[{"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-666":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},428523,689,"Chapter 663: Price and Gift","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-666",666,"\u003Cp>Azpen and the Holy Nation had both attempted to cultivate knights, but all they’d learned was the clear limitation of shortcuts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, for ordinary soldiers, even those shortcut-borne warriors would seem like disasters—but they could never match a true knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid didn’t know any of those circumstances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he chose the proper path regardless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had some idea by intuition, but it wasn’t something worth worrying about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He moved according to the theory he’d built upon the road he’d already walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod and Pell stood in front of him, their mouths tightly shut, staring at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I ask again, the answer won’t change, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid asked once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was always good to reaffirm determination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. I want to become one,” said Rophod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter how many times you ask, the answer’s the same,” Pell added. “If it’s about talent, sure—you might see it that way. But I’m not stopping here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod answered plainly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pell had a bit more fire in his voice, but Enkrid nodded, unconcerned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod clenched his jaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he lacked in provocation techniques, he wouldn’t lose in this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there was a path to knighthood, he would take it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter the training, he’d endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod’s resolve shone like a star.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Pell wasn’t any different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve got talent too. Maybe not as much as the commander... but still.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They said an Idol Slayer sword ultimately devours its wielder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he’d chosen to wield it because he believed he could overcome it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he would.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was a shepherd of the wild going to stop here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Endurance and patience were the foundation of any shepherd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His determination was more than enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It showed in both of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid calmly gathered his thoughts and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Drop your swords.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...What?” Rophod, tense, answered with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Disarm yourselves,” Enkrid repeated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was an odd sense of foreboding in his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pell and Rophod exchanged a glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barebody training?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isolation technique?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d done that plenty already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around then, Anne stepped into the training yard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why’re you calling a busy woman like me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m calling you to do your job.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell are you planning now...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following Anne, Seiki arrived, light-footed and almost bouncing with every step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ragged Saint was with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I guide them, their skills will improve faster,” said the Saint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guide what, exactly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll go first,” said Seiki.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go first at what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Identical questions surfaced in Rophod and Pell’s heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin came to Enkrid’s side, carrying a thick iron club.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked small in his hands, but the thing was thicker than most men’s forearms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he wasn’t the only one—Rem had one too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was against this,” Rem said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I chose another path,” Lua Gharne added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll sit this one out too,” Teresa chimed in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod had the same gut feeling as the time his mother called out his name after finding the pee-soaked bedsheet he’d tried to hide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pell felt the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remembered getting caught stealing aged cheese from the elders during his shepherding days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was really bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their instincts were sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You both said your resolve is firm, so if you run, we’ll just drag you back,” Enkrid said. “Ragna. Jaxon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it,” Ragna replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We won’t break your ankles,” added Jaxon from behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their escape routes were cut off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod turned to look and locked eyes with Ragna.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew well how merciless Ragna was during sparring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Ragna was now looking at him with something like sympathy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sir Ragna...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Accept it,” Ragna said, ignoring the question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pell realized this was his only chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was already too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Mad Knight Platoon’s core gathered around, what could they do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the two disarmed, stripped down to thin undershirts, even removed their boots, and stood before Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem grinned wickedly, holding his club.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Man, I really hate this kind of thing. Hate it so much I want to die—but what can you do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s for our two brothers,” said Audin, backing him up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll start with full-body percussion,” Enkrid announced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...What are you saying?” Pell muttered in denial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Audin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, brother. I’m ready.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It all started with drawing Will from the subconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By beating the entire body, they would awaken it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s what Enkrid believed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The closer to death the beating, the better the effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you all fucking crazy?” Pell protested again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod lowered his head in resignation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid clearly saw the difference in their temperaments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod had accepted it logically, recognizing it was unavoidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pell knew it instinctively but kept resisting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pell’s legs buckled from a precise blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem, having trained with obsession to surpass Enkrid, had perfect control over his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin, who often massaged Enkrid’s body through his own methods, was a seasoned hand at this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His club flew and struck Rophod’s shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bam!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaagh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A groan broke from Rophod’s lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two trainee knights were beaten head-to-toe by the clubs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, Rem muttered, “Is this systemization or standardized punishment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he said this after finishing the beating—classic Rem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that he was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You say that now, you barbaric bastard...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod and Pell shared a ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) moment of unspoken agreement, but didn’t express it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, and the day after that, continued just the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you want, there’s always a spot for you,” Enkrid said kindly to Teresa, who stood nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll pass,” Teresa declined without even taking a breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not because her resolve was lacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She just couldn’t say it out loud, but she’d already found her own path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hers was very different from theirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “beating” was just a way to heighten personal sensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that was all, she didn’t need to be clubbed for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, Enkrid even guided the two in how to advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not with grand slogans like “Strike mightily!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only someone who had walked from the foot of the mountain to the peak could speak like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone who’d carved a path and even left markers behind for others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you try to counter Pell’s sharp instinct with the same method, you’ll lose. Block it your way,” Enkrid told Rophod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then turned to Pell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Same for you. Don’t try to read one move ahead of Rophod’s calculations. Flip the board. Whether it’s through athleticism or unpredictability, whatever it takes—use that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The point was this:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no need to hand a bow to someone who’s already good with a sword.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem, listening nearby, nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“True enough. That’s why I gave all my squadmates axes. They fit ‘em.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bit of a stretch—but not wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem’s men, outwardly at least, all looked like reckless brutes with unstoppable momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Ragna, Audin, and Jaxon listened intently to Enkrid’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lethal, Sustained, Versatile—Enkrid had broadly categorized them that way, with further breakdowns into Technique-focused and Training-focused types.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe it's better to divide them into Instinct and Calculation instead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps Instinct and Calculation should be treated as traits within the categories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No theory was perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He believed that by refining it bit by bit, the path would open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you sure about this?” asked Pell, his whole body bruised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid was honest—even without the influence of the fairies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when he had no reason to lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I believe it’ll work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pell ground his teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grrrrk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I get stronger than you, you’ll see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grudge in Pell’s voice held the weight of a young vengeance—comparable to a lesser evil spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he were to die right now, it felt like the resulting specter might just devour a demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Vengeance type?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, that didn’t sound right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid shook his head inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod, on the other hand, had a somber look of resignation—only to reignite his resolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Enkrid’s perspective, Rophod might appear calm on the outside, but he had a fiercely competitive nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe temperament can be categorized by personality.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was, in fact, the distinction he’d made between the Training Type and the Technique Type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pell spent more time developing skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod spent more time tempering his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There wasn’t a superior choice between the two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod hated showing off and was therefore methodical and tenacious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pell, in contrast, often talked about his own talent and had a flashy personality, naturally gravitating toward technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Their swordsmanship can be summed up as instinct versus calculation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As test subjects, they were perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a coincidence, but the two had opposite temperaments and were acutely aware of one another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if this training didn’t become a definitive path to knighthood, it would still leave something behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the very least, they’ll master Ironclad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally that would be reserved for those beyond the knight level—but...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They need to use it at the pre-knight stage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Foresight, Ironclad, Hardened Flesh—these were all critical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can’t draw Will from the subconscious unless you can use them instinctively.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the road to knighthood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—the prerequisite to becoming a knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be considered the foundation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid was learning even as he taught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And these two had already fulfilled many of the prerequisites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Except Ironclad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So all he had to do was fill that in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Foresight might not be necessary, depending on temperament, but some basic understanding was essential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond that, they needed to develop Hardened Flesh and Ironclad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hardened Flesh was the skill that left the deepest impression on Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could he forget the moment on the battlefield when a pre-knight stomped forward and shattered the ground?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rophod and Pell knew how to use Hardened Flesh, albeit unskillfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid assisted them in refining it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They trained until their thigh muscles were on the verge of tearing—repeating it endlessly to engrain it into their bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Rophod made a request.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I want to share this special training method with my squad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid wasn’t sure yet if this training structure would truly produce knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he believed it was beneficial for everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At this level...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t even considered advanced training in terms of intensity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sharing knowledge was the path to building structure—and raising the group’s overall capability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s exactly what the Border Guard’s standing army had begun to do, almost by accident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, they weren’t even “standing army” anymore—they were known as the Mad Platoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If a structure exists, then the path becomes visible. You might not surpass talent—but you can chase after it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid said that aloud, reaffirming the belief to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a process that required time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for some, it might be a painfully dull one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Enkrid repeated the present day without complaint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t look bored. Should I try sparring with you too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It happened on a day like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Esther appeared at dawn in human form, joining his training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparring with a magician followed a different pattern—but it wasn’t something that disinterested Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no reason to refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded, and Esther immediately said, “Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I'm entrusting training today to you, Audin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood, brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid left Rophod and Pell with Audin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Esther was wearing her usual robe and holding a long staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the first time Enkrid had seen her carry one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d taken it after he’d retrieved a warlock’s staff during a previous battle and given it to her as a gift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had repurposed parts of its metal for her own use, and another portion had reportedly gone to Aitri.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I accepted that gift well. So what we’re doing now... think of it as the price.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they exited the city, Esther said that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid thought she looked vaguely bashful—but that wasn’t like a witch, so he decided it must be his imagination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reading a fairy or witch’s emotions was no easy task.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two headed toward the foothills of the nearby mountain range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way, a soldier stationed at a tower-like outpost recognized them and saluted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Keep up the good work,” Enkrid said with a passing nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Esther didn’t even glance in his direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you remember how to fight a magician?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. If I see one, I cut first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now I’ll teach you how to fight one who’s prepared.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Enkrid felt a sudden dissonance—Esther no longer felt nearby, as if she’d drifted far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at that same moment...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw it—a mud giant pulling at his ankle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the ground, only its hands, head, and shoulders emerged, grabbing at his foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It muddled the senses and immobilized its target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A simple tactic, but effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid reacted the moment he perceived it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, he slashed the creature’s wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penna, glowing with pale blue light, sliced through the summoned being’s arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muck sprayed into the air—but instead of dispersing, it congealed midair and reshaped itself into a net.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s... unexpected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Foresight hadn’t activated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course not—the opponent was a magician.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A seeker of change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unpredictability was their norm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Magic always longs for change. If the enemy can read that change, then you may as well put down your staff and walk away. Though I do enjoy making it unreadable too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Esther’s voice rang from somewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid didn’t answer—he simply swung Penna again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept his feet grounded and saw the net fly toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recalled the sensation he’d felt when cutting through Walking Fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Should I dodge? No. I won’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Esther demanded unexpected changes, then Enkrid would hold steady and preserve the current flow—maintaining tactical control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even spells had texture—like a scent you’ve never smelled before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It couldn’t be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And while it existed, it defied expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet once perceived, that texture could be identified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the fruit of enduring and cutting through spell after spell through countless days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid didn’t move recklessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he swept his right arm up and down in repeated arcs—slicing through the spell with his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mud, now transformed into taut spider silk, was cut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penna’s sharpness didn’t fail, even against magical targets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Esther chanted and hurled another spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She knows.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d figured it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since he cut Walking Fire, Enkrid had learned how to see the texture of spells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He instinctively struck at the gaps—shredding spells before they could fully form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made most standard magic ineffective against him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spell Severance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With further refinement, he might even learn to suppress spells outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A non-magician suppressing magic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sparring was helping him toward that end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he ever turned against her, she’d be giving him a critical weapon—but Esther didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other witches or magicians would panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Esther, however, would mock them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what if there’s a technique to sever spells?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then go further—develop spells that can still work against those who sever them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trying to hide knowledge was pointless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What a bunch of idiots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, many battles had been fought over such ideas across endless time—but Esther didn’t care about that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid sparred with Esther once a week.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as the rumor spread through the barracks that “the black flower has beaten the witch,” spring reached full bloom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with it...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Golden Witch returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve brought a gift, fiancé.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The title of Golden Witch remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her golden hair and green eyes locked onto Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with zero hesitation...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spoke of gifts—while plucking the threads of fate.\u003C\u002Fp>",2542,"2026-05-30T08:28:33.327Z","2026-06-01T04:30:45.896Z",1,"novelbin.me","e84f9cbb4b91910d88134bd220847a3fe0d4ec9c77d75c3301f50d3f61cd8bb6","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-667","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-665",882,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-knight-who-eternally-regresses-cover.jpg"]