[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eternally-regressing-knight":3,"chapter-eternally-regressing-knight-eternally-regressing-knight-chapter-148":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},963669,1263,"Chapter 148 - Ten Days, Meritorious Deeds","eternally-regressing-knight-chapter-148",148,"\u003Cp>Chapter 148 - Ten Days, Meritorious Deeds\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten days after the retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day flowers began to bloom even within Border Guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spring had fully arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During that time, there had been a single rainfall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>News of ongoing battlefield cleanup arrived, along with continuous reports of victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, word spread that the Duchy of Aspen had requested peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naurilia had seized part of Aspen's territory, soon claiming the Green Pearl Plains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the land had long been barren and would require considerable effort to develop, a victory was still a victory—an overwhelming one at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheers erupted at the battlefield's end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More people indulged in magic as spring arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In those lively days filled with excitement,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid's ten days remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing had changed, nor was there anything to change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swung his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother, you're not there yet. Keep your posture and sit as is. Straighten your back, inhale deeply, and feel the pressure in your abdomen. If that pressure slips, your spine will break.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin chuckled as he spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Training his body through methods that were closer to feats of acrobatics—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>such as standing up and sitting down while carrying Audin on his back—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>was a routine part of his days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swordsmanship, training, sparring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His time was devoted solely to these three things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't care whether others were excited or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Krais flitted about from place to place, but Enkrid had no such inclinations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As an independet unit leader, recognized as an independent unit, and perhaps due to his influence on the previous battlefield, he had no assigned duties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been ten days of complete rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, for Enkrid, it had been ten days of immersion in training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if there was one thing that had changed—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hu!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the attitude of the soldiers in the unit who knew Enkrid and had fought alongside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From early morning, they were all busy wielding spears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There had been a slight trend toward this before, but now the number of soldiers dedicated to training had increased significantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each one of them trained with utmost focus, genuinely committed to swinging their spears and building their stamina.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there was another change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Um, could you provide me with some guidance?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some soldiers had begun to seek out Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was taking a short break, drenched in sweat from swinging his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid pointed at himself in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was something he had never even imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teaching someone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Offering guidance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His life had been anything but easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never looked beyond the path of learning, training, and advancing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teaching others, of all things—could there be a word more ill-suited to him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Give it a try.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem, who had been idly watching, spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite seeming half-asleep, he had been paying attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had already been considering it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because right in front of him, he saw the soldier's eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That earnestness—the same longing and thirst that still burned within himself—was reflected in that gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid flicked his sword against the tip of the soldier's spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier flinched, his shoulders trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How skilled was he?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what Audin had taught him, one could gauge a person's training level by their posture and the state of their body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This soldier seemed fairly experienced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Private First Class, Paul.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier introduced himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid barely registered the name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he focused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not take this lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To concentrate solely on his opponent—that was his best and only approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paul swallowed nervously and assumed his stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Left hand forward, right hand back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A posture specialized for thrusting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His feet crossed forward and back, and with a sharp \"Ha!\" he lunged with his spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A well-trained soldier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid tracked the incoming spear tip with precision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Observing, reacting—his body moved accordingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he had not yet mastered it completely, his Sense of Evasion flowed naturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He twisted his body sideways to avoid the attack, extending his left arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his palm angled upward, he seized the spear shaft from below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Urk!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paul instinctively tried to pull his spear back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The veins bulging in his neck showed his full exertion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid, gripping the spear shaft, pivoted on his left foot, spinning half a turn inward along the spear's path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, he pulled the spear inward while rotating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His right foot planted firmly on the ground, his left hand pulling the spear while anchoring his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need for the brute strength of Heart of the Beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a bit of technique and moderate strength were enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A light tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sword descended gently from above, landing atop Paul's head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, it was the flat of the blade, not the edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling the cold metal against his scalp, Paul let out a surprised gasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid released the spear shaft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paul hurriedly retrieved his weapon and stood there, awkwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh, what am I lacking?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A seasoned soldier—someone who held confidence in his own skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, he was asking Enkrid this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Enkrid—back when the Madmen unit was seen as nothing more than a band of troublemakers—what had it been like then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadn't he been the one scorned and ridiculed by others?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, now they were asking him for guidance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon closer inspection, the soldier wasn't entirely unfamiliar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had crossed paths a few times before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battlefields they had faced had been anything but forgiving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that this soldier had survived long enough to ask for guidance meant—he was at least a veteran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even wore the epaulet symbolizing a squad leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was this about?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was going on?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid stared at him, filled with questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier stood there, awkward but patient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, Enkrid saw the soldier's eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yearning and thirst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A desire that sought something beyond reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the same as what coiled within himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn't ignore it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, he could tell what the man needed after just one spar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You should build your strength.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A spear was heavier than expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't a light weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for such a weapon, his strength was lacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, yes, thank you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The squad leader saluted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid nodded in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From that day onward, the squad leader devoted himself to strength training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He focused entirely on lifting heavy objects to build his muscles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His squad members followed suit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of strength training spread throughout the unit, alongside their regular drills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadn't this unit just returned from the battlefield?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn't this the time to celebrate their victory?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, many headed to the city to unwind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some spent their days drinking endlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some of them, indulging in the red-light district for a night was preferable to training for tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid didn't particularly blame them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did it have to do with him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was just a platoon leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander of an independent platoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At present, he wasn't even capable of stepping onto a battlefield where Squire Knights fought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And to be honest, if he said he didn't want to see their fights, it would be a lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, his thoughts remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the destination was clear, there was no need to take detours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, if it had been a battle that Sir Cypress was involved in, that would have been a different story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A true knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A knight known across the entire continent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wouldn't it be something worth seeing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn't sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could only truly know once you were faced with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it fun?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem, who had been watching silently, asked with a gentle smile instead of a chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fun?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As always, he answered truthfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was when Rem finally laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid turned his focus back to training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immersed in his practice—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Could I have a match as well?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone else approached and requested a spar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After knocking them down with ease, he offered a single piece of advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your footwork is too rigid.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another person came forward, another match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You should loosen your shoulders.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several spars—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh... Could we...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice lacked a subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no need to ask what he meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes burned with determination, though his cautious stance betrayed his nervousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young soldier had a boyish face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At best, he was Andrew's age—perhaps even younger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of the other platoon members stopped him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadn't they always stepped in whenever someone approached him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadn't they always stirred up unnecessary trouble?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why were they just letting it happen now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most soldiers wielded spears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using a different weapon usually meant they belonged to a special unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This one held a battle hammer about the length of a forearm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rounded head gleamed smoothly, proof it had seen years of use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't look especially heavy, but its effectiveness was undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching him roll his wrist, Enkrid could tell—his movements were ingrained through training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm from the frontier slaughterers unit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, the soldier introduced himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid simply nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier twisted his wrist, spinning the battle hammer as his eyes gleamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid could see through his intentions immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he grown too accustomed to the Valen-style mercenary swordsmanship?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His opponent's techniques were laid bare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud-thud-thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier swung the hammer with full force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, suddenly gripping it with one hand, he brought it down in a vertical strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than blocking it, evading was the better option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following his opponent's intent, Enkrid sidestepped the hammer's trajectory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the soldier reached for his waist with his other hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his elbow could fully extend, Enkrid grabbed his wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The technique was simple and direct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Use the hammer to draw attention, then throw a close-range dagger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was strikingly similar to Valen-style mercenary swordsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Valen-style mercenary swordsmanship?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You should refine your hammer techniques more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid instinctively pointed out his weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in that moment, he realized—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was advice he needed as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the hand techniques were perfected, the dagger would be even easier to conceal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the start, there would be no need to distract the opponent with a secondary motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier had more than enough talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was so skilled that he reminded Enkrid of that kid—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who had once put a hole in his stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, he hadn't even been able to fight back properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lesson from one of his old instructors resurfaced in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Improvement begins with understanding where you stand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Awareness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recognizing once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To move forward on a new path, one must first understand the path they currently stand on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparring after sparring, lesson after lesson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many continued to seek him out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And each time, Enkrid realized something new and progressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His steps were slow, but he never hurried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a lesson learned from watching soldiers recklessly thrust their spears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haste brought no benefit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were those who acted with remarkable composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rut.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A member of the frontier slaughterers forces, a friend from the western regions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at Rem as he spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Rem paid no attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid brought him down as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he an easy opponent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, he was a tricky one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Enkrid had already accumulated too much experience, so facing him posed no difficulty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're strong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rut muttered in admiration before turning away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, as he did, his eyes were fixed solely on Enkrid, not Rem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the number of challengers grew over the ten days, Krais finally stepped in to regulate things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is too much. It'd be better if you all sorted yourselves before coming. You know what happens if you interfere with our captain's work, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words carried a different weight now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially with Rem, Jaxen, Audin, and Ragna standing behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four of them simply nodded as they looked at their squad leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To recognize one's place, what must be done?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One must observe above, below, left, and right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then could they grasp their position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had all faced that moment at least once before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, Enkrid was late in experiencing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spring had come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was thirty-one now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By continental standards, he could be called an aging mercenary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, many wielded swords well into their forties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no one could do what Enkrid did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why watching him brought them satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin found his answer in the squad leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem revisited fragments of his past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jaxen pondered what it would mean to live like him, why he lived that way, and envisioned his own future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna reflected on swords and people, ambition and life, knights and the power they wielded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, he realized—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He, too, had stepped onto that path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he would continue walking it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep certainty settled within him, along with the realization of the value their squad leader held.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A late-blooming genius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the best way to describe Enkrid now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Changing the soldiers around him—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was another matter entirely, separate from being a genius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers who surrounded him, especially those who refused to remain stagnant and sought to move forward—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To them, Enkrid was a symbol of change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He became an idol, someone they wished to emulate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And all of this—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Formation, now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Became clear when the commendation ceremony began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire battalion gathered in the training grounds, usually a place of boisterous noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only those on duty were absent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time to recognize the merits earned in battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone already knew who the centerpiece of this ceremony was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marcus was different from the previous battalion commanders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a few nobles seated in the back,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped onto the platform and began his speech.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I have to tell you whose merits were the greatest in the last battle, then you bastards' head isn't even worth using as a helmet rack.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His loud, powerful voice rang through the ears of the soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blunt words, harsh language.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some nobles frowned at the lack of decorum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the ones those words were meant for,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers, they heard something different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Marcus's words carried sincerity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his mind made up, Marcus spoke from the heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The one with the highest merit—I'll call him now. Ma.... Independent Unit Captain, Enkrid.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone knew what word had nearly slipped out before \"Independent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, a man stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walked with bare hands, drenched in sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though the weather was warming, he shouldn't have been sweating that much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no one questioned it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was obvious—he had been swinging his sword countless times before coming here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because that was the kind of man Enkrid was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One who swung his sword relentlessly to prove himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One who demonstrated his worth by embodying what he had learned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man who never treated anything carelessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A madman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tha madmen captain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid ascended the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The training ground fell into a peculiar silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heat rose in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To those who had fought in the battle,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did Enkrid mean to them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had become an idol to some.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hero to others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the battlefield, that was what he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Marcus had not forgotten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One man stood before another on the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>",2557,"2026-06-03T07:42:55.457Z","2026-06-03T07:42:59.781Z",1,"novelbin.me","78c780e257379da91b46fdd3b1185fe0ed04b12d3f7ea4528252b77ef1c22be1","eternally-regressing-knight-chapter-149","eternally-regressing-knight-chapter-147",782,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feternally-regressing-knight-cover.jpg"]