A Knight Who Eternally Regresses Novel - Chapter 742

Chapter 742

Enkrid moved forward, his wounded arm bound tightly in cloth.

The dark fluid clinging to the bottom of his footwear left a thick, smeared trail before finally dripping away, testifying to its viscosity. The blood shed by the tiger beastman possessed a heavy consistency.

The creature had met a brutal end: its ear was ripped away, a front limb was missing, its cranium was fractured, and its internal organs were scattered across the dirt. One look at the carnage proved this was no swift execution; it had been a prolonged struggle.

Despite Enkrid being a knight of exceptional skill, the beast had lunged at him without a hint of hesitation. Because of that ferocity, the encounter had actually been quite entertaining.

“Impressive.”

The beast’s agility had been explosive, constantly moving in ways that eluded logic. Enkrid had utilized the Wavebreaker Sword in tandem with the Sword of Coincidence to intercept its strikes, responding with a rapid succession of thrusts and cuts. Throughout the duel, he had studied its raw power. There were lessons to be found in that violence.

“The way force is applied.”

The essence of Balrafian martial arts is rooted in rotation—specifically, the torque generated by wringing power from the body. To channel such immense strength, the physical frame must be an unbreakable vessel. This required pushing the body to its absolute peak.

One needed reinforced bones, hardened musculature, and a physical structure that could react the very moment a thought was formed. The frantic movements of the tiger beastman contained the exact principles Enkrid had been analyzing.

“Every swipe of its paw carried immense weight.”

It also possessed abilities that went beyond physical limits.

*Fwoosh.* The creature had exhaled flames and, even from a distance, slashed the air to send invisible blades of force toward him.

*Clang!* If he hadn’t relied on an instinct sharper than his five senses and raised Three Iron to parry the unseen strike, he would have suffered a grievous wound. It wasn’t every day one encountered a beastman capable of using supernatural magic. This one was intelligent, too.

“It knew when to engage and when to retreat.”

It committed its full mass to close-quarters strikes and relied on its magical gifts when backing away. That combination of tactics and strategy provided a wealth of information.

“No matter how many techniques you learn, the effectiveness depends on the person wielding them.”

That was another realization gained from the tiger beastman’s display of magic and raw athleticism. It was as if he were reviewing familiar concepts through a live demonstration—the perfect educational experience.

“Hoo.”

Enkrid let out a long breath, plucked a wide leaf to wipe the gore from his blade, and gave himself a cursory cleaning. He intended to depart immediately.

“Whatever secrets this village keeps…”

That was their concern. He hadn’t fought for the sake of a bounty or a reward.

To be precise, he had stepped in to face his own internal ghosts, and trying to explain that would only sound like a poor justification. Claiming he simply wanted to help felt just as hollow. If Rem had been there, he likely would have teased him, saying, “You want the credit but don’t want to look desperate for it, so you’re playing the mysterious hero, right?”

But it didn’t matter. What was important was that these villagers would survive a bit longer. If Aitri and Brunhilt reached maturity, they would endure even further. If they eventually sought out the Border Guard, he wouldn’t turn them away—but he wouldn’t force that path on them.

“Feeling a bit more at peace now?”

A woman holding the hand of a small child walked to the edge of the village and spoke to him. She looked the same as the day they met: her clothes were ragged but meticulously repaired, and the child, though lean, had eyes full of life.

She was a reflection of the many people he had failed to save in the past, even when they had been under his protection. That village was gone, its inhabitants dead. Yet, Enkrid found a strange solace in her presence now.

“If you live in yesterday forever, you’ll miss the dawn of tomorrow.”

He hadn’t read that anywhere; the thought simply surfaced. Even if life felt repetitive, one had to move toward the future to avoid being trapped by what was lost.

“I can’t afford to wait here any longer either.”

He had already remained in this village for a month—a significant amount of time.

The mountains were vibrant and green. The heat had intensified to the point where he would develop skin irritation if he didn’t switch to lighter gear. Enkrid began walking toward the sun, his shadow trailing behind him like a silent companion.

He paused to wash in a stream, and before half a day had passed—

It was too early for the Border Guard to have reached this point, yet a powerful aura saturated the air.

“Sharp as a blade.”

It felt like a collection of swords honed by a master. That was the sensation of the group nearing his position. These were highly trained warriors moving in a coordinated pincer maneuver. Compared to this group, the beastmen he had been fighting were mere amateurs.

Standing on a steep slope, Enkrid looked down. The foliage was dense, obscuring his view of the newcomers.

*Rustle. Snap. Creak.* Only the calculated sounds of human movement reached him.

Enkrid gripped the handle of Three Iron, which was secured to his hip with makeshift cords. He could draw it in an instant. He used fairy movement to vanish his presence, but a faint sensation brushed against his back.

“Impressive.”

It was more than impressive; it was nearly silent, stealthier than a multi-tailed fox. This presence felt more lethal than any beast he had encountered in Zaun.

Enkrid shifted his stance. Being caught between two forces on this terrain was dangerous. He pivoted, turning his body so he wasn’t trapped. Now, the stealthy figure was to his left, while the advancing troops were coming from his right.

Just as he settled into his stance, a man with a particularly aggressive aura emerged from the brush. He had silver hair and dull, gray eyes. A small axe hung at his hip as he stared at Enkrid, his gaze as piercing as the Tiger Beast King’s.

He was like a bowstring pulled to its limit. His hair had previously been disguised with brown dye, but he wasn’t bothering with that now.

“Why are you here?”

Enkrid asked. Rem, resting a hand on his weapon, rubbed his chin.

“…Just out for a stroll?”

A stroll? With a full personal guard? And everyone armed for a siege?

Next to Rem, a man as massive as a bear beastman stepped out. How he had hidden such a large frame in the bushes was a mystery. He stood tall and offered a grin.

“I was simply following the path of the divine.”

“…And that path required your entire unit?”

Behind Audin, the soldiers of the Border Guard known as the Fanatics stood in grim silence. It was obvious they were prepared for a massacre.

“Your style has taken on the nuances of the tactical blade. You’ve evolved.”

Lua Gharne was present as well, her focus entirely on Enkrid’s growth. It didn’t matter if they had found him by accident; what mattered was his constant progression.

Frokk’s wide eyes shimmered with a mix of obsession and greed, partly due to the actual oil coating them. Jaxon, who had been the one hiding his presence from above, descended toward them. Enkrid looked at him.

“You too?”

“The question is—what were you doing, Commander?”

“Traveling with an imperial knight.”

“Traveling?”

Even Kraiss had made the trip. His voice came from behind Lua Gharne. Enkrid met his eyes.

“I stumbled upon a hidden village.”

“And?”

Kraiss’s tone was as sharp as a strike from Ragna. What was he supposed to say? That he had stayed behind to play savior?

“There were too many beastmen, so I stayed to thin them out.”

One of the reasons Enkrid knew he had to leave was because of these people. He knew if he stayed away too long, they would come looking for him—though he hadn’t anticipated an entire war party.

“Ragna insisted that was impossible. Why did you decide to do this all by yourself?” Kraiss questioned him.

Deep down, most of them had likely guessed the truth the moment he mentioned the village and the monsters. He had been saving people and lost track of time. Rem was the one to say it out loud.

“So you went off to save more lives and made sure the people behind us didn’t die. Is that the story?”

“…I didn’t say that.”

“I bet you said something just like it.”

“I didn’t.”

The villagers were too suspicious for him to have said anything so bold. Kraiss shook his head.

“Regardless, if you’d been any later, the King would have marched into the Empire himself just to look for you.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes.”

Rem, Audin, Jaxon—they all had their reasons, but they had all been searching for him. Were they truly prepared to go to war with the Empire? Those three certainly were. Enkrid didn’t realize it, but Jaxon had even been ready to tap into the power of Geor Dagger.

As for Kraiss, Enkrid could guess his motive.

“Even if I can’t prevent a fight, we can’t afford to start from a disadvantage.”

One cannot negotiate without strength. If a battle had started, Kraiss would have tried to mediate, but he wouldn’t do it while his side was weak. It was shocking to see the cautious man show up in person.

At least, that was Enkrid’s perspective. The reality was that Kraiss was terrified. He was worried the unpredictable commander would cause a disaster in the Empire. Ragna had returned earlier and claimed he had simply lost his way and would lead the search—but the Border Guard didn’t trust him.

Even Anne, who had reconciled with Ragna, was against it. Eventually, Ragna conceded.

“Nothing will happen,” he had said with total confidence, believing that no imperial knight could actually harm Enkrid.

Regardless, Kraiss hadn’t come to stop Enkrid; he had come to launch a preemptive strike if the Empire had taken him. And they weren’t the only ones. Rophod and Pell were following with their own divisions. This was a total mobilization.

“If something had happened to the Commander…”

The Empire would have burned for it. Kraiss let out a quiet sigh of relief. He had let his emotions get the better of him, but seeing Enkrid alive helped him regain his composure.

*At this rate, the man is going to die young,* he thought.

“But,” Enkrid started to ask, but Kraiss cut him off.

“Esther mentioned that mages usually appear from the most unexpected angles and said she’d be part of the reinforcements. Shinar said the Empire needs to learn not to underestimate fairy power and headed toward Kirheis. She’ll be part of the second wave.”

If Enkrid had stayed a few days more, a massive conflict would have ignited.

“…Are you all out of your minds?” Enkrid asked, genuinely bewildered.

“You’re the last person who should be asking that,” Rem countered.

Audin laughed and nodded, and Jaxon actually agreed with Rem for once. Seeing those three in such total agreement was a shock to Enkrid.

Well, since they had reunited, the danger had passed. Enkrid rubbed the back of his neck.

“Should we head back?”

There was nothing left to do here.

“Yes,” Kraiss answered for the group.

When they returned to the Border Guard’s base, Ragna—who had promised everything was fine—was already geared up with ten of his elite soldiers. Enkrid also saw the fairies gathered, their presence radiating a cold, focused fury.

The green ranks of the Dryads and the brown lines of the Woodguards stood ready. In the center, Shinar drew her blade.

“Let’s move. It’s time to settle the score for my husband.”

“Who exactly is your husband?”

Enkrid stepped in to halt the fairy’s march.

“Instead of looking at the stars, you were about to tear through the greatest empire of men.”

Esther had also returned once she heard Enkrid was safe. Within forty-eight hours, a message arrived from Crang.

*—I was just taking in the sights of the Empire.* The note was brief, but the implication was clear.

Enkrid found the entire situation ridiculous, but he couldn’t deny that it touched him. Later, he sought out Leona for a few specific requests and gave a message to Kraiss.

*** Harkventyo, having secured his village and defeated the beastman threat, waited for Enkrid’s return. He felt a mixture of dread and hope.

“We can finally live without fear of the beasts,” was his optimistic thought.

“But what will he demand as payment?” was his fear.

Four days passed, and the anxiety remained. The beastman raids had stopped entirely. As the village began to recover, the knight never reappeared.

“Why?”

The question haunted him until he spoke with the village’s elderly healer.

“It seems he simply helped us and moved on. Like a ghost passing through,” the old woman remarked.

Harkventyo felt a wave of profound shame.

“He didn’t want anything…”

But he hadn’t turned his back on them either. The village leader felt small, wanting to hide from his own reflection. He hadn’t even given the man a proper word of thanks.

He carried a physical scar from the battle on his chest, but the emotional scar of his own behavior was far deeper. It was the mark of true regret.

“Why?”

Why would someone risk everything for nothing in return?

The surprises didn’t end there. Though the beasts were gone, the reality of their situation remained. It was summer, and their food supplies were non-existent.

“Greetings.”

A new merchant arrived—a man who looked far more respectable than their previous visitors.

“I am Malton, from the Lockfried Caravan. Are you looking to trade? I’ve brought grain, garments, and basic supplies.”

Malton unpacked his goods. He was accompanied by a dozen well-armed guards. Seeing them, Harkventyo looked up, and Malton delivered his message.

“I’m not here to cheat you. If you don’t want to trade, I’ll leave the supplies and walk away. But I think you should listen. The people you dealt with before were vultures. I think you know why I’m here. I’ve come on behalf of a traveler who stayed here recently.”

Malton was being honest. The previous traders had bled the village dry for profit. They had no honor. Malton had been in that position before; he knew how the world worked.

“Well?”

Malton prompted, and Harkventyo gave a slow nod. The man who had been shown mercy finally opened his heart.

“We have something of great value in this village. You must make sure it reaches him.”