I’m a villain within the hero’s party

First subject Basics of Magic.

Good morning, young wizards. Welcome to the Basics of Magic. This subject will help you understand the essence of magic, its history, structure, power and its consequences.

Can anyone tell me the origin of magic?

Jin raised his hand as he stands up and said, "The origin of magic was still debatable but there are three plausible theories of its origin."

Professor Jordan uttered, "Correct, name one and explain."

Jin confidently recited, "Magic has existed because of four Gods that created it. God of Love, God of War, God of Wisdom and God of Nature. It's bestowed upon humanity to fight against evil and monsters."

Professor Jordan nodded as he said, "Correct, you may sit."

He asked, "Can anyone name the other theory?"

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Professor Jordan sighed and thought, "I knew I had to choose them myself."

He looked up, eyes scanning the room until they landed on a familiar figure. He remarked, "Yin Farrock, what is the origin of magic?"

Farrock jolted upright, eyes wide with fire. "Professor! Magic wasn't born from gods, nor stars, nor chaos. But from the moment the universe had its first philosophical epiphany!"

Professor Jordan blinked. "What did he just say? Crazy bastard".

"Explain," he said, his voice sharp.

Yin licked his lips, trembling with excitement. "Magic is the byproduct of joy taken to its absolute limit. It's what happens when existence itself feels... alive and death."

The professor's face twisted in disbelief. "Get out! Lunatic! This is a place of learning, not a stage for madness. Get out and reflect on yourself."

Yin froze. "Huh?"

Professor Jordan didn't flinch. His voice was cold, final. "I said get out."

Yin's smile faded. He gathered his things slowly, the fire in his eyes dimming as he walked out in silence.

Professor Jordan turned back to the class, clearly irritated. "Anyone else want to try?"

He scanned the room. "Claude Smith?"

Claude didn't even lift his head as he nonchalantly uttered. "I don't know, Professor."

"That's fine," the professor muttered as if nothing had happened.

Then he remembered someone quiet, unnoticed, and has no talent at all yet ranked third. "Gabby. What's the origin of magic?"

Gabby stood slowly, his voice calm but steady. "Magic exists because of mana. Mana is a fundamental energy that connects all things. Unlike regular energy like heat, electricity, or motion. Mana is metaphysical. It binds matter, thoughts, and even the laws of nature."

The room was still. Even the professor paused. "That made sense. I should ask my co-professor about his argument."

But instead, he said coldly, "Get out. You don't know anything about the theory of magic's origin."

Gabby didn't argue. He just walked out and accepted his fate that Professor Jordan hated him for no real reason.

Gabby thought, "I guess, I need something that I could use for past time."

Yin followed him and asked, "Want to spar with me in the arena?"

Gabby replied, "I'll have to decline. There's no way I could win against you."

He looked at Yin and added, "But I do have a proposal."

Yin smirked. "Let's hear it, ladyboy."

Gabby thought to himself, "I'm usually good at controlling my emotions, but calling me 'ladyboy' crossed the line."

After their short conversation, the two of them continued to the Alembic Chamber.

Yin approached the professor who was guarding the Alembic Chamber—the academy's special laboratory for mixing potions and chemicals.

Her name is Professor Linda. She wore a deep red robe that fit her well, showing her strong and graceful figure. Over it, she wore a crisp white coat—clean, sharp, and perfectly tailored—showing her status as a master alchemist.

Her most striking feature was her hair: long, emerald, green waves that flowed down her back.

She asked, "What brings you here?"

Yin handed her a document. After checking it, she said, "A document signed by the Tower's Vice President, allowing research inside the chamber with no interference."

He added with a smile, "We're here to learn alchemy."

Professor Linda was hesitant. A freshman who looked like a delinquent, paired with someone who seemed more like a test subject than a student—it didn't sit well with her. But she had no choice. The document was official, and the Vice President had agreed to take full responsibility for whatever might happen.

"Tsk. You may proceed," she said with a nod.

Yin murmured, "Ranking first sure has its perks."

So, Gabby and Yin entered the Alembic Chamber, where no one could interfere.

An hour passed.

Even from outside, Professor Linda could smell something strange—burning plastic, metal, mold, and garbage. She ignored it at first, thinking it was just part of the experiment.

But then—

Ka-BOOM!

A loud explosion echoed from inside the chamber.

Professor Linda rushed inside the chamber.

A thick black smoke curled through the air, coating the walls with soot. The once-sterile room now looked like the aftermath of a battlefield. Glass tubes were shattered, metal pipes bent and twisted from the blast. The scent of burnt plastic, mold, and chemicals hung heavy, making it hard to breathe.

Gabby stumbled out from behind a scorched table, coughing violently. His hair was frizzed and disheveled, standing in all directions like he'd been struck by lightning. His robe was singed at the edges, and black smudges covered his face and arms.

Yin wasn't any better. He sat slumped against the wall, blinking through the smoke. His once-pristine uniform was now torn and stained. A thin trail of smoke rose from his shoulder.

Yin remarked, as if nothing happened, "What are you doing here? You are breaching the waiver."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Your experiment failed."

"We're fine, right Gabby?"

"Gabby reluctantly said, "Yes."

Professor Linda massaged her temples in frustration.

Professor Linda grimaced. "That smells awful. What is that?"

Yin patted the dust off his uniform and said with a grin, "The experiment was a success. I have created a medicine that can cure the Rose of Death."

Professor Linda looked shocked as she chuckled, "You must be joking. The Rose of Death was an epidemic that happened one hundred forty years ago. There's no cure for it. Not even divine powers could stop it. Have you tested this?"

"I haven't tested it yet," Yin replied. "But there's been a recent case of the Rose of Death. Want to make a bet?"

"I'm a professor of Alchemy," Linda said firmly. "There is no cure for the Rose of Death. And a brat like you certainly couldn't make one. But fine, I'll take your bet."

Yin remarked, "If I win, the school will also be required to invest in mass-producing the cure, and I'll receive seventy-five percent of the revenue."

"And if you lose?" Linda asked.

"I'll be charged with alchemy fraud, expelled from the Academy, and stripped of my student rights. You'll also receive my reward as first ranker from the Academy's trial."

"Your contribution could be meaningful to the Academy—if it works." Said by Professor Linda.

Yin pulled two rolled parchments from his robe. "Then sign the wager contract," he said. "Gabby Magus will be our witness."

"A contract? What a gimmick," she thought. "They're trying to play psychological games with me—hoping I'll back out. Do they think I'm that easy to rattle? And why am I even thinking about finances? I'm not part of the school's finance committee. Their so-called medicine clearly won't work."

Still, she signed the parchment and handed one copy to Yin. She kept the other, slipping it into the folds of her robe.

She scoffed. "Don't blame me when you lose your hard-earned five thousand coins playing stupid games. There's no refund."

Yin eyed her, licking his lips. "Professor, I have no intention of backing out. In fact, you might want to reconsider your position—because you won't be able to fund what's coming."

Professor Linda stepped forward and tapped him on the shoulder. "Don't act like you've already won. I have my ways."

Yin smirked. "I don't want anything to do with dirty coins."

Then he added, "Tomorrow, I'll bring a patient to your clinic—someone suffering from the Rose of Death disease."