Bets felt like his lungs were burning. But he kept running and dragged any of his classmates who couldn't run along. There was no one left behind.

He knew that despite the confidence Professor Chain had spoken with. The chances of him coming out alive were as close to zero as they could get.

How could this all happen out of nowhere? It was supposed to be another training camp for young exorcists! To learn how to fight against low class demons.

"I -I can't run anymore," said one of his classmates. It was a young female with a small body.

Normally with their Ord, an exorcist would be able to run longer than the average person. But they were already somewhat tired due to running from the Exorcist Academy to here.

Bets didn't say anything to her and put her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and they continued running. He wouldn't let Professor Chain's sacrifice and trust in him be in vain.

'We need to get out of this forest!' It was dark, but Bets knew how to navigate himself. When he was younger, he memorized the star signs in the sky and used them as navigation.

As long as they get out of here, they will be able to call for help.

But as they arrived outside of the forest. They were greeted by the smell of grass. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They still kept running. But some still celebrated.

"We're finally out of that hell hole!"

"Do you think Professor Chain will survive?"

"What should we do now?"

They were talking with ease. As if a weight was off their shoulders.

But Bets' heart almost stopped when he saw something far in the distance. He slowed down from running until he was just walking, and then he stopped.

On the grassy field, there was a creature the size of an elephant that had a metallic shine to its skin. It looked like a lizard with the tip of its tail shaped like a mace.

Bets' heart drowned in despair and he felt his knees weaken.

The metallic lizard turned toward them and flickered its tongue. The creature started slowly stomping toward them. Each step seemed to almost shake the earth.

No one ran away, and some started crying. Their spirits got crushed.

"Damn it!”

“This is so damn unfair!"

"After all this!"

Bets didn't say anything. He just stood there and stared at the creature.

It was likely a middle-class demon. But likely had some strong defenses, and used its mace-like tail to attack.

On the other hand, they were all students and none had developed their special abilities.

Actually, they hadn't even learned how to use their Ord that well. The best among the students in the group was Bets, and he knew that.

He put down the girl from his shoulder and cracked his fingers. "Seems like we will need another sacrifice. I will hold it back-"

"Screw that!" Yelled out another member of the group. He was a classmate with wild dark hair and rows of sharp teeth like a shark.

From what Bets remembered of him, his name was Gem. He was a delinquent. Also a member of one of the four great clans, the Kuro Clan.

The delinquent clasped his hands. Ord swirled around him and rained on the ground.

"What are you doing?" Asked Bets. They didn't have the time to mess around with useless things. Wasting Ord like that was counterproductive.

"Well! It's do or die you buff bastard! So I'm going to create my special ability right here and now!" The delinquent smirked. “I come from a clan where their abilities mostly are just creating things from their shadows. So I already know my ability, creating it now or later doesn't matter.”

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“Then I will buy you some time,” Bets walked in front of the group as the mid class demon charged toward them. He rolled up his sleeves and took a sumo stance.

Despite what many might assume from his stature he had never been in a fight before. Sure the villagers used to be afraid of him, but no kids ever picked on him. Sometimes he wished they did, at least that way he would have had someone to talk to. Even if the talks would have been them picking on him.

He chuckled at the thought of his past self. If this was a week before, he wouldn’t have minded dying. Not like anyone cared for him either way. So what did it matter? But that had changed. He wanted to live!

The chess games he and Kon played came to mind. He had finally found a friend, someone who doesn't seem intimidated by him. While thinking of playing chess, the Ord inside his body bubbled up. Unconsciously, at the time of danger where his life hung by a thread. Bets found an inkling of inspiration.

To complement his strong body, he always thought he would use his Creator affinity to build an armor that would increase his power or something like that. Become the cheap version of a Warrior affinity.

But since it was so close to death, he came to a scary realization. Even if he created armor, demons were naturally born stronger than humans. The metallic lizard was charging him. No matter how strong a human was they wouldn’t be able to pick this thing up and lift it.

‘No, I’ve been looking at this the wrong way. I also assumed what other people did about me. Just because I was born strong didn’t mean that my life had to center around something like that! A special ability was an expression of someone’s deepest desires and supposed to be something they liked.’

There weren't a lot of things he liked. But the most fun moments in his life were when he was playing chess against Kon.

Two friends, not worrying about anything, and just playing chess. Even as he started manifesting something about it inside his body.

He felt another energy, something deep inside himself. It felt like the fire of life itself. Bets knew the name of his ability already.

‘If the next chess game comes. I will play every day, and enjoy it as if my life depends on it!’

“{King’s Game!}”

A translucent king chess piece manifested inside his heart and the rest of the set of pieces manifested in his mind. He could call those pieces to reality whenever he wanted.

Summoning a pawn in his hand, he threw it at Gem.

“What the hell?! I’m in the middle of something you bastard!” Gem yelled out as the pawn hit him on the head.

Bets liked how the delinquent was no longer afraid of him.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just hold that thing in your hand and say: I accept.” Bets dismissed his worries.

They were about to become a mush of bones and flesh in a little bit. So he didn’t have the time to explain everything. Even if he did explain it, he doubted Gem would understand anything.

“Fuck! If we die, I’m haunting you!” Gem took the pawn in his hand. “I accept!”

The pawn turned into light particles and fused with Gem’s body. Ord burst out and it had gotten a bit stronger.

Bets breathed out a sigh of relief he didn’t know had been holding. But he didn’t have time to celebrate his ability to work as he had intended. This was deep into enemy territory.

When a pawn was deep into the opponent’s field, it had a special ability.

“{Promotion Queen!}”

The Ord gushed out of Gem like a waterfall. His Ord amount had multiplied in one fellow swoop. Even the delinquent himself was wide-eyed at how much energy he had. But not long after he winced. “This is too much Ord! I can’t control it!”

“Doesn't matter! Create your ability! Use that Ord to make a powerful ability that will somehow help us handle this!” Bets took a deep breath and took out a sword, something that was given from the academy for free to its students.

Creators were the only affinity with the ability to imbue Ord into items. Though it was something that required training. Except for Bets, and Sei, no one else had been able to do it.

The beast finally was within arm’s length and Bets swung it straight toward its neck.

Clang!...The sound of metal meeting rang out and the sword snapped in half. “Shit!”

The metallic lizard opened its mouth, and Bets could smell the bad rotten stench of its mouth coming from the demon. His life flashed before his eyes.

Was this the end?

He would have liked to play one last game against Kon and have a decisive victory. But that seemed like it would no longer be the case.

“{Shadow Wolf!}”

Gem’s voice rang out, and just as the metallic lizard was about to bite down on Bets.

A giant wolf head sprouted from the demon’s own shadow and bit down on its midsection. The demon screamed in pain, which gave Bets enough time to jump back.

Cold sweat drenched his clothes as his arms shook. His legs buckled and he almost fell to his knees. “Holy shit! That was close!”

The delinquent went and walked next to him. Gem was a little pale, and looked like almost all of his Ord had drained from his body, but he had a smile on his face.

“What took you so damn long?” To Bets every minute had felt like an eternity when he was about to be chomped by the demon.

“The hero always saves the day at the last second,” Gem said between heavy breaths.

The metallic demon was bleeding from its stomach. It seemed like luckily that was its weak spot. Despite still being at somewhat of a disadvantage. Bets felt like he could finally take a breather and kill this demon!