A Knight who Eternally Regresses - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Three

“The wind is blowing this way now, but see how these short grasses are bent in the opposite direction, and they form a circular pattern?”

Enri pressed down on the base of the tall grass with his foot, pushing it aside to reveal the shorter grass underneath.

“You see the tracks here?” he continued.

“Yeah, I see them.”

Enkrid replied while closely examining the ground. He understood now that Enri pointed it out, but finding these signs alone would have been difficult. They were in the midst of a field of tall grass. Looking around, all they could see was a sea of green.

A traveling bard had named this area “Green Pearl” after passing through the plains during midsummer signifying the lushness of the area.

It made sense. This damned grassland was not a pleasant place for humans to navigate. The swaying grass would slap against their faces and eyes, while insects clung to their bodies, and crickets and locusts jumped around them. In places where water had pooled, frogs could be found.

Seeing the frogs reminded Enkrid of Frog, who had kicked him. Although Frog insisted that they were entirely different from frogs, Enkrid thought otherwise. Killing a frog in front of them wouldn’t elicit a reaction, but threatening to burst their hearts would likely provoke a deadly response.

‘One blow to the side.’

He had blocked it reflexively, but one blow was enough to knock him down. How long would it take for him to match Frog’s strength?

Not now, but could he one day fight Frog?

He doubted it. Doubt was inevitable; not giving up didn’t mean there was no doubt.

But there was no time for doubt. He had no time to waste worrying about things he couldn’t control.

Enkrid dismissed the negative thoughts immediately. He couldn’t afford to dwell on them. Spending energy on unsolvable issues was foolish.

Thinking this, he refocused on Enri’s explanation.

The soldier, a hunter from the plains, was undeniably optimistic. He tolerated their foolish squad leader’s actions and even urged Enkrid to be patient with him. Not that Enkrid had anything to tolerate; he was used to it. Despite the situation, Enri used his hunting skills to observe and analyze their surroundings. It was interesting to hear.

“There aren’t many animal droppings. Why is that?” Enri pondered.

“Is that a problem?” Enkrid asked, pushing away the thick, long grass that kept falling over his head.

“This grassland may look like a useless weed patch, but it’s actually a treasure trove for animals that feed on this grass. There should be more animal traces here, but they’re scarce.”

Fewer animals. Why? Enkrid wondered as he picked off a bug clinging to his cheek. It wasn’t a leech, but it extended something sharp from its mouth as if trying to suck blood. Seeing the bug and the obstructing grass made him want to grab a sharp sickle and cut it all down.

“Shh, you talk too much,” the squad leader said, glancing back. He frowned as a cricket jumped past his face but didn’t complain.

‘That’s surprising.’

Enkrid hadn’t expected him to whine about the situation since he had insisted on coming here. Despite being called “Green Pearl,” many of the grasses were tinged with a light brown hue, a sign that autumn was approaching. In winter, this lush grassland would disappear, leaving only traces behind. In the warmth of spring, new tall grass would grow, repeating the cycle.

‘Death and rebirth.’

Was this the way of nature? What about his own repetitive days?

Even though he tried not to think about it, the thoughts lingered. It was impossible to ignore the repeated days.

But Enkrid had made a clear decision.

‘Use everything.’

He didn’t see it as a blessing. Even if it was a curse, nothing would change. After walking through the tall grass for a long time, someone tapped Enkrid on the shoulder. It wasn’t Enri. It was the soldier who had stuck close to the squad leader.

“Our squad leader may seem childish, but he’s got his reasons. He needs to make a name for himself, but they keep sending him on these recon missions, so he’s frustrated.”

What a strange thing to say.

“And if you could forget about that ‘asshole’ comment, I’d appreciate it.”

Odd timing, Enkrid thought. Even so, he accepted the apology. There was no benefit in creating tension during a mission.

“Sure.”

“Thanks, you’re a generous squad leader,” the soldier said with a smile. His faded blond hair and rugged face were the opposite of Big Eyes, making him quite unattractive.

Nodding, Enkrid turned his focus back to his surroundings, a habit of his. At that moment, an unfamiliar sound reached his ears.

A rustling sound, a hiss, and a crackling noise.

What Enkrid had learned from Jaxon paid off.

‘That sounds different.’

The ten members of the recon team walked close enough to touch shoulders but with enough space to see each other’s backs. The sound of their movement through the grass was now familiar.

But this new sound was different. It came from further away and was unmistakably the sound of people moving through the grass, mixed with the hiss of an animal and the rustle of grass underfoot.

People. They weren’t friendly.

The tall grassland itself was not valuable. Its significance lay in the enemy territory beyond. Beyond this grassland was an open plain with no cover. Moving through it wasn’t smart. Was there another squad leader as foolish as theirs on the enemy side?

“There are others besides us,” Enkrid said. The soldier in front of him blinked.

“What?”

He looked puzzled, tilting his head and furrowing his brows.

“I think I heard something too,” Enri added.

“What did you hear?”

The squad leader asked, stepping back to approach Enkrid.

“The enemy.”

No sooner had he spoken than they were attacked.

Ping! Thud!

Before the squad leader could react, an arrow struck the head of the leading soldier. Enkrid quickly assessed the direction of the attack and the type of arrow.

‘A bolt.’

A short arrow, good for close range. It wasn’t used with a longbow.

‘A crossbow.’

The conclusion was clear. As the leading soldier’s head was pierced, Enkrid shouted.

“Get down!”

At the same time, he grabbed the squad leader’s collar and pulled him down.

“Ugh!”

The squad leader let out a grunt as he hit the ground. Just then, the sounds of pain and death filled the air.

‘Front, right, left.’

Even if they avoided the first volley, death was inevitable. They needed to break through. They couldn’t stop. Enkrid flattened himself against the ground and launched himself in one direction.

Rustle, crack!

The grass parted, alerting the enemy to his movement. As expected, a flurry of bolts followed.

“Foolish!”

Enri exclaimed, shocked by what appeared to be a suicidal move.

Thwack!

Luck played a part, but Enkrid avoided most of the bolts. One struck his left shoulder, but he saw the enemy. They had cleared some of the tall grass to create a space for movement. He saw a soldier in green clothing holding a crossbow.

Drawing his sword, he advanced.

‘Anytime, from any position.’

Executing the best attack. Enkrid acted on what he had learned. He closed the distance, pushing off the ground with his left foot and thrusting with one hand.

The point of his arming sword pierced the air and slashed the enemy’s neck. The sharp blade cut through the thin skin of the neck, sending a spray of blood into the air. The soldier clutched his throat and collapsed.

Enkrid didn’t stop.

He moved left, dodging a spear thrust aimed at his chest. Pretending to advance, he halted, letting the spear miss. The enemy soldier’s eyes, filled with a mix of excitement and fear, were visible.

A soldier’s eyes in battle.

Crossbows, spears, green-dyed clothes. They were equipped for ambush. He absorbed this information quickly and took another step, slashing horizontally.

The spearman dodged and countered with a thrust. Enkrid pivoted on his right foot and spun, delivering a thrust of his own.

Combining attack and defense into one move.

His sword pierced the enemy’s torso, meeting resistance as it cut through the thick fabric of the soldier’s armor.

“Grghhh.”

The wounded soldier dropped his spear and grabbed Enkrid’s sword with both hands, blood streaming from his palms.

‘I can’t pull it out.’

Quick decisions and actions. A rule for survival in battle. Enkrid let go of the sword and grabbed the fallen spear.

Wham!

Another soldier swung his crossbow at Enkrid’s head. His crouched position saved him as the crossbow missed his head but knocked off his arming cap. The cool air hit his scalp. Enkrid drove the spear into the foot of the soldier who had swung the crossbow.

“Argh!”

Pain triggered a scream, which drew attention. A scream could demoralize the enemy. Enkrid twisted the soldier’s knee, using a technique taught by the devout squad member. Though clumsy, it was effective. He grabbed the fallen soldier’s shortsword, stood, and positioned it against the soldier’s neck.

“Grrr!”

Before the soldier could react, he slid the blade into his throat and pulled it sideways.

Squelch.

The soldier clutched his throat, making gurgling sounds as blood poured out. He dropped to his knees, eyes wide in shock.

Breathing heavily, Enkriid used the dying soldier as a shield, crouching behind him to catch his breath.

‘One side cleared.’

They were surrounded on three sides, but now one side was open. It gave him a potential escape route if things went south.

“…You’re supposed to be a low-ranking soldier?”

Enri said, appearing behind him.

“That’s right,” Enkriid replied, still catching his breath. Enri shook his head in disbelief.

“This kind of skill is low-ranking?” he muttered.

“Damn it, I’m just an asshole,” the squad leader grumbled, his idiotic comment cutting through the tension.

What was he even thinking?

“Stay behind, don’t advance,” the rugged-looking soldier advised, blocking the squad leader.

That left four of them alive. The rest of the recon team was dead. About twenty enemy soldiers still glared at them.

“…What the hell,” one of the enemy soldiers said. He glanced between the dead bodies and Enkriid, who had killed three of their men.

Enkriid didn’t care about their shock. His focus was on surviving the situation.

Crossbows were still a threat, and there were many enemies.

“I lost my sword.”

“Run!”

Using the Valen Mercenary Sword technique, it was time to escape. Enkriid didn’t hesitate, turning and sprinting away.