“Bu-but…”
‘It can be lightly. I’ll give the signal and you jump back.’
The minotaur sighed and glared at him.
And then the weapon in his hand seemed to vanish.
‘Jump!’
The minotaur thrust the club forward with both hands, and the tip assaulted him straight on. As Sheto moved back, it all seemed to be happening in slow motion.
He felt the impact of landing on his feet, and then after being extended to its full length, the club was pulled back, having missed its prey.
‘Run diagonally forward to the left side!’
Propelled by the words, Sheto’s body shot out like an arrow. Berganda appeared to the right of his vision. He was turning his body to keep Sheto right in front of the club.
‘Don’t let him target you! Go around to the left to slow him down!’
His neck, his back, his ears. The tip of the club grazed him. Sheto ran from each attack and rushed towards the general.
“I won’t let you!”
Sheto ducked under the club and then he was right in front of the monster’s stomach.
‘Hit his right arm!’
His body moved before he could think.
Sheto’s arm swung as if to throw a spear, and the sword groaned and slashed the general’s body.
“Too slow!”
Or it would have, but the club was raised and killed its momentum.
The blade creaked and he felt the pain in his shoulder.
“Gah!”
‘Not yet! Move to the right and slush upwards under his left arm!’
Unbelievable power seemed to dwell within his arm, and he rushed to attack the minotaur’s side with the wooden sword.
There was a dull sound, and the attack bounced off the hard muscles of his right arm.
“I see… So you’re not terrible.”
Berganda swiped away the wooden sword and spoke calmly. But Sheto suddenly felt the pain in his arm, and fear filled his body.
“Your movements are awkward, and your knowledge is shallow. However, you have enough flexibility to adapt on the spot and follow directions.”
“Ah…”
“Very well. You pass!”
Berganda shouted and then swung his left arm.
That was the last thing that Sheto remembered.
—
When he came to, he was inside of a small room.
While there was still a dull pain, his body was in good condition. He sat up and then Salia called to him with a concerned voice.
‘How do you feel?’
“Nothing, bad. But… What was that?”
While he had been able to act as the dragon god commanded, he had not been able to cut the demon general at all. If anything, he had lost rather pathetically. And so he didn’t know how they would treat him from now on.
“I followed your orders. Why didn’t, I win?”
‘Fool. Don’t be ridiculous. I never said that you would be able to win if you follow my directions.’
“Then…why!?”
‘Because it was necessary for you to win this game.’
Salia did not say anything to that. She had probably heard the explanation while Sheto was sleeping.
‘I am sure that you already know, but up until now, you have been winning through cunning and setting traps. You had to find ways to get the advantage, and close the gap when it came to skills. However, you cannot fight like that forever.’