, just like in the assessment.

"Is that the best you can do? Haha-haha-heheheehee~ you. are. a. disappointment!" Marius is laughing with tears as if what he witnessed was truly funny.

LĒOHT: BERSTAN LASER

It was as sudden as it's deadly. A burst of light as thin as a pen streaked passed within a melee second. Cain felt that he is off-center thanks to Marius's supernatural Special Ability of misdirection.

So Cain adapted according to the situation.

LĒOHT: SUNLIGHT EXPLOSION!

He made the penetrative orb of light explode in mid-air when it reached Marius's range. The explosion was indiscriminate, cleanly destroying what is remaining of the blackboard, while adding more cracks to the walls. Marius stood without any faltering.

Cain frowned for he entirely missed again. The dust is scattered everywhere obscuring the vision of everyone.

Deron stood silently at Marius's rear concentrating inwardly. He sneaked his way here with careful positioning. Then he unleashed it, his fastest attack ever.

BRAVERY BLADE: CRIMSON FLASH!

Alas, he felt nothing. When his sword touched Marius, there was nothing. It's like hitting air.

"Nice try, but at this state, your sword will never reach me."

The students' egos were stimulated. They wanted to try. They wanted to see Marius be defeated, though the prospects of success are low, they will try.

"Come at me maggots. Show me what you got!"

"MARIUS, IN MY OFFICE NOW!"

"Huh?"

That was how the day ended. While I slept in my abode with comfiness, Marius was trashing the classroom. Though he claims it was the students who did it, the principal won't leave him just be. The principal personally walked to the classroom, just to tell Marius to meet him in his office.

***

"That will be coming from your paycheck."

"But—"

"No buts. You know that we have training facilities for this kind of teaching. You just can't trash the classroom!"

"Oooh. But princi—"

"Go, I still have other matters to attend to."

"Wait, that's it? Are you not going to reprimand me for neglecting my class or something, the professors are gossiping, and I am a new teacher too— they are worried about nepotism and—"

Armin Kelon interrupted Marius's words with a stare. With an exasperated voice, the principal said—

"Who do you think I am? Huh?! I can see more than what you can see. Sure, I can't see you with your invisible cape on. But if you think that I am unaware that you are 'attending' your class, you are gravely mistaken!"

Marius is surprised by the principal's words. It's true, he has been attending the class for the past month, as an invisible figure though, but this is his way of observing.

Honestly, Marius is still on the fence about whether he will teach or not. Marius is kinda forced to take this job under the name of demotion and a penalty. He is also a graduate of Heromaker Academy, this is the only reason why he is considering if he should teach or not.

He walked off without saying a word to the principal.

***

"Is he gone?"

"Why are you asking me? I can't literally see him! When he wants to conceal himself, I wouldn't know."

The principal answered the voice under his table. It was Jimmy Simmons.

"Tell me, Jimmy, why are you hiding there?"

"Well, I was waiting for you, principal. Then I saw you bringing Marius here so I panicked. You know our chemistry, right?"

Jimmy extricated himself from under the table. He dusted his leather coat with a pat.

"So what is it?"

"Principal, about Alfir... His information, everything about him is fake."

On this day, the principal has finally set his eyes on Alfir.

***

Jimmy exited the principal's office ready to return to his original job.

"So it was you..."

He felt goosebumps, it is such a bad day to live. Jimmy reluctantly looked where the voice is coming from.

"Oh, Marius. Long time no see..."

"You're running errands now for Armin Kelon."

"Come on, respect the principal a little bit. He is the principal! So call him principal!"

Marius grabbed Jimmy's collar to raise Jimmy's eyes to his eye level.

"Because of you, my plans of being fired in a judicial and acceptable manner is ruined, do you want me to gouge your eyes?"

"No. No, no. I am here for writing a news article, Kay?"

"..."

Jimmy with his truth-peering powers can see Marius in his invisible state. Though Jimmy's powers don't totally contradict Marius, their polarity caused the two to have a very volatile relationship.

Archnemesis, that's what Marius and Merrick call Jimmy. Yes, Merrick too, thinks that Jimmy is his polarity.

"If you want to make it up to me, treat me to a meal will you."

Marius placed his arm over Jimmy's neck as if a gang member coercing its victim. Marius is very unrefined, far from the image of an imperial. His hooligan behavior towards Jimmy is his real self. Though he's as much a hooligan towards his students, Marius is pretty chill for a person.

***

TRIVIA!

Marius AKA Misguided Mage— He is mischievous on top of annoying. Though he appears lazy and incompetent, it's all just a facade to protect himself from the political maneuvering of the empire. He likes to annoy people, to the point heroes and villains are having a hard time associating with him. He is another outlier that you don't want to mess with.

"What a drag... Let me sleep..."

His special ability is a mixture of psychic, concept, and skill— the power of misdirection. He can do stuff ranging from invisibility, manipulating attention, diverting attention, and hindering one's senses. He can even shut down an individual's senses if he wills it.

At 51% potential.