Reincarnated as a failed hero?! Watch me Defy Fate! - Chapter 158

Chapter 158: Divine Fire
Flareth struck first, but I swiftly countered by drawing my katana, [Kagegiri], and channeling my magic—[Dark Magic: Black Flame].

Our clash turned the Spire of the Fire God into what looked like an inferno straight from hell. The angels present began to feel the heat, their celestial forms unable to withstand the sheer intensity. One by one, they withdrew from the battlefield, a wise decision considering the flames we wielded had grown so intense that even the floor of the arena started to melt.

When our attacks collided, my [Black Flame] managed to overpower Flareth’s strike, generating a thick black smoke that quickly enveloped the battlefield. Seizing the opportunity, I activated my most formidable magic—[Forbidden Dark Magic: Abyssal Wrath Mode].

Abyssal Wrath Mode instantly doubled the power of my Dark Magic, amplifying my strength (STR) and agility (AGI) as well. Without hesitation, I transitioned Kagegiri into its second form—[Yami no Shogun], transforming my attire into a pitch-black samurai armor in an instant.

Seeing my transformation, Flareth burst into laughter, eyes burning with excitement.

“HAHAHA! You’re going all out right away?! Good! I like this! Now I can obliterate a flea like you with full power!”

Without wasting another second, Flareth surged forward at breakneck speed, launching a relentless assault with his flaming claymore. Accompanying the main blade, he conjured multiple additional swords of fire, attacking from all angles. However, with [Future Sight], I could predict his movements and countered with precise deflections using [Yanagi-Uke].

“Not bad! But let’s see how you handle this!” Flareth roared as he activated his magic—[God’s Fire Clone].

Suddenly, dozens of flaming copies of Flareth emerged, each capable of exploding upon impact. Within moments, the battlefield was swarming with his clones, all charging at me with synchronized attacks. The sheer number made it difficult to keep up, but I had my own countermeasure.

I unleashed [High Dark Magic: Nightmare Tempest, Hundred Shadow], summoning a hundred shadow clones crafted from pure Dark Magic. The battlefield erupted into chaos as my shadows and Flareth’s clones clashed in a whirlwind of destruction. Shadow blades and flaming swords collided, both sides eliminating each other in a battle of attrition.

For a moment, it seemed as if I had leveled the playing field. However, deep down, I knew Flareth had yet to unleash his full power. I needed to act quickly and deal a decisive blow before he got serious.

Flareth, clearly frustrated by the stalemate, scowled.

“Tch, this isn’t enough… Fine! I’ll just use the same spell that crushed you before!” he declared, his body igniting with an overwhelming blaze.

A massive inferno swirled around him, growing in intensity until it formed a colossal wave of divine fire. He grinned maniacally before thrusting his hands forward.

“Fall! Burn! Be defeated just like before! [God’s Fire Wave!]”

At last, he had resorted to it. The spell manifested as an enormous surge of fire, relentlessly advancing toward me. It would not stop until it completely consumed its target.

Instead of panicking, I let a small smirk cross my lips.

“I’ve been waiting for this,” I whispered.

Without hesitation, I deactivated all of my Dark Magic, reverting to my base form. Then, I activated the blessing bestowed upon me by Miranda.

[BLESSING OF FIRE DAMAGE ACTIVATED!]

A divine glow surrounded me, granting me immense resistance to fire-based attacks.

[BLESSING OF SEALING MAGIC ACTIVATED!]

This blessing allowed me to temporarily seal away my Dark Magic, shielding me from the Divine Magic attribute imbued in Flareth’s flames.

The moment I sealed my Dark Magic, an excruciating jolt surged through my body, as if my very essence was being electrocuted. But I gritted my teeth and endured it, forcing my magic into dormancy.

With my Dark Magic sealed and my Fire Blessing in effect, I braced myself and stood my ground as Flareth’s devastating attack bore down on me. The inferno engulfed me completely, yet instead of agony, I felt nothing but a gentle warmth. Flareth’s triumphant laughter turned into one of sheer shock as he watched me emerge unscathed from the flames.

“Y-you idiot! Are you seriously taking my attack head-on?! Burn! Turn to ash!” he bellowed in disbelief.

Yet, as the fire dissipated, I remained standing, unharmed, my eyes locked onto his with unwavering determination. Flareth’s expression twisted from confidence to pure rage.

This was the turning point of our battle.

The time to strike back had finally come.

…

Flareth looked furious, his face contorted in anger as he shouted at me. However, I paid him no mind. Instead, I drove my katana deep into the ground, spreading my arms wide as if embracing the flames rushing toward me.

His attack struck me head-on. A wave of searing heat surged through my body, and for a brief moment, I felt an overwhelming pain. But then, something changed. The agony dulled, fading into something tolerable. My skin, which should have burned to ash, remained intact. The blessing bestowed upon me by Miranda was working.

Flareth’s flames no longer held the power to consume me.

Without hesitation, I activated my skill—[Resonance]—attempting to absorb Flareth’s devastating attack.

“AARRGGHH!!” I roared, forcing every ounce of my will into absorbing the divine flames.

Flareth only laughed, his voice filled with confidence. “HAHAHA! Fool! No matter what you do, the result will be the same! You will burn!”

But the seconds dragged on, and I remained standing. Slowly, the fire surrounding me flickered and disappeared, as if sucked into my very being. Flareth’s grin faded into a look of disbelief. His flames—his greatest weapon—had vanished.

“What?!” he exclaimed.

“That busty blonde goddess Miranda must have helped you, right? You couldn’t have held back my fire without her help. She’s such a meddler!”

I ignored Flareth’s chatter and clenched my fists, feeling the raw power of his divine fire coursing through me. The once-deadly flames no longer harmed me. Instead, they had become part of my own energy. I lifted my hand and let the fire swirl around my fingers before channeling it directly into my katana. The black blade gleamed as fiery energy wrapped around it, forming a brilliant crimson glow.

A notification echoed in my mind:

[Skill Level Up! Resonance has evolved into a new skill: [Seikaryuu no Issen]—Fire Divine Dragon’s Slash.]

A smirk crossed my lips. Without hesitation, I unleashed my new power.

“[Fire Divine Dragon’s Slash]!” I called out.

As I swung my katana, a massive crimson dragon erupted from its edge, its fiery body twisting and roaring as it surged toward Flareth. The heat was intense, distorting the air around it as it raced forward with incredible speed.

For the first time, Flareth hesitated. But eventually she used her magic [God’s Fire Wave] again and tried to push my attack.

Our attacks clashed, and pushed each other back.

Flareth kept trying to push me back, using [Second Wave] adding another wave of her attack. That finally pushed me back, after which she added another [Third Wave] making my katana vibrate, my attack was pushed back even more until it almost hit me.

But I increased my magic and added my aura to my attack. Finally I was able to increase my attack power and used [Fire Divine Dragon’s Slash, Full Burst!!!!]

Finally my attack managed to push Flareth’s attack back and hit her directly.

BAM!

The battlefield shook from the impact. Smoke and embers filled the air as the explosion from the attack sent a shockwave rippling across the arena. I watched, panting, waiting to see the result of my strongest strike yet.

As the smoke cleared, Flareth stood there, unharmed—save for a single thin cut on his cheek.

I clenched my jaw. Even after all that, I hadn’t managed to deal any significant damage.

Flareth reached up, touching the wound on his cheek. His fingers came away with a single drop of blood.

For a moment, there was silence. Then—

“Hahaha!” Flareth suddenly burst into laughter. His booming voice echoed across the battlefield. “Not bad, you small Flea. Not bad at all!”

I narrowed my eyes. Was he mocking me?

He wiped his cheek, still grinning. “That was the first time in centuries someone has managed to land a hit on me.” He sheathed his weapon and cracked his neck before turning to face me properly. “Very well. You have passed.”

I blinked, taken aback. “What?”

“The trial is over,” he declared. “You have proven your strength. I, Flareth the God of Fire, acknowledge your power.”

The realization hit me. This had been a test all along.

My shoulders slumped as exhaustion washed over me. The adrenaline that had kept me going began to fade, and I felt the weight of the battle settle into my bones. Despite everything, I had done it.

I had won.

Flareth stepped forward and clapped a hand on my shoulder. His grip was firm but no longer hostile.

“Come,” he said. “You have earned my respect. Let’s talk.”

As we walked, my mind raced. I had barely scratched him, yet he seemed satisfied with the result. Was I really strong enough? Or was there something else he had seen in me?

“Don’t look so troubled,” Flareth said, as if reading my mind. “Strength isn’t just about destruction. It’s about control. And you… you controlled my flames. That’s something even gods struggle to do.”

I frowned.

He was right. My Dark Magic had always been volatile, hard to restrain. Yet, in that moment, I had contained his divine fire within me. What did that mean? Was I evolving?

I clenched my fists. If this was just the beginning, then I had so much more to learn.