Eternally Regressing Knight Chapter 792

792. It would be fun

“You’re here.”

Encred said.

“You blocked it, brother.”

Their words clashed. Encred immediately crossed his arms to block Balrog’s kick. He wasn’t just being taken advantage of. He was defying Balrog’s pressure in real time.
And, of course, it was Audin who caught Encred’s descent.
He felt warmth in the hand supporting his back. It was thanks to Audin’s divine power.

“I’m not hurt.”

Encred spoke again.

“I see. What fun are you having by leaving us behind?”

Rem’s voice joined in from behind Audin. Encred heard an awkward word in Rem’s words.

‘we?’

Did he know he’d use such words?
He probably said it unconsciously. It felt incredibly awkward when he recalled his troublemaking days, but not anymore.
He’d spent so much time with them that the word “we” seemed perfectly appropriate.
Ragna stood beside Rem with his usual expression, while Saxen squinted, his arms hanging limply. He
must have been sizing up his opponent. Knowing they weren’t a weakling, he probably didn’t make a move.
That was their battle stance. Everyone, including Rem, especially Audin, kept their gaze fixed forward, their hands emitting a faint glow.
Even by Saxen’s standards, and even by their own, they felt a menacing presence.
The flames of the campfire moved, as if alive, stretching out until they reached what had been Oara’s shadow. The flames circled the shadow’s edge, revealing hands, horns, a head, and a chest lined with black crystals. It
was as if a crouching bear had risen.
A little while ago, there was something unique about Encrid that Balrog didn’t remember, so he straightened up, using Audin’s hand that was supporting his back, and asked.

“You’re squeezing me with pressure and then hitting me right away?”

Normally, Balrog only uses his power to test his opponents, but this time he attacked without warning. This was unexpected.

-You’re asking a question right off the bat, mortal.

Balrog was also remarkably perceptive. He quickly grasped the subtlety of her words. Of course, Encred knew the other person would understand.
They’d seen each other so often that they’d grown attached to each other.
It was easy to gauge the demon’s mood by observing his expression. Well, Balrog’s expression was quite simple and straightforward, so it wasn’t exactly difficult.

“If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

Their conversation was bizarre. One side, the human, spoke as if they knew each other, while the other, the demon of conflict, maintained an air of unfamiliarity. Of course, neither side cared.

“You look friendly.”

Saxony’s words become succinct when the judgement is entangled, as it is now.

“I see.”

Encred took the words lightly. Audin, still smiling, let out a chuckle.
Saxon opened his mouth to add, but the others who had joined didn’t seem to pay much attention to their conversation. They all jumped into battle mode the moment they saw the one who had risen from the shadows. If you let your guard down,
you’ll die. Your skin feels tingly.
If you’re so dull that you can’t read the atmosphere in the hall right now, you can’t even call yourself a knight.
If a normal person entered here, their heart would stop or their lungs would collapse. The pressure weighed down the surroundings. They say it’s transformed into a labyrinth, like a demonic realm, but even if they met outside, the air quality wouldn’t have changed. The aura emanating from those gathered here was a weapon in itself.
And Balrog, free from all this pressure, conveyed his intentions.

-I called you, but I didn’t have any expectations. But.

He conveys his will not through his vocal cords but by vibrating the air. It’s something Encred is used to, but others might wonder what kind of strange trick it is. Still, if you just watch this much,
you’ll probably understand the principle. Even if you don’t, it won’t matter.
The corners of Balrog’s mouth lifted as he spoke, and the sparks in his eyes flickered. Encred had seen it countless times. It was an expression that expressed joy, pleasure, and satisfaction.
Encred had seen Balrog split like that countless times. So he knew what he was going to say. If you predicted your opponent’s actions, there’s no reason to hesitate to strike. Encred’s mouth opened before Balrog’s.

“Wouldn’t it be fun?”

Before he knew it, Encred was smiling just like him. This wasn’t intentional. It was a natural expression, a mixture of anticipation and joy.
Encred had snatched Balrog’s words away. Actually, it wasn’t so much snatching as it was something Encred had often said.

-Yeah, that’s what I was going to say.

Balrog also conveyed his will. He wouldn’t waver even slightly at this level. That’s just the kind of guy Balrog is. At any rate, he was one step ahead verbally, so I was content with that.

Crack.

And then, before she knew it, the fairy standing right next to Encred stepped forward, gritting her teeth. Encred had been in the front, but now she was ahead of him.
Encred saw the fairy’s back. Though small in stature, her presence loomed large. Considering what she could do with that body, it was clear. Shinar, stepping forward, seemed determined. This wasn’t the kind of aura often seen among fairies. They tended to remain silent, observing with silence.
It was truly rare for her to step forward like this. They say a fairy’s intimidation isn’t a form, but a scent.
It was said that fairies originally used spirit, not will.
The scent of the forest permeated the air. The fairy, her whole body enveloped in fragrance, spoke.

“Who hit you? Was it him? Tell me. I promise bloody revenge.”

Blood and revenge weren’t words a fairy could use. Even Saxon, taken aback, chimed in.

“A fairy seeking bloody revenge?”
“I’ve always wanted to try it.”

The fairy spoke lightly, dispelling the energy of her clenched teeth. For the first time in a long time, a fairy-like joke burst out, excluding the engagement and Encred.
If you asked why she was joking at a time like this, she had something to say. To be precise, Encred understood immediately.
Fire and demons—those two elements—triggered Shinar’s psychological trauma. Therefore, she, too, needed to relax.

“I mean it when I say I’ll get revenge.”

Shinar spoke again. In reality, apart from relaxing, Shinar now simply glared at the man who had struck Encred, forgetting any past wounds.

‘Who dares to hit me?’

This was the look in his eyes.
The situation was set. Encred had been stalling for time, hoping they’d come. If he were in danger, they’d shout from afar, risking their lives to come. This operation began with preserving both his own strength and theirs, and meeting them was the beginning of it.
So, it was a good start.
Six people—Rem, Sachsen, Ragnar, Audin, Shinar, and himself—faced the Balrog.
He saw Oara, rolled to one side, barely raising her head. Encred knew from experience today. If he started a fight like this, instead of Oara transforming into a Balrog, she would just collapse to one side, becoming a bystander.
Seeing Oara looking in his direction, Encred looked at her and spoke indifferently. Whether he was teasing her or now, his attitude and tone remained the same.

“Today is the last day.”

Determination, will, conviction, vow—all these things strengthened Will. Encred forgot the day, a day that begins anew even after death. He forgot the boatman. He kept only one thing in his mind. He organized his complex thoughts and condensed them into one.

‘Kill the Balrog.’

This is a battlefield created by the concept of repeating and expanding today.

Must I endure all this alone? Where does “alone” really fall? Isn’t their help also something I’ve built up over time?

A peek into Encred’s mind reveals no such complex thoughts. Only a simple, clear will permeates his thoughts.

‘If I can, I’ll do it.’

With the strength of others, with my unit, I can conquer without needing to ask. This is a stage built on faith, not calculation.
Encred’s smile rose even higher. My heart pounded, my mind racing. Will, too, trembled uncontrollably. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t excited for what was to come.
Certainly, in this respect, the word “madman” didn’t seem out of place for Encred.
Despite dying and dying again, he remained unafraid. He seemed to exist simply because of the fight.

So, who’s going to jump now?

It seems to be asking this.
Of course, as is the law of the continent, the winner is always right.
There will be winners and losers, the living and the dead. It’s like standing on the border between life and death.
In this situation, the smiling human is like a line sticking out from a perfectly symmetrical picture. Encred was like that.

Whoosh whoosh.

As if preparing for battle, the fiery line that had been circling Balrog’s perimeter stretched out like a snake, then transformed into something that was either a whip or a fiery serpent. He stood upright, his head raised.
Then, in his right hand, a sword blazing with black flames appeared. Black fire rose from his skin, shaping itself into a sword along his hand.
It was a technique that was astonishing every time he saw it. Balrog possessed the skill to store weapons on his body.
He had nothing else to envy, but that seemed a little enviable.
Balrog also prepared for battle. Watching him, Encred discussed tactics. There was no time for long deliberation. There was even less time to gather everyone’s opinions and discuss them. So he spoke briefly and sharply. That was why his words were often commanding.

“I block, Rem throws, and Ragna cuts.”

Of course, this alone wouldn’t have made everything fall into place. Balrog wasn’t just watching.

* * *

“Are you planning to memorize all the patterns?”

One day, yesterday, the boatman suddenly asked. Given the three teachers’ delay, it seemed as if Balrog was observing his fighting style.
But could memorizing every pattern be enough to win? That’s the boatman’s question.
Despite separating and accelerating his thinking to gain an advantage in combat calculations, Balrog effortlessly shattered the very premise of those calculations.

‘One kick would have been enough.’

It was a kick, as if a new entity had intervened outside the battlefield. Why? The reason is simple.

‘Balrog has more fighting experience than I do. Both on the battlefield and in person combat.’

He didn’t need to calculate combat operations; he could fill the void with experience. He had accumulated enough experience.
What did this mean?
Encred knew that simple combat calculations couldn’t stop the trajectories of Balrog’s sword, whip, fists, and feet.
The boatman, discussing patterns, conveyed his will as if he were stating a set truth: the sun will rise tomorrow.

“No matter what you do, you’ll eventually break. No matter how hard you persevere, the end will be the same. At that point, you won’t be able to choose.”

It was unclear whether this was an attempt to help or hinder.
To the ferryman, Encred’s future seemed bleak. This was ambiguous. One meaning was that his future would be difficult, and the other was that even he, the ferryman, could not predict what kind of day awaited him, making it bleak. Why was his future so uncertain?
Because the “record” had already been broken, it could no longer be a bet. The mere fact that the record had been broken had already swayed the hearts of many weaklings.

“If you overcome it without asking, what happens next? What happens when something worse comes? You’ll be broken at any moment. Even if you regret it then, nothing will change.”

Encred, who had been silent, pondering how to fight, gazed into the boatman’s empty pupils.
He didn’t know what the boatman wanted, but Encred knew what to say. It was the unwavering resolve that had remained unwavering since he first took up his sword.

“You can think about that when you get there.”

The answer was simple and clear. The boatman couldn’t continue. He could almost say he was speechless.
Wouldn’t he stay up all night and wake up in the morning because he didn’t know what the future would hold?
The future is always a variable. We don’t know what those variables will be. Even the boatman doesn’t know. That’s why he behaves like that.

“If you’re scared, just watch.”

Encred said it half-jokingly, and the boatman was once again speechless for a moment, unwilling to reveal his fear.

“bouncer.”

He simply leaves these words.
Encred is always the same. He simply gives his best to whatever is immediately before his eyes. He concentrates on what he can do, what he can do, what he must do now.
If he didn’t give his all now, tomorrow he would just live like that. If he wanted to live like that, he would have long ago settled into this mediocre day. Moreover, he savors the present and the moment. No one has ever lived more for the present than he has.
Even within the vast expanse of the boatman’s experience, this was a first.