Enkrid, who woke at dawn, faced the same today once again. He would train his body with the Technique of Isolation. It was a today that started anew.
It was mostly the same as the previous todays. Training his body, with the reconnaissance team members and Finn watching. Enkrid, who had been moving since dawn, finished his sword training and inspected his equipment.
After the battle with the ghouls, he had forgotten to check his equipment in the morning. 'From here, again.' It was the start of a new today.
And it was also the moment to decide on a direction. Would he go to the crawl hole again? Or would he choose a different path?
He lifted his sword, holding it parallel to the ground, then tilted it diagonally and brought it up to eye level. He scanned the blade with his eyes. There were no nicks.
Enkrid continued his thoughts as he looked at the blade. The most important thing to prioritize in this repeating today. 'First, grasp the situation.'
If there were three paths to break through, he wanted to know what lay at the end of each one first. As if they had been waiting, weren't there three paths laid out before him?
'How' he would walk toward tomorrow was something to sort out after that.
He wiped the blade once with a prepared piece of leather, checked his other equipment one by one, then unwound the leather strap on the hilt and wrapped it again. This was a sort of sign, an act to mark the beginning of a different today.
It was a method he had devised during the repeating first day because he couldn't count the growing number of todays. Re-tying the leather strap on the sword grip was the second today.
Enkrid remembered.
"If we're going to leave in the morning, shouldn't we get a move on?"
Torres said this while making a meal of jerky. After tasting the seasoned jerky, he had taken to sticking to Enkrid every morning. Enkrid had been about to speak anyway.
Just then, he saw Finn approaching. A handaxe on her left hip, thick-soled boots, and on her right hip, a shortsword. She wore thin, well-tanned leather armor.
He had seen before how the armor bent well with the movements of her body. 'It must be light.' Her gear looked that way.
It was an armament possible because among the lightly armored infantry, the reconnaissance team were people who moved with only the bare minimum of equipment.
"The ranger goes first."
This was their motto. Because they walked at the very front, they were the ones who walked the lightest. Compared to the heavy infantry, Enkrid also belonged to the lightly armored infantry, but compared to them, you could say he was relatively heavily equipped.
A single longsword would be cumbersome enough. Then, what would her skill be like in a proper fight? In fact, he had been curious for several days.
Looking at the degree of her physical training, it didn't seem like she would fall behind even when compared to Torres. As it happened, there would be time to spare today. The first step to greeting a today different from yesterday.
He eliminated the option of sticking his head into the hole first thing in the morning.
"How about we go with crossing the fortress walls at night?"
Enkrid said abruptly, looking at the approaching Finn. Beating around the bush only drags things out. Sometimes, clearly revealing one's purpose and intentions was advantageous in leading a conversation.
Enkrid was very skilled in this regard.
"Suddenly?"
"I have a bad feeling."
As the approaching Finn tilted her head, he answered without missing a beat. Enkrid knew well the nicknames they called him within the unit. Besides Enchanting Squad Leader or Spellbreaker, it was the phrase most often used to refer to him.
'The one loved by the Goddess of Fortune.' That was it. If another soldier or commander said they felt something ominous, it would be easy to ignore.
But when he said it, it was received a little differently.
"A bad feeling?"
Of course, Finn didn't know about such nicknames, so her reaction was understandable, but Torres was different. Torres, who had been looking at Enkrid's face for a moment, stroked his chin and spoke.
"If all three methods are fine anyway, isn't it okay to go over the wall?"
He agreed without hesitation. He didn't even ask for a reason. Even though he had just said it was a feeling.
What kind of situation was this? Finn stopped tilting her head and opened her mouth.
"You know that climbing the fortress wall is no easy task?"
"There's nothing easy in this world."
Enkrid answered that. On a path where three walk together, if two are on the same side, isn't the answer simple? In truth, it didn't matter to Finn which way they went.
Wasn't that why she had told him about all three paths?
Finn nodded.
"Alright, then."
There was no need for a battle of wills. Finn also had a subtle liking for Enkrid.
"How about a round?"
Enkrid said, tying the sword, its leather strap now fully wound, to his waist, scabbard and all.
"Oho."
Torres chimed in from the side. The target was, of course, Finn.
"You want to go against me? Combat isn't my specialty."
That couldn't be true. Someone like that couldn't possibly have such a trained body.
"Swordsmanship isn't my specialty either."
Speaking, Finn shrugged and showed her palms. Seeing that, Enkrid's mouth opened again.
"Going bare-handed wouldn't be bad either. We can't get hurt before an important mission."
Would it be a valuable experience? He didn't know. However, seeing her trained body, he did want to face her.
It was a competitive spirit. Just like Torres, Finn also felt a sudden desire to compete with Enkrid, separate from her favorable impression of him. 'It has been a while.'
She too had once burned with the flame of passion for training. She had stopped when she experienced her limits. Even now, she wasn't at a level where she would be easily defeated by any average person.
For instance, even though Enkrid's swordsmanship that cut down the ghoul was impressive. 'If we're doing this without swords.' She didn't think she would lose easily.
Everyone had their specialty, and Finn's was one-on-one, bare-handed combat.
"Oh, it's been a while since I've seen this."
This was said by one of the reconnaissance team members. A kind member with a gentle way of speaking, contrary to his bandit-like appearance. He was also the member who had dried Enkrid's clothes on a branch for him.
Seeing as he said it had been a while. It seemed he already knew of Finn's talent.
"Enough useless chatter."
Finn's eyes shone as she spoke. She already seemed to be in a combat stance.
"We have time until nightfall."
Words of permission fell from Finn's lips. Enkrid untied his scabbard again. He also took off his padded armor and leather armor, standing opposite her wearing only a thin shirt fastened with leather ties across his chest.
Before he knew it, the reconnaissance team and Torres had formed a large circle, creating a space. Torres, positioned near the center, smirked and said.
"Somehow, this scene seems familiar from before."
He must be talking about the promotion duel. Torres recalled the Enkrid from that time. The Enkrid he had faced.
'He's changed a lot.' Compared to back then, there had been drastic improvement. At least, that's how it looked to Torres.
"Let's begin."
Soon, the duel between the two began. Finn's specialty was close-quarters combat. She had no intention of hiding it.
She shifted her feet left and right, then immediately closed the distance. Enkrid had also learned striking techniques through Audin. He spread his feet front and back, took a step, and extended his left hand straight out.
A punch that extends in a straight line, rather than swinging left or right, has a shorter path. Therefore, it was fast. It was a punch that resembled a sword's thrust.
Seeing that, Finn showed a movement that was close to an acrobatic feat. Her eyes wide, she ducked to avoid the incoming punch. A movement of just the necessary amount; Enkrid's thrusting punch grazed her hair.
'This is...'
It was a move reminiscent of his time on the escort mission for Leona Lockfreed. Back then, when he had climbed to the second floor to save Leona, Enkrid had dodged a dagger thrown by his opponent with just a tilt of his head. It was a charge that brought that move to mind.
Finn had dodged his fist just like that. His concentration sharpened. He could see the path drawn by his opponent's body, and his gaze naturally turned to Finn's face.
A gleam seemed to radiate from her eyes. Just like that, they entered close-quarters combat.
'A tackle?'
The hesitation was short, the judgment swift.
Whoosh.
Instead of his extended left fist, he drove his right elbow downward. It was a violent attack, one that would put a hole somewhere in her back if she didn't dodge it. Finn managed to dodge even that.
Her movements were like a snake's. Her waist bent flexibly, and somehow, with some kind of footwork, she had suddenly seized Enkrid's right side. She hadn't just seized his position; both her hands were now gripping Enkrid's wrist and forearm. Enkrid reflexively used his strength to pull his arm from Finn's grasp.
At the same time, Finn wrapped her calf around the inside of Enkrid's shin. The fight from then on was a battle of who could seize the other's joints first. Dodging, blocking, grappling, and rolling.
Before they knew it, the two were rolling on the ground, tumbling over and over. There was a thud as a head hit the ground. He hadn't realized it, but Finn's foot or hand had also gone into Enkrid's groin.
'Eil Karaz style.' Enkrid knew the technique Finn was using. It was one of the things Audin had told him about while teaching him countless times.
Among the most infamous prisons on the continent was Eil Karaz. It was a technique created long ago by one of the guards at Eil Karaz. A technique to subdue prisoners without injury while inflicting extreme pain: the Eil Karaz Combat Technique.
Its main focus was on joint locks, excluding strikes, and its nickname was 'King of the Dirt'. It was a nickname earned by rolling on the training yard floor of Eil Karaz to obtain the title of king. And it was a skill as infamous as its name.
Enkrid had countered several times with the Balaph-style grappling he had learned from Audin, who called it bed combat. His opponent's proficiency was several times higher.
So.
"Admit defeat?"
The moment he thought he had blocked well, his neck was suddenly caught between Finn's legs. If things went wrong, his neck could be broken. Being caught like this, he could tell one thing: Finn's thigh muscles were incredibly firm.
"I lost."
With his neck being squeezed, Enkrid admitted defeat.
"I don't know what would happen if we fought with swords, but this is my specialty."
Speaking, Finn released her hold. Because they had rolled on the ground several times, both of them were covered in dirt. Ochre-colored dust scattered and fell from their hair.
"I need to wash up. Want to come with?"
Finn asked.
"I'll go later."
A direct refusal. The offer was no different from an invitation to get undressed together.
"Tch."
Finn, perhaps also joking, made a playful clicking sound with her tongue and stood up. She dusted off her rear and said.
"See you in the evening."
After she left.
"If you're going to embrace like that, why don't you just get a den?"
Torres said with a laugh.
Hmm?
When he looked over, wondering what that meant, Torres just kept laughing.
"Of all the people who have tumbled with our leader, you lasted the longest."
The squad member next to him said. Hearing that, he kind of understood. 'Breasts or whatever, we did rub our bodies together.'
It was too frantic for him to have thought about that. However, there was one thing he realized. 'She's an excellent sparring partner.'
She wasn't as good as Audin. Audin would say all sorts of things to him while rendering him completely helpless. However, in the current situation, wasn't she the best possible sparring partner?
He would be able to polish his Balaph-style combat. Of course, that didn't mean he would spend today frivolously. Naturally, he would also struggle to escape today.
However, how many times had he faced a situation like this before? He knew instinctively. It was as if the ferryman of dreams had appeared and was murmuring.
"How will you escape?"
Another wall had appeared. Could he escape after just a few tries? He didn't know yet, but it wouldn't be easy.
But would he despair over that? That wouldn't happen. Enkrid was calm.
He wasn't excitedly running wild, nor was he distressed. That was truly how it was. He just thought that properly grasping the unfolding situation came first.
Discovering Finn's specialty in the meantime was just a secondary matter. Afterwards, during the remaining time, Enkrid practiced with Torres's Hide Knife.
"Are you going to keep practicing that? I've taught it a few times, and I know that some guys just can't get it."
Torres offered some serious advice from the side. He had told him to stop learning it before, but that had seemed more like a joke. The words he was saying now contained sincerity.
To Torres, who was idly spending his time under a tree, Enkrid replied.
"Is that so."
As if he hadn't heard words like that once or twice before.
"Fine, do as you please."
Torres gave up quickly. It had only been a few days, but he had already gotten a rough grasp of Enkrid. That this bastard was stubborn as a mule.
"The thing about going to the wall, why?"
It was a question that came after he had already believed him without hesitation.
"Because that way seemed better."
"And your feelings have been spot on so far?"
"Mostly."
In truth, they were things he had achieved by repeating today like a madman. Would he understand even if he explained?
"Well, I'll trust you."
Torres nodded.
Enkrid didn't think it would be a problem even if he didn't believe him. He had just predicted that things would flow this way. Continued practice and training.
He took the time to wash himself and also got some shut-eye.
"If we're going to work at night, it's good to get some sleep."
Torres was the same, and Finn also seemed to be resting enough. He took a short nap, and when he woke, the sun was beginning to set.
"You guys go to the rendezvous point. We're clearing out of here."
Considering the worst-case scenario, the remaining reconnaissance team said they would abandon their current post and move. And so, the three of them headed for the fortress wall. The way there was even rougher.
Because instead of bushes, they were climbing a rocky mountain in the middle of the night.
"It's a good thing two moons are out tonight, right?"
Finn, who was leading the way, said.
"Should I be calling this a good thing? This path is rough."
"I told you. This way is twice as hard as the other paths."
Finn added with a smile and set off again. Her gait was one thing, but Finn made almost no sound as she walked, as if she had attached something to the bottom of her boots. Enkrid silently followed behind her.
After crossing the rocky mountain, bushes that covered their heads greeted them. With Finn's guidance, the three crossed even that. They continued until they reached a place where the walls of Cross Guard were clearly visible.
"We're lucky."
Finn said, looking at the fortress wall. Torres, drenched in sweat, lifted his head.
"This is lucky?"
"It is. We didn't run into a single monster."
Enkrid was also drenched in sweat. The act of keeping up with a ranger's pace was no small feat. And this wasn't the end.
"It starts now, gentlemen."
Finn smiled brightly, announcing the beginning of hell. She was saying that climbing the fortress wall was harder than climbing the rocky mountain. Before that, just getting right up against the wall would be a problem.
Enkrid lifted his head, gauging the height of the wall visible ahead, and thought. That it was going to be quite a struggle. But it wasn't as if there was a way back.
"Let's go."
He could only follow silently behind Finn.