Ex-Machina in Dimensional Travel

Splat—

As the sound of flesh being pierced rang out, two hands, along with a massive axe, flew into the air.

"What..."

"Zera" was clearly shocked by the sight before him.

Immediately afterward, Binding Magic activated once more. Bands of light wrapped around the Demon warrior's body, pinning him firmly in place.

Though it could not hold him for long, it was enough time for Takuson to finish what came next.

Several more spears of light burst from beneath "Zera's" feet, piercing every vital point on his body. Then the Golden Patterned Hatchet landed on the Demon warrior's neck.

Takuson used Leaping Chop to separate his head from his body.

"Zera's" headless body fell to its knees at that moment.

"Just as I thought. As long as I deliberately show an opening, Demons like you are easy to deceive, just like Teacher said."

He recalled the teachings his teacher had given him over the past half year.

Though this Demon warrior calling himself "Zera" possessed a stronger body than him, as long as he realized Takuson was weaker, he would not take him seriously.

Sure enough, Demons were all such barbaric creatures.

This was actually Takuson's first time fighting a Demon. He had never fought one before.

According to the reason Teacher had given before, it was because he was not ready yet. His physical strength was still insufficient.

So did that mean Teacher now acknowledged that he could face Demons?

Yes!

No longer paying attention to the Demon that had crumbled into ashes, he walked into the Teleportation Gate that had appeared behind him the instant he defeated his opponent.

Having defeated a Demon alone, Takuson entered the golden Teleportation Gate with a confident smile...

Challenge

However, things differed from what Takuson had expected.

He had thought that after stepping through the gate, he would return to his teacher's side.

But...

"I am Invisible Leslie, the one who will take your life next."

A female Demon wearing a cloak now stood where Zera had originally been.

That was right. He had not successfully left after defeating "Zera." Instead, he had returned here once more and now faced a second, different Demon.

Takuson tightened his grip on the hatchet in his hand and raised his guard.

The female Demon across from him merely stood still, as though waiting for him to launch the first attack.

Had Teacher captured more than one?

If so, would there be a third and fourth Demon after he killed this one?

Seriously, he would not let me touch them before, but now he's throwing them all at me at once? Teacher sure thinks highly of me.

Still, this was exactly what he wanted!

Since she would not make a move, he would.

Takuson opened the Sacred Canon in his hand. He wanted to begin with a Goddess Magic spell.

But "Leslie" suddenly vanished from his sight.

In the literal sense.

"!?"

Where did she go?!

Her figure had completely disappeared!

This was Magic!

That was right. Though Demons had Warriors among them, most were naturally born Magic Users.

"Magic that can conceal one's body? Tch, what a nuisance."

Takuson warily scanned his surroundings. Having never studied Magic, he naturally could not use Magic Detection. With his eyes unable to see his target, only one method remained.

It was an ability honed through his battles against Monsters over the past few months. A warrior's senses allowed him to remain alert to every movement around him, though for now, he could only barely sense what was happening within five meters.

Just like now!

Clang—

Takuson raised his hatchet behind his back, blocking the dagger thrust from behind.

However, because he still had the body of a child, he was completely outmatched by a Demon's physical strength and nearly failed to block it.

Though I still can't see the enemy, as long as she gets close enough, I can sense her.

At this rate, I can do it!

Several golden spears of light burst from beneath his feet and shot toward the rear.

Unfortunately, Leslie immediately retreated after failing to land her strike, so Tex's attack missed its target.

However, the latter did not care about such a minor matter, because he felt that he had already found a way to deal with her.

Another attack came, this time from above.

He rolled aside, dodging Leslie's aerial assassination attempt, and immediately activated Binding Magic on the ground where he had just stood.

Bands of light flew out from the Magic Circle, yet they merely grasped at empty air above.

No, there's a delay before it activates. Against an enemy with such high speed, this method won't work.

Ding—

Once again, he relied on his senses to block another attack.

But this time, the result was different.

Rip—

Takuson's clothes were sliced open, and the still-developing muscles beneath were cut by the sharp weapon. Blood flowed out uncontrollably.

"Urgh!"

The pain instantly reached his brain. Due to the difference in their sizes, one side of his body had been carved open by the dagger, leaving behind a horrifying wound.

Two blades!?

That was right. Takuson had blocked the first blade, but not the second.

While she was invisible, he had no way of knowing what weapons she possessed, and thus he was defeated by this ambush.

This was Leslie's fighting style. It was merely that invisibility had no effect whatsoever before Xiu Er.

"Huff... huff... As expected of damned Demons. So despicable."

"Say whatever you want."

Takuson clutched the wound on his body and endured the pain as he cursed at the air before him.

But Leslie's reply sounded directly beside his ear.

Splat—

Blood sprayed everywhere.

In Takuson's field of vision, blood burst from his chest. Such a trajectory could only have been caused by a sharp weapon piercing through him from behind.

Then came another slash.

A slash across his throat. Feeling the agonizing pain from his neck and chest, Takuson understood that this time, he had been utterly killed.

Teacher, I'm so sorry. You personally captured them for me to train with, yet I couldn't even defeat the second one...

Feeling the cold touch of the female Demon's fingers against his face, his consciousness sank into darkness.

"Hmm? His first failure came as early as the second stage?"

Xiu Er stood outside the barrier, constantly scanning the operation of the Virtual Combat Arena.

At the same time, she monitored the scenes inside.

"Keep it up. Let me see just how far you, who keeps saying you want to grow stronger and take revenge, can go."

Demons like "Zera" and "Leslie" were combat projections based on the data she had previously recorded.

Their personalities and fighting styles were also reproduced exactly according to those records.

Moreover, since this was Takuson's first battle against Demons, Xiu Er had specifically adjusted the difficulty to Easy Mode, with only 25% of the originals' strength.

After all, could a Demon capable of slaughtering nearly more than half the guards in a city really be killed by a seven-year-old child?

It was impossible even to think about, if they used the originals' strength.

From the very first attack, Takuson would have been cleaved in two along with the weapon in his hand.

Xiu Er had not told him any of this. She planned to explain it after her disciple failed and withdrew.

And now, Takuson, ignorant of the truth, really thought he was strong.

Still...

The confidence he had only just built up was ruthlessly ground into the dirt by "Leslie" in the next stage.

Facing an opponent with greater skill, Takuson could not accurately locate her position and could only defend passively. Since he also could not know what equipment his opponent had, he suffered his first death.

Opening his eyes, Takuson looked at the unchanged flat landscape before him and the golden Teleportation Gate.

He hurriedly checked his body and discovered that all his previous wounds had vanished without a trace!

"Huh? I...?"

He was a little bewildered by the situation, but he immediately remembered that this had been created by his teacher. It should not truly threaten his life.

Once he thought of it that way, it suddenly made sense.

To the current Takuson, every action Xiu Er took had meaning behind it, and he trusted his teacher.

"Alright. In that case, I can't let Teacher's expectations down."

Having roughly understood the situation, Takuson picked up the hatchet and Sacred Canon lying on the ground and stepped into the Teleportation Gate once again.

Then...

"Sigh... Do I have to start from the first one again?"

Looking at the very familiar Demon warrior, "Zera," whom he had killed not long ago, Takuson let out a pained cry in his heart.

Because he could already imagine just how difficult the training ahead would be.

Still, that suited his wishes perfectly. Theories alone were not enough for fighting Demons. Only real combat could truly improve his strength.

Thus, Takuson quickly adjusted his mindset and launched another attack at "Zera."

It's just another fight. He's already lost to me, so there's no pressure. I already know the key to victory. The law of victory has been decided.

Those were Takuson's thoughts before "Zera" cut him in half at the waist.

When he returned to this starting place once more, Takuson wore a trace of confusion on his face and did not immediately continue the challenge.

Instead, he stopped in front of the Teleportation Gate, pinched his chin, and pondered seriously.

That "Zera" clearly remembered the previous battle. It was as if he had grown smarter, completely ignoring the opening I deliberately revealed.