Chapter 9

Episode 9.

Before starting a series of regressions.

I decided to keep one thing in mind to maintain my mental health.

Everything that will happen in the future will disappear along with regression.

The suffering of my colleagues is the same as my death.

So don't be ambiguous, push through to the end.

"Keep your mental strength tight."With that determination, the sixth life began.

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A Paladin's first strike has a high probability of targeting the right leg.

Clang-!

The second is the neck.

Whoosh-

It's too late to dodge by watching.

I had to move preemptively, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in sync with the timing ingrained in my body.

'Next is….'

It will be a kick to create distance.

The impact, if direct, has the power to burst internal organs.

Bang-!

Just as I narrowly dodged.

Ryan, who had been watching the timing, suddenly intervened like lightning and swung his hammer.

The Paladin leaped back several steps.

His narrowed eyes fixed on me.

"You… what are you? How…."

"Well, what do you think?"

"……."

The Paladin did not immediately draw his sword, maintaining a wary stance.

But that would be short-lived.

He would soon attack with a changed pattern.

'...It's okay.'

But my fighting spirit was not broken.

Tiny achievements were accumulating.

[Agility increases by '1' due to successful high-difficulty evasion maneuver]

[Swordsmanship proficiency rapidly increases through intense battles in extreme situations]

[Knight's Swordsmanship Lv.1]

Stat increases were good, but what I anticipated most was the swordsmanship level-up.

Only 4.3% remained.

In the game, swordsmanship level greatly influenced a character's combat power.

It was likely the same now that it had become reality.

'The next life will be closer to victory.'

[Ninety-Nine Overlord Knight King affirms]

I decided to use this life as a stepping stone for the victory that would eventually come.

Since I had already made up my mind, all that was left was to advance.

"Gunter, he's coming!"

Crash-!

The Paladin charged again.

Terrifying speed.

It was like watching a video with dropped frames.

Before I could even take a breath, the enemy who had arrived before my eyes swung his sword.

"Die!"

Blocking, dodging, parrying, I held on.

In the process, I observed how his sword moved.

A single piece of trivial information could create an unforeseen variable in future lives.

I absolutely could not miss it.

…Senses, spirit, 'self-control' at the limit.

'Just a little more….'

[Knight's Swordsmanship Lv.1]

I was determined to reach Level 2 before dying.

Only then could I start the next life more advantageously.

'Just a little more!'

With that thought, as I moved my body at its limit.

Screech-!

Intense pain spread from my left shoulder throughout my entire body.

I knew without turning my head.

My arm had just been severed.

'Ah, damn it.'

The Paladin's sword, which had spun in the air, thrust towards my neck without a moment's rest.

An inescapable combo.

But I was not alone.

"Uuaaaargh!"

Ryan roared like a bear and blocked the way.

As reckless as the move was, the price was severe.

The sword that should have pierced my neck instead tore through the area below his collarbone.

Blood spurted like a fountain.

Death was imminent, but Ryan's eyes were clear.

"Gunter!"

I extended my sword.

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.

.

"……."

The Paladin looked down at his own body with disbelief.

His clothes were covered in dirt, his palms scraped raw from hastily bracing himself on the ground.

In front of his subordinates, he had been tossed around like a donkey by a mere mercenary.

It was unavoidable that vulgar curses spilled from his mouth.

"Y-You son of a bitch!"

Enraged, the Paladin forgot his resolve to torture Gunter and thrust his sword directly towards his heart.

"How dare you! A heretic like you! To me!"

As if still not satisfied, he repeatedly kicked the corpse at his feet with a scowling face, but… he couldn't erase the faint smile that remained on Gunter's lips.

[You attempted an excellent counterattack despite the pain of dismemberment]

[Swordsmanship proficiency increases]

[Knight's Swordsmanship level increases to '2']

[Karma for the Sixth Life: 61]

[Owned Karma: 156]

* * *

My seventh life began.

I could immediately feel the power of Swordsmanship Level 2.

"Gack!"

Even a Decurion was now defeated in a single exchange.

Ordinary soldiers fell two at a time with a single swing of my sword.

I had to kill as many as possible before the Paladin arrived, so I swung my sword relentlessly.

However, that changed pace of advance created an unforeseen variable.

'...!'

I spotted two people cornered on one side of the battlefield.

'Eddie? Yor?'

In previous lives, I wouldn't have even paid them any mind.

But with the change in my swordsmanship skill, the flow of my movement on the battlefield also changed.

As a result, the chance to save these two fell into my hands.

I increased my speed and assessed the situation.

"Huff, huff."

Eddie, covered in blood, was desperately protecting Yor.

But no matter how much of a contractor he was, he was no match for the barrage of spears pouring in from all sides.

"You bastards! Touch even a finger to the young lady, and I'll kill you all!"

His wounds were increasing faster and faster.

Sensing the end, Yor brought something to her lips with trembling hands.

It must have been the poison given by the Guild Master.

[The One Who Sends a Love Letter That Will Never Return desperately reaches out towards you]

There was no time to delay.

Tap-!

Ryan moved on his own without a word.

As he turned to draw their attention from the opposite side.

I slid towards the weakest point of the encirclement.

My vision lowered drastically.

I quickly thrust the tip of my sword into the backs of their knees.

Thwack-!

With a wet sound of tendons snapping, three or four enemy soldiers collapsed, bleeding.

Eddie didn't miss the opening.

"Unconditional Affection!"

…The skill name was strange, but the effect was immediate.

The Stigma on his nape, shaped like a collar, glowed, and a bluish light seeped into his skin.

The spear aimed at Eddie's abdomen bounced off with a hard sound.

'A defense buff?'

While Eddie rampaged within the encirclement, Ryan and I swept away the enemies from the outside.

The three strongest members of our party joined forces.

It was quick work to take down about ten soldiers.

"Gunter! You're safe!"

"...Yes."

Yor approached with a bright face.

Without a word, I grabbed her by the nape and threw her into a broken carriage nearby.

"Young lady! You crazy bas-"

And I covered Eddie's protesting mouth.

"It's coming."

"...What? What's coming?"

"A ticket to the next life."

Boom.

A deafening roar echoed from behind.

Even without looking back, the piercing killing intent revealed its identity.

I quickly began briefing.

"He rarely dodges twice in a row. Perhaps out of pride, he tries to counterattack immediately after evading. He also has a habit of lowering his sword tip slightly when blocking the upper body. These are ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the openings I've discovered so far."

"So far? What are you talking about!?"

I felt their questioning gazes.

I pointed my sword at the approaching Paladin and finished speaking.

"Memorize it. If you don't want to die meaninglessly."

Boom-!

He charged.

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.

Several lives passed in that manner.

Levels and stats steadily increased, and the tide of battle gradually improved.

With Eddie joining, and becoming accustomed to the Paladin's patterns, the duration we could hold out grew longer.

There were times when we wiped out all the enemy soldiers, leaving only the four of us on the battlefield.

A small but definite change.

What greater driving force could a regressor have?

…However, not all moments were pleasant.

Eddie holding a cold, lifeless Yor.

The Guild Master's severed head rolling on the ground.

The corpse of a young mercenary who had been particularly fond of me.

Of course, all these tragedies would disappear with the regression.

But I couldn't help but feel like shit.

[Addict Saintess looks at you with pity]

No, saying "like shit" was a form of bravado.

In truth, I was afraid.

And it was understandable.

I knew.

When, where, what, who, and how it would take away.

When you spin the wheel of time, etched with memories of failure and the fear of death,

even the most intense fighting spirit will eventually dull a little.

But…

"Because we can definitely win."

Humans, after all, must take responsibility for their words.

I didn't want to become someone who shirked responsibility and ran away, like some people.

'Knight King.'

[Ninety-Nine Overlord Knight King looks at you]

'If I really have 500 Karma, can I escape this damn situation?'

[He nods]

And so, repetition.

Again, repetition.

The eleventh life, which arrived at its end.

[A turning point of fate has occurred]

The end was in sight.

* * *

"I just can't understand what you're trying so hard for. You're just going to die and fall like this anyway."

The Paladin smirked, poking Gunter's body with the tip of his sword.

Though he appeared cold and composed, his trembling voice clearly held fear.

It was understandable, as Gunter's final blow, had it been just a fraction deeper, would have meant the Paladin lying on the ground now.

"It's all over."

He roughly kicked the corpses of Eddie and Ryan with his foot, as if to hide his fear and shame, and continued.

"All ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠your comrades are dead, and you'll follow soon."

The Paladin pointed to a small scratch on his neck and sneered.

"And all you left behind in return is this tiny scratch—"

Just then.

Gunter's lips, which had been breathing faintly as if dead, twitched slightly.

As a cracked voice escaped, the Paladin unconsciously leaned in to listen.

"Yes… it was for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just that."

However, his gaze was not directed at the Paladin.

His pupils, moving left and right, were fixed somewhere beyond.

It was as if he were reading a sentence that no one else could see.

And Gunter laughed.

A laugh that gleamed with liberation, far from the despair of facing death.

"It's all over, you idiot."

Seized by a chilling sense of unease, the Paladin hastily severed Gunter's head.

Swoosh-!

[Died]

[Counting death records]

[11/99]

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[A turning point of fate has occurred]

[You have stepped outside the predetermined path of this world and discovered an Easter egg]

[The flow of fate subtly warps]

● Resonance

You and your comrades have cooperated to leave a strong mark of resistance against the formidable enemy, 'Aaron Burnecker,' whom you were not meant to reach.

● Authority

Your 'Party Leader' ability has awakened.

● Reward

Karma +300

[Karma for the Eleventh Life: 398]

[Owned Karma: 653]

[Accumulated Karma: 753]

The butterfly's wings, at last, created a typhoon.