Eternally Regressing Knight
Chapter 520 - 520 - The Next Victim
Enkrid stood in the training grounds, gripping Aker.
From the side, it looked as though he was awkwardly standing in a corner of the training grounds, holding the sword's grip while muttering to himself.
t wasn't exactly the behavior of someone who appeared composed.
It was a matter of little importance, as no one came to the training grounds unless they were part of the Madmen unit.
Even if someone were watching, Enkrid would likely act the same way.
His eyes blazed with the same fiery intensity as always.
"Speak. You're not staying here just to chatter, are you? Show me what you've got. I'll give you my review of what the former knight left behind."
Enkrid spoke quickly, the excitement causing his pace to quicken. As soon as he thought there might be something to gain from Aker, he couldn't contain himself. He was determined to learn what was hidden within that sword, even if he had to break it.
His energy was such that everyone in the camp turned their eyes toward him.
The yearning and zeal Enkrid exuded were the same as when they first met him.
"I wonder what I was worrying about."
Rem, sitting on a stump sharpening his axe, let out a brief, hollow laugh and muttered to himself.
"Did the guide's bring you back on the path?"
Ragna, who had been napping in the shadow opposite Rem, lifted his head to speak, though his eyes were barely open.
The energy had jolted him awake, but after blinking a few times, he went right back to sleep without even wiping the sleep from his eyes.
Jaxen simply leaned against a pillar, silently watching.
Though he never spoke of it, he secretly agreed with the barbarian's words.
About whom?
Was he worrying about Enkrid losing his longing?
That man had not changed.
He was the same as when they were first assigned to the squad or when he learned the art of sensing from him.
"Same as ever."
He was a man shaped by his passion and yearning.
"You've returned, brother."
Audin said with a smile as he continued his lessons with Teresa.
The scriptures said that those who desire would find opportunity. Teresa repeated the words in her mind.
"An unyielding wind."
She had learned that from Enkrid, both then and now.
But was it really just persistence that was enough?
To her eyes, Enkrid seemed more excited now than when he had first become a knight.
He enjoyed the journey of becoming more than the end result.
He yearned for the learning process more than completion itself.
So where did this yearning come from?
It came from hope.
The anticipation of joy, the thrill of expectation.
That was the kind of yearning Enkrid was experiencing now.
Teresa, gaining a small insight, began to pray quietly.
"My yearning, my joy, my bliss, I offer them all to you."
As she prayed, a faint light flowed from her shoulders.
It was a small glimmer, so subtle that unless seen up close, it would be easily missed.
The light quickly vanished.
No one noticed it, not even Audin, whose gaze was focused on Enkrid.
However, Audin, being divinely attuned, sensed the change in Teresa.
Audin's gaze shifted back to Teresa, who was now focused in prayer.
He had witnessed a miracle up close.
The Holy Spirit had left a trace on her, a giant hybrid and once a cultist.
"Today, the Lord has shown great mercy."
Teresa nodded.
She couldn't pinpoint exactly what had happened, but she felt she had received something.
There was no need to rush or question it.
She would slowly come to understand it in time.
She had always been patient, but after finding true faith, her patience had deepened.
"Have you seen the light? Then run toward it."
Lua, who had been training with greater dedication than ever before, spoke.
Her whip lay limp on the ground beside her.
She had been swinging the whip here and there, but had stopped when her body began to sweat too much.
Now, she looked at Enkrid and spoke.
It was also something she was saying to herself.
She was among the older frogs.
In human years, she would be considered middle-aged.
Though, since frogs and humans were different species, comparing their ages in the same way was meaningless.
But there was one similarity.
At her age, should she still be training?
Aging comes for everyone, she thought.
As a frog, the signs of aging were now upon her. It was no longer an age for training.
She might have added, "What's the use of training when the end is already clear?"
Frogs were naturally battle-hardened species.
Their strength was exceptional, and their skin made many weapons useless.
Clumsy swordfighters wouldn't dare face a frog.
Most frogs simply repeated what they had learned in combat.
That alone was enough, and their natural talent allowed them to know their own limits well.
But if someone were to continually, truly continually, break through the limits?
Lua had never felt anything like this in her life.
The desire to teach wasn't what she felt—it was the desire to grow.
She was enjoying the moment, no matter what came next.
She had learned this from Enkrid.
Lua's arm muscles trembled from the exertion. She savored that sensation, puffing her cheeks as she did.
As always, Enkrid, when caught up in the sword, shut out everything else.
He was completely absorbed, obsessing over the blade.
His earlier image—swinging the sword while drooling—came to mind.
So, when Enkrid stood still, he ignored the others and focused entirely on Aker's voice.
A low hum echoed.
The sword shuddered, conveying its will.
'You've fulfilled your fourth condition.'
The lack of an excuse was what pleased the sword.
'Shall we talk face to face now?'
Before Enkrid could speak, the sword conveyed more intent. As soon as the first message was delivered, the second followed. Enkrid didn't blink as he watched green and white light flow from Aker's blade.
The light spread outward, clearing everything in its wake.
Then, the wind blew.
Ssshhh.
The wind swirled, shaking the grass that rose to his ankles.
It was a field, stretching endlessly.
The sun was high, around midday. The shadow at his feet barely stretched outward.
It wasn't too bright, nor was it too hot or cold. The sunlight was slightly sharp, but the breeze brought a pleasant coolness.
"First time meeting like this, huh?"
Then, someone stood before Enkrid, just five paces away. They had Aker slung over their shoulder, and their appearance was plain.
Bright brown hair, brown eyes.
Nothing about them seemed extraordinary, yet their presence didn't feel mundane.
The sword on their shoulder was ready to be drawn at any moment. Their posture was solid, showing no obvious weakness.
"Who are you?"
"Aker."
Aker narrowed his eyes.
Enkrid's hand dropped, gripping a sword identical to the one his opponent held.
There was no armor, no throwing knives.
It was the same for the ghostly Aker.
Two swords, two people—no, one person and one ghost.
That was all.
"That look in your eyes feels unpleasant."
"Not at all."
"You'll probably regret it. I'm inside your consciousness, and I share part of your emotions."
The ghostly Aker raised his left hand and tapped his temple.
"That feels a bit underhanded."
"Don't worry. It's only slight emotional recognition."
The ghostly Aker said, pinching his fingers together and winking.
"What worry?"
"I'm saying this because we need to prepare for a fight."
Aker smiled.
The breeze blew.
The grass swayed.
The ghost sneezed.
But his stance remained flawless, with no openings.
What if I strike now?
Enkrid thought briefly, considering the possible outcome.
His opponent wouldn't dodge, but would swing his sword down. Then he would try to predict Enkrid's next move.
Enkrid considered closing the distance while thrusting, but he couldn't do it.
The opponent wouldn't dodge—it would be a sword clash.
Two futures flashed before his eyes.
But that wasn't all.
Instead of a simple clash, if their swords met, Aker would instantly close the gap, using his fist to strike the sword.
Though the sword wouldn't break, the moment of disruption would cause Enkrid to lose his rhythm.
"Mm?"
Enkrid saw his opponent respond in three different ways at once. And then he noticed a fourth and fifth response as well. The options kept multiplying.
Despite his stance not changing, the responses kept shifting with each passing moment.
"If I said, 'let's talk face to face,' I wouldn't expect you to speak first, would I? How does that feel? Interesting, isn't it? Some people dismiss grappling, but it's served me well when I was alive. If you know how to use Will, something like this is possible. It's a way to seal future sight."
Will is the power of the mind. The formless strength shaped by one's will can also create momentum. For example, if you have the intention to strike someone's head in front of you, your body will unconsciously adjust to take the position for the strike—twisting your shoulder, raising your hand to make the movement easier. In response, the opponent will unknowingly prepare to block the strike. Future sight is the insight that reads actions and momentum. What Aker's soul body did just now was to weave the will in various ways, twisting the momentum and showing it to the opponent to distort their insight, their ability to see the future.
While Rem unintentionally renders future sight meaningless by swinging his axe, Aker divided his consciousness into dozens of branches, presenting them to the opponent and affecting their senses.
"It's not easy," Enkrid muttered.
"Did you try to take it all at once? You've got no conscience."
Though he murmured quietly, Aker, the wraith, caught his words and replied.
"Could you explain it simply?"
"Do you expect me to just tell you everything?"
"Won't you tell me?"
How shameless is this guy?
Even his eyes are full of pure desire.
Was he looking at me with those same eyes when he threw himself off the cliff?
I don't know.
It may be awkward for Aker, but Enkrid could do much more than this when it came to learning.
"I'm already annoyed with the three conditions, and there's the hidden fourth one. Has anyone passed that? Of course not. So, you're the first. I have a lot to say, but you want the technique without listening to me? Ugh, no thanks."
Aker, forcing a smile, spoke proudly.
Enkrid had prepared himself to listen. The first thing was to confirm whether the blindfold that blocked Aker's future sight was effective. There was no choice.
He had just seen four pairs of blazing eyes.
The giant merchant's eyes, the artisan Eitri's eyes, the jeweler Frog's eyes, and the eyes of the little one who wanted to be a healer.
Enkrid's inner flame had never truly extinguished, but now, it was stoked even further.
His flames roared.
He wanted to learn anything, do anything.
Whether through sparring or training.
"Test my skills. Watch my sword. I can learn anything. Teach me."
Enkrid's presence grew clear and distinct, pressing down on his opponent.
It wasn't the kind of pressure that made someone feel like they would die if they moved, nor the kind that threatened to cut them down if they advanced.
It was a pressure born from a desire to learn.
It felt more like a cheer for his opponent's will to fight.
It was the kind of energy that made someone want to fight.
The moment Enkrid thought that Aker was hiding something, he naturally moved to close the gap and confront him.
"Really."
Thud!
"I don't like this."
Enkrid held his breath, swiftly raising both arms.
His sword pointed to the sky, and then, with his left foot as the pivot, he thrust his right foot forward and slashed downward with a firm, straightforward diagonal cut.
Aker chose one of the movements he had seen through his future sight.
He raised his sword to block it at an angle, moving sideways.
As their swords met with a clang, Aker spoke as he fought.
The wraith Aker's round shadow stretched sideways as he swung his sword.
Enkrid's gaze followed Aker's feet and sword. Enkrid lifted his foot and thrust his sword forward.
His blue eyes left a long trail, leaving an afterimage.
It was the speed that only a knight could display.
For an ordinary person, they would be sliced or stabbed before they could even see the afterimage.
However, even in this illusory world, Aker was not harmed.
Despite being a soul body, in this world of consciousness, he was a knight.
Aker had always been a weapon imbued with such power.
Future sight showed dozens of possible outcomes.
Enkrid predicted that Aker would choose one, but Aker shattered that expectation.
With his right hand on the sword grip, Aker used his strength to block Enkrid's sword.
Clang!
Two identical swords collided, creating a shockwave.
Leaves spun in circles, lying flat, then rising.
The rustling sound of leaves was loud and chaotic.
The sword that Aker had used to block Enkrid's strike stopped, thanks to Aker's defensive stance.
"Instead of relying on future sight, you're fighting with instant ingenuity? Not bad, but who are you trying to imitate?"
Enkrid immediately copied the technique that Aker had used, trying to fight like Rem, but it was blocked. Aker spoke next.
"This is a world created by the sword. If you want to leave, there's only one way."
Aker predicted that Enkrid would ask what would happen if he couldn't escape. After all, the instinct to preserve one's life is universal.
"What happens if I can't leave? Will I die? What then?"
If Enkrid asked that, Aker was eager to mock him by responding. But as Aker shattered Enkrid's future sight, Enkrid's response shattered Aker's expectations as well.
"Ah, right."
Without even pretending to listen, Enkrid gave a casual answer. His eyes were already filled with madness.
"Hey, open your eyes properly."
"Ah, right."
Is he crazy?
Aker realized that he had just now fully understood the thoughts of everyone who had ever faced Enkrid.
In the desert, Enkrid had observed the surroundings as if through sleepy eyes, and now, experiencing his madness for the first time, it felt different.
If Rem had seen this, he would have chuckled and said "Yeah, next victim, come again."

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