[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-knight-who-eternally-regresses":3,"chapter-a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-341":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","A Knight Who Eternally Regresses",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},427866,689,"Chapter 339","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-341",341,"\u003Cp>The presence of the Grey Ghouls in this region was less due to geography and more due to political circumstances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was no surprise that the Border Guard's standing army had never actively sought out and exterminated these monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why would I?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the previous lord of the Border Guard—before Marcus—hunting creatures like the Grey Ghouls was a waste of resources and manpower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, the standard approach was to cull them sparingly—just enough to keep trade routes clear, such as the areas near the Pen-Hanil River and a few other key paths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, Green Pearl’s roads had been tidied up, and a passage to Martai had been opened, but none of it was perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What, is someone throwing monsters over here or something?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the complaint Marcus had upon taking office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The term monster tossing referred to luring a horde of creatures into a neighboring territory to offload the problem onto them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that wasn’t actually happening here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his frustration was understandable—monsters seemed to be pouring in endlessly, as if from a bottomless pouch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the upper frontier city had been established, a Gnoll colony had appeared nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with cultists stirring up trouble, it was only possible because the numbers were manageable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant this region was swarming with monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that, in turn, meant the Border Guard was hardly the most livable place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of that, they had always fought defensively, avoiding proactive sweeps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason for this defensive stance was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Losing troops would make it harder to counter threats from Azpen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the surrounding monster hordes weren’t exactly weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the Border Guard’s jurisdiction alone, there were at least three areas that merchants avoided at all costs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Places known as low-grade demon realms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When a Centaur colony took root in the Forest of Grace, they had moved to eliminate it quickly, fearing that the land might become permanently infested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why Kraiss had been explaining all of this to Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were many reasons to take action here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Enkrid?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t listening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did it matter?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cut them down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kill them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erase them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ugly ghoul was dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explanation could be drawn out endlessly, but the summary was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I was first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My mace landed first, thank you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two inhuman warriors had clashed to see who would land the killing blow first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem had brought two axes and a flanged mace, using all three in battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most striking moment was when she used the mace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had first planted one axe at her feet, then reached behind her back to pull out the mace before bringing it down in a brutal arc.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoom—BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The resulting shockwave had been the very definition of violence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ghoul’s head wasn’t just smashed—it was erased, leaving no trace of an upper body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A perfect fusion of raw strength and technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if an enormous boulder had fallen from the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A monstrous combination of muscle and weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the ghoul’s perspective, it had been annihilation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem continued to tear through anything in her path—unique ghoul or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her shock-break charge was overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Audin?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t just standing idly by either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To the Lord’s embrace.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his entire body was a weapon in itself, he wielded two heavy clubs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Metal-rimmed, once brown but now permanently dyed black with ghoul blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lord.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a single invocation, he took two steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And within those two steps, his clubs smashed two ghoul skulls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His precise, cleaving strikes displayed a remarkable balance of control and destruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his size, there was a refined sharpness to his movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, his attacks remained utterly savage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, brute force and overwhelming momentum carved a direct path to the ghoul leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if their roles had been reversed somehow, but Enkrid thought this suited both Rem and Audin just fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ghoul leader had laid traps, using its intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had been broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had gathered its kin to swarm the invaders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what could it do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of them had been destroyed by sheer force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn’t just the two of them fighting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m fighting too!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dunbakel was in a frenzy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is blasphemous. Utterly blasphemous.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shinar drew her daggers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just sit back and watch. Wandering Teresa will handle this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teresa, too, was swinging her shield and sword, drenching the ground in ghoul blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need for Enkrid to step in this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that he noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been too lost in his own battle—swinging his sword, developing new techniques, refining True Sword Form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that had infected the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Enkrid fight made them want to fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Made them burn to join in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why wouldn’t it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even someone who had never held a sword before might think, Is this fun?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And feel tempted to grab one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like watching someone dance in joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How much fun must it be to fight like that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it had affected them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After witnessing knights firsthand, Enkrid’s rapid growth had spurred them all forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their strength had already surpassed that of lower-ranking knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they had pushed themselves beyond that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem and Audin had realized the moment they saw true knights that there was no more room for playing in battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shinar as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go deeper.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She immersed herself in the sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A completed technique wasn’t complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had changed her mindset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, she would walk the path of the sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dunbakel and Teresa were no different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of them grew stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of them finally unleashed what they had been holding back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, the so-called low-grade demon realm, a place the knightly order would have refused to clear, did not even last a full day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite its vastness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kraiss had estimated that it would take at least two companies and ten days of casualties to clear this battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been wiped out in a single day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many monsters had fled, but they couldn’t be chased down one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are we done?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem asked, shaking blackened blood from her axe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since we’re already here, let’s finish the job.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That hadn’t been Kraiss’ plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We should take them one at a time. It’s not urgent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was what he had said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were still two more nearby locations with low-grade demon realm levels of threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kraiss had intended for them to return, resupply, and rest before tackling them one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid changed the plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were already here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They might as well clear all of them in one go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no reason to hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battlefield was littered with ghoul corpses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surviving ghouls dared not approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were too busy fleeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid led the way, and the others followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they moved, Enkrid drifted from one companion to another, talking all the while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That technique—what was it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked Rem first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Which part?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The way you swung the mace. It was different from usual.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You want to learn that too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had caught on immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And she was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t need to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem studied his blue eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Determined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this greed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or just madness?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She chose the latter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*\"It’s about where you place the pivot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially for blunt weapons—it changes the destructive force entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I told you before, didn’t I? Every weapon has its own way of being wielded.\"*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid blinked in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem was… explaining?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you possessed? Some ghost take over you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You actually explained it well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You little—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem swung a punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid caught and deflected it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither slowed their pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, he turned to Audin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That cleaving strike—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Control.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin answered before the question had even fully formed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm more accustomed to using my fists, but just because I have a weapon in my hands doesn’t mean I lose the sense for it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You mix heavy techniques with speed, applying strength only at the moment of impact.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You have to know how to adjust your grip strength, how to loosen and tense your muscles at will.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid narrowed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Balraf-style martial arts?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just weapon technique.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That just—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid caught something in that single word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something Audin wasn’t saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn’t press.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did the name matter?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How do you get the knack for it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Repetition.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do it when we return.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all Enkrid needed to hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as he could learn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, Enkrid asked Dunbakel about how beastmen use their bodies, but her explanation was even worse than Rem’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, if today was anything to go by, Rem might as well be an academy instructor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In reality, his explanation wasn’t exactly eloquent, but it was impactful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything is relative, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you looking at me like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem asked as Enkrid turned back from listening to Dunbakel’s ridiculous explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Begone, evil spirit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t Enkrid who said that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Dunbakel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She must have wanted to say something ever since seeing the two bicker earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beastmen are vulnerable to impulses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once they set their minds on doing something, they had to see it through to the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Frokk was dedicated to a singular purpose, beastmen were slaves to their immediate desires.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, the results were often unfavorable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was no exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dunbakel simply couldn’t hold back her desire to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here, take this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An axe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just brace your forehead and take it head-on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem had phrased the act of slamming an axe into one’s skull in the most polite way possible, prompting Enkrid to scrutinize him once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just in case there was anything… strange about him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There is no such thing as an evil spirit, brother and sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin, having witnessed the exchange, reassured them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least, Rem didn’t actually swing the axe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When we return, let’s spar relentlessly. Yes, let’s do that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid cut the conversation short before turning back to Dunbakel for further explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All you gotta do is run well and dig in properly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Dunbakel’s answer when asked about handling a scimitar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid wasn’t flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This much was fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he was an excellent listener.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several questions and answers followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The conclusion he arrived at:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A swordsmanship that utilizes the whole body while stepping with precision.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A technique that harnesses the elasticity of the muscles for fluid motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In terms of Precision-Weight Combat, it begins with speed, resembling a light sword, but because it transfers weight into the strikes, it ultimately carries the weight of a heavy sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the structure of the technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know its name. I learned it as a child and have just made it my own over time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to Rem taking charge of Dunbakel’s training, her swordsmanship had improved drastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid had seen some of it and listened closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was worth learning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this wasn’t a skill that could be taught through words alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid resumed walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is there anything about me that tempts you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Teresa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid had long been interested in her sword-and-shield technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps he should get himself a shield and learn it when they returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If one seeks to learn, the path will appear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I learned that from watching the captain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teresa’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was quoting scripture, likely picked up from following Audin around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A shield is a tool for blocking, but depending on how you use it, it can become an excellent bludgeon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teresa had a way with words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid considered that a fortunate thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they conversed and walked, Enkrid glanced at the map.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were nearing their destination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A swamp stretched before them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Insects?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dunbakel asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pale green wetlands were a treasure trove of herbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A land where various plant species thrived alongside amphibians and reptiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A fine land indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shinar, who had been lamenting the forest, now gleamed with interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She dealt in poisons and medicines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To someone like her, this swamp was invaluable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why Kraiss had been so adamant about reclaiming it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We must reclaim the wetlands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We cannot allow monsters to take them from us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This land belongs to those born here and who call it home!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an impassioned speech—sickeningly so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, it’s a natural herb-growing site?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kraiss wasn’t even pretending to mask his enthusiasm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we restore just that area, we could turn it into a trade hub—or even a production site for special goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, we’d need to… persuade a few capable alchemists to join us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said “persuade,” but in reality, he meant abduction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recruiting people was one of Kraiss’ specialties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So was acquiring goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a reason he had the reputation of being the army’s walking general store.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, that prized land lay before them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone—or something—already claimed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There sure are a lot of bugs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And those bugs were the ones in charge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Monsters come in countless varieties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were insect-type monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BZZZZZ!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of beating wings pierced their ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shinar’s hand rested on her sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of flies, each the size of a fingertip, swarmed toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bloodsucking flies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a flash, Shinar’s blade cut through the air, slicing both space and the insects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not too fast, not too slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A seamless series of graceful, uninterrupted strikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even more delicate than when she had faced the ghouls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her swordsmanship, likely a style of the Fairyfolk, displayed an extreme level of precision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She could probably fillet a leaf.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her technique was built upon the delicate practice of slicing leaves into paper-thin sheets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her blade flicked, curved, pierced, slashed, and deflected, all while cleanly carving through the insects’ bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In no time, the swarming flies fell lifelessly to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shinar turned back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re not confident, you should retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My fiancé is free to hide behind me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emotionless beauty of the Fairyfolk spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you take something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem rubbed his ears at her absurd words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Lord watches over us, and so even the lowliest creatures must be sent to Him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin responded with a prayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dunbakel extended her claws and, rather than using her scimitar, simply stabbed the insects to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bloodsucking flies were a nuisance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single bite, and they would drain blood ten times faster than an average leech.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That said, dealing with them wasn’t particularly difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even common merchants could swat or avoid them with enough bravery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wearing thick leather clothing several layers deep was enough to nullify them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, if one could simply skewer them on a sword or claw them to death, no amount of thick clothing was necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Teresa, who seemed the least agile, wielded her shield with short, efficient motions to crush them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid followed suit, slashing through the swarm while keeping close to Shinar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tracking the insects’ flight paths as lines and cutting them at their intersections.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweeping strikes were the most efficient, so he did just that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he spoke to the Fairy beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That swordsmanship…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shall I teach it to you as an engagement gift?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When is the engagement happening?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He met her jest with another jest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shinar’s lips twitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever so slightly, they seemed to lift at the corners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But only for a moment before returning to their usual expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You are greedy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever she said, his desire to learn remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t asking for secret techniques or hidden knowledge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fundamentals would be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘To know what I lack.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To understand how to improve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid was a seeker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw the path his ambition pointed to and wished to walk it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadn’t he always learned, trained, and observed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, he was doing the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There it is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shinar suddenly shifted her gaze forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And before them stood the King of the Swamp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A monster five times the size of a wasp, with six massive wings and razor-sharp mandibles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bloated abdomen armed with a venomous stinger and a gaping maw that split sideways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its name was Bel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BZZZZZ!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its wings roared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And behind it, a horde of similar creatures swarmed toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They moved as one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More troublesome than ghouls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet one by one, they exploded into pulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The largest among them—the self-proclaimed king—was felled by a rock Rem threw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This time, I got it, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still locked in competition with Audin, he glanced back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin smiled serenely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid was sure that fool of a holy man would let Rem have this one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’ll say, As you wish.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was just how he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t see it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stumble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid misstepped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t fall, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he used the motion as a step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A short horizontal swing of his sword crushed two insects midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lie better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not lying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin was just as much a Mad Platoon lunatic as the rest of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid ignored them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wouldn’t change just because he told them to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At last, they reached the third low-tier demon realm—the final stop on their patrol route.\u003C\u002Fp>",2870,"2026-05-30T08:27:55.568Z","2026-06-01T04:30:45.896Z",1,"novelbin.me","fbb2c1db1f78aa3ebda7d82d82a13fc67d2e0db7d8ce540fe753f26638c49eb3","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-342","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-340",882,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-knight-who-eternally-regresses-cover.jpg"]