[{"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-422":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},428019,689,"Chapter 420","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-422",422,"\u003Cp>\"Follow your heart?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone asked Jaxon whether he enjoyed killing people, he wouldn’t have an answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many times he thought about it, he couldn't tell if he found it enjoyable or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were people in the guild who would go mad if they didn't see blood at least once a week, but Jaxon had never been one of them. However, honing his skills had always been fun. That, he was certain of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s not about stabbing a friend in the back—it’s about surviving, kid.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Master's tone was always light, but his words were always true. That was what his father had meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon had simply interpreted it in his own way. That was what he had needed back then. He had to find something to throw into the fire of his revenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Looking straight ahead doesn’t mean you should be shackled to the past, does it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Master was right again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mother hadn’t wanted him to become someone bound by his lineage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon had twisted that memory too, using it as fuel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he knew it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What I teach isn’t the art of murder.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then what is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s for you to figure out! Do I have to spoon-feed you everything?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a strange thing to say while teaching someone how to detect poison in their food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first time Jaxon met his Master, the man had asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you coming? If so, I’ll teach you how to live.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not how to survive—how to live.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not an art of killing, just one way of living.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon had never let go of his killing intent. His aura had never wavered. Yet, he couldn’t stop his own mouth from moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can I stay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words came straight from his heart, bypassing his mind entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you can beat me, I’ll allow it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid responded as he always did, in that steady, prepared manner of his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If it’s just one way to live...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn’t enough of a reason to keep living.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a new realization, one that struck him only after saying the words aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon had never found anything to follow his heart for—other than revenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, he was sure of one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being by this man’s side was more enjoyable than killing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rising through the ranks by honing his skills was enjoyable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching his lover was enjoyable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then why not do it all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked himself the question and already knew the answer. There was no need to dwell on it. It was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then I can stay.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunlight warmed his back. The summer sun intensified the heat within his body. A faint smile formed on his face as he stood in the shade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That simple phrase—follow your heart—brought a refreshing sense of liberation. It severed the chains in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon had a technique that he only used when someone was watching or when he wasn’t allowed to kill his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why did I even follow that rule?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who had ordered him to? The Master hadn’t. It was just an unspoken rule passed down within the Geor Dagger guild.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pointless tradition he had followed out of habit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid wasn’t fooled by his opponent’s smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is he hiding something?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon had grown stronger recently. And ever since he had gained Acker, he had become even more reckless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He constantly challenged his squadmates to sparring matches, testing his limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Jaxon was no exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when lost in thought, Enkrid would prod at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, no one in the squad ever refused Enkrid’s challenges.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was no different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half of Enkrid’s challenge had been a joke, and the other half was a provocation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon took the bait without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, Enkrid hadn’t even cared about the part where Jaxon said he wanted to stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was just craving a good fight since there was no one else available at the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon’s presence seemed to swell, as if his body had grown larger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid paid no mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If even I don’t believe in myself, I’ll never win.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never overestimate an opponent. That was the first rule of combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, never let your guard down. And always give it your all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Easier said than done. These things couldn’t be understood without experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid placed his hand on his grip. He took his stance and committed Jaxon’s entire body to memory. He opened his senses, absorbing every detail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Always give your best.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid did what he always did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And today nearly repeated itself once again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burden on his heart?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or maybe just the chains that had bound him until now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever it was, Jaxon ignored it and moved on, his steps lighter than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially as he thought back to his match with Enkrid just moments ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He’s improved a lot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A knight’s art was called Will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why couldn’t an assassin wield Will?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I leave you alone, you’ll become the best killer on the continent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Master hadn’t said that for no reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon had talent. The previous Master had seen it too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon had just landed several strikes on Enkrid—techniques he hadn’t even used when fighting Count Molten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His feet carried him outside the barracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two sentries saluted him as he passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They seemed to know who he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t return the salute. He simply walked past them and strolled along the wall lined with trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice was waiting for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you serious?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t the voice of a lover, but of a guildmate—a deputy Master speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon knew she had been watching his fight with Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You showed something that should only be used against enemies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was unseen, but her voice carried clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon sensed five more presences in the trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six in total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three of them were older than him—assassins with years of experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was a master of poison. Another specialized in dagger throwing. The third excelled in concealing presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had once been his teachers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon hadn’t only learned from the Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had long since surpassed them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wouldn’t be able to stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they attacked, they would die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his lover—the Master’s daughter—wasn’t foolish enough to make that mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon was more skilled than anyone in both technique and judgment. He hadn’t inherited the Master’s title for nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Why did you do it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lover’s voice. She had been two years older than him when they were children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No reason.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oddly enough, it was the same answer Enkrid had given him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just followed my heart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hadn’t been intentional, but it was another similar answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Was the Master’s title so trivial to you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she disappointed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jaxon didn’t regret his choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no reason to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Life wasn’t just about choosing between two paths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When did I ever say I’d give up the Master’s title?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was his lover—Jenetree—who spoke. She sounded utterly dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon responded calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m staying here. But that doesn’t mean I’m giving up Geor Dagger.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think that makes any sense?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The poison master finally spoke, unable to hold back. His voice split in two, a feeble trick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And why wouldn’t it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon looked directly at the assassin’s hiding spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would show respect as an elder. But if they attacked, they would die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes said as much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t worry. No one is dying today. I’ll persuade you all—one by one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arrogant words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most would think it impossible to defy an entire guild and live.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jaxon remained unfazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would do what needed to be done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that, more than anything, made him seem even crazier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jenetree stepped out of the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon had already known she was there, so he wasn’t surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You always do whatever you want.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do I?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jenetree stared at him for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had she fallen for this man again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You have to kill the previous Master?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geor Dagger was the greatest assassination guild on the continent. Its Masters had always passed down their skills to their successors, only to be killed by them in the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon ignored that tradition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're refusing to follow the rules?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s exactly what I intend to do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the succession struggle, three competing assassins died. Five elders perished. Counting their followers, more than thirty people had fallen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon had done it all alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it, you lunatic. Just to save my life, you wiped out nearly a third of the guild's strength?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His master—his mentor—Jenetree’s father, had scolded him like that before closing his eyes for the last time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body, worn down from years of hardship, had finally given out. The accumulated poison had taken its toll. But he had died smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not everyone will take your side.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon stared directly into his lover’s orange eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reached out his hand toward her, and she took it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like her father before her, Jenetree was quick-witted—especially when it came to matters involving Jaxon or herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had already prepared for the possibility that he might not return. She had gathered allies in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, she was merely confirming what she already knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elders who had followed her here were all on Jaxon’s side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Say it. I’ll convince them one by one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, his persuasion was in the style of Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant smashing heads until they listened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or kicking heads until they listened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way Enkrid had persuaded the city guards back in the capital would work just fine here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if they still refused to listen?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then you keep going until they do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was exactly what Enkrid would say. ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ And in that regard, Jaxon knew he was much the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from saving his father, he had never once done anything simply because he wanted to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even then, he sometimes questioned whether saving his father had been truly his own decision—or something done out of obligation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was how Jenetree saw Jaxon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And deep down, she welcomed this change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sometimes, you have to do what you want.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he died, the guild’s former Master had made a request.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Jaxon, he had entrusted his daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To his daughter, he had entrusted the young man he had cherished like a son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even if that bastard ever leaves the guild, look after him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jenetree remembered those words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon returned to the barracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way in, he saw Audin praying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Give me your blessing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At those words, Audin opened his eyes. His hands were still clasped together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did he just hear?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was shocking enough to interrupt his prayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna, dozing off in his rocking chair, slowly opened one eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon passed by and muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sleep some more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dunbakel narrowed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Has he lost his mind?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought was clear in his expression, yet Jaxon remained indifferent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go wash up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, Dunbakel would have ignored a comment like that. He never reacted to anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, he got up immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like a warning. If he didn’t listen, he might wake up with a dagger across his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teresa saw this and began praying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lord, drive out this evil spirit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At some point, she had abandoned her old faith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, her husky voice murmured prayers to the god of war instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jaxon walked past, he spotted Rem sharpening a small hand axe with a whetstone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem saw Jaxon as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still not dead?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nope. I think I’ll outlive you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon asked, and Rem answered. Their words almost overlapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a pair of swans in perfect harmony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speed of their exchange, the way their words intertwined—it was hard to imagine a better match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Doppelgängers?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kraiss muttered as he watched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Doppelgängers were monsters that imitated others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, Jaxon wasn’t acting like himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though the name of such a rare creature had been spoken—something usually found only near the Demon Realm—Jaxon didn’t react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply continued toward his room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid lay sprawled out, arms and legs stretched wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My judgment was off a few times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He should have stabbed instead of slashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now that he wielded Acker, he should have taken advantage of the blade’s unique properties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was lacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every battle had something to learn from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when a member of Mad Platoon pulled off something new, there was even more to take away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never said it out loud, but they were part of the reason he hadn’t joined a knightly order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I ever meet an actual knight, that might change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until then, training here was far more valuable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sunlight was warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wouldn’t hurt to doze off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he understood why Ragna always fell asleep in the sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, this was a moment to enjoy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just a few weeks—maybe even days—the pleasant warmth would turn into oppressive heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The season of fire—summer—was coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winning or losing didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no time to dwell on such things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that the civil war was over, would the kingdom finally know peace?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would the need to wield a sword decrease?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The new ruler was nothing like the previous one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former queen had sought stability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Crang?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crang had different ambitions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before parting ways, he had shared some of them with Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The central continent is divided into three nations. Because of that, we’re weaker than the western, eastern, or southern regions. Especially since we’re constantly at war with Azpen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you planning to negotiate a peace treaty?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Azpen was forced to stop, Naurillia would have more time to build its strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The resources lost in war, the soldiers who died—it was all a waste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crang smiled gently at that question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke as if he were plucking a flower from a garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No. I’m going to conquer Azpen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His dreams and ambitions were as bold as Enkrid’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crang spoke with a charm that captivated those around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, his words were meant only for Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he poured his entire soul into them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Enkrid bet his life on his sword, Crang burned his soul to declare his vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will be the sole ruler of the central continent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even then, he had called it just one step in his dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like how Enkrid saw knighthood not as the end, but as the beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>",2407,"2026-05-30T08:27:55.568Z","2026-06-01T04:30:45.896Z",1,"novelbin.me","99f54973a131b3180f538a953002ddbc29e69de2e3a7a2f5db8db81e83739b8f","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-423","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-459",882,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-knight-who-eternally-regresses-cover.jpg"]