Eternally Regressing Knight - Chapter 10: Stabbed

The throwing axe-wielding enemy let out a death rattle. Poisoned throwing knives lodged in his side, and a spear pierced his throat. Blood frothed from his mouth as the light faded from his eyes. Encrid watched him for a moment before retreating.

“Uraaaah!”

A nearby ally screamed, prompting the enemy in front of him to scream as well. Both were large men who collided like charging wagons and began grappling and spinning around.

Encrid stepped back, mindful of preserving himself. He had learned many lessons after dying over 120 times. The most important was to avoid unnecessary fights.

“Die!”

“Son of a bitch.”

Shouts and curses mixed with the clash of swords, spears, axes, and clubs.

“Don’t touch my brother, you bastard.”

Dying soldiers’ final words.

“Shut up. Even if you say that, I’m not responsible for your brother.”

A soldier pretending to be calm upon hearing his comrade’s death.

“Kill! Kill!”

A new recruit losing his mind in the heat of battle.

“Crazy bastard.”

“Leave him be; he’s trying to play berserker.”

Veterans advising each other while watching the new recruit go wild.

“My name is Bar—argh!”

An enemy announcing his name in style before being killed.

The ally who stabbed him laughed as he withdrew his spear.

Thud.

Dust puffed up as feet struck the ground.

Under the midday sun, dust floated in the air. Nearby, an enemy spewed blood, and an ally lay with a shattered skull. Flesh scattered, and blood stained the ground.

Even though Encrid tried to stay safe, doing nothing in the middle of a battlefield wasn’t an option.

“Inhale, exhale.”

He controlled his breathing. As soon as he steadied it, he saw a spearhead flying through the dust. Encrid loosened his grip on his shield and blocked the spearhead.

Thud.

The spearhead bounced off the shield. Loosening his grip had allowed him to deflect the impact. At the same time, a club swung at him from the side. Encrid crouched and lunged at the club-wielding enemy, pushing his shoulder into the enemy’s chest and stabbing his thigh with a dagger.

Rip!

The blade tore through the thick cloth and flesh, leaving a deep gash. The enemy shoved Encrid away.

Using the force to regain his balance, Encrid drew his sword and slashed horizontally. The enemy, hindered by his thigh wound, couldn’t dodge and took the blade to his neck.

Squelch.

The sword didn’t go all the way through, so Encrid pulled it back forcefully.

Rip.

The blade cut through muscle, nerves, tendons, and bone, freeing itself as blood gushed. The soldier clutched his neck in vain. Encrid didn’t look back, knowing another ally would handle the spearman who had attacked him earlier.

“Damn bastard!”

It was Vel. Saving him earlier had paid off; Vel now watched Encrid’s back, showing loyalty.

Clang! Clang!

Metal clashed continuously. Encrid ignored his fallen foe and picked up a rock, tossing it immediately. The enemy fighting Vel paused when hit by the rock.

Bam!

Vel swung his spear and struck the enemy’s head.

“Debt repaid, I think?” Vel panted.

“You really think so?”

Was he trying to repay a life debt so easily?

“Maybe only half-repaid.” Vel scratched his helmet with a bloodied hand.

Encrid moved slightly with the flow of the battle.

“Help me! Glurk.”

A soldier, someone he recognized, begged before coughing blood.

He was the dice-gambling soldier who had died many times before.

“I can’t save you.” Encrid said calmly.

He had tried countless times, but saving him was impossible.

Stepping into the battlefield, Encrid searched for the sadistic enemy known for seeking mercy. It wasn’t difficult to find him.

Upon sighting him, Encrid threw his last dagger in sync with his run. The perfectly timed throw would be difficult for any normal person to dodge.

Thunk!

The enemy twisted and took the dagger in his shoulder, deflecting it off his shoulder blade. He found Encrid immediately, recognizing the attack’s source. He dashed towards Encrid, kicking up bloody dirt with each step.

Now was the time to test everything he had learned from repeating today.

The sadistic enemy’s sword slashed vertically, and Encrid raised his shield.

Whack!

The sword struck the oiled wood, the force palpable.

“Basic swordsmanship? It’s all about strength.”

One of his sword instructors had emphasized strength.

“You think technique can beat strength? Ha! Try using just technique against a giant.”

“How many people have died using fancy techniques against giants?”

“The foundation of swordsmanship is muscle. Build your strength.”

That teacher had ensured Encrid built his body well.

Encrid held firm, not easily pushed back.

“Ha!”

The sadistic enemy scoffed, kicking at Encrid’s ankle. Encrid blocked with his shin guard.

Thud.

It hurt, but the bone didn’t break. That was enough.

Encrid pushed his shield out and drew his sword, slashing upwards.

Swish!

The enemy had already moved out of range, anticipating the attack. He quickly darted in closer, exploiting the opening left by Encrid’s swing.

“Hah!”

Encrid shouted and swung his shield like a blunt weapon. The enemy tucked his chin as the shield struck his head.

Thwack!

The enemy fell to the side. Encrid stepped back to avoid the dagger the enemy swung from the ground.

Had Encrid charged in, he would have taken the dagger to his unprotected thigh.

The enemy was talented, quickly identifying and exploiting weaknesses. This would be considered talent.

Encrid had died countless times and learned the Heart of the Beast to reach this point.

The enemy had no such experience.

However, the enemy lacked the seasoned expertise gained from extensive battlefield experience.

Encrid saw it clearly. The enemy was a rookie or a soldier with little combat experience. Otherwise, he wouldn’t charge recklessly.

During their first encounter, the enemy had nearly fallen to Encrid’s stab.

Lacking experience but brimming with raw talent.

Encrid didn’t envy him.

“I can catch him.”

Confidence surged. He knew his efforts had not been in vain.

It was time to reap the rewards of his labor.

“You bastard.”

The enemy’s eyes were filled with malice.

He got up, and another ally stepped between them.

The sadistic enemy crouched and struck the ally’s shin with his sword.

Snap.

The bone broke.

Whenever an ally intervened, this was his pattern.

He would then stab the ally in the neck with a dagger in one swift motion.

A seamless, fluid attack pattern.

Encrid knew it well.

The enemy lunged with his dagger.

The ally, paralyzed with fear, couldn’t react.

The blade was about to pierce the ally’s neck when Encrid pulled him back.

Shk, Rrrip.

The dagger slashed the ally’s cheek, temple, and helmet instead of his neck.

Gasping, the ally fell back, too shocked to speak, just breathing heavily.

Encrid, who had grabbed the ally’s neck instead of his sword, now stood in front of the soldier.

“Move back.”

This was Encrid’s fight.

The enemy was his target.

The one he needed to test his skills against.

Thump.

His heart pounded.

Encrid felt a mix of emotions.

Was this the right moment to surpass today?

Could he defeat his opponent?

An inexplicable surge of competitiveness.

A gut feeling that overcoming this enemy would open the path to the future.

“No mercy.”

The enemy said.

What a laughable notion.

Lack of experience showed despite his talent.

If he were serious, he would have exploited the opening instead of talking.

To win, that’s what he should have done.

So, Encrid did it instead.

“Huff, huff.”

He deliberately breathed heavily, reacting to every slight movement.

The enemy’s eyes, which had seemed red before, were a plain brown.

They gleamed with anticipation.

The enemy lunged, slashing his sword.

Swish!

This time, he was much faster.

Thump.

Encrid’s heart raced. He didn’t flinch or close his eyes.

The Heart of the Beast kept him calm.

“Watch till the end and dodge.”

Rem had always said.

It used to feel like mockery.

But no.

Encrid saw it clearly. He turned his body, shifting his weight.

The blade grazed his shoulder.

As soon as he dodged, Encrid slashed horizontally.

Clang.

The enemy blocked with his dagger, their weapons forming a cross.

Sparks flew as their blades clashed.

The enemy twisted his dagger, deflecting the sword.

Encrid abandoned his slash and raised his shield close to his body.

Thud.

The blade struck the shield’s edge, sending sparks flying.

The enemy had withdrawn his sword and swung again.

Encrid had seen this pattern before.

He raised his head and saw the enemy was already gone.

Encrid didn’t hesitate. He raised his sword vertically and struck the ground.

He lowered his stance just in time to see the enemy charging.

Thud.

The blade pierced the blood-soaked earth.

The enemy, crouching awkwardly, glared at him.

“You and your tricks.”

He ground his teeth.

Tricks were still skills, you bastard.

Encrid didn’t respond.

Instead, he kicked dirt at the enemy.

Poof!

The enemy blocked it with his arm reflexively.

He even blocked this.

One more thing seen before.

“Shit!”

The enemy lost his temper when things didn’t go his way.

While winning, he’d flaunt his mercy and gloat.

When cornered, he quickly became agitated.

Encrid had figured him out.

The enemy lunged again.

Bam! Clang! Thud!

Encrid blocked the relentless blows with his shield, feeling it strain.

The enemy closed the gap, stabbing with his dagger.

He aimed for the side.

Before, Encrid had fallen for this and died.

Now, he raised his elbow.

Thud.

The dagger struck the leather guard.

Encrid immediately headbutted.

Bam!

Both their heads reeled from the impact.

Without the usual interference from club-wielding or axe-throwing foes, Encrid had the advantage.

“Helping out!”

Vel shouted.

“Just fend off the interrupters.”

This was Encrid’s fight.

Only he could test his skills against this foe.

The nausea passed quickly.

“You crazy bastard.”

The enemy muttered.

If Encrid felt dizzy, so did he.

“Watch you struggle and die.”

The enemy poised to charge, like a mounted knight.

A lance-like stab.

The tension tightened Encrid’s chest.

He exhaled deeply, steadying his heart.

“Calmly.”

Could he overcome talent with repeated effort?

Time to find out.

The enemy moved.

A blur, a point of light, a blade aimed at Encrid.

It was familiar yet still breathtaking.

The point became a line and a blade that pierced Encrid’s side. Or almost did.

Swish.

The blade grazed his side.

Predicting the target and evading the sword’s path.

Encrid’s body followed his thoughts perfectly.

Ignoring the searing pain in his side, he shifted his weight.

Left foot forward, sword hand back.

Pulling his right arm back like a drawn arrow.

Transferring his weight smoothly.

He had learned by watching, by being stabbed, and perfected it with Rem.

Thunk.

Focusing on balance rather than force.

He infused his sword with resolve.

“Stab.”

His will flowed into the blade.

Unleashing his coiled muscles, he thrust.

Thunk!

His sharpened sword pierced the enemy’s heart.

Through leather and thick cloth, it reached his heart.

The sense of unity with the sword and the feeling of fulfillment from his efforts.

“Hey!”

Someone shouted.

Encrid didn’t register the call.

Before he could savor victory.

Thud!

A massive impact struck his left side, lifting him off the ground.

“Huh?”

What was this?

In 125 iterations, he had never experienced this.

“Frog!”

Vel or someone else shouted.

That was Encrid’s last memory as he lost consciousness.