Sheto leapt backwards while protecting his arm, which throbbed with a numbing pain.
And just like the first day that Berganda had tested his skills, the general held the head of his axe pointed towards him.
But the current Sheto understood. That stance was designed to prevent Berganda from being overwhelmed by his opponent’s speed and to ensure that he could seize Sheto without fail.
While Sheto had to take a wide arc to avoid the axe’s range of attack, Berganda merely needed to turn his body slightly. And so he would not be able to win by charging in recklessly.
Sheto swiftly transformed his two blades back into a bow, then nocked a silver-glowing arrow onto the bowstring.
“As expected. I knew you would come like that.”
Berganda shifted his posture, rising from his lowered stance. Then he lowered his axe until the blade nearly touched the ground in front of him.
“You acquired a divine vessel and gained magic, which is my weakness. And now you intend to fire a barrage of magic while staying out of reach in order to wear me down. That is how you will win.”
Sheto’s entire body was screaming a warning. Berganda’s body was turned sideways with his left foot drawn back slightly. He could lunge forward at any moment.
Sheto recalled how Berganda had charged in Lindle Village…how he had ignored the arrows as if they were nothing.
“But do not think that you can kill me with such cowardly tactics!”
Berganda’s giant body swelled in front of Sheto’s eyes.
It was an illusion born from the speed at which the distance between them vanished in an instant.
Fear. Despair. The premonition of death.
“Gaaaaaarrghhhh!!”
Shouting as though to reject them all, Sheto hurled himself backward with every ounce of strength he had.
Thrum! The bowstring sang, and a silver magic arrow shot out, streaking straight toward Berganda’s knee.
“Pathetic!”
With a mighty swing, Berganda brought his axe crashing down, blasting the earth apart.
Several of the glowing magic arrows were knocked out of the air by the shower of flying debris, but those that remained continued towards his legs.
Then, without warning, the general’s body accelerated.
One of his enormous, log-like legs shot forward like a spear.
“Wha…!?”
The sole of Berganda’s foot slammed deep into Sheto’s chest. The impact made his breastbone groan under the strain, and the sickening crack of ribs shattering rang in his ears.
“Gaa…aahhh!”
Sheto spat out blood and fell to the ground.
His lungs had been crushed. Desperate for air, his throat convulsed in a frantic struggle to breathe.
“Gah…! Hhk…! Haa…! Ngh…! Ugh…!”
“Did you really think that obtaining one little toy was enough to let you defeat me?”
Berganda retrieved his axe and glared at Sheto sternly.
“I knocked your magic arrows out of the air with flying fragments of earth. And just before they struck, I used my axe to launch myself forward.”
After kindly explaining what he had done, the demon general settle dback into a charging stance.
“What is wrong? Do you not possess a blessing that heals your wounds automatically? Then get up. This fight has only just begun.”
“Ugh…guh…gah…haa.. haa…!”
The pain weakened with every breath.
He could feel the agony in his broken ribs gradually fading. Staggering unsteadily, Sheto forced himself back to his feet.
“A weapon is an extension of its wielder’s own body. No matter how powerful the magic or divine miracles sealed within them may be, if the wielder is inept, it is no more than a child’s toy!”
And then Berganda charged once again.
Seeing the axe resting on Berganda’s right shoulder, Sheto sprang towards the left side.
“Did you think leaping to the side opposite my grip would let you evade me?”
Perfectly matching Sheto’s movement, Berganda pivoted to his left.
And then the axe that had been resting on his shoulder came roaring down in a sweeping strike.
Like that, the axe head smashed into Sheto, blasting him through the air.