Rm89
For the blade I think it is suitable to make it be a one sided blade making sure it focuses on cutting and slashing while stabbing is second priority.
You can use the battlefield as a whetstone to hone the Mc skills and try adding blade combat as a blade is more easier to use and carry as a cavalry compared to a sword making him not completely useless in close combat. Make him break his limits during each combat if you want him to be a great general as nobody gets strong naturally it must have come from effort. Plus faking dead and escaping might not actually work everytime.