[{"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-761":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},428468,689,"Chapter 757","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-761",761,"\u003Cp>A Knight Who Eternally Regresses\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Confusion, anxiety, chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything was muddled together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of the villagers even experienced hallucinations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will come to you myself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the call of the Demon God.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some wept, others fell into despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was that kind of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still, they were human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made them susceptible to the mood around them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's said that, through the generations, a truly exceptional person can shift the outlook of an entire group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like how a hero at the front lines can inspire fighting spirit, or how an orator's passionate speech can sway everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, it was the madman's attitude that did just that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere wasn't hopeless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though the future looked truly bleak, it was as if such things didn't concern them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because if you looked into their eyes, you could see how composed the outsiders were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The villagers couldn't step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lost for words, they became mere onlookers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, a few children began to hum a song.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lyrics spoke of the end times, of an age that was over—a song passed down orally through generations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need to train. Training is what I need.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fel muttered as he swung his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The madman, who for a while had been slumbering—always bellowing about discipline—had now awakened from his stupor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wooooah!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shouted out a kiai all by himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He definitely didn't seem normal, but he looked as calm as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fel's mindset was simple and clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Monsters were the enemy, and these people were to be protected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all it took for him to be satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With determination gleaming in his eyes, Fel took up the Idol Slayer and began to move in a peculiar dance off to the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're certainly making a racket. Was it Roman, right? Come here for a moment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ropord, seeing Enkrid's sword and the bizarre antics happening now, felt his own confidence waver just a bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His specialty was examining his circumstances objectively—scrutinizing his own condition from a detached perspective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having sized up his own state, Ropord came to a conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What I need right now is the experience of winning.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One way would be to go out and hunt the nearby monsters, and another would be to spar with Roman, giving both of them a similar experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But more than just the experience of victory itself, what Ropord truly longed for was the sense of accomplishment that came from being useful to someone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How do you plan to build up the power behind a single decisive blow?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ropord asked, coaxing Roman into action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roman blinked, then approached him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are we really just going to idly swing our swords around out here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's what his expression seemed to say, full of skepticism, but he too was swept up in the mood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ropord simplified his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever Enkrid was up to, he'd work out his own answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, Ropord decided to simply focus on what he could do right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Stay in peak condition.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That goes for both body and mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing Roman, Ropord narrowed his focus and concentrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having fought Fel countless times, he knew Fel's strengths and weaknesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also knew the common traits of people who tended to bet everything on a single, decisive strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And, over time, he'd picked up all sorts of tricks and techniques from training the squad known as Enkrid's Royal Guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just had to use all of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you want to finish a fight with one critical blow, you have to understand the process required to make that possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadn't Enkrid once said Roman needed to endure a long, grueling process?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'To put it simply, he needs to suffer to the point where it feels like his life's on the line.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ropord was more than capable of providing that kind of experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some villagers had been shocked when Enkrid cut down the idol, but none had fainted from horror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, the sharper ones quickly accepted the new situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their turnaround was incredibly swift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In reality, they had little choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What else could they do if they didn't bow their heads here and now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Demon God's enforcer was dead, and though the demon's reach was distant, this swordsman stood right in front of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With just a flick of his hand, he could wipe them all out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who grasped that simple truth awakened their survival instincts, bowed down, and offered their reverence to Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ooh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, they might have their own additional reasons as well. Rem caught sight of this and let out a wry chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They're switching sides like a hungry Velopter snatching a rat for a meal after going three days without eating.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn't it said that there were hardly any rats in the Western Region because Velopters went crazy for rat meat?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was probably also due to monsters like the Copycat, which often appeared in the West.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cats devoured rats easily—if anything, they never had enough to satisfy their hunger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A duel?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna approached Enkrid, who had just finished fighting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching this, Rem frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is this lazy fool after now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you insane?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a level of anger you rarely ever saw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if someone had insulted his parents or child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People from the Western Region are particularly sensitive when it comes to insults about their blood relatives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem wasted no time drawing his axe as he declared the reason for his fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid had thought that Ragna must have cursed at Rem as he approached, but that wasn't it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm the one who challenged him first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Was that really something worth getting so worked up over?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother, didn't the Lord say we should not endure injustice? Why do you always insist on taking the lead?\" Audin chimed in when he heard this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He's my fiancé. Of course I should go first,\" added Shinar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Shinar couldn't use her full power here, could she?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fairies couldn't wield their strength properly in a place with so little vital energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they'd arrived, Shinar had been clinging to Enkrid, joking repeatedly that she felt dizzy and would probably feel better if they spent a night huddled together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those jokes stemmed from how much weaker she felt than usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you all understand what you'd be getting yourselves into?\" Ragna asked, looking at each of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Can you infuse Will into your sword?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Can you make a sword that shines with light?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you can't even do that, how can you expect to spar?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, what Ragna was saying was that from now on, this would be a higher-level duel—so anyone too weak should step aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, are you insulting the Western Region's sorcery right now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem remained furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His anger took on a tangible shape—he was channeling his intimidation in his own unique way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem's shadow ignored the moonlight and grew larger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he began to rise to his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a fight broke out now, it seemed even that shadow would swing a mighty axe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Lord has said that there is nothing we cannot achieve through sanctity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Audin kept chiming in, Enkrid suddenly sensed a sneak attack coming from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To put what he was feeling into words: someone about five paces away was waving something as light as a willow branch—yet Enkrid's instincts immediately caught it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His nerves were razor sharp from the earlier fight, and his body reacted automatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned and raised Duskforged in defense—just as the blade of a dagger stretched out to meet it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a thrust from Jaxen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the sparks flew, Jaxen leaped back more than three steps and stared intently at Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by his skill at stabbing and retreating, he was even quicker on his feet than Rem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You little wildcat bastard!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem exploded with rage, but Jaxen ignored him and spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm done.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that previous strike, he had already gauged Enkrid's heightened alertness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was enough for Jaxen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It won't be easy to get behind him now.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A simple ambush wouldn't work anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was certain of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'So what now?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he dodged a thrown hand axe, Jaxen organized his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I'll have to use everything I've got too.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the only way he had a chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even then, he'd have to secure the advantage first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, there was no way he could kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the legendary Assassin Guild master, — Geor's Dagger, whose name was renowned across the Continent—had given the same assessment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The time for assassination had already passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time in a long while, Enkrid stepped in to calm everyone, calling Rem out first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply suggested they match each other's moves—meaning, a sparring session.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As expected.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem nodded and drew his axe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oddly, it seemed as if a thick black smoke was coiled around the weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he had already expended some of his Will finishing off the bull-headed swordsman earlier, the reserves that remained and his body, hardened by Isolation techniques, didn't show the slightest sign of weakness from something like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Muscles are a beautiful thing, you know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Audin, seeing right through it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teresa quietly took in everything unfolding before her—and the people standing alongside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Is this what they call boldness?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or maybe 'recklessness' would be more accurate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment she saw those who rightfully deserved the name 'Corruptors', veins bulged on the back of Teresa's hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She instinctively tightened her grip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted to swing her greatsword then and there, to hack and smash them to pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was unsettling and disgusting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A repulsive feeling, as if thousands of ants were crawling beneath her skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She felt she had to tear them apart and purify this land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teresa heard a call resonate through her whole body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she tensed, a hand caught her arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a large, warm hand—a hand that, if willed, could radiate a pure white light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If the Lord commands you to kill, will you kill them all? The Lord's will is righteous, but we who must carry it out are imperfect.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin was teaching the same lesson now that he always had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After taking three slow, deep breaths, the Half-blood Giant nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sending them into the presence of God may provide those people with a place of rest, but surely they have their own wishes, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case, Teresa had already reached her own conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be precise, she had reached it moments ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'They cannot be saved.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There would be no salvation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She saw no way, so that's what she believed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Incredible, absolutely incredible!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Luagarne, repeatedly exclaiming beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, those with a different kind of madness saw the world through different eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their train of thought followed a wholly different path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'No matter what, I will protect them.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And, no matter what, I will save them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Perhaps \"Savior\" suits me better than \"Shield.\"'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a moment ago, she'd felt that leaving these people to their fate went against the Lord's teachings, but now she thought differently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The God of War whom she served granted her peace of mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'O Lord.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teresa bowed her head in prayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, she had no idea how to actually protect this place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That responsibility fell to the one who had set this whole thing in motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would they try to summon Krais here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But would that bug-eyed man even come if he called?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it was Enkrid, that bug-eyed guy wouldn't set foot in the Demonic Domain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what would they do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These questions briefly passed through her mind, but as before, Teresa decided it wasn't her concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn't the only one coming to grips with practical realities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem had also recognized and understood the problem, and—despite knowing how difficult it would be to solve—had chosen to ignore it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, after having cut down the symbol, wasn't the presence of monsters and beasts already creeping up around them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking about it, this was only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'How tempting must this place have seemed all this time?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like throwing a freshly caught mouse in front of a velopter and telling it not to eat it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A well-trained velopter might resist—it could hold back and not eat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if its master suddenly told it, \"You can eat now\"?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'If it doesn't pounce, it's not a velopter.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was something done by instinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem thought this as he lowered his axe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had been sparring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If things got any more serious, one of them was bound to get badly hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faint black smoke that clung to his axe wavered, then rose like mist and vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's that?\" Enkrid asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a skill similar to Will, but also distinctly different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike concentrating Will and imbuing it into a sword, this followed an entirely different path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't in the realm of martial skill or technique—this was achieved purely through talent in handling rituals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Spirit Possession.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a technique no one would dare attempt without an Inherited Weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You channel your ritual energy into the axe and let it visibly manifest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's not something easily done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are dozens of hurdles one must cross to reach this level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem stared at Enkrid, quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had nothing to ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trick to gathering and focusing Will, like before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't need it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, he'd already seen and learned everything else, so there was nothing left for him to ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Handling weapon techniques and rituals are completely different things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, to reach the level they call a Knight—or a Hero in the Western Region—you have to master both.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Training the body and honing rituals are separate, but they're also connected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What are the chances of excelling at both?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They're slim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far too slim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's why, without talent, you can't even dream of reaching this level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least now I know how to teach it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, it was just me copying the system Enkrid built up over time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, I, uh, learned a lot. Thanks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's what I said, only because I had to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid blinked a couple of times, then replied,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where's Rem? Are you some kind of evil spirit?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Hey, what the hell.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What's with this guy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thank him and this is his response?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it time for Purification?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin responded too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be a moment when Divine Power is needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you get attacked by an evil spirit?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Teresa's comment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxen was already gripping his dagger, ready to throw it at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sunrise burns away everything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna added, and Rem just laughed at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You son of a—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the curse never finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's time to work, Rem.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid cut him off abruptly, clearly done with the teasing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door to the well-protected food warehouse, shielded by fences, opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was about the time when monsters and Beasts would swarm from all directions, and now, they were even visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could hear them, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>",2501,"2026-05-30T08:28:35.107Z","2026-06-01T04:30:45.896Z",1,"novelbin.me","806b91bad727badc4c71f038ddba556e3b72ffbd85f9f990b8629fef2e044f6c","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-762","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-760",882,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-knight-who-eternally-regresses-cover.jpg"]