[{"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-494":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},428118,689,"Chapter 500","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-494",494,"\u003Cp>“I’ll go handle the trainees for a bit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod said and turned away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had his own duties to attend to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was the day when, after grueling training, the recruits were allowed to challenge someone of their choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the reward given at the end of hard labor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You remember the deal? If you beat me, you can join the general’s command immediately—anyone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod stepped to the front of the platform and announced. A drop of rain, pooled at the edge of the platform roof, fell and dampened his hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, Rem grumbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did these bastards all get the hint and bolt?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was Ragna or Jaxon, if they’d truly foreseen that Rem would ascend to knight-level by using sorcery, they’d be holding crystal balls, not swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So of course, they hadn’t run off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid cast his gaze toward the platform, having heard what Rophod had said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t something he had given explicit permission for, but judging by how it was playing out, the scent of Kraiss was unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin was the best at working the recruits into the ground, but giving them motivation—that was another matter entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That required knowing how to handle people. And Audin… was definitely not good at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid had learned firsthand under him—like when he was taught isolation techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Drink this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t have the strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, you do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t move my arm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, you can.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Audin’s way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Rophod?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t all that different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d spent nearly his entire life in the knight order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had definitely dealt with plenty of rough fighters and criminals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But guiding and leading people was a different skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Training wasn’t just about building strength or endurance. It was a process of understanding what kind of person someone was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To do that, sometimes you had to push them hard—and sometimes you had to reward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid accepted the situation, assuming Kraiss had gotten involved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wide-eyed bastard might not be some veteran mercenary, but when it came to handling ordinary people—understanding the logic behind people’s actions—Kraiss knew best.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ones gathered now had been drawn here by the name Enkrid, but among them were those who, having only heard rumors, still doubted his skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, rumors spread like wildfire, but who really knew how true they were?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marco was a spearman whose skills had been recognized by a famous lancer from the western trade cities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the kind who didn’t put much faith in rumors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If those rumors were all true, then the so-called Harpy Slayer or Colony Destroyer from the west wouldn’t have been just that good—they’d have been extraordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he’d come all this way—and, naturally, he had every intention of proving himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now the so-called hero who ended the civil war was nowhere to be seen?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No training, no duels?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he had joined in the training, going along with everything so far. But he was starting to hit his limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frustration had been building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then there was Rophod. He definitely looked strong—but Marco had come to fight a demon slayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is it wise to reveal my technique ahead of time?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would only put him at a disadvantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most martial artists on the continent believed showing your hand first was a tactical mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marco was no different—and he also wanted to seize fame with a single, decisive victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he waited. And waited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was the day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Audin hadn’t gone off for a fasting prayer… If Ragna hadn’t gotten lost… If Pell had been here with his silver tongue…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marco wouldn’t have even thought this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t looking at Rophod. His gaze was locked on Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His curly hair, drenched in rain, drooped into his eyes like soggy seaweed. He ran a hand over his face to push it away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grrrrk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, a gray-haired beast gnashed his teeth—but Marco didn’t spare it a glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some trainees looked toward Rophod, but Marco’s eyes never left Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General, hero, civil war’s ender, demon slayer, savior of the kingdom, guardian of the Border Guard, friend of the king, destroyer of the Gray Demon Realm...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man with endless titles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he saw him up close, Enkrid certainly didn’t seem like a second-rate fighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But would I definitely lose in a fight?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marco didn’t think so. He believed in himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had learned spear techniques from books. Even so, as a child, no one around him could match him. And when he grew older, anyone with comparable skill was caught up to within a month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d sought out sword and spear masters—but none had satisfied him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t always win. But he never ended on a loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marco let out a slow breath. The rain was bringing autumn ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) with it, but the air was still warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dampness was unpleasant, but so what? Now was the time to showcase his skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid had sensed the gaze on him for some time. Since there was no reason to avoid it, he stared right back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Am I allowed to choose my opponent directly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marco spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among those who came seeking the Border Guard, some were lured by the high pay—but many were here to test their strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid knew that kind of person well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything was said through that look alone. He was going to challenge him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid had no intention of avoiding it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly, he had learned a few things on his journey here. He needed a good opponent to test them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They weren’t quite polished enough for Rem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will you be alright with this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid didn’t turn away those who challenged him. That hadn’t changed even now, fresh off a long journey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod asked, and Enkrid nodded, lowering his pack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He considered drawing Acker but instead took only Gladius and stepped down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe he’d been too rough with it—the scabbard had loosened, and the blade wobbled inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d have to visit a blacksmith in the city soon and get it repaired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marco, the trainee, drew his weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a long spear—slightly taller than he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way he gripped it, the wide stance—none of it was ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least by soldier standards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those outside the knight order often called themselves “quasi-knights” or “squires.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marco could be considered quasi-knight level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after real experience, Enkrid had come to see that “quasi-knight” was… well, nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘You can die from any sword—but the difference in skill is real.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how you looked at it, neither Roman from Oara nor Aisia, now likely back at the royal palace, would lose to someone like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t think I’ll be able to go easy on you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marco said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least he was honest and courteous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was warning Enkrid that he was coming at him seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His stance and aura already said everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That kind of instinct—that ability to see a step ahead—was what people would one day call future sight if Marco ever became a knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid lightly tossed Gladius into the air, caught it, and gripped it in reverse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That’s your weapon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marco asked. Enkrid just flexed his fingers around the grip and motioned with a slight twitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seaweed-haired man clenched his jaw and surged through the rain. His spear tip had nearly vanished to a pinpoint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would Rophod be able to handle someone like that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who knew. If it were the old Rophod, maybe—but the current one was hard to judge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid swung the reverse-gripped Gladius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He struck the spear’s blade and immediately stepped in, driving his bare fist into Marco’s abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a thrust inspired by Rem’s axe kicks that embedded themselves like javelins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid stomped the ground, pushed off with no rotation—just pure strength—and extended his arm. The short prep made it fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guhhk!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marco’s feet briefly left the ground. Even so, he didn’t drop the spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He floated at an angle for a moment before slamming to the ground with a splat. The strength drained from his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not quite unconscious, but definitely dazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still held onto the spear, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid thought to himself—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this were a test, he’d say pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, it was a sequence of simple motions—block, slip in, strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swooosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rain grew heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gggk…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marco crawled on the ground. Enkrid had held back—but it wasn’t a light blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he struck full force, Marco might’ve ruptured his organs—coughing up blood and chunks from his guts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What the hell…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t even see it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of the trainees muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The difference in skill was glaring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyone else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the trainees looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes said it all:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How the hell do you fight that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod stood there smiling, rain pouring down on him. And then he said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then how about a match with me, sir?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Ragna gone, his hands had been itching for action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than anything, Rophod had something he wanted to show Enkrid now that he was back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised his sword and took a high stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid responded by gripping Gladius once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If this is the kind of welcome I get, then I gladly accept it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been curious about how much Rophod had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod focused. He broke down the moment and stretched time out. His burning concentration made him forget everything else around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The falling rain, the situation, even time itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only things that remained in his consciousness were the sword in his hand and his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had continued polishing his skills even after learning from Lua Gharne, and had rolled around endlessly with Ragna. In doing so, Rophod had discovered something new.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had named it: the Eye of the Eagle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he concentrated all his senses on his opponent, it felt as if he were watching them from the sky above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid didn’t move an inch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod watched him through the Eagle’s Eye, waiting for his move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then Enkrid moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blade suddenly obscured Rophod’s vision. Enkrid had thrown Gladius without a hint of preparation. No—there had been a prep motion, but it was so fast his reaction lagged. Rophod instinctively brought his sword down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gladius was deflected—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sky and earth rang out. That’s how Rophod perceived it. A bolt of lightning exploded before his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why is the world spinning?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod collapsed with a thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You should pick your opponents more carefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem, now calm, called down from the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like you had a bit of fun. Still got a long way to go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He followed up in a bored tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still seated in the muddy puddle, Rophod let out a brief sound of admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d thought he’d finally caught up a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Enkrid take down a trainee like that, he thought maybe—just maybe—he could face him with his own sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s really that hard to catch up to a genius, huh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah… So that’s how it is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every trainee watching silently agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod shook his head side to side. His skull was still ringing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid had closed the distance by throwing his sword, then followed with a left high kick straight to the jaw. Every motion had occurred at a speed beyond reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod was still dazed from that single strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trainees said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Enkrid, he had no particular thoughts about being called a “genius.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t feel good, nor bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It just… was. If that’s how someone saw him, so be it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, even Rophod knew that the word “genius” or “talent” couldn’t possibly sum up everything a person had built.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll head in first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with that, Enkrid picked up the backpack he had left on the ground and walked across the training yard, leaving behind the Squire he had just flattened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From behind, Rophod suddenly called out in a booming voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright! If we keep trying, we can become like that one day!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod had somehow become a man of great ambition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dream big, don’t you,” Rem muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not everyone can be like that. That’s why the world is unfair,” Lua Gharne added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Were you always the kind to mock others’ dreams?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid looked at Rem and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You didn’t know? I laughed the first time you said you wanted to be a knight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He really had laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If someone gives you a dream, someone else has to wake you up,” Lua Gharne said, sounding like a sage who lived not on a mountaintop but in a hill behind your house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People like that usually weren’t sages—they were swindlers—but she wasn’t entirely wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone’s dream could be broken by just a few words, it probably wasn’t something you could prop back up anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid walked on and soon saw the lodging that hadn’t changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, he’d drop off his gear, wash up, and for the first time in a while, have a proper meal that wasn’t field rations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened the door to his quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue eyes. Long black hair. A black robe with pale skin showing between the folds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seated on an antique chair of unknown origin was a mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sat with her legs crossed and locked eyes with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spoke like someone who had seen him just yesterday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And next to her—perhaps even more absurd than the antique chair—was a fairy seated at an office desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fairy looked up as she set down the carving knife she had been using.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve returned, fiancé.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her fairy-like jokes remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Esther said nothing else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shinar didn’t turn her gaze away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes were bright, sharp, and direct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hsssshhhhhh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rain poured outside. The door clicked shut behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hearth in the center burned quietly, and with its light flickering in the background, Shinar asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where’s my gift?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t been on a vacation or anything—why was she asking for a gift?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid thought that as he set down his pack. He was about to say he didn’t have one… but then closed his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On second thought, he did have something for each of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, for Jaxon—an invisible-blade dagger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Esther—some magical trinket he had happened to pick up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for Audin—a shattered relic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Can any of this really be called a gift?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably not. And yet, Enkrid gave the fairy something anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A dagger that wards off misfortune.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sacrificial blade. Useless to him, maybe useful to someone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shinar caught the dagger with a flick and gave it a glance before tucking it into her robe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something’s changed in you. Let’s spar once the rain stops.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, choosing the words she knew would make Enkrid happiest, she added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not a bad offer, is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid washed up, ate, and unpacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, it didn’t quite feel like he was back. More like something was missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably because all the people who were supposed to be here… weren’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d return soon, of course—but for now, yeah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt just a little bit lonely.\u003C\u002Fp>",2515,"2026-05-30T08:27:55.568Z","2026-06-01T04:30:45.896Z",1,"novelbin.me","88410aa927ff9a1e2f5268c71451c6d8f0e0cea66618463025ed01489b0fd0cc","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-300","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-299",882,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-knight-who-eternally-regresses-cover.jpg"]