[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eternally-regressing-knight":3,"chapter-eternally-regressing-knight-eternally-regressing-knight-chapter-108":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Eternally Regressing Knight",{"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},963629,1263,"Chapter 108 - The Gambit","eternally-regressing-knight-chapter-108",108,"\u003Cp>Chapter 108 - The Gambit\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It might just work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Finn approached the castle wall, she felt the watchful gazes on her were far less focused than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her intuition wasn't quite at the level of theSense of Evasion,but as a Ranger and Pathfinder, her instincts told her something had shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind her, Torres doubted whether they were taking the right path, but he quickly shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's not the time for second-guessing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the decision was made, it had to be followed through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was, after all, part of the frontier defense forces, a soldier ranked in Naurilia's elite tier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While he wasn't strong enough to take on a hundred enemies alone, he was still capable of handling two or three at once, making him a reliable asset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then there was Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm going first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't bother to let Finn lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With decisive strides, he placed his hands in the crevices of the wall and began climbing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had already removed his tattered gambeson, and though he had used some throwing weapons, the longsword at his waist still rattled as he moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What kind of guy is he, really?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He scaled the wall better than she could, and she was a Ranger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finn couldn't help but wonder aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't know. He's just... doing his thing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait...what did I just say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Torres repeated his own words, realizing how strange they sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I mean, I thought I knew him before. But now, I have no clue.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whatever. Just keep up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid climbed the wall at an incredible pace, almost like an art form, making monkeys look clumsy in comparison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, his hands and feet moved with purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finn followed close behind, though in her haste, she only had two stakes to use for securing herself to the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing down, she saw Torres struggling but managing to catch up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was grumbling, but as someone with excellent physical abilities, he wasn't far behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'And what about him?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finn looked up again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid was already near the top of the wall, crouched beneath the parapet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The parapet was a thick, tall defensive structure built atop the wall to provide cover for soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Climbing over it barehanded into the castle interior would be no easy feat for most people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Can he not climb it?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't seem likely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Finn, all it would take was hanging from her fingertips, pulling her upper body up, and using her core to vault over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she attached the small hook she carried just in case?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could latch the hook, reel herself up, and jump over in one motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, she could help her companions up by pulling them over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Enkrid didn't seem to be struggling to climb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hanging beneath the parapet, he didn't even appear tired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking down, he wiggled his fingers in a simple hand signal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Guards.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were sentries inside the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finn, however, couldn't hear or sense anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Is he more perceptive than me, a Ranger?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, Enkrid hadn't sensed anything either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just knew, from experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hanging beneath the parapet, Enkrid fell into thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What kind of trick did they use?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something to suppress intuition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That much was certain, though he still couldn't figure it out even after repeating this day over and over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some kind of magic was definitely at play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, this sense of peace wouldn't be possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tunnel had already been compromised, leaving no time to feel uneasy before it was too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lykanos pack had likely slipped through because this land, near the Cross Guard, was a region where monsters frequently roamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even the presence of troops hidden atop the wall had gone unnoticed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear some trick was involved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the past seventy repetitions of today, he had tried to uncover the mystery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Forget it.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a matter of priorities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magic trick was less important compared to everything else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His ultimate goals were clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Survive the day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Train during that time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And forge ahead, guided by his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he couldn't figure it out, it didn't matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through countless repetitions, he already knew what mattered most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'This should be the spot.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid shifted his position, moving to the left while hanging from the parapet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To hang like this, the wall had to have crevices or gaps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The walls of Cross Guard were constantly under attack from regular monsters and even colonies of them, leaving numerous scars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While some repairs had been made, many gaps remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By hooking his fingers into those crevices and bracing with his toes, moving wasn't difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he repositioned himself along the wall, he mentally mapped out the area beyond the parapet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he first arrived here, he could only predict and guess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he could pinpoint even the location of Retsha, the mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, he was certain of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This arrogant mage had never left her spot during any of the countless repeated days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having found his position, Enkrid gave another hand signal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You two, go ahead.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finn and Torres saw the signal and started moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finn went first, helping Torres climb over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the two of them crossed the parapet...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames roared to life above them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six or seven torches had been lit simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't the first time they had seen this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How did you get this far? My minions should've stopped you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Retsha's voice rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, she was just beyond the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't know him, but he knew her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That alone gave him the upper hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew her name, her spells, everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Torres cursed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's really her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Finn mutter, Enkrid reached out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gripping the edge of the parapet with just his fingertips, he pulled himself up with one arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strength of the madmen in his squad, including Rem, that he had constantly marveled at.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enhanced further by repeated use of theIsolation technique,his body now felt even lighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as his head rose above the parapet, he twisted his body, executing a forward roll in midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a movement that would've been impossible for him in the past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But repeated isolation training and countless trials had honed his skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid flipped through the air and dropped beneath the parapet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Straightening his body mid-descent, he bent his knees to absorb the impact as his feet slammed into the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground trembled slightly, but he didn't bother rolling to soften the landing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing directly in front of him was Retsha, the mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes were wide in shock, staring at him as if unable to comprehend what she was seeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could finish speaking, Enkrid's hand moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wheeee!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A whistling dagger flew straight at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Retsha was startled but not flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She merely wondered,Where did that come from?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, her confidence stemmed from her faith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surrounding her was an intangible barrier conjured by magic—one capable of deflecting quarrels shot at point-blank range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She waited, expecting the dagger to strike her shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Enkrid's Whistle Dagger wasn't aimed at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It targeted the soldiers wielding crossbows behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunk, thunk!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid, having activated his pinpoint focus, hit his marks precisely. The relentless training had paid off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four soldiers collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet just before they fell completely, Retsha reacted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hyah!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A peculiar cry escaped her lips, and from the ground, thorny vines surged upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They twisted like serpents, whipping violently toward Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real battle had begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Focus on the soldiers first!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid shouted as he drew his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swung his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His head burned with intensity from concentrating too hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thin ones, slice. Thick ones, deflect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid moved with a foundation based on fluid swordsmanship, not rigid techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he'd never formally been trained, Ragna had once told him,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's good to understand the basics of all sword styles. Sticking only to heavy-blade techniques is foolish. You must understand your opponent's methods to counter them properly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna, usually lazy and indifferent, occasionally displayed fervor during training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those rare moments of passion had left a mark on Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, he had practiced over seventy times against vines in training, and today, that preparation bore fruit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thin ones were sliced cleanly, while thick ones were deflected with calculated movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thwack! Crack! Smack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of the vines were as thick as a forearm and struck with the force of a club.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, Enkrid deflected them with the flat of his blade, lowering his stance to channel the force upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a testament to the adaptability of his technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You insolent fool!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Retsha was seething.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'How dare this swordsman evademyvines?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her hands moved, and soon thorny spears and whip-like vines lashed out at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid didn't rely on intuition or blind luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he opened his eyes wide, drawing all his focus to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as though his burning gaze could see everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each movement appeared slowed down, and he reacted accordingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again, he sliced, deflected, parried, and evaded, all with precision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He discarded vague feelings and trusted only what he saw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he dodged and countered the attacks of the thorny vines twice more, the anguished cries of soldiers filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers' death throes were proof that Torres and Finn weren't to be underestimated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Torres, in particular, thrived when attention was diverted elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His skill with daggers was nothing short of deadly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well then,\" Retsha muttered with eyes glowing like a serpent's, \"I'll keep you dancing until you drop dead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her piercing gaze locked onto Enkrid, but he ignored it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he'd seen worse before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His heart pounded like a wild beast's, and it felt as if Rem's voice echoed in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'If you're gonna fall to something like that, just rip out that heart of yours!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don't worry, you crazy bastard,Enkrid thought,I'm not going down to that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if provoked, Retsha's vines intensified, thinning and accelerating in speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forms changed—from spears and whips to something akin to arrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though not true arrows, their sharpness and speed matched them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could a person block a barrage of incoming arrows?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not unless they were a knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what if one had no choice but to block them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer, for someone like Enkrid, was straightforward:You do it until you die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the soldier's way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps, the infantryman's spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, it was simply the essence of Enkrid's being.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no surrender, no regrets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With both hands gripping his sword tightly, Enkrid pushed through the searing pain in his eyes and concentrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Connect the dots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using those lines as a guide, he cut through every thorny arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the vines shot upward from below and rained down from all directions, he lost count of their numbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing it was futile to tally, Enkrid expanded his focus outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was something he'd learned while fighting against Lykanthrope packs and the Grey Hounds—scattering one's focus to evade attacks within a field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And before that, during the skirmishes in the tight spaces of the tunnels, he'd learned to make split-second decisions without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid combined both skills and put them into action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shatter!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, vines in all directions were sliced apart, spilling green sap into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Retsha's face contorted with fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood vessels bulged on her forehead, and her eyes were bloodshot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her vines didn't stop, nor did Enkrid's blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finn and Torres, mid-combat with other soldiers, couldn't help but steal glances at the intense duel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was more than just skill now—it was overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Torres, after slitting the throat of an enemy soldier, thought,He's way beyond just good at fighting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunk!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a bolt shot into the soldier Torres had just killed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Couldn't you aim better?\" Torres sneered, hearing the distant twang of the crossbow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, another pained scream echoed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, it came from Finn's handiwork.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moving like a snake across the ground, she had snapped an enemy's leg in an unnatural direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier collapsed, foaming at the mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finn didn't stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pausing would only make her a target for the bolts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in the duel, neither Enkrid nor Retsha allowed anyone to approach their fierce battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sharp, needle-like vines occasionally ricocheted off Enkrid's deflections, stabbing into the walls of the fortress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even allies wisely kept their distance, unwilling to die to friendly fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This gave Torres and Finn some breathing room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Torres, watching the pointed vines pierce through the walls, thought grimly,Killing the soldiers isn't going to end this fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He realized that the outcome of this battle rested entirely on the duel between Enkrid and the mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Retsha won, Torres and Finn were as good as dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how much longer could Enkrid hold out?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even from their perspective, Enkrid was struggling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some vines had begun grazing his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In tandem, Retsha's voice echoed coldly, filled with quiet confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you rely on that leather armor to protect you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her tone was calm, as though she had already secured victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Torres thought to himself,This isn't good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn't wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid was at his limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was precisely the moment Enkrid had been waiting for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Retsha savored her perceived victory and all eyes, friend and foe alike, focused on the battle, Enkrid made his move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Switching his grip, he held his sword in his left hand alone, while his right hand reached for something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a gamble.\u003C\u002Fp>",2247,"2026-06-03T07:42:55.457Z","2026-06-03T07:42:59.781Z",1,"novelbin.me","643476a618e461e16703a596e225ca4d15ed3577a6c5ac42d3f5cdca35cfaf6f","eternally-regressing-knight-chapter-109","eternally-regressing-knight-chapter-107",782,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feternally-regressing-knight-cover.jpg"]