[{"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-428":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},428041,689,"Chapter 426","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-428",428,"\u003Cp>The official reason for the King of the East, Anu, coming to the Border Guard was Martai, but, of course, he had another motive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has Naurillia gone mad, or is it the newly crowned king who has lost his mind? I need to figure that out. But first, I want to see the so-called Demon Slayer’s face.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anu made his name at eighteen by hunting lions on the eastern plains. Before he turned fifty, he had gathered his people and founded a nation in the East—a hero in his own right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, he had one bad habit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever he found someone promising, he wanted to take them back to the East. He had an insatiable desire for talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn’t necessarily a misfortune for those he took.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you regret becoming my brother? Then you’re free to leave!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, wasn’t he known across the continent for his boisterous nature?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once they were brought along and had gone through enough, they inevitably became people of the East.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would fall for his charm, become intoxicated by his ambition and dreams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His dream was grand, soaring, and absurd, yet he was in the process of making it a reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, every frontier of the East had felt his touch, his presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the age of eighteen, he had thrown every moment of his life into pioneering the East.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone who knew his life and saw him in action would have no choice but to acknowledge his magnetism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’s a bit stubborn and headstrong, though.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tan-skinned lieutenant, Asaluhi, adjusted his turban as he mused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what anyone said, he respected his king—a man as bold as he was free of lingering regrets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Asaluhi believed his duty was to fill in the gaps left by his king.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go see him. The man who dreams of slaying demons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, Enkrid’s rumors had twisted somewhat, but the King of the East held no prejudice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lunatic obsessed with killing demons?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martai was just an excuse. He was clearly after talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several recent events in the East had kept the king frantically busy, but now was a period of respite. The timing was perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Getting to the Border Guard, making an excuse to enter the city, and finding this Enkrid fellow would be no trouble at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even making it into the inner training grounds of the barracks wasn’t difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean anyone can request a duel, and it’ll be accepted? No exceptions?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Asaluhi’s question, the soldier scrutinized the two men but didn’t seem inclined to stop them by force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they had made it this far, it wasn’t as if a soldier could stop them anyway. A direct order had been given by the general:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t interfere. Let them through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether they were assassins or challengers, if they couldn’t be stopped, there was no need to get in their way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there was a small addendum—if a soldier truly wanted to fight, they wouldn’t be stopped. But soldiers who were desperate to brawl were exceedingly rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier spoke with the intent to let them pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s correct.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anu laughed heartily and strode inside first. The soldier didn’t block him. Had he been a fresh recruit, he might have hesitated, but as a veteran, he understood well enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were men who had already passed Frokk and Meelun, the ones guarding the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The general had also said, “If you’re not confident you can take down Meelun, don’t even think about picking a fight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s a bold young man.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king muttered as he passed the soldier, walking forward without any special restrictions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier watched the man, thinking, for some reason, he looked oddly excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king stepped into the training grounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Interesting.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thrill surged within him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he watched the Demon Slayer, he briefly revealed his presence, and his opponent’s fighting spirit ignited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been a long time since he felt this kind of battlelust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was such a clean, refined will to fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, he wouldn’t immediately resort to violence, but his opponent’s sheer presence stirred something in him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know why, but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be exact, he simply liked the man’s stubbornness. That was why he moved first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, the King of Eastern Mercenaries stayed in the battalion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Let’s see now.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king cast his gaze over the gathered soldiers, his desire for talent flickering to life again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, there was Rem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Good instincts.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem wielded two axes, his skill far from ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king referred to those he acknowledged as his ‘brothers,’ a tradition dating back to when he first entered the East with a band called the ‘Ochre Turban Brotherhood.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That tradition had since become ingrained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even among his brothers, skill of this level was rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not unheard of, but rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The East was a harsh land, no less than the Demon Realm. Such was the nature of the wild frontier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giant beasts roamed freely, and there were creatures far more dangerous than them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that were all, it would have been manageable. But there were flying monsters, demons that toyed with humans…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The East was the East.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, Rem was a standout. Even by Eastern standards, he was rare. And he wasn’t the only one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What about Audin?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s test it with raw strength!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During a spar, they locked hands in a contest of pure might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Stronger than a Bloodhide Bear?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anu was impressed. More than anything, this man—this bear in human form—wasn’t just relying on brute strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ve seen plenty of strong men before.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had tried to twist the man’s wrist subtly, only for Audin to display intricate technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strength was one thing, but to have this level of skill alongside it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was among the finest even among Anu’s own brothers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, there was Ragna.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those with outstanding talent were called geniuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This one was undeniably a genius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mass of raw, god-given ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man instantly mimicked and replicated every technique he saw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fundamentals were solid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wielding a black greatsword, his swordplay was both swift and heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An ill-prepared knight wouldn’t stand a chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of this ignited Anu’s greed, though it did not truly surprise him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exceptional instincts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tempered body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Terrifying talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rare, yes, but not something he had never seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he wasn’t exactly surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That didn’t mean he didn’t want them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was even a beastkin with remarkable potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the half-giant, Teresa, caught his eye just as much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the others—Lophod and Pel, the shepherd—each one awakened his desire for talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is fun.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anu felt excitement once again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there was one more presence that stood apart from the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A mage too, huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Esther, in human form, glanced at the king once and then dismissed him entirely, as if he didn’t even exist. She showed no interest at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That could have been remarkable on its own, but what truly fascinated Anu was something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them all, there was one leading these people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Defeat.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did it mean to lose?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone with a certain level of skill bore a high degree of pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither Rem, nor Ragna, nor Audin could escape this category.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, what was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is with this guy?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single man overturned all that negative energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can we spar?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Losing meant denying one’s own skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before ambition, the first thing one felt was defeat. That lingering sense of loss burrowed deep, gnawing away at a person like the whispered temptations of a demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such was the nature of negative emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially for those who were utterly broken before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anu had accepted his opponent’s stubbornness, but he had not done so kindly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shattered every technique the man threw at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you busy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His opponent charged at him again. And again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Defeat consumed a person. The greater the skill, the stronger the feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not this man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anu didn’t particularly like the concept of \"junior knights,\" but even by that standard, this one was remarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even among his brothers, he might make it into the top ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, such a skilled man didn’t care about losing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Does he have no pride?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps he possessed something even greater than pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anu recalled his own past defeats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hadn’t been pleasant. But he had no time to dwell on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to keep moving forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this man was the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That familiar scent—Anu could recognize it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, let’s spar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>King Anu nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His opponent, unbothered by the thought of losing, took up his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid lost. Anu won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The result was never going to change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words came from the loser’s mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the ambition and heat in his eyes, Anu knew—losing wasn’t meaningless to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was simply dreaming of something greater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I will pioneer the East.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anu spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid stared at him, eyes unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll talk about it another time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anu chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could just take all of them back to the East, he would have the time of his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few days later, it became immediately clear why the King of the East had come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have remarkable skill. How about joining me on a journey of exploration?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sought talent. And he didn’t even bother hiding it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem blinked at the words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was in the middle of making a log bench, using a freshly cut tree to get used to his new axes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each time he swung, the raw wood split and smoothed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sawdust and wood chips piled up around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anu didn’t need to see more than that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This bastard’s axe-handling…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, he thought it was something he had seen before. But the more he watched, the more evident it became—this one had an extraordinary sense for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I’m so great, what does that make you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem asked, his tone flippant. King or knight, he didn’t care. If he did, he wouldn’t be Rem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you really think you can compare yourself to me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anu shook his head in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was he supposed to do with such a comparison?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You sound even more annoying than our captain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Asaluhi, is this an insult? A crime against the royal family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he really did take offense, Rem wouldn’t «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» have cared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need to visit the West.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem reaffirmed his decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without sorcery, facing the King of the East head-on with his axe felt like a burden. That irritated him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he truly fought with all his might, he wouldn’t necessarily lose. He had even learned a few things from their sparring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still, something about it left him feeling twisted inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I have to go to the West.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought settled firmly in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king wasn’t a fool. He knew how to poke at people’s weak points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Rem, he joked around like a jester. With Ragna, he chose the words that would tempt him the most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are a lot of paths to find in the East. Why don’t you help?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You need a guide?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My specialty is finding shortcuts and making new paths. But I’m busy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Ragna got irritated, he was even worse than Rem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he decided not to listen, it was like trying to reason with Audin’s fists. Hard as iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king, however, was tireless. He continued his offers to everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he saw Dunbakel, he even made a bold suggestion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Want to be my daughter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Why would I?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dunbakel responded in Rem’s style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Or do you want to be my wife? Sorry, but I have no need for a spouse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell? I hate old men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The King of the East wasn’t hurt by such words. He only laughed heartily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone had the same thought—what kind of lunatic was this king of the East?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the one who reacted the most was Kraiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, King of the East! Is it true? Are there really mountains of gold in the East?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king laughed again and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t need you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear what kind of people he wanted—warriors who could fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lieutenant, Asaluhi, remained calm, as if this was all too familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna watched the two duelists finish their sparring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘By shifting the tempo, a simple thrust can look like a grand technique.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was technique?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, it was nothing more than cutting and stabbing what stood before you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna withdrew into himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His talent was not just exceptional—it was beyond that. So superior that he wondered if anyone existed with more raw ability than him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His past fights had only fueled his talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without a catalyst, he would have continued moving forward. But now, a catalyst stood right before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He replayed everything he had learned, cast aside what was unnecessary, and reexamined what remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna lay on his bed, staring outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mad Platoon’s training grounds were directly connected to their quarters, making it possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dust swirled through the air, but the proximity was convenient—at least, according to Enkrid. It had been Kraiss who had foreseen that and designed the layout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to that, Ragna could gaze at the training grounds and lose himself in the sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And because of that layout, from the outside, it simply looked like he was lazing around in bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That bastard’s slacking off again. Knew it was only a matter of time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Rem who spoke, having finished making a log bench and now working on a table.\u003C\u002Fp>",2284,"2026-05-30T08:27:55.568Z","2026-06-01T04:30:45.896Z",1,"novelbin.me","0d6e01fa3c2b42b3449c95f7a581b0dcf4a575d81372674548e853ed44238086","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-249","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-465",882,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-knight-who-eternally-regresses-cover.jpg"]