[{"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-691":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},428548,689,"Chapter 688: A Familiar Face","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-691",691,"\u003Cp>Enkrid had experience as both a pathfinder and a bounty hunter. It was from a time when he did anything and everything just to earn a few krona.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that didn’t mean he approached the job with a half-hearted attitude. Reading signs like footprints in soil or snapped branches to determine direction was second nature to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when branches had been intentionally bent upward to mark the way—clearly Grida’s doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Branches naturally bend downward or forward as one moves through. If they bent upward, someone did it deliberately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At regular intervals—roughly every thirty steps by a grown man’s stride—branches pointed the way. A subtle kindness from a skilled guide for those following behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So chasing them down was easy. The trio ahead would unavoidably be slower than him, especially since Ragna was carrying Anne and would have some restrictions in movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Enkrid wondered if something had happened to the group ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did the enemy prepare more traps?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pondered while running. Could the mage have predicted they would deviate from the expected route?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, perhaps a secondary large-scale curse—like the one that disoriented direction—lay ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A double barrier?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No way to know unless he saw it himself. He kept moving, legs churning as his mind turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And somewhere in his mind, for fun, he kept reflecting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swordsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t help it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had just discovered the concept of calculated swordsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, that implied the existence of an opposite: instinctive swordsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thrill of discovery brought a shiver of joy. Something new had come to him, and it didn’t feel far off. It was so exciting he felt like he might die from happiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I die from happiness and repeat the day, what would the Ferryman say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t heard it aloud, but he could almost hear a sarcastic voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Did you really just say that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe he’d get to see the Ferryman’s dumbfounded expression one day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case, when he split perspectives into calculation and instinct, the special traits of his squadmates became clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin and Jaxon calculate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They always considered the situation, the variables, and thought ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna and Rem follow instinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn’t think—they felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they turned everything to their advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One more outlier: Shinar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fairy’s techniques involved harmony—turning the opponent’s strength against them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s a balanced type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the flaws of balance she compensated for by weaponizing her opponent’s strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winter mountain breeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her swordplay was a balance of calculation and instinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid still remembered the swordsmanship Shinar had displayed after resettling her village. He hadn’t understood it then—but he did now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She read some of my movements. The rest, she matched with instinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by that, Shinar might’ve been the most skilled of them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There's no such thing as perfection. It’s a matter of who’s sharper.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxon’s words echoed in his head, and he found himself agreeing. In the end, the sharpest one wins. So Shinar and Jaxon’s approaches weren’t mutually exclusive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever the case, Enkrid now knew what he had to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instinctive swordsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d master it next. Not just hiding his specialty—developing another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words in his mind answered the very question he’d asked himself during the duel with Audin before they left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Think he’ll be okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magrun adjusted his pace as he asked. He was referring to Enkrid, who had stayed behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night was still long. It was unlikely the ambush would be the last. Magrun was sure of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether spell, curse, or monster—something would try to block their path. That was only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t doubt Enkrid’s safety, but the identity of the one behind these attacks was still unclear. That uncertainty made him uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Ragna who answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’ll be better off than if I had stayed. He looked like he was having the time of his life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid fought better when excited. And he never forgot his responsibilities while doing so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magrun had spent two months watching him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah, that tracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in just two months, Enkrid had earned that kind of trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, some part of him felt like he should worry. But no matter how feral the Scalers were, they couldn’t possibly overwhelm a knight—especially not Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that was the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Magrun saw that Enkrid wasn’t just any knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d say it was the best choice in that moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grida agreed, though even she was quietly impressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid always seemed to make the best decision—even under pressure, even with limited time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s like he’s someone who’s gone through this same situation countless times before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And she wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his repeated “todays,” he had made these decisions over and over. Sometimes he’d had to make them under excruciatingly short time limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That ability to judge and act quickly was one of the many things Enkrid had earned through his endless regressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grida didn’t know that, so she chalked it up to talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, had the whole group stayed behind to fight, they’d likely have lost more time instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the monsters had split their forces and pursued both parties, we’d have had an easier time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They still had reserves. Grida, Magrun—both capable fighters. If Magrun had another fit from his condition, that’d be trouble—but he seemed stable for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, by making a snap decision to stay behind, Enkrid prevented delay and forced the monsters into his terms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no colony leader commanding them, the Scalers couldn’t act tactically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still not sure why a special specimen showed up, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now wasn’t the time to think about that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything will become clear once we reach Zaun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once there, most of these uncertainties would have answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No way they’re unaware of what’s happening out here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since Odinkar had gone ahead to warn them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Magrun was deep in thought, Enkrid rejoined the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t out of breath—just a little excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s time to learn instinct.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grida had been about to say, “Good job out there,” but stopped to ask instead. What the hell was he talking about?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve got a decent grasp of the path. The wall isn’t that high.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid spoke again and quickly caught up to Ragna.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna, hearing him, offered no reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The hell are you saying, you lunatic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grida muttered. She was so thrown off that she didn’t see a tree root and tripped slightly—only to smash the root with her foot and keep moving. Knights had that kind of strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The root snapped, spraying sap and splinters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is he poisoned?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magrun turned and asked, slowing his pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. That’s just how he is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after two months of watching Enkrid, this level of madness was new to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m striking with instinct now. Not judgment—instinct.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid muttered, not ignoring them, but not exactly addressing them either. Then, just as quickly, he followed with something normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All the Scalers are dealt with.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re telling us now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There were four black ones. Are they common in this area?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re asking now?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that was a colony, Border Guard and Martai would both be in trouble. That meant a monster nest barely ten days away on horseback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And a special unit to boot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d already seen Jericks the Ghoul in Oara. They knew monsters could train and evolve. So this was a threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They used psychokinesis. One had armored scales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More precisely, two psychokinetics, two iron-skinned monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I’ve never seen anything like them before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magrun gave up on expecting answers and just replied. His face had darkened since they set out. He was worried. About Zaun. About his own condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Weird. There’ll be more ambushes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid said again. Most would treat this as more than “weird,” but not Enkrid—not after everything he’d seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if there was nothing they could do about it now, then this was the best approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others understood that. They moved on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing that mattered was whether another ambush would come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We expect it too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grida nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’ll take over ten days like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magrun agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll know what’s going on once we get to Zaun. Odinkar went ahead too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grida added. Magrun picked up the pace again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept his senses sharp for signs of danger, though they slowed slightly to maintain awareness. Rushing blindly and missing something wasn’t worth it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They minimized conversation. Talking would only dull their awareness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ran through the night. But no further ambush came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dawn, Magrun stopped, and Grida spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How about we push through to evening, even if it’s rough? Freckles will probably sleep better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Agreed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ran again. Sweat clung to them as they crossed ridge after ridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no time for luxuries like washing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They refilled water at a stream. Caught a few animals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the Pen-Hanil Mountains had monsters and beast-creatures, normal animals also lived there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, beast-creatures were simply animals corrupted by monster blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deeper in the great forests, it was all monsters—but that was a separate hellscape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They caught a few animals, roasted them over an open fire, and ate. No seasoning. Just meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It reeked—but at least they had something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Anne ate and drank when she awoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t sleep any more with drugs. It’d harm my body.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When that happened, she clung tightly to Ragna’s back and endured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh, this is actually torture.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t as fast as a horse, but clinging to someone moving through uneven terrain was still exhausting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid, though, was impressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t a run across plains. It was a mountain crossing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They leapt over boulders, kicked up dust, ran hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dry dirt got into everything. Pick your nose—black. Scratch your ear—black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three days passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid, Ragna, even Anne all expected something to happen by now—but nothing did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They remained on alert, but heard nothing—no scent, no signs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They crossed more ridges, hiked steep inclines, got covered in dust, crossed a broad stream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stream was only waist-deep, but gambesons and cloaks became burdens when wet, so they had to strip down to thin trousers, hoist their weapons and bags overhead, and wade through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, Enkrid thought this would be a perfect ambush spot. But even then—nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, they reached it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the Lapata Gorge. You’re probably curious about the name, but there’s no time. Too bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magrun said, gesturing to the path flanked by steep earthen walls. His tone was firm—but Enkrid had come to understand him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s saying he’s sorry he can’t explain it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone might be sharp, but the meaning was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like someone wanting to explain the beautiful scenery of their hometown to a friend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But some bastard had ruined that plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which made passing through this gorge feel even more unpleasant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the alternative path was too long—so they pushed forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Why hasn’t anything happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grida muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seriously.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was ironic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when they were just a stone’s throw from Zaun—no ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid found that strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He got a glimpse of the answer when they finally arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zaun sat nestled in a basin atop a mountain ridge. At first glance, it looked like a close-knit village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few stately buildings stood out, and everyone carried a sword. Other than that, it could’ve been any remote mountain village, far from monsters or beast-creatures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And standing at the gate was a man Enkrid recognized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strangely enough—it was a familiar face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not one he’d seen in real life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re late, Grida.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man stood beside a gate of tall pointed wooden stakes—taller than a grown man. The gate was open behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Enkrid saw him, he thought of a gate that could never be breached. A sword that could never break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d never seen such things. But looking at this man, he imagined them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s how strong his presence was. At rest, he was a mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when he moved, he would be a storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid’s sharpened intuition saw it clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In dreams, he’d noticed the thick brows, the lean cheeks, the solid build.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But face-to-face, it was his presence that spoke first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s the head of the house.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magrun said. But Enkrid had already figured it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The head of Zaun. The leader of the family that raised knights. Who else could it be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve brought guests.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The head of house said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as his presence pressed ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) down, Enkrid instinctively activated his Will, resisting the subtle pressure—and felt a creeping doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He doesn’t know who we are?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Odinkar had arrived first, that shouldn’t be possible.\u003C\u002Fp>",2090,"2026-05-30T08:28:33.327Z","2026-06-01T04:30:45.896Z",1,"novelbin.me","0914ac73a122f969c2191862c1edcd0391c0837974592901fdd2b98581981bd5","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-692","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-690",882,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-knight-who-eternally-regresses-cover.jpg"]