- #1
tl;dr It's a fun read and I can't wait to see the heights Encrid reaches.Original Review (August 19, 2024 - c97) : Some people might find this novel monotonous, but I find it to be an addicting breath of fresh air. Encrid is not an OP character. He was praised for being talented when he was younger, but found that when he went out into the world that he had just been a big fish in a small pond and became crushed under the realization that he could never amount to more than that even though he dreams of becoming a knight. His mad platoon members were actually born talented geniuses, but experienced what I imagine to be something like "gifted burnout" of boredom and lacking motivation towards a predictable future of heights that will only bring annoyances. The relationships and interactions between Encrid and his mad platoon members is a beautifully violent work of art, much like blacksmiths hammering a sword and trying to force and incorporate unconventional ores--the members become satisfied and re-energized at how sharp the dull blade has become and Encrid crawls one excruciating step forward to becoming the living weapon he wants to be. The energy of this story is infectious as readers also get drawn in by the current Encrid creates as we judge his stubborn resolve and that judgment slowly transforms into a sort of doting admiration. I swear I've become a little mad myself just by proximity.P.S. Babayaga02/RevengerScans really does top notch quality. They're doing a slow release, but you can purchase advanced chapters on their ko-fi. Definitely show them some love because their translations are very decent compared to those who just plug the novels into translators without taking the time to touch up grammar and comparable idioms, etc. There are a few gender errors by RevengerScans, but Korean is a genderless language that colloquially relies on context rather than specifically designating females under "그" so I'm not all that bothered by the tiny bit of extra mental math.UPDATE NOTE (October 24, 2024 - c480) : There is no romance. Women do sort of flock to him because of his looks and his intriguing abilities, but Encrid is solely focused on his sword and has no interest in physical intimacies and romance. And the women themselves aren't really interested in him romantically though they may joke about it. Instead, they mostly appreciate his crazy and inspiring persistence and get swept up with everyone else in introspection on the path to their own goals. It might change in the future because I haven't completed this story, but almost 400 chapters later and that hasn't changed. There is quite a bit of found family and their own bizarre bromance, but no bl as Encrid and the main secondary characters are quite hetero.