[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eternally-regressing-knight":3,"chapter-eternally-regressing-knight-eternally-regressing-knight-chapter-551":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},964654,1263,"Chapter 551 - Why the Ferryman?","eternally-regressing-knight-chapter-551",551,"\u003Cp>Chapter 551 - Why the Ferryman?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black river, a ferry, a purple lamp, and the ferryman seated atop it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been a long time. Waking in a dream, or the world of impressions itself, was a rare occurrence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, Enkrid's gaze fell on the ferryman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the figure wasn't as blurry as before; the ferryman's visage was relatively clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the hooded robe was skin cracked and parched like a drought-stricken earth. His eyes, clouded with a milky haze, gazed directly at Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you hope I'd disappear since we haven't met for a while? That won't happen. You, mortal, who dares to dream of immortality.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid, meeting the ferryman's eyes after so long, leaned against the edge of the ferry. There was no chair today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You could claim the throne by killing just one person. Don't you feel any temptation?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because it had been so long since they last met?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or had the ferryman decided to change his ways?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than urging him to stop here, the ferryman probed at the core of human greed today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you killed him, you could be king. Damage to your Will? That can always heal. Besides, even if your Will were slightly damaged, it wouldn't matter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instinctively, Enkrid knew the ferryman's words were wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Will didn't operate in such a way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Enkrid acted on those impulses, the endless Will that he drew from might disappear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it might not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, no one could predict the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Will could vanish due to a single mistake, then Aspen's knight Corwin would've lost his Will when he fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that wasn't the case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the ferryman's words provoked many thoughts, Enkrid neither argued nor questioned him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The moment will come when a perfect today is necessary.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps this was the ferryman's main point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His detached voice pierced Enkrid's mind—or rather, it directly imprinted itself on his consciousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, this was the world of impressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the time he had warned of a coming curse, the ferryman's tone carried a different weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't a warning of imminent disaster but a statement of inevitability, like the rising sun tomorrow morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid, who had been half-lowered, lifted his head at those words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scene seemed oddly familiar, but he didn't dwell on it and opened his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's not a Wave Sword, but a Wave-Blocking Sword. That seems right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ferryman wasn't as caught off guard as before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He already knew the guy was lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A sword that blocks crashing waves instead of striking like them, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With ease, the ferryman picked up Enkrid's words and added his own thoughts on swordsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Blocking alone? Then a shield would be better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, the ferryman had a point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the same dilemma that had haunted Enkrid before bed last night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he worked to refine the shape and flow of his swordsmanship, he found himself developing a style not of crashing waves but one that blocked them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wouldn't it be better to wield a shield instead?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, that wouldn't do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid already had a technique, after all—the Snake Blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A move that didn't just deflect but countered the attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if his blade could transfer a kind of recoil instead of merely blocking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Polished like a mirror reflecting sunlight, it could become quite useful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mirror doesn't stop light; it reflects it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not holding back the crashing wave, but blocking it while advancing to strike back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abstract ideas began to solidify in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt like he might get somewhere if he tried it in motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't you ever tire of it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ferryman asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid stared at him blankly, unsure what he meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tire?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, never mind. Go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ferryman's tone shifted subtly, but that was the end of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He added one final remark, but it was inconsequential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Awaking from the dream—or the world of impressions—Enkrid stepped off his bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his movement, a faint cough came from the servant waiting outside the door, who announced, \"It's dawn, my lord.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Light,\" he thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body felt unusually good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that he had felt unwell recently, but today, it was exceptional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it the dream's influence, the result of last night's deliberations, or the ferryman's favor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right before waking, the ferryman had remarked that no matter what kind of today awaited, he would have to face it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that fate was inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid brushed the words aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paying heed to such things would only hinder him from doing what needed to be done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll fetch water for washing,\" the servant said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid lightly rolled his neck and wrists before shaking his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Later.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he stepped outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a training ground within the palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It used to be exclusive to royal knights and the royal family, didn't it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Krang had called it an \"interesting spectacle\" and overhauled it entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, it was a place for anyone who wanted to sweat to gather.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crisp blue, a vivid darkness—if he were to describe the moment, it would be like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was early morning, the air tinted with a bluish hue, as though hinting at the approaching light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cool autumn breeze swept through, filling his lungs with its brisk clarity before leaving again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunk!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the training ground came into view, his ears caught the sound of someone's presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The communal ground, formerly reserved for royalty, was encircled by a small stone wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soft earth, filtered of stones, filled the floor, while sparse grass grew at the edges.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do they have too much time or too little to waste? They build a training ground, yet leave it unused by those who need it,\" Krang had once grumbled during their travels through Aspen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone within the grounds was already warming the cool autumn morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid vaulted over the wall without touching it, landing inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The person swinging a heavy wooden practice sword turned their head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rievart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid greeted him first—a figure from his past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the faint sheen of sweat on him, Enkrid spoke out of habit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Spar?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A smile broke across Rievart's face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gladly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing someone who never stopped moving forward brought joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid felt that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Rievart, he couldn't help but think:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Was this the ferryman's doing?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had the ferryman's words last night been advice, even assistance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he enjoy watching Enkrid's progress?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ferryman?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That seemed unlikely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he had ended their meeting with a pseudo-curse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't matter now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid picked up one of the wooden swords neatly stacked on the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rievart, who had been wielding a stone practice club, put it down and switched to a wooden sword, giving it a few experimental swings in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Up early?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn't sleep. Came straight here after duty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fair enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that he cared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid gripped his sword and faced his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He adjusted his strength and speed to match Rievart, focusing instead on deflecting and countering strikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rievart's blade came straight down—a technique he was confident in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Likely one he had honed to reduce preparation time and movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it posed no threat to Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wooden swords clashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rievan frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he had swung with full strength, he wasn't new to handling a sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unexpected impact left his wrist faintly throbbing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as though he had struck something harder than rock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Harder than stone—like solid metal.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps even tougher than that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rievart had swung a wooden sword several times during his training, so he had a rough idea of its strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, as he swung once more, a crispcrackechoed as their practice swords crossed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, instead of a full clash, the blade merely grazed past the other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rievart swiftly stepped aside, utilizing a hit-and-retreat footwork technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, as soon as he executed the movement, his wrist began to tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brrrrr.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His wrist throbbed with a dull ache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That slight graze had done this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It works,\" said the knight with piercing blue eyes, standing just a sword's length away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had this been a real battle, a single thrust would have ended Rievart's life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Enkrid, the owner of those blue eyes, chose not to pierce his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he twirled his practice sword a few times in the air before commenting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But this weapon won't hold out much longer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle section of Enkrid's wooden sword was twisted and splintered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this rate, it might shatter even without the use of advanced techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What... is this?\" Rievart asked, his voice filled with genuine awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the first time he had encountered such a technique. In truth, even Rem would find it remarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Wave-Blocking Sword,\" Enkrid replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name implied a sword that could block even surging waves, but in reality, it was a sword technique that absorbed and redirected the force of an opponent's strike, leveraging the rebound energy. It was a step above the Snake Blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the Snake Blade relied on pure skill without invokingWill, this technique used an endless reservoir ofWillas its weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Ragna saw and tried to mimic it, he would likely choose not to use it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was far too inefficient, wastingWillrecklessly to envelop the entire body in energy just to deflect attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The simplicity of its structure also came with drawbacks: striking a solid rock with a blade often results in either a dulled edge or a broken wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without immense physical conditioning, speed, or timing, the technique was useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for Enkrid, it was an ideal match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only that, the technique still had room to grow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Enkrid spun his wooden sword through the air a few more times, he eventually tossed it aside and began practicing his Isolation Technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Train yourself,\" he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rievart's lack of wrist conditioning had made him an easy target, but how would Rem or Ragna fare?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even against Audin, the technique likely wouldn't work so easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, it was undeniably intriguing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The experience of conceptualizing a technique in a single night and executing it the next morning was new to Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body moved exactly as he envisioned it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer joy of training made his face light up with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid had always enjoyed wielding a sword, but even he had moments of doubt, despair, and frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, there was no room for doubt—just a grin plastered on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the side, Rievart watched, his pupils trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does one need to be mad to achieve this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought naturally crossed his mind as he observed Enkrid lifting and squatting with a large stone from the training yard, all while smiling like a lunatic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Enkrid Rievart had once known had never been normal, but this version seemed downright unhinged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, watching him stirred something within Rievart as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had it not been for Enkrid, Rievart wouldn't even be training like this after a day's duties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn't extraordinary; he was diligent, yes, but he also enjoyed a drink after work and took his rest when he could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The difference between himself and Enkrid wasn't talent or opportunity but the willingness todo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid spent every moment this way, while Rievart did not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rievart slapped both cheeks with his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All it takes is determination!\" he shouted, loud enough for Enkrid to glance over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll train,\" Rievart declared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Rem had been present, he might have remarked that another soul had been led astray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid spent the early morning hours training alongside Rievart before demonstrating the Wave-Blocking Sword to Rem as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not bad,\" Rem said, unusually starting with praise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The technique had proven to be quite formidable. Even with minimal contact, his wrist felt the strain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'How does it work?' Rem pondered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some thought, he concluded it was a wasteful technique that expendedWillexcessively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By channeling explosive bursts of energy, it bent the opponent's wrist angle through sheer force, utilizing timing, technique, and strength in harmony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But wouldn't a vibrating blade be more efficient for that purpose?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem assisted Enkrid with his refinement, recalling how an Aspen swordsman once shattered a vibrating blade with a crushing strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'No, that's different.' Vibrations could be countered with finesse, but Enkrid's technique would evolve and adapt to the opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made it more dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If avoiding contact entirely was the only counter, was that even feasible?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps summoning a spirit wolf from afar to attack?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if someone used such spirit arts on Enkrid, he'd likely charge straight at the caster, ignoring the wolf entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After considering all this, Rem summarized, \"You seem unhesitant in your progress, brother.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audin, joining in, added, \"Agreed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later that evening, as the trio prepared for the royal banquet, a servant arrived with tailored formalwear for each.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some deliberation, Audin donned a light blue jacket that ended at his waist, while Enkrid wore a deep purple velvet vest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rem opted for a gray waistcoat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the general uniformity of the formal attire, the three looked striking once dressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As servants spent hours perfecting their hair and appearance, neither Audin nor Enkrid lost their temper—a fact that Rem found particularly remarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments before entering the grand palace hall, a herald hesitated, gritting his teeth as he consulted with his superior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, steeling himself, he shouted with determination:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Madmen Knight Order have arrived!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The once lively hall fell silent as dozens, then hundreds of gazes turned toward the trio entering the banquet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>--------------------------------------------------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you enjoy the series and want to get more Chapters early, head over to my kofi\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am also introducing a new membership tier called 'Squire'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For 10$ you will recive the next 50 Chapters, with 30 new ones the following month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many thanks to azuring for proofreading the Chapter\u003C\u002Fp>",2299,"2026-06-03T07:43:27.044Z","2026-06-03T07:43:31.259Z",1,"novelbin.me","3f3273f830883afa7aefde05bed7aee817bd97862b394b4fceeb3aa09a823d5a","eternally-regressing-knight-chapter-552","eternally-regressing-knight-chapter-782",782,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feternally-regressing-knight-cover.jpg"]