Eternally Regressing Knight Chapter 866

866. The ability to fly

“Feed them more. If they don’t listen to the heavens, they’ll think what you’re carrying on their backs is just emergency rations.”

At the beastmaster’s command, several soldiers jabbed bloody meat onto their tridents and dropped it before the griffon.
Serrated teeth emerged from within its beak, resembling an eagle’s beak.

Rain, thud, thud.

The raw meat’s tendons and fascia ripped, making a chilling sound. The griffon was a monster. Its black eyes oozing black blood and a pungent, bloody stench emanated. The soldier feeding it remained tense.

‘If I fail, I die.’

The soldier’s spear was cautious. Freshly slaughtered horse meat, the first step in taming a griffon.

“If you starve them, it’s over.”

The trainer said, “It’s essential to feed them plenty of meat. That way, they won’t crave human flesh.”

If you ask whether a well-fed horse can ride for a long time, that’s not entirely true.
The beast trainer has experience taming numerous beasts. In his view, the griffon is inefficient.
It doesn’t have much stamina. While it could fight all day on the ground, once it takes to the skies, it expends all its strength flapping its wings.
With such low stamina, what if it were carrying a weight on its back? What if that back were occupied by a human, a tender, meaty creature?
It would likely chuck it to the ground,
wondering if it were a lunchbox, and devour it. When it loses strength, it devours its rider. Furthermore, it doesn’t obey every command. Compared to a trained warhorse, it suffers from numerous shortcomings. It’s worse than a tamed wild horse. Its
uncontrollable ferocity makes it prone to following any enemy units sent as bait, which is another problem.
Nevertheless, this griffon rider was the key to its strategy.
The one and only advantage offsets all these disadvantages, so efficiency is a no-brainer.

‘What can you do against someone who can fly?’

With the griffons included, the southern guardians were tied down with just this force.
The knights’ forces couldn’t be diverted elsewhere. They dared not turn their attention. If they retreated, the remaining forces would be annihilated.
The trainer didn’t know the entire strategy, but he had a hunch that this was part of a larger scheme.
If things went wrong here, he wouldn’t be put in danger.

‘I am special.’

Even in the South, monster taming was a rare skill. His master, with a little alchemy, a little magic, and a little sorcery, created the concept he now holds today. This was the birth of the monster tamer. The achievement of a genius.

“Can’t you make these idiots listen to me?”

One of the griffon riders frowned and spoke those words. A common soldier would have retorted, “Where did you dare speak?” But that was impossible. The one who spoke was the only knight among the riders. While his skill was perhaps unparalleled in the entire nation, his special talent made him the only one to ride a griffon.
Above all, he was a knight. Even if his skill wasn’t exceptional, a single gesture from him would decapitate him.
The superiority in strength was clear. The trainer bowed his head.

“If you were so obedient, you wouldn’t even be called a monster, Sir Simlak.”
“I know, but please think of the rider.”

The trainer suppressed his irritation, but a subtle displeasure lingered in his tone. It was frustrating to hear him say such things without any understanding of the hardships he had endured training this pack of griffons.

“If we hadn’t thought about the riders, we would have all fallen prey to the griffons long ago.”

The knight’s eyes turned to face the trainer. They were as clear as glass, but they betrayed no emotion.

“Hey, watch your words. I almost cut off an arm just now.”
“……I’ll be careful.”

The beast trainer lowered his head further. If he were to die, dozens of griffons, bound by spells and sorcery, would go berserk.
The knight knew it. He’d heard it countless times before coming. However, this author was a servant who paid no attention to all of that. He was the very essence of a southern knight, obsessed with battle.

‘Damn it.’

The trainer inwardly cursed the knight. Simlak knew it, but he let it go. After all, wasn’t this man the key to this operation?
Knowing that, there was no need to behead him. Would a knight fighting for the Emperor disobey his orders?
There were three knightly orders in the south. Simlak was a member of one of them, the Amethyst Knights. Amethyst was one of the Emperor’s symbols, representing his hands and feet.
He wasn’t really dissatisfied with the trainer. He was simply thirsty.

‘I want to fight that guy named Cypress.’

I couldn’t come out because I didn’t get permission. That was unpleasant.

“You don’t trust me, Captain?”

It was an order from the Captain of the Amethyst Knights. Well, he wasn’t the only one. There were three other knights with complaints.

“Did you see it?”
“Just a quick glance.”
“If it was just taking lives, it would seem easy.”

Each possessed exceptional talent. The four, including himself, were the only knights currently remaining in this camp.
The person the remaining three were referring to was Cyprus, the leader of the Knights of the Red Cloak.
Simlac had only seen him a few times from afar.

‘Is that cypress?’

Was he really the knight called the Guardian? In his eyes, the author named Cypress seemed weak. In other words, he was worth a try. If he saw it that way in my eyes, the other three probably felt the same way.

‘It’s not the kind of pride or arrogance that comes with being young.’

There were more knights in the South than on the Continent. The sheer difference in numbers was simply a matter of position. That’s why they knew their place so well. A good fighter knows how to assess their opponent’s strength, isn’t it?
It was a Southern proverb. They were accustomed to this maxim. They
didn’t underestimate their opponents out of arrogance. That’s why I’m skeptical. Does it make
sense that their advance was halted because of a single knight? I’ve even heard that they had to adjust their strategy because of a single knight named Cypress.
Such an opponent seems easy. If they weren’t bloodthirsty, they wouldn’t be worthy of the title of Southern knight.
If it weren’t for the orders of their commander and captain, they would have abandoned the griffons long ago and charged.

‘I’m really thirsty.’

Knights are also those with a strong desire for battle. Simlak’s desire for battle was particularly intense. That doesn’t mean he lacked patience, however.

“Hold on, Shimlaq. This is not the time for us to step forward.”

These are the words of a knight who uses composure as his weapon even within amethyst.

“know.”

Shimlaq nodded. He would carry out the task assigned to him. That was his mission now.

* * *

Two mornings later, the griffon’s roar, “Kyaaaaak,” cut through the sky. It was a terrifying sound, to say the least.
At least for those guarding Naurilia’s southern front, it was. The number of riders had increased. Over thirty.

“Are the damned ones just increasing?”

Knight Lien saw this and spoke. Frowning, he measured the position of the men flying towards him, three javelins slung over his shoulders.
The men on the griffon would also know their position. They would perceive the javelins thrown by the knight as a threat.

“Everyone, move to your positions. Don’t forget what we’re doing.”

Despite his position as vice-captain, he spoke freely and acted without hesitation. His words drew a stamp of approval from the entire Red Cloak Knights.

“under!”

The Knights are a group that has worked together since childhood. Their exceptional operational capabilities were a given. They underwent extensive, rigorous training to gauge their overall capabilities.

“Move.”

Lien gave the order. Five squires mounted their horses and galloped. Today was the first bait. While the allies reacted and the griffon flew in, a horse behind the camp also rolled on the ground, ready to gallop.
The unicorn couldn’t fly by simply flapping its wings. It had to gallop and gain speed before it could take off. Only then could it fly.
Thanks to this, the entire Naurilia army had torn down and rebuilt the tents within the camp
, creating a path. This path was a straight line, leading towards where the griffon was flying. The unicorn ran along this straight path, a path the soldiers had carefully leveled overnight, even picking stones. It
tore through the wind, unleashing its galloping instincts.
Encred clung tightly to the unicorn’s back. Otherwise, the wind would have ripped through his skin.
The black-skinned horse sweated blue. The sweat, influenced by Will, created blue vapor.
On top of it all, a human rode, his dark green cloak stretching out and covering his entire body.
As they galloped forward, a single line traversed the ground. Dark blue and dark green lines tangled and twisted, leaving a trail of afterimages.
To the soldiers, it all seemed that way. As if the strange line was soaring into the sky.

* * *

“Look here! Look here!”

It wasn’t just some of the Red Cloak Knights who were bait. The twenty soldiers who volunteered, including Bunyan, also stepped forward.
Bunyan’s throat burned with blood. His shout filtered through the flapping of the griffon’s wings.
Could the man atop the griffon even hear him? He probably couldn’t. Still, Bunyan shouted. ”
Training a monster and fighting alongside him?
Since my mercenary unit was swept away by that wave of monsters, every monster in the world is his enemy, a target of vengeance.” Gritting his teeth, Bunyan shouted again.

“Look at me! Come eat me!”

He wasn’t the only soldier who offered himself as bait. Many in the South have fallen prey to the tricks of demons and demons.
Some have lost eyes or body parts, while others have lost family members.

“Come, come.”

One of the soldiers muttered, cutting his own hand and scattering blood. Most monsters are sensitive to the scent of blood. He knew that, so he did it.
The southern front wasn’t simply a place to fight Lichenstätten. Their enemies were twofold. One was the great power of the south, and the other was the monsters flowing from the demonic realm.
Furthermore, the south had long employed many strategies utilizing monsters. This explains why the south is also an object of hatred for those who hate monsters.
Separately from these soldiers, there were also soldiers who volunteered to be bait for other reasons.

“The Lord is watching!”

One wrong move on horseback could tear your tongue in half. Yet, knowing this, there was a soldier who continued to let out such a long cry. His name was Rafield, and if he survived, he would surely become a devout believer in war.

“Ohhhh!”

Their cries were not in vain. The griffon herd couldn’t shake the temptation of galloping horses and humans.
The griffon rider atop them, trying to appease his mount, dropped the bundle of stones and scrolls he’d slung across his modified saddle.
The bundle burst into flames, forming a massive fireball that crashed down. A javelin hurled itself into the center of the mass.

pop!

How many could shatter a spell from thin air?
It was the Knights of the Red Cloak. These javelins must have been thrown by those who had risen to the rank of quasi-knight.
The griffon rider adjusted his distance and continued his work. The rain had stopped. If the griffons hadn’t hated rain, it was a continuation of a fight that would have ended long ago.
In fact, it was a good thing.
The pouring rain wouldn’t have allowed them any respite. The hordes of drowned men and monsters would have pounded them endlessly.

‘A one-sided fight in the sky.’

Simlak braced himself for the knight’s javelin. Strangely, the ground below was quiet. At this point, he should have been targeted by arrows or javelins, but no such attempt was made. He concentrated all his energy on intercepting the falling scrolls.

‘Is this too much to handle?’

So, is this a passive response?
Simlak’s disappointment grew. He should have fought better than this. If the false name of Cyprus wasn’t a lie, he should have.

‘Is this all?’

Of course, it wouldn’t have the talent to fly.
The griffon flapped its large wings as it soared through the sky. The sound was as loud as a waterfall, thumping in your ears.

Quaaaa, quaaaa.

A different rhythm mixed in between those sounds. No, maybe he didn’t hear them. Simlak simply acted on instinct.
He pulled on the leather reins tied to the corner of the griffon’s mouth. It was a split-second decision. The griffon reacted and twisted to the side, and Simlak, holding the reins with only his left hand, leaned to one side. He had fastened his legs to the saddle to keep himself from falling, so he twisted his waist as far as he could. It was a close call.

Liar!

The pressure shook his helmet with a popping sound. Simlak straightened his leaning body and turned his head.
Every movement was swift, beyond the speed of a normal human. The light flowing from his eyes traced a semicircle in the air.
Then, instead of a griffon, his gaze caught sight of the author on a winged horse.
The winged horse was remarkable, but something else caught Simlak’s attention.

‘Without a saddle?’

Flying in the sky. It means flying through the air. Even a knight would be seriously injured or killed if he fell. But riding a winged creature without a saddle? It
was beyond audacity, it was reckless. Even he himself was still fastened to the saddle he’d placed on his griffon, his thighs and hips still fastened.
In his accelerated thoughts, Simlak dismissed several things that were visible and concerning. He quickly forgot about the Pegasus’s existence and the saddle’s presence. Instead, he recognized what was necessary.

‘The enemy flies in the sky. At least knight-level.’

Simlak felt a sense of inner joy at the realization.

“You have the talent to fly.”

Finally, a worthy opponent has appeared.
No matter how I looked at it, it didn’t look like Cypress, but it would be fun to start by taking one down here. After all, the reason I used the griffon was to wear down the health of those Red Cloak Knights.
And what if I kill the one who’s barely managed to get to the sky? Their morale will
plummet.

“Who are you? Tell me your name.”

There was no answer.
Encred, the person I was talking to, simply tapped the lopsided head and exchanged words.

“Hey, I almost fell.”

Heehee.

“You can’t say no if you don’t know. We’re fighting together now. Don’t forget.”

Heehee.

“Okay, let’s try what we trained for.”

If it were simply a matter of fighting from a cross-eyed position, would there have been any need for days of painstaking training?
There wasn’t. Encred came up with a novel technique and tried to execute it, and the reactions within the Knights upon hearing it were varied. They were truly varied.