Eternally Regressing Knight

Junior Knight Aishia.

She was a member of the knight order who came with Froch Luargarne.

What she used was a technique called “Will,” based on willpower.

The technique the swordsman before him showed was similar.

No, it was even more advanced.

Enkrid saw the formless blades that cut, stabbed, and slashed his body. There were more and faster than Aishia’s.

Even knowing they were fake and illusions, he couldn’t ignore them.

Even though he instinctively understood that they came from the opponent’s will, the feeling to evade triggered within him.

He almost reflexively retreated, but Enkrid gritted his teeth.

His body flinched. His shoulder trembled. To not avoid the oncoming blades, he would have to embrace the knife in his chest.

It was the same as before.

If he couldn’t break through, escape or dodge would be his only choice.

It was like Aisia’s “Will” again.

If he couldn’t overcome it, he would be crushed against the wall. Without even fighting, without raising a finger, it would be admitting defeat.

The laugh of the boatman came to mind. It was certain the mockery would ripple through the waters.

Enkrid suppressed his instincts.

“You could die,” the rapier swordsman said as Enkrid didn’t retreat.

Enkrid didn’t listen.

Even in the days when death was the end, he risked his life.

He wasn’t struggling to die, but struggling to move forward.

So, should he retreat now?

Should he?

“Retreat.”

The rapier swordsman said again.

And Enkrid began to swing his sword toward the oncoming blades.

He turned the feeling of evasion into an offensive form, unleashing his tremendous strength and opening the door of his intuition.

The focus activated, and he completely immersed himself in the moment.

The approaching blades, the formless swords, all became visible.

Slow and certain.

Enkrid swung his sword.

He knocked them aside, parried, and shattered them. The broken blades disappeared like ghosts. They shattered like glass.

And for every one he shattered, a new blade formed.

“Foolish,” the rapier swordsman said.

That was the last word Enkrid heard from him.

He missed one blade. It bent as it came in, a quick blade like a hawk’s strike. It was easy to miss.

Enkrid felt the blade cut through his throat.

It felt real.

It was horrible, and he could feel the heat. The thought of certain death crossed his mind.

Enkrid closed his eyes.

But he did not meet the boatman.

When he opened his eyes again, he heard a voice.

“Did you wake up? You crazy captain?”

It was Rem’s voice.

Enkrid, overcome by the pressure of the “Will,” had swung his sword wildly at the air, only to collapse with his eyes rolling back in his head.

Yet, his posture with the sword was strangely perfect, his movements showing the signs of someone who had been trained.

Soon after he collapsed, there was a loud bang!

Someone hit the ground. Not one, but several moved.

Audin rushed forward and caught Enkrid.

Rem took out his axe. Alongside him, Ragna stood, blocking the path between Enkrid and the rapier swordsman.

Jaxen was already behind the rapier swordsman.

“If I wanted to kill him, I would have done so by now,” the swordsman said.

Rem knew that this was no ordinary opponent. He couldn’t even guarantee his own victory.

“Well, I could have killed him alone if I wanted to,” Rem thought.

But was he alone here?

There was no need to unleash his hidden power.

“If he was dead, you’d be gone,” Ragna said. There was no doubt in his voice. If he decided to kill, he would do it.

Rem, usually smiling, now had a serious expression as he spoke, “Let’s be careful, alright? My axe tends to go off on its own. It’s got a mind of its own, you know.”

His casual words, spoken without a smile, carried a deadly edge.

“His body’s fine. I’ll have to check his head once he wakes up,” Audin said as he checked Enkrid’s breathing. He didn’t use his usual ‘brother’ title.

The “Will” technique affects the mind. It is a force that presses and constricts. When Enkrid woke up, he might be left a fool.

But Audin didn’t worry about that.

Enkrid wasn’t the type to fall easily. He wasn’t the kind of man who would be defeated by something so trivial.

However, if fear had settled into his heart?

That was the kind of damage his opponent caused.

It wasn’t a physical chain, but a wound in the mind.

It was something that could be called psychological trauma. A fear engraved deeply would not break easily.

“Let’s check his condition once he wakes up,” Audin said, still not using the term “brother.”

And so, the fight ended.

When Enkrid woke up, he heard everything about what had happened right after he passed out, nodding slowly.

“I see.”

The “Will,” a technique based on willpower.

That meant his opponent was at least a Junior Knight.

And that he knew how to use a sword.

“Fun,” Enkrid muttered.

Fun?

Everyone’s eyes turned to him.

If this was sincere, there was something wrong. His mind was broken. But then again, it wouldn’t be surprising if Enkrid said something like that.

He truly might be insane.

That thought crossed everyone’s minds.

A brief silence followed.

Was he really okay, or was he just showing off? Could someone really say that after seeing such a blade?

“Looks like he’s still broken, so it’s fine,” Rem concluded.

This was Enkrid’s normal.

Would he be afraid of a blade?

It could happen. Soldiers who’ve rolled around in battle sometimes break mentally. There’s even a story about a soldier who saw a giant and would faint just hearing the word “giant” for the rest of his life.

But Enkrid wasn’t like that.

He had truly died before, endured pain, and faced death head-on.

He wouldn’t be shaken by a virtual blade cutting him.

“When you drew your sword back then, it was the same. Looks like you’re really broken,” Krais said, recalling a similar experience when he drew the cursed sword. He mimicked the motion of spinning a finger around his ear

Rem struck the back of Krais’s head with such force that it looked like his eyes were about to pop out of his face, justifying his “Big Eyes” nickname.

“Ah! Why are you hitting me?”

“That’s mine.”

“What do you mean, yours?”

Enkrid shook his head inwardly and sat up.

“I’m the only one who can do it.”

Rem was just being mischievous. Krais pouted, but quietly stepped back.

Wasn’t this someone who wasn’t even worth talking to?

“Are you really okay, Captain?”

“I must have slept too long. My body feels light.”

In response to the question of whether he was okay, Enkrid replied that his body felt light.

Audin smiled slightly.

“Truly amazing mental strength, Brother.”

Audin looked at Enkrid again with a renewed sense of awe.

Why wouldn’t he?

The long hours spent honing holiness—what was required of everyone was patience and a stable mindset.

“Only those who do not succumb to any hardship or threat can raise their heads.”

Audin murmured a part of the scriptures.

No one paid much attention to it.

Ragna wasn’t a particularly suspicious person, but still felt the need to confirm something.

Ching.

He drew his sword and stopped just a finger’s breadth away from Enkrid’s nose.

“…You want to spar?”

Enkrid looked blankly into Ragna’s eyes.

Anyone who fears a sword can’t hide their unease.

But how were Enkrid’s eyes right now?

Still the same. Straight and true. The same look that even Jevikal found tiring to look at.

“We can do it next time.”

Ragna sheathed his sword.

As always, Jaxen was just amazed by Enkrid.

‘He doesn’t seem like someone who could ever die.’

Of course, Jaxen wouldn’t just stand by if Enkrid was in danger.

Still, Enkrid was perfectly fine now.

And the sparring continued.

The rapier swordsman, instead of the soft and friendly blades of before, showed more pressure.

Once again, Enkrid was struck by formless blades, falling unconscious. To be precise, he fainted; it wasn’t actual death.

It was just something that felt like death, something that dug deep into the mind and spirit.

That wouldn’t change Enkrid.

“Is he enduring it?”

The rapier swordsman spoke.

Jevikal, watching from the side, grumbled.

“Hey, just finish him off already. If you’re going to kill him, then do it! Why are you stabbing him so lightly, testing him?”

The rapier swordsman ignored him.

The giant and Edin Molsen’s guards had a different opinion.

“Next time, let’s do it at the end. He keeps passing out before even getting started.”

The guards spoke, and the hybrid giant nodded.

They didn’t want their own opportunities to be taken away.

It was an odd situation.

The rapier swordsman saw Enkrid’s limits, but still acknowledged something.

“Is it willpower?”

Among everyone present, no one was the same as when they first arrived.

They were all changing, little by little, as they faced Enkrid.

The heat of summer had passed, and it was now a dry fall. Border Guard’s Pen-Hanil North had a short autumn, meaning the cold would soon follow.

It had already been about a month since they arrived in Border Guard.

“Next time is the last,” the rapier swordsman said.

“Do as you wish,” Rem replied.

After fainting from the pressure, Enkrid nodded when he woke up.

“I want to beat this.”

“There’s only one way.”

As always, there was advice given when they sparred with visitors to the city.

Once again, Ragna stepped forward.

“If you can’t defeat all of them, you can strike the phantom blades with your heart.”

This wasn’t vague advice.

“Will.”

At the very least, if you didn’t have something intangible to counteract the pressure, you wouldn’t be able to win.

“Will is said to be something you realize, but in truth, if that kind of power existed, forming a knight order itself would be impossible. Junior knights are those who have awakened their will forcibly. It’s possible, but even if you awaken it, countering this kind of pressure is a different matter.”

The last part was the analogy of learning to walk but not being able to run immediately.

Anyway, based on Ragna’s words, the conclusion was that the opponent was testing him.

Whether the intention was good or evil, kind or malicious, Enkrid didn’t care.

For him, it was just about:

“Pressure.”

Every time he met something that constricted him, like before, he only wanted to overcome it.

But he wasn’t planning to sacrifice his life and repeat today.

Another day passed, and it was a night just like any other.

Bell, who was on duty at the city gates, noticed someone approaching in the middle of the night.

“Who’s there? A merchant?”

Although Bell asked, he already knew the person wasn’t a merchant.

Logically, it was strange for someone to be traveling alone, and emotionally, the person didn’t seem easy to deal with.

“Is this where the soldier who ended of the war is?”

The man wasn’t wearing a black cloak, nor was his outfit suspicious.

The man, who had approached to the reach of the torchlight, was young.

His skin was somewhat dark, and he had a sword at his waist.

One arming sword on one side, and three daggers lined up on the other—his attire looked natural.

In other words, he looked like someone armed, but didn’t seem to be.

“I was hoping to meet him,” the man said again. Bell tilted his head slightly, then turned it back and replied.

“At this hour, we can’t let outsiders into the city. If you plan on coming, it’s best to come tomorrow at noon. And we’ll meet tomorrow, right?”

The last question was directed at his colleague.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

His colleague replied.

Coincidentally, tomorrow was the day Enkrid would recover and come out.

It was the day after the recent days of continuous sparring.

There had been rest days, but tomorrow, he would be out. He hadn’t been seriously injured.

“Well, you’re lucky. You’ll be able to meet him tomorrow.”

Upon hearing Bell’s words, the man mumbled something before speaking.

“I only have time tonight. Could we meet now?”

Bell thought the man was being stubborn, but there was something strange about his demeanor.

‘Let’s test him out.’

There were many people searching for the soldier from the end of the war, but it was rare to find someone who could overpower him.

Many had left after being defeated.

“Is this just some soldier?” Bell muttered under his breath.

Saying this, Bell tapped his colleague’s shoulder.

“I’ll check this out for a moment. If anything happens, ring the emergency bell.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll put an arrow through his forehead before the emergency bell even rings.”

His colleague, who always carried a bow, spoke with a quick jab at his side.

Jaxen, their trainer, was a master archer.

Bell thought as he opened the side gate and stepped out.

There were a few guards keeping watch, watching him closely.

Bell spoke, using the light from the torches as a reference.

“If you knock me out, I’ll send the message, would you like to give it a try?”

“Sure, sounds good.”

Soon, Bell aimed his spear at the man, but the man stood there unarmed.

“…Aren’t you going to draw your sword?”

Bell’s voice deepened.

“If I cut you with this, you’d die, but I don’t think I need to kill you.”

This guy? Overflowing with confidence, huh?

Bell’s irritation surged, and that frustration was channeled into a thrust with his spear.

The fight didn’t last long. The man caught Bell’s thrust, but Bell could see his movement coming.

However, Bell was a fraction too slow.

The man closed the distance and struck Bell’s stomach with the palm of his hand.

Thud!

The shock felt like it penetrated his stomach. Bell thought for a moment that his stomach had been pierced.

He barely managed to hold back the urge to vomit, and the man’s voice reached him.

“You have great endurance.”

“…If I fall from just one hit, I’ll have an instructor who would get really mad at me,” Bell replied, exhaling, his legs shaking from the heavy blow.

Still, Audin’s punches were even heavier than this.

Bell made a decision. The man was more skilled than he was.

And he’d said he didn’t want to wait until tomorrow.

‘All I have to do is deliver the message.’

Bell figured he’d just relay the message to Enkrid. The rest of the judgment was up to him.

Hadn’t Enkrid mentioned there might be people like this several times?

Enkrid himself had said he wanted to meet everyone, even those passing by.

If the person was someone whose skill was proven, it wouldn’t matter if it was late at night.

He had already met others like that.

“I’ll go check on it.”

Bell stepped back willingly. The man didn’t show any murderous intent or act rudely.

Bell entered the barracks and relayed the message to Enkrid.

“Wait a moment, I’ll go check it myself.”

Enkrid suddenly stood up.

“Are you going alone?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I suppose that’s fine.”

Bell, who had been the gatekeeper for those who came looking for Enkrid, didn’t find the man to be as imposing as the others.

He didn’t sense any overwhelming presence or pressure.

When he relayed this to Enkrid, Enkrid, with a light step, headed out alone.

“Let’s go.”

Enkrid stepped forward, and they exchanged a few words under the torchlight before their swords clashed.

Clang.

The fight continued between the two.

It was intense and lively.

It felt as though the dawn was rising between them.

The light seemed to shine through in their movements.

Then, something strange caught Bell’s eye.

Suddenly, the man’s drawn blade grazed Enkrid’s forehead, and in that instant, the man seemed to shake his head as if disappointed.

Afterward, Enkrid’s body began to tremble, and he collapsed forward. He fell face-first. He couldn’t keep his body upright.

Bell blinked.

‘Is he dead?’

The world seemed to distort and tear apart.

Enkrid’s death was like the pendulum of a clock, turning back the day.

The curse had activated, and a day Bell could not remember passed.

And once again, the same day began, repeating the same events. Bell, having gone to find Enkrid, spoke again.

“The independent platoon commander had someone visit.”

“Yeah.”

Bell tilted his head. Without any detailed explanation, Enkrid just immediately left.

Enkrid, who left with a bright smile on his face—one he usually didn’t show—was absolutely filled with joy and excitement.

“Do you know him?” Bell asked.

“No.”

Enkrid replied as he walked. Though he said he didn’t know him, the answer was filled with undeniable joy and excitement. It was so apparent that Enkrid could not hide it.

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Come back tomorrow for 3 more chapters!

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