Encrid also had experience working as both a guide and a bounty hunter. It was during a time when he would do anything to earn Krona.
That didn't mean he had taken on those roles half-heartedly. Reading the direction from footprints left in the dirt and broken branches was effortless for him.
Moreover, some branches had been deliberately 'bent upwards' to mark the path. Someone must have placed them that way mid-journey.
It was impossible for branches to naturally bend upwards as one ran forward. Normally, they would break downwards or forwards.
At fixed intervals—thirty steps apart, based on an adult male’s stride—these bent branches guided the way. It was a considerate sign left behind by an excellent guide for those following.
Tracking was easy. The three ahead of him were naturally slower than him, who was running alone. Ragna, in particular, was carrying Ann, which limited his movement.
However, one question lingered in his mind:
‘Did they prepare another trick?’
Encrid pondered as he ran. Could the wizard have anticipated that the group would change their route? If so, then a large-scale spell to disrupt their sense of direction might be waiting for them.
Had they set up a double-layered trap?
He didn’t know. He would have to see for himself.
He kept running, yet at the same time, his mind wandered in another direction, going over everything again and again, chasing amusement.
‘Swordsmanship.’
This was something beyond his control. Hadn't he just recently come up with the concept of Calculated Swordsmanship?
Then naturally, there had to be an opposite concept, Instinctive Swordsmanship.
‘This is fun.’
The thrill of discovery sent shivers down his spine. Something new had surfaced, and it wasn’t far from his grasp.
It felt so good that he thought he might die from excitement.
‘If I die from happiness and repeat today, what would the ferryman say?’
It wasn’t as if the ferryman had appeared and spoken, but he swore he could hear an illusory voice.
"…Are you even listening to yourself?"
He might get the chance to see that ferryman looking at him in disbelief.
In any case, dividing perspectives between calculation and instinct made the order’s members’ specialties even more apparent.
‘Audin and Jaxon calculate.’
Those two always considered the situation, variables, and every possibility.
‘On the other hand, Ragna and Rem rely more on instinct.’
They didn’t spend time analyzing.
‘Instead, they accepted everything in a way that worked to their advantage.’
And if he were to add one more, Sinar was slightly different from them.
The fairy relied on balance and a combat style that used the opponent’s strength against them.
‘If anything, they're jack-of-all-trades.’
Sinar compensated for the inherent weaknesses of versatility by using the enemy's power.
‘Winter Mountain Breeze.’
Her swordsmanship was a blend of calculation and instinct.
He vividly recalled the way Sinar fought after returning from resettling the fairy village.
He hadn’t fully understood it back then, but now he did.
‘She read some of my movements and adjusted the rest instinctively.’
From this perspective, it might seem like Sinar was the most skilled.
But then Jaxon’s words echoed in his mind:
“There’s no such thing as a perfect person. It’s just a matter of who has the sharper edge.”
And he agreed. The sharper individual would win in the end.
That meant Sinar and Jaxon’s viewpoints were concerns for later. For now, Encrid knew what he had to do.
‘Instinctive Swordsmanship.’
He would learn it after calculation. Instead of hiding his specialty, he would have two.
This realization was also an answer to the question that had arisen during his sparring session with Audin before their departure.
* * *
“There won’t be a problem, right?”
Magrun adjusted his pace as he spoke. His words were directed toward Encrid, who was trailing behind.
The night was still long. There was a high chance that this ambush wouldn’t be the last. That’s what Magrun expected.
Whether through sorcery, magic, or monsters—something was bound to obstruct their path. It was a reasonable assumption.
Although he knew Encrid wouldn’t have trouble handling himself, the fact that they couldn’t identify the one behind all of this left a lingering unease, prompting his question.
Ragna was the one who answered.
“He’ll be better off than I would’ve been if I stayed behind. He was having fun.”
Encrid fought best when he was excited. And he wasn’t the type to forget his responsibilities just because he was engaged in battle.
Magrun had spent two months watching Encrid.
‘Yeah, that’s true.’
Even in such a short period, Encrid had shown himself to be a man who made such logic seem reasonable.
Still, Magrun felt he should worry at least a little.
That being said, no matter how skilled the Scalor horde was, they didn’t have the numbers to take down a Knight.
That was a fact. Moreover, even Magrun could see that Encrid was no ordinary Knight.
“I believe it was the best decision given the situation.”
Grida also spoke up, finding it remarkable herself.
Encrid, despite operating within split-second timeframes, seemed to make the best choices every time.
‘Like someone who’s faced similar situations countless times alone.’
She wasn’t entirely wrong.
Having relived ‘todays’ over and over again, Encrid had experienced the process of making choices thousands of times.
Sometimes, he had to make those choices in an exceptionally short span.
This ability to judge and decide was another skill he had gained from repeating ‘todays’.
Grida wasn’t aware of that, so she simply saw it as his talent.
Either way, if the party had all stayed behind to fight, it would have only delayed them further.
‘If the monsters had split their forces and chased us, it would’ve been even easier to handle.’
Their side still had plenty of strength left. Both she and Magrun were here.
If Magrun had another episode due to his illness, it would be troublesome, but for now, he showed no signs of it.
In short, Encrid’s decision to stay behind had prevented them from being delayed and had also forced the monsters to react.
Without a colony leader guiding them, the Scalors wouldn’t have been able to execute any tactical maneuvers.
‘But why did a special variant show up here?’
That was a question for later.
‘Everything will be answered when we reach Zaun.’
Once there, most of their questions would likely be resolved.
‘There’s no way they wouldn’t know about this.’
Odinkar had already gone ahead to deliver the news.
While she was thinking, Encrid rejoined the group. He wasn’t overly excited, but he did look somewhat thrilled as he spoke.
“Now it’s time to learn instinct.”
“…What?”
Grida had been about to tell him ‘Good work’ but ended up asking instead.
What nonsense was he spouting now?
“I have a rough idea of the path. The wall isn’t that high.”
Encrid continued speaking while quickening his pace to catch up with Ragna.
Ragna must have heard him but didn’t react at all.
What the hell was he talking about, this lunatic?
Grida muttered to herself. She was so baffled that she nearly tripped over a tree root she hadn’t noticed.
Of course, the moment she stumbled, she crushed the root beneath her foot.
With the strength of a Knight, such a thing was possible.
Crunch, snap.
The root cracked apart, spilling sap and fragments onto the ground.
“Are you poisoned?”
Magrun turned back and asked, slowing his steps.
“No, that’s just normal.”
Ragna answered.
Even though Magrun and Grida had watched Encrid for two months, they had never seen this level of madness before.
“I’m going to strike with instinct. Not with calculation, but with instinct.”
Encrid spoke only what he wanted to say. It wasn’t that he was ignoring them, he just got to the point quickly.
“I dealt with all the Scalors.”
“And you’re telling us that now?”
“There were four black ones. Do they usually appear in this area?”
“…And you’re only asking that now?”
If so, the Border Guard and Martai would have a serious problem.
A colony forming just ten days on horseback from here, and one containing special variants at that.
“I’ve never seen anything like it either.”
Magrun, realizing that Encrid wasn’t going to answer, gave up on expecting a response and spoke instead. His expression had darkened since their departure. He was worried that something might have happened in Zaun, and the tightness in his chest made him wonder if his affliction—whether a curse or a disease—was about to flare up again.
“This is unusual. There will be more ambushes.”
Encrid repeated himself. Normally, such an odd occurrence wouldn’t be brushed off so easily, but given the things he had experienced so far, he could afford to say so and move on.
If there was nothing they could do about it immediately, then moving forward like this was the right choice.
Everyone present was sharp enough to understand that, so no one questioned it further.
The only thing that mattered now was whether or not another ambush would occur.
“We’re expecting the same.”
Grida agreed with Encrid.
“At this pace, we still have over ten days to go.”
Magrun shared the same sentiment.
“Once we return to Zaun, we’ll find out what’s been happening in the area. Odinkar should have arrived ahead of us as well.”
Grida continued. Magrun then picked up his pace again.
They ran at a slightly reduced speed, keeping their senses sharp for any nearby presence. It was better to be cautious than to run blindly and risk missing an enemy’s approach.
They also refrained from conversation. Talking would only hinder their ability to identify threats and detect ambushes.
They ran in silence through the night, yet no further attacks came.
As dawn broke and the sun began to rise, Magrun finally came to a halt, prompting Grida to speak.
“What if we push ourselves a bit and keep running until evening? The freckles will probably sleep better that way.”
“I agree.”
Encrid nodded as he answered.
The group resumed their run. They crossed several ridges, working up a slight sweat, but now was not the time for the luxury of washing up.
Along the way, they replenished their water supply and even hunted a few animals.
The Pen-Hanil Mountains were home to both monsters and beasts, but the two coexisted. After all, magic beasts were simply animals tainted by the blood of monsters.
Deeper in the great forest, only magic beasts roamed, but that place was considered another kind of Demon Realm altogether.
Regardless, they hunted and roasted their prey over a fire, eating quickly before continuing their journey.
They had no salt, so flavor wasn’t a concern. In a situation like this, seasoning was a luxury.
The meat carried a gamey stench, but they were lucky to have food at all. Even Ann, who had awakened intermittently, ate and drank.
“I can’t sleep any more just from medicine. My body won’t take it.”
During such moments, Ann clung tightly to Ragna’s back and endured.
“Ugh, this is really hell.”
Though slower than a mounted rider’s pace, clinging to a person using three-dimensional movement was no easy feat.
Encrid, however, was impressed by how well Ann endured it. They weren’t running across flat plains but traversing mountainous terrain. They leapt over boulders and stirred up dust as they ran.
By the time they had spent three days traveling, even Encrid, Ragna, and Ann expected some sort of obstacle ahead.
Yet nothing happened.
They remained alert for ambushes, but there were no suspicious scents or sounds.
They crossed multiple ridges, climbed steep mountain paths, waded through dust, and even forded a wide waterway.
The water only reached their waists, but their gambesons and cloaks would become dead weight if soaked.
So, they held their weapons and belongings above their heads and crossed in thin trousers.
Honestly, Encrid thought this was the perfect opportunity for an enemy attack, but once again, nothing happened.
And so, they finally arrived.
“This is Lafata Gorge. You’re probably curious about the name’s origin, but now isn’t the time for explanations. You’ll have to bear with it.”
Magrun spoke while looking at the steep, earthen slopes rising on either side of the narrow path. His tone was firm, but by now, Encrid was used to talking with him.
‘So he’s actually disappointed that he can’t explain it.’
His tone was prickly, but the sentiment was clear.
It was like wanting to tell a friend about the famous sights of one’s hometown.
But thanks to some lunatic’s ambush, Magrun’s intentions had been thwarted. That fact alone made traversing the gorge feel even more unsettling.
However, taking another route would require a huge detour, so they had no choice but to press on.
“…Why hasn’t anything happened?”
Grida muttered.
“Yeah.”
Ragna responded.
Ironically, even as they neared Zaun’s doorstep, no enemy had shown themselves. Encrid found that odd.
‘Why?’
He thought he might have an answer upon arriving at Zaun.
The settlement was built atop a high mountain basin, giving the impression of a secluded village.
If not for the few old-fashioned buildings and the fact that everyone carried swords, one could easily mistake it for a rural town far removed from any threat of monsters or magic beasts.
And then, Encrid’s gaze landed on the figure standing guard before them.
Amusingly, he was a familiar face. Not from reality, but from dreams.
“You’re late, Grida.”
The man stood before a towering wooden palisade, its sharpened stakes reaching well beyond the height of a grown man.
The wooden gate at the center stood open, and the man himself stood in its frame.
For a brief moment, Encrid envisioned an impenetrable fortress gate—one that had never been opened—and an unbreakable sword.
He had never seen such a gate, nor a truly unbreakable blade, but the moment he looked at the man before him, those images formed in his mind.
That was how overwhelming the man’s presence was. When still, he was like a mountain.
‘When he moves, he’ll be like a storm.’
Encrid’s perspective had sharpened, allowing him to see such things now.
In his dreams, he had first noticed the thick eyebrows, the sunken cheeks, and the sturdy build.
But now, meeting him in person, it was the sheer force of his presence that spoke the loudest.
“He’s the head of the house.”
Magrun spoke, but Encrid already knew the answer. The head of Zaun. The leader of a family that produced Knights. If not him, then who else could represent Zaun?
“You brought guests.”
The head of Zaun spoke.
At that moment, Encrid instinctively repelled the subtle pressure emanating from the man. And at the same time, a question formed in his mind.
‘He doesn’t know about us?’
If Odinkar had arrived ahead of them, that shouldn’t have been possible.
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