Eternally Regressing Knight Chapter 880

880. Immeasurable

“The flower of war is the devil!”
some soldiers chanted, but no one cheered. The rumor that the flower of war is the devil spread quietly, but no one screamed.
They were well-trained veterans. The commanders were especially outstanding. They encouraged their men. The battle wasn’t over yet.
The knight was dead, but the enemy remained. With the enemy still there, it was no time to be intoxicated by victory.
If Encred had known later, he would have told them to stop chanting like that, but he simply turned a deaf ear to the chants he heard. Marcus approached and asked.

“How, you mean? Are you one-eyed?”

How surprised he was, was the unrefined question. Even for someone who boasted of his usual intelligence, it was difficult to remain calm in a moment like this. Especially when he had prepared himself for death and then survived.
Encred gazed into Marcus’s wavering pupils. His eyes swirled with intense emotion. Gratitude was deeply imbued within them. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t he who had saved his life, but his one-eyed friend.
If it weren’t for the winged knights, he wouldn’t have dared come this far.

‘But it must have moved at least.’

It’s something that never happened, but it’s a thought that flows by itself.

‘If it were Rem, he would have known how to sprint in a short time.’

Even if I had used up all my stamina and magical power, I would have run.

‘Then they would have fought over the dead Marcus’ body.’

No matter what means you use, you can’t be faster than a horse that flies in a straight line without stopping, ignoring the terrain.

“I’ll thank you later, Ignorant. Let’s go meet the enemy.”
“Oh, okay.”

We’ve only met once or twice. Knowing that he’s someone who won’t miss a beat without a long conversation, I got straight to the point.

“Enki.”

We came all the way to Asia.

“I almost fell in love with you a little while ago. Really.”

She was equally moved.

“The women around me are enough for fairies and witches.”
“I’m not saying I’m really in love.”

Encred spoke and stepped toward the enemy. Leaving the cross-eyed man behind, he walked briskly. Marcus dismounted and chased him, and Asia followed suit.

“What should I do?”

Asia asked. Marcus naturally turned his gaze to Encred.
While Marcus had the final say, Encred led one of Naurilia’s two knightly orders, and was now a hero who had turned the tide of battle. He could command and do as he pleased. Of course, he would be stopped if he did anything outrageous.

“Take all their weapons, horses, and equipment and hold them for three days. After that, send them back.”

Encred knew of Krang’s actions on the southern front.
He borrowed his perspective and thoughts to survey and assess the battlefield. He added Krys’s usual nagging and applied Luagarne’s tactical thinking.
His thoughts accelerated, and he began to conceive of a way to deal with the remaining enemy forces.

‘Lower your morale and reduce yourself to a burden.’

If Christ had heard, he would have clapped his hands and nodded, and Abnayer, the genius strategist of Azpen, would have gaped in admiration right next to him.

“You think your head is sharp too? That’s unfair.”

And he must have said something like this.

“Why?”

Asia asked. She didn’t think too deeply about it. It’s not that she lacks battlefield experience, but she wondered if it was right to tie down her allies, Encred, and herself here for that reason.
Fortunately, Marcus was a man of discerning minds. He thought about it and realized the meaning of Encred’s words. He
wasn’t a man who lived his life as a battalion commander, nicknamed “War Maniac,” for nothing. He also knew the Southern Army’s habits. Knowing that, he had prepared a duet of ambushes and traps.
Marcus pondered and spoke.

“So you’re not even going to give me a chance to vent my anger.”

“We’ll do it by saving the Confederates.”
Encred nodded at Marcus’s words.
What if we annihilate the Confederates here? We’ve essentially crushed the enemy’s special forces. Our morale will soar, but will the enemy relentlessly repent their losses?
The Confederates are a bit different. They cry out for revenge and vow to fight even in hell.

‘Both knights are already dead.’

The continent’s wars are characterized by a small elite. The number of knights is the criterion for determining a nation’s power.
While defending one’s territory requires reducing military spending or reducing the number of troops, fighting without knights is meaningless.
Why has a small nation, say, west of the central continent, survived so long? Because a single, old knight guards the gates to that tiny land.

‘The remaining enemy forces are meaningless.’

However, giving them weapons and equipment and sending them back is a bad move.

‘The best option.’

Allied forces rest, conserve their strength, scavenge enemy equipment, and trap them in a valley that serves as a natural prison. They provide minimal rations, exhaust them, and send them back after four days.

‘The Emperor is harsh.’

He’s the kind of man who would chase and kill his scattered, fleeing allies to the ends of hell. The terror inflicted by such a great emperor will be vivid in their minds.

‘If my body is fine, I will return to the original state.’

The thought of deserting like this would never have crossed the commander’s mind. How many terrified soldiers would desert?
This world wasn’t so easy. Deserting without any equipment or supplies would be nothing more than a meal for the monsters.
They would return. Sending back these soldiers who hadn’t even been properly fed. It was the birth of a walking, living, breathing burden. In the process, no amputation or killing was allowed. They were sent away alive and well.

‘Taking advantage of the Southern Army’s characteristics.’

If they were all killed, the remaining Southern troops would burn with rage. The Emperor would do that, and he’d be a bastard. So he wouldn’t even give them the chance.
Encred had spoken, so he understood, and he’d thought this far. It was a bold and radical move, one Marcus wouldn’t have even considered on his own.

“Are you leaving?”

And he asks:

“There is more than one special force.”

Encred predicted that more than one arrow had fallen from the south. Now, he would have to find the remaining ones.
What would he do? This was the time for the Chrysian fighting style: understanding, reading, and predicting the enemy’s psychology.

‘If it were me, I would send one more unit to trample this land.’

If they’re wrong, they’re a force designed to cut off supply lines, capture cities, and burn a few fiefdoms.
While Encred himself wouldn’t do such a thing, the ruler of the southern power of Lichenstätten would.
Even if he didn’t, it’s difficult to ignore. Suspicion and suspicion remain, so they must be verified. If left unchecked, they’ll one day return as the Saxon Dagger.
The Saxon Dagger is a dagger that stabs the back of the head without one’s knowledge.

“What are you saying?”

Asia, who became a knight purely through swordsmanship, tilted her head. While she was a brilliant commander who executed tactics, she found it difficult to view war from such a grand perspective.
This was the perspective of the king, his subjects, and the knight commander.

“You are a worthy knight commander.”

“I’m sorry,” Marcus said, recalling the old days. The feeling was fresh. At the same time, a shiver ran through him, even greater than the one he’d felt when Encred killed the two knights, and the hairs on his body stood on end.

‘How far will this kid go?’

Will he truly erase the demonic realm and the war on the continent? Will such a preposterous goal ever be achieved? He
listened to the king, followed his will, and knew the madness of Encred. Yet, Marcus didn’t believe it would be achieved in his lifetime.

‘It’ll take a long time.’

There would be a need for generations to pass on this legacy. Marcus believed this, and so he dedicated himself to nurturing talented individuals. He hoped that one day, those who would inherit their legacy would emerge.

‘It is beyond my capacity to measure.’

Marcus acknowledged it. Therefore, this hero’s path forward must not be blocked. The bristling fluff remains.

“Go. Encred. Wherever you are meant to go.”
“That’s right.”

Encred nodded coolly and continued speaking.

“Before that, I’ll just guide the bad sons of the other army.”

A murmur arose among the enemy. Even with two knights dead, the squires continued to attack.

“Woah-whoa!”

A Confederate giant force burst out from the edge of the flames.
Encred stepped forward and confronted them. Thirty in number. They were a perfect number and formation. Their presence was enough to dwarf even the most formidable monsters.

‘An army of giants.’

The South had achieved what the continent’s conquerors once dreamed of. Encred gazed into the eyes of the giants
who had turned back as they headed west. They were similar. However, compared to those in the West, those standing before him now were like refined iron.
Thirty giants, trained and equipped with similar equipment, engaged in ritualistic practices.

“One human!”
“Kill him!”

Giants entering battle surrender to their fighting instincts. They were no exception. Encred didn’t know how to calm such a giant with words, so he had to use Audin’s method of guidance.
He drew the dawn and swung it. With a single swing, the giant’s head flew into the air. The stark difference in size made the sight all the more impressive. It
took thirty giants less time to become servants of the god of war than it took two knights to die.

“crazy.”

Only Asia, in this place, had the insight to glimpse a fraction of the power Encred had displayed.
How did it become more monstrous with each glance?
She couldn’t even imagine catching up. But that doesn’t mean she’d sing of frustration and despair.
Asia now knew how to walk with integrity. Just as she had the day before, and yesterday, today, tomorrow, and in the future, she would swing her sword.
That was the way of life she knew.
After slaying the thirty giants, Encred returned, taking some of the supplies and supplies, and then climbed back onto Icicle’s back.

“You’re just going?”

Asia asked from behind. The enemy simply watched in silence, while Marcus summoned his commanders and relayed the plan. There was no disagreement. A mounted knight had arrived and cleared the battlefield. His will was law.
Encred glanced among the enemy troops and spoke.

“Don’t let your guard down, Asia.”

With one arm injured, they might underestimate me. If I’m not confident, Asia is the force that will have to restrain them.

“I don’t do that.”

Just after witnessing Encred’s battle, Asia’s enthusiasm surged. She knew this man had a knack for stirring people’s blood just by watching, but today, it was even more so.

‘A force that cannot be pushed back against two knights.’

A swordsmanship brimming with self-confidence.
Asia’s eyes were filled with strength. It was safe to put aside my worries.

“after.”

Encred caught his breath, out of sight from above. He was exhausted. He wasn’t saying that in vain. He’d eaten and slept on horseback, and upon arriving here, he’d engaged in a fierce swordsmanship. Even a knight would naturally be exhausted.
But that wasn’t the time to procrastinate, so he urged his friend under him.

“Let’s go, one-eyed. Just hold on a little longer.”

Heehee.

Encred’s consolation was met with a resounding “Don’t worry about yourself.” He found running and flying enjoyable. He wasn’t tired at this level.

“Clear the way!”
“Clear the way!”
“The Knight Commander is coming!”
“The flower of the battlefield is the devil!”

The surviving troops cleared paths to the left and right, sending off their men. It wasn’t Marcus’s order, nor was it led by anyone. They did it naturally.
Encred ran between the troops lined up on either side. One-Eyed galloped, then kicked the ground and flew.

pop!

The ground rippled, dust splattering, and the wings undulated, pushing the wind and lifting the body.
Despite experiencing it countless times, the visceral urge was difficult to adjust to.
Encred, now soaring, headed for Harrison County, a territory bordering the Confederate Army. It was the most likely place to encounter the Confederates if they advanced.

* * *

“Why do they just pass by?”

Harrison’s estate was guarded by a portion of Rem’s assault force. They acted as a permanent garrison.
Some of the unit members suddenly noticed enemy soldiers emerging from nowhere. Was it a fight? It was expected, given the enemy.

“That’s the Southern Army.”

One of the assault troops recognized the opposing army. The Confederates had chosen a five-colored banner as their symbol:
red, purple, blue, ochre, and black.
This was the famous Five Colors of Lichenstätten. These colors symbolized the five knightly orders that once existed:
the Orders of Ruby, Amethyst, Sapphire, Clay, and Onyx.
The South was renowned for its gemstone deposits, and the name was derived from them. The Order of Clay had a slightly different meaning.
The unit that marched out here was the one with the ochre banner. It was a unit under the Order of Clay.

“They are the most vicious of the Southern Army.”

Tension spread throughout the territory at the words of the unit member who recognized the flag.

“I guess you’ll have to leave it here and get out.”

The assault unit’s commander calmly assessed the situation. Their numbers were a number, and if even one knight were among them, they would all perish.

‘What’s the best?’

Some hold out on the retreat route, while the rest retreat. They flee.

“That can’t be.”

The vineyards and crops waiting to be harvested here are the life of Viscount Harrison. His life. It was everything. It was his very life.

“I will stay here.”

Ultimately, their worries proved unfounded. No fighting broke out. The enemy, raising their ochre flags, advanced north of the territory.
They knew best what city lay above.
It was a city vacated by the Border Guard, Encred, and the Mad Knights.