Eternally Regressing Knight-Chapter 527 - The Ordinary Finn

Chapter 527 - The Ordinary Finn

Finn had discovered traces of the enemy and realized they had split into three groups.

She decided to pursue the one that seemed the largest.

The distance from Enkrid's Madmen unit was more than half a day's travel.

It was an ambiguous distance—neither too close nor too far.

If she really pushed herself, she could probably close the distance in less than half a day.

But that is if this weren't the Pen-Hanil Mountains. Unfortunately, this place was not unlike the Beast's Lair, a cradle full of monsters. Unless she were a human who could hide her presence like a ghost and sprint at full speed, half a day's distance would remain half a day's distance.

'This is bad. Really bad.'

Had she been unlucky, or perhaps had she let her guard down?

It seemed that way.

She could imagine Captain Shinar would tell her to go die if he saw her now.

But Finn couldn't help it.

Once she spotted the traces, she had to watch and follow them.

The enemy couldn't be allowed to diverge on a different route and miss the chance to cross paths with their allies.

That was her mission—to ensure the enemy met their forces here.

She had stayed true to that mission.

Now, thinking back, she wondered if the enemy had deliberately left the traces for her to find, to lure her in.

'I've been played.'

She didn't want to admit it, but given the situation, it seemed to be the case.

The enemy had left traces just faintly enough that she thought she could slip past the enemy scouts without being detected.

'We're trained by the fairies, after all.'

And that training was hellish.

The fairies didn't let you laugh, telling you to keep running or rolling, with no room for confidence to grow.

Most importantly, Finn and the other scouts had passed through Audin's grueling physical training.

"Audin."

"Ugh!"

There had been a time when just hearing those three syllables could make you jump out of bed.

Having survived that, they were now trotting around the Pen-Hanil Mountains, not exactly treating it as a playground but managing to stay mostly unharmed.

Surviving was impressive enough.

She wondered if this confidence had affected her judgment.

It might have.

But whatever the case, she didn't want to think of this as a mistake.

This was her duty, and if she lacked the skill to carry it out, then that was all there was to it.

She hadn't truly lost due to lack of skill.

The enemy had overrun them with sheer numbers, and unless you were one of the chosen few, numbers usually guaranteed victory.

Just being beside Enkrid didn't mean surpassing one's limits.

Finn was, in that sense, an ordinary person.

At least, that's how she saw herself.

Of course, from a broader perspective, she was a skilled warrior, an excellent soldier, and a fearsome ranger.

'I thought I was being cautious.'

She was tempted to sigh.

Knowing her own limits, she wasn't about to rush into reckless actions like Enkrid.

Being an ordinary person, she wouldn't rush headlong into battle armed with just a sword, trying to protect her back.

The terrain ahead wasn't in her favor either: a slight slope behind her, a small clearing ahead, tall trees to each side, and coniferous forest overhead.

Some trees with broad leaves stood above the needle-like ones. The sunlight filtered through, casting light across the clearing and the surrounding area.

It was early morning, the blue dawn was giving way to the rising sun, revealing the landscape.

Despite the Pen-Hanil Mountains being cursed, life thrived here, with trees growing, insects buzzing, and birds chirping.

As she walked here, she often heard the sounds of insects and birds.

But then, suddenly, the sounds stopped.

That was when Finn realized the situation had grown perilous, and she crouched low under the shadow of the trees, her posture alert.

If you didn't look closely, you wouldn't be able to detect her.

'Is this where I die?'

Finn wondered as she tucked her chin and took slow, deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling.

She hadn't started running yet, so she wasn't gasping for breath.

Through training, she had learned to walk fast without tiring.

Her breaths, though warm, should have been unnoticed unless an enemy with heat-sensing eyes was nearby.

She wore boots lined with cotton, muffling the sound of footsteps.

The group was small, too, so there was no unnecessary noise.

There were only ten of them, three of which had been left behind.

Three were at the front, four in the middle, and three at the rear.

The column was long, but only the three at the front were truly in position.

Finn, at the head of the line, clenched her fist, and the two soldiers who saw her hand signal also paused and focused on controlling their breathing.

That was the situation just moments ago—when the soldiers stopped and she fell into thought.

Finn had two scenarios in mind.

The first was to stay put and let the enemy pass without engaging.

If the enemy didn't want to risk drawing attention from their main forces following behind, it could work.

The second scenario involved combat—unexpectedly meeting face-to-face, testing the waters before attacking.

But both assumptions were wrong.

The enemy was already prepared.

Abnaier hadn't sent just knights.

His policy of integrating different races had yielded not only genius beastmen but also others.

Krais had predicted many things, but like any other commander, he couldn't foresee everything.

Not even he could have anticipated an unknown enemy unit.

Predicting everything on the battlefield was impossible.

When something unexpected happened, it was up to the field commander to make decisions in the moment.

Suddenly, a rustling sound broke through the air.

The tall grass, which had been hiding their forces, now swayed as the enemy began to move through the field.

The rustling shook Finn's concentration.

'They're numerous.'

It was hard to estimate their numbers, but there were definitely more than she expected.

'I'm being surrounded.'

She had to make another decision.

If she delayed, the remaining seven in her group would survive, but she would die. There was no question about it.

If she charged, they would all die.

As a soldier who lived by the sword, she had always known this kind of death could come.

Hadn't people died during her time as a scout under the Cross Guard?

Of course, they had. This time, it was just her turn.

Finn signaled.

She would buy time, so the others could fall back.

But then, an enemy signal sounded.

It was a bird-like whistle, one she knew the deputy would use.

The deputy was capable of mimicking the sound of birds to perfection.

The answer came from behind, followed by a series of horn blasts.

"Are you insane?"

Finn muttered under her breath. The horn had already given their position away.

The approaching enemy also raised their heads from the grass.

Finn frowned, but quickly composed herself.

She recalled something Shinar had once said.

"Anyone can fight anyone, but if you meet a fairy squad in the woods, don't fight them. It's a losing battle."

That memory flashed in her mind.

She had suspected something was off, but now she knew for sure.

"It's a losing battle, huh."

She said, her eyes scanning the enemy's numbers. There were at least twenty.

Twenty-five, perhaps?

"Isn't there any choice?"

Her deputy muttered behind her, probably wondering why Finn wasn't running.

"Shut up. Disobedience means execution."

"Anyway, we're dead."

Her two cheerful subordinates kept their light-hearted attitude, even in such a dire situation.

"We won't go down easily."

Finn said, letting her left hand drop. The other scouts did the same, mirroring her actions.

'If they're going all out, we should too.'

Maybe they should have brought the entire force. But that was just a passing thought.

Dead men couldn't eat bread.

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What was done was done.

Regretting having entered the water while the waves were approaching was an idiotic move.

The fairy's skin, which emerged from the grass, was blue, and a bluish hue also shimmered in her hair.

Just as humans have white or black skin, fairies too had different types.

This one belonged to the Moonlight Fairy Tribe.

"Can you understand me?"

"No."

The voice came from slightly above.

Looking up just a bit, a human appeared— a woman crouching on a tree with a quiver of leather arrows strapped to her back.

Her balance was so good that sitting on a tree seemed as stable as standing on the ground.

Her build was small, and she held a long bow that seemed out of place for her body, making it clear she was no ordinary person.

As they exchanged a few words, one by one, fairies holding crescent-shaped swords began to rise and approach.

Though Finn and her subordinates would laugh in the face of ghouls, these fairies were a different matter.

The fairies' eyes were devoid of emotion, and their steps made no sound.

They seemed like ghosts approaching.

Although she couldn't afford to show fear or die without fighting, even Finn found them unsettling.

'I've left a mark behind.'

At least she had done what she needed to do.

Even if she died, the enemy's location was marked.

She exhaled deeply inside.

Finn knew well the importance of striking first.

It was an age-old truth— whoever strikes first has the advantage, whether facing ghosts or any other threat.

"You understand me, huh?"

Finn spoke, extending her left hand. Seeing the gesture, the entire scouting party followed suit, extending their left hands in unison.

"You've come too close. All of you."

As Finn spoke, a sound echoed from inside the armor covering her left hand.

Fwoosh!

It was the gear issued to every member of the scouting party.

It was something Krais had modified, originally obtained from a thief they had encountered.

A small crossbow mounted on the back of her hand.

An arrow flew through the air, striking six fairies who had been sneaking up like ghosts.

Though there were ten arrows in total, Finn aimed at overlapping targets since no specific instruction had been given.

The fairies died without a scream.

Only a faint groan was heard.

That too was unsettling, but the battle had begun.

"Struggle all you want."

Just as the words reached her from above, the group of fairies started charging.

The sound of footsteps filled the air.

The blue ghost-like figures swung their swords.

Above them, crescent-shaped blades fell like the full moon.

The sharply curved blades aimed at Finn's head, and although she wore a helmet that could hold, there was no reason to test the durability of her helmet against the enemy's weapons.

Finn fell backward and rolled away.

"Survive, each one of you!"

"Ugh!"

Her subordinates responded with a rally cry they had learned during basic training.

In the ensuing fight, Finn didn't hesitate to risk her life.

She had told them to survive on their own, but when her subordinates were in danger, she rushed in without a second thought.

'I'm just an ordinary person.'

This was beyond her.

'I'm not Enkrid.'

Still, her body moved instinctively.

Thud!

She deflected a blade with her shortsword and thrust it forward with strength.

Her physical strength was superior, but the problem was the curved swords of the fairies.

Most attacks were absorbed and deflected by their structure.

Enkrid might be behind her, but he was at least half a day's travel away.

Even if he were to come, it wouldn't be now.

They were in the Pen-Hanil Mountains.

Even Shinar couldn't reduce the distance that quickly in this area.

If her subordinates had backed off earlier, they might have survived.

"So, are you giving up?"

It seemed like Enkrid was asking.

'Damn, no.'

Finn silently answered as she closed in on the owner of the blade that had just swung past her and thrust her sword into his belly, pulling it back.

Crunch.

Though the fairies looked slightly different, they all wore armor made of wood.

The wooden armor was stiff, making it difficult to pull the sword out after thrusting it in.

But she had certainly created a hole in the fairy's belly.

It was a fatal blow.

As blood poured from the wound, the fairy's eyes lost focus.

Seeing the fallen body, Finn raised her sword once more.

Having killed one fairy, Finn's shoulder took a hit, and she felt a burning sensation there.

'Was it a deep cut?'

She moved her left arm and felt a sharp pain. Still, her arm moved.

'Well, that's enough.'

Finn took another stance.

The sword she wielded was a guard sword, a weapon with a wide blade and a somewhat shorter length.

With this sword, she had barely killed one fairy.

They were no pushovers.

"Come on, come at me."

She took two steps backward, guarding herself, and as she was about to lean against the tree, she suddenly rolled forward to dodge a thrust aimed at her back.

Whoosh!

These crazy fairies.

The blue light flickered between the trees.

Even if she fought head-on, her chances of winning were slim.

These fairies, one by one, hid their bodies and moved like true ghosts.

If she lost track of them, the blades seemed to come out of nowhere.

"I told you, no."

A small voice came from above.

"Wait your turn. After these, it's your turn."

Finn threw herself into the fray, but no one believed that statement.

"Fine then."

The woman above spoke, and the fairy's ambush, Finn's defense, and her subordinates' struggle continued.

Thud!

She swung her sword, deflecting blows, throwing daggers at those who left an opening.

Then, she tumbled on the ground, and through her blurry vision, she saw that none of her subordinates had fallen.

They all looked exhausted and covered in blood, but they were all alive.

Then, she realized how bright the sunlight was.

The sky was so clear, and the warmth of the sun felt soothing.

Was this the perfect day to die?

"We won't die."

Finn spoke again, though no one believed her.

"Of course not."

The response came, but it was not from her subordinate.

There was no presence, no sound.

Finn looked up.

The voice came from above her head.

But the owner of the voice had already appeared behind Finn.

A man with reddish-brown hair stood there, holding two short swords dripping with blood.

Blood, whether from humans or fairies, is always red, and the blood dripping from those swords was a deep crimson.

The reason Finn and her subordinates survived wasn't just luck.

While Finn was struggling, someone had silently attacked the fairies from behind.

Without sound or warning.

***

"To fight fairies, you need to be at least an elite-level assassin to have a chance."

Shinar spoke and added one more thing.

"But there are those who disregard everything I say."

***

Jaxen Benshino.

Master of the Morning Dew.

The master of Geogr's Dagger.

The best assassin in the continent, unmatched by anyone.

He had been ordered to join Finn and had carried out the pre-mission instructions.

"No one dies on this battlefield."

Enkrid had said that, and Jaxen intended to make sure it was true.

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Many thanks to 47thdemigod for proofreading the Chapter