My Borderline Supervillain-Slash-Hero System

Pudge walked away without saying a word to his colleague.

Surprisingly, his silence stirred more emotion in someone else—Dean Kora, who had been sitting beside him earlier.

She glanced up and saw him now seated next to Director Aaron on the upper dais. The sight overwhelmed her with jealousy, her chest tight with suppressed rage. Her eyes narrowed with spite.

"All those deans here… Why him?" she muttered, unable to look away. "He's not even been here for two days, and he's already sitting with the Director. His attitude really pisses me off."

Meanwhile, on the stage, Pudge was greeted warmly and invited to sit on the only other empty chair. Without ceremony, he took the seat.

The Director smiled and tossed him a beer can.

Pudge caught it mid-air and cracked it open, chugging a long sip.

This simple action drew another glare from Kora, her envy sharpening like a knife.

"What does he see in that guy?" she hissed. "That cheap bastard."

Up in the cabin, Director Aaron and Pudge were observing a virtual projection hovering over a large screen in the air.

After a few more sips, Pudge winced. The bitter aftertaste lingered unpleasantly on his tongue.

He set the can down and muttered, "Hey, isn't this a bit much? Your invitation has caused more harm than good. I'm just a newly-appointed dean. Look at her—the way she's staring at me like she's ready to stab me with a fork."

Aaron burst into hearty laughter. "Yes, if looks could kill, you'd be a dead man already. You should've shaken her hand back then. Haven't you heard the saying—almost all women turn into vengeful spirits when you provoke them over even the smallest thing? If your first impression is poor, they'll treat you like trash unless you do something to impress them."

He took a long sip, then chuckled again.

"My wife's the same. Even after I've done a thousand things for her, she still treats me like I'm her nemesis. Oh, my poor soul."

Pudge shrugged. "I think that's not the real problem here. I'd gladly shake hands with anyone—even someone with a skin condition. But I'd never shake hands with a bad person. And believe me or not, she's one of them."

Aaron glanced toward Kora meaningfully. "Oh, so you've already decided she's a bad one, huh? Poor her."

Pudge ignored the comment and leaned back. "Anyway, why am I even here? I'm just a dean. Won't this kind of favoritism create unnecessary tension in the academy?"

The Director's smile faded as he looked Pudge in the eyes. "Like I mentioned before, you're only a dean in name. Here, we stand on equal footing. Our ranks are the same in this place. And besides…"

He paused, then sighed.

"That seat has been empty for far too long. I miss my brother. Sometimes, even though I'm the Director, I feel completely alone. Everyone looks up to me like I'm some untouchable idol, and frankly, it's boring as hell."

With a casual motion, he tossed another beer to Pudge.

"I need someone like you beside me. What do you say—how about a game of chess?"

Pudge cracked open the second can, smirking. "Sure."

Aaron waved his hand, and a wooden chessboard appeared before them, pieces already arranged in their starting positions.

He took the white side and moved the first pawn.

And so, the game began.

The irony? Neither of them ever touched the board.

Their eyes remained fixed on the large screen ahead as their minds orchestrated every move. Laws—mystical, complex, and unseen—were employed to move the chess pieces. One would attempt to shift a piece, while the other countered using his own law, preventing the move entirely. It was a contest of wills, strength, and precision, hidden beneath the guise of a simple chess match.

To any casual observer, it looked like two old friends enjoying a quiet game.

But this was no ordinary match.

It was a battle—one of laws, focus, and mental dexterity. The chessboard was merely the arena. Their real attention, however, wasn't on the board—it was on the large screen ahead. More specifically, both were watching a certain student.

Director Aaron noticed and couldn't hold back.

"So, you like that kid?" he asked.

"What kid?" Pudge replied, feigning ignorance.

"Don't play dumb. You know who I'm talking about… Zorro's son."

"He's good. But not the best."

"Oh? If he's not the best, then who is?" Aaron probed with interest.

"There are many strong candidates. This tournament has opened my eyes." Pudge smiled faintly. "While my master and I were busy fighting foreign powerhouses out there, I'll admit this—Earth has done a fine job raising its next generation. Their performance is extraordinary. If we cultivate them properly and let them grow at this pace, there's still a chance for Earth to break into the top thousand of the Galaxy Supremacy Rankings."

Aaron's eyes lit up at the mention of the ranking. He'd only heard whispers about it from his twin brother. Hearing it from Pudge, a legend in his own right, filled him with awe and anticipation.

He grinned. "Only the top one thousand?"

"Hey, that's a big deal," Pudge replied. "Do you even know what Earth's current ranking is?"

"You know I'm not privy to that kind of intel. Surprise me."

"54,995th."

"…Huh. That low?"

"Yeah. That low. But all things considered, it's still average in our galaxy," Pudge replied, then glanced at the beer. "Mind if I have another can?"

"Go ahead," Aaron said, handing him one, then added with a more serious tone, "Don't take this the wrong way—I'm just curious. Are you really here for the youths? Or… do you need the Academy's help for some charitable initiative of yours?"

It was a question Aaron had wanted to ask since day one. Today, he finally did.

"If that's offensive, just pretend I didn't ask," he added.

"Nah, don't be so uptight," Pudge replied casually. "You're right. I'm here for the future—the youth. If my master were here, he'd be proud to see how far we've come."

His words felt sincere. But deep down, Pudge had another reason—one he couldn't voice.

He was here to protect Zane.

For many reasons, that truth had to remain hidden.

Aaron, however, wasn't fully convinced. He sensed there was something more behind Pudge's presence at the Academy, but chose not to press further.

Pudge cracked open the beer and continued, "It's all thanks to the Divine Tree. Because of it, we're now recognized as an Awakened Intelligent Species in our galaxy."