‘Ah, that was quick. So, will you do this ‘save’? Or not?’
‘Before that, how about you tell us all of your demands.’
‘Ahh. That the battle begins after dawn. Both armies will deploy from their respective camps, and the fighting will continue until sunset. That is all.’
The demands were surprisingly simple. At this point, it would not have been strange for them to insist on sealing away the divine rule of resetting. The minotaur merely jutted out his chin as if to ask if there was a problem.
‘Aside from that, it would depend on what you want. Ah, that’s right. As for our goddess who sits in the heavens…’
“What do you mean, ‘Our’?”
Salia corrected him. Apparently, she could not let that slide. However, Berganda just chuckled and continued.
‘Apparently, she has no intention of offering herself as a sacrifice in this battle, to grant us divine protection. Also, she wishes to settle things not through a clash of armies, but through a duel between representatives.’
“I think that any further bloodshed would be meaningless. For both humans and monsters.”
Her stance had been consistent from the beginning. She did not want the war to escalate. She wanted to achieve victory by disbanding the enemy army.
“Surely you would also wish to avoid exhausting your forces. This proposal seems far from unreasonable.”
“I will be the judge of that. But if such a thing was decided, who would you choose?”
“Demon General Berganda and my Ganari, Sheto. Those two.”
Salia said frankly.
The goddess was raising the stakes mercilessly, cutting off any possible route for retreat. She dangled in front of them a rare opportunity to eliminate two pillars in a single stroke.
“If that is how you wish to play this, then I will…”
“Oh, now. That is one thing we must specify properly.”
The Dragon God interjected.
So this is it. The Seer felt the heat rising up within him.
“Surely you are not going to say that my Hero alone can be a representative?”
“Who would want to see such a boring fight? The only one who would make a demand like that, is a cowardly bastard like you.”
The Dragon God taunted, making sure that the Hero could hear him.
The Seer managed to control his emotions as he declared the name before the dragon could continue.
“The strategist, Vengras. And General Ekbert. Additionally, Captain Poro, Meshe, Farnan, Ditore and Leodor of the Giant Beast Subjugation Unit.”
“Add one more name to that list. The Seer’s Hero. Yasuhiro Hanuma.”
“So you’ve decided that, after all.”
He knew that such a request would be made.
However, there was something strange in the dragon’s voice.
It was as if he knew the Hero from before.
“It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Hero. No…perhaps I should address you by your original name instead. Amateur shogi player, 3rd rank, Yasuharu Hanuma.”
With those words alone, the Hero’s face twisted hideously.
He had been watching things with a detached expression up until now, but it crumpled apart like a sheet of paper in someone’s fist.
‘Ah…uh, ah…ah…’
‘Wh-what is it!? Sir Hero!’
“You haven’t shown your face at the Apprentice League for the past year. I would not have imagined to find you here, serving as the Seer’s plaything.”
‘Ah…ha…aa…ahhh…I…ah….!’
Terrified and shrinking away from everything around him, the boy collapsed onto the ground with a scream.
Cold sweat and tears poured down his face as he gagged violently.
“Y-you bastard! Why do you know about him! About my Hero!”
“Isn’t it obvious? Because I’ve been to the Apprentice League and have seen him there. While watching professionals is entertaining enough, developing players also have their own charm.”
The Dragon God answered as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
“It’s not as if my specialty is limited to games that require electricity, you know? Chess, shogi, board games like Monopoly. Card games, tabletop RPGs… I play a wide variety of games.”
‘That’s why we tell you to work! You lazy old man!’
“Working would be losing.”
The golden dragon said proudly. And then his gaze turned down to the mortal world, and a shadow of sadness came over him.
“Still, knowing about you was mostly a coincidence. I used to watch your late grandfather closely…and what happened around him.”
‘Gra…grand…pa…’
“Tomonaga Hanuma was a man who sat at the very edge of the circle of those worthy of being called shinkenshi. Naturally, I would take notice when his grandson also aspired to become a professional player.”
The Hero was face-first in the ground now, completely deaf to the general’s shouting and the strategist’s concern.
“Ho-how can such a cowardly tactic be allowed!? To use my Hero’s past against him!”
“The word ‘hypocrite’ is stamped on your forehead. As if you did not drag Canila’s past into the open and steal Keita’s village from him.”
“Da-damn youuuu!”
Ignoring Yasuharu, who was shattered and unable to move, the Dragon God continued.
“At the very least, you must not use Reset from now on.”
‘Ah…’
“Attaining victory through endless take backs and do-overs… Like some kind of amateur player. What would your grandfather say if he could see you now?”
That was the final blow.
The Hero’s scream echoed across the dark battlefield.
Bonus chapter courtesy of Photo! Thank you so much!!