[{"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-696":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},428553,689,"Chapter 693: Excellent","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-696",696,"\u003Cp>It was the next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid, who had deliberately woken up late, slowly and carefully loosened his body. There was hardly any fatigue left in him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bruise he got from being hit by Ragna must have faded too. He didn’t need a mirror to know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A knight’s trained body far surpassed an ordinary person’s ability to recover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Legend.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was always the title that came first when speaking of Zaun. A name that only those beyond a certain level could occasionally hear, never even sung of in the songs of bards. The word “legend” fit Zaun better than anything else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Among them, the family head.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tingling sensation zipped from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and the fine hairs on his body stood on end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How fun this will be.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His excitement surged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nice weather.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid looked up at the sky and spoke. Anne, rubbing her eyes beside him, also looked up and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nice weather?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky was full of thick black clouds. What exactly did he mean by “nice weather”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, very.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid replied. Behind Anne, Ragna spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You won’t hear anything. He’s like that sometimes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a side of him Anne hadn’t seen before. But it wasn’t surprising. She just thought, this is why he’s called a madman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like it’ll be a busy day for me too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anne hadn’t come to leisurely visit Ragna’s family home. She had come to find the root of the illness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, a page wearing a sword came to inform them that the family head was summoning Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just after dawn, quite an early hour—but Enkrid had already finished his preparations. And so he responded to the family head’s summons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center of a wide training ground, the family head and his wife welcomed Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need for greetings like “Did you sleep well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Enkrid stepped forward, about ten paces away, he knew who would be going first in the spar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The family head.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who represented Zaun, Ragna’s father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This kind of pressure was new to him. It didn’t stop at simply weighing down the body. The pressure had form. A great sword stood before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an illusion—but not an illusion. It felt real because the presence was truly alive and breathing in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It feels like it actually exists.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was what one would call presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure that should have been intangible formed the shape of a greatsword, a blade so large it made a person’s body seem small. The blade was three times the size of the family head’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t filled with killing intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer came quickly, through instinct aided by insight and experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This pressure isn’t directed at me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was merely a signal that he was ready to fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably, the minimum requirement to duel the family head was to withstand this pressure. It was a near-certain instinct—and it was correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna looked at the manifested pressure of his father, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s gotten bigger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even before swinging his sword, he crushed his opponent. It was his father’s specialty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing before him, Enkrid looked like a reed swaying in the wind, or a branch about to snap. The difference in aura was that stark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before this manifested aura, most people felt infinitely small. In reverse, it meant their opponent grew inside them before the fight even began. A fight where the heart surrendered first—this was what that meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought of being crushed if that greatsword moved—such pressure suffocated the heart. That was the power of this aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he watched, Enkrid’s aura shifted drastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna was behind him and couldn’t see his face—but he could tell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He must be smiling.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s the kind of man he was. And he was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid felt a shiver of joy and thrill, and his lips twitched on their own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aura was different. He had never experienced this before. That made it exciting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, someone came to mind—the King of the East, Anu. Anu might be at a similar level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When he came to the Border Guard, he was just playing with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, Enkrid hadn’t been able to draw out the Mercenary King’s true strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lips twisted, his fangs bared. His clear smile made Alexandra’s right eyebrow twitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s smiling?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression seemed to ask that question. But it didn’t register for Enkrid. He was focused only on the family head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teresa, who had been immersed in training, suddenly spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Audin, Sister Shinar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two assisting her turned their heads at the same time. Shinar recalled the floating daggers she’d suspended with spiritual energy. Audin was removing a damaged steel gauntlet from his arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the most troublesome thing about fighting Captain Enkrid?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a deeply thought-out question—just something that popped into her head. Good conversation during a short break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin and Shinar answered at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stubbornness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Refusal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Different words, same meaning. “Stubbornness” came from Shinar, “refusal” from Audin. Audin added,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In terms of learning, he absorbs everything. But once the fight begins, no pressure works on him. It’s what they call the Will of Refusal. I think that’s his essence. A force that pushes through, no matter what anyone says.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shinar added,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He doesn’t stop. Even when it’s clear he should. That kind of stubbornness is unpredictable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without Enkrid around, Shinar’s teasing decreased. If he’d been there, she would have said something like:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even a fairy of my level can’t shake his stubbornness, pride, and obliviousness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Different words—but the same core idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I feel the same. That means it’s my turn to show the mindset I learned from our captain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teresa nodded and stood up, limping. One of her legs was broken, but that wasn’t a sign of giving up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid had inspired everyone—and as a result, everyone except Ragna had chosen to stay with the Border Guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because they wanted to absorb that inspiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teresa shouted. She was in the process of pushing past her limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smiling?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexandra knew the pressure her husband ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ gave off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even just the way someone responded to it could reveal their nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The worst kind of opponent was someone who began the fight already assuming they couldn’t win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such people could never become trailblazers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, even becoming a knight would be difficult for them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zaun divided its knights into three categories: Trailblazers, Researchers, and Observers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trailblazers were also called Seekers. Researchers were called Technicians. Observers were Guardians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This system reflected the structure of Zaun’s sword training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In any case...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one started with the assumption of losing, the best they could become was a researcher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second worst type were those who ignored their own weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s just arrogance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They know they’ll lose but refuse to accept it. They lack the ability to objectively view themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of them, gifted with talent, might still become trailblazers—but Alexandra had never seen one succeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And they can’t be researchers either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who analyze and refine techniques must first be able to examine themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third type were those who acknowledged their weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the common trait of people who advanced to the next level. They admitted their flaws and looked for what they could do now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her husband hated it, but Alexandra thought that was a great mindset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when expecting defeat, they didn’t just fight—they tried anything and everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People who desperately tried to improve their odds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They have enough potential to become researchers or great observers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last type was her husband’s favorite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those who enjoy pressure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just swordsmanship—they found joy even in pressure. They became intoxicated by battle. The trait of a true trailblazer. Those who forge ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And among those who enjoyed it, there had never been someone like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A full smile on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just looking at it, you could tell how overjoyed he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid looked like he could die from happiness as he charged in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped through the pressure. Even if a meteor fell or a mountain collapsed, he’d charge in with only a sword in hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A temperament shown through his entire being.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her husband, Tempest, drew his sword. Alexandra didn’t look away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though this wasn’t a fight to the death, their aura surged. It was like being one step away from actual combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her husband’s greatsword came down vertically. A strike nicknamed “Mountain-Crushing Blade.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s how heavy it was. It looked slow on the outside, but just before the swing, an invisible force—Will—would bind the opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she predicted, Enkrid felt the pressure clamping down on his feet and body—and immediately refused it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How fun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Odinkar was exceptional too, but not like the family head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When still, he was a massive mountain. When moving, a storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That presence ignited the Will that surged through Enkrid’s whole body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid reached out and blocked it with Samcheol. Blocking a heavy sword head-on?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked that way. But Samcheol’s black gold blade subtly tilted, redirecting the force of the strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, the collision sent a shockwave outward. Ragna stepped in front of Anne, while Alexandra simply crossed her arms and watched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What was that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anne couldn’t even tell what had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We need to step back,” Ragna said, shielding her. If they stayed put, a flying rock could split her forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whish—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the blades clashed, Enkrid let go of Samcheol and dashed in. One of the most reckless moves. Something an opponent wouldn’t expect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Valen-style mercenary sword move—one born from a flash of calculation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the first move, he was going all in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid clenched his fist and swung at the family head’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strike to the jaw would stagger any knight, disrupting their balance and clarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The family head lowered his chin and caught the punch with his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the family head punched Enkrid in the face with his sword-wielding hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid ducked quickly, evading the fist, and crossed his arms in front of his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wavebreaker Sword could block any attack. It was a decision made through high-speed cognition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The family head’s knee slammed into the center of Enkrid’s forearms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid deliberately lightened his body and retreated like he was flying back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While doing so, he stretched out his left hand and reclaimed Samcheol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tip of the blade, stuck in the ground, came free naturally—and Samcheol rose in his grip as if it had been waiting for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The family head used the recoil of recovering his raised knee to thrust his greatsword forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Skilled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both in combat and in sparring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid felt numbness in his right hand from the knee strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d aimed for the muscle tendons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blocked Enkrid’s punch with his forehead, then temporarily stole control of his right hand with a knee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond swordplay, he was a born fighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid could use either hand freely—so even wielding a sword with his left hand didn’t reduce his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, using his numb right hand as support, he demonstrated a skillful hand switch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A technique now embedded in his body. Valen-style mercenary sword switching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept his left hand on top, and with his right hand supporting the grip from below, he aimed to break the family head’s blade with a thrust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aitri.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a sword forged by him. It wouldn’t break easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The family head didn’t stop his thrust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tip of Samcheol traced a curve through the air and struck the center of the oncoming blade. The target point of the family head’s sword shifted. Enkrid had altered it by force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Will boiled up. Joy and zeal surged within him like a volcanic eruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a shout, Enkrid grounded his right foot, twisted his waist, and thrust his left leg forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kicked the family head’s sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He altered the target with his blade, then kicked the flat of the sword with his foot to cancel the attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, the family head let go of his blade and swung a clenched fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light in his emotionless amber eyes left a trail like a comet as he closed in on Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did I subconsciously assume that a greatsword user would be slow?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The family head’s sword wasn’t fast—but his feet were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calculations from both the Wavebreaker and Flash methods overlapped and returned an answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Born from high-speed cognition:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t dodge this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid clenched his teeth, still smiling, let go of Samcheol (Three Iron sword), and raised two fingers from his left hand—aiming straight at the opponent’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every move came naturally. So there was no hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he couldn’t dodge, he’d stop it with an attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A conclusion of the Wavebreaker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The family head closed his eyes and punched Enkrid in the stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a bursting sound, Enkrid felt a rare sense of buoyancy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lifted into the air, he flew backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the float, he felt his back slam against the ground with a hollow thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he quickly sprang up like a cat, it didn’t change the fact he’d been hit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the family head had followed up with a charge and swung his sword, Enkrid would’ve been seriously injured—but he stopped, blood dripping from the corner of his eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no damage to his eyeball. The fingers that had aimed at his eyes had only torn the skin at the edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even while feeling his breath catch from the fall impact, Enkrid had already drawn his horn-handled dagger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though sitting, he was ready to throw the dagger and get up to fight again at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Excellent,” the family head said. The spar was over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone let out a low exhale, and the family head spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Urgency in the moment is always one step behind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He added a few more words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only the efforts of the past respond to today’s desperation. Therefore—you are excellent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t one to speak much during or after a duel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid didn’t know it, but those who had quietly gathered around to watch knew exactly how fired up the family head was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, he barely said a word after a spar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, he started with the word “excellent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So of course everyone was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A precious guest,” said a man with thick blond hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He doesn’t seem particularly talented, though,” added another man with light brown hair, carrying six swords on his back, waist, and thighs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As everyone watched in astonishment, Enkrid said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One more round?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the kind of thing you’d expect from him. But this time, his expression was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still wore a smile, but something deeper showed beneath it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like he was staking everything on these words. The scent of emotion spilled like upturned perfume.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even someone who couldn’t wield Will could sense it—it was that strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scent spread uncontrollably, and everyone felt what Enkrid was feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>",2514,"2026-05-30T08:28:33.327Z","2026-06-01T04:30:45.896Z",1,"novelbin.me","fe90c1a9969ec5b7e2f99c954b0e216adc8c6a2d47a1ed452902c98d7e883e0a","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-697","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-695",882,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-knight-who-eternally-regresses-cover.jpg"]