A Knight Who Eternally Regresses Novel - Chapter 657

Chapter 657

As Enkrid worked on refining his perceptions, Kraiss set out to fulfill the task his superior had assigned.

He traveled to survey the territory where the Fairy City was intended to be established. This location sat to the south of the Border Guard, beyond the desolate steppes, right where the river’s flow reached its limit. This destination was tucked against a modest mountain range—a perfect environment for a new woodland to flourish. It was, in truth, a region where even the “Safe Road” offered little protection.

Nearby, a jagged stone hill rose like a monolith—once the territory of a harpy colony—and at the mountain’s feet lay a dense thicket where various beasts and predators frequently found cover. It acted as a natural checkpoint for monsters and wild creatures migrating from the southern reaches. This made it a strategic choice. If the fairies possessed the strength to cleanse such a place themselves, it would be a mutually beneficial arrangement.

With these thoughts, Kraiss made his way toward the southern outpost. Zero the fairy acted as his guide, while his partner, Nurat, served as his bodyguard. Carrying a blade and sporting a more muscular build than in previous months, she stayed close to Kraiss’s side. She had fully committed to the physical conditioning regimen developed by Audin.

“A strolling woodland?” Nurat questioned.

“To be precise, it is a grand relocation—a sacred traditional rite of the Woodguard tribe,” Zero clarified, walking on the opposite side of Kraiss.

While most of his kin projected an icy, detached aura, Zero was remarkably animated and transparent with his feelings. It was evident that fairies weren’t a monolith. While individual temperaments played a part, it was well-known that Enkrid had essentially hammered a sense of emotion into Zero through sheer force. Enkrid hadn’t just used his blade; he had dismantled the fairy with scathing critiques.

“Is this truly your peak? Pathetic. A dragonfly shows more killing intent. That was a decent swing—if your target was a common gnat.”

Even the most stoic fairy would discover the meaning of fury after such treatment. And once the gate to anger was opened, the rest of the emotional spectrum followed.

When the group arrived at the southern station, the guard on duty stepped forward and offered a salute. There was a time when Kraiss was mocked for being a non-warrior within the Mad Knight Squad, but those days were a memory. The rank-and-file now understood that disrespecting him carried heavy consequences. Furthermore, Kraiss was humble about his lack of combat prowess. If he admitted it himself, there was no ground for others to use it as an insult.

Of course, a few idiots remained, but Kraiss was far from defenseless. After spending weeks under the protection of Rem’s assault unit, even the quietest mockery had ceased. No one was brave enough to mouth off when their shadow was a high-strung warrior ready to swing an axe at the slightest provocation.

“What’s that? You’re looking to go missing after joining our ranks?”

Whispers persisted that soldiers who entered Rem’s specialized group occasionally vanished. It wasn’t entirely a myth; fatalities during their brutal training sessions were a reality. The more intense the preparation, the greater the danger. That was simply the nature of their world. However, Rem had a record of never losing a direct subordinate to such accidents. Consequently, public insults toward Kraiss died out. As for the private grumbling, Kraiss paid it no mind. He was preoccupied with the logistics of the fairy arrival.

During their trek, Zero spoke candidly about the inner workings of fairy life. He confessed his ultimate ambition was the total eradication of every demon on the continent. He was an unusually talkative fairy. Nurat chimed in now and then, providing updates on the garrison’s latest drills.

Then, Kraiss laid eyes on it.

*Boom.*

“…A titan,” the outpost guard whispered.

Even with prior descriptions of the moving forest, the actual sight was staggering. A soldier instinctively reached for his bow, while another prepared an arrow. Yet, their hesitant expressions made it clear they doubted if such weapons would even leave a scratch.

*Thud—*

A massive, root-like limb struck the ground as the gargantuan tree approached. Silhouetted by the sun, it dominated the horizon. Within its sprawling canopy, glowing orbs drifted. Upon closer look, fairies were perched among the boughs, watching the mortals below. Zero raised a hand in a friendly sign.

Kraiss steadied his nerves and issued a command: “Hold your fire.”

When Enkrid had first mentioned this, he hadn’t reacted. Now, seeing it, he couldn’t hide his awe.

“It’s the truth. It’s actually walking. A mobile tree,” Kraiss said softly.

“Yeah… even knowing it was coming, it’s a lot to take in,” Nurat remarked at his side.

It was fortunate they arrived in the light of day. Under the cover of darkness, it could have easily been mistaken for a monstrous invasion. Its gargantuan scale skewed the senses—it appeared slow, yet it covered ground rapidly because its sheer volume broke one’s perception of distance. It was a sight beyond anything they had ever witnessed. Taller than any mythological giant, it was a living entity that required one to strain their neck just to find the top.

“They are guests. Not enemies,” Kraiss reiterated.

Behind him, a soldier muttered, “I’m about to lose my bladder.”

“Me too. Same here.”

“If that thing moves an inch the wrong way, we’re just red stains on the grass.”

“Thanks for the mental image. Now my stomach is turning.”

The three guards traded nervous quips. It sounded like panic, but it was just their way of venting pressure. If they were truly paralyzed by dread, they wouldn’t have been able to joke at all. Still, the tension was palpable.

*Kawk, kawk.*

Suddenly, a pack of man-faced dogs lunged from the brush. This region was notorious for such sightings. The southern zone was the most monster-ridden territory under the Mad Knight Squad’s jurisdiction. Aside from the Pen-Hanil Mountains, it was the most dangerous post available.

The beasts, driven by mindless aggression, dashed toward the base of the tree. Due to their low stature, they couldn’t even perceive the scale of the entity they were attacking. Eleven of them charged—only to collapse in a heap simultaneously. Thin, elegant projectiles had hummed through the air, pinning them to the dirt. Their nature was to bite and spring at prey, yet they had been grounded instantly.

It was the work of the fairies. From the high branches, marksmen had loosed arrows with impossible accuracy. The fairies signaled to one another, moving in perfect harmony. One of the downed predators was flattened. *Thud.* Where the root had stepped, only a dark smear remained. As the arboreal titan drew closer, it towered over the outpost itself.

Duly impressed, Kraiss finally found his voice.

“Welcome to the Border Guard.”

“We appreciate the reception. Though… the scent of this place leaves much to be desired,” one of the fairies remarked. “Do not mistake our nature for naivety. I once served as a clerk for an espionage collective. I began my career in a settlement further down that waterway…”

The fairy began a long-winded tale, but Kraiss followed along easily. He was new to giant trees, but he was a veteran when it came to eccentric, fast-talking personalities.

“Are you suggesting I shouldn’t try to deceive you? Rest easy. This place is crawling with monsters and the occasional bandit group. But that shouldn’t trouble your people, should it? If you establish yourselves here, our leader will be pleased. Even if he remains stoic, your presence is a boon. We can provide military support if necessary. I suggest the region to the west, nestled against the peaks—it is the most fertile ground.”

Fairies were incapable of lying, though they were known to shade the truth. However, given their reverence for his commander, Kraiss doubted they would be deceptive. Still, to be prudent, the fairies had sent an emissary well-versed in human interaction. The initial meeting between two wary groups always followed this pattern.

But Kraiss had no desire to start with a ruse. To a trickster, one speaks in riddles. To those who value honesty, one speaks plainly. Kraiss wanted no friction in this arrangement. Only transparency. And that proved sufficient.

The fairy looked pleased—a nuance Kraiss didn’t quite catch.

“That is acceptable, but as Emily frequently told me, verification is paramount. Emily was my first partner. She ran the front desk at the information guild.”

Kraiss bypassed the irrelevant anecdotes and led the fairies into their new home. There was a mountain of clerical work and oversight ahead, but no major roadblocks remained. The tree giants began their settling process. Even when a massive stone seemed to shift on its own, the soldiers remained stunned but kept their distance. A few southern aristocrats called for reinforcements, convinced a titan was invading, but the situation remained peaceful. No blood was spilled.

—

“Once more.”

It was Rem who stepped forward this time, not Enkrid. The roles had evolved. Every day or two, Rem would call for a duel. Enkrid never declined, but he wasn’t exactly humble about it.

“Hmm. You’re certain about this?”

“About what?”

“I don’t find much joy in picking on the defenseless.”

“Hah! Who are you calling defenseless, you freak?”

Rem reacted to the bait, but her fighting style remained clinical. She was fierce and intense, but never sloppy. She was a true prodigy of the blade.

After several days of recalibrating his instincts, Enkrid finally understood his current position. According to the internal metrics he followed, his peers were at the level of high-tier knights, while he sat at a middle tier. However, his system prioritized training philosophy over raw power levels.

His “Uske”—his boundless Will—granted him incredible staying power in a fight. This allowed him to compete with those technically above his rank. Additionally, the wave-breaking sword, utilized with full intent, bridged the gap. His ability to split his concentration allowed for a perfect mix of strength and longevity. He excelled in high-velocity, prolonged encounters. Every strike was precise and lethal.

While warriors like Rearvart or Sir Jamal favored a defensive, grinding style, Enkrid stayed on the offensive. And it wasn’t just Rem who challenged him.

“Step out here, Mad Knight Commander! I’m going to beat some sense into you!”

Ragna would rush in with a shout, and Enkrid would meet the challenge.

“Fine. If I wasn’t born with talent, I’ll just have to drown you in pure effort.”

He took pleasure in these bouts, though he felt that sense of novelty beginning to fade. The regular troops and the warriors of the Mad Knight Squad were all fueled by a new determination watching him. Rem and the others felt it most acutely—they had always been the ones in the lead, but that had changed.

Enkrid had truly surpassed them. To not savor that victory would have been against his nature.

“I’m taking you down next time!”

“Commander!”

“I’ll slaughter the lot of them!”

Rem, Audin, Ragna, and Jaxon all threw themselves into training with a feverish intensity.

“Are you planning to hunt down every knight on the planet?” Jaxon’s partner asked him during a break.

“There’s a certain someone I need to overtake.”

“Need to?”

She was aware that Jaxon didn’t use such definitive language without reason.

“Why?”

Jaxon hadn’t articulated it to himself before, but the answer was now obvious.

“It’s irritating.”

“What?”

“That arrogant posturing. It’s cringe-inducing.”

That was his public excuse, but his internal motivation was different. *I promised to be an asset. I won’t allow myself to be a liability.*

So, he pushed himself. And the results showed.

Two weeks after Enkrid’s return to the Border Guard—

Audin was occupied waiting for a contact, and Enkrid, left with no one to engage, focused on his solo forms. He hadn’t visited Aitri yet, wanting to fully gauge his own growth first. He had turned over the gear and artifacts he’d acquired, and Aitri had told him to return later. Esther was currently roaming in her beast form. Shinar was nowhere to be found, and Lord Greyham had only made a fleeting appearance.

Aside from his training, Enkrid had nothing to fill his time. Truthfully, he enjoyed the dominance he held over his subordinates.

“It isn’t enough. No spark. None of you can push me anymore.”

He would drop comments like that just to see the reaction.

“Did you stumble into a cult? What, did you trade your soul to a Dark Deity for a power boost?” Rem asked, brushing a stray leaf from her gear.

The air was warming. The frost of winter was retreating, signaling the arrival of spring. The change in weather brought Shinar to her mind.

“I only hear the complaints of those beneath me.”

Enkrid’s provocations had become an art form. He held his blade with a casual, almost poetic grace as he delivered his insults. Rem’s expression darkened. She had heard enough of this over the past few days.

“You’re finished today, brat. *Ptuh*.”

She spat into her hand and gripped her axe. The atmosphere grew heavy, as if a true duel to the death was about to occur. Rem settled into a low, predatory stance, ready to pounce.

Enkrid, using his heightened awareness, predicted her trajectory and positioned Penna for a counter-slash. He assumed today would follow the usual script. Unless Rem went all out with her heaviest strikes and magical enhancements, the result was a foregone conclusion.

But suddenly, Rem retreated. It happened so fast she seemed to shrink in his vision. A withdrawal? She lunged backward with startling velocity, her eyes locked on him, her boots leaving heavy prints in the dirt.

At that exact moment—

*Voom, voom, BUUUUUIIIIIIING—!*

Rem launched a circular projectile into the air above her. After a few slow turns, it caught speed with a violent hum, attached to a sturdy cord. A sling.

“I’m not playing around.”

*WEEEEEENG—!*

As the weapon let out a high-pitched scream, Rem poured her Will into the strike and shouted:

“Block this, or it’s your end!”

*WHUNK.*

The projectile roared forward.

*BOOM!* The air itself seemed to shatter.

Through the sound of the atmosphere tearing, Enkrid saw it with his insight. A dot. A tiny, singular point aimed directly at his forehead. Even with his perception of time slowed, it remained a lethal blur that ignored the laws of physics. It was infinitely more lethal than any knife he had ever deflected.

He threw himself into a sharp backbend. The projectile whistled past, clipping several locks of his hair, which disintegrated in the resulting air pressure. He immediately had to roll away.

*BANG!*

The shot impacted his previous position, sending a geyser of dirt into the sky. And she wasn’t finished.

*WEEEEEENG—!*

Rem had already sent two more discs spinning on diagonal paths. One was nearly vertical, the other horizontal. The two lethal circles hung in the air, separated by only an inch, vibrating with murderous intent.

“Go to hell, you crazy bastard!” Rem shouted with genuine glee.

And Enkrid—he could see the absolute sincerity in her eyes.