‘The perfect exorcist ability was something that covered the user's weaknesses.’

That was what the current Saint, someone recognized by everyone as the strongest Exorcist, had said in the manga.

Thinking about it that way. I tried to look at my strengths and weaknesses. My biggest strength was information about the future and knowing other people’s Special Abilities.

My weaknesses were that I lacked fighting experience, and I probably lacked guts. The latter I’m just assuming since I had never fought against demons. While it was a Manga, everything was cool to read and see. But if I saw a demon with six arms, eight legs, its skin peeling off and eating its own organs. Yeah, let’s just say I doubted anyone who grew up in a modern lifestyle would be able to keep calm during their first couple of times seeing something like that.

So I needed an ability that would cover all that. The plan was to tame a demonic beast, or even a normal animal, and have them evolve.

Evolution was something that most people in this world didn't know could happen to demons who were tamed. Theoretically, it was possible, but not something that had been studied or done until much later.

In the future, there was somewhat of a side story where a normal cat is tamed by a Beast Master. Then he imbues the cat with all of his Ord energy and the cat evolves into a Nekoshu, a cat spirit that can turn into a catgirl. Since they knew each other for so long, their relationship was more steady. Unlike taming a demon who you would have to fight first.

In general Beast Masters weren't seen as the best affinity. I believe until forty years ago it was seen as the weakest affinity. There were some exceptional Beast Masters. But exceptions to the rule don't become the norm. So most Beast Masters serve in a support role.

Taming a beast will come later. Right now the plan was for me to create an Exorcist Ability that would cover my weaknesses.

Reading up on human anatomy, and learning some of the basics would act as the foundation of the technique I had in mind. I didn't need to learn enough to become a doctor or anything like that, just the basic workings of the human body and then start the technique creation. I was working with magical energy, there wasn’t a need for much logic or knowledge.

My hesitation and inexperience were something I planned to delete temporarily. Obviously, I would have to learn how to fight demons without hesitation or needing a crutch. But the reality of the situation was that I couldn’t do that under a short time limit with no demons in sight.

Most exorcists die in their first demon encounter. So I had to look at this in a realistic manner.

“It’s quite rare to see a first-year student already in the library,” a young woman with similar round glasses, came and sat down next to me.

She must be a senior. As soon as my mind registered that, and thought of the danger I had to face. The plan changed. I needed a better timeline of events. She could be the perfect information provider for that “Yes, I’m preparing for the training camp.”

“Oh, right. I remember when I was your age. Those were probably the worst two days of my life. The teachers try to make you fight some low-ranked demons, who look absolutely terrifying. Just so they can get you used to fight terrifying monsters. Also, they will try to put traps in the forest. It was a nightmare!” She huffed and walked off all of a sudden.

What’s all that about? She probably had a horrible experience, but I haven't gotten the information I wanted. I couldn't let her go yet.

Putting the anatomy book in my bag, I chased after her. “That’s what I heard too. It’s one of the main reasons why I’m trying to develop my special ability.”

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“I would suggest against that, there’s no way you can develop an ability by the end of the week. Even if you do, it will be sloppy as hell. Exorcist Abilities need a lot of thought behind them, and when that thought is backed up by effort it can create something truly special. Even in my third year in the academy, I still haven’t fully fleshed out my ability yet and am adding new things to it…”

Despite her nerdy appearance, with glasses and all. She was quite the chatterbox. Even going as far as roughly hinting at what her Exorcist Ability was, which had something to do with creating a card and then storing something in it.

But despite her doing something which was against the unspoken rules of common sense amongst exorcists.

Once my mind registered what she had said, my body froze in place.

One week. No, it was already Tuesday. So it was this weekend and not the next weekend. Three days left until that disaster comes to fruition.

Scenes of slaughtered classmates appeared in front of my eyes, as I passed to the next page of the Manga. I felt like throwing up, and my heart shook.

But as soon as I realized the danger, the Ord inside of me bubbled up. Taking a deep breath, I calmed down and waved at the senior. "Welp, I better go back to studying. Thanks for your help."

My Ability, I must manifest it and put some risk and rules on it! Which would allow the ability to manifest.

Despite people making their ability, they can't force such things as their own internal energy will react to their will and thoughts. Slowly manifesting an ability with rules of its own.

At least that's how it was described in the Manga. But Agon's special ability was essentially just punching hard, so his wasn't something hard to recreate.

***

Bets was a man with simple wishes and desires. Ever since he could remember, his big body intimidated everyone. He never trained a day in his life, yet at the same time he never met someone who was stronger than him.

Some people in the village used to say that a demon was living inside his body. There was even a time when an Exorcist was called. But there were no traces of demons on him. He was just born a natural freak.

Since the exorcist, the people in the village had changed their views and instead hailed him as having the body which was a gift from God. But he saw it as a curse. He didn't want to be so muscular, having so many muscles was annoying, and he was always hungry. Also, his fingers are so thick that it's hard to turn the pages when he's reading.

At least he had made a friend since coming to the exorcist academy. Someone who doesn't care about his appearance. It had been only a week since he came here, and during that week Bets had never been happier in his life. Though showing emotions on his face had been kind of hard.

It was Friday after classes and both of them were at the empty cafeteria tables, playing chess. While moving one of the pawns, one of Bets' thick fingers accidentally knocked one of the pieces. Like a domino effect, some of the other pieces around it were knocked down. "Ah, sorry. I will pick them up!"

"Nah, don't worry about it," Kon waved it off as he went and picked up the pieces and put them back in their proper places. "Still, your face is as intimidating as always. You have the ferocious aura of a bear."

When others usually said this, Bets would have felt hurt. But for some reason, when Kon said it, it felt more like banter. Was this how having a friend felt?

"By the way, be careful and never wander in the southern jungles. Because if you stumble on an Amazonian woman, they will organize their whole army to chase after you. They like strong men." Kon chuckled, twirling a bishop piece in his hand.

His new friend was weird as hell. Even Bets who thought of himself as a good judge of character didn't know what to think of Kon.

The best strategy to read someone is to look at their actions, and not what they say. People can lie about what they want, but their actions don't lie.

Still, Kon's actions were very contradictory to his intentions. Whether this was intentional or not, Bets didn't know. During the entrance ceremony, Kon was picking a fight with the untalented person in their class Agon. But when Agon was at their lowest point, he never even attempted to bully him.

Kon was the kind of person who was hard to understand. But Bets didn’t care about the small things. As he was the only person in his life who had looked past his appearance and decided to become friends with him. “By the way. What do you think about the training camp the teachers are planning? Do you think it will be another kind of test?”

He said that just as Kon was about to move one of his pawns. Kon stopped for a split second. Which was strange, as he never stopped when he was making a move. He was the kind of player who always made the move after thinking it in his head, and not an active player who tested the board.

“I don’t know what to think about it. But I’ve made all the preparations I could. Also, I’m going to lose this chess game. It didn’t take you long at all to catch up to me.”

There was another thing about Kon, he was the first chess player to have ever defeated Bets. Even in his first game ever when he was a kid, Bets never lost. ‘Whatever, it’s not like my life depends on chess.’

By now everyone had already awakened their Ord and could control it a bit. Well, there was one classmate who hadn’t awakened their Ord yet. Agon, the guy with purple streaks of hair. He was quite untalented.

‘At least he has hair.’ Bets touched his bald head. Then he got a nasty idea, and reflected the light on his shiny bald head, causing it to hit Kon’s eyes.

“Ow! Cut that off! It’s cheating!”

“This is my secret chess attack!” Bets couldn’t help but smile. These were truly the best days of his life. He wished they could last forever.